Home Cleaning The 5 Best Robot Vacuums for Hardwood Floors of 2023, Tested and Reviewed We've tested 50 robot vacuums to date. By Barbara Bellesi Zito Barbara Bellesi Zito Barbara Bellesi Zito is a freelance writer from Staten Island, NY with more than 18 years of experience covering home and lifestyle topics for a variety of publications. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 23, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews Final Verdict Our Testing Process How to Shop More to Consider FAQs Take Our Word for It What Is Real Simple Selects? We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Real Simple / Henry Wortock It's okay to admit that you’d rather not do all the grunt work of keeping your hardwood floors tidy and crumb-free (especially if you have pets). If you want an easy solution for everyday messes, a robotic vacuum that eats up all the dust, dirt, and debris on your hardwood floors is the way to go. “It’s always important to look for a vacuum with enough suction power to effectively pick up dirt, dust, and pet hair from hardwood floors,” says Michelle Jones, associate brand marketing director of Ecovacs Americas. “Ideally you want at least 3,000 Pa of suction power, but anything above 4,000 Pa is even better.” To date, we've tested 50 robot vacuums to determine which are best for cleaning hardwood floors—devices that are tough on dirt yet gentle enough not to scratch up that beautiful wood grain. For more expert tips on how to shop for and use robot vacuums for hardwood floors, we also spoke with Forrest McCall, co-owner of the home improvement blog Mama Needs a Project, and Alvin Pullins, cleaning expert and CEO and founder of Nerd in the House. Our Top Picks Best Overall: iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Pet Hair: iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Hardwood & Carpet: iRobot Roomba J7 Robot Vacuum at Amazon Jump to Review Best Self-Emptying: Roborock S8 Pro Ultra at Amazon Jump to Review Best Robot Vacuum & Mop Combo: Ecovacs Deebot T9+ at Amazon Jump to Review Best Overall iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Target Our Ratings Setup 5/5 Effectiveness 5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Features 3/5 Ease of Emptying 4.5/5 What Stands Out This affordable robot efficiently picked up every type of debris during our testing, including sand. What Could Be Improved It doesn't have object avoidance. For a basic, reliable robot vacuum that can handle hardwood, your go-to should be the the Roomba 694. This relatively affordable vacuum doesn't have the bells and whistles of other models, but it's highly effective and works well on both hardwood and carpet. We liked that it came with clear instructions, making it easy to set up with the included attachments. Once activated, it took on pet hair, human hair, and Cheerios very well. It also did an excellent job with sand, so if you have a beach house, this would be the ideal vacuum to have on hand. There was a bit of a rocky transition between the edge of the area rug and the bare floor, but this is par for the course with many robotic vacuums, including others that nabbed spots on our list. Again, the fact that it removed sand from the rug is enough to make you overlook the little blip in the transition from bare floor to carpet. It doesn’t make a lot of noise, either. While there aren't a lot of special features with this Roomba, it does connect to Wi-Fi for remote access. The Roomba 694 maneuvers easily around furniture legs, but it does not have any object avoidance, so if there's something in its way, it will go through it—and yes, that can have disastrous results depending on the mess you’re dealing with. Still, this robot vacuum is pretty agile and moves quickly when it does bump into a solid object. Overall, this is an excellent robot vacuum. Pet parents will love that neither human nor pet hair gets tangled up in the brushes. There are other more expensive models with more features on the market, but the iRobot Roomba 694 will suit most people’s needs. Price at time of publish: $275 Dimensions: 13.4 x 3.5 inches | Dustbin Capacity: 0.35 liters | Battery Life: 90 minutes | Wi-Fi Connectivity: Yes | Smart Home Connectivity: Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant Real Simple / Henry Wortock Best for Pet Hair iRobot Roomba j7+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum 5 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Wayfair Our Ratings Setup 5/5 Effectiveness 5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Features 5/5 Ease of Emptying 5/5 What Stands Out It has superior mapping and scheduling functionality. What Could Be Improved The self-emptying function was rather noisy. We were seriously impressed with the suction power of this vac—it picked up pet hair from all floor surfaces, and the edge-sweeping brush was quite effective along the walls and baseboards, too. We even spotted it getting under the legs of the kitchen table—something that an upright vacuum can’t do without a narrow attachment. There are no variable power, speed settings, or attachments, but we were impressed with the design as it is. The setup was simple, and we loved how easy it was to tap into the bot’s mapping capabilities. We found that it learned our floor plan with very few adjustments because the app shows you photos of the obstacles it encounters during the first cleaning run, which you can mark as either temporary or permanent. It was quiet while vacuuming, though it was more noisy when it emptied the bin, which is a small price to pay for not having to do it ourselves. And emptying the bin itself is easy—just press a button to eject it and dump the contents of the paper bag into the trash. This is especially useful for pet owners, since hair and dander won't be released back into the air when emptying. Price at time of publish: $799 Dimensions: 13.34 x 3.4 inches | Dustbin Capacity: N/A | Battery Life: N/A | Wi-Fi Connectivity: Yes | Smart Home Connectivity: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Best for Hardwood & Carpet iRobot Roomba J7 Robot Vacuum 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Wayfair Our Ratings Setup 4/5 Effectiveness 5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Features 3/5 Ease of Emptying 5/5 What Stands Out This vacuum can transition smoothly from carpet to hardwood and pick up any dirt, debris, or hair. What Could Be Improved It's quite loud. We found the Roomba j7 to be excellent on bare floors, and noted that it did particularly well around the edges of walls. In general, it grabbed everything in its way: hair, pet hair, dust, and food. It also did extremely well on the carpet. In fact, the transition from the hardwood floor to the carpet was impressively smooth, which isn't always a guarantee with robot vacuums. Of course, all this hard work doesn't come quietly—in fact, it was quite loud. There's also a bright white light from the camera, though it did make it easier for the Roomba to “see” and maneuver across the floor. It does bump against the furniture in the corners, but it does so gently. It's also easy to empty—just click the button to open the trash bin. It does not come with a remote, but you can control it using either the start/stop button or the app. It doesn’t take long to get this vacuum up and running, though if you want to take advantage of the self-docking function, you will have to download the app (which is easy to do). We also appreciated the easy-to-remove rubber brushes at the bottom—just pop them out and pop them back in to clean. Price at time of publish: $600 Dimensions: 13.3 x 3.4 inches | Bin Capacity: 0.4 liters | Battery Life: 75 minutes | Wi-Fi Connectivity: Yes | Smart-Home Connectivity: Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant Real Simple / Henry Wortock Best Self-Emptying Roborock S8 Pro Ultra 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Roborock.com Our Ratings Setup 4.3/5 Effectiveness 5/5 Maneuverability 4.8/5 Features 4.5/5 Ease of Emptying 4.8/5 What Stands Out It empties both the dust and the mop water, and has several cleaning modes to target different types of messes. What Could Be Improved This is the most expensive robot vacuum on our list. We tried this vacuum on every surface—rugs, tiles, and hard floors. No dust bunnies or crumbs were left behind, and, yes, it mops too. The setup is simple; just make sure you have a strong Wi-Fi connection, then scan the QR code to sync the vacuum to the app. There are different suction modes you can adjust for specific cleaning needs. For example, we noticed that nail file droppings needed extra suction, but once we revised the settings, they were all picked up. It cleans all surfaces, but it did especially well on hard floors. It’s pretty quiet on the light cleaning modes, but as expected, it gets noisier when deep-cleaning. We love that you can program it to clean a single room or particular zone, which means it targets spills or messes in addition to routine, all-around cleaning. We were impressed with the mopping function, too. It applies just enough water/cleaning solution—in fact, we thought it was superior to a regular mop in terms of not using too much moisture on hard surfaces. It didn’t wet the carpeted area either, which was a relief. The best part of this robotic vac is that it empties itself—not just the dust, but also the mop water. Every three mopping sessions, we emptied out the water container and refilled it (the app will also alert you when yours needs emptying). We found that even after daily vacuuming during the testing period, there was still room in the dust bag. While this robot is certainly an investment, if you consider the time and work saved, it’s well worth it. Price at time of publish: $1,600 Dimensions: 13.9 x 3.8 inches | Dustbin Capacity: N/A | Battery Life: 180 minutes | Wi-Fi Connectivity: Yes | Smart Home Connectivity: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri Shortcuts The Best Mops for Your Home, According to Hours of Real-Life Testing Best Robot Vacuum & Mop Combo Ecovacs Deebot T9+ Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo 4.9 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy Our Ratings Setup 4.8/5 Effectiveness 5/5 Maneuverability 5/5 Features 5/5 Ease of Emptying 5/5 What Stands Out It has superior object avoidance capabilities. What Could Be Improved Larger objects can obstruct and delay the self-cleaning feature. We tried this robot vacuum/mop combo on wood and tile floors, and were impressed by its suction power. The mop function is very effective on hard floors and the disposable pads were easy and convenient to use. Truly, the proof of this robot vac’s effectiveness is the bottom of our socks—we noticed far less dog hair sticking around since we began using this on a regular basis. Aside from being effective on dog hair, we found it picked up loose screws, bits of zip tie, hair ties, and bobby pins. While we were impressed with how much it collected, be sure to check for obstructions; sometimes larger objects can delay the self-emptying feature. If you're used to noisy robot vacs, know that this one is also super quiet—it ran while we were at home and we barely noticed any noise. We liked how easy it was to set up a cleaning schedule, but the TrueDetect 3D Technology truly sealed the deal for us with this robot vac. It has advanced sensing ability, so rather than bumping into walls and tables, it glided past or around them. Plus, it also has an excellent self-emptying feature, so it's extremely hands-off. Price at time of publish: $800 Dimensions: 13.9 x 16.9 inches | Dustbin Capacity: N/L | Battery Life: 3 hours | Wi-Fi Connectivity: Yes | Smart Home Connectivity: Amazon Alexa Final Verdict Our top pick among the best vacuums for hardwood floors is the iRobot Roomba 694. iRobot is known as a top choice when it comes to robotic vacuums—but this particular Roomba stands out because it’s as effective on carpets as it is on hardwood floors, as evidenced by all the sand, hair, and debris it sucked up. Our Testing Process To determine which robot vacuums are the best for hardwood floors, we acquired 50 robot vacuums and tested them in our Lab before sending them home for long-term use in real-world conditions. We began our Lab tests by assessing the setup of each robot vacuum, following the instructions for assembly and connecting to the WiFi to test the app function (when applicable). We evaluated the robot vacuum's effectiveness at both vacuuming and mopping (when applicable). To test each model’s vacuum capabilities, we dispersed a pinch of wig hair, a tablespoon of Cheerios, and a tablespoon of sand onto a hard floor, and recorded how much of the mess each vacuum was able to clean in two minutes. For the mop-combo vacuums, we spilled a tablespoon of coffee and a drizzle of sticky syrup on the hard floor and evaluated how well it cleaned the mess in two minutes. During these tests, we also used a decibel meter to measure the noise level of each robot vacuum while running it in a small room with the door closed. We made sure to try out all available features on each vacuum—including smart mapping, voice command, object avoidance, and more—and evaluated how intuitive they were to use and whether they work as advertised. To test each vacuum’s maneuverability, or its ability to get around obstacles and transition across different floor types, we set up a testing area with a medium-pile rug, couch, coffee table, and dining table. We then ran the robot vacuum and took note of how well it fits under furniture, navigated around chair and table legs, and transitioned from a carpeted surface to a non-carpeted one. For robot vacuums with object avoidance, we placed chocolate pudding (to simulate pet waste) in the vacuum’s path to see whether it avoids it or not. We repeated this test with a USB cable and a baby sock. To test the ease of emptying, we prepared each vacuum for the next use, including switching out the bag, dumping out the debris in the dustbin, swapping out mop pads, or, for self-emptying vacuums—such as the Roborock S8 and the Ecovacs Deebot T9+—directing the product to empty itself. We then received the price of each robot vacuum and scored its overall value, taking into account its performance in the above tests. We also tested the robot vacuums in real-world conditions to evaluate their effectiveness and performance outside the Lab. Throughout our real-world testing, we assessed each robot vacuum’s ease of setup, object avoidance, and additional features like voice commands, spot cleaning, scheduling, and mopping. After this assessment, we evaluated whether the device improved our regular cleaning routine. Real Simple / Henry Wortock How to Shop for Robot Vacuums for Hardwood Like a Pro Floor Compatibility Like with other vacuums, suction power is key when considering robot vacuums for hardwood floors. Michelle Jones, associate brand marketing director of Ecovacs Americas, recommends a suction power of at least 3,000 Pa—though anything above 4,000 Pa is even better for collecting every last particle from your floors. During our testing, we were especially impressed with the power of the Roborock S8, which boasts 6,000 Pa of suction power. To reduce the risk of scratching your hardwood floors, evaluate your robot vacuum’s brush design. Alvin Pullins, cleaning expert and CEO/founder of Nerd in the House, says to avoid robot vacuums with a brush roll designed for carpet. “These brushes can scratch or damage hardwood floors,” he says. “Specifically, look for models with rubber brush rolls, or no brush rolls at all.” If you want to take even more tasks off your to-do list, opt for a 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop. “It’s not enough to sweep,” Jones says. “Your robot cleaner needs to mop, too,” Robot vacuums with mopping capabilities have onboard sensors to detect floor texture and behave accordingly, so your carpets stay dry while hard floors get a thorough cleaning. We liked the Ecovacs Deebot T9+, which offers the best of both worlds for cleaning. Features Robot vacuums minimize the time you have to spend cleaning your floors—and additional features like mapping capabilities, object avoidance, and self-emptying further streamline the task. Strong mapping capabilities and reliable object avoidance are features to look for in a robot vacuum, according to Jones. “No one wants to babysit their robot, [and] with reliable object avoidance capabilities you don't have to,” she says. Some models, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, can even detect and avoid pet messes. Any features that keep things truly hands-free are also important. “Robotic vacuum cleaners are supposed to take the stress and work out of daily chores, leaving no tasks behind for the humans,” Jones says. “Shoppers should look for automatic empty/refill stations and features to ensure users get optimal benefits from their cleaners for long periods of time (30–60+ days).” We especially loved the Roborock S8 for its reliable self-emptying and self-cleaning functionalities, which made the task of cleaning floors almost entirely automated. Wi-Fi Connectivity You can control most robotic vacuums with the buttons on the device, but if you want to control it remotely, choose a robotic vacuum that connects to Wi-Fi via an app or smart assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. “Robotic vacuum cleaners that are smart home compatible and have interactive features make cleaning the house an even easier task than ever before,” says Jones. All of our picks, including favorites like the iRobot Roomba 694 and Black & Decker RoboSeries, have compatible apps that allow you to create schedules, power on, or set cleaning zones right from your phone. Noise While traditional vacuums can be loud and obnoxious, most of the robot vacuums on our list make minimal noise. During our testing, we were particularly impressed by the noise level of the Ecovacs Deebot T9+—it was so inconspicuous that we could barely hear it. When considering noise level, look at the decibel count; Pullins recommends robot vacs with a noise level of 60 decibels or lower. Battery Life Depending on the size of your space and the dirt on the floor, some of these vacuums might be able to get through your entire house on a single charge. “You should look for models with a battery life of at least 90 minutes to ensure that it can clean your entire home on a single charge,” says Pullins. Robot vacuums with self-docking capabilities make it even easier to get them ready for the next time you clean the house. Price It’s understandable if you have sticker shock from some of the prices of these robot vacuums. These cleaners are an investment, which is why Pullins recommends taking stock of your lifestyle and cleaning needs before committing to a purchase. “If you have pets, children, or allergies, a robot vacuum can be a valuable investment,” he says. Pullins says to consider the features you need and the ones you don’t. “Some features like Wi-Fi connectivity and voice control can add to the cost,” he says, “But if you don't need these features, you can save money by opting for a more basic model.” That’s why we love the budget-friendly Black & Decker RoboSeries Robot Vacuum with Maintenance Kit, which has all the tools you need without the potentially price-increasing add-ons. More Robot Vacuums for Hardwood Floors to Consider Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum: This vacuum was effective on hardwood and carpeted surfaces and comes with a self-emptying function. However, there were some problems getting it docked on the carpet—we had to do it manually. Then there was the issue of it eating a sock while it worked, which doesn’t bode well for any other small obstructions. Samsung Jet Bot AI+ Robot Vacuum: This smart vacuum did a good job navigating around small and large objects alike, thanks to its 3D camera and sensors that can identify objects and avoid them in real-time. However, it’s one of the most expensive out of all the vacuum cleaners we tested, so it’s not suited to most budgets. Real Simple / Henry Wortock Questions You Might Ask Are robot mops and vacuums safe for hardwood floors? When it comes to any mop, you don't want to allow too much moisture to sit on unsealed hardwood floors. If a robot mop is meant for hardwood floors, know that it will likely dispense just enough moisture—not to mention wipe it up—so that you don’t have to worry about seepage. As for robot vacuums, they are “completely fine to use on hardwood floors,” says Forrest McCall, co-owner of the home improvement blog Mama Needs a Project. “These vacuums are constructed to ensure your floor is safe, with rubber components to avoid scratching your floors.” Are robot vacuums better for hardwood floors or carpet? All the vacuums that made our best robot vacuums for hardwood floors list also do well on carpet, too—the iRobot Roomba 694 even sucked sand out of the carpet, which one might consider a feat for any vacuum. Still, the real trouble might come with the transition over the edge of an area rug to carpet—if it’s thick enough, you might have to give your robot vacuum a little nudge to keep on keeping on. How do you prevent a robot vacuum from getting stuck? The best way to do this is to clear the floor of any obstacles. This doesn’t mean that you should vacuum the floor with an upright vacuum first; it just means you should remove anything that might get caught up in the wheels of the robot vacuum, like socks, small toys, or cords. Furniture is fine, as the best robot vacuums are skilled enough to scoot around the couch and chair legs. A robot vacuum might stop in its tracks with an error message if it gets caught on something—this is the tricky part of having a vacuum that you don’t control with your own hands. However, as you get to know your robot vacuum and as your robot vacuum gets to know your space, you might find that it has an easier time navigating the floor to clean it. “If you have any areas where your vacuum tends to get stuck, you can surround the area with a small barrier,” says McCall. “The vacuum will avoid this area using the sensors to detect the barrier.” Take Our Word for It Barbara Bellesi Zito is a freelance home and garden writer. She lives in Staten Island, NY, with her husband and their dog, the latter of whom makes maintaining clean floors a bit of a challenge. To compile this list, she dug into the insights of Real Simple’s in-house testing team to see what they had to say about a variety of robotic vacuums from top brands based on their setup, effectiveness, noise level, features, maneuverability, ease of emptying, and overall value. For expert advice on what to know about shopping for a robotic vacuum for hardwood floors, she consulted Forrest McCall, co-owner of the home improvement blog Mama Needs a Project, Alvin Pullins, cleaning expert and CEO/ founder of Nerd in the House, and Michelle Jones, associate brand marketing director of Ecovacs Americas. What Is Real Simple Selects? Next to each product on this list, you may have noticed a Real Simple Selects seal of approval. Any product appearing alongside that seal has been vetted by our team—put through tests and graded on its performance to earn a spot on our list. Although we buy most of the products we test, sometimes we do get samples from companies if purchasing a product ourselves isn't an option. All products go through the same rigorous process, whether they are purchased or sent by the company. Love our recommendations? Check out more products that have earned the Real Simple Selects, from humidifiers to cordless vacuums. 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