Nearly any robot vacuum can sufficiently clear a hard floor of long hairs, pet fur, crumbs, and other debris. Some are more meticulous than others, obviously, but investing in a robot vac is generally a no-brainer in homes that are all hardwood or laminate.
But if your home is mostly carpeted or covered in rugs, the convenience of a robot vacuum gets dicey. Buying the cheapest one you can find will likely create more of a hassle every time it eats a frilly rug corner or welcomes you home to a living room still covered in pet hair because it couldn’t muster the strength to pry fur from the carpet.
To find one that’ll do the job as acceptably as a human wielding a Dyson might, there are a few main considerations.
Do robot vacuums work well on carpet?
Some, but definitely not all. Most models get the green light for casual upkeep of low-pile carpet or flat-weave rugs. But for fluffy high-pile or those seemingly-chill rugs that act like velcro with pet hair (you know the ones), they won’t be much help. Some simply have too little suction to effectively dig into carpet fibers and pull out matted-down debris. Other models don’t have the wheels or sturdy build to clear the flap of a thick rug without getting stuck.
What to consider when buying a robot vacuum for carpet
Carpets and rugs are where pet hair, crumbs, and dust go to die, so beefy (yet methodical) suction is key for homes with a lot of stubborn floor coverings.
As a general note, upright vacuum cleaners typically have more suction power than compact robot vacs. But if you’d still prefer to outsource the job, look for a robot vacuum with at least 2,000 Pa in suction to ensure that the carpet fibers are being efficiently combed. Most modern vacuums have a boost mode that automatically kicks in when the vacuum senses carpet. The same sensors should be smart enough to facilitate a smooth transition to dark hardwood floors and *not* mistake them for a cliff.
Automatic emptying is huge for dealing with all of the gunk that should build up quickly if your robot vacuum is doing its job on your carpet. It’s especially clutch for large homes or those with pets that inherently need more cleanup, requiring more frequent dust bin emptying. Rather than you having to manually dump the bin into the garbage and wrestle wrapped hairs with your bare fingers, a self-emptying vacuum empties itself into a larger dustbin in its charging dock after each cleaning session. These larger bins can typically hold weeks of dirt without needing to be emptied themselves.
Some rooms need to be tended to more often than others. A robot vacuum with LiDAR creates an internal map of your home’s layout and can be sent to specific rooms or zones in the house, like the carpeted living room where the pets hang out or to the entryway doormat that’s covered in dirt.
Here are the robot vacuums for carpet in 2023:
