We’ve lined up all the best robot vacuums for keeping your hard flooring free from dirt, dust, and debris, including models from top brands like iRobot and Eufy.
Robot vacuums have revolutionised the way we clean the house. We no longer have to be home in order to clean because robot vacuums run on schedules that you can set for while you’re at work, running to the shop, or even on holiday.
If you don’t have carpet, you might not be as inclined to invest in a robot vacuum cleaner, but these little machines are actually beasts when it comes to hardwood flooring.
Do robot vacuums really work?
Robot vacuums are usually not as efficient as upright vacuum cleaners. Their suction isn’t as powerful and you just can’t get the same kind of clean that you get from eyeballing your floors and going back over spots you can tell you missed. Of course, some robot vacuums do have features that allow them to detect problem areas with extra dirt and debris buildup where the vacuum will put in extra attention, but that’s not necessarily the standard across all price points.
Some robot vacuums don’t have smart mapping, so they clean your house in a sort of chaotic random pattern rather than the side-by-side lines you would probably do if you were the one controlling the vacuum. Though the robots try to hit every spot with this method, they’re bound to miss every now and then.
However, one thing to ask yourself is: Are you currently vacuuming your floors every day? Because robot vacuums can do that. So if they miss a spot one day, they might catch it the next, leading to an overall increase in floor cleanliness.
Overall, robot vacuums do get the job done and offer a convenience that other types of vacuum cleaners can’t. If you have a manual vacuum, you might want to break it out on occasion for a deep cleaning.
Are robot vacuums better for hardwood floors or carpet?
We’d say that most robot vacuums actually perform better on a hardwood floor than on carpet. All robot vacuums have a main suction system and side brushes that push dirt in the line of suction. Not all of them have impressive brush rolls, though, which are a necessity for cleaning carpets.
Sucking up hair (human or pet) is easier for robot vacuums on hard flooring because on carpet, the vacuums have to really be able to dig deep and pull up hair embedded in the fibers. On hardwood floors, the hair is just sitting there ready to be pulled in by the suction from a robot vacuum.
Hardwood floors require less work from a robot vacuum to do an efficient job cleaning. If you have both carpet and hard flooring, most robot vacuums automatically adjust between floor types, lowering or raising to get the closest clean possible.
Do robot vacuums scratch hardwood floors?
Robot vacuums themselves are designed to work on hardwood floors without scratching them. They have rubber wheels and gentle rubber brushes that pull in dirt without ripping up your floors.
Where you might get floor scratching is if an abrasive piece of sand, glass, rock, etc. gets caught under the wheel and drags throughout the house. This is pretty uncommon, but to be safe, make sure your floors are clear of any large, sharp debris before running the robot vacuum.
What about hard floors that aren’t wood?
Laminate floors, tile floors, and any other kind of hard flooring that isn’t hardwood can get the same treatment as wood floors. Robot vacuums that work well on hardwood floors will also do a good job on these floors.
Should you use a robot vacuum or robot mop for hardwood floors?
Both robot vacuums and robot mops are valid choices for cleaning hardwood floors, and really work in conjunction with each other to get the best clean. A robot vacuum will sweep up loose dirt, dust, and debris, while a robot mop can come through and scrub up caked-on dirt to really make your floors shine.
There are some robot vacuums that have both vacuuming and mopping functions. If you want both features, we definitely suggest going for one of the hybrid models to save space.
Which robot vacuum is best for hardwood floors?
If you’re only focusing on hardwood floors, you don’t have to get a robot vacuum with a lot of fancy extra features. (Though, you’re more than welcome to, of course.) As a top pick for the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors, we recommend the iRobot Roomba 671. This robot vacuum is mid-range in price, while still having features like WiFi and app connectivity. The Roomba 671 is great on hardwood floors and can tackle pet hair. It does have a brush roll, so it can easily transition to carpeting and rugs as well.
This isn’t the only option though, and there are plenty of other impressive models out there. We’ve tried to give you a clear idea of what is on offer by highlighting a selection of the best robot vacuums for keeping your hard flooring free from dirt, dust, and debris. We’ve tracked down all the best models from top brands like iRobot and Eufy, with something for every budget.
These are the best robot vacuums for hardwood floors in 2021.
iRobot Roomba 671
The Roomba 671 has impressive features that will leave your floors debris free.-
Cleaning pattern:
Random -
Run time:
90 minutes -
WiFi enabled:
Yes -
Voice assistant integration:
Alexa and Google Assistant
It has multi-surface brushes and an edge-sweeping brush to sweep the middle of floors as well as along walls. Though it’s not the most powerful Roomba on the market, it still delivers enough juice to get the job done.
iRobot Roomba i3
A powerful and quiet robot vacuum, the Roomba i3 will do wonders for your hardwood floors.-
Cleaning pattern:
Neat rows -
Run time:
75 minutes -
WiFi enabled:
Yes -
Voice assistant integration:
Alexa and Google Assistant
The vacuum cleans your floors row-by-row, so it won’t miss anything, and its sensors keep it from getting stuck less than older robot vacuum models. Dual rubber brush rolls make the Roomba i3 good at picking up long hair without getting tangled.
Neato Robotics D7
With a large brush roll and long battery life, Neato’s Botvac D7 is ideal for bigger homes.-
Cleaning pattern:
Neat rows -
Run time:
120 minutes -
WiFi enabled:
Yes -
Voice assistant integration:
Alexa and Google Assistant
It’s definitely on the pricier side and you can get a good robot vacuum for much cheaper, but this one is really good for large homes.
It runs up to two hours on a charge and has a brush roll that’s 70% larger than standard round robot vacuums — meaning it’ll pick up even more hair.
Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S
A slim profile and low price tag make the Eufy RoboVac 11S ideal for smaller spaces.-
Cleaning pattern:
Random -
Run time:
100 minutes -
WiFi enabled:
No -
Voice assistant integration:
N/A
It has a slim profile to fit under furniture and it’s on the cheaper side (in case you don’t want to make any big investments for your small apartment). For the price, you do forgo WiFi capabilities, but you can still set schedules with the included remote control.
iRobot Roomba i7
Set custom cleaning routines with the Roomba i7 and it knows exactly where to go in your home.-
Cleaning pattern:
Neat rows -
Run time:
75 minutes -
WiFi enabled:
Yes -
Voice assistant integration:
Alexa and Google Assistant
The Roomba i7 is one of the more advanced models with smart mapping and custom cleaning options. You can tell Alexa to have the Roomba clean under the kitchen table and it knows exactly where to go.
The i7 is compatible with the Roomba Clean Base, which allows it to self-empty its dust bin. The Roomba i7+ comes with the base, but it’s sold separately for the i7.