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What to Know About Robot Vacuums for Pet Hair
Some people believe that robot vacuums aren't powerful enough to tackle pet hair and the extra dirt that comes from dogs, but improvements in recent years means they do an excellent job. You can easily set robot vacuums to run daily, keeping on top of pet hair so there's never a huge amount to vacuum up. But you still should run the vacuum every so often for that deeper clean.
If possible, choose a model that's slim enough to fit under your couch and other low-profile pieces of furniture so pet hair and dust don't have a place to hide. Owners of long-haired dogs should opt for vacuums with tangle-free brush rolls to save the stress of cutting our masses of dog hair.
Types of Robot Vacuums
Alongside standard models, there are self-emptying robot vacuums and mopping robot vacuums. Self-emptying ones come with a base that the vacuum automatically empties its dust bin into. This way you only need to empty the base once every month or two, rather than emptying the dust bin after each clean. As the name suggests, mopping models can mop floors in addition to vacuuming.
Filters
According to the Mayo Clinic, pet allergies are usually caused by pet dander. If you choose a robotic vacuum with a decent filter system, you can remove and trap most pet dander, which helps guests or household members with pet allergies. While they're too small to contain true HEPA filters, some models have filters that come close to HEPA standards.
Suction
Suction power is important when looking for a vacuum that will deal with pet hair. Suction power is measured in Pascal pressure units (Pa). You'll likely need a vacuum with at least 1,400 Pa, but 2,000 Pa or higher is even better, especially if your dog sheds a lot.
Power Source
Nearly all robot vacuums come with a dock. After vacuuming your home, it will return to the dock and charge itself. It couldn't be easier.
Not all models are equally good at picking up pet hair, but on the whole they tackle it nicely. Any of our listed models do a great job with pet hair, but if in doubt, look for a decent level of suction power and for brush rolls that work into carpets to remove pet hair.
If your robot vacuum stops picking up pet hair like it once did, double-check that the brush rolls are rotating and they aren't clogged with hair and try cleaning the filters. However, if it's never picked up pet hair well and you've had it for a while, it might but an outdated model that needs replacing.
Yes, they work well both on carpets and hard floors. Most are able to detect when it move from one surface to another, increasing the suction power when they move to carpet.
