(Last Updated: April, 2024)
What Changed?
- Added Roomba S9+
- Removed discontinued products
- Adjusted floor types in buyer's guide
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Having hardwood floors is rough. You need to constantly be careful about spills, scratches and other damages. Most experts recommend that you sweep daily, and vacuum at least once per week.
This can get exhausting.
Finding a decent smart vacuum for hardwood is tough one, so we are here to help.
Our Top Choice: The Neato Botvac D7
So, what is the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors? According to our tests, the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors is the Neato Botvac D7.
The Botvac D7 is an incredibly intelligent vacuum that performs strongly on wood floors. It's one that can be programmed to scan your entire home and clean autonomously. Its mapping system is unmatched among similar priced competitors.
We test robot vacuums so you don't have to waste money. Here's all the options that are a great pick for hardwood, so you can decide which one is the best robot vacuum for your home.
8 Best Robot Vacuums For Hardwood Floors
- Neato Botvac D7 Connected - Best Robot Vacuum For Hardwood Floors
- iRobot Roomba S9+ - Highest Quality
- Xiaomi Mi - Most Versatile
- iRobot Roomba 960 - Most Features For Wood
- Eufy Robovac 11s With Boost IQ - Cheapest with Wi-fi Connectivity
- EcoVacs Deebot N79S - Best Budget Robot Vacuum
- Aiper Robot Vacuum - New & Impressive
- Samsung Powerbot R7070 - Best Suction
More About The Neato Botvac D7 Connected
Brought to you by Neato, the Botvac D7 is the latest in a line of robot vacuums. A trademark of Neato robot vacuums, the D7 features a d-shaped profile that helps it get around corners and wall edges. This is one of the things that makes it fairly unique.
The D7 Connected is significantly more agile as compared to other vacuums on the market. It's one that's able to “climb” from solid surfaces to medium-pile carpet cleaning and other floor types with ease, and makes it especially useful for owners of homes with hardwood floors.
When used in conjunction with the Neato app, owners can keep track of their robotic vacuum and help it on its way should it get stuck anywhere. Also, the D7 allows you to program no-go lines and no-go zones (virtual boundary markers) using the app without having to make use of IR beacons or physical barriers. This makes it great if you intend to leave it running while you’re out of the house.
When it comes to robotic cleaners for wood floors, the Botvac D7 is the clear winner. It has next level navigation capabilities, incredibly strong suction, and a great manufacturer warranty. If you have a multi-level home, this option is great because it can store multiple floor maps, not just one. This means that your robotic vacuum can map and navigate both the downstairs and upstairs of your home without an issue.
Of all the robotic vacuums we have ever tested, this one is our favorites.
>> Related Content: Best Vacuum For Pet Hair and Wood Floors
Key Features:
- Effective corner cleaning "D" design
- Laser guided mapping
- Great for bare floors, tile and carpet cleaning
- Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant enabled
- Customized floor cleaning options: no-go lines, zone mapping, multiple floor maps, etc.
Pros:
- Agile design lets it get into hard to reach areas
- Programmable work paths
- Long battery life
- App design allows you to see your floor plan and control the robot remotely
- Variable zone cleaning schedule
- In-app alerts for maintenance tasks
Cons:
- Instructions are a little difficult to understand
- Gets stuck on socks
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More About The iRobot Roomba S9+
Often called "The Worlds Best Robotic Vacuum", the Roomba S9 is a step above the rest, and priced accordingly. It's one of those vacuums everyone wants, but it's just not in most peoples budget. However, if it's in your budget, its one of the best we've ever tested. Hands down.
What makes this robot vac special isn't the vacuum itself, but the clean base that comes with the S9+ model. With most robot vacuums, you have to empty the dirt bin after just about every cleaning cycle.
With the Roomba S9+, you don't have to do that. On its charging base, it has a vacuum for your vacuum. That's right, it wisps away all the dirt and debris collected by the S9 itself.
This means you have to clean out the dust bin much much less frequently. That's not all that makes this option great though. It also delivers 40x the suction power of the Roomba 600 series robots, and the D-shaped design helps it clean edges all while being soft and safe to use on your hardwood floors.
Key Features:
- Intelligent, map-based navigation
- Dust-bin enabled charging base
- App-enabled
- Can move from one floor type to another
Pros:
- 40x suction power of lower-level Roombas
- The charging base has a dirt bin, so it can empty itself
- D shaped design is great for corners
- Will remember your floor plan and intelligently navigate
Cons:
- Probably the most expensive option out there right now
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Shark ION Robot | iLife A4s |
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3. Xiaomi Mi
More About The Xiaomi Mi
The Xiaomi Mi promises to help you keep your floors clean. This vacuum comes packed with a variety of innovative features. Quite likely one of the most important features, it has an excellent navigation system and pathfinding abilities. It works by dividing an area into square sections and methodically cleans each one.
Alongside this, the Xiaomi Mi comes with anti-collision and anti-fall detection technology. This is great for ensuring that the robot does not destroy itself (or your furniture) throughout the course of its duties. You also get to choose from one of four suction settings which are eco, balanced, turbo, and max.
One of the greatest features of this robot vacuum that makes it stand apart as a robot vacuum for wood floors in its price range is its ability to section off certain areas within the app. You can either opt for zone-cleaning, where you have 4 zone options you can set up. Or, you can use the same zone pattern to block certain areas from being cleaned. This makes it easy to help your robot vacuum avoid dangerous areas, or areas that may have clutter on the floor that could get caught up.
>> Related Content: Best Hardwood Floor Vacuums
Key Features:
- Map generation and intelligent path planning
- Strong suction, 1800Pa maximum pressure
- Laser distance sensor and cliff sensor
- 5200mAh battery (2.5 hours of battery life)
- App/wifi enabled
Pros:
- Excellent navigation capabilities
- Variety of cleaning options, not just one
- Power suction
- Intelligent pathfinding suitable for tricky floor plans
- Great battery life
Cons:
- Tends to collide rather strongly with furniture and chair legs
- Not effective on carpets
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Shark ION Robot | iLife A4s |
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More About The iRobot Roomba 960
Manufactured by iRobot, the original creators of the first-generation Roomba, the 960 comes with a variety of improvements and upgrades all in one machine that promises to give perfectly clean floors.
Unlike other variants such as the Roomba 690, the iRobot Roomba 960 utilizes a 3-stage cleaning process with carpet boost which enhances power. It delivers 5X the air power as compared to previous Roomba models, drastically improving its cleaning ability. This makes the 960 adept at cleaning both carpets and hard surfaces with ease. The rubber brushes make it safe to use on hardwood, unlike many other robot vacuum brands.
The increased suction makes the iRobot Roomba 960 a great choice for pet owners with long-haired pets who need help picking up pet hair. With an increasing number of people welcoming Alexa or Google into their home, the people at iRobot have designed the 960 to be compatible for use with Amazon Alexa as well as Google Assistant. This allows you to issue voice commands to use voice control on via Alexa or Google Assistant, all without having to make a move.
If you can manage to catch the Roomba 960 on sale, you should jump on it. While this robot vacuum isn't the cheapest, it has a ton of great features making it a great choice if you want a top-notch cleaner that can work nearly autonomously. The Roomba 960 is the top-tier iRobot flagship (except for iRobot Roomba i7). It provides effective cleaning without the hassle of lower cost options. The Roomba i7 has a lot of similar features to the Roomba 960, but it costs twice as much.
>> Related Content: Vacuums For Laminate Flooring
Key Features:
- 5x suction (compared to Roomba 600 series)
- Patented iAdapt Navigation allows the robot to map your entire home
- 3 stage cleaning, great for home with pet hair (specifically thick dog hair and cat hair)
- Multi-surface rubber brush design with side brush additions
- High efficiency filter traps up to 99% of dust in the dust bin
Pros:
- Works equally well on carpets and hardwood
- Alexa and Google assistant compatible
- 5x more air power than previous Roomba models
- Advanced navigation and pathfinding
- Similar features, but half the price of the Roomba i7
- HEPA filters available
- Great for cleaning dirt and debris of all sizes
Cons:
- Software instability at times
- Spot cleaning pattern often misses dirt and debris
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Shark ION Robot | iLife A4s |
Roborock E25 | bObsweep Pet Hair Plus |
More About The Eufy Robotvac 11s With Boost IQ
The Eufy Robovac 11s With Boost IQ advertises itself as a lean, slim, cleaning machine with a low profile. Small in size and quiet in operation, the Eufy Robovac 11s With Boost IQ has been designed for cleaning solid surfaces and medium pile carpets.
Coming out of the box, you’ll immediately notice how sleek the Eufy Robovac 11s actually is. At 2.85‘’s, the Eufy 11s is able to get around your home easily and quickly without getting stuck under furniture while cleaning up all those hard to reach spots.
Unlike other vacuum cleaners which can be on the louder spectrum, the Eufy 11s lets you go about your business while it putters away in the background with minimal noise. This makes it especially useful for those of you who work from home or have small children and pets who shed pet hair.
If you're looking for a great entry level robot, going with the Eufy 11s will be money well spent. Coming in at under $300, it is incredible how effective this little guy is. While it lacks some of the in-app features and laser navigation of more expensive models, for what you pay, it is a great choice.
>> Related Content: Best Robot Vacuum
Key Features:
- Super slim design, great for getting under low furniture
- Vacuums for up to 100 minutes
- Low decibel cleaning - quieter than a microwave
- Drop sensors to avoid stairs
- Automatically recharges
- Side brush additions to help with debris pickup
Pros:
- Slim profile with low clearance
- Quiet operation so you won’t be disturbed or distracted
- Powerful suction
Cons:
- Its navigation can be improved
ROBOTIC VACUUM FOR FLOORS | |
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Shark ION Robot | iLife A4s |
Roborock E25 | bObsweep Pet Hair Plus |
More About The ECOVACS DEEBOT N79S
Manufactured by Ecovacs, the N79S is the latest entry into the market by Ecovacs.
To ensure that every speck of dust is cleaned up, the N79s features an advanced 3-stage cleaning system, 4 different cleaning modes, and Max Mode Suction. For all you tech-savvy homeowners out there, the Deebot N79 has Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility.
As mentioned by the manufacturers, the Deebot N79s is specially designed for cleaning solid surfaces such as hardwood floors and tiles. Some reviewers have noted that the Deebot N79S has navigation skills that can be improved though. In some cases, the robot was not able to return to the docking station and often refused to move into other rooms.
If you're looking for a no-frills, super dumbed down entry level robotic vacuum, the Deebot N79s is great. If you have a large home with pets and pet hair, this option will not be enough, but if you have a small apartment that doesn't get too dirty on a daily basis, the Deebot N79s is a great, budget-friendly pick.
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Key Features:
- Equipped with 2 side brushes and one main brush roll design
- In auto mode, the vacuum can clean and entire floor
- Voice commands and app controls for smart-home integration
- Max power mode for 2x suction power
- Up to 110 minute run time
- 1 year warranty
Pros:
- Multi-stage cleaning system
- Powerful suction
- Voice command capable
Cons:
- Sub-par navigational abilities
ROBOTIC VACUUM FOR FLOORS | |
|---|---|
Shark ION Robot | iLife A4s |
Roborock E25 | bObsweep Pet Hair Plus |
More About The Aiper Vacuum
The Aiper vacuum cleaner is a new contender in the market, but is off to a great start in terms of quality and affordability. Aiper backs their vacuums with a 45 day money back guarantee, and a 1 year warranty so if you're nervous about buying from a company you haven't heard of before, this should ease your nerves a bit.
The Aiper robot vacuum is great for hardwood floors because it has powerful suction and soft brushes. It does a fairly good job systematically cleaning the large areas. During our tests, it was able to fully clean a room without missing any significant areas. For a robot in this price range, we were impressed to say the least.
The Aiper robot vacuum comes with premium features you normally only find on higher priced models, such as virtual walls, wi-fi connectivity, and obstacle avoidance.
If you're on a budget and still want premium quality features, this new-comer to the robo-vac scene should definitely be on your radar.
>> Related Content: Best Robot Vacuum For Pet Hair
Key Features:
- 1 year warranty
- Smart route planning
- 120 minute run time
- Anti-drop sensors to avoid stairs
- Ultra-thin design is great for getting under low furniture
- Wifi-connected and Amazon Alexa and Google home compatible
- Side brushes help get a better clean around edges
Pros:
- Inexpensive but packed with features
- Gentle brush roll is perfect for hardwood floors
- Strong suction
- Great return policy and warranty
- Wi-Fi Connectivity
Cons:
- Newer company
- Cannot handle houses over 2000 sq. ft on one charge
ROBOTIC VACUUM FOR FLOORS | |
|---|---|
Shark ION Robot | iLife A4s |
Roborock E25 | bObsweep Pet Hair Plus |
More About The Samsung Powerbot R7070
This guy is a monster of a robot vacuum. It is big, but it is powerful. This model has been around in some form or fashion for nearly as long as Roomba has. Samsung is a big player in the robotics arena, and the powerbot is their flagship product.
When it comes to cleaning hardwood floors, this one excels in power, it does a good job with overall suction. If you have pets, this is a great reason to opt for this more expensive vacuum. It won't have trouble with hardwood or any throw rug or area rugs you may have around your house. The Samsung Powerbot is a great vacuum for hardwood floors, but it has so much more to offer as well. It is a highly capable machine that will blow you away with its suction and cleaning capabilities.
The R7070 has a unique, squared off design which makes it superior at corner and edge cleaning. It has self cleaning brushes, and will work with Amazon Alexa as well as Google Assistant.
I know you've been dying to tell Alexa or Google to clean your floors, haven't you?
>> Related Content: Roomba 960 vs 980 , Roomba 860 vs 880 , Roomba 650 vs 880 , Roomba 650 vs. 860 , Roomba Comparison Chart , Roomba 650 Review
Key Features:
- 40x more suction power than most other options
- Self cleaning brushes
- Rubber blade extends to clean corners more effectively
- On-board laser sensors for a smart cleaning system
- W-fi connectivity
- Control from a smartphone app
Pros:
- Super strong suction power
- Squared off design great for edge cleaning
- Self cleaning brushes
- Has no issues with pet hair
Cons:
- Bulky and won't fit under low furniture
ROBOTIC VACUUM FOR FLOORS | |
|---|---|
Shark ION Robot | iLife A4s |
Roborock E25 | bObsweep Pet Hair Plus |
What Makes The Best Robot Vacuums For Hardwood Flooring?
While hardwood is gorgeous, cleaning them can be a time-consuming affair. Fortunately, the miracles of modern technology have now allowed us to use robots to keep our wood floors clean.
Here are the factors you need to consider when you’re choosing one:
Shape
While most robo-vacs are usually round, some robots are d-shaped which enables them to clean the tightest of corners with ease.
The bottom line is, If you live in a more traditional home with plenty of corners, you may want to consider a d-shaped robot if you’re particular about dust specks left behind.
Noise levels
You’d be surprised at how loud robot vacuums can be. If you spend a lot of time in your home or have pets and small children, you may want to take a look at the quieter models. However, if most of your day is spent outside, this may make no difference at all.
Sensitivity
Robotic vacuums may be technologically advanced, but some may still face some issues when it comes to sensor sensitivity. After all, one of the reasons why people have or want a robotic vacuum is because it can go around your house and clean without having to supervise it.
It would be a shame if your vacuum of choice doesn’t have good sensor sensitivity. That is why this is such an important factor to consider.
Make sure the vacuum you want to buy has advanced sensors so you can let it clean while you sleep or while you’re out of the house without any problems.
One thing you do have to remember is that even the best robot vacuums have a problem with black carpet because this it confuses their cliff detector. If this is the case, you might want to manually adjust the sensors or get a robo-vac that has a remote control.
Smart-Home Features
The bottom line is, in a connected world, the best robot vacuums now have Wi-Fi connectivity and can be seamlessly integrated into your smart-home setup. This lets you interface with them via your smartphone app or online. Also, there are several models of vacuums that are compatible with Alexa and Google Home, which offers you the freedom of controlling your vacuum a simply voice command.
Cleaning Capabilities
Voice commands are what make a good vacuum, the cleaning power and versatility does. A vacuums ability to suck up dirt is what makes it a good vacuum.
Just because you’re looking for a robot that is good for hardwood floors doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be able to clean other areas of your house too. You need to make sure that just like your old, manual vacuum, this new device of yours will still be able to clean carpets and others as well, if you'd like, you can also consider a vacuum with a mopping feature.
This means you need to know the vacuum’s suction, power and features. You also have to consider the shape and size of the vacuum’s brushes. For example, if the vacuum of choice has thick brushes that is capable of sucking in somewhat large objects as well, then it shouldn’t be a problem.
Some recent models can even clean up both dry and wet messes, so this might be a good option as well. This is especially the case if you have little kids or pets who are prone to making messes both wet and dry.
If you have high traffic areas that accumulate a lot of dirt, you may need to opt for an option that spot cleans the dirt, or you may still have to use your old manual vacuum to clean up dirt and debris from high traffic areas.
Battery Life
While a robot vac may seem to have a life of their own the bottom line is that they still rely on batteries. It would be unfortunate if you had a robot that kept dying on you without having thoroughly cleaned the house yet.
To avoid this problem, make sure that your vacuum has sufficient battery life. Usually, these come with an hour-long batter life, but the more expensive models can last much longer than that.
Higher-end models can clean multiple rooms before the battery needs charging. On the other hand, you also need to know how long the robot vacuum’s charging time is.
You will have to learn it through experience though since most companies don’t write down this information.
Even the best batteries will need to be replaced eventually, so make sure the manufacturer has replacement parts available.
Types of Robotic Vacuums That Work On Hardwood Floors
Now that you know what to look for in a robo-vac, let us now take a look at the types of vacuums on the market.
Robotic Vacuums
The simplest and most common variant of robotic vacuums, these robots use brushes in conjunction with vacuum suction to keep your home clean.
Robotic Mops
As the name goes, robotic mops scrub and mop your floors thanks to their built-in water tank and mop pads. Obviously, robotic mops can only be used on hardwood floors.
Robotic Vacuums + Mops
It brushes, it vacuums, it scrubs, and it mops. These robots do it all and will sweep, vacuum, scrub and clean your floors (as long as its a hard floor type).
Related Content: Best Mop For Tile Floors
Why Are These Better Than Sweeping?
Besides the obvious fact that a broom or stick vacuum requires you to sweep your entire house on your own, robot vacuums are able to clean up much more thoroughly and efficiently. Many smart vacuums feature a multiple stage cleaning that picks up even the smallest speck of dirt and dust. Vacuums should be able to clean everything from dust, to kitty litter and coffee grounds.
The bottom line is this higher level of cleanliness naturally means cleaner, healthier homes.
Care and Maintenance
To ensure that your robot vacuum is able to serve you faithfully for years to come, it is crucial that you regularly clean and maintain your robot. This not only ensures better cleaning performance but also extends the service life of your robot.
In this section, we take you through the basics of maintenance.
Doing the prep work
While your vacuum can easily navigate household obstacles and furniture, it’s far from perfect. This is why you should carry out some preliminary checks before you let the robot run.
From removing cables and wires that may tangle the robot, to picking up unnecessary items like toys and books, helping your robot out ensures a more efficient clean.
Finally, for all you pet owners, do ensure that there is no excrement of any kind that may be picked up by your robot. Besides “painting your floor” with excrement, the clean-up work would be a nightmare.
Emptying the dustbin
The dustbin is usually located at the rear of your robot and should be emptied out after each cleaning session to prevent overflowing.
Keep wheels and brushes clear
To ensure that nothing gets jammed, regularly check the undercarriage of your robot to ensure that the wheels and brushes have not been tangled by thread or string. Failing to regularly check the undercarriage may lead to permanent damage.
Closing Thoughts
The bottom line is that robot vacuums are a miracle of scientific innovation and have the potential to change the way we view housework. Think of a robot vacuum as an investment that pays off in terms of time and effort saved.
