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Vacuum Deals Are Cleaning Up For July 4 — And Might Beat Prime Day Prices

July 4 is one of the summer's biggest sale holidays, and it's always a great time to buy a new mattress or save on a shiny new grill. However, as we've been tracking deals ahead of the holiday weekend, we've spotted another unexpected category with some major sales: vacuum cleaners.

I've been a professional product tester for close to 10 years now, and one of my areas of specialty is vacuums. I've tested hundreds of models over the years, and some of my all-time favorite models are currently marked down for July 4 sales. The Black+Decker dustbuster — the only hand vacuum I'll use — is just $59 right now, and my beloved Shark Stratos upright vacuum is more than 35% off, too. (It's the only model that's ever been able to keep up with my multi-pet household.)

Quick Overview

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Those aren't the only deals to be found ahead of Independence Day. There are also major discounts on cordless Dyson vacuums, popular wet-dry vacuums, and even self-emptying Roombas. There's even a compact canister vacuum that you can snag for less than $50. In fact, some of these sales are so good that we doubt they'll drop any lower for Prime Day, which is coming up from July 8 to 11, so if you're in the market for a new cleaning tool, check out the best vacuum sales we've spotted for July 4.

BLACK+DECKER

I've tested several dozen handheld vacuums over the course of my career, and this model is my all-time favorite. It's significantly more powerful than other options thanks to its two suction settings, and it also has an oversized dustbin that doesn't fill up as fast. (Nor does debris fall back out of the nozzle if you hold the vacuum upside down — a common issue with these small vacuums.) You'll get up to 20 minutes of battery life per charge, and I also love that its crevice tool is built into the nozzle, so you don't have to dig it out of storage when you need it.

$59 at Amazon

Shark

When we had a product scientist test the best upright vacuums, this model from Shark came out on top — and it's also the exact model I use in my own multi-pet home. I've personally owned it for more than two years, and it's unmatched when it comes to picking up pet hair off both rugs and hard floors. The vacuum usually costs around $400 (which is a fair price for such a powerful cleaning tool, if you ask me), but it's marked down to $320 ahead of July 4.

$320 at Amazon

Dyson

Dyson makes some of the most popular cordless vacuums out there, and while they are pricey, I've tested several of them and can confirm that they're convenient and efficient cleaning tools. If you want to try one out but aren't ready to spend $500+, this is probably the lowest price you'll find. The V8 is the brand's base-level model, and it's currently marked down to just $350. It comes with a handy wall-mounted charging station, and it offers up to 40 minutes of cleaning time per charge.

$350 at Amazon

Shark

As someone who owns two large, rambunctious dogs, there's no shortage of stains in my house, and this portable carpet cleaner is my secret weapon to keeping my furniture and rugs presentable. I've tried out a variety of carpet cleaners in my career, and this one works way better than other models, removing stains quickly and thoroughly thanks to its two-part cleaning solution. Plus, it comes with a special pet tool that's amazing for cleaning up pee or vomit.

$110 at Amazon

BLACK+DECKER

This is the pet-specific version of the handheld vacuum listed above, and it's an absolute champ when it comes to cleaning pet hair out of car upholstery — and yes, I'm speaking from experience. Its special pet attachment uses rubber fins to pull up hair and dirt, and it works much better than most other handheld vacuums.

$80 at Amazon

Shark

If you like the lightweight, highly portable design of stick vacuums but want unlimited runtime, this model from Shark offers the best of both worlds. The Rocket Deluxe Pro is a corded model that weighs just 8 pounds, making it much easier to carry than an upright vacuum, yet it still offers powerful suction that can clean both carpeting and hard floors. It boasts swivel steering and LED headlights, and it can also be used as a handheld vacuum for cleaning upholstery, stairs, and more.

$140 at Amazon

Bissell

Looking for a budget-friendly cleaning tool? It doesn't get much more affordable than this upright vacuum from Bissell, which is on sale for just $50. It's surprisingly lightweight, weighing in at just 8 pounds, and its compact design is ideal for small apartments or even dorm rooms. The floorhead has a no-scatter design that's handy when cleaning hard floors, and despite its smaller form, the vacuum still has a 1-liter dustbin.

$50 at Amazon

iRobot

There are several Roomba models on sale, but I'm personally partial to this one, which I've had great success with during testing. It has two rubber brushrolls that do a superior job pulling pet hair, dirt, and debris off carpeting and hard floors, and because it has a self-emptying design, you don't have to manually tend to its dustbin after each cleaning. (This is a must-have feature if there's lots of pet hair floating around your home.) It even comes with a secondary attachment for mopping, though it really just wipes down your floors with a wet microfiber cloth.

$350 at Amazon

Shark

Wet-dry vacuums are the latest trend in the cleaning world — they simultaneously vacuum up debris and mop your floors, combining two chores into one easy step! This model from Shark is on sale for $100 off, and it might be worth the investment if you have mostly hard flooring in your home. (The brand says the MessMaster can be used on area rugs, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it.)

The wet-dry cleaner has a cordless design, and its dirty water tank separates solids from liquids for easy cleanup. It also rinses off its brushroll as you navigate around your floors, ensuring the mess doesn't get spread around, and it has a self-cleaning cycle that helps maintain its brushroll.

$200 at Amazon

Best Buy

Tineco makes some of my favorite wet-dry vacuums, and this popular model is a whopping 50% off for the July 4 weekend. It vacuums and mops at the same time, quickly cleaning hard flooring and scrubbing off tough stains, and its cordless design can run for up to 35 minutes per charge. It even has smart sensors that automatically detect how dirty your floors are and adjust water flow accordingly.

$200 at Best Buy

Shark

One of the latest and greatest innovations when it comes to cordless vacuums is self-emptying bases. Instead of having to manually empty the tiny dustbin after vacuuming, you simply pop the vacuum back onto its base, and all the debris is sucked down into a large holding chamber.

I've tested out this particular model, and the vacuum does a great job picking up dust and small debris thanks to its dual brushroll system. I also love that it uses a variety of advanced sensors to automatically adjust its suction power based on floor type and dirt level — a high-tech feature often reserved for more expensive vacuums.

$430 at Amazon

The Home Depot

If you prefer a canister vacuum — which tend to be easier to move around — this little model is on sale for less than $50. It's super lightweight with a large 2.5-liter bagless dustbin, and its telescoping wand makes it ergonomic to use. The canister has large wheels that move across the floor smoothly, but keep in mind that the vacuum's floorhead doesn't have a beater bar, so it performs best on hard floors — not carpeting. 

$49 at The Home Depot

If you have any questions about these deals — or you just wanna chat about your favorite products you think we should check out — send us an email at shopping.Editors@aol.Com and we'll write you back!

Best Robot Vacuums For Pet Hair In 2025 - Tom's Guide

If you're a pet parent, you're probably left with the task of cleaning up a lot of fur. And that's why having one of the best robot vacuums for pet hair can make all the difference in keeping your floors spotless. But how do you know which model is right for you?

Luckily, we've spend countless hours, with the help of our shedding dogs and cats, to test some of the best robot vacuums for pet hair. To do so, we sprinkle our floors — both hardwood and carpet — with 20 grams each of pet hair, and then measured to see which robot vacuum picks up the most.

Our top pick is the Roomba S9+, thanks to the robust iRobot app for advanced automation, durable body design, and nearly perfect score debris pickup. But at $1,099 it's not for everyone. On the other side of the price spectrum, we found that the $150 iLife V3S Pro cleans pet hair like a champ at the cost of smart features.

So if you want to find the right robot vacuum to suit your home (and pets!) here are the best robot vacuums for pet hair to suit every need, lifestyle and budget. .

The quick list

Here's the best robot vacuums for pet hair you can buy right now based on our testing. Scroll on for our full in-depth reviews.

Best overall

With a self-emptying base, the Roomba s9+ takes care of itself for up to 60 days at a time, sealing debris away into a bag. It excels in cleaning pet hair messes, and the app allows for mapping, scheduling, and no-go zones.

Read more below

Best under $200

This iLife robot vacuum scored phenomenally high marks for picking up pet hair from both hard floors and carpet, thanks to its open funnel design which filters hair straight into the dustbin. Few others can compete in performance, and it comes in at an affordable price at the cost of smart features.

Read more below

Best value

The Shark IQ is loaded with the premium features at an affordable price. It collected 100% of pet hair from hardwood floors and 97% from carpet.

Read more below

Best vacuum/mop

The Roborock Saros 10 r is a hybrid robot vacuum and mop that literally covers all bases. Its powerful suction exceeded our expectations, particularly for pet hair pick-up across hard floors and carpet. It also comes with advanced features including a FlexiArm Riser Side Brush, AI capabilities, and a great App.

Read more below

Best coverage

Thanks to its D-shaped design, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav has great reach against baseboards and into corners. It's quiet and fast and provides a strong cleaning performance when pitted against Cheerios, kitty litter, and pet hair, removing 91% of debris overall in our tests.

Read more below

Best for navigation

The Roomba j7+ features object recognition and learns from what it encounters. That means you don't need to worry about pet poop collisions. However, it didn't fare as well as others when picking up pet hair on carpets.

Read more below

Meet our testers

As the Homes Content Editor for Tom's Guide, Cynthia has made it her mission for us all to have cleaner homes (and air!), without the fuss. She has a wealth of experience testing various appliances, and cleaning hacks. From finding the best vacuums, and robot vacs, to wet and dry mops, she probably has one of the most spotless homes around.

Hunter Fenollol was former Smart Home editor and specializes in smart home gadgets and appliances with a focus in robot vacuums and security cameras.

Meghan McDonough has been testing robot vacuums for Tom's Guide since 2019. Since 2008, she's written about laptops, mobile phones, headphones, speakers, and other consumer tech.

Meghan's dog, Scout, features in this guide and also known as the Incredible Shedding Test Dog.

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Best overall

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Tom's Guide) (Image credit: Tom's Guide) (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Best robot vacuum for pet hair overall with a self-emptying base

Specifications

Cleaning Performance: 96.3

Pet Hair Score: 98

Bin Size: 0.4 quarts

Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant

Size: 12.3 x 12.3 x 3.5 inches

Weight: 8.2 pounds

Reasons to buy +

Attractive, premium design

+

Mapping was quick and easy

+

Easy-to-use mapping controls in app

Reasons to avoid -

Loud vacuum, loud dustbin

-

Very expensive

-

Have to buy replacement disposal bags

We understand that it's a pricey robot vacuum, but the Roomba s9+ will clean up all of your pet's hair and avoid poop effortlessly. It picked up 98% of pet hair on average across carpet and hardwood floors, plus it automatically empties its dustbin after each job so you don't have to deal with allergens like dander. This best-in-class performance and self-emptying Clean Base stands head and shoulders above the other options to make it our top pick.

A disposal bag inside of the Clean Base neatly ties itself when it's time to remove the full bag. Replacement vacuum bags can be bought online in packs from 10 up to 20, and can start from $16. It's better than dumping the robot's dustbin into your kitchen garbage can, and our tester found there was a lot less dust in the air when compared to the bagless disposal base on the Shark IQ. If allergies are a prime concern of yours, be sure to also check out the best air purifiers.

But stopping pet hair and dust from recirculating in your home isn't the Roomba s9+'s only trick. This Wi-Fi-connected robot vacuum can be commanded by its accompanying app, iRobot Home, to clean specific areas of your home, such as the area around the kitchen table, and avoid others. For instance, we asked it to avoid a tester's dog's food bowl, and it did so successfully.

Don't need that much granularity? Tell the s9+ to clean the whole kitchen at 8:30 every night. Want to come home to a clean home? The s9+ can be triggered via geofencing: For example when you leave home to walk the dog, you can use this as a trigger to have the vacuum start cleaning. Come home and choose to have the vac continue the job or head back to the base, making it an excellent feature for households with pups who fear vacuums.

Read our full iRobot Roomba S9+ review.

iRobot Roomba s9+ test results

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Header Cell - Column 0

Overall

Cheerios

Kitty Litter

Pet Hair

Hardwood Floor

96.3

90

100

99

Carpet

97.3

95

100

97

Best budget

Best robot vacuum under $200

Specifications

Cleaning Performance: 97

Pet Hair Score: 99.5

Bin Size: 600 ml

Smart Home Compatibility: None

Size: 11.8 x 11.8 x 3 inches

Weight: 4.5 pounds

Reasons to buy +

Excellent pet-hair-cleaning performance

+

Fantastic hardwood performance

+

Inexpensive

Reasons to avoid -

Noticably loud at 64.1 decibels

-

Inconsistent cleaning pattern

One of the best cheap robot vacuums available happens to also be one of the best for tackling pet hair. The inexpensive iLife V3s Pro is light on bells and whistles but big on keeping your floors free from fur. In fact, it collected nearly 100% of pet fur from hardwood floors and carpet when we tested it — which is an almost perfect score. This bump-and-clean robot sets itself apart with a 3-inch suction opening instead of a brush roll for ingesting debris. Not only does that aid in picking up dog hair, but it also makes maintenance easier since you won't need to spend time removing hair from a brush roll.

It excelled at collecting everyday debris as well, vacuuming up small, flaky bits of onion skin that had collected against baseboards and thick breadcrumbs as it carefully and precisely worked its way around kitchen furniture. The iLife V3s Pro really shines on bare surfaces, such as hardwood floors and tile, though it works well on carpets and thinner rugs, too. So, it would work best in a home with predominantly hard floors.

The random cleaning pattern of the V3s Pro means it might miss a few spots or, as we found during testing, get fixated on a certain area — our tester couldn't keep it away from the foyer or beneath the couch. Thankfully, there are arrow buttons on the included remote control to guide the V3s Pro back towards the dirt. If you're okay with providing the iLife V3s Pro a little supervision, this incredible value will serve your floors well.

Read our full iLife V3s Pro review.

iLife V3s Pro test results

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Header Cell - Column 0

Overall

Cheerios

Kitty Litter

Pet Hair

Hardwood Floor

99.8

99.4

99.9

100

Carpet

94.2

100

83.6

99

Best value

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Tom's Guide) (Image credit: Hunter Fenollol)

Self-emptying and great for pet hair on both hardwood floors and carpet

Specifications

Cleaning Performance: 98

Pet Hair Score: 99

Bin Size: Up to 45 days of debris

Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa & Google Assistant

Size: 12.4 inches x 3.5 inches

Weight: 7 pounds

Reasons to buy +

Highly accurate room mapping

+

Thorough cleaning performance on both hardwood and thick carpet

+

Dock stores up to 45 days of dirt and debris

Reasons to avoid -

No multi-level floor mapping for larger homes

-

Loud

The Shark IQ was one of our top scorers for pet hair removal, collecting 100% of fur from hardwood floors, which only the iLife VS3 Pro also achieved. Its performance on carpet was similarly as strong at an impressive 97%. By comparison, the Roborock s7 this replaced had a much lower cleaning performance, with only 85.8% of pet hair removed on average.

The Shark IQ happens to be the only pet hair-effective (over 95 percent) robot vacuum with a self-emptying base for under $400. In terms of price to performance here, the IQ offers a serious value that will deep clean your floors without any intervention for 45 days. You can simply schedule it to clean when everyone's out of the house for work or school.

However, there were some areas for improvement — specifically, the lack of multi-floor mapping. But, if room-specific cleaning isn't a concern outside of your main level, you can place it down and let it find its away around your basement or upstairs. It comes with four levels of suction power, and getting it set up and running couldn't be easier. Just keep in mind that the base gets loud when extracting debris from the robot. You won't want to put it next to where your pet eats or sleeps.

Read our full Shark IQ review.

Shark IQ test results

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Header Cell - Column 0

Overall

Cheerios

Kitty Litter

Pet Hair

Hardwood Floor

99.3

98

99.8

100

Carpet

96.6

95

98.7

97

Best vacuum and mop

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Roborock Saros 10R testing(Image credit: Future)

Best robot vacuum and mop

Specifications

Cleaning Performance: 98.5

Pet Hair Score: 100

Bin Size: up to 60 days

Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Home

Size: 5 x 18.7 x 19 inches

Weight: 25.4 pounds

Reasons to buy +

Can lift itself over thresholds

+

Effective at cleaning and mopping

+

Built-in camera

+

Very good at cleaning

For pet parents, we all know the daily struggle of removing hair and dander completely.

And if you're after a great hybrid cleaner, the Roborock Saros 10R is a hybrid robot vacuum and mop can literally do it all.

From removing stubborn pet hair (from our tester's dog and two cat volunteers), to precise navigation and obstacle avoidance, the Saros 10R is one of the smartest and most thorough robot vacuums we've tested.

Additionally, we liked its low-profile design, with a sleek mirrored face — although, bear in mind that it might attract stray pet fur! Luckily, it has a self-cleaning base, that will not only swap out the dirty water in the mop, but also clean and dry the mop heads too.

We were particularly impressed with the robot's vision system and AI that recognized pieces of furniture including a TV stand, couch and also other hazards, such as loose cables, and steered clear of them. Plus, its camera can be used to keep an eye on your pets — why wouldn't you?

In our tests, the 10R scored an outstanding 100% for both pet hair and kitty litter and pet hair on hardwood floors and 90% on cereal grains. While it sucked up 99% of all kitty litter and 98% pet hair on carpet.

We also liked that the Roborock comes with a very impressive app, offering a wide list of menus and settings to explore, plus the Saros 10R has its own built-in voice assistant, so you can use voice commands to control the robot even if it's not connected to the Internet.

The only caveat is this robot vacuum comes at a hefty price, and you could probably pick up a cheaper equivalent. But we can't fault it for its incredible cleaning power and advanced features.

Read our full Roborock Saros 10 review.

Roborock Saros 10R test results (out of 100)

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Header Cell - Column 0

Overall

Cheerios

Kitty Litter

Pet Hair

Hardwood Floor

98.5

99

100

100

Carpet

97.3

95

99

98

Best for cleaning baseboards

Best for reaching pet hair against baseboards

Specifications

Cleaning Performance: 92.1

Pet Hair Score: 89

Bin Size: 700 ml

Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant

Size: 13 in x 12.6 in x 3.9 in

Weight: 8 pounds

Reasons to buy +

Strong cleaning performance

+

Fast mapping with a nearly complete map generated within one run

+

Good reach against baseboards and edges due to its D-shaped design

Reasons to avoid -

Lacks self-emptying or mopping features

-

Less effective with large debris

Dyson's 360 Vis Nav puts up a solid cleaning performance across the board, scoring a respectable 92.79 overall on our tests. Regarding pet hair, it picked up 91.5% of dog hair on carpet and 83% on hardwood, which places it above the Roomba j7+.

It's also a relatively quiet and fast operator, needing just 2 minutes to clean a 5' x 5' space. We like that the dustbin is concealed in the robot's center, making it simple and convenient to access. The filter acts as a door to help keep the dust contained when it comes to removal - ideal if you suffer from allergies and don't want to make a mess. Plus, its D-shaped design has good reach against flat surfaces, such as baseboards. So you don't have to worry about excess fur collecting against your walls.

Our only qualm is the lack of a self-emptying base for the price. Dyson's vacuum is relatively expensive, and swapping out the bin after each job feels cumbersome. Otherwise, this is still one of the better robot vacuums for pet hair that will get the job done.

Read our full Dyson 360 Vis Nav review.

Dyson 360 Vis Nav test results

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Header Cell - Column 0

Overall

Cheerios

Kitty Litter

Pet Hair

Hardwood Floor

99.8

88.2

96.5

82

Carpet

96.2

96.5

96.2

96

Best for navigation

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(Image credit: Tom's Guide) (Image credit: Tom's Guide) (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Great for pet poop

Specifications

Cleaning Performance: 91.81

Pet Hair Score: 82.5

Bin Size: Up to 60 days

Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa & Google Assistant

Size: 13.3 x 3.4 inches

Weight: 7.5 pounds

Reasons to buy +

Excellent obstacle avoidance 

+

Learns from cleaning data 

+

Easy to create no-go zones

+

Redesigned Clean Base is less obtrusive  

Reasons to avoid -

Clean Base is very loud 

-

Middling pet hair pickup on carpet  

While it wasn't the strongest performer on pet hair, picking up 82.5% on average, iRobot's j7+ makes the list because it's guaranteed to avoid pet poop — its predecessors won't offer such confidence. It uses obstacle avoidance technology to recognize and veer around everyday objects like socks and cables. This robot vacuum is constantly learning with every run too, making it one of the smartest I've seen. In fact, iRobot is so confident in the Roomba j7+'s intelligence that it's introduced the Pet Owner Official Promise (P.O.O.P), whereby iRobot will replace any j7+ that fails to avoid solid pet waste.

Its general performance wasn't too shabby either, handling large debris, such as cereal and kitty litter, with ease and achieving an overall cleaning score of 91.81%. Although, it's a far cry from our winning iLife V3s Pro robot vacuum's pet hair performance (99.5%). If you hate to empty your robot vacuum between runs, the j7+ model comes with a compact cleaning base as well, which can store up to 60 days of dust. So, this robot vacuum might not be best if your pet constantly sheds, but if there's an occasional accident on your floor, you will be grateful for the j7+'s intelligence.

Replacement Roomba vacuum bags can be bought online in packs of 10 to 20 and start at $16.

Read our full iRobot Roomba j7+ review.

iRobot Roomba j7+ test results

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Header Cell - Column 0

Overall

Cheerios

Kitty Litter

Pet Hair

Hardwood Floor

94.8

97.3

94.5

92.5

Carpet

88.9

99.4

94.8

72.5

Also tested

While we put plenty of robot vacuums for pet hair through extensive testing, not every model made the final cut, despite doing a decent job.

However, if you're still looking for an alternative to suit your needs or budget, check out our other options below.

How we tested

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

All of the robot vacuums we review are subjected to both our lab tests and in-home, real world use over several days.

For our tests, we sprinkled an area of flooring with 20 grams each of pet hair — on both hardwood and carpet. We then ran the robot vacuum in this area to measure which robot vacuum picks up the most.

The test results, user experience, price, and features relative to competing models weigh into our overall star rating.

In evaluating the best robot vacuums for pet hair, we primarily chose them based on their scores in our pet hair pick up lab tests.

The lab tests are three separate tests run twice – once on hardwood and once on low-pile carpet. In a 5-foot-by-5-foot area, we measure how effective each vacuum is at picking up 2 grams of dog hair (primarily sourced from an English Cream Golden Retriever), 20 grams of kitty litter, and 20 grams of Cheerios cereal. As long as the dog hair is collected by some part of the robot vacuum, such as the side brush or main brush roll, it's counted. Older models were subject to the same tests but in a larger 15-foot-by-15-foot area. These three types of debris are used because they represent different particle sizes and challenges a robot vacuum will likely face.

Real world testing isn't as rigid as our lab tests, though we test all of the features in each vacuum. Most commonly, this includes mapping out the first floor of the reviewer's home and evaluating it for accuracy. This also includes how easy or hard it is to make map adjustments, such as room divisions and drawing no-go zones. Our reviewer looks at the dustbin: Is it hard to access? How much force is needed to open the dustbin? Does dust go flying everywhere? How easy is it to clean the brush roll, side brush, and wheels?

Household terrain is also considered. Does the robot vacuum get caught up on small rugs? Is it able to cross a common threshold? Does it get stuck in a maze of dining room chairs? How about under the couch? These are just some of the questions our reviewer answers when evaluating each robot vacuum.

How to choose

You need to consider a few factors before investing in a robot vacuum for you and your pets. First of all, think about how many pets are in your home and how much are they actually shedding. Is it long fur or short fur and are they shedding on a regular basis? You should also consider if you want the robot vacuum to help with other cleaning needs, such as mopping.

Price is also going to be an important aspect. But, don't go for the cheapest straight away. While the iLife VS3 Pro comes at a very reasonable price, it doesn't offer any advanced features such as app connectivity, mapping or no-go zones. Whereas, at $349, the Neato D4 can do all of these things. You need to balance what features you want with your budget.

Photo of Scout, the Incredible Shedding Test Dog (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Allergies need to be considered too. If someone struggles with allergies at home, then a self-emptying robot vacuum might be the best option. It stops dust from being released into the air as regularly. Whichever type you go for, here are six robot vacuum tips and tricks so you can get the most out of your robot.

Some cats and dogs are terrified of robot vacuum cleaners. The noise and the movement, particularly as they drive towards your pet, can no doubt cause nerves. If your pet is new to robot vacuums, try introducing them slowly, running the bot for a few minutes to start with, until they're used to each other!

One final note, if your pet tends to have bathroom-related accidents around the home, be sure to clean it up before your robot vacuum finds it. It will only make further mess and can even break your vacuum, so keep an eye on this.

Features to look out for

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

SuctionIt's important to consider suction power, as this will determine how thorough your cleaning results will be. Ideally, a decent robot vac should have a suction power of at least 5,000pa to be able to handle pet hair and dander with ease.

Self-emptyingYou can find this feature on some of the more premium models, such as the iRobot Roomba s9+ mentioned above. Essentially, the robot vacuum will empty itself into a larger dustbin in the charging base once it's full, saving you from emptying it as much. This is a great feature to have if you suffer from allergies as dust isn't released into the air as often. If you want to know more, check out our guide on whether robot vacuums with self-emptying bases are worth it.

Wi-Fi connectivityThis is quite a common feature to find on robot vacuums nowadays. It means your robot vacuum can connect to your smartphone via Wi-Fi. In doing this, you can control and monitor it remotely and this also gives you access to an assortment of features, depending on your model.

Hybrid modelsThere are hybrid models available which can both vacuum and mop such as the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 . In our experience, these aren't as good as dedicated robot vacuums in terms of pick-up. So if you're dealing with pet hair, stick to a standard robot vacuum for sure. Although, if you want a model tath avoided dog messes you might want to invest in the iRobot Roomba j7+.This came up tops for excellent avoidance abilities.

MappingWith this feature, a robot vacuum can map-out your home by feeling its way around with sensors during setup. They can then tell where any obstacles are, such as table legs or the stairs. Using the map, the robot vacuum will then plot the best course for cleaning, rather than moving randomly. If you want to make sure your baseboards are spotless, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav has edge-to-edge cleaning.

No-go zonesThis comes with models which offer mapping. You can essentially set areas where you don't want it to go, such as around the pet's food bowls or around an expensive rug.

Targeted roomsThis is the opposite of no-go zones, where you can set which areas you would like the robot vacuum to focus on.

Multiple floorsSome robot vacuums can only store one map, which is frustrating if you need it to work on more than one floor. That's why they've now introduced models which can record maps for multiple floors.

SchedulingThis is one of the most common features you will find for robot vacuum cleaners. Once you've connected the model to your smartphone, you can schedule when you would like it to clean, whether daily, weekly or when you're not at home.

Remote controlIf your robot vacuum cleaner doesn't connect to the Wi-Fi, it might come with a remote control instead. You won't get as many features on this versus an app, but you can still control your robot vacuum hands-free.

Battery lifeMake sure you consider the battery life of your potential robot vacuum. If it comes with a base, it can charge itself between runs, but if you need to plug it in manually, it might run out of charge part-way through cleaning.

Dust capacityA smaller dustbin will need emptying more often, unless you're lucky enough to own a self-emptying model! Look for a minimum of 400ml capacity for guidance.

Robot vacuum FAQs Is a robot vacuum worth it for pet hair?

Pet hair is arguably one of the toughest types of debris to collect from your floors. This is because the fibers actually cling to the carpet, and this is made all the worse by regular footfall. It essentially gets knotted into the pile and requires not just a powerful vacuum, but an effective rotating brush bar to agitate and remove it. For this reason, even upright corded vacuums can struggle when it comes to pet hair.

While pet hair is easier to collect from hard floors because it can't get embedded, it can still cause problems. The fur can end up jamming the brush bar, which prevents the vacuum from picking up further debris. So whatever type of floors you have, pet hair can be a tough customer.

Of course, robot vacuums don't tend to provide as strong a performance as upright vacuum cleaners, so this makes the capabilities on pet hair questionable from the start. However, as our tests show, some robot vacuums excel in this field, thanks to a specialized design and an optimum pick up rate. These are less common than we would like, but they do exist, and there are even models available which perform well across the board, picking up dust, crumbs and pet hair with ease. Whatever you do, don't choose a model based on claims around pet hair removal alone — confirm its performance where possible, which is where our tests will help you out.

Vacuuming is one of the 7 ways to remove pet odor from your home.

How much should you spend on a robot vacuum?

While you need to find a robot vacuum which excels in this type of debris, that doesn't necessarily mean you need to break the bank. One of our top performers costs less than $200, so you can find a pet hair appropriate option even if you're shopping on a budget.

Robot vacuums range from about $150 up to a whopping $1,400, so it's essential that you have a budget in mind before you start browsing. Consider exactly what you want from your robot vacuum — don't be tempted by expensive features unless you intend to use them. Once you know what you're looking for, this should help scale down the options and prevent you from overspending.

Round up of today's best deals

Roborock Saros 10 Robot Vacuum

IRobot Roomba Plus Robot Vacuum And Mop With AutoWash Dock For 50% Off As Amazon Exclusive Deal

After a full day of work, plus the time it takes to run errands, cook dinner, and take care of the kids—when is anyone supposed to actually get around to cleaning their house? It's not crazy if you fall behind on vacuuming when you're doing it yourself, so just stop doing it yourself. Why not delegate that work to a robot who knows nothing but vacuuming? Well, vacuuming and mopping. The iRobot Roomba combination robot vacuum and mop does exactly that and right now it's 50% off for Prime members. You can get it for just $400—down from $800.

With the help of a smart navigation system, the Roomba robot vacuum