Nearly any robot vacuum can sufficiently clear tile or hardwood floors of the hair and crumbs blowing across them like tumbleweeds. But for a robot vacuum to work on carpet, more suction power and concentrated airflow are required to uproot the debris embedded in those fibers.
Do robot vacuums work on carpet?
Yes, several robot vacuum cleaners do a pretty phenomenal job on carpets and rugs. In fact, the best robot vacuum brands such as iRobot, Roborock, Eufy, and Shark have been mastering the art for several years, particularly honing in on pet hair pickup and hair tangling in the roller brush.
For homes with varying floor types and a notable amount of foot traffic, buying the cheapest robot vacuum will likely create more hassle. Every time that bot gets stuck on a rug corner or welcomes you home to pet hair still visibly clinging to the living room carpet, you'll be tempted to do the job yourself — but rest assured that that's not an inevitable experience with every robovac.
The best robot vacuums for carpet have powerful suction, of course, aided by brush roll systems designed to dig into low- and high-pile carpet to pinch hair and large chunks while simultaneously inhaling fine debris that a weaker robot vac would pass right over. The most common way to measure suction power is in Pascals (though top contenders like iRobot and Shark just have to be different by not adhering to that method). When suction power in Pa is advertised, look for at least 5,000 Pa, and under no circumstances entertain anything lower than 4,000 Pa. For reference, robot vacuums at the premium end of the spectrum clock between 10,000 and 12,000 Pa.
Our top picks use automatic suction adjustment to customize cleaning based on floor type, leading to stronger cyclonic force on soft floors. All our picks also come with a self-emptying dock (or at least offer the option) to mitigate the frequency of trips to the trash bin, which would be a lot if the robovac is deep cleaning the amount of gunk from your carpets that it should be.
Do robot vacuums go on sale for Prime Day?
Robot vacuums are a huge category for Prime Day. Buying a robot vacuum during the upcoming October sale is particularly strategic if carpet cleaning is your main priority. Of all of the floor types, carpet is the most stubborn — and only the more advanced robot vacuums can loosen and lift tricky debris like pet hair from the grasp of carpet pile. Prime Day is your chance to score one of those premium high-powered vacs for a few hundred dollars less than usual.
Automatic emptying is also a crucial feature for homes with lots of carpet. While self-emptying has become much more affordable over the past few years, the vacuums with the best self-cleaning docks (some also wash and dry their own mopping pads, if you're into that) will push your budget to the limit. So, this is a great time to scope out deals on premium self-emptying robot vacuums.
Not sure which robot vacuums to buy on sale? I'm on a continuous mission to test the most noteworthy robot vacuums. For this guide, I reviewed dozens of bots on a variety of pile lengths, rugs, and bath mats. Here are my four favorites of 2024:
