As a pet owner, you will know all too much about how animals can shed huge amounts of hair. Well, there is an effective solution to this which will require little to no effort from you. Say hello to robot vacuums and more specifically iRobot’s Roomba, the premium brand of robot vacuum renowned for high performance and advanced features. This article will show you what the best Roomba for pet hair is.
One of the most common specific applications of Roombas is to clean up pet hair. Generally, more expensive Roombas have best quality suction systems and motors, and therefore will do a better job for most cleaning purposes including pet hair. Not only are these devices the best of their brand, but iRobot’s Roombas are also some of the best robot vacuums for pet hair.
However, this is an expensive kit and the chances are most readers would settle for something a little cheaper. This comparison article will compare Roomba models that will cater to your needs.
Related: Shark ION ROBOT Review
The Best Roomba for Pets
Contents
- The Best Roomba for Pets
- iRobot Roomba Comparison Chart
- What do you need to consider when choosing your Roomba?
- Roomba S9+ – The Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair
- Roomba i7+ – Good for large homes and carpets
- Roomba 980 – Good for large homes and carpets
- Roomba 960 – Good for large homes and some carpets
- Roomba 890 – Good for smaller homes and hard floors
- Roomba 690 – A budget-smart option good for hard floors
- Roomba e5 – Somewhere around the 690 & 890
- Roomba 614 – Best Roomba for those on a budget
- Final Word
- Best Overall – For large homes with thick carpets. The Roomba S9+ is a state of the art robot vacuum with some very impressive technology. A very recent Roomba, the S9+ has the most powerful motor, advanced navigation technology, smartest D shaped design and is the all-round best performing. The motor is four times strong than the next best from iRobot. Not just that, the S9+ comes with the luxury of iRobots Clean Base included a unit that can allow the robot to self dispose of up to 30 cleans without you having to do a single thing. You can purchase the Roomba S9 without the self disposal.
- Second Best – For large homes with carpets. The Roomba i7+ is a very recent and groundbreaking robot vacuum that was the first from iRobot to have the ability to self dispose of using the Clean Base. Most of the technology is the same as the S9+, except the D Shaped design and motor power. The Roomba i7 is the robot vacuum without the Self Disposal technology. The Clean Base can be bought after and will still work with the robot vacuum.
- A Smart Choice – For large homes with hard floors. The Roomba 960 is a very capable robot vacuum that has some of the best hardware and software that iRobot offers. The differences between this Roomba and the more recent Roombas is the weaker motor and marginally less advanced navigation technology. Although it just has iAdapt 2.0m and not 3.0, it still uses Smart Mapping & VSLAM to create perfected cleaning routes. It’s placing in the product range means that is very well priced for the technology it has. Although the Roomba 980 is an equal level model with a couple of better features, the additional price isn’t worth it in our opinion.
- Budget Smart robot – For smaller homes and hard floors. The Roomba 690 is the cheapest Roomba you can get that has WiFi capability and is connectable to the iRobot Home app. It is relatively basic and doesn’t have access to some of the features enabled by the app as this requires the more advanced navigation technology, iAdapt 2.0 and 3.0. With the price it is hard to go wrong and going for a new and smart connectable Roomba is highly recommended.
- Budget Non-Smart robot – For smaller homes and hard floors. The Roomba 614 is the super-budget option with limited features. It has the most basic of iRobots cleaning and navigation technology and is not connectable to WiFi and therefore the Home app. That said, it is a particularly cheap option which is welcomed by many over the more expensive and premium Roombas.
This article will go into detail to explain the ins and outs of the technologies used by each Roomba, in a way that is particularly relevant to cleaning pet hair.
iRobot Roomba Comparison Chart
| AVAILABILITY | DESIGN | MODEL | NAVIGATION TECHNOLOGY | MOTOR | SELF RESUME CLEANING | SELF DISPOSAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON 🡲 |  | ROOMBA S9+ | iADAPT 3.0 IMPRINT Mapping | SUPERIOR | Yes | Yes |
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON 🡲 |  | ROOMBA S9 | iADAPT 3.0 IMPRINT Mapping | SUPERIOR | Yes | No |
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON 🡲 |  | ROOMBA i7+ | iADAPT 3.0 IMPRINT Mapping | GEN 3 | Yes | Yes |
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON 🡲 |  | ROOMBA i7 | iADAPT 3.0 IMPRINT Mapping | GEN 3 | Yes | No |
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON 🡲 |  | ROOMBA 980 | iADAPT 2.0 SMART MAPPING | GEN 3 | Yes | No |
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON 🡲 |  | ROOMBA 960 | iADAPT 2.0 SMART MAPPING | AEROFORCE | Yes | No |
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON 🡲 |  | ROOMBA 890 | iADAPT 1.0 | AEROFORCE | No | No |
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON 🡲 |  | ROOMBA e5 | iADAPT 1.0 | 3-Stage | No | No |
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON 🡲 |  | ROOMBA 690 | iADAPT 1.0 | 3-Stage | No | No |
What do you need to consider when choosing your Roomba?
For a proper comparison, you need to consider personal circumstances as in some scenarios a cheaper and simpler Roomba will do just as good of a job in cleaning up your pet’s hair. Such factors include your flooring, your pets breed, the size of your cleaning area and your budget. Your personal context will define the best robot vacuum for pet hair out of the selection here.
Which Breed
There are endless species and breeds so it is up to you as a pet owner to understand how much your pet malts and how thick or long the hairs are. Certain pets species and breeds will need a Roomba with more suction power because of this. Also, if your malting frequency is especially high and requires daily cleaning, you will want a more advanced Roomba with solid navigation technology. Going for one of the newer iRobot Roomba motors such as in the 900, i7 or s9 series is suggested if this is the case.
Cleaning Area Size
Larger cleaning areas with multiple rooms are more suited for the best Roombas with Smart Mapping & VSLAM, as these navigate more effectively. Some with extra virtual wall barriers which may be useful in preventing the Roomba from going in certain rooms you don’t want it too. Older Roombas with more basic iAdapt 1.0 are not recommended as the relatively random navigation paths used mean each clean will take disproportionately longer the greater the size of the living area.
Budget
The selection of Roombas on this page reflects the widest range of features available and therefore some of these are expensive. Purchasing a Roomba to clean up pet hair is a hefty investment as in reality these robot vacuums are very advanced. The combination of advanced sensors, mapping cameras, and complex AI mean that the most advanced Roombas are very expensive. However, iRobot has released so many Roombas that there are some to cater for the lower end of the market.
Floor Types
Hard floors require a robot vacuum with less suction power whilst thicker and denser carpets will require a stronger motor. If you have a large carpeted home you will want to for one of the more powerful Roombas as you might find that an old one with a weaker motor may struggle to fully clean your home.
Combining these factors
Taking into account each and every one of these factors is essential to make sure you get the right Roomba for you. If you have a big dog that sheds a load of hair daily, many carpets and large home, you would be crazy not to go for a newer model. If you have a small pet and a small apartment with hard floors, you could probably get away with an older model as simple navigation technology will be sufficient and your pet’s hair won’t be too difficult to clean.
Roomba S9+ – The Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair
Brand new and incredibly high performing, the Roomba S9+ is a state of the art when it comes to robot vacuum technology. The best of all technology from iRobot has been placed into this robot or even specifically made for it.
Why Roombas S9+ is the best
First off, the power of the motor is second to none in iRobots line of Roombas. The Superior cleaning motor by iRobot has 40 times the power of the motor found in the 600 series vacuum and 4 times that of the next best. This translates into a suction PA of around 2500 which is like nothing else seen in a robot vacuum. iRobots previous Gen 3 Motor is capable of around 1700 Pa, and most of the other models have around 1000 Pa. More suction will only help when it comes to vacuuming shedded pet fur.
Perfect Edge Technology is a new design approach adopted by iRobot, reverting from the traditional perfectly circular robot to a D shape. This has multiple benefits when it comes to cleaning performance; underbrush that is 30% wider and far more able to get into corners. It also means that the side brush is much closer to the main brush and can retain greater flex and more consistent cleaning. The image below highlights how the D shape adds to the cleaning performance:
Point 1 highlights how much closers the brush is to the wall and point 2 shows how the side brush is next to the main brush. Point 3 is sat between the two main brushes, which you can see the S9 is much wider. This all translates into more effective cleaning of pet hair, especially those closer to corners of rooms.
The Clean Base, which allows for self dirt disposal is the final standout technology of the S9+. This technology first arrived with the Roomba i7 series and was a huge innovation for the industry. Self disposing of up to 30 cleans, the Clean Base makes robot vacuums as hands-off as they can be.
The S9 (minus the +) is the robot vacuum component without the Clean Base and therefor self dirt disposal technology. The Clean Base and this technology should really be looked as, as a standalone unit as new models will have cross-compatibility with it. This can be purchased additionally later if you are unsure for now. As of now, the best Roomba for pet hair is without a doubt the S9+. Whether you want the self-disposal technology is a preference as it is a permanent fixture and can be loud when in action. The ideal solution is to have it based in a side room.
Pros
- Best Roomba for cleaning up pet hair
- Superior motor power
- iAdapt 3.0
- Imprint Smart Mapping,
- iRobot Home App
- Auto Disposal
- Voice Control
- Recharge & Resume
Cons
- Expensive
- Self-Disposal is loud
Takeaway Points
The MVP of Roombas, nothing else is quite like the S9+ on the market. When it comes down to each and every category of features, the S9 quite simply has it all.
Roomba i7+ – Good for large homes and carpets
The Roomba i7+ was released only a few months before the S9+ made its way onto the shelves. It was with this model that the first self disposing technology and Clean Base came with. The software side of the i7 is basically the same as the S9, as it has iAdapt 3.0 with IMPRINT Mapping and the associated controls found with the iRobot Home app. The only difference is the cleaning hardware, the circular design rather than the D-Shape, as well as the having the Gen 3 Motor rather than the Superior one.
As mentioned, the i7 has the same iAdapt 3.0 navigation technology as the S9. It is the newest and best navigation technology ever made by iRobot, and it is hard to imagine how they could improve it any more. As part of iAdapt 3.0, IMPRINT mapping is a feature that can distinguish and clean rooms individually. This can also be done with an Alexa command, that would work like this: “Alexa, clean the living room”. If you noticed a certain amount of pet hair in one room, you can isolate that room to clean it without needing the whole living area needing to be cleaned. The Roomba i7 (minus the “+”) is the same without the self disposal technology, which just like the S9, can be added on later.
Pros
- iAdapt 3.0
- Imprint Smart Mapping,
- iRobot Home App
- Auto Disposal
- Voice Control
- Recharge & Resume
Cons
- Expensive
- Self-Disposal is loud
Takeaway Points
The Roomba i7 has the best of most features although the design and power of the motor isn’t quite as good as the S9. In reality, this will be more than enough of a robot vacuum for most people.
Roomba 980 – Good for large homes and carpets
Worth a mention is the Roomba 980, a high tech and well-rounded robot vacuum, that many considered the best for years after its release. It has the same motor as the i7, the Gen 3 which is useful for those with carpets, especially for those with deeper and dense carpet pile. As mentioned in the earlier sections, thick Pet hair tangled in such carpets may not be effectively covered by the weaker motors.
In the round-up of the best Roombas for pet fur, the 980 did not get a mention because the 960 is arguably better for its price and the newer models are more advanced. Although high spec than the 960, the navigation technology and ability to recharge and resume cleaning is the same.
The 980 has iAdapt 2.0, which use Smart Mapping & VSLAM making it better suited for larger living spaces with multiple rooms. The camera used for mapping allows the 980 to effectively maneuver and clean very efficiently. This technology using a daily cleaning schedule will keep on top of your pets shedding hair as every single part of your floor space will be consistently cleaned.
Although the Roomba 980 doesn’t have self-disposal it does have a self recharge and resume cleaning function. This means it will return to the base station to charge before restarting cleaning exactly where it left. When you head out you can rest assured that the clean will be done and every spot of pet hair will have been covered. It does have more battery life than the 960, but this has been made less significant due to the self-recharge and resume cleaning enabled by iAdapt 2.0.
- Gen 3 Motor to deal with thick carpets and thick pet hair
- Smart Mapping & VSLAM navigation is more efficient, especially large cleaning areas
- 120 minutes, recharge and resume ensure the largest cleaning areas are covered
A really useful article to read is our Roomba 980 vs 960, as it delves deeper into the differences between the two and why the 960 is better.
Takeaway Points
A strong robot vacuum that has a powerful motor and advanced navigation technology, the Roomba 980 is however admittedly a little lost here. Not that it isn’t a good robot vacuum, its just there is more suitable choices available in the form of the i7 or 960.
Roomba 960 – Good for large homes and some carpets
The Roomba 960 is perhaps the best all-rounded choice for cleaning pet hair when considering the price. This robot vacuum shares almost all the key features that made the Roomba 980 such a solid device for cleaning pet hair. For example, shares many of the perks make it suitable for larger cleaning areas, such as the iAdapt 2.0, Smart Mapping & VSLAM navigation.
The Aeroforce 3-Stage Cleaning motor is decent but not the best from iRobot. It is around 5 times the strength of the 600 series 3-Stage Cleaning motor. As mentioned before the newest Superior 3-Stage Cleaning motor is 40 times more powerful. Given the advanced navigation technology but the limited motor, this model would work well for large homes with predominantly hard floors.
For those who have large homes, thick and dense carpets with a lot of pet hair mess, the more powerful Gen 3 is recommended. Even better, get your hands on the S9’s superior motor if you can.
Although the battery life is 75 minutes, it can still recharge and resume on its own to finish the job of cleaning pet hair. The real advantage of the Roomba 960 is the price, which is typically $200 less than the Roomba 980.
- Almost as good as the Roomba 980
- Aeroforce 3-Stage Cleaning System may not do as good of a job as the Roomba 980 Gen 3 Motor on carpets
- Smart Mapping & VSLAM navigation is more efficient, especially large cleaning areas
- 75 minutes, recharge and resume ensure the largest cleaning areas are covered
- Around $200 less than the Roomba 980
Takeaway Points
One of the most popular choices of Roombas, the 960s price and features place it as a favorite.
Roomba 890 – Good for smaller homes and hard floors
In the mid-price ranged is the Roomba 890 which is still well equipped for cleaning pet hair although lacks some of the advanced technologies of the previous models discussed. The Roomba 890 shares the same motor as the 960, so it will achieve the same suction performance of pet hair on carpets, but is better suited hard floors
For thicker and denser carpets with more tangled pet hair, it will struggle compared to the best models already mentioned. The shorter battery life and iAdapt 1.0 Navigation make it less suitable for very large cleaning areas too.
iAdapt Navigation is sensor-driven and relatively more random than Smart Mapping & VSLAM, meaning that cleaning areas take relatively much longer. Homes with widespread pet hair aren’t guaranteed to have every spot covered during every clean.
It also only has 60 minutes of battery life and cannot resume cleaning on its own, again proving not suitable for a large home with lots of shedded hair. If it does not cover the whole cleaning area in one go you will have to restart the cleaning manually, and unlike the 900 or i7 series Roombas, it will not return to exactly where it was to resume cleaning.
- Carpet mode for light carpets
- Not as good for larger cleaning areas
- iAdapt Navigation relatively random and not as efficient
- 60 minutes of battery life and no automatic resuming of cleaning once recharged
- Around $200 less than the Roomba 960
Also Read: Roomba 890 vs 690
Takeaway Points
With solid motor power but more basic navigation, the Roomba 890 is a solid choice for those with some carpets although ideally in a smaller home.
Roomba 690 – A budget-smart option good for hard floors
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The Roomba 690 is a cheaper option from iRobot in the low to mid-price range that is WiFi connectable. Not far behind the 890, the only real difference is the cleaning motor it uses, which is the standard 3-Stage Cleaning System. It uses iAdapt 1.0 which involves infrared sensors and a relatively random cleaning path. Just like the 890, iAdapt 1.0 can work well in a smaller living space but not so well suited for larger homes.
As it uses the standard motor, it performs effectively on hard floors although it may struggle relatively when cleaning pet hair in carpets. Using the iRobot Home app provides additional control with scheduling, dirt events and collecting some basic metrics. However, as the case with the 890 and any connectable Roomba that uses iAdapt 1.0, the advantages of the finer features of the Home app are not present. An example of this is detailed reports, maps, and individual room cleanings. The ability to use voice control is consistent across any Roomba that can connect to the Home app.
- Almost the same quality as Roomba 890
- Weaker motor means it’s not as suitable for carpets
- Work well on hard floors with most pet hair
- iAdapt Navigation is better in smaller cleaning areas
- Around $100 less than the Roomba 890
Takeaway Points
iRobots Roomba 690 is the cheapest option that is connectable to the smart home although it is best kept to small living areas and hard floor.
Roomba e5 – Somewhere around the 690 & 890
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The Roomba e5 is a very new addition in the iRobot family. Released to address some of the issues found with the 890 and 690, iRobot has held back on providing the newest and sharpest technology to the robot. Most specifically, the e5 is on a par with the Roomba 690 with a few minor differences which include its design and battery life. The difference in design is pretty self-explanatory, but on its own doesn’t justify reproducing the 690 in a slightly different form.
The key difference is the battery life, which is 90 minutes compared to the 60 minutes of the 890, or 690, for that matter. All of these models use iAdapt 1.0 which lacks the very useful feature of self-recharge and resume. That means with the robot vacuum you get one chance of getting the clean done in one or it has to be manually restarted.
It seems that the 60 minutes of battery life falls short for some households. iAdapt 2.0 and the complex expensive hardware and software that comes along with it pushes the price up significantly. The answer to getting a clean done in one go in some households was to produce a new Roomba with more battery life. Beyond this, it seems to be the same device as the 690 as it has the standard 3-Stage Cleaning systems and Wifi connectivity.
Takeaway Points
If you feel in danger of 60 minutes not being enough to clean your home, why not try the e5s 90 minutes of battery life. Or be wise and bite the bullet by getting your hands on iAdapt 2.0 or higher.
Roomba 614 – Best Roomba for those on a budget
In this comparison of the best Roombas for pet hair, it is the only model not to have this, making it a little outdated. Its cleaning features mean it is equally suited to cleaning up pet hair in a small home as the Roomba 690. It has many positive reviews which cover a range of different pet species and breeds. Typically available for under $300, this is the option if your on a budget.
- Identical to Roomba 690 excluding smart home capabilities
- Weaker motor means it’s not as suitable for carpets
- Work well on hard floors with most pet hair
- iAdapt Navigation is better in smaller cleaning areas
- Around $100-$150 cheaper than the Roomba 690
- Budget option
Takeaway Points
Although very cheap, the Roomba 614 is somewhat capable. Admittedly, if your around this budget I would recommend looking at some other brands which are more catered for the price. Unless you really, really want a Roomba.
Final Word
Finding the best Roomba for your pet’s hair requires careful thought of your situation. Depending on your floor types, species of pet, size of the area you want to be cleaned and budget, it is not as straight cut as just choosing the Roomba S9+ as it has all the best features. This comparison of the best Roombas for pet hair should have provided you with some clear options to go for given your the nature of your home.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and would highly recommend checking out our robot vacuum section of the website.
| DESIGN | MODEL | AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|---|
| ROOMBA S9+ |  |
| ROOMBA S9 | |
| ROOMBA i7+ | |
| ROOMBA i7 | |
| ROOMBA 980 | |
| ROOMBA 960 | |
| ROOMBA 890 | |
| ROOMBA e5 | |
| ROOMBA 690 | |