The best robot vacuums for hardwood floors

Who it's for:

The Roomba Combo j7+ is for folks who are down to pay a little extra to skip scanning the floor for phone chargers or socks before sending their robot vacuum on a cleaning run.

The j7+ isn't the vacuum for high-pile carpets, but its performance on low-pile and hard floors (and an ability to easily switch between those surfaces) is reliable, especially with Dirt Detection that triggers multiple passes across serious messes.

Why we picked this:

The Combo j7+ is the first truly hybrid model from iRobot, and its value lies not only in its cleaning (which is certainly satisfactory) but in its object avoidance. The Combo j7+ looks nearly identical to the original, but with the addition of what looks like the spoiler on a sports car. That's the retractable mop.

iRobot's PrecisionNavigation allows the j7+ to perceive obstacles that other robot vacuums plow right into. Those smarts extend to sensing carpet in mop mode, too: Instead of letting the mop hover and risking drips, the Combo j7+ lifts its mop on top of the vacuum itself. It's the botvac to get if you're nervous about pet waste being smeared or about a shoe being dragged across the floor.

Read our full review of the Roomba Combo j7+.(opens in a new tab)

Who it's for:

We recommend the Roborock S7 for people who'd prefer the water stains and footprints on their tile to be treated to a deeper clean than just the light wiping of a cloth.

Why we picked this:

The mopping feature on many hybrids is a glorified mop dragging. If you'd prefer your tile be treated to a deeper clean, Roborock's sonic mopping actually deploys some elbow grease, scrubbing up to 3,000 times per minute to go after dried-on stains and footprints. You won't have to worry about getting your carpet or rugs wet — VibraRise tech automatically lifts the mop and adjusts suction power if carpet is sensed.

Between that mindful mopping, strong suction, and accurate LiDAR mapping, the Roborock S7 is major for folks dealing with both carpet and hard floors. With its self-empty dock (a wise bundle for people with shedding pets), the S7+ is a triple threat under $1,000.

Read our full review of the Roborock S7.

Who it's for:

The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is ideal for those who want a true hands-off cleaning experience, including not having to touch soggy mopping pads. But as the priciest contender on anyone's list, the S8 Pro Ultra probably isn't a necessary upgrade for small spaces that won't use a ton of mopping water on one round, or anyone who already has the S7 MaxV Ultra.

Why we picked this:

Roborock takes autonomous care of your hardwood floors past just the mopping itself. Its latest flagship hybrid, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, empties its own dust bin, refills its own water tank (swapping dirty water for clean when necessary), and not only washes, but also dries its own mop pads, correcting the biggest downfall of the older S7 MaxV Ultra. The dock, though still obnoxiously sized, has also undergone a chic redesign to better disguise the triad of water tanks. Boosted suction on carpet is also more intense: 6,000 Pa versus the older model's 5,100.

At $1,599.99, the S8 Pro Ultra is currently the most expensive robot vacuum on the mainstream market. Its menu of specs is almost identical to that of the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni, which is frequently on sale for less than $1,000 after a year on the market. But even on sale, we'd probably still advise opting for the $1,599.99 Roborock to avoid the IRL frustrations that come with the X1 Omni.

Who it's for:

This packed budget model is a stellar find for folks who would like to try the triple threat that is room mapping, mopping, and automatic emptying, but who definitely don't want to spend more than $500. With patience and the acceptance of clearing obstacles off the floor before starting a cleaning, the Yeedi Vac Station could be a game changer.

Why we picked this:

Autonomous wet and dry cleaning plus auto-emptying is typically a pricey checklist, but this Yeedi makes the whole process hands-free for less than $400 on sale (which it almost always is).

The presence of room mapping is also impressive at such a practical price point, despite undercooked quirks like only having the capacity to hold a map of one story at a time. The shaky navigation is less annoying when you can still enjoy the convenience of targeting specific rooms and setting virtual boundaries in the app.

Who it's for:

We suggest the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 for those who are open to trying a super new release if it means they can secure actual scrubbing and LiDAR-guided room targeting for less than $500.

Why we picked this:

Shark wasn't a competitive player in the hybrid game until a release in the winter of 2022. The latest Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 rocks improvements galore over several predecessors (like adding a mop to Shark's smartest model) and can be purchased with or without a self-empty dock.

The Matrix Clean system shines during both wet and dry cleaning. During regular vacuuming, it delivers 30% better carpet cleaning (compared to the older RV Shark models) by digging deeper into carpet and taking multiple passes in a crosshatch pattern to loosen and grab debris from multiple angles. "Matrix" also applies to the AI Ultra's mopping, which vibrates 100 times per minute to scrub stains.

Who it's for:

The Coredy R750 is best for those whose wood floors only span a room or two and don't require more than a light gloss to grab lingering dust.

Why we picked this:

Cleaning little more than dust off of tile in a small space doesn't require a huge investment. Coredy's R750 model makes up for its lack of brand recognition with more than 5,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. It's a rockstar packed with surprisingly powerful suction for the price, mopping, and carpet sensors that (usually) remind the vacuum to not get those areas wet.

In vacuuming mode, the R750 uses dual side brushes to push loose debris over hard floors into the cleaning path and for tracking down debris under furniture. Coredy's Boost-Intellect technology automatically adjusts suction levels based on whether carpet is detected. Its alleged "mapping" features aren't so discerning, and it may get lost or stuck in larger households with lots of furniture.

Who it's for:

Most homes would probably benefit from extra attention to the dust bunnies and spider webs that congregate in corners, but those with more hardwood flooring than carpet don't need to pay for the suction that the similarly-shaped Roomba s9 administers on carpet fibers.

Designed with smaller layouts in mind, the D8 is ideal for apartments or homes with a few rooms where mapping would still be useful without expecting it to clean more than (or remember more than) 750 square feet on one charge. These small spaces also may not have room for a self-emptying base, which the D8 omits.

Why we picked this:

Dust bunnies blow across hard floors like tumbleweeds, often winding up in corners where the humble round robot vacuum has to rely on the hope of a competent side brush. The Neato Botvac D8 offers the same squared-off shape as the Roomba s9+, but for over $500 less.

The D8's corner expertise, along with combination LaserSmart SLAM and LiDAR technology to map your home, offers attention to specific rooms or zones that many budget circular vacs just can't.

Read our full review of the Neato D8.