Nearly any old 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, suction power and time spent cleaning need to be boosted to uproot the debris embedded in any pile height.
Do robot vacuums work well on carpet?
Yes, several top robot vacuum cleaners that I've tested do a pretty phenomenal job on carpets and rugs — depending on a few factors. Suction power is, of course, the most important number in determining the best robot vacuums for carpet. Most robot vacuum brands measure suction power in Pascals, though iRobot and Shark are weird about using Pascals sometimes. When suction power in Pascals (Pa) is advertised, you'll ideally want to hit at least 8,000 Pa for sufficient carpet cleaning, and will almost definitely be underwhelmed with anything lower than 5,000 Pa. For reference, robot vacuums at the premium end of the spectrum clock between 10,000 and 22,000 Pa. The ante's about to be upped even further when the new Dreame robot vacuums come out in September — two of the flagships hit 30,000 Pa.
But beefy suction power needs to be aided by competent brush roll systems — a dual brush roll design is your best chance when it comes to pet hair pickup. These are designed to dig into carpet pile and pinch hair and large chunks, while the suction power itself inhales finer debris that a weaker robot vac would pass right over. The two brush rolls get bonus points if, instead of sitting parallel to each other, they look like one big roller that's split down the middle. That opening gives long hair somewhere to go instead of spindling around the edges of a single roller brush.
If fine dust on hard floors is one of your non-negotiables when it comes to tidying, a robot vacuum that can mop should be a priority. Luckily, the most powerful robot vacuums on carpet are typically the most powerful moppers, too.
Not sure which robot vacuum would work best on your carpets or rugs? I test and compare a ton of top robot vacs as they come out in my own home, narrowing down the best options and refreshing my recommendations as necessary. For this list, I kept an extra close eye on performance on a variety of carpet pile lengths, rugs, and bath mats, pet hair and debris pick up, transitions between floor types, automatic suction settings, and more. Here are my four favorites of 2025:
Other robot vacuums I've tested recently
I tested several other top robot vacuums in the past that didn't make the most recent cut for this list. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra were my top recommendations at one point, but have since been overshadowed by newer, more powerful models that are a better bang for your buck. I've also tested some 2025 robot vacuum releases that were OK, but ultimately aren't a top pick for me. The Dreame X50 Ultra is one of them.
Though I had a better overall experience with the Roborock Saros 10R than the Saros 10, I want to note that the Saros 10 is also a great robot vacuum for carpets. The Saros 10 actually has slightly stronger suction power (22,000 Pa versus 20,000 Pa), but the difference is pretty negligible in the long run.
