The best robot vacuums for hardwood won't scratch your floors

Read our full review of the Roborock S7.

Who it's for:

We recommend the Roborock S7 for people who'd prefer the water stains and footprints on their hardwood and tile floors 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 nothing more than glorified mop dragging. These budget hybrids drag a damp cloth across your floors, and that's all. If you'd prefer your hardwood floors be treated to a deeper clean, Roborock's sonic mopping actually deploys some elbow grease (figuratively speaking, of course), 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, as this bot automatically lifts the mop pad and adjusts suction power when carpet is sensed.

Between mindful mopping, strong suction, and accurate LiDAR mapping, the Roborock S7 is a smart choice for folks dealing with both carpet and hard floors. With its self-empty dock (a wise bundle for people with shedding pets), the S7 and S7+ are budget-friendly triple threats. Because Roborock has several newer models now, the S7 models can almost always be found with $250 or more discounts.

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, 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 new Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni, which is frequently on sale. But based on our positive experiences with the Roborock S8 line and our IRL frustrations with the X1 Omni, we think the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is the best robot vacuum for hardwood floors — if you can afford it.

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.

Read our full review of the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 vacuum cleaner.

Who it's for:

We suggest the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 if your main concern with a robot mop is whether it actually scrubs (and can do so with more than water) and can be sent to specific rooms in a map on command. The AI Ultra 2-in-1 will be particularly appealing to anyone who doesn't want to spend more than $500, as even the model with a self-emptying dock can be found for under $500 on sale.

The AI Ultra 2-in-1 is probably best for homes without a heavy rug situation, as the bot requires you to manually point out rugs or carpets in the app and can't vacuum while the water tank is attached.

Why we picked this:

Shark wasn't a competitive player in the hybrid game until a release in October 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, making this an ideal hardwood floor robot vacuum and mop. In Matrix mode, you can see the AI Ultra 2-in-1's mopping pad pulsate back and forth across hard floors — if you watched for a minute straight, you'd see it vibrate 1,000 times. Matrix mode also impacts the movement of the vacuum itself: once you've designated an area for spot cleaning, the AI Ultra 2-in-1 will mop in large circles to ensure it doesn't miss a spot. The vac completes the same crosshatch pattern during dry vacuuming, loosening and lifting debris from multiple angles and delivering 30 percent better carpet cleaning compared to the older RV Shark models.

Read our full review of the Eufy G30 Hybrid.

Who it's for:

The Eufy G30 Hybrid is best for those whose wood floors only span a room or two and don't require more than a light gloss to grab daily dust or the wiping up of an occasional spill.

Why we picked this:

Of the many options on Eufy's long and confusing list of various robot vacuums and hybrid models, the G30 Hybrid satisfies the basic suction and mopping checklist for people who don't want go all out on a robot mop purchase.

The G30 can’t create a map of your home, which means no smart room mapping for specific room targeting or zone cleaning. In addition, the 2,000 Pa suction power is on the low end for a robot vacuum in 2024. However, this could be a fine choice for apartment dwellers who don't have many rooms or much carpeting, anyway, and just want a quiet robot vacuum for reliable daily upkeep. The Eufy G30 is sometimes out of stock, but the self-emptying version is often on sale for as little as $329.99.