Suppose part of your home is floored luxury vinyl plank and high pile carpets/rugs. You need the best robot vacuum without beater bar to avoid damaging the top protective layer or pulling the rug/carpet finish.
Robot vacuum cleaners/mops without a beater bar, also known as roller brushes, present in traditional vacuums are typically in low-end models. As such, the best robot vacuum without a beater bar would either have a height adjustment or is designed to automatically detect carpet or vinyl surfaces when transitioning.
Most robot vacuums with no beater bar usually have no smart features like app control, smart WiFi, etc. However, specific premium robots use a flexible beater bar that combines with brand-unique surface detection technology to clean surfaces that do not require a roller brush.
Best robot vacuum without beater bar
The selections here are based on quality and affordability. You should not also expect a perfect machine—there is no such robot vacuum realistically. However, we do have some that are more reliable than others.
This compilation is made after a series of tests and is backed by real user reviews—including cons manufacturers never mention.
Read carefully to pick your best robot vacuum without beater bar (with some adjustable):
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ILIFE V9e Robot Vacuum Cleaner, 4000Pa Max Suction, Wi-Fi Connected, Works with Alexa, 700ml Large Dustbin, Self-Charging, Customized Schedule, Ideal for Pet Hair, Hard Floor and Low Pile Carpet
ILIFE V9e is the first recommendation for a reason. Below are relevant features of this unit:
Customized schedule
For a modern robot, you need to be able to schedule it to clean. The V9e allows you to decide the cleaning routine, and then automatically vacuums based on your pre-set schedule.
Read also: V7s Ilife—to buy or not to?
Cyclone system
This is a unique technology designed to isolate different particles for high-performance filtration and steady suction.
Suction power
Up to 4000Pa suction in spot mode. ILIFE V9e conveniently picks dust, debris, and other large particles.
Brushless motor
What makes this machine exceptional in our list is its “brushless motor”. Regardless, it still delivers powerful suction.
Multiple cleaning modes
Multiple mode selections from auto mode (for large spaces), max mode (for enhanced suction), spot mode (for small areas with intense suction), and edge mode (for corners and edges).
Read also: renting steam cleaners for own use
110 minutes runtime
Our tested ILIFE V9e robot vacuum runs nearly 2 hours on a Li-ion battery, and would comfortably clean your whole house before shutting off.
App control
This model supports the ILIFEHOME mobile application with features like suction settings, schedule, and more.
Pros
Self recharge
If your ILIFE V9e runs low on battery while cleaning, it automatically traces the dock to recharge.
Multiple sensors
It is fitted with anti-collision and anti-drop sensors to prevent accidental falls, minimizing bumps while cleaning.
Cons
700ml dustbin
At 700ml, your robot vacuum empties now and then, which slows cleaning. Just push the release button to dispose of trash. It fills in about 30-40 minutes, so you have to empty it about every 30 minutes.
Noise
It has a high pitch whine when running. Not one of those robot vacuums that are really quiet.
Hard-to-wash components
Wiping or washing the filter and bin can be a pain, especially when it gets dirty quickly.
Gets stuck sometimes
During the vacuuming test, ILIFE V9e will get stuck under chairs and dining tables about 3 times. It also has a tangling problem, so if you have long hair, it could be a problem.
2G only
Unfortunately, this unit only supports 2.4G WiFi.
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iRobot Roomba 980 Robot Vacuum-Wi-Fi Connected Mapping, Works with Alexa, Ideal for Pet Hair, Carpets, Hard Floors, Power Boost Technology, Black (Renewed)
We understand that this is a refurbished unit. If you are not a refurbished fan, skip to the next already. This renewed iRobot Roomba 980 offers the following:
Multiple surface support
Its unique auto-adjust cleaning head automatically adjusts the robot’s height to keep the brushes within a reasonable range for your vinyl, and high low/medium/high rugs or carpets such as Karastan.
Tangle-free
We can confirm that this robot vacuum without a beater bar uses dual multi-surface brushes to pick pet hair.
Dirt detect technology
Uses unique “Dirt Detect” sensors to detect areas concentrated with dirt—your high-traffic areas.
iRobot HOME app support
This model supports the iRobot HOME app, which allows control and schedule cleanings via WiFi. Just connect your vacuum to iRobot HOME app over WiFi. The iRobot app also supports monitoring cleaning activity and viewing cleaning history, as well as software updates for your unit.
Voice recognition
This Roomba 980 vacuum robot is compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. Just issue the start, stop, or dock command to your Roomba robot cleaner.
Powerful suction
Up to 1700 Pa with 10x air power for enhanced pick-up. The “Power Boost” technology automatically increases cleaning performance on carpet surfaces.
Pros
Filtration
Features the High-efficiency filter, trapping 99% of pet allergens.
Read this story: upright vacuums also arrive with HEPA filters
Battery
Runs for 120 minutes, that’s 2 hours, enough to clean your entire home.
Recharge and resume
Your robot vacuum with no beater bars will automatically return to the dock to recharge and will resume on its own when charged.
Cons
Small bag
The bag area is quite small, which causes frequent emptying.
Loud
Although this machine works well on surfaces that do not require a beater bar or roller brush, the noise is high-pitched and annoying.
Refurbished
As mentioned earlier, this is a refurbished model, also known as a “renewed” product. It arrives in a new pack and is sold cheaper with a warranty.
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iRobot Roomba 690 Robot Vacuum-Wi-Fi Connectivity, Works with Alexa, Good for Pet Hair, Carpets, Hard Floors, Self-Charging
iRobot Roomba 690 is our third on the list for its ability to clean any surface that does not require a beater bar. Apart from this function, the Roomba 690 also features:
Efficient suction
Its 600Pa suction loosens, lifts, and suctions your carpet, rug, and hard floor well enough.
Read also: iRobot 960 reviewed here
iRobot Home app support
It offers iRobot Home app support, which allows you to clean and schedule at any time. Additional features include your ability to access support, customize cleaning, and view clean map reports.
Wall barrier
We received our Roomba 690 with 1 Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier, which lets you control where the robot cleans.
3-stage cleaning system
Offers a 3-stage cleaning system like the Roomba 980. Its dual multi-surface brushes easily pick dust, debris, pet hair, and other particles.
Pros
Soft brushes
The Roomba 690 brushes use extremely soft bristles with rubber, so this unit is still perfect for your hard floor, high pile rugs, etc.
Runtime
It runs for 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes). When low on battery, the Roomba 980 vacuum automatically returns to its dock to charge again.
Cliff detect sensors
Its unique “Cliff Detect” sensors keep it from falling down stairs or tumbling over drop-offs.
Cons
Gets stuck on dark swirls
It gets stuck on the rugs with a dark swirl or line, thinking it is a cliff. So, if your flooring is dark, this robot is not for you.
(Modified)
We noticed that this robot vacuum also gets stuck on floor vents, thinking that the brownness is a cliff.
Read also: how we fixed a stubborn Roomba that won’t pick dirt
Dock tracing issues
This robot cleaner (Roomba 690) uses WiFi Direct to find the charging dock. Therefore, if the dock is not in a direct line of sight, the robot may shut down before getting to it to recharge.
A bit noisy
Roomba 690 is quite loud—extremely annoying when its runs. If you are sensitive to sound, consider scheduling it to run while at work.
Bumps into stuff
It is a good machine overall but sometimes bumps into chairs, walls, sofas, etc.
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Roborock S4 Max Robot Vacuum with Lidar Navigation, 2000Pa Strong Suction, Multi-Level Mapping, No-go Zones, Ideal for Carpets and Pets Robotic Vacuum
If you would prefer to max out vacuuming, the Roborock S4 Max is your go-to solution. We would recommend the S4 Max over and over again due to:
Powerful suction
Uses Roborock’s unique HyperForce suction with up to 2000Pa suction. S4 Max easily pulled dirt and pet hair off wooden floors during our tests and does the same on carpets.
Read also: Roborock S5 and S6 compared: truths from consumer
Filtration
Our machine came with an E11-rated air filter, designed to capture 95% of particles.
Automatic Carpet Boost
The “Carpet Boost” feature will automatically increase suction when it detects carpet.
Roborock app support
This model supports the Roborock app. With the app, you can set up 10 invisible walls and 10 no-go zones.
Pros
Battery power
A full charge runs up to 180 minutes (3 hours) or cleans up to 300sqm.
Dustbin
S4 Max features a 460ml dustbin, though not so big.
Auto recharge
Your Roborock S4 Max vacuum cleaner is smart enough to return to the dock when it runs low on battery power.
Washable filter
The filter is washable and replaceable.
Cons
Dark pattern problem
If your carpet or rug has dark patterns, this machine will have issues with it. It mistakes it for a cliff.
Small bin
The collection bin is quite small at 460ml.
Alexa problem
You can only instruct this unit to clean the entire house when using Alexa. It doesn’t support vacuuming specific rooms yet.
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Roborock S7 Robot Vacuum and Mop, 2500PA Suction & Sonic Mopping, Robotic Vacuum Cleaner with Multi-Level Mapping, Works with Alexa, Mop Floors and Vacuum Carpets in One Clean, Perfect for Pet Hair
Don’t get it wrong, the Roborock S7 robot vacuum and mop deserve a place in the top 2, at least for the fact that it has dual functions—vacuuming and mopping.
Cleaning performance
This robot vacuum uses 600g mop pressure and 2500PA “HyperForce” suction to pick up pet hair, debris, and dust from various surfaces.
Voice recognition
Control this unit with Google Home, Siri, and Amazon Alexa. Start and stop cleaning using a simple voice command.
LiDAR navigation
Roborock employs the special LiDAR, Adaptive Route Algorithms, that ensure accurate mapping and navigation to clean the floor.
Multi-directional floating brush
If you have an uneven surface, this technology takes the brush closer to the ground for deep cleaning.
Roborock app support
Roborock app allows you to know carpet locations, access mopping and vacuuming routes, invisible walls, adjust suction power, set cleaning schedules, set vibration strength, set water flow, set No-Go Zones, and do more.
Carpet recognition technology
Roborock S7 detects carpets using ultrasonic sound and automatically boosts the suction for deep cleaning.
Pros
3-hour battery life
The S7’s battery runs up to 180 minutes, enough to cover your entire home.
Mop adjustment
Roborock S7 allows you to set the mop lift for vacuuming low-pile carpets or set the no-mop zones to keep it from cleaning your medium and high-pile carpets and rugs.
Cons
WiFi strength
Unfortunately, Roborock S7 only supports a 2.4GHz WiFi connection.
Leaves some pet hair behind
On carpets, the S7 cleans all the dust and bits but leaves a fair bit of pet hair clinging. Our tested S4 Max performs better in this aspect.
No edge mop support
If you care so much about mopping edges, this robot vacuum is not for you. It is about 1 inch away from the wall..
Read also: e20 Roborock truth before buying
Beater bar in robot vacuums
The beater bar or roller brush is important, just like the vacuum suction on your robot vacuum. However, it is rare to find a robot vacuum without one.
The beater bar lifts the nap of the carpet for suction to grab dirt, dust, and pet hair. The roller brush then guides the dirt into the suction path, which could pull the carpet, especially on high piles. On a hard surface, it can leave scratches.
Nonetheless, roller brushes on robot vacuums make your carpet look good. You just need ones with soft, rubber bristles that will not pull or scratch, which quickly degrades the floor quality.
Cleaning a robot vacuum for your next vacuuming adventure
- Clean the bin. Depending on your model, hold the back release button to take out the bin. You should find a bin icon on the bin release tab. Next, empty the bin. On an iRobot, you should set the bin care frequency after each use. Rinse the bin with warm water to get rid of excess debris and replace it. Make sure it dries completely.
- Clean the filter. Follow your product manufacturer’s instructions to remove and clean the filter. Tap the filter gently to get rid of debris and replace it. You must not wash or have the filter come in contact with liquid.
Do not toss any component of your robot vacuum in the dishwasher, unless the manufacturer specifies them as dishwasher safe.
How Does a Vacuum Without Beater Bar Work?
A beater bar is a contoured metal brush attached to the rotating brushes of your vacuum cleaner. When your vacuum cleaner does not contain a beater bar, the rotating brushes will continue to sweep and suck all the dust and debris off the surface but without the agitating, vibrating motion of the beater bar. This will allow the vacuum to run smoothly on the surface you are vacuuming and without causing the beating motion.
When you use a vacuum cleaner without a beater bar, you can access all the same features, and without the ‘fluffing up’ of the fibers of your carpet or any other surface you are vacuuming on. If you work with a vacuum that have a beater bar on smooth surfaces such as your hardwood floors, it might even cause damage to the surface.
Also check: Best Vacuum Cleaner that Doesn’t Clog With Hair
Beater vs. no Beater Bar Vacuum – Which One is Better?
If you’re wondering whether you should get a vacuum with a beater bar or without one, you first need to know what purpose the beater bar serves.
The beater bar is a metal bar attached to the brushes of a vacuum cleaner. This beater bar workdto agitates or vibrates the brushes, thus causing the fibers of a surface (such as your cushions, your carpet, etc.) to be lifted, vibrated, and then swept. The beater bar causes a ‘beating as you sweep’ motion.
However, this beater bar can cause damage of you use it on your hardwood or laminated floors. Since your hardwood floors and laminated floors are smooth and do not need to be ‘beaten’ to be cleaned, the beating motion can result to scratches and swipes on the entire surface.
Using the beater bar vacuum cleaner on other fibrous surfaces can also be quite damaging, as the thread ends might become loose due to the constant tugging and cleaning motion on it. The fibers might even come off and get lodged into the vacuum cleaner itself.
If you intend on maintaining the original finish and look on your floors after you’re done with vacuuming, it is always best to opt for a vacuum cleaner without a beater bar. More often than not, using your vacuum cleaner with a beater bar on carpets and other such surfaces can also damage them, so it would be best if you kill the idea of the beater bar.
Furthermore, if you have pets in your house, you know that pet hair or dander can often get lodged between the fibers of your carpet. In this case, while a beater bar vacuum cleaner can perform a nice job better than a standard vacuum cleaner without a beater bar, you may also be damaging the carpet fibers while doing so. In this case, you can opt for a vacuum cleaner that has a stiff roller brush instead, which will do the same job and without damaging your carpet.
Also check: Best Vacuum Cleaner for Outdoor
For What Types of Floors is a no Beater Bar Vacuum Good for?
If you have hardwood floors, vinyl floors, laminate or tile floors, then vacuum cleaners without beater bars can prove to be perfect option for you. Since the vacuum cleaners with beater bars cause a vibrating motion on the brushes, or a ‘beating motion’, this may damage the smooth floor finish that you have.
The vacuum cleaners without a beater bar are designed to be used on these types of floors. They sweep, suck and clean up all the dirt and debris off of your floors and without causing any damage to the floor polish and look.
However, you can also use a no beater bar vacuum on carpeted floors, as they do the job just as well. The no beater bar vacuum cleaners are effective and can suck up all the dust, dirt and debris from in between the fibers of your carpeted floors as well, producing a clean and healthy living environment for you and your family.
Why Avoid Vacuums With a Beater Bar?
Vacuums with beater bars can be quite harmful to your hardwood or laminate floors. The beater bar on your vacuum cleaner is capable of cauing the dust and debris to be thrown around, instead of settling them into a single place and helping the vacuum cleaner suck it up. The other risk that you perform using vacuums with a beater bar is that your floors may get scratched due to the vibrating and ‘beating’ motion created by the beater bar.
Moreso, if you happen to use a vacuum with a beater bar on surfaces like carpets, the first few times you might get good results. However, using it regularly, you will discover that the threads and fibers on the cloth surface will start to loosen up. These threads or fibers can even come off entirely and become lodged in the vacuum cleaner itself. The texture of your carpet or other cloth surfaces also, inevitably, gets ruined over time.
Whether you desire to use your vacuum cleaner on a smooth surface such as laminate floors, vinyl or hardwood floors, or you, want to run it over your carpet, couches, and other such surfaces, it is always a good idea to avoid vacuums with beater bars. These vacuums can cause more damage than good, and thus, it is better to use vacuum cleaners without a beater bar.
Does Roomba Have a Beater Bar?
Roomba is a vacuum cleaning robot that features lightweight and leverages a plethora of impressive technology. However, it won’t work with a beater bar to clean your floor because it doesn’t come with any. Thus, you can use this device to clean your floor, carpet, stairs, and furniture, and it won’t leave any scratches on them.
Also check: Best Vacuum Cleaner With Adjustable Height
What is a Beater Bar on a Vacuum?
It is a floor nozzle which is attached to the vacuum cleaner, and spins while the cleaner is in use. Due to that nature of movement, it can target small dust particles hiding in your carpet and other areas. The vacuum without brush roll is also effective when you intend on removing pest droppings on your furniture and other parts of the floor.
Does a Dyson Vacuum Have a Beater Bar?
Yes, the Dyson vacuum does feature a beater bar, and rotates while cleaning your floor. However, you can choose to turn off the brush when cleaning hard floors. That’s because the beater bar tends to leave scratches on hard surfaces and might ruin your hard floor.
Can You Turn off the Beater Bar on a Shark Vacuum?
The main feature you’ll love about the shark vacuum is that it allows you to turn off the brush roller while working on various floors. Meaning the vacuum does come with a beater bar, but can still be operated in the same way a vacuum that doesn’t have a beater bar.
Also check: Best Vacuum Cleaner of all Time
Why Avoid Vacuums With a Beater Bar?
While vacuums with a beater bar are good, especially when removing tiny particles, they have their own downside. For example, the rotating bar is not suitable for hard floors because it tends to leave scratches on them. Also, the beater bar, when rotating, may consume a lot of power. This and other reasons are why many users choose to turn off the beater bar when cleaning.
