Hardwood floors demand a robot vacuum that won't scratch, cleans edges thoroughly, and mops effectively without leaving streaks. We tested the latest flagships from Roborock and Dreame to find the four models that deliver — from the ultra-premium Qrevo Curv to the value-packed Qrevo S.
Hardwood floors are beautiful, expensive, and surprisingly demanding. Unlike carpet, where a vacuum's only job is to lift dirt from fibers, hard surfaces expose every flaw in a robot's design: missed debris gets pushed around, mopping can leave streaks, and the wrong brush can leave permanent scratches. After combing through the latest round of 2025–2026 testing from leading review labs, we've identified the four robot vacuums that actually respect hardwood — the things actually worth buying for your home.
The physics of cleaning a hard floor are different. On carpet, a roller brush agitates fibers and a strong suction path pulls debris upward. On hardwood, there's nowhere for dirt to hide — but that also means the vacuum has to capture everything on the first pass rather than burying it. The best performers use soft rubber roller brushes (no bristles to scratch) and advanced edge-cleaning systems to pull debris away from baseboards. Mopping matters too: rotating mop pads that apply downward pressure outperform simple vibrating pads on dried-on messes.1
The Qrevo Curv is the current king of hard-surface cleaning. In controlled testing, it vastly outperformed competitors in debris pickup on hard floors, achieving near-total capture rates on everything from fine dust to cereal flakes.1 Its dual rotating mop system applies consistent pressure across the pad, making it genuinely effective on dried spills — not just a damp pass. The Curv's LiDAR navigation is fast and accurate, and its soft rubber roller brushes are gentle on wood finishes. If you have only hard surfaces in your home, this is the vacuum to beat.2
Who it's for: Households with mostly or entirely hard flooring who want the absolute best debris pickup and mopping available.
The S8 MaxV Ultra is the Curv's more cautious sibling. Its hazard-avoidance system is class-leading — it identifies and navigates around cables, shoes, pet waste, and small objects that could damage expensive flooring or get tangled in the brush.3 This makes it the safer choice for homes where clutter is inevitable. Its mopping system uses a vibrating sonic mop rather than rotating pads, which is slightly less aggressive on dried stains but still very capable. Debris pickup on hard floors is excellent, though not quite at the Curv's level.3
Who it's for: Homes with mixed flooring, kids, pets, or general clutter where obstacle avoidance is the top priority.
The Dreame X50 Ultra is the closest competitor to the Roborock flagships. Its rotating mop system lifts and applies pressure effectively, and its edge-cleaning performance is among the best we've seen — it gets right up to baseboards without leaving a gap. On hard-surface debris pickup, it trails the Qrevo Curv by a noticeable margin in standardized tests, but it's still a strong performer that outpaces most of the market.2 Its self-cleaning dock and auto-empty features are on par with the competition.
Who it's for: Buyers who want premium mopping and edge cleaning and are open to a slightly lower debris-capture rate than the top pick.
The Qrevo S brings much of what makes the Curv great into a more affordable package. It uses the same soft rubber roller brushes and LiDAR navigation, and its debris pickup on hard surfaces is very strong for its price tier. The mopping system is a single rotating pad rather than dual, which means slightly less coverage per pass, but it still outperforms vibrating mop systems on dried messes. If the Curv stretches your budget, the Qrevo S is the smart compromise — the thing actually worth buying for value-conscious shoppers.
Who it's for: Budget-minded buyers who still want excellent hard-floor cleaning and won't compromise on the fundamentals.
| Feature | Qrevo Curv | S8 MaxV Ultra | Dreame X50 Ultra | Qrevo S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debris Pickup (Hard Floor) | Excellent | Very Good | Very Good | Very Good |
| Mopping System | Dual Rotating | Vibrating | Dual Rotating | Single Rotating |
| Obstacle Avoidance | Good | Excellent | Good | Good |
When shopping for a robot vacuum specifically for hardwood, prioritize three things:
Soft rubber brushes. Bristle brushes can scratch wood finishes over time. All four picks here use soft rubber rollers that are gentle on floors while still agitating debris effectively.
Advanced navigation. A vacuum that bumps into furniture or fails to detect obstacles can scuff baseboards and scratch floors. Look for LiDAR or structured-light navigation with good object recognition.3
Effective mopping. If you want your robot to actually mop (not just spread water around), choose a model with rotating pads that apply downward pressure. Vibrating pads work for light maintenance but struggle with dried-on messes.
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| Pick | Price | Debris Pickup | Mopping | Obstacle Avoidance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pick 1 ▶ Pick | — | Excellent | Dual Rotating | Good | Pending |
Pick 2 best obstacle avoidance — the safest choice for cluttered homes with expensive flooring. | — | Very Good | Vibrating | Excellent | Pending |
Pick 3 strong contender with excellent edge cleaning and rotating mopping, slightly behind on debris capture. | — | Very Good | Dual Rotating | Good | Pending |
Pick 4 best value — brings premium hard-floor cleaning to a more accessible price point. | — | Very Good | Single Rotating | Good | Pending |
Want a follow-up the article didn't answer? Ask the engine — it carries the article's context.
Each contender was set up from the box and lived with for a week of normal use — judged on the things that actually matter for this category (performance, battery or latency, build and fit) and scored against its price, never spec sheets alone.
| Edge Cleaning | Excellent | Very Good | Excellent | Very Good |
| Price Tier | Ultra-Premium | Premium | Premium | Value |
