Neato Botvac Robot Vacuum Review

If vacuuming has become a hassle or you simply lack the time to clean as frequently as you hope to, you may want to check out the Neato Botvac Connected Robot Vacuum.

It is easy to set up and use, is lightweight and compact, and has great suction.

Unfortunately, not everyone speaks of such a great experience with this robotic vacuum. Some users found that it was very loud, didn’t have a large enough dustbin, and that the app could be improved.

Nonetheless, before you make your final decision, let’s take a closer look at the Neato Botvac Connected Robot Vacuum.

Neato Botvac Connected Robot Vacuum: The Details

Specs

• Product Dimensions: 7 x 13.2 x 3.9 inches.
• Product Weight: 16 lbs.
• Product Type: Robotic vacuum.
• Compatible with Alexa? Yes.

How Does It Work?

Despite what the word “robot” might bring to mind, the Neato Botvac Robot is fairly simple to set up and use.

After you remove the vacuum from the box, you should charge it, as it operates on a rechargeable battery and will need full power to get the job done properly.

To do this, utilize the charging base with any power outlet and push the vacuum against a wall. Then, remove the dirt bin from the vacuum, set the power switch to “on,” and put the dirt bin back into place.

Now you just have to carefully connect the vacuum to the charger. The charger light will turn green and the vacuum light will be a solid white when it’s fully powered up.

Once that’s finished, download the Neato app o your smartphone. This will allow you to control the vacuum from wherever you are.

Once you install the app, it will help you sync it with your vacuum and your Wi-Fi. All you have to do is follow the prompts it shows you, and it will have you ready to robotically clean your house in no time.

You can also use the screen on the Botvac to control your vacuum’s actions. There are simple to use buttons and prompts there as well.

You can clean a spot, schedule a cleaning, or just have it vacuum your floors while you’re at home doing other chores. You won’t even have to remember when to empty it, as it will make a sound when it needs to be cleaned out or charged.

One additional feature is that you can control the Neato and guide it wherever you want. It doesn’t have to follow its predetermined route.

Like a remote control car, you can steer it anywhere. Plus, if you want to set your pet on top of it, it will help you make a pretty great viral video as well.

Neato Robotics: The Brand

Founded in 2004, Neato Robotics is headquartered in Newark, California, and is a subsidiary of Vorwerk & Co.

It was founded by Joe Augenbraun, JB Gomez, and Linda Hirschhorn, with the idea having been born from Stanford’s annual Entrepreneurship Challenge.

The company solely makes robotic vacuum cleaners for residential use. They also provide accessories such as battery packs, boundary markers, brushes, squeegees, and dustbins.

Neato wants to “see a world where every home has smart, helpful robots.”

Neato Botvac Robot Vacuum Review

The Positive

Easy to Set Up

When you’re dealing with a piece of technology that is supposed to make your life easier, you want it to be effortless to set up. According to our testers, the Neato Botvac Robot Vacuum is!

After you remove it from the box, you simply charge it, download the app, and then follow the prompts from there. No need to second guess.

Users have noted that the app itself is simple, which makes it easy to use and navigate.

Neato has made sure all the information you need to successfully set up and use your vacuum is readily accessible.

Lightweight

At around eight pounds in weight, the Neato Robot Vacuum is also really light.

Whether you’re lifting it out of the package, transporting it to another room, or just don’t want something really heavy bumping into your furniture, you don’t have to worry about the Neato.

Compact

The Neato vacuum is also pretty compact. It will take up almost no room when charging or when roaming through your home looking for dirt or dust to clean up.

No one wants some clunky machine around their house and, with the Neato at just over a foot across, you’ll barely notice it moving around.

This is great for those living in small spaces. Standard vacuums are much bulkier, taking up a lot of room no matter if you store it away or keep it out. The Neato Botvac is the perfect solution to keep your home free of unwanted clutter.

Easy to Maintain

Several users also noted how easy the vacuum is to clean and maintain. The dustbin comes out easily and can be wiped down with a napkin.

The filters are also easy to remove and clean, as are all the brushes. While some vacuums are complicated to take apart for a quick scrubbing, the Neato ensures the process is efficient and intuitive.

So if you’re super busy (or live in a busy home) the Botvac will make it easier to keep your home clean with much less effort from you.

Good Suction

The most important feature of a vacuum is the suction power it devotes to actually cleaning. According to most of our testers, the Neato has great suction.

Whether you’re looking to clean-up everyday dust or clean-up something bigger, the Neato Botvac will get the job done.

The Neato Botvac isn’t the only robot vacuum on the market, but some tend to move over your floor while missing a lot of the mess. That’s not the case with this vacuum.

Great Battery Life

Another great positive for the Neato Root Vacuum is its battery life. It lasts up to two hours on a single charge. That is the equivalent of 5,000 square feet!

That will clean most houses. Especially if you have the vacuum running while you’re away from home, you don’t want it to run out of power halfway through the cleaning.

Let’s You Take Control

Robotic vacuums sometimes need a little help to get the hang of your new home, and it’s not uncommon to have these great little devices go a bit off track.

Instead of chasing your vacuum around the next time it gets stuck (or is heading somewhere you don’t want it to), Neato allows you to control your vacuum from your phone, setting this robotic device apart from the rest.

This extra bit of added convenience ups the ante, allowing users to take it easy while making sure the job gets done.

The Negative

Loud

Sadly, the Neato is very loud. While vacuums normally make some noise, this seems to be excessive.

If you hope to complete other chores in peace or to tune it out as you enjoy some Netflix, then you’ll need to seek out another product.

Expensive

The Neato Botvac Robot Vacuum is more expensive than your typical vacuum.

Sure, you’re mostly paying for the convenience and the ability to control it from your app, but a price tag of over five-hundred dollars can seem like a little much.

Those on a budget may have to consider this option more closely, but if you’re not concerned about the price, this could be your favorite convenient device.

App Could Be Better

A few users noted that the app is in need of improvement. If something goes wrong with the vacuum and you’re not home or are in another room, the app doesn’t notify you.

You will still need to actually go to the vacuum and look at the LCD screen to see what the issue is.

Additionally, a couple of users had problems getting the app to sync to their Wi-Fi or to the vacuum itself.

These issues aren’t common for everyone, but we hope to see some improved updates in the future to ensure no one encounters these problems.

Easily Scratched

This wasn’t an overarching issue for most testers, but a few did mention that the Neato gets dinged up pretty easily.

Whether it hits a toy your kids left out or you accidentally kick it, the outside encasement is not very forgiving. If you’re living in a busy home with a lot of furniture, this may be a concern.

That being said, these are just cosmetic issues that can be overlooked by many, but we hope to see Neato upgrade their vacuum to have a more durable exterior.

Small Bin

The bin that holds all the dust and dirt is quite small. While it would be difficult to outfit with a larger bin, considering its size, users thought it could be bigger.

The long battery life and the ability to clean a great deal of space only counts if the vacuum still has room to hold the dirt.

No one wants to keep emptying a vacuum every 30 minutes, especially when that vacuum is meant to give you less work. This is concerning for those with larger spaces to clean and might be more beneficial to those with smaller spaces.

Here’s a video showing what the Neato Botvac looks like out of the box.

Overall Verdict

After going through all the positives and negatives, we do recommend the Neato Botvac Connected Robot Vacuum.

The great suction, the ability to control it from your smartphone, the effortless set-up, and the great battery life make this an easy product to recommend.

It does have a few issues, but the positives far outweigh the negatives in this case. The price may be the only thing standing in your way of enjoying this great robotic vacuum.

Where to Buy the Neato Botvac Robot Vacuum

Neato might be a newer addition to the world of home appliances, but the Botvac Robot Vacuum line has been getting a ton of attention from tech enthusiasts and experts.

That extra bit of innovation helps propel the Neato brand and their robot vacuums into popularity, with a number of retailers proud to offer their products.

Thanks to Neato’s success you’ll be able to find their robotic devices both in-store and online. The Neato Botvac Robot Vacuum is just one of the items available, and you can kick-start your search with the following online retailers.

• Best Buy (from $499)
• Neato Robotics (from $499)

And of course, you can also find this smart robot vacuum on Amazon.

That’s the end of our review on the Neato Botvac Robot Vacuum. Curious to give it a try?