Neato XV-15 robot vacuum cleaner August 2011
Is this robot a 'real vac'?
Neato claims it's time to put dust bunnies on notice, and that you'll know its XV-15 robot vac is a 'real vacuum cleaner' from the moment you turn it on. But can you really trust a robot to provide a decent clean? We gave the Neato XV-15 a test run to bring you our first impressions.
Hot on the heels of other robot vacuum cleaner launches from Samsung and iRobot, Californian company Neato Robotics has launched the XV-15 robotic vacuum cleaner. With a solid, chunky design and a more industrial look than other robot vacs we've come across, we wanted to see whether its pick-up really can rival that of a traditional vac.
Neato claims that the minute you switch the XV-15 on, 'you know it's a real vacuum cleaner' - though it could be mistaken for a jet aircraft as it fires up. After an initial series of melodic beeps comes the sound of an aeroplane speeding down the runway for take-off.
Great round edges
The XV-15 remains noisy as it cleans and is a far cry from the 62 decibel Navibot Silencio, but it has several redeeming features and can be set to clean while you're out of earshot.
One touch of its big orange button and the XV-15's off. It immediately found the wall when we pointed it into the centre of the room, then moved round the skirting board, turning gently to get up against doors and radiators.
The brush bar on the XV-15 has beaters to lift dirt to the surface, and this robot vac is effective at picking up light dust and hair. But it struggles to retain shreds of paper and, as with the other robot vacs we've seen, pick-up doesn't rival that of a traditional vacuum cleaner. Have a look at the First Look reviews of the iRobot Roomba 560 and Samsung Navibot to see how they compare on first impressions.
Strategic cleaning?
Neato claims the XV-15 uses a laser map to plan a methodical back-and-forth cleaning pattern, which it updates as people walk past or furniture moves. But it seems to tackle the edges of the room first, then fills in the gaps afterwards. It was frustrating to watch it go round and round the edge of the carpet in our office so we stopped it after the third circuit.
Obstacles don't faze the XV-15 and this is the best robot vac we've seen at getting right up to the edge of furniture. It doesn't have a protective bumper like the Samsung Navibots, but its laser sensor minimises knocks by guiding it round obstacles. Any bumps are very gentle and unlikely to cause damage.
Circular movement
One of the XV-15's key differences is its ability to move in circles. Whereas the Navibot and Navibot Silencio would reverse away from an obstacle, turn a few degrees then go ahead again, the XV-15 will get to the obstacle and go round it tightly. It completed a full circle as it followed the curve of a circular table leg in our office.
While the XV-15's curved navigation does improve the accuracy of cleaning, it also leaves circular track marks on the carpet which look a bit like crop circles. But the XV-15 is also suitable for use on wooden and laminate floors where this shouldn't be a problem, and it moves easily between different heights and surfaces thanks to great suspension on its chunky wheels.
Spot cleaning
As well as simply pressing 'start', you can set the XV-15 off on a 'spot clean' if you have one dirty area that needs cleaning. But it's hard to tell where to place the vac for maximum effect. While Samsung's Navibots should be placed on top of the area that needs cleaning, the XV-15 treats the area like a small room, cleaning a box of one metre squared before filling it in and returning to its start position with a flourish of self-satisfied beeps.
You can also set the XV-15 to clean while you're out by setting a schedule in the memory. This lets you escape from the noise, and setting it off frequently will help to stay on top of dust build-up. When the XV-15 has run out of power it will return to its base to charge.
Easy to use
The XV-15's simple to operate and very intuitive to use thanks to a digital display and straightforward buttons. Unfortunately some simple design features make the XV-15 frustrating to set; you can only scroll one way to set the time and you can't hold the button down to scroll through numbers faster.
The dust container clicks out of its housing and the contents are easy to empty into the bin. But dust will fall out if you turn the XV-15 upside down.
This is the first Neato Robotics vac to be made available outside the USA, and is available from the summer of 2011 for around £379.99.
Pros: Great round corners, simple to operate
Cons: Noisy, time is frustrating to set
