Neato Robotics XV-12 Automatic Vacuum Cleaner - My Personal Recommendation
The Neato XV-12 Automatic All-Floor Vacuum Cleaner is ready to take on the task of keeping your floors neat and clean. It's Smart-using RPS (laser guided Room Positioning System) the vacuum sees it surroundings and creates a map of everything, including furniture, objects and doorways. It's Powerful-features an advanced high-performance vacuum system. It's Simple-one button operation and you can schedule it for daily cleanings and the vacuum will automatically return to its charging base.
Reviews of Neato Robotics Xv 12 Automatic Vacuum Cleaner
Don't throw out your swiffers or brooms just yet
Rating by : AlliBear "Wannabe Geek", 
I purchased this via Woot on impulse a month ago after I had just gotten a bonus at work. Basically, my idea was to try something like this before spending a lot of money on maid service (between the cost of day care and ordering in food more often and the maid service, maybe it would be better if I just stay at home, no?).
If my Neato were a maid, I would fire him (I haven't named him but I've decided he's a he, probably because I am being reverse-sexist) due to these CONS:
- He misses spots near corners and along edges (walls or low furniture).
- He can't handle getting everything under the dining room table (has trouble getting around all the chair legs)
- He has trouble transitioning from wood to high pile carpet (extra cushy carpet in our daughter's room). He actually got stuck once and I had to give him a little nudge
- He generally leaves a line of crumbs along the perimeter of our area rug, I guess from the change in elevation.
- The apparent "automatic door detection" seems a bit buggy because he seems to be doing 2-3 rooms at the same time, even though the manual says that he's supposed to finish off one room before moving onto the next. This may be because some of our doorways are on the wide side. I don't know.
However, my Neato is not a maid. My Neato is a slave who works for free. So, given that, he does a pretty okay job, given these PROS:
- Suction seems strong - picked up a lot of loose fibers left behind by my vacuum
- picks up hair off carpet better than my vacuum (we are part Italian and very hairy and we shed a lot so this is very important to us)
- I haven't had him lose himself in the house yet. He always seems to find the base when he's done (just make sure you leave him alone and don't move him around while he's cleaning or he'll get disoriented). Also, I always start him at the charger unless I'm using "spot clean" mode.
- finishes 1st or 2nd floor on a single charge (around 900 square feet each, I think)
- detects the stairs so he doesn't fall down
- the bin can hold a surprisingly large amount of dirt
- has nice vacuuming lines, not random, but methodic - generally does the perimeter of the room then the middle in straight lines
- appears to handle oddly shaped rooms and furniture decently well - even got under one of my nightstands and then back out without issue
- his back wheels are like little feet and he is able to go on his little tippy toes to get unstuck or around uneven floor surfaces
This product is for:
- people who want their house vacuumed periodically, in between weekly/monthly/quarterly more thorough cleanings (depending on how clean you keep your house - I myself am probably going to do quarterly or less)
- people who actually pick up their crap off the floor before turning the little guy on
- people who read the instruction manual
- people whose main floor messes are hair, crumbs, dust, dirt, etc
This product is not for:
- people who want to throw away their old vacuum, broom, swiffer, etc and never clean their house themselves again
- people with only hard floors. Because dirt tends to collect in corners and along the wall on hard surfaces, you're probably not going to get much out of this guy.
- people who want to keep Neato away from the charger between uses. This thing does not keep a charge when on standby. Even if you go through the menu and shut down, the battery will still drain a little bit. Some people have given Neatos negative reviews for this, but I don't see why, because they're not meant to be put away. They're meant to chill on the charger. The instruction manual says that the battery life will be better if you follow the directions on this.
- people whose main floor messes are sticky or wet
- people who want to watch TV or be on the phone within 2 feet of the Neato while he's vacuuming
P.S. Neato - please invent a robot that will do pick-up for me. My daughter needs a role model.
Nice little robot vac with a few drawbacks
Rating by : Anastasia M. Aaron "mom of 3", 
This Neato is powerful for something so small and the square front lets it get into corners, which is an advantage over the Roomba. Its dirt bin is easy to clean, and it really does find its way back to its charger from anywhere in the house when the battery runs low (assuming you started it there), then picks up where it left off once it's charged again. But there are a few things I don't love about it:
1. It doesn't beep if it needs help. It just stops. If you're far enough away that you don't hear the motor stop, you won't know that it's stuck or its sensor is dirty until you happen to go check on it. I would appreciate a nice loud beep to get my attention.
2. In my house it doesn't really recognize separate rooms and clean one before moving on, even when it seems like it should be really obvious. At the end of my hall there are two bedrooms, one on each side, with standard doorways. It will go into one, clean a little, then come back out, clean the hall again, go back to the bedroom, clean a little more, go to the other bedroom, clean a little there, and back and forth repeatedly. It does eventually clean both entire rooms (and the hall several times) but it takes a LONG time and a lot of battery power. In the rest of my house, where the floor plan is relatively open, it's even less methodical.
3. The "clean spot" option is erratic. Supposedly it will clean an area of a few feet square, but it moves so randomly about the area that it misses stuff. Rather than run it repeatedly over the same spot, I just break out the ol' dustbuster for much quicker spot cleans.
4. I wish it had a "clean room" option, rather than just "clean spot" and "clean house." If it actually did recognize a doorway, I'd love to put it in one room and tell it to clean just that room without having to lay down rubber strips. The Roomba's virtual walls are easier to use and more discreet than these thick bumpers.
I got mine for $300 on woot.com and I don't regret buying it, but I'm glad I didn't pay $500 here. It's slightly better than the Roomba in terms of suction, dustbin access, and (if reviews prove right) battery stability. But it doesn't entirely live up to the description.
Neato XV-12 works beyond expectations!
Rating by : RainMan, 
First let me say I'm a gadgets person. I purchased a Roomba when it first came out as we had ALL hardwood floors in our house in VT. It was just "OK" and really didn't handle area rugs very well, leaving a lot of what it "gathered" at the carpets edge. When I saw this Neato robotic vacuum, I did a lot of research on the internet (feedbacks mostly) before I pulled the trigger to buy it. BULLSEYE. What a great, fully functional, high suction, calculating little bugger that works simply great! I must say, I am overjoyed with its performance. We have a central vacuum system that is quite powerful. This is used as a primary vacuum event every week (not any more) or so, but we have a Lab & Retriever who like to play a lot and accordingly, hair on the carpet is the end result. The hair gets everywhere - under chairs, couches, tables, etc. Those of you who have pets that shed know all about this. So I decided to buy the Neato XV-12 to supplement the regular vacuuming cycles. This thing SUCKS but I mean that in a GREAT way!
When I first got it, I vacuumed my home office - really slowly and carefully - using the central vac. I then took the Neato from it's charger base (stationed in another room), placed it in the office and fired it up. I closed the French Doors to the office so it would stay there (I could have used the magnetic strip to keep it in there but this was merely a test and I could close it off with the doors) . When it stopped (in the exact same stot I started it from), I checked the dirt bin. OMG - it was close to being filled. I was happily shocked. What a great job it did and the carpet looked even fresher than when using the central vac. So, I let it loose in the main house to see how it would work there - after I vacuumed that too. I had to empty the dirt bin twice (it beeps and tells you to empty it when full) and it did an amazing job. This little thing is great. Yes, it does not get every little corner of the rooms, dam close though, but I now am a true believer and am absolutely glad I bought this. The dogs don't mind it either. They're first curious when it starts up looking at it nose-to-Neato, then when it begins it's task, they merely walk away.
When I leave the house, I set it in a room, close the door and when I return, the rooms looks great. When started from it's charger base, it will go everywhere it can (unless the magnetic lay-down strip is used, a door is closed or blocked off with something else, it also knows not to go down steps, Unbelievable. If it does not have a full charge to complete the cleaning process (it maps your rooms like a GPS) it returns to its base by itself, recharges, then heads back directly where it left off. It'll do that for three charges - more than enough to do almost any house it those cycles (our house is 3300sq. ft.) I truly think that the rotating brush, which consists of 6 rubber like blades - not bristles - picks of pet hair better. Nothing ever gets bound around the bristle type beater like on the central vacuum head. It did a great job in every room of our house so I'm convinced.
I love this thing and now I only have to do a central vac event every two to three weeks. I really don't think I "have to" but I need the central vac to to get the carpeted stairs and a few other minor spots - mostly tight corners.
So in closing, don't hesitate to buy this if you're thinking about buying it and whether it's worth it. IT IS! If you do buy it, check the software version (easily done using the menu screen on top) and update it via a Windows PC. Visit their website - neatorobotics.com - it's great and informative....with numerous videos to watch.
Find the biggest selection of products from Neato Robotics with the lowest prices. Shop online for bedding, furniture, vacuums, decor, storage and more at Amazon.com
Find products from Neato Robotics at low prices. Shop online for furniture, décor, bedding, bath, home appliances, vacuums, irons, storage, and more at Amazon.ca
The future of vacuuming. The Neato XV-12 will keep your floors clean with just the push of a button. Featuring the most powerful suction in a robot vacuum, the XV-12 ...
Neato robot vacuums use precision laser mapping which enables our robots to clean your home methodically and completely. Find out more about our robot vacuums today.
Neato Robotics™ XV-12 Robotic Vacuum System . It cleans your home, even when you’re not at home. Push a button, not a vacuum. Neato cleans every inch of your ...
No comments:
Post a Comment