These vacuums are among the best
Neato Botvac Connected Robot
Cnet rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
The good: The Neato is the best-performing robot vacuum we’ve ever tested. The app is well-designed and easy to use, and finally brings remote control functionality to the Botvac line.
The bad: It’s the most expensive Neato yet — $200 more than the previous generation. We also encountered a few usability quirks.
The cost: $578 to $699
The bottom line: It’s better at cleaning floors than any other robot vacuum, and it costs less than its appenabled rival, the iRobot Roomba 980. If you’re willing to live without remote controls, you can save some money by sticking with the previous generation of Neatos — but we think this one’s worth the splurge.
iRobot Roomba 880
Cnet rating: 4 stars out of 5
The good: The Roomba 880 replaces its predecessor’s bristly brushes with rubbery “extractors” as part of the new AeroForce cleaning system. This brushless technology removes debris better than previous iterations and keeps maintenance to a minimum.
The bad: The bin is supposedly larger than in previous models, but it still fills up too quickly when you’re dealing with dust and shedding pets
The cost: $1,000 to $1,335
The bottom line: The Roomba 880 is the most well-rounded, capable bot we’ve encountered so far, but the $449 Neato Robotics XV Signature Pro still wins the pet hair performance test on all flooring surfaces.
Neato XV Signature Pro
Cnet rating: 4 stars out of 5
The good: The Neato is simple to use, and it outperformed the competition in almost all of our cleaning tests, at substantial cost savings.
The bad: Compared with other robot vacuums, the Neato is a bit boring and feature-light.
The cost: $449
The bottom line: The Neato offers unmatched value. Its performance, simplicity, and price make it an excellent choice for buyers seeking an effective, low-maintenance robot vacuum.
Hoover Platinum Linx Cordless Stick
Cnet rating: 4 stars out of 5
The good: The Hoover impressed us with its strong performance. Even Dyson’s $500 DC59 fell short in comparison.
The bad: This model doesn’t come with brush attachments or other special features — it’s just a stick vacuum. It also doesn’t have as much character as Dyson’s colorful DC59.
The cost: $129 to $149
The bottom line: The Hoover Platinum Linx Cordless Stick isn’t fancy, but it will clean your floors better than most of the other stick models we tested. Combine that with its reasonable price and you have one of our favorite vacuums.