The battle of Neato vs. Roomba has been going on for years, but now it’s easier to decide who will come out ahead. With two well-established brands with amazing technology at their disposal, you are facing a tough decision: which robot vacuum cleaner is right for your home?
However, Roomba is the opener of the robot vac technology, and no one could compete with it in even more than three decades but the only Neato. They sucked up most attention during testing because they offer unique features such as obstacle detection.
They are not just vacuum-cleaner manufacturers but also have their fingers on the pulse of what consumers want and need to maintain an active home life with minimal effort. Moreover, the latest models offer improved features that help comparative analysis make this choice much simpler.
Why should you Consider Investing in a Robot Vacuum?
The advantages of getting a robot for vacuuming are endless; we have listed some of them below to clarify why you should consider investing in it.
- Time saver and requires almost no human effort.
- Once you have scheduled it, it will automatically map the area and start cleaning. Thus your place is all time free of allergens and pet dander.
- Equally efficient for all floors; carpet and hardwood
- Built-in-sensors to automatically shift settings for different surfaces, i.e., carpet, rugs, hard and wooden floor
- Wonderful to clean under the couches, bed, and other furniture where dust and hair accumulate.
- There is no cable tangling in your legs or a coil giving a messy look
- It is back to charging when it has finished cleaning and is ready to work out of schedule even.
Neato – The Brand
Although Neato is about ten years late in robot vacuuming technology, it has become as popular as the Roomba by iRobot. With over 15 million units sold and new models being released on an annual basis, there is no wonder why people love this company’s products so much.
Neato is a full fledge brand that is specialized in robotic vacuums only. And their most reliable and spoken robot vacuum range is Botvac.
The Neato Botvac is the latest range in the market for robot vacuum cleaners. These tiny guys are rapidly becoming popular and challenging Roombas as leaders of this category. Their advanced design lets them navigate better than any other Neato models.
Roomba – A Robot Vacuum Series
Roomba is a series of autonomous robotic vacuums introduced by iRobot about two decades ago. iRobot has been popular as the best name for robot vacuum since 1990. It was founded by three of MIT’s Artificial Intelligence labs, which designed and built consumer robots like vacuum cleaners, mopes, and more.
To meet the new era’s challenges and provide customers with the best cleaning experience, Roomba is under continuous advancement.
It was updated first in 2015 and called Roomba 980. This update included VSlam camera technology, Carpet Boost, and Wi-Fi connectivity with app control.
And now, in 2022, Roomba has a particular operating system and software platform that better understands the users’ households and habits. Moreover, the improved object and voice command identification has also increased customer satisfaction.
In short, we should better call this debate as Roomba vs. Botvac or Neato vs. iRobot.
Neato Roomba – Robot Vacuum Comparison
| Features | Neato | Roomba |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | D- Shape | Circular |
| Mapping & Navigation | LaserSmart Mapping& Navigation | Hazard Detection Targeted Area Cleaning |
| Controller App | Android, iOS | iROBOT OS |
| Dirt Pick up Capacity | 700ml | 300 – 600ml |
| Battery Size | 2500 – 6200 mAh | 3900 mAh |
| Run time | 100 – 300 min | 120 min |
| Works with | Smartphone, Google Home, Amazon Eco | Alexa/Google/Siri |
Shape
Neato – D shape
Due to its angular design, the D-shaped robot vacuum gets stuck more easily in various spots.
Roomba – Circular
A round shape can better get out of any space where it is any chance of being stuck.
Efficient Cleaner
Neato
More efficient cleaner as the flat shape can clean closer to the wall or corners. It is mainly because the brush is installed on the flat side and has a side brush.
Roomba
The brush is located in the center of the vacuum and does not reach the edges. So it is more difficult for Roombas when dealing with dirt on the side of the wall or the corners where most dust bunnies love to live.
Although to clear maximum from the corners, Roombas have side bristles, they still need to be the ideal size to give the best result.
Brush Size
Neato
The brush size is where D shaped robot vacuum gets more points over the Circular shape. Wider brush size than any of Roomba; hence it cleans larger areas more quickly.
Roomba
The brush size does not cover even the circumference of the unit because of the wheels on edge. Thus it takes a few more rounds to clean the same area as if cleaned by any Neato robot.
Collision Chances
Neato
When a Neato strikes any surface from the angled corners, it may cause dent or damage on the surface.
Roomba
Roomba has the least chance of causing any damage to any surface due to its soft round body.
Conclusion – Best Robot Vacuum for Maximum Cleaning
Along with many factors that influence the buyer’s decision, where to invest in a vacuum, there is a shape factor also.
The shape of a vacuum gives a cleaner an aesthetic look and determines the cleaning efficiency in terms of coverage area and time taken.
Most commercially available units are round-shaped due to their appealing look and overwhelming popularity. But if you are more mindful about corner and wall edge cleaning, you must go for the D-shaped ones.
In this Neato vs Roomba study, the best robot is the one that has both D-shape and side bristles. And S9 by iRobot Roomba stands the best name for Roomba, which cleans every corner more thoroughly with its side bristles and one side flat.
- With advanced sensors and side brushes, the S9 iRobot deep cleans the corners and wall edges
- The self-empty feature for 60 days is seamless
- Clears the mess as quickly as it happens