While the BotVac 85 placed in the top tier of each performance run, it didn't do significantly better than the other Neato bots or the Roomba 880 on most of the tests. In addition to the Neato robot vacuums we've reviewed, I also compare this BotVac's test results to the $800 LG Hom-Bot Square, the $700 iRobot Roomba 880, the $700 iRobot Roomba 790, the $300 Infinuvo CleanMate QQ5, and the $240 Infinuvo Hovo 510. Since there are plenty of feature and accessory updates with the BotVac 85, I was interested to see how it stacks up against the $450 XV Signature Pro, the $430 XV-21, and the $380 XV Essential.
Also, the larger dust bin means that you won't have to empty it quite as often.
#NEATO XV 21 REVIEW PRO#
It would be much easier to carry on a conversation or watch TV with a BotVac in your home rather than an XV Signature Pro or other XV model. One clear usability improvement is that the BotVac is noticeably quieter than the XV models we've reviewed.
#NEATO XV 21 REVIEW FULL#
So if you let the vacuum clean for 30 minutes, expect to wait about an hour for it to return to a full charge. It takes up to two times longer than its run time for it to charge. After that, the BotVac can clean for over an hour on a single charge. Neato suggests fully charging and discharging the vacuum two or three times before its first use for it to work as effectively as possible. When I manually returned the vacuum to the dock, it would respond in various, unpredictable ways.
It continued to go through an entire cleaning cycle and stop short.
#NEATO XV 21 REVIEW SOFTWARE#
So, I rebooted the system, checked to make sure its software was up-to-date, and cleaned off the sensors but that didn't solve the issue. Instead, it would go through a cleaning cycle and stop just shy of the dock and sort of shift around confused for several seconds and then chime triumphantly, as if it had successfully returned to its dock. At one point, it completely stopped returning to its dock. Since the robot would still vacuum the majority of the floor, none of this seemed to significantly influence usability or performance.Ībout halfway through testing, though, I noticed some significant operational problems that would severely impact this bot's overall usability. It also periodically maneuvered around a perceived obstacle along the perimeter that wasn't there. I completed several runs on the each flooring surface, and the BotVac didn't always follow the same route, even when it was leaving from the exact same docked location and cleaning in the exact same space. However, as with some of the XV models we tested, we noticed some significant navigational anomalies with this BotVac. Since it scans the room and maps out a route, it should be easy to predict where it will go. Then, the vacuum will scan the space and decide on its plan of attack. Press the home button once to wake up the BotVac and again to start a regular cleaning cycle. Using this robot vacuum is a lot like using an XV bot. It's not just another new unit with minor tweak like we saw with the Neato XV Essential. While the BotVac 85 retains a lot of classic elements from the XV line, the BotVac line is a full-fledged new product line for Neato. These changes do mean that this robot vacuum weighs more, though - 9 pounds compared to the XV line's already-hefty 8.6 pounds. This lets the BotVac get even closer to edges than its already-larger main brush can. Those are significant updates, but my favorite feature is the addition of a side brush, similar to what you see on Roomba robot vacuums.
That means that the BotVac brush is literally closer to the wall and better equipped to tackle those pesky edges. While the BotVac 85 comes with the same combo brush that specializes in pet hair and blade brush for regular cleaning, both brushes are larger than the XV line's versions - 10.9 inches long compared to 9.8 inches long.
Turn over the BotVac and you'll see a couple of other differences between this line and the brand's XV line. They look the same as the XV filters, just larger. The less expensive BotVac 70e comes with one standard filter, while this BotVac 85 model comes with three high-performance filters. To account for the larger dust bins, BotVac models are also equipped with larger filters. Neato also gave BotVac dust bins 2.96-cup capacities: the brand's own XV line has smaller 2.54-cup bins. I do wish BotVac models came with a remote - something that Roomba offers that we haven't seen on a Neato model yet. The spot cleaning button will vacuum in a space 4 feet by 6 feet for a more targeted deep clean. The home button both wakes up the bot and initiates a regular cleaning cycle. Instead of the XV's start button, BotVac's have separate home and spot cleaning buttons.
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