henrydreyfuss
Well-known member
Thanks for all the great responses!
Although they've improved several-fold in recent years, no robot today is as powerful as a regular upright, but they're better than you probably expect! Brushless motors and battery tech continue to rapidly improve for cordless vacuums (especially during this decade). I don't think we're far off from a robot that can clean as well as a classic Hoover Convertible. Something like that at the right price will rattle the industry, just as Dyson did with their DC01 (an average carpet cleaner, but what it offered completely changed vacuums). The navigation on Neato is already great, it just needs a boost in power to really replace a regular vacuum. They're getting closer!
I see a lot of talk on this post about steep monthly ownership cost. For the record, I bought my Botvac for $200 on ebay, new. Don't be afraid to look for a bargain! In terms of prices, the Dyson 360 is $1,000, the Roomba 980 (their first decent model) is $900, and the TOL Neato is $700, but can be purchased for much cheaper. All are priced above what I would consider their value, but companies know they have something that's never been offered before. Tech comes at a premium, but I do believe that costs will come down over time (besides Dyson and Roomba due to their general pricing practices).
Major industry changers after the advent of electricity, have included the brushroll, the beater bar, the paper bag, the clean-air system, on-board tools, bagless cyclonic filtration, lifetime belts, and sealed HEPA systems. It looks like cordless vacuums, and autonomous cleaners will lead the next major steps in the industry.
True they don't clean stairs or couches. I wouldn't be surprised if in the future, all people needed was a robot, and a good cordless vacuum for above-the-floor cleaning and touch-ups. Neither are quite there yet, but these two are darn close to being all you'll need!
Cheers to progress!
Although they've improved several-fold in recent years, no robot today is as powerful as a regular upright, but they're better than you probably expect! Brushless motors and battery tech continue to rapidly improve for cordless vacuums (especially during this decade). I don't think we're far off from a robot that can clean as well as a classic Hoover Convertible. Something like that at the right price will rattle the industry, just as Dyson did with their DC01 (an average carpet cleaner, but what it offered completely changed vacuums). The navigation on Neato is already great, it just needs a boost in power to really replace a regular vacuum. They're getting closer!
I see a lot of talk on this post about steep monthly ownership cost. For the record, I bought my Botvac for $200 on ebay, new. Don't be afraid to look for a bargain! In terms of prices, the Dyson 360 is $1,000, the Roomba 980 (their first decent model) is $900, and the TOL Neato is $700, but can be purchased for much cheaper. All are priced above what I would consider their value, but companies know they have something that's never been offered before. Tech comes at a premium, but I do believe that costs will come down over time (besides Dyson and Roomba due to their general pricing practices).
Major industry changers after the advent of electricity, have included the brushroll, the beater bar, the paper bag, the clean-air system, on-board tools, bagless cyclonic filtration, lifetime belts, and sealed HEPA systems. It looks like cordless vacuums, and autonomous cleaners will lead the next major steps in the industry.
True they don't clean stairs or couches. I wouldn't be surprised if in the future, all people needed was a robot, and a good cordless vacuum for above-the-floor cleaning and touch-ups. Neither are quite there yet, but these two are darn close to being all you'll need!
Cheers to progress!
