Two of the kinds of the robot vacuum world are undoubtedly the Roomba and the Neato. They both have a history of putting out quality machines with impressive technology and cleaning capabilities.
But who makes the better robot vacuum, Neato or iRobot? In this comparison article we are going to look at the Neato BotVac vs the iRobot Roomba and see which brand comes out on top.
First, a little personal history for me. My first ever robot vacuum was a Neato BotVac. It has been 6 years and that Neato is still running strong. I did have to replace the batter after about 4 years, but other than that it has been pretty flawless. My latest addition to the robot family was a iRobot i7+. I tell you this, just to show that I have no real bias, as I own both brands and really do love them both.
For any comparisons in this article I am going to be talking about the modern, more up-to-date versions for both models. So, I won’t really be covering the 600 series from iRobot, for example, or the older Neato models.
SPOILERS – if you just want to know which to pick, and don’t feel like reading a whole lot, here is my honest opinion.
Best Overall Robot Vacuum: iRobot Roomba S9+. If money is not an issue for you, then this is the model I would go with, no question. The S9+ has the most advanced technology and mapping, along with a self-emptying docking station.
Middle Of The Road Option: Neato D7. The D7 will still set you back about $600, but it no where near the price of the more expensive S9+. The Neato D7 gives you powerful suction and all the technology needed for most homes.
Best Budget Option: Roomba 690 or Neat D4. I know I said I wasn’t going to cover the older models, but when it comes to budget options, you need to go back a generation or 2 for the best savings. The 690 from Roomba and the Neat D4 are both quality options that perform well without breaking the bank.
Design
Neato has always gone with the D-shaped robot vacuums, which has always been a personal favorite for me. The D-shape allows the vacuum to reach under areas better and to get into corners. The traditional round robot vacuums aren’t able to get into those tight spaced as well.
Recently, we’ve started to see iRobot switch to the D-shape as well. Their newer models, mainly the i7 and s9, rock the D-shape instead of the common round shape you’ll find with Roomba.
The older Roombas, which are round, are better at getting under furniture, as they are almost an inch shorter than the D-shaped counterpart from Neato.
For me, I am still going to select a D-shaped robot vacuum. So any of the newer iRobot models or a Neato is a good pick, in my book.
The newer Neatos and the newer Roombas all have sleek and modern designs. Both brands have quality plastics, attractive cameras and barely noticeable sensors.
Personally, I think the newer Neato models are more attractive when compared to the ones from iRobot.
Navigation
A robot vacuum with solid navigation is such a great value. The ability of your vacuum to maneuver around your home, remembering where it has been and where it needs to go, so is crucial for keeping your floors clean. So who does navigation better, Roomba or Neato?
Neato BotVacs use something called LIDAR, which stands for Light Detection And Ranging (I think). Basically they are advanced sensors that help the BotVac navigate around your home, dodging objects along the way. This means you don’t have to watch your robot vacuum bump into every piece of furniture in your house as it tries to figure out where it is going.
The newer Neato vacuums clean in a precise linear pattern, which means they do several passed back and forth right next to each other. This helps ensure that they don’t miss anything. It also makes for a nice pattern on your carpet.
Now, looking at how a Roomba makes it way around your floor, because it is a bit different. The older Roomba models used “bump and detect” technology, where it basically bumped into something and then changed direction.
New models from iRobot use VSLAM, which means Visual Simultaneous Location And Mapping. Sounds fancy, right? VSLAM allows the Roomba to identify where it is in the room to help it map out the area better. It also can judge distances better than other sensors and does well at moving around objects.
The only downside with the Roomba navigation, in my opinion, is the sporadic cleaning patterns. Even the newer models with the VSLAM move around in no clear pattern. They seem to have no clear mission in sight, they are just off and clean as they go. Now don’t get me wrong, the advanced mapping make sure the Roomba hits all the areas of your room (usually), but I still just prefer a nice linear pattern.
So for me, the Neato is the winner on navigation. And this is really just because I like a nice pattern on my carpet.
Cleaning & Suction Performance
A robot vacuum can make beautiful patterns, be easy to clean, and even pay your daily compliments, but all that means very little if it can’t clean!
So let’s look at who has been cleaning performance. Do you think it will be the Roomba or the Neato?
Let’s look at the Roomba first as we talk about cleaning performance. iRobot recent changed over to new brushes on their vacuums. The switch had them change from traditional, hard brushes, to softer and more flexible rubber brushes. The new brushes and improved dust bins lead to a better clean from the robot vacuum.
The newer Roombas, like the i7 and s9 are on sissies when it comes to suction power. The new models boast an impressive 2500 pa, which is very good for a robot vacuum. You will definitely have no problems with a Roomba picking up dirt, food, dust and more.
Moving on to the Neato. Here you again have an impressive cleaning machine with enough suction to get the job done. The Neato vacuums use a more standard suction technology when compared to the iRobot models. They use traditional spinning brushes and very powerful suction to clean your floors.
Depending on the Neato model, suction can be anywhere from 2000 pa to 3000 pa. So, you definitely get power suction, especially with the newer models.
So, which do I rank as the winner on suction and performance?
I have to tip my hat to the new iRobots for this round. While the Neato may have stronger suction, for the newer models, the new Roombas still perform better in my opinion. The rubber tread and brushes of the modern Roombas do great at breaking up and loosening dirt and debris, making it easier to vacuum up.
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Roomba Vs Neato On Pet Hair
One of the most common questions when searching for a robot vacuum is, how does it handle pet hair?
Both the Roomba and the Neato do very well when tackling dog and cat hair, as well as dander.
The newer Roombas, with their rubber treads and powerful suction, do great at rounding up hair and dander. If you have a model that can self-empty, that makes it even more efficient with pet hair.
The Neato has very strong suction, which makes it great and picking up pet hair. The only problem, I personally have, is the roller brushes getting tangled up with hair after extensive use. I don’t find this problem as much with my iRobot i7+.
So if you want my personal opinion, I think the new Roomba models handle pet hair a bit better than the Neato vacuums.
Neato Vs Roomba | Which Is Better?
This is a very touch call. Both the Roomba and the Neato are impressive cleaning machines.
If we are talking about my money, and the price tag is no issue, then I am probably spending it on the iRobot s9+. I just feel this is the best overall robot vacuum on the market today.
Don’t get me wrong, the latest models from Neato are extremely impressive. And I really do prefer the way the navigate over the Roombas. But at the end of the day, I just think the newest models from iRobot are a bit better overall.
Do you agree? Which robot vacuum do you prefer?
Thanks for reading!
