Robot vacuums

We aim to deliver the machine(s) within 2-7 business days, subject to availability. Please note that there are a small number of postal codes, usually in remote rural areas, to which we may not be able to deliver within this timescale. While top-of-the-line robot cleaners can navigate rooms efficiently, many move across floors somewhat randomly or get stuck on furniture around your home (like getting caught in your curtains that fall to the floor). Both dyson robot vacuum models will be available in the US starting on June 6, with the Dyson Gen5detect selling for $949 and the Dyson Gen5outsize arriving with a $1,049 price tag. When we tested it, it had no problems going from hard floor to high carpet, and with a tasselled rug we found it got caught but was able to untangle itself from the tassels. In this mode, the robot didn’t need to go back to the dock for a recharge and still collected the vast majority of the sand.

dyson robot vacuum

While robot vacuums can be mapped to your floor plan and are engineered to avoid hazards, even the most advanced models can’t avoid common household interference. Shorter and slimmer than its predecessors, the irobot vacuum cleaner Vis Nav is designed to work better in our complicated American homes. It still sports the signature extra-long brush and squared shape of the 360 line, but adds more suction power and a faster processor.

Underneath the unit, the long brush bar combines soft, fluffy nylon (to collect hard floor debris) with stiffer nylon bristles (designed for carpet). As of June 6, the Gen5detect and Gen5Outsize(opens in a new tab) are the only models in the new suite that are officially available for purchase. At $949 and $1,049, respectively, they are the priciest options in Dyson’s cordless vacuum lineup(opens in a new tab). The Vis Nav will work with the MyDyson app, has a 50-minute runtime, and will automatically return to its charging dock. The company didn’t provide any more details, such as bin size, battery size, or any info on software features such as mapping or keep-out zones.

With all that suction power, it can clean for up to 50 minutes before automatically going back to the dock to charge. There’s no word on pricing or US availability yet, but the 360 Vis Nav just launched in Australia for $AUD 2,399 (about $1,590), more than the 360 Eye was at launch ($1,200) and much more than many high-end rivals. Finally, the new Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde (meaning it claims to trap and destroy formaldehyde, as well as 99.97 percent of other pollutants) is a smart air purifier designed for large open-plan spaces in your home. With a completely different design from Dyson’s other tall and slim air purifier / fan models, the Big+Quiet uses new “cone aerodynamics” to project its purifying powers over 32 feet.

At the time of writing, Dyson’s privacy policy (which covers its current selection of robot vacuums sold in other countries) states that “images from the camera stay on your machine, and are not accessed by Dyson”. We’ll check the policy again once it’s updated with the 360 Vis Nav to see whether this changes. As many people use a robot vacuum for a maintenance or ‘top-up’ clean, we also tested how the robot fared using the low-power Quiet setting (designed for a longer runtime). Dyson makes a lot of claims about its mapping technology, even saying its “high-level processor thinks and adapts, collecting data from sensors to pinpoint its position within 71mm”, and that it has “six times the suction of any other robot vacuum” (in boost mode).

Cordless vacuums also come with easy emptying capabilities, and some brands even incorporate charging docks that automatically empty the dustbins. It apparently has around six times the suction of some of the best robot vacuums around, thanks to the Dyson Hyperdymium motor. Founder Sir James Dyson first created a robot vac prototype way back in 2001, only returning to the concept in 2014 with the much smaller and (mostly) smarter Dyson 360 Eye. Finally, with the Dyson 360 Vis Nav, it seems as though this is a robot vacuum you can actually rely on. Its wet roller head can mop up wet spills like ketchup and milk, as well as remove dust and stains from hard floors.