Show of hands: Who likes to vacuum? I'm not raising my hand either. That's why robotic vacuum cleaners have been the stuff of slacker dreams ever since iRobot unleashed the first Roomba more than a decade ago.

Home robots have evolved, and I've been testing out a new Roomba competitor called the Neato BotVac Robot Vacuum 85 from Neato Robotics. I like it, though my experience wasn't completely clean. Models start at $479. My test unit cost $599.

I was especially curious to try Neato because the Newark, Calif., company says it takes advantage of a proprietary laser scanner and navigation software that's based on the same technology Google uses in its driverless cars. After watching Neato plow into a few parked toy trucks in my family room, I'm not sure if I'd ever get into one of those vehicles.

More at source: USA Today

Find a cleaning service for your home or business. 

Discuss this article.