As a first-time robot owner, I have to say I was impressed.
First Impressions
I didnt think Id be the owner of a robot vacuum in this lifetime.
So I got to be the lucky one reviewing Neatos little tripping hazard.
I was originally supposed to be reviewing the Botvac D4.
I can only take their word for it.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
You control the Botvac remotely by way of the Neato app.
it’s possible for you to also name your new robot maid in the app.
Naturally, having grown up withThe Jetsons, I named it Rosie.
Admittedly, Rosie threw me some problems during setup.
I spent almost an hour stubbornly trying to register it in the Neato app to no avail.
Still, I admit I grew attached to it.
Id glance out my door while it was running and call out encouragement.
I mean, My dog graces our house with black snow on a regular basis.
Could it actually live up to its manufacturers claims of dealing with serious pet hair?
And the answer to that is: yes, valiantly.
Its 0.7-liter dustbin was a bit small, but again, it did quite well with what it had.
Heres another thing to know about my home: I have several different kinds of carpet in it.
I also have a very old dining room table that has a low footboard under it.
Its a veritable gauntlet for the likes of Rosie.
Yes, I know, Im in dire need of aQueer Eyemakeover.
And credit to the Botvac it did its best to navigate everything.
It found its limit there, though.
Pretty soon I was getting politely frantic alerts from the Neato app pleading for me to come and help.
So overall, Rosie did better than I expected.
It only has two major design flaws, to my mind.
First, its noisy.
Casing the joint
I think it bears repeating just how great the Neato app is to use.
Its got a great layout and very clear buttons for controlling the Botvac.
Its a dream to set up, and the personalized notifications it sent me from Rosie were very charming.
The app also saves a floor plan of your home after the Botvac has done a special mapping run.
The Botvac occasionally had trouble figuring out room size.
The pic above was the result of its first attempt to clean.
My house definitely doesnt look like that.
Basically, the Botvac will clean well, but dont expect it to do so perfectly the first time.
Overall, I was impressed with my new robot friend.
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Story byRachel Kaser
Rachel is a writer and former game critic from Central Texas.
She enjoys gaming, writing mystery stories, streaming on Twitch, and horseback riding.
Check her Twitter for curmudgeonly criticisms.
