The Roomba has really brought about a major shift in the way people perceive various home appliances in general and vacuum cleaners in particular, and for this reason, it should come as no surprise that more and more products built following the same principle have popped up on the market over the past few years.

And the latest to join the fray is the Neato XV-11, developed by a Silicon Valley start-up called Neato Robotics, an all-floor vacuum system designed to meticulously clean floors on a daily basis. Using its laser-based Room Positioning System (RPS) Technology, the new robot vacuum cleaner has a 360-degree view of a room, allowing it to map the most efficient cleaning path by analyzing walls, furniture, doorways and other obstacles up to four meters away.

It avoids most obstacles that other robots can only detect by impact. Once it outlines the designated area, the Neato XV-11 covers the perimeter first and then methodically cleans inside it using a back-and-forth pattern to ensure complete floor coverage. Plus, after completing its cleaning activities, it returns automatically to its base to re-charge itself.

The energy savings it conserves from its cleaning efficiency has been redirected to the world's most powerful robotic vacuum system (according to the manufacturer, at least). At the vacuum's core is a centrifugal compression impeller that follows jet engine airflow principles. It creates sustained high-powered suction, allowing the Neato XV-11 to thoroughly pick up dirt and debris.

The robot also sports a very low profile (less than four inches high), which allows it to clean under beds, sofas, and toe-kicks in the kitchen. Furthermore, the Neato XV-11's D-shape allows it to better clean the corners of a room compared to other circular-shaped robots, while its industrial design also allows for a larger dirt bin (660cc or .69 quarts).

The suggested manufacturer's retail price for the Neato XV-11 is $399, which is actually quite affordable, if this thigh is really as powerful and precise as presented by the manufacturer.


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