The Neato name is one of the top in the robot vacuum industry. The company, which was founded in 2005 is based in Newark, California, has two lines of robot vacuums, the XV and the BotVac. The XV line of products is where the company got their start and they have since grown to include numerous Botvac models.
When looking at the XV series, one of the best products Neato has ever released is the XV-14. The XV-14 is currently available for less than half the original price from when it was first released and is still a product that is enjoyed by customers around the world.
Newer models from Neato and other robot vacuum makers might have upgraded technology compared to this unit, but that doesn’t negate the many pros that this unit has.
What are the biggest pros and cons of the Neato XV-14 and is it worth your money years after initial release?
Pros of the XV-14
Different Shape: One of the first positives about this unit is its shape. Where many other robot vacuums on the market are round and have a difficult time picking up all the dirt, dust, and debris along baseboards and in the corners, this unit has a flat end that allows it to get into those hard to reach areas.
The Neato XV-14 is also built with a low profile which allows it to get under all types of furniture, saving your back from having to move couches and beds, and clean those areas that would be impossible to get to with an upright unit.
Good Scheduling Ability: When you schedule a cleaning, you won’t have to worry about being around in case the battery begins to die. When the battery level gets low, the unit will return to the included charging station automatically and once fully charged, will continue to the process where it left off.
The Neato XV-14 can also be operated with ease by simply hitting a single button. Some robot vacuums are often too difficult to schedule, but by simply hitting one button, you will be able to direct your vacuum to clean your home.
Excellent Versatility: A big positive to most robot vacuum owners is its ability to operate on any type of flooring without the need to change the brush or complete any maintenance.
The Neato XV-14 will automatically adjust itself to the different floor surfaces in your home including hardwood, carpet, tile, linoleum, and more. Being able to adjust automatically makes the home owner’s job easier and allows for worry-free operation seven days a week.
Even if the vacuum just so happens to not be able to make it up a carpet, the Neato XV-14 will reverse and take a different angle to ensure it completes the process.
Great Mapping: What helps set this product about from many others on the market today is its laser guided scanning that examines each room. The laser will continually scan the room it is in to determine the best route needed to clean all the dirt and debris from the floor.
This unit was built with Smart Path Planning, which is what makes it operate with such a systematic approach.
Better than Expected Speed:The Neato XV-14 cleans with a quick pace, but it still cleans almost the entire floor in your home. One would think that operating quickly will mean the vacuum would miss some of the dirt and debris on the floor, but this vacuum is extremely effective in completing the job as requested.
Cons of the XV-14
Noise (still): Upright vacuums give off a lot of noise and that is one of the reasons why people are turning to these robotic vacuums. People hate the noise and pets especially despite it.
While this vacuum doesn’t operate as quietly as other models in the market, it is still better than walking your upright model around every room in your home.You likely won’t be able to operate this unit in the room of your sleeping child, but it will still complete the job as needed in your home.
Pet Hair Causes Some Difficulty: If you live in a home that includes pets, this might not be the vacuum for you. There are several other pet-specific models that will pick up dog and cat hair better than this model.
It will pick up some dog hair, but if you own a dog that sheds more than normal, it will be a problem. Although, if your home doesn’t contain pets, then it should be powerful enough and contain a large enough dust bin that will allow it to operate and pick up everything in its path.
Battery Isn’t As Strong as Newer Models: Since this is an older model, the battery Neato used is sub-par compared to newer models from the BotVac series.
The battery will work fine during the first few months of operation and if you schedule it to run while you aren’t home, you may never find a problem to begin with. Despite the poor battery life, the unit will return to the charging station and pick up where it left off.
It will never not complete its scheduled operation, so in the end, it will still complete the process. Another possible issue that could arise with your Neato XV-14 involves the charging unit. If it isn’t completely level on the ground, then it will not properly sit and charge.
This can be easily resolved by ensuring that the unit is level, which shouldn’t be much of a problem for most.
Dust Bin Needs to be Emptied: This vacuum contains a large dust bin that will need to be cleaned out before each cleaning cycle, but that is a minor problem for a vacuum that doesn’t have too many “cons” in general.
Extension Cords Cause Problems:For the most part, this product will do a great job of avoiding obstacles like bedspread, couch skirts, and curtains, but it does have a problem with items like extension cords and phone charging cables that are dangling to the floor.
The end of the wire will get stuck in the vacuum a bit, but it can easily be removed from the unit. It will also run into problems if it encounters tissues or larger pieces of paper on the floor.
No products found.Dust Bin (again): Another issue with the Neato XV-14 that those with severe allergies to dust may encounter is the large dust storm that is often created when emptying the dust bin. This is a problem that isn’t just contained within this product, but is instead an industry-wide problem.
Those that suffer from severe allergy problems will have to weigh the pros and cons overall of purchasing a robotic vacuum compared to an upright unit.
Not Perfected (yet): Just like with any piece of technology, over time, it could run into issues and display error messages. In the years that have passed since this product originally became available, this possible issue has been corrected and you shouldn’t see any errors that make no sense.
LCD Display Has Issues (in some cases): Over the past several years, there have been some issues that have been found by owners of the Neato XV-14.Among the issues that have been found is after some time, the LCD display will die.
With this issue, the backlight will still turn on, but you won’t be able to read any error messages or any other important information on the screen.
Main Features
- Maps rooms with 360 degrees to ensure every inch of flooring is cleaned
- Ability to run after moving furniture. Neato XV-14 will avoid all obstacles
- Completes entire cleaning program without additional guidance
- Easy to schedule daily cleanings
- 60 minutes of run time per full charge
When you get the Neato XV-14 home, you will get the unit, charging station, boundary markers, charging cable, four filters, six replacement blades, replacement squeegee, and quick start guide.
With all the tools Neato provides with the purchase of this robot vacuum, you are being given everything you would need to have a successful cleaning experience each time.
No products found.The Neato XV-14 has many positives that make it a great buy for your home, apartment, or condo.
It uses laser guided technology to make a systematic approach to cleaning your floors, adjusts to the different floor surfaces in your home, cleans most dirt and debris in the corners and along the baseboards, and can be scheduled to run with just a touch of a button.
It isn’t the best product for cleaning up pet hair and dander from dogs that shed heavily, but it does clean up hair from smaller dogs. You can find the Neato XV-14 at this listing here.
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