Neato Pet Vacuum Review After the Shutdown
Dog Product Reviews
Dog hair has a gift for drifting back into the corners an hour after the floors are done, which is exactly why the Neato pet vacuum earned such a loyal following among shedding households. If a Neato still lives under your sofa, or a secondhand one has caught your eye, the question has changed from whether it cleans well to whether it still works the way it should. This Neato pet vacuum review answers both.
Neato Robotics no longer makes robot vacuums, and its connected models have lost their app. The reassuring part is that the brush, suction and laser navigation that made the XV-21 Pet and Allergy model so good with fur still do their job. Below is what the Neato still does well, what it cannot do anymore, and what to look for when it is time to replace it, alongside this roundup of the best vacuums for pet hair for the bigger cleaning jobs.
Is the Neato Robot Vacuum Still Good for Dog Hair?
Yes, as a straightforward cleaner. The Neato XV-21 Pet and Allergy vacuum still lifts dog hair well thanks to its combo brush, strong suction and laser navigation, and every Neato can still run a full-house clean with one press of its start button. The company has closed and its cloud service is gone, so connected models have lost app control, maps and no-go lines. Keep yours if it runs well, but do not pay a premium for one secondhand.
What Happened to Neato Robotics
Neato was owned by Vorwerk, the German appliance group, which closed the business and promised five more years of cloud service for its robots. That service was later switched off years ahead of schedule, with Neato citing tighter cybersecurity and regulatory rules. Manufacturer warranties still stand, and the support site still carries manuals and troubleshooting guides.
Owners in Europe who bought a Neato after the closure was announced and actively used its cloud features may qualify for a free Vorwerk Kobold robot in exchange. Eligibility is checked through Neato customer support, so it is worth asking before you replace anything.
Which Neato Models Lost App Features
The original XV series, including the XV-21 Pet and Allergy model, was never app connected. Its schedule lives on the robot's own display, so the shutdown leaves it almost untouched. Botvac Connected and D-series robots are the ones that lost out: remote start, app schedules, saved maps, no-go lines, voice assistant control and software updates. Models with a built-in screen may still let you set a schedule on the robot itself, so check your manual.
How the Neato XV-21 Pet and Allergy Vacuum Handled Dog Hair
The XV-21 was Neato's earlier XV-11 dressed for pet homes, with a new brush, an upgraded filter and a white and purple finish. Those two changes are exactly what a shedding household notices.
Combo Brush and Suction on Shed Fur
Earlier Neatos used a rubber roller that tended to leave streaks of pet hair behind. The XV-21 swapped in a bristle and blade combination brush that flicks fur out of carpet pile and sweeps it off hard floors in the same pass. Its motor was strong for its era, closer to a stick vacuum than to the sweep-only robots of the time, so it handled the daily drift of a medium shedder with ease.
Long coats still wrap around the brush ends, so a quick weekly check with scissors keeps suction up. Less hair reaches the floor at all when your dog is brushed a few times a week with the right brush for their coat.
For heavy double coats in spring and fall, no robot keeps pace alone. An at-home grooming kit with a built-in vacuum catches loose undercoat at the source, which leaves the Neato with far less to collect.
Laser Navigation Around Dog Beds and Bowls
A spinning laser on top maps each room, and the Neato cleans in straight, overlapping lines rather than bouncing about at random. When the battery runs low, it returns to its base, recharges and picks up where it left off. One charge comfortably covers a small home, which makes it an easy match for many of the best dog breeds for apartments.
It finds obstacles with bump sensors, though, so it does tap furniture, food bowls and the edge of a dog bed as it works. At almost four inches tall, it also misses the space beneath low sofas, where tumbleweeds of fur like to gather.
Allergy Filter and Dander
Dander, far more than the hair itself, is what triggers most dog allergies, and it settles on cushions and throws as well as floors, where these pet hair remover tools do the job a robot cannot. On the floor, Neato said its pet and allergy filter held far more fine dust than a standard filter. The system is not sealed HEPA, though, and emptying the small bin releases a puff of dust, so tip it into a bag outdoors if anyone at home sneezes.
Neato Robot Vacuum Pros and Cons for Dog Owners
Where the Neato Still Shines
- The combo brush and suction still pick up everyday shedding on carpet and hard floors.
- Laser navigation cleans in tidy, methodical lines.
- It recharges and resumes on its own mid-clean.
- The XV series keeps its on-robot schedule with no app needed.
- It is quieter than a full-size upright, so many dogs ignore it.
Where the Neato Falls Behind
- Connected models no longer have app control, maps or no-go lines.
- No self-emptying dock, so the small bin fills fast in shedding season.
- No camera, so it cannot spot pet accidents, cords or toys.
- Aging batteries shorten run time, and Neato no longer makes new parts.
- It is too tall for low sofas and beds.
Keeping an Old Neato Robot Vacuum Running
Manual Mode and Scheduling Without the App
One press of the start button sends any Neato on a full-house run, so the simplest routine is to press it as you head out for the morning walk. An XV-21 can still hold a daily schedule set on its display. Connected models without that option rely on a quick press from you each day.
Batteries, Brushes and Filters for Pet Hair
Compatible batteries, combo brushes and filters are still sold by third-party suppliers, and a fresh battery often restores most of the original run time. In a dog home, replace the filter more often than the manual suggests and clean the brush bearings whenever hair builds up at the ends.
Is a Robot Vacuum Safe Around Dogs?
For most dogs, yes. A robot vacuum is quieter and slower than an upright, and many dogs stop noticing it within a week or two. The real risks are practical: a robot without a camera can drive through a pet accident and spread it from room to room, tangle itself in charging cables, or become a chew toy for a bored puppy.
Introducing a Pet-Friendly Robot Vacuum to a Nervous Dog
Leave the robot switched off in the room for a few days and reward calm sniffing. Then run it in another room while your dog enjoys a chew, and move closer over several short sessions. Never send it toward your dog, and always leave an easy escape route. Some breeds notice moving objects more than others, as this guide to anxious dog breeds explains.
Pet Accidents, Cords and Toys on the Floor
Before every run, check the floor for accidents, especially with a puppy or a senior dog, and tuck cords and small toys out of the way. Scheduling the clean for straight after a walk is the easiest way to keep surprises to a minimum.
What to Look for in a Pet Robot Vacuum Today
Anti-Tangle Brushes and Self-Emptying Docks
Look for an anti-tangle main brush and side brush, since long hair wrapped around a roller is the most common reason a robot loses suction. A self-emptying dock is worth the extra floor space in a shedding home, because a small onboard bin fills quickly. A bagged dock also keeps dander contained when you empty it.
Obstacle Avoidance and Pet-Friendly Smart Features
Camera-based obstacle avoidance that recognizes pet waste, cords and toys solves the Neato's biggest weakness in a dog home. Choose a brand that supports smart home standards such as Matter where possible, so the basics keep working if a company changes course. Some robots also double as a camera to check on your dog, much like the gadgets in this roundup of pet tech for dogs.
Best Neato Alternative for Dog Hair
Roborock Saros 20 Robot Vacuum and Mop
The Saros 20 fixes almost everything the Neato lacks in a dog home. Its split main brush and arc-shaped side brush are designed to resist long hair wrapping, AI obstacle recognition steers it around shoes, cables and toys, and its dock empties the bin and washes the mop pads with hot water for muddy paw prints. At just over three inches tall, it slides under the sofas a Neato could never reach. It sits at the top of the price range, and like any robot it complements, rather than replaces, a deeper clean of carpets and furniture.
Should You Keep an Old Neato or Upgrade?
If your Neato still runs, keep it working: press the button after the morning walk, change the filter often and give the brush a weekly trim. Once the battery fades or you miss scheduling and no-go zones, a modern robot with anti-tangle brushes, a self-emptying dock and obstacle avoidance is the natural next step. For brushes, shampoos and tools that keep shedding under control before it reaches the floor, the dog grooming directory is a good place to browse.
Details on what still works after the shutdown are set out in Neato's own cloud phase-out announcement.
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Share a thought, ask a question, or tell us about your own dog. We read every comment.
We got the new Neato botvac 80 and it is brilliant on long dog hair 🙂 got a neato after a breeder with nine shelties recommended it so thought it must be good! It’s very quiet and I think that the fact it means there isn’t a huge movement or a human pushing it around means our dog ignores it.
There was talk in this house of getting one but mum was a little apprehensive because I really don’t like the manual one (not a fan of hair dryers either). If Soda is cool with it than I will send Mum off to investigate.
Less time vacuuming means more time for pats, walks and ball throwing right?
Maple and I totally need this in our lives!! The shedding never ends…
Great review! Just curious, how is it holding up now that it’s been a month since the review? Would you still recommend?
Thanks!
Hi Jane,
I’m happy to report, it’s doing really well.
It reminds me when I need to change the dust bin and I haven’t had any problems with it at all.
In our other hand held vacuum cleaner, Soda’s hair can really muck up the filter and suction area, and I was worried over time this one might have the same fate – but it doesn’t at all. It’s still going strong!
I use it probably 2/3 times a week and it really has made a HUGE difference in the dog hair situation. I simply pop it on and come home to a clean floor.
I’d still definitely recommend it for pet owners who have the same dog hair issues!
Cheers,
Serena
Totally amazing!!! Thanks for letting me know about this. Heading to shops this week to get one! Xmas present.