The Neato XV-11 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
Reasons to buy If you find vacuuming the house an arduous, repetitive and thankless task — and who doesn’t? — you’ll probably have wished for this day. Trust us, this is the future.
Unpack the Neato XV-11 from its box, attach it to the wall charger and let it charge for an hour. Then press the “go” button, put your feet up and have a cuppa. Like a cute cleaning pet, the Neato trundles around from one room to the next, sucking up stray hairs, dust and other debris with ease.
When finished, it pootles back to its base and charges itself for next time. You can set it daily, weekly or on any schedule, so it can work while you’re out. It cleans very carefully around the furniture and gets right into corners, satisfying even the most pernickety. It’s also only 4in tall, so very storable.
Reason not to The dust container is small, so it needs emptying after every clean.
Price £247 (neatorobotics.com)
Verdict For the lazy, this is unbeatable. It’s cheaper than a cleaner. It works when you’re out. And if you’re in any doubt, search YouTube for “kittens riding robotic vacuum”. That should sell it.
Sarah Bloch
The Neato XV-11 is on show at the Ideal Home Show, Earls Court, until March 27 (idealhomeshow.co.uk)