A whopping 89 percent of owners of robot vacuum cleaners would recommend them to friends and family, according to an independent survey commissioned by Neato Robotics. Though Neato is sitting on details of the survey for now, several figures have been released which suggest that there's potential for significant growth in the robot vacuum market, at least so far as the satisfaction of existing owners goes.
Here are the other figures announced from the survey of owners:
- 93 percent are satisfied or fully satisfied with their machine
- 77 percent say they live in a cleaner home
- 72 percent say they live in a healthier home
- 72 agree that having a robot vacuum has changed their lives
The figures were announced at IFA on August 31 by Ben Wood, Chief of Research at CCS Insight, which carried out the survey. The announcements kicked off a presentation by Neato Robotics announcing its new Botvac D4 Connected and Botvac D6 Connected robot vacuums.
Neato isn't revealing the full survey as yet (if at all), but the announced findings point to a healthy market in which customers are feeling the benefit of their purchases. Judging by the satisfaction rates, the figures hold for most, if not all, of the manufacturers of robot vacuums, since the survey was not limited to Neato machines.
According to market analysis from July this year, the domestic vacuum robot market is expected to grow 11.2 percent each year between now and 2026. Robots make up about 20 percent of today's vacuum cleaner market.
Clearly the competition is fierce, so it's no surprise that there are so many players in the field. The same analysis cites "iRobot Corporation, Dyson Ltd., ILIFE Robotics Technology, Neato Robotics, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Ecovacs Robotics, Yujin Robots Co., Ltd., Maytronics Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Metapo, Inc, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Panasonic Corporation, Miele & Cie. KG, Hayward Industries Inc., and Sharp Corporation among others."
There are numerous fronts on which to fight, from the quality and speed of the clean to battery life and cost. AI plays a significant part, with laser-equipped devices learning layouts and covering them as efficiently as possible eclipsing models which merely bounce around the room at random.
They're increasingly equipped with smart features such as voice assistant integration, mobile device controls, and zoned programming (so you can tell them where not to go, and where needs more regular attention).
Along with robot lawn mowers and pool cleaners, robot vacuums are among a small selection of domestic chores with robots catered to them – but it's a market enjoying significant growth which is expected continue in the coming years.
Many people are yet to invest in their first robot vacuum – but if the views of their robot-owning peers count for anything, those who do take the plunge will feel they've made a good decision. The web is awash with "best robot vacuum articles," but this is a febrile market with significant innovation year on year. If you're in the market for a robot vacuum, just be sure you consult up to the minute advice.