Neato inadequate for pet hair pickup

[JEfromCanada]

Our Neato has been in service since June 1st. Running three times a week, the same schedule as its Roomba 560 predecessor, we have been remarkably impressed by its coverage, quicker cleaning cycle, and dirt pickup capacity.

Was it a coincidence that my wife and I both, within a period of 12 hours, noticed that Neato was leaving significant amounts of dog hair behind on our short pile carpet? We have dark green carpeting and two dogs, one of which is a blonde cocker spaniel. When I got down on the floor yesterday to install a new component in our home theatre system, I noticed that the carpet was covered with blonde dog hair. From the vantage point of the floor, it became clear the Neato was just not able to get the hair out with just the beater bar and vacuum.

Today, I used virtual walls to block off the living room from the remainder of our open concept home, and allowed the Roomba back for a cleaning. Forty five minutes later (the time it takes Neato to do our entire home), Roomba had completed its mission. The living room floor was SPOTLESS, and the dirt bin was full to capacity with blonde dog hair.

I am still adamant that the Neato will remain my vacuum of choice, but I will definitely have to use a second vacuum (Roomba or upright) to get the hair out every few cleaning cycles. I don't want to see a Neato model with a brush if it means the same level of maintenance required of the Roomba. However, if they can build in a self-cleaning comb filter (like my upright uses) or maybe find a way to incorporate a lint brush (the kind with the sticky surface) to pick up surface hair, I would be interested in such an improvement.

[holmes4]

I find that the Neato leaves a lot of cat hair behind on carpets/rugs that the Roomba could remove. This is a disadvantage of the "sweeper" style brush Neato uses compared to the Roomba bristle brush. However, the Neato still collects a LOT of cat hair and does not require the 10-minute breakdown and extrication of hair from the brush and bearings the Roomba did.

[JEfromCanada]

I find that the Neato leaves a lot of cat hair behind on carpets/rugs that the Roomba could remove. This is a disadvantage of the "sweeper" style brush Neato uses compared to the Roomba bristle brush. However, the Neato still collects a LOT of cat hair and does not require the 10-minute breakdown and extrication of hair from the brush and bearings the Roomba did.

Exactly my point... I'm hoping someone from Neato reads this and gives some thought to improving hair collection while avoiding the maintenance issues that are common with the Roomba.

[madas]

I have noticed the same with cat hair. It can only pickup the hair that is just laying on the rug. The roomba used to remove all of the hair, even the hair that was matted in to the rugs

[roboroomba]

I think if neato would just come out with a pet brush that has alternating rows of flaps and bristles that they could sell a lot of those, and it would help with hair pickup

I do not really care about having to clean out Roomba every 10 minutes in the summer time when the cats are shedding.

since i took the disks off of both of the brushes it only takes me about 10 seconds to clean it out, and since I have the ball bearing mod I never have to take it apart. and it picks up a ton of hair and dirt from the carpet, after it runs the carpet looks like it is brand new.

[piokrza]

I am FOR adding additional beater brush with rows of bristles to the neato spare list as an optional accessory sold separately

[djos]

I think if neato would just come out with a pet brush that has alternating rows of flaps and bristles that they could sell a lot of those, and it would help with hair pickup

I do not really care about having to clean out Roomba every 10 minutes in the summer time when the cats are shedding.

since i took the disks off of both of the brushes it only takes me about 10 seconds to clean it out, and since I have the ball bearing mod I never have to take it apart. and it picks up a ton of hair and dirt from the carpet, after it runs the carpet looks like it is brand new.

A few of us have bee saying that for a while now as a pet Brush would make so much sense for a lot of us!

Thankfully my new house is mostly timber floors and the beater bar grabs all the debris and hair from it with no issues at all.

[Nemesis.ie]

Maybe they can sell a 3-pack of bristled brushes to insert into the brush unit, then you could have alternating bristle and silicone. Or if you want all bristle you just buy two packs. Maybe a whole new unit with the wavy pattern like the LG would work too - I'm sure different types/patterns could be used for different purposes. With luck we will see that rather than having to buy a new model.

I also wonder if some kind of pulsed rotation or stopping and reversing direction for a few cycles on the brush would make any difference, although it might not be good for the motor or belt. Possibly a "2 steps forward and one back" cleaning pattern could be introduced or the like too.

[piokrza]

Maybe they can sell a 3-pack of bristled brushes to insert into the brush unit, then you could have alternating bristle and silicone. Or if you want all bristle you just buy two packs. Maybe a whole new unit with the wavy pattern like the LG would work too - I'm sure different types/patterns could be used for different purposes. With luck we will see that rather than having to buy a new model.

Great idea!

I also wonder if some kind of pulsed rotation or stopping and reversing direction for a few cycles on the brush would make any difference, although it might not be good for the motor or belt. Possibly a "2 steps forward and one back" cleaning pattern could be introduced or the like too.

It could damage motor and affect on the air flow throw brush...

[ffrcoupe]

I wouldn't say it's inadequate by far. Our main house has 4 cats and I run Bubba (my XV-11) three days a week. The dust bin is always full of cat hair whereas when I run it in my room (no cats) it's about 1/4 full with just dust.

I'm not saying it couldn't do a better job, just as with all vacuums, but I am very pleased with the job Bubba does.

[Nemesis.ie]

We have one short-haired cat and mostly it does a good job, but as the cat has white hair, it does miss small clumps of hair on the carpet which are very easy to spot. On hard floors I imagine this would be not be the case as the hair would be free to be sucked up.

[JEfromCanada]

I'm not saying it couldn't do a better job, just as with all vacuums, but I am very pleased with the job Bubba does.

Don't get me wrong... in my post, I make it clear that Neato is my robot of choice. But, I do own several Roombas as well, and the Roombas do a MUCH better job at picking up hair from the rug. Unfortunately, they require much more maintenance than I'm willing to invest, having now found the Neato.

[ffrcoupe]

Don't get me wrong... in my post, I make it clear that Neato is my robot of choice. But, I do own several Roombas as well, and the Roombas do a MUCH better job at picking up hair from the rug. Unfortunately, they require much more maintenance than I'm willing to invest, having now found the Neato.

Neato obliviously put a lot of thought into making the XV-11 low maintenance.

to Neato.

[Kimsim]

Do you can imaging Neato when runs the job on that noise with beater brush to touch on floor?

If it is the bristle brush to using same high speed touching on floors definitely scratch on your laminated floor or carpet to be spoil at short term.

I am the new user from Neato yesterday I just took out and see the beater brush is using timing belt,
so the RPM to be more faster speed than Roomba CHM used one motor to turning both brushes.

I hope your can understand my explanation

[firelog1101]

True, but people use vacuums with brush-like beater bars on hard floors all the time without damage.

Non-the-less, people could always resort back to the standard plastic.

[Nemesis.ie]

True, but people use vacuums with brush-like beater bars on hard floors all the time without damage.

Non-the-less, people could always resort back to the standard plastic.

I'm sure it would depend on the bristle type and the length. There are soft mono-filament type brushes like the ones we clean our teeth with.

[tmnCA]

I don't see why a bristle brush would make maintenance much more difficult, it's the brush-ends and bearings that build up hair in the Roomba at least in our house. Some hair in the bristles is not a big deal for the operation of the robot. However I think Neato has said that the flaps on the existing brush actually help boost the vacuum powder and are factored in to the design. So the bristles would have to be in alternating rows or something like that.

I think another reason the Roomba is better for pet hair is the fact that it covers each spot on the floor in several directions at different times. Perhaps Neato could have an "extra clean" program where it mows the lawn in one direction to clean the whole room, then mows the lawn in rows perpendicular to the first pattern. Or, it goes down a row in one direction and then back along the same row in the other direction (perhaps even by backing up). Should be easy to program that. Of course the battery would not allow it to cover as much floor area in this mode but thats why it could be an option.

[djos]

I don't see why a bristle brush would make maintenance much more difficult, it's the brush-ends and bearings that build up hair in the Roomba at least in our house. Some hair in the bristles is not a big deal for the operation of the robot. However I think Neato has said that the flaps on the existing brush actually help boost the vacuum powder and are factored in to the design. So the bristles would have to be in alternating rows or something like that.

I think this would would really well too.

I think another reason the Roomba is better for pet hair is the fact that it covers each spot on the floor in several directions at different times.

In my experience Roomba's dont clean the entire floor surface so while they may get some sections multiple times they miss up to 30% of the surface entirely. Personally Id rather have a robot the cleans everywhere even if it's not able to get every single piece of hair out of carpets - a pet brush for Neato would solve this problem completely.

i wonder if Robot add-ons would be able to make one? (i might email them)

[djos]

Btw, i emailed Robot Add-Ons and they liked the idea - fingers crossed it becomes a product.

[LadyWolf]

If I understand correctly, this is mostly an issue with carpeting/rugs and not hard floors (in my case tile), right? So they both would do okay on tile but the Roomba is better on carpet/rugs with the pet hair?

Thanks!