Is Dyson's New Robotic Vacuum Really Worth $1,000?

Dyson's robotic vacuum, the Dyson 360 Eye, will finally go on sale on Aug. 1. But will this $1,000 device be as good at sucking up dirt as it will be sucking money out of your wallet?

Like its larger, manual vacuums, the 360 Eye uses the same cyclone technology to pick up dirt and debris. However, one tradeoff that Dyson had to make was in its size; at 4.72 inches tall, the 360 Eye is much higher than other robot vacuums, such as the 3.8-inch tall Roomba 980. That means that the 360 Eye won't be able to get under couches as easily. However, the Eye has a smaller diameter of 9 inches, versus 14 inches for Roomba's vacs.

Atop Dyson's robotic cleaner is a 360-degree camera which it uses to map its environs, aided by two IR sensors on its front.

Like the Roomba 980 and Neato Botvac Connected, you can schedule the 360 Eye using a smartphone app (the vacuum has built-in Wi-Fi), but Neato's app also lets you direct its vacuum to specific areas to be cleaned, while Roomba lets you change cleaning modes.

In a two-week hands-on trial, The Verge noted that the 360 Eye lasted about 45 minutes on a charge, a little less than half that of the Roomba 980, which is also priced at a steep $999. The Verge also mentioned that the 360 Eye was good at picking up dirt, but the vacuum fell behind both the Botvac Connected and Roomba 980 in Cnet's tests.

We hope to test the 360 Eye ourselves to judge whether it's worth the cash, or truly just a money-sucker.

Mike Prospero
U.S. Editor-in-Chief, Tom's Guide

Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site. In his spare time, he also tests out the latest drones, electric scooters, and smart home gadgets, such as video doorbells. Before his tenure at Tom's Guide, he was the Reviews Editor for Laptop Magazine, a reporter at Fast Company, the Times of Trenton, and, many eons back, an intern at George magazine. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he worked on the campus newspaper The Heights, and then attended the Columbia University school of Journalism. When he’s not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, he’s probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight — or chagrin — of his family.