Dyson launches Spot + Scrub Ai robot vacuum and mop at $1,200
The new Spot + Scrub Ai utilises a third-party motor platform, resulting in weaker suction on carpets compared to previous models, though it features a multifunction dock and AI stain detection.
Dyson has launched the Spot + Scrub Ai, a robot vacuum and mop priced at $1,200. While the device excels in navigation, obstacle detection, and mopping performance using heated water and a self-cleaning roller, the vacuuming function is considered inferior to previous Dyson models. The unit utilises a third-party motor and brush system rather than a proprietary Dyson motor, resulting in weaker suction on high-pile carpets and a brush design prone to tangling. Despite these compromises, the robot features advanced AI stain detection and a multifunction dock that empties dust and cleans mops.
Nathan Lawson McLean, senior design manager at Dyson, confirmed that the device relies on partner technology rather than a V10 motor. While the company did not name the specific original design manufacturer, mounting evidence suggests the unit is built on the platform of Shenzhen Picea Robotics' R2 ODM. This approach allows Dyson to merge new technologies with existing platforms, focusing their proprietary engineering on the cyclonic auto-empty dock, the Dyson-designed roller mop system, and the AI-powered stain-detection feature.
The mopping capabilities represent a significant upgrade, utilising a large, self-cleaning roller mop that dispenses 140-degree-fahrenheit heated water. A signature feature found on other Dyson wet floor products is the 12-point hydration system, which self-cleans the microfiber roller as it operates. The device also includes a multifunction dock that, in addition to charging the bot, empties its onboard dustbin, cleans its mop, and drains and refills its water tanks.
However, the vacuuming performance is notably inferior to previous Dyson models, such as the 360 Vis Nav. The Spot + Scrub struggles on high-pile carpets, leaving significant residue in tests where the 360 Vis Nav performed well. This is due to a small central rubber and bristle hybrid brush that tangles easily, combined with reduced suction power compared to the proprietary units used in earlier iterations.
The AI stain-detection feature has not yet delivered on its promise during initial testing. The robot actively avoided paste-like stains, such as strawberry jam, and failed to treat dried milk or soy sauce differently from the rest of the floor. Dyson is working on over-the-air updates to improve the AI's behaviour regarding such objects, with improvements expected this summer.
Despite the limitations, the device features advanced navigation and lidar paired with camera-based AI obstacle recognition, which are light-years ahead of Dyson's previous models. The Spot + Scrub moves around obstacles like shoes and cables nimbly, though its size and bulk mean it is too wide to fit between some kitchen stool legs and struggles mightily to cross thick rugs.
