Dyson has reinvented the robot vacuum - should you splurge on this clever cleaner?

Robot vacuums have improved dramatically in the past few years, but it takes a lot to convince me to surrender valuable floor space to one. After weeks of testing Dyson’s newest launch, however, I’ve gone from cautious sceptic to full convert.

Affectionately named James in our house, the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner uses LiDAR navigation and advanced optical sensors to actively detect, prioritise, and repeatedly treat dirty areas until they’re genuinely clean. Combine that with class-leading suction, one of the most intuitive apps I’ve used, and a beautifully engineered docking system, and you have one of the best vacuums on the market: a sleek home assistant that feels noticeably more intelligent than most of its competitors.

At just over £1,000, this is undeniably a serious investment. So, let's get answers to the question everyone asks: is it worth the splurge? I put the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner through our toughest real-world tests in a busy family home, and it quickly proved itself less of a gadget and more of a household essential.

Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner review

Who would the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner suit?

Generally, robot vacuums tend to perform best in larger, more open homes, and while Dyson has introduced some genuinely innovative engineering, this model still can’t tackle stairs, so it’s best suited to single-level living.

One of the features that genuinely impressed me was how confidently the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner transitioned between floor types: a unique attribute that sets the Dyson apart from competition. There’s a ridge between our stone and wooden flooring that has defeated several robot vacuums in the past, yet the Dyson lifted itself smoothly and glided straight over. It handled rugs and carpet with the same ease, something I always watch closely during testing.

This is also a wet-and-dry model, making it particularly useful in kitchens or pet homes. During testing, I watched it methodically remove sticky soy sauce and jam, the mess that many robot mops simply smear or miss entirely. What is special about the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner is its ability to detect the spill and continue cleaning until its sensors register the area as clear. I'm yet to test another vacuum that promises (and delivers) on this kind of technology.

The price alone signals that this is a premium appliance, but it behaves like one too. The design is sleek, the app is polished, and if, like me, you already own Dyson products, having everything seamlessly housed in one ecosystem is deeply satisfying.

Unboxing the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Robot vacuums aren’t known for discreet packaging, and Dyson is no exception. The box is substantial and ,as someone just over 5ft, navigating a narrow staircase, I quickly recruited help.

Once you've got the box down, the setup is refreshingly simple. Inside, you’ll find just three core components: the base station, the robot, and the ramp, plus the side brushes. Within minutes, everything was assembled.

Using the QR code to connect to the app was equally painless. I’m typically resistant to adding yet another smart device to my phone, but the interface is exceptionally user-friendly: James was mapping the room within five minutes.

What is the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner like to use?

Before cleaning, the Dyson maps your space, a process that can take some robot vacuums close to an hour. My testing area is open-plan but awkwardly shaped, with a narrow corridor that has confused even top-performing models.

Which is why I double-checked the timer when Dyson completed its map in just 12 minutes. The result was impressively precise, identifying high-traffic zones before I’d even begun formal debris testing, exactly the kind of intelligent automation I look for at this price point.

Watching the Dyson clean is unexpectedly mesmerising because it doesn’t follow the predictable grid pattern typical of robot vacuums. Instead, its movements feel deliberate, almost strategic.

I could see it prioritising the dirtiest zones first before returning for a lighter maintenance clean elsewhere. It creates the sense that the machine is actively thinking about your home rather than blindly covering square footage.

Noise levels never exceeded 46 dB during my tests, quiet enough that I comfortably ran it during work calls. In fact, my kettle attracted more attention than the vacuum.

I begin every vacuum test by scattering 100g of flour and sugar across multiple surfaces to replicate fine household dust. I also scatter 100g of muesli or granola to replicate larger pieces of debris as well as 30g of hair extensions. All of this comes on top of cleaning a house with a large dog and five people living in (two of whom have long hair). So, there's a lot for the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner to content with.

The Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner detected every test zone that I had set up immediately, visible on the app and removed the debris with impressive consistency. I have different floor types up for testing: hardwood, stone, carpet, and linoleum, all of which have the different tests on them. The Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner moved seamlessly across them all, tackling dirt with impressive precision ad power.

Larger debris (the muesli) on carpets required a few additional passes, but the bin told the real story: it fulling up with all the debris that had had previously been on my floor.

Hair is often where robot vacuums falter, particularly when it tangles around the brush roll. With two long-haired women and a large dog at home, this is a meaningful test. I scattered hair extensions across different floor types to push the Dyson further. It collected them in a single pass, and when I checked the rollers afterwards, always part of my process, there was no significant wrapping. Even corners, where hair tends to gather, were notably clean when inspected with a torch and microfibre cloth.

I love that you don't lose the signature Dyson sensor, which shows up dirt and debris and then, when it came to mopping, the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner was notably better than anything I've ever tested before. If you read about their wet features, you'll see that the roller self-cleans, so that you don't end up mopping your floor with dirty water or a dirty roller, the results that are offered by the rest of the market with mopping pads. The Dyson also heats water (supposedly to 60°C) and I have to so that the results speak for themselves. This lifted even my most stubborn soy sauce test in three passes (one that no robot vacuum has passed before) and it didn't smear the sticky jam like many predecessors. Then, when moving onto the carpet tests, the Dyson automatically lifted the roller, so it didn't get wet. That's vacuuming intelligence.

How does the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner compare?

I’ve been a long-standing robot vacuum sceptic, but the Shark DirtDetect was the model that finally convinced me they were worth considering. Having tested the Shark and Dyson side by side in the same space, it became clear that while they occupy the same category, they offer very different cleaning philosophies.

The Shark delivers a dependable, structured clean. It maps methodically, follows a predictable grid pattern, and vacuums and mops with reassuring consistency. For many homes, that kind of set-and-forget reliability will be more than sufficient and at a lower price point, it represents strong value.

The Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner, however, feels like a significant step forward in intelligent automation. Rather than simply covering ground, it actively seeks out dirt. During testing, it mapped my open-plan kitchen 80% faster than the Shark and immediately highlighted high-traffic and high-soil areas within the app. Where the Shark relies on repeat coverage to eventually encounter debris, the Dyson identifies it optically and responds with targeted, repeated passes until the sensors confirm the area is clean.

That difference becomes especially noticeable in real life. Spills around the kitchen island, kibble near the dog bowl, and ash by the fireplace were all addressed with far greater precision by the Dyson, while the Shark approached them as part of a wider clean. The Dyson also offers more granular control within the app, allowing me to fine-tune zones, prioritise problem areas, and clearly see where dirt accumulates over time, something I find genuinely useful rather than gimmicky.

In short, the Shark is an excellent entry-level choice if you want reliable, hands-off cleaning. But if you’re investing in a robot vacuum to genuinely reduce your mental load, noticing mess before you do and dealing with it decisively, the Dyson operates on a more advanced level.

Should you buy the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI Robot Vacuum Cleaner?

I didn’t expect to become emotionally attached to a robot vacuum, yet here we are, naming it and trusting it to run while we leave the house. Yes, it’s expensive. But after extensive testing, the performance matches the price. Cleaning feels proactive rather than reactive, and that shift alone makes everyday life noticeably easier. If you’re someone who spots dust before anyone else does, this machine will bring you enormous satisfaction.

How we test vacuums

At woman&home, we have a series of standardised tests that we run before we write a review. This means that every vacuum is given a fair opportunity to show us what they're like: some models clean up and are left in the dust.

All of the vacuums have to pick up flour and sugar, muesli, and hair from the floor, designed to replicate all the different debris and dirt in your homes. Like the Dyson, if mopping functions are offered, we will also test that. We look at robot vacuums on some more technical features, such as the app, "AI features" and sensors too. We also make comparisons between models, so that you can get a good sense or value for money before you make any investments.

By the end of testing, you should have all your questions answered, but if you don't, take a look at our page on how we test vacuums, or drop me an email. I'm always happy to chat about all things robot vacuums.