The Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai Robotic is the corporate’s first mixture robotic vacuum and mop. It debuted at Dyson’s Berlin retailer throughout the IFA tech present this week and is a follow-up to the corporate’s 360 VisNav robotic vacuum, which launched in 2023. That includes a brand new spherical design, a self-cleaning curler mop, lidar navigation, and Dyson’s first multifunctional dock, the Spot+Scrub additionally comes with an “AI” moniker as a result of it’s 2025 and doesn’t the whole lot?I spent some hands-on time with Dyson’s latest robotic flooring cleaner and got here away underwhelmed. Dyson’s conventional vacuums set excessive expectations, however its robotic variations have but to satisfy them. I didn’t get to check the Spot+Scrub or see its stain-targeting characteristic in motion, however my time with it didn’t persuade me that Dyson has lastly cracked the robotic vacuum code.The headline characteristic is AI-powered stain detection, and regardless of the buzzword, this concept does seem to deal with one of many greatest issues with robotic mops — that they don’t do pretty much as good a job as handbook mops. When its onboard cameras spot stains, the Spot+Scrub can “determine, react, examine, and clear,” based on Dyson, utilizing inexperienced lasers to focus on the dust and permit the cameras to see it higher. This helps it determine the kind of stain, whether or not it’s dry or moist, and clear it appropriately, persevering with to scrub it till it’s gone.A number of robotic vacuum mops from corporations like Narwal, iRobot, Ecovacs, and Dreame supply comparable “dust detection” options — to various levels of success, primarily based on my testing. Dyson appears assured that the Spot+Scrub is superior.In an interview at Dyson’s occasion this week, James Dyson, founder and chairman of Dyson, mentioned that he thinks the present crop of robotic mops “are disappointing.” “Numerous stain is left on the flooring,” he says. “That’s why ours is best, as a result of we will see the stain and we return and get it till it’s gone.”1/4The underside of the Spot+Scrub.Together with stain detection, the Spot may “spot” objects like socks and cables to hopefully keep away from them. Dyson has additionally ditched its vision-based navigation system for lidar, which I’m advised ought to assist with the navigation points its Vis Nav had.The opposite massive change is that the Spot+Scrub is spherical, a departure from the Vis Nav’s squared-off look. It has an honest 18,000 Pa of suction energy, which peaks on carpet due to a built-in carpet sensor. Its tremendous lengthy, comfortable microfiber curler mop tackles the moist flooring cleansing, extending out to scrub alongside edges, and a mixed rubber bristle brush sits behind the mop to assist stand up dry dust. The curler mop raises when it encounters carpet to keep away from getting your rugs damp, however it doesn’t have the additional safety of a canopy that we’ve began to see on mopping bots. Dyson didn’t share pricing, however plans to launch in China later this yr and the US in 2026.Dyson has didn’t dazzle with its robotic vacuumsMy first impression seeing the Spot+Scrub in Dyson’s Berlin retailer this week was how massive it’s. The robotic itself is a few third bigger than the Vis Nav, and its dock is “hulking.” A part of the explanation for that’s the giant curler mop it makes use of to moist clear. Curler mop bots are the new new factor in robotic vacuums, changing spinning mop pads.Ecovacs, Dreame, Eufy, and others have all rolled out curler mop fashions not too long ago, the primary benefit being that the mop will be cleaned whereas it runs, moderately than having to go again to the bottom for a refresh. This requires a whole lot of onboard infrastructure, although, which is why they’re all so massive. The Spot+Scrub might be 4 inches tall (though I didn’t take out a tape measure), however there’s no lidar tower on prime, so it could nonetheless make it below your sofa.The Spot+Scrub comes with Dyson’s first multifunction dock that routinely empties the robotic’s bin, cleans and dries its mop, and refills and drains its water tanks. That is additionally very giant, and whereas it has touches of the signature Dyson design, together with some pops of purple and purple, general, neither it nor the robotic itself appears to be like that completely different from each different robo vac on the market, which is disappointing.The multifunction dock has three containers for dust, clear water, and soiled water.There’s a spot within the clean-water tank so as to add Dyson’s detergent.The mud canister will be simply emptied right into a bin, no baggage required.The dock’s most attention-grabbing characteristic is the bagless mud container that may maintain 2 liters of dust. It’s a bigger model of the Vis Nav’s onboard bin. To empty it, you pull it out, place it over a trash can, press a button, and the waste dumps out. Whereas having to doubtlessly take care of a little bit of mud spillage whereas emptying isn’t splendid, it’s a good tradeoff for not needing to purchase separate baggage, which is what most auto-empty docks use. Ecovacs’ newest robotic vacuum, the Deebot X11 OmniCyclone, which additionally launched at IFA this week, has an identical dustbin answer.The Spot+Scrub works with the redesigned MyDyson app, which I obtained a sneak peek at. It now exhibits the robotic’s real-time cleansing progress, due to the addition of lidar navigation. From the app, you possibly can schedule the robotic and select the way it cleans: both vacuum, vacuum and mop concurrently, simply mop, or vacuum then mop.The app additionally exhibits when the robotic has recognized a stain that it went again to scrub, so you possibly can examine its work. Connectivity-wise, Dyson tells me Matter help is deliberate, which might permit the Spot+Scrub to hook up with good house platforms like Apple Dwelling, Amazon Alexa, and Google Dwelling for voice management and different options.The Spot+Scrub makes use of lidar for navigation, however it doesn’t have a lidar tower on prime. Its bin/filter is situated in a compartment on the highest. It has two bodily buttons on prime for management.To this point, Dyson has didn’t dazzle with its robotic vacuums, regardless of having developed them for the reason that Nineteen Nineties. It’s one factor to construct the world’s greatest vacuum; it’s fairly one other to create the world’s greatest robotic vacuum. Whereas its Vis Nav had spectacular cleansing energy, its app, navigation, and general expertise had been simply okay.My preliminary impressions of the Spot+Scrub are that it feels fairly iterative, not the game-changing product you’d count on from Dyson. But when its stain-seeking and scrubbing characteristic actually works as marketed, and it will probably correctly navigate my home, then I’ll be impressed. I look ahead to testing it.Images and video by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge0 CommentsFollow subjects and authors from this story to see extra like this in your personalised homepage feed and to obtain e mail updates.Jennifer Pattison TuohyCloseJennifer Pattison TuohySenior Reviewer, Good HomePosts from this writer can be added to your every day e mail digest and your homepage feed.PlusFollowSee All by Jennifer Pattison TuohyHands-onCloseHands-onPosts from this matter can be added to your every day e mail digest and your homepage feed.PlusFollowSee All Fingers-onIFA 2025CloseIFA 2025Posts from this matter can be added to your every day e mail digest and your homepage feed.PlusFollowSee All IFA 2025ReviewsCloseReviewsPosts from this matter can be added to your every day e mail digest and your homepage feed.PlusFollowSee All ReviewsRobotCloseRobotPosts from this matter can be added to your every day e mail digest and your homepage feed.PlusFollowSee All RobotSmart HomeCloseSmart HomePosts from this matter can be added to your every day e mail digest and your homepage feed.PlusFollowSee All Good HomeTechCloseTechPosts from this matter can be added to your every day e mail digest and your homepage feed.PlusFollowSee All Tech