Dyson Spot+Scrub AIIVEnvironmentalCompare

Released 2026.03Reassessed 2026.09.15Compare

Dyson Spot+Scrub AI

Name: Dyson Spot+Scrub AI
Brand: Dyson

Stain-targeting AI on a robot vacuum is a documented capability, not a demo feature. The dock handles nearly every recurring task. The robot itself is large and slow across a floor; the cleaning intelligence offsets but does not eliminate that.

Superseded byDyson R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV

List price

~~$1,199~~

Selling below list

See on Amazon

Some links earn Robovations a commission.

Released 2026.03Reassessed 2026.09.15

Autonomy Ladder

Why Level IV.

One five-rung scale, every category, from acting only on command to working unsupervised anywhere.

VGeneralized AutonomyAny task, any setting. No consumer robot has reached it.
To reach Level VWorks across task types and environments it was never configured for.
IVEnvironmental AutonomyThis robot

Dyson Spot+Scrub AI sees ordinary obstacles before contact, copes without the space being cleared, and frees itself when stuck.

Navigation and control

Dual-line DToF LiDAR + AI HD camera with green-spectrum LED, 200-object recognition
Why this level
- PCWorld reports runs finishing ahead of estimate (T0) and that it moved around the shoes, socks, backpacks and pet dishes usually left on the reviewer's floors without bumping into anything or needing rescue (T2, T3).
- Vacuum Wars measured 20 of 24 obstacles avoided against a category average of 15 (T1) and ran it for nearly two weeks in a multi-pet home.
Autonomy dimension 78 / 100 · 10 independent sources reviewed, 5 from the maker
IIIConditional AutonomyFinishes whole jobs in familiar spaces; struggles at the edges.
IIAssisted AutonomyRuns preset routines; stalls at anything new.
IManual AutomationOne action on command; no independent operation.

How we assign a level →

Behind the classification

Sources on file.

Verified10 independent sources reviewed, 5 from the maker

Five or more independent sources reviewed. The word says how much we read. It is not a grade.

Independent sources reviewed10

Press & video reviews3 sources

Early hands-on and full reviews from independent vacuum testing outlets

Monitoring record7 sources

Sources behind the tracker entries following this robot.

From the maker, reviewed5

Manufacturer documentation2 sources

Dyson product page and March 12 press release covering specs and launch

Specification sources2 sources

Pages the published specifications were read from.

Monitoring record1 source

Sources behind the tracker entries following this robot.

Dyson Press Release via PR NewswireDyson Press Release via PR Newswire

On file, not yet reviewedNot counted

Owner reports1 source

Owner and consumer reports; thin at under 90 days post-launch

r/RobotVacuums on Reddit: Dyson Spot+Scrub AI just arrived.reddit.com

Our own recordNot counted

Longitudinal signal2 sources

Robovations dated log for this robot: 4 tracked entries spanning ~13 months.

Monitoring record2 sources

Sources behind the tracker entries following this robot.

How we evaluate evidence →

Human Readiness

Wait.

One question: what does buying this robot today walk you into? The state is computed from the record, and recomputed daily.

Ready NowAssessed, with a clean record on file. A successor may be shipping; the page says so when it is.
New to MarketOn sale under 90 days; the ownership record is still forming.
WaitThis robot

Dyson Spot+Scrub AI works on its own terms, but an announced replacement is about to reshape the decision.
How this was derived
- Dyson R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV is announced as this robot's successor and has not shipped yet.
Notes on the record
- Available via Dyson.com, Amazon, and Best Buy since March 12, 2026 at $1,199 (sale prices around $850 observed by mid-2026).
- A fully featured multifunction dock and stain-targeting AI place setup demands above typical plug-and-go competitors; initial owner reports flag a learning curve with roller maintenance.
On the record
- Shipping since March 2026 · 7 months on the market
- Retail listings on file: Amazon
- Successor announced: Dyson R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV (not yet shipping)
- 10 independent sources reviewed, 5 from the maker
What would move it
The successor shipping settles the decision; slipping six months past its announcement expires the hold automatically.
Known IssuesDocumented problems stand on the record; read the case before buying.

How we assess readiness →

Robovations Score

How this number was reached

72of 100

StrongAt or above 77% of the 456 robots we scoreand 69% of the 228 scored robot vacuums

DeficientLimitedCapableStrongExemplary

Measured on 8 of the 9 inputs14% not counted

Our assessment did not establish an independent source for software stability on this machine, so that input is left out of the score rather than guessed at, and the rest re-weighted to fill the space. A gap in what we have been able to verify is not evidence against the robot. Where a whole pillar has nothing measured, we publish no number at all.

What moved itpoints gained or lost against a typical robot

Carried by

Routine maintenance100+3.8
Support longevity88+2.6
Edge-case recovery74+2.1

Held back by

Field failure rate56−2.2
Coverage and navigation60−1.2

Capability40% of the score68What it does without you.

Task completion16% of the score70

Evidence

Tom's Guide, after weeks of use, says that given the lower level of the home "it also comfortably tackled each room one by one, automatically detecting rug and carpeting", and was "impressed by just how little I've had to deal with it", but its main gripe is that the robot "seemingly cuts entire areas out of its cleaning path without reason" and never really tried to get under the dining table, so a human finishes that area.

Coverage and navigation10% of the score60

Evidence

TechRadar found targeted cleaning broken: sent at a flour and crumb mix, "the path it drove covered barely half of the target area", it "appeared to actively avoid the dirt" on three attempts, and only a whole room clean worked, "suggesting a fault with the target cleaning mode"; maps themselves hold, since it "created a second map and cleaned the upstairs without any problem". Mumsnet's test independently found "it missed the worst of the mess under the dining table", so the skipped regions are repeatable rather than incidental.

Edge-case recovery10% of the score74

Evidence

Pre-contact perception is real and, unusually for this corpus, independently measured: 20 of 24 obstacles avoided in third-party testing, against a claimed 200-object recognition set naming cables, socks and toys. That is good, not complete, and four in twenty-four still get hit. Against it, the record documents no stuck-recovery repertoire at all, and independent testing put roller hair wrap at 31 percent versus a 26 percent category average, which is a documented category failure mode this machine is worse than average at and whose only mitigation is a weekly manual roller check.

Operating envelope4% of the score65

Evidence

Mumsnet's testing had it switching between vacuum and mop by floor type seamlessly but hitting "an issue with the side brushes detaching when transitioning onto a rug", not constantly but "enough to be frustrating"; Vacuum Wars measured 846 sq ft per charge against a 1,170 sq ft average, a large gain on the Vis Nav but still short of the field, so large single level homes sit at the edge of its range.

Dependability40% of the score68Whether it keeps doing it.

Field failure rate16% of the score56

Evidence

Released 12 March 2026, so about five months in market, with the record itself calling owner data thin at under 90 days post-launch and the product carrying provisional status. No predecessor governs: the 360 Vis Nav shares no dock, no water circuit and no mop with this machine. Three independent full reviews surfaced no job-stopping defect, which is worth something, but the one durability signal that does exist is negative, a roller wrap rate above the category average with a learning curve on roller maintenance flagged in early owner reports.

Software stabilitynot countedno source verified65

Evidence

Updates ship: the machine is Wi-Fi connected with Alexa and Google Home and is managed through Dyson's app, so firmware reaches it. Nothing establishes what any update changed. Dyson publishes no per-model changelog this record cites, five months is barely an update history at all, and the three press pieces are launch reviews with a single owner unboxing thread behind them. No regression is reported. The record is silent in both directions, which asserts neither stability nor instability.

Support longevity10% of the score88

Evidence

Scored as commitments. Current first-party flagship with replacement parts sold through dyson.com and the wear items named individually in the maintenance schedule: microfiber roller mop pads, side brushes and filters, all owner-replaceable. Dyson runs its own service operation rather than a distributor network. Held below the 360 Vis Nav's number because the parts here are named but not priced in the record, and because no warranty term or software support window is stated for a product five months old.

Ownership burden20% of the score88What it asks of you.

Routine maintenance12% of the score100

Evidence

A light hands-on load, and the record states the reason plainly: after every use the dock auto-empties the bin, washes and hot-air dries the roller and doses detergent, with no owner action required provided the tanks are full. The bagless store is rated at 100 days, so dust is touched three or four times a year rather than monthly, and the water tanks are a monthly rather than weekly task. The one recurring drag is a weekly roller hair check, which matters more here than elsewhere because this roller wraps above the category average.

Consumables8% of the score71

Evidence

The bagless cyclone removes dust bags entirely, and that is cyclonic hardware doing work rather than a credit for absence. It is offset by two costs the bagged machines do not carry: automatic detergent dosing, which is a recurring proprietary purchase the record does not price, and a microfiber roller pad on a three-to-six month cadence rather than the six-to-twelve months a spinning pad asks. With filters and side brushes that comes to roughly $170 a year against an $850 street price.

middle half of the databaseits medianthis robot

Reported, not scoredneither measures how well the robot works

Five-year cost$1,700

Upper third for robot vacuums, about $850 street against a $1,199 list, plus roughly $170 a year in roller pads, filters, side brushes and detergent. The detergent is an automatic dosing consumable the manufacturer does not price publicly, so that portion is an estimate. No dust bags at any point, and no subscription.

Data postureCloud-linked

Account required. Maps and telemetry leave the home; core function survives an outage.

What leaves the homeNot documented

Read the full methodology →

FIT CHECK

Will the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI work in your home?

Describe your home using the controls. Each choice reads the spec sheet for you, flagging where the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI is built for your space and where it isn’t.

Home size

Primary floors

Mopping needs

Upkeep you accept

See every robot vacuum suited to these conditions

A classification of fit for the conditions you set, not a recommendation. Verdicts describe engineering design intent, not test results.

OWNERSHIP

Living with it.

Too early to rate; dock mechanics are sound, roller tangles are the leading friction point.

Unprovenowner-reported arc

The record so far

Launched March 12, 2026; under 90 days of owner data. Independent testing documented hair wrap at 31% versus a 26% category average, and obstacle avoidance success at 20 of 24 objects tested. No structural recalls or firmware regressions reported in launch window.

What goes wrong4 documented · 1 self-recover

Occasional

Roller hair tanglesReduced mop coverage, motor load spike

Owner fixManual roller check; remove tangled hair every 1-2 weeks

Occasional

Roller wash cycle skipped mid-session

Owner fixRefill clean water tank; cadence depends on floor area

Occasional

Threshold failure at high transitionsRobot stops at boundary, misses connected zones

Owner fixReposition manually or set virtual barrier at transition

Rare

Obstacle avoidance missMinor debris scatter or object contact

Self-recoversClear outlier floor items; avoidance tested at 83% success rate

Upkeep routine

Each useEvery cycle

Dock auto-empties dust bin, washes and dries roller automatically; no owner action required if water are filled.

Weekly52×/yr

Check roller for hair tangles; remove accumulation manually to prevent motor load buildup.

Monthly12×/yr

Refill clean water and empty dirty water tank per cleaning frequency; rinse water tanks.

Inspect side brush for tangled debris; replace when bristles show visible deformation.

Seasonal4×/yr

Replace microfiber roller when cleaning effectiveness decreases; Dyson replacement parts available via dyson.com.

Check and clean LiDAR sensor window and front camera lens to maintain obstacle detection accuracy.

Yearly1×/yr

Replace HEPA-style ; Dyson documents filter replacement as part of ongoing performance maintenance.

Cost over time

$1,199 to buy. Ongoing running cost for this model hasn’t been assessed yet.

Step-by-step fixes

Brush Not Spinning?Won’t Return to Its Dock or Charge?Leaving Streaks When Mopping?All robot vacuum guides

Safety notes1 caution · 2 notes

CautionHot water in dockDock washes roller at 140°F; keep children and pets away from dock during cleaning cycle.
Large dock footprintDock is 20 inches deep by 17.3 inches wide; requires dedicated floor clearance around the unit.
Robot weight during liftRobot weighs 14.5 lbs; handle with both hands when carrying between floors.

SPECIFICATION

The full spec sheet.

Priced above the category median, with every figure charted against the category below.

Dimensional drawing

Key specificationsManufacturer-publishedSources: Owner manual Manufacturer support Product page

FootprintThe width, depth and height of the robot itself, without its dock.: 14.7 × 14.6 in, 4.3 in tall•
WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.: 14.5 lbs•
Wi-FiThe bands the robot can join; many models need a 2.4 GHz network to set up.: 2.4 GHz only✓
VoiceThe assistants the maker's app links to; the robot itself does not listen.: Alexa, Google Home✓
Threshold climbThe tallest lip the robot is rated to cross; a door sill is about 0.8 in.: 0.8 in
Mop liftHow far the mop pad rises when the robot crosses carpet.: 0.4 in•

Where it lands · position among 261 robot vacuumsThis robotMedianTypical range

SuctionAir pressure the fan produces at the intake, in pascals, measured the maker's own way.18,000Pamode not stated

1,000 Pa42,000 Pa

Near median

RuntimeThe maker's stated running time on one charge, at a standard setting.200min

60 min360 min

Near median

PriceThe maker's list price, not a price found in a shop.$1,199

$160$2,600

Near median

NoiseLoudness at the maker's stated distance, in decibels; ten more decibels reads as about twice as loud.76dB

43 dB80 dB

Above median

Charge timeTime from empty to full on the dock, as the maker states it.180min

90 min420 min

Near median

WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.14.5lbs

3.6 lbs25 lbs

Above median

Position shows where the figure sits across the tracked category, not a quality judgment. Suction in Pascals has no standard test method, and the published figure is a peak-mode claim, so it is comparable only within a brand and generation.

Official referencesOwner manual Manufacturer support Product page

RECORD

How the assessment has moved.

Every announcement, release and reassessment behind the current classification.

Coming soon

Just launched

Active updates

Settled

Discontinued

Sep 2026 · AnnouncementSucceeded by R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV in lineup
Sep 2026 · AssessmentAutonomy Ladder reclassified III → IV
Sep 2026 · AssessmentReadiness reassessed: Ready Now → Wait
Aug 2026 · AssessmentReadiness reassessed: Promising Progress → Ready Now
Aug 2026 · AssessmentRecord status: Provisional → Verified
Aug 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score rescored under v4.2: 68 → 72
Jul 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score recorded at 68 of 100
Apr 2026 · NewsEarly post-launch reviews flag app gaps and height limits on Spot+Scrub Ai

Show 2 earlier entriesHide earlier entries

Mar 2026 · ReleaseLaunches in US retail at $1,199 on March 12 2026
Sep 2025 · AnnouncementDyson unveils Spot+Scrub Ai wet-dry robot at IFA Berlin 2025

Editorial comparisons

How Dyson Spot+Scrub AI compares.

All comparisons →

Expectation vs. Reality

Four robot vacuums on a cluttered family-room floor: a white one drives over a phone cable, a black one turns aside at a dropped sock, a flat black one runs along the cable, and a tall white one comes up to some toy blocks.

Robot Vacuums4 robots

Which robot vacuums dodge cords, socks, and toys?

Four robot vacuums claim confident obstacle avoidance in lived-in homes. Marketing leads with sensor counts and training-set figures.

vs Roborock Saros 20 Sonic · Matic Robot Vacuum · Roborock Qrevo Edge

Questions

What people actually ask.

6 answered

OperationDoes the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai need a perimeter wire or boundary markers?

No physical boundary hardware is required. Navigation relies on dual-line DToF LiDAR and AI camera mapping. Virtual no-go zones are set via the MyDyson app.

OperationDoes the Spot+Scrub Ai lift its mop roller on carpet automatically?

Manufacturer specifications document an automatic mop lift of approximately 0.4 inches when carpet is detected, preventing the roller from wetting carpet fibers during dry-vacuuming passes.

OperationDo the stain images captured by the Spot+Scrub Ai get sent to Dyson's servers?

Dyson states that AI image recognition runs on-device and stain images are not transmitted to the cloud. Maps sync to the MyDyson app; Dyson’s published privacy policy states it does not sell personal data.

OperationHow often does the Spot+Scrub Ai dock actually need hands-on attention?

Dyson claims up to 100 days of autonomous dock operation before the debris store requires emptying. Clean and dirty water tanks and detergent will need user attention on a cadence tied to cleaning frequency and floor area.

OperationCan the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai handle thresholds between hard floor and carpet?

The robot climbs transitions up to 0.79 in per manufacturer specification. Thicker transition strips or raised room dividers above that height will stop the robot at the boundary.

CompatibilityDoes the Spot+Scrub Ai work with Alexa and Google Assistant?

Dyson confirms compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri through the MyDyson app. Direct Matter or smart home hub integration is not documented.

Availability

Where it's sold

Some links earn Robovations a commission. It does not change any classification. Affiliate disclosure.

Amazon Check price & availability

Cite & Embed

Reference the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI classification.

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Robovations. "Dyson Spot+Scrub AI: Autonomy Level IV (Environmental Autonomy)." Autonomy Ladder™, assessed September 2026. https://robovations.com/robots/dyson-spotscrub-ai/

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Where to next

Three ways to keep going.

For evaluators

Compare with a peer.

See the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI and Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni side by side: autonomy level, Robovations Score, readiness, and price. Classification, not a verdict.

See the full comparison

Or compare with eufy Omni S2, Ecovacs Deebot X12S OmniCyclone, eufy Omni E35.

For browsers

See every Level IV.

Every robot we’ve classified at environmental autonomy. Sorted by readiness, score, and price. Filter by category, manufacturer, or release date.

Browse every Level IV robot

Updated weekly with new entries and reclassifications.

Dyson Spot+Scrub AI

Will the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI work in your home?

Living with it.

The full spec sheet.

How the assessment has moved.

How Dyson Spot+Scrub AI compares.

Which robot vacuums dodge cords, socks, and toys?

What people actually ask.