Dyson machines are engineered for continual high performance in normal domestic settings. If a Dyson machine is used in the way it’s intended and it breaks down within the guarantee period, it’s our responsibility to repair or replace it. On the smart home front, there’s an Alexa skill, so you can ask your 360 Heurist to start or stop cleaning from your Echo speaker. Annoyingly, Dyson has still to add the Google Assistant to the mix. Thankfully this all very Dyson-esque, with compartments and segments all popping apart with ease. The 330ml dust bin is on the small side but is super simple to pop out and empty.
Inside the bin is also one washable filter, with a secondary filter at the rear. Brand-new it might be, but the 360 Heurist isn’t a great deal different on the outside from the previous model, the 360 Eye. Sure, the new model has a flashier blue-purple paint job, rather than the drab grey of the original, but in terms of size and shape, the two models are identical. The 360 Hyperdymium is decked out in Dyson’s signature blue and nickel motif, with the Verge noting it’s equipped with a 360-degree camera with an LED lighting right for in-the-dark navigation.
A key qualm is this device’s ability to clean in the nooks and crannies. The sweeper arm is on one side and rather small, meaning that crumbs and the like that are right up against a wall can get missed. Along with the Auto function, you can manually add boundaries yourself via the app—once a room has been mapped. The mapping technology can store multiple maps, meaning you can set it down in your bedroom or kitchen, select the room and let it get to work. Machine must be the exact same model number as it appears on Dyson.com and in stock. You can identify the machine serial number on the box or on the product itself.
There isn’t much difference in the modes except for a loss of suction, which will result in you not using the quiet mode, which is why it wasn’t mentioned before now. Side by side, running over the exact same flooring at the exact same time, the Roomba will out clean the Dyson every time. You can always tuck your bed skirt up until the cleaning is done, provided there is enough light to maneuver under your bed. The collection bins are pretty easy to remove and empty, although the Dyson bin does take a bit to get unlocked. From there it will begin cleaning, constantly updating the created image and triangulation to know where it has been, what areas need to be cleaned and how much is remaining. The images is sliced into grids measuring about ten feet in size that the robot will circle through to clean that grid area before moving on to the next.
Dyson ditched traditional controls and instead developed an application to you can use to control this robot. To connect the app and robot you will need to login into the robot’s own WiFi network with a password printed on the manual . The great thing about a camera based system is that even if you have black furniture or chrome plated furniture, this robot will still see it unlike systems that use infrared or laser guided systems. Unlike the older Roomba and Neato robots that rely on infrared lasers so make sure that you run this during the day or have your lights turned on. Another feature that differentiates this from other robots is the thing that moves this around, instead of using the standard rubber wheels the 360 Eye uses tank tracks for several reasons.
The Auto mode and multi-room mapping make this vacuum so easy to use. While long runtime and useful mop are great to have at this price too. For those with a particularly busy or big household, robot vacuums can be a godsend. Many now ‘learn’ the layout of rooms throughout the house, letting you set it down and let it go.
You’ll notice that, like its predecessor the 360 Eye, the Heurist looks quite bit different to many of its rivals in this ever-expanding robot vac world. Above and below you’re seeing photos from the FCC listing of this vacuum. You can find this in one form over at FCCID.io via The Verge.
David Ludlow is a Freelance Journalist and Home Technology Editor. Starting life on the consumer PC press back in 1998, David has been writing about the forefront of technology for the past 20 years. David has edited Computer Shopper and launched Expert Reviews. He has written a number of books on PC building shark cordless and maintenance. He looks after all things smarthome and home appliances for Trusted Reviews. The Alexa Skill is very good, providing enough voice control that you can even use the robot in Routines, triggered either by your voice or through another bit of smart kit – say, your Ring Alarm turning on.
It will miss a lot of debris, and in one test on a popular television morning show, it didn’t pick up any dry rice. Back in the old days when we were all young children (2002 – 2014), robot vacuums relied on audio and touch-sensitive sensors to detect objects and obstacles. Dyson claims the Heurist has twice the suction power of any robot cleaner and while I don’t agree that’s entirely true, we will agree that it does suck big time – and, with vacuum cleaners, that’s a good thing. However, the pay-off is worth it in terms of getting a very bespoke cleaning set up arranged for your house. You don’t get this level of detail with any other robot vacuum cleaner. You’ll also notice no brushes sticking out from the edges of the Dyson – cleaning is handled by a motorised brush bar with the same carbon filaments and nylon bristles you’ll find on an upright cleaner from the company.
Like some other Dyson products, the 360 Eye’s value is also questionable. Sure, I like 360 Eye’s app and the way it navigates around a room, but the Neato Botvac Connected has similar features, performs better in every category and costs $300 less. That doesn’t mean you won’t like Dyson’s Wi-Fi model, just be sure to weigh it against the competition before you buy. It also has that classic Dyson aesthetic going on, even though this is the brand’s first robot vacuum.