Before You Preorder a $20K Home Robot, There's Something You Should See

The new home robot Neo is designed to help with chores, but it still requires some assistance from its user and remote support. Standing 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing roughly as much as a golden retriever, Neo carries a price tag nearly equal to that of a new budget car.

What Neo Can Do

Neo is marketed as a personal assistant capable of handling everyday tasks, including:

Loading the dishwasher
Folding laundry
Running a vacuum
Tidying shelves
Bringing in groceries
Opening doors
Climbing stairs
Serving as a home entertainment system

Preorders and Positioning

Preorders are open with a $200 deposit. The manufacturer, 1X, based in California, describes Neo as a "consumer-ready humanoid," unlike other humanoid robots from Tesla and Figure which currently target factory settings.

“Neo is a whole order of magnitude different from robot vacuums like those from Roomba, Eufy and Ecovacs, and embodies a long-running sci-fi fantasy of robot maids and butlers doing chores and picking up after us.”

While Neo represents a major step forward from traditional robotic helpers, early adopters should expect to invest time in training and possibly require remote assistance to get the most out of it.

Summary

Neo is a pioneering humanoid robot aimed at household tasks, but buyers should be prepared for ongoing interaction and support to unlock its full potential.

CNET — 2025-11-07