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  • How well did it vacuum?

  • Smart Features

  • Non-Smart Features

  • Is it worth it?

  • How well did it vacuum?
  • Smart Features
  • Non-Smart Features
  • Is it worth it?

Pros

  • Can act like a mobile security camera

  • Good dirt pickup performance

  • Able to climb on to thick carpet

Cons

  • Expensive

  • Unwilling to clean near tight spaces

Equipped with an on-board camera that can transmit video to your smartphone, the Hom-Bot Turbo+ can get your house clean—and then keep an eye on the place when you're away. We tested both functions in our robot vacuum labs to find out how well they work, and came away impressed.

If you're at all interested in getting a vacuum and security system rolled into one, read on.

How well did it vacuum?

The LG Hom-Bot Turbo+ comes with a whole host of goodies. This includes the detachable dust mop on the right.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Jonathan Chan

The LG Hom-Bot Turbo+ comes with a whole host of goodies. This includes the detachable dust mop on the right.

The Hom-Bot is a robot vacuum first and foremost—and a good one, at that. On average, it picked up about 12.6 grams of dirt per run—which puts it in the top 10 percent of robot vacuum cleaners we have tested. Over the course of the week, that's over 100 grams—comparable to what a full-sized vacuum can pick up in a single cleaning session.

If you've got hardwood floors, there's even a detachable microfiber dust mop.

A large part of that is due to the fact that the Hom-Bot has above average navigation. It was able to power its way onto our high-pile carpet, a test few robots have ever passed.

As is the case with most robot vacuums, it did get stuck up there more than once. Still, more often than not, the Hom-Bot summited the high-pile carpet, and made its way back down. In addition to its go-anywhere wheels, automatic variable suction ramps up on solid surfaces but powers down for throw rugs, so the Hom-Bot doesn't adhere to surfaces it shouldn't.

Cleaning cycles were on the long side—about an hour per room. With its three-hour charge time, that adds up. But you can also set the Hom-Bot to run automatically while you are away—or control it from afar.

Smart Features

The large, spring-loaded wheels help the Hom-Bot climb atop carpet.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Jonathan Chan

The large, spring-loaded wheels help the Hom-Bot climb atop carpet.

The LG Hom-Bot Turbo+ is one of the smartest robot vacuums you can buy. In addition to Google Home connectivity and remote control, the LG's companion app does something that no other robot vacuum can: let you see through the robot's cameras.

With the app, you can control the Hom-Bot like you're in a video game. The controls take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to send this robot on excursions throughout your house.

{{ photo_gallery name="Smart Camera" }}

You can also set the Hom-Bot to Home Guard mode, which causes the robot to idle in a specified location, scanning for any movement. When it detects movement from anything bigger than a dog, the Hom-Bot snaps a series of photos, and sends them to your phone with an alert. It can stay in this mode for up to 10 hours before returning to the charging base automatically.

The added advantage of this system is that you don't have to install security cameras in fixed spots to keep an eye on your house when you're not home.

About the only drawback to the Hom-Bot's smart functionality is that it isn't compatible with Amazon's Alexa virtual assistant.

Non-Smart Features

The Hom-Bot has won multiple awards for its design.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Jonathan Chan

The Hom-Bot has won multiple awards for its design.

The LG Hom-Bot stands on more than its smart features alone. It also includes many of the amenities of its non-connected competitors. To keep it out of rooms, the Hom-Bot comes with a magnetic strip that you lay on the floor. It's not as elegant a solution as the upcoming Neato D7 and its smartphone-based virtual barriers, but the D7 lacks the LG's on-board cameras.

If you're not interested in using a smart phone to control this LG, you can also utilize an included remote. From there, you can schedule cleaning times, select modes, and even diagnose faults.

Is it worth it?

Yes, the LG Hom-Bot Turbo+ is expensive. But with smart features that go beyond cleaning, this robot vacuum is also a home security system. At the very least, you can put the Hom-Bot by the window to watch for packages being delivered, or to see when your kids get home from school.

If you like the Hom-Bot's design but don't want smart features, you can always buy the much cheaper LG VR65502LV.

Meet the tester

Jonathan Chan

Jonathan Chan

Senior Manager of Lab Operations

@Jonfromthelab1

Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.

See all of Jonathan Chan's reviews

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