Review on Neato XV Series Robot Vacuums Pet & Allergy Upgrade Kit by David Foster

We don't have pets but we have rented an apartment with a wooden floor for the last few years and this brush is very quiet compared to the original brush with only plastic fins. We've had a Neato XV-11 since 2011, which is great, but the plastic louvers were loud enough on the tree that I often wouldn't run it when we were home or, say, after 9pm. . One reviewer said it picked up less dust than another brush, and that may be true, I don't know. But Neato definitely picks up a lot more *when I'm running it* than *when I'm not running it*, so the decibel drop is definitely worth it for us. For those of you who only have plastic fins, when you start the vacuum, you'll hear the vacuum turn on and then the sound will get louder as the fins click into place. If you can imagine not hearing the fins engage and not hearing the rapid smack (?) on the hardwood floors, then get this figured out. I tested it with my old radio store decibel meter, put it on the A/Fast band, meter in hand and stood next to the vacuum cleaner and aimed at the vacuum cleaner. Got a maximum noise level of around 76-80dB with the plastic fins alone and around 68-72dB with the new brush. But I'm no audio pro and your decibels may vary.