Can you buy a home robot for Mom or Dad yet? One you can order: 1X's NEO, a humanoid that does household chores, with US deliveries starting in 2026, per 1X. One you can't: Tesla's Optimus, which Tesla's own annual report calls "a general purpose, autonomous humanoid robot in development." Here's what NEO costs, the fine print a family should read before anyone puts down a deposit, and what works in a home today.
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"Saw this about the home robots everyone's talking about (NEO, Optimus): what they cost, and the fine print before anyone puts down a deposit:"
Six questions to answer first
| The question | What the makers' own pages say |
|---|---|
| Is it actually for sale? | NEO: a $200 deposit holds a spot; "US Deliveries start 2026." Optimus: no. Tesla says it has yet to commercialize its robots. |
| What does it cost? | NEO: $20,000 to own, or $499 a month. |
| What does it do on its own? | Basic chores for early owners, learning more over time, per 1X. |
| When does a person see through it? | For chores it doesn't know, a 1X Expert can remotely supervise it at scheduled times. Not confirmed: what that person sees, whether it's recorded, and whether you can say no. |
| What data leaves the house? | Not spelled out. 1X's posted privacy policy covers website and marketing data; we found nothing in it about the robot's cameras, video or audio. Ask 1X for the robot's data policy in writing. |
| Can you get the deposit back? | Only until 14 days after 1X emails your Order Invitation. Then it's non-refundable. |
Two of the six are unknowns, and they're the ones that matter most in a parent's home. Read October 13, 2026.
1X NEO: what 1X says
- Price: $20,000 to own (Early Access, with a 3-year warranty, premium support and priority delivery), or a $499 a month subscription. A $200 deposit holds a spot.
- When: "US Deliveries start 2026."
- Size: 5 feet 6 inches and 66 pounds; 1X lists it lifting 154 pounds and carrying 55.
- Battery: 842 Wh, about 4 hours of run time, and it plugs itself in to charge.
- Noise and build: quieter than a modern refrigerator, 1X says, with a soft body over the frame.
- Skills: it arrives with basic autonomy for early owners and is meant to learn more over time.
The fine print a family should read
- The "fully refundable" deposit has a clock. 1X's terms say you can cancel for a full refund "until the date that is fourteen (14) days after we send you an Order Invitation." After that, the deposit "will be non-refundable, even if you choose not to complete an order," and 1X says it isn't responsible if you don't check your email. If a parent places the deposit, someone in the family should watch that inbox.
- A person at 1X may guide the robot in the house. For chores NEO doesn't know yet, "an Expert from 1X can remotely supervise its actions at scheduled times." Before ordering, ask 1X: who can see through NEO's cameras during those sessions, can you say no to a session, can rooms be kept off-limits, and is the video kept.
- Your data and ads. 1X's privacy policy says: "We may also use personal information and engage advertising partners, including third party advertising companies and social media companies, to help us advertise our services." It also lists sharing with "law enforcement, government authorities and private parties" as needed to comply with legal process. It doesn't say anything we could find about the robot's own cameras or microphones.
- It needs the home ready for it: Wi-Fi (it also lists Bluetooth and 5G), clear paths, and a family member who can read the app.
Tesla Optimus: not for sale
Tesla's 2025 annual report, filed with the SEC on January 29, 2026, describes Optimus as "a general purpose, autonomous humanoid robot in development" and says: "We have yet to commercialize Bots and cannot predict how demand for Bots will develop, either from commercial or consumer applications." There is no Optimus to order. Any site taking money for one, or a video promising one, deserves a hard look.
What works in a home today
The robots that help an older parent right now are the plain ones: a robot vacuum and mop on a schedule, a robot mower, a pool robot. Set up a Shark, eufy, Roomba, Roborock, Dreame, Ecovacs or iLife with the maker's own steps, or have a local do it.
Where PJ helps
PJ, a local in Solana Beach, sells no robots and takes no commissions. He sits down with the family to read the order terms, sets up the email and calendar reminders for the deposit window, gets the Wi-Fi and the app ready, and sets up the robots that work today. Robot setup for a parent · Tech help at home · Text PJ.
Read October 13, 2026 on 1X's own pages and Tesla's SEC filing. Tesla's website was behind a bot check and was not read.
Need a human?
This page is built every morning from public data by SideGuy, run by PJ, a local in Solana Beach. If something looks off, or you want a hand with your plans, text PJ at 858-461-8054. A real person answers.
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Questions people ask
How much does the NEO home robot cost?
1X lists NEO at $20,000 to own, with a 3-year warranty and priority delivery, or $499 a month as a subscription, with a $200 deposit to hold a spot. 1X says US deliveries start in 2026.
Is the NEO deposit refundable?
Only for a while. 1X's terms allow a full refund until 14 days after 1X emails your Order Invitation; after that the deposit is non-refundable even if you don't buy. Someone should watch the email the deposit was placed with.
Can I buy Tesla Optimus?
No. Tesla's 2025 annual report calls Optimus a humanoid robot in development and says Tesla has yet to commercialize Bots.
What data does a home robot like NEO send out of the house?
1X's posted privacy policy covers website and marketing data and allows sharing with advertising partners and, under legal process, with authorities. We found nothing in it about the robot's cameras, video or audio, so ask 1X for the robot's data policy in writing.
Does a person at 1X control NEO?
Sometimes. For chores NEO doesn't know yet, 1X says one of its Experts can remotely supervise NEO's actions at scheduled times. Ask 1X who can see through the cameras during those sessions before you order.
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