Home robots: what's real in 2026 (and what's vapor)

'Can I buy a robot that tidies my house yet?' It's the question we get most, and the honest answer is: no. But the frontier of the possible moves every quarter — here's what sits on each side in 2026.

What you can buy today

Companionship and interaction: Loona ($499), EMO ($279), aibo ($2,899) and LOVOT in Japan. Entertainment and experimentation: Unitree Go2 and friends. All work from day one and do exactly what they promise — which doesn't include mopping.

What you can reserve

The 1X NEO ($20,000 or $499/mo) is the only home humanoid with open reservations. It does chores… with a human teleoperator behind the hard ones, and deliveries slipping into 2027. It's a pioneer's bet, not an appliance.

What only exists in keynotes

Samsung Ballie has been announced-not-sold since 2020; Optimus and Figure 03 work in factories and pilots, not living rooms. Practical rule: no price and no buy button means it doesn't exist as a product.

The realistic path

2026: companionship and entertainment. 2027–2028: first home humanoids with partial autonomy (NEO and whatever follows). The movie butler robot: still no date. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling vapor.