Romi Lacatan
Limited evidenceRead the findings →MIXI's palm-sized chat robot, sold only in Japan and built for light everyday conversation. It suits Japanese speakers wanting a cheerful companion at home. It needs a paid plan and strong Wi-Fi, and its replies can feel slow.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in MIXI’s range
- Romi (P-01)First-generation Romi, slightly smaller, with about half the battery
- Romi (P-02)The other first-generation Romi model, replaced by Lacatan
- Romi LacatanThis model
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What we know
SUUTA Magazine lived with a prototype for about a week and enjoyed its chat, songs and assistant mode, but SUUTA rents Romi out, so it isn't independent, and there's no finished independent review to give it an overall label. Customers who rented one through Rentio customer reviews were split: some found it a lovely companion, others found replies slow, interruptions annoying and Wi-Fi unreliable. Everything else comes from MIXI itself.
SUUTA Magazine, hands-on, About a week, Sept 2025 (Prototype unit; Published by SUUTA, a rental service that rents Romi out)
Built for chat, not answers
SUUTA Magazine found everyday replies are short, single sentences meant for relaxed chat rather than expert advice. Asked what to cook for dinner, it cheerfully said grilled meat. Switching to assistant mode, which uses ChatGPT, got a proper answer to a request for a lunch under 500 calories. It also reads the weather and news and sings songs, and the songs' quality surprised the reviewer. Expect a friendly voice in the room, with a separate mode for practical questions.
Replies can be slow
Several people who rented Romi through Rentio customer reviews found the pauses before replies got in the way. One said it talked over them mid-sentence and forgot what they'd said shortly before. Another found an elderly father didn't take to the delayed back-and-forth. One in a studio flat found it reacted to films on TV. Others loved it, and one found its misunderstandings cute rather than annoying. Whether it feels like company comes down to your patience with its pace.
It needs strong Wi-Fi
Two renters on Rentio customer reviews had Wi-Fi trouble: one found the connection unstable wherever they put it, and another said it barely worked in a room with a weak signal. MIXI's shop says it can't join an open network without a password, and it needs a phone running iOS 17 or Android 8 or later Romi Store. Check the signal where Romi will live before you buy.
Camera on request, chats logged
MIXI says Romi's 120-degree camera only switches on when you ask it to look at something, and that it remembers what you share with it MIXI. SUUTA Magazine describes a watch-over log in the app that shows Romi's activity and a record of conversations. That's handy for families keeping an eye on a relative, but anyone living with Romi should know their chats can be read back in the app.
Some features arrive later
MIXI's shop warns that some features from the first-generation Romi weren't included at launch and may be added later Romi Store. SUUTA Magazine noticed there was no alarm yet. The warranty is three months from setup, which is short for a robot you pay a membership for. One renter on Rentio customer reviews also found its head got quite hot.
Romi Lacatan is sold only in Japan and speaks Japanese. SUUTA's write-up used a prototype, and SUUTA rents Romi out, so we don't count it as an independent review.
Our take
Should you buy the Romi Lacatan?
Best for: Japanese speakers in Japan wanting a small conversation companion. Skip it if: You need local sales and support outside Japan.
Romi Lacatan suits someone in Japan who wants a light-hearted chat companion at home and has a strong Wi-Fi signal where it will sit. Rent one first if you can, because how you feel about its pace decides everything. Panasonic's NICOBO asks less of you, babbling rather than chatting, while Sharp's Poketomo is a pocket-sized chatterbox with better reviews. Both are also Japan-only.
Romi is MIXI's conversation robot, a round little robot with a screen face that sits on a table and chats. The Lacatan model went on general sale in Japan in July 2025 and replaces the first-generation Romi. MIXI says it's slightly bigger, with a larger screen and roughly double the battery. It adds a camera, so you can show it what you're eating or look out of the window together, and it remembers what you tell it. It also reads the weather and news, sings songs and has an assistant mode for more practical questions.
The trade-off is that it's sold in Japan, for Japanese speakers, with a monthly or yearly membership on top of the robot. Its whole point is conversation, and people who rented one were split: some found it a warm companion, others found the pauses, interruptions and mishearings wearing. It also needs strong Wi-Fi, so check the signal where Romi will live before you buy.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a subscription to keep working?
Yes. MIXI's shop has you register for a monthly membership once the robot arrives Romi Store, and MIXI offers monthly or yearly terms MIXI. Conversation runs on MIXI's servers, so the plan is part of owning one, not an extra.
What does it record, and where does that go?
MIXI says the camera only turns on when you ask Romi to look at something MIXI. It remembers what you share, and SUUTA Magazine found the app keeps an activity log and a conversation log. We couldn't find where MIXI says how long it keeps them.
Does it work offline?
There's no sign that it does. It needs Wi-Fi with a password and a paired phone Romi Store, and renters on Rentio customer reviews found it barely worked with a weak signal. Plan on putting it near your router.
Would it suit an older relative?
It might, but try before you buy. One renter on Rentio customer reviews found an elderly father didn't take to the delayed conversation, and another's mother found it a bit noisy. Setup help by phone and email is available on weekdays, and MIXI offers a paid home setup visit Romi Store.
What happens if it goes wrong?
MIXI's warranty runs for three months from the day you finish setup in the app Romi Store. That's short, so test everything in the first few weeks. One renter on Rentio customer reviews had faults that needed a restart before it behaved again.
Alternatives
Other companion robots to compare.
Poketomo
Why consider it: Another Japanese chat companion, pocket-sized, and Japanese reviewers found it chatty and friendly.
The compromise: It also needs a paid monthly plan, and one reviewer found it talked over them.
NICOBO
Why consider it: A gentler Japanese companion that babbles and wags its tail rather than holding conversations.
The compromise: It needs a paid monthly plan and Wi-Fi too, and mostly speaks its own made-up language.
ElliQ
Why consider it: A tabletop companion designed for older people living alone, which starts conversations itself.
The compromise: It's leased through a membership, can be slow and is hard to silence mid-flow.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the Romi Lacatan?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
- SUUTA Magazine: Romi（ロミィ）最新モデルをレビュー！レンタルで体験するAIロボットとの暮らし ↗Hands-on, About a week · Prototype unit · Published by SUUTA, a rental service that rents Romi out (not counted towards our two-review minimum)
Sources
- Rentio customer reviews: MIXI 会話AIロボットRomi（Lacatanモデル）のレビュー・評価・評判一覧 ↗Owner thread
- MIXI: Romi Lacatan model ↗Manufacturer
- Romi Store: 会話AIロボットRomi（Lacatanモデル） ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for MIXI Romi Lacatan ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.