aibo ERS-1000
3 independent reviewsRead the findings →Sony's robot puppy, a strikingly lifelike pet whose personality develops over time. It suits anyone wanting a pet-like robot rather than a gadget. It's wilful, though, the app is slow, and it needs a paid cloud plan.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Sony’s range
- Sony aibo ERS-7Previous aibo, discontinued in 2006
- aibo ERS-1000This model
- Sony aibo Espresso EditionLimited-edition ERS-1000 with different coloured eyes
Feedback
What reviewers found
Three hands-on tests agree the aibo is remarkably lifelike and hard not to bond with. Tom's Guide scored it 3.5 out of 5 after a week, SlashGear gave it 8 out of 10, and Refinery29 recommended it to anyone set on a robot dog. All three found it often ignores commands, which is partly the point. They disagree on noise, and battery life varies: Tom's Guide got just over an hour of steady play, while an owner writing on Sensors and Sensibility reports about three hours. Tom's Guide and that owner both found the app slow.
Tom's Guide, hands-on, 1 week at home · SlashGear, hands-on, Oct 2018 (Tested before US launch, without the app) · Refinery29, hands-on, 1 week (loan unit) · Sensors and Sensibility, hands-on, 1 year at home (An owner's personal blog after a year, with no test method)
What it really does
Mixed resultsIt's as lifelike as Sony says: Tom's Guide, SlashGear and Refinery29 all watched it stretch, beg and play like a puppy. But it often ignores commands, with Tom's Guide spending over six minutes trying to make it sit and SlashGear seeing it wander off instead.
Staying engaging
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use ran beyond about a week. In that time Tom's Guide bonded with it enough to miss it when out, and Refinery29 saw a whole office treat it like a real dog.
Who it suits
Mixed resultsIt's an adult's pet, not a child's toy, says Refinery29, which recommends it to anyone set on a robot dog. SlashGear found no purpose beyond its charm and thinks it's only for those who can afford robotic entertainment.
App, subscription and running costs
Not enough evidenceOnly Tom's Guide judged the app, finding it sluggish, with screens taking 30 to 40 seconds to load. None of the reviews we use weighed up the yearly AI Cloud Plan that follows the first three years.
Privacy
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use looked at what its cameras and microphones collect or how Sony handles the data. Its memories are stored in Sony's cloud, per the specifications.
Build quality and battery life
Mixed resultsTom's Guide found its movement smooth and quiet but got only about 70 minutes of play and once found it flat beside its charger. SlashGear heard buzzing motors and a clattering shell, and Refinery29 saw an ear pop off when it was handled.
Support and longevity
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use judged Sony's support or how long it will keep aibo working.
Value
Mixed resultsRefinery29 calls it a good robot dog if you're set on spending that much, and recommends it. SlashGear says it's undeniably expensive and far less functional than other gadgets at the price.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Lifelike enough to win people over
Every tester got attached. Tom's Guide watched it stretch and yawn out of the box, bark at colleagues and beg for belly rubs, and couldn't bring herself to switch it off. Refinery29 saw a whole office treat it like a real dog, and was won over once it juggled its ball on command. Lance Ulanoff of TechRadar, who has tried almost every aibo, said it felt worth the money once he brought one home. If you want a machine that feels like a pet, this is where it shines.
It does what it wants
Like a puppy, aibo treats commands as suggestions. Tom's Guide spent more than six minutes trying to make it sit, and got the juggling trick only once after minutes of coaxing. SlashGear found it would yap as if it understood, then wander off or scratch its ear instead. Refinery29 had a rocky start, but later found its pose and dance commands flawless. An owner on Sensors and Sensibility says it's hard to tell whether it's being stubborn or the command simply failed. Expect charm, not obedience.
Noise and movement split testers
Testers heard it differently. Tom's Guide found its limbs moved smoothly with minimal mechanical noise. SlashGear said the spell breaks when it walks, describing a juddering, staccato strut with buzzing motors and a clattering shell, and slow, awkward turns on the spot. After a year, the owner on Sensors and Sensibility calls its servos loud enough to make conversation awkward. The difference may come down to hard floors, room size and how busy it is, so expect some whirring either way.
Battery and docking are hit and miss
Sony claims about two hours per charge and a three-hour recharge, per the specifications, and aibo is meant to walk back to its charger when it's tired. Tom's Guide got about an hour and ten minutes of steady play, then came home to find it lying flat beside its charging stand with a dead battery. The owner on Sensors and Sensibility reports about three hours at full activity, with aibo finding its own way back to the charger. Leave clear space around the dock and keep an eye on it at first.
Slow app and a cloud plan
Tom's Guide found the app sluggish, with screens taking 30 to 40 seconds to load, and needed four tries to get aibo onto Wi-Fi. The owner on Sensors and Sensibility calls it slow and buggy. You can't skip it, though: Sony says naming aibo, teaching it tricks and letting it grow its personality all depend on the AI Cloud Plan. Three years are included, then it renews every year. Per CP24, Sony will keep support, parts and cloud plans going after ending Japanese sales.
All three testers used the ERS-1000. SlashGear tested a pre-launch unit before the US app was out, so it couldn't judge the app.
Our take
Should you buy the aibo ERS-1000?
Best for: People wanting an indoor robot that behaves like a pet. Skip it if: You want an obedient pet for outdoor walks.
Buy it if you want a robot that behaves like a pet rather than a gadget, you live in the US, and you're comfortable with a big one-off cost plus a yearly cloud plan after three years. Skip it if you want obedience, outdoor walks or something to program. Unitree's Go2 handles rough ground outdoors, and Petoi's Bittle X is a far cheaper way to learn how walking robots work.
The ERS-1000 is Sony's fourth-generation aibo, launched in 2018 and not redesigned since, apart from limited editions. It's a puppy-sized robot with 22 moving joints, OLED eyes, two cameras and touch sensors. It learns faces, develops a personality as you play with it, chases its pink ball and walks itself back to its charger. Sony is ending sales in Japan in 2026 but still sells it in the US. It isn't officially sold in the UK, Europe or Australia.
The trade-offs are cost, patience and the cloud. The AI Cloud Plan that stores its memories and runs the app comes free for three years, then renews for a yearly fee. Testers found it ignores commands as often as it obeys them, one got far less battery than Sony claims, and the app can be painfully slow. It's strictly an indoor robot for flat floors.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Is it a toy, a pet or something for developers?
It's built to be a pet. SlashGear found no purpose beyond its charm, and Refinery29 calls it definitively not a children's toy. An owner on Sensors and Sensibility notes Sony offers a developer toolkit, but if coding is the goal, a kit like Petoi's Bittle X suits that better.
Can it go outside and up stairs?
No. Tom's Guide reports Sony says dirt and moisture can damage its joints, so it stays indoors. An owner on Sensors and Sensibility found it can't manage slopes or stairs and gets baffled by thick rugs, though it does spot the top of a staircase and avoid falling down it.
How long does the battery last?
Sony claims about two hours and a three-hour recharge, per the specifications. Tom's Guide got about 70 minutes of steady play and once found it flat beside its charger. An owner on Sensors and Sensibility gets about three hours and says it finds its charger on its own.
Does it need a subscription?
For the full experience, yes. Sony says the AI Cloud Plan is needed to name aibo, use the app and let it learn and grow. The first three years are included, then it renews yearly, and Sony says full functionality and learning depend on it.
Is it suitable for children?
Sony doesn't give an age, but it's a delicate, expensive machine. Refinery29 saw one of its ears pop off when colleagues handled it, and an owner on Sensors and Sensibility had it get stuck under a coffee table until it was reset. Older children who'll treat it gently are a better fit than toddlers.
Alternatives
Other robot dogs to compare.
Go2 (Air / Pro)
Why consider it: A proper walking robot dog that moves remarkably well over rough ground and can go outdoors.
The compromise: Reviewers keep asking what to do with it once the novelty wears off, and it doesn't react to you like a pet.
Bittle X
Why consider it: A palm-sized robot dog you build yourself and use to learn coding, and it obeys spoken commands without the internet.
The compromise: It's a learning kit, not a pet, and building it takes patience.
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 aibo ERS-1000?
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
- Tom's Guide: Sony Aibo Review: What It's Like To Live With a Robot Dog ↗3.5 / 5Hands-on, 1 week at home
- SlashGear: Sony Aibo Review (2018): Robot Pup Charm ↗8 / 10Hands-on · Tested before US launch, without the app
- Refinery29: I Brought A Robot Dog To My Office For A Week & All I Got Was Companionship ↗Hands-on, 1 week (loan unit)
- Sensors and Sensibility: Living with the Aibo ERS-1000 Robot Dog for a year ↗Hands-on, 1 year at home · An owner's personal blog after a year, with no test method (not counted towards our two-review minimum)
Sources
- TechRadar: I've been testing Sony Aibo for 25 years and it's still my favorite robot ↗News
- Sony: aibo ERS-1000 specifications ↗Manufacturer
- Sony: aibo AI Cloud Plan ↗Manufacturer
- Sony Japan: aibo store: ERS-1000 series sales ended in Japan ↗Manufacturer
- CP24: Sony discontinues Japan sales of robot puppy 'aibo' ↗News
Videos
- Lance Ulanoff: Sony Aibo ERS-1000 Review: It’s the Ultimate Robot Dog! ↗
- aibo addicts: Is The New Sony Aibo ERS-1000 More Obedient Than The ERS-7? 🐾 ↗
- Search YouTube for Sony aibo ERS-1000 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.