About
How we work
Robot Doorstep is a buyer's guide to home and office robots. We read spec sheets, maker pages and FCC filings, then give a plain verdict on which robots are worth buying. One check runs on every robot we cover: can it still be sold in the US? On July 28, 2026, the FCC put new foreign-produced robots on its Covered List in DA 26-786. Models authorized before that date can still be sold. New ones need a Conditional Approval from the Department of War. We check each robot against the FCC document that decides its case and show that document on every row.
What do Cleared, Pending and Blocked mean on the arrivals board?
Cleared means an FCC document supports US sale. There are two ways in:
- FCC grant before the cutoff. We open the FCC ID's grant record and take the date of the Original Equipment grant. If it's before July 28, 2026, the model was authorized before robots went on the Covered List. The FCC says the rule "does not prohibit the import, sale, or use of any existing device models the FCC previously authorized" (FCC FAQ).
- Conditional Approval. The model is named in an FCC public notice announcing a DoW Conditional Approval. We copy the product names word for word from the notice PDF and record its release date.
Pending means we couldn't confirm the status from an FCC record. Either no FCC ID turned up, or the record we read didn't show an original grant date. Pending is not a judgment on the robot. It means "check before you pay."
Blocked stays at zero until an FCC document names a specific model as refused. The rule blocks new foreign-produced models, but the FCC doesn't publish a list of them, and we won't infer one. As of October 29, 2026, no row on our board is Blocked.
Where does the information come from?
Only primary records, plus maker pages for product details:
- FCC public notices. The rule and each Conditional Approval notice, read from the PDFs on docs.fcc.gov.
- The FCC ID database. Each grant row links first to the FCC's equipment authorization search for that FCC ID.
- Mirrors. The FCC site refuses automated requests, so we read grant dates on the fccid.io mirror and save a copy. Each saved file is logged with a SHA-256 hash.
- The FCC's own FAQ on robots and inverters, for what the rule does and doesn't cover.
- Maker pages, for retail names, specs and prices.
Brand vs. filing. Makers often file under a model code, not a retail name. When a filing doesn't name the retail product, we show the code and say so. Match it to the FCC ID on the label of the unit you're buying.
Prices come only from the maker's own page or a major retailer, with the date we saw them. If we can't tie a listing to the filed model, the price stays blank.
How often do we re-check?
Every row carries the date we last checked it. The current board was checked October 29, 2026. We re-check FCC public notices, the Covered List page and each row's FCC record, and update the date when we do. We re-check the board weekly.
What happens when we get something wrong?
We fix it, and we say so. A correction changes the row or the sentence, updates the checked date and adds a short note on the page describing what changed. If an FCC record contradicts us, the FCC record wins. To report an error, contact The RobotDoorstep team with the robot, the page and the document that shows the right answer. A corrections address will be listed here once it is set up.
Do we test the robots?
No. We don't claim hands-on testing. Our verdicts rest on FCC records and maker specifications, and we label maker claims as maker claims. Nothing here is legal advice.
Who runs Robot Doorstep?
Robot Doorstep is written and published by The RobotDoorstep team.
Does Robot Doorstep make money from links?
Not today. We may add affiliate links later. If we do, the pages that carry them will say so, and a link will never change a status on the board.
Not legal advice. This site explains public FCC documents for shoppers. For import, sale or compliance decisions, ask a lawyer or the FCC.