- VERDICT
The Deebot Neo will surprise you with its cleaning quality and efficiency – it has packed in a lot of flagship features into an affordable and attractive unit that would make an excellent choice as your first robot vacuum.
The new Ecovacs Robotic Deebot Neo robot vacuum has inherited a lot of premium features from previous models so it’s an ideal choice for anyone looking take their first step into the category.
And if you get your skates on this Wednesday March 9 and head to your local Aldi store, you’ll be able to score the Deebot Neo for the wallet-friendly price of $399 – that’s half price the regular price of $799.
The Deebot Neo is both a vacuum and a mop and can take over the cleaning duties without you lifting a finger.
It has TrueMapping laser-based navigation technology so it can map your home and create an efficient path when vacuuming and mopping.
The unit is really easy to unpack and set up.
You need to find a clear space near a power point for the charging station and download the Ecovacs Home app to take you through the steps for set up.
From the app, once you’ve created an account, you can simply scan the QR code inside the lid to link the robot and give it a name.
The maiden voyage of the Deebot Neo is mainly a mapping mission (yes, it is still vacuuming and/or mopping) so it gets to know your home’s layout.
You’ll see the map forming on the app as it makes its way around your home.
And it can also create maps for different levels of your home.
The first thing we noticed with the Deebot Neo was that it was louder.
And that’s a good thing because the motor is providing more suction – twice as much as a matter of fact.
It was easy to see where it had been with the marks on our carpet.
We’re always amazed by how smart the Deebot Neo is and how it can gently find its way around your home without damaging your furniture or rolling over the top of a cable or a sock and getting tangled up.
Part of the TrueMapping technology is object detection so the unit knows to go around something it sees in its path.
In terms of the quality of the clean, we were pleasantly surprised.
We have two dalmatians at our place and chocolate coloured carpet, so the little white hairs Ziggy and Logan shed are easy to see.
The Deebot Neo did so well in one room we had to empty the dust bin before it could move to the next.
What will happen over the course of time is the robot vacuum maintaining the clean with a daily journey around the house.
The device is also pretty slim so it can fit under furniture and under tables and around chairs so there’s no need to stack chairs and move items for the Deebot Neo to do its thing.
And on the mopping side, the Deebot Neo also excelled.
It a small water reservoir and can be fitted with mopping pads. It comes with a washable mop pad and 10 disposable pads.
We have large tiles in our living area and kitchen that are a light colour and can easily show up the dirt.
On its first run, the unit did offer a respectable clean but there were some stubborn spots that needed a manual wipe.
But if it does this everyday – it can easily maintain the level of cleanliness.
The water distribution was impressive thanks to its electronically controlled water pump.
It left a little snail trail where it had been, but this quickly dried.
The unit never once left any excess water or puddles.
The Deebot Neo is smart enough to detect the floor type so when in mopping mode and it encounters carpet it will stop instantly.
If it’s in vacuum mode it will increase suction power when it moves from hard floors to carpet.
For those new to robot vacuums, and we imagine a lot of people who buy the Deebot Neo will be, the unit will automatically return to the charging station and recharge the battery when needed before heading out and completing the cleaning run.
The app does put all the control in your hand with the ability to set schedules and send the robot vacuum out manually.
Even when you’re not home you can log into the app and take control.
You might find out someone is popping around later, and your place needs a spruce up – you can activate it manually from the app even before you get home.
It’s also possible to link the Deebot Neo to Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control.
The Deebot Neo is also compatible with the Ecovacs Auto Empty Station so it can automatically transfer the dust and hair collected by the robot vacuum into the larger dustbin which can be emptied every 30 days.
The Ecovacs Robotics Deebot Neo goes on sale on March 9 through Aldi for $399.
Following that special offer, the unit will be available at its regular price of $799.
VERDICT
The Deebot Neo will surprise you with its cleaning quality and efficiency – it has packed in a lot of flagship features into an affordable and attractive unit that would make an excellent choice as your first robot vacuum.
