Neato D7 Connected is useful but a noisy robot vacuum cleaner. I have had the pleasure of testing the Neato D7 Connected for a month, and this is my review.
Design
The Neato D7 Connected has a D-shape, which is different from other robot vacuum cleaners I have been testing so far (from Xiamoi, Eufy and Ecovacs). The convenient shape enables the robot to get very close to the walls for cleaning. On the other hand, this shape is not that efficient in corners or reach challenging areas.
The robot features a broad brush which facilitates high vacuuming efficiency. Although the side brush is small, it works efficiently due to the shape of the robot.
Overall, the robot vacuum cleaners design works very well.
Set-up and operation
I had some issues with setting the robot initially.
The robot would not connect to the Wi-Fi in the beginning (but after a while it worked) and has been working perfectly since.
Also, I had some difficulty assembling the filter correctly.
In general, I don’t think the robot vacuum cleaner is easy to operate as other models I have tested.
Navigation
One of the significant differences between a budget robot vacuum cleaner and the expensive ones is the navigation ability.
Neato D7 Connected features Laser navigation (Called LaserSmart Navigation by Neato), which is very useful. The robot creates a map of every room after cleaning, which works very well.
Other robot vacuum cleaners that we have tested didn’t have a navigational system and had random cleaning path but not a clear and defined path. The absence of navigation feature also makes cheaper robot vacuum cleaners inefficient for multiple rooms.
Neato Botvac D7 handles multiple rooms effortlessly. We have been testing the robot on two floors: Floor 0 with two rooms and Floor 1 with four rooms, and it managed both the levels exceptionally well.
App
In general, a robot vacuum cleaner with app-functionality is quite handy for my needs and Neato D7 Connected, of course, comes with this feature as well.
The App comes with basic options like Scheduling, choosing between the two modes: Eco and Turbo etc. Further, you can select between the cleaning options House, Spot and Manual.
You can create maps for multiple floors, depending on where you want to clean, which works well, especially if you have multiple floor levels. In the map, you can easily create virtual “No-go lines” using the App, which is very friendly and far better than the magnetic tapes that come with other robot vacuum cleaners.
After Neato D7 Connected has finished the cleaning, the App provides you with a cleaning summary.
The App works very well, but cannot provide real-time tracking of the robot, which is offered in other robot vacuum cleaners on the market such as Xiaomi Roborock S6.
Cleaning performance
Compared to other robot vacuum cleaners that we have tested, the Neato D7 is a very noisy model, and it is not a great idea to operate the robot in my house, while I am at home which was possible with other models.
The cleaning performance of the robot is excellent and has a great suction power. It operates efficiently and covers a large area with a single charge and even comes with ‘Recharge and Resume’ function.
Cleaning and maintenance
The handle of the dust bin for Neato D7 is placed on the top, which makes it easy to empty. The brushes are also easy to clean.
Price
The buying price of Neato Botvac D7 is € 440 which is very reasonable for the product. But we have noticed that the robot was priced at € 899 just 2 years ago, which definitely is far high, compared to other high-end robot vacuum cleaners on the market.
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Pros
Vacuums extremely well
Can get into tight corners with its design
Great filter
Good navigation
Great at edge cleaning
Can go over rugs, carpets, high doorway thresholds easily
Compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, apple watch, and IFTTT recipes
One of the fastest robot vacuums
Strong suction power and airflow
Large dustbin and longer brush bar than round robot vacuums
Virtual no-go lines
Cons
Expensive
Easily gets stuck and easily gives up because it is taller than other robot vacuums
Loud and emits a lot of indicator sounds
Many users experienced a lot of issues, defects, and bugs on the first unit until they request a second unit that may work perfectly well
Who should buy Neato Botvac D7 Connected
If you are willing to afford robot vacuums that have high-end features and provides quality performance at a slightly expensive price, this product will suit you. This is for those who have a lot of edges or corners in their house because it is what this product is proud of which is its D design that is made to reach the corners where most round robot vacuums can’t reach. Because of its smart mapping system (LIDAR) and long battery life, it is suitable for wide spaces since it can navigate intelligently and accurately. This is also for those who have a lot of doorway threshold and slightly thicker carpets or rugs because this product has taller wheel clearance than other robot vacuums which helps it to easily go over and not get stuck. This product is also fit for users who look for speed in terms of cleaning because this product is fast in its cleaning ability and gets the work done earlier than most robot vacuums.
Who should NOT buy Neato Botvac D7 Connected
You should take note that this product is 3.9 inches high plus the raised disc on top that covers the robot vacuum’s laser which is why if you have couches or other furniture that have smaller clearance than the product, expect that this robot vacuum will not go under and most probably will get stuck frequently unlike low profile robot vacuums. If you prefer to have a robot vacuum that works quietly, this product will most likely disappoint you because it is very chatty and slightly loud when cleaning.
Verdict
BY:
Faith
This is our verdict of the Neato Botvac D7 Connected based on several hours of research of reviews from both experts and users.
Updated 08-02-2021
Neato Botvac D7 Connected has a unique shape that enables the product to reach corners that most round robot vacuums can’t reach. Because of this shape, it enabled the product to have space for a longer brush bar that provides larger coverage of suctioning and cleaning.
Because of its LIDAR mapping, it provides an accurate map and efficient cleaning without leaving uncleaned spaces. The app also provides no go zones which are helpful to control the spaces you want and do not want the robot vacuum to go.
This product also provides a lot of third party integration wherein it is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Watch, and IFTTT recipes or If This Then That recipes wherein it enables you to automatically connect apps or other services. For instance, you can set that if you open the television, then the robot vacuum automatically starts which is literally like the name itself, If This Then That.
The slightly large wheels of this product enable it to go over high rugs or carpets and even slightly high doorway thresholds with ease. However, it may not get stuck with those but it will likely get stuck and cannot go under furniture that has low clearance such as couch or bed. Additionally, if it gets stuck, it gives up easily.
This Botvac D7 offers a lot of impressive features and outstanding performance. However, it can be alarming that several users as can be seen in the Amazon review complain about issues with their unit and the app because it has a lot of defects and bugs. To sum up their issues, the D7 works well at first but after a few weeks, it will start erroring, get stuck often, and show a lot of defects in the app. Then, they would contact customer service and get help. As a result, most of them end up receiving another D7 unit that works perfectly well without any flaws and errors or the company will fix their previous unit.
My review of Neato Botvac D7 Connected
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Overall score*
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Cleaning Performance
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Battery
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Value for money
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Built Quality
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Noise level
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Ease of use
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Cleaning & Maintenance
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Rankings
No. 1 of 4 Neato robot vacuum cleaners
Neato Botvac D7 Connected in comparison with similar products
First look at Neato Botvac D7 Connected
Demonstration of how Neato Botvac D7 Connected works
Hi, my name is Klaus Bachmann, and I am the author of Reoverview.co.uk. I have been working with household appliances for several years now. I publish unbiased comparisons, based on user reviews, expert reviews and test results. Hope you like the website.
Best regards, Klaus.
