There are a wide variety of robot vacuums available and I have used many over the years. The one ... [+]
I have used and reviewed a diverse array of vacuums—corded, cordless, and robot. I have found most to be somewhat disappointing and definitely not worth the price tag. The one consistent exception has been Neato.
Over the years, I have tested out vacuums from Rydis, Roomba, Dyson, Neato, Samsung, bObsweep, Deebot, and more. Some pulled double-duty as both vacuums and mops, and one had a pop-out handheld vacuum. Most did OK in terms of basic functionality out of the box but couldn’t cope effectively with my “extreme environment.” There were six human beings and a veritable zoo of pets to contend with (we currently have four dogs, seven cats, a pig, two ferrets, and a sulcate tortoise).
Honestly, I feel like the formidable conditions make me uniquely qualified to truly test a vacuum. Forget about vendor demonstrations or testing capabilities in a controlled environment. I put vacuums to the test in real-world conditions that challenge even the best vacuum technology.
I have used a few different models from Neato, but for nearly 3 years, the Neato Botvac Connected D7 has been the workhorse that keeps the floors clean. The Neato D7 is a robot vacuum designed for both pet owners and those with allergies. It is equipped with a number of features that make it an effective cleaning solution for households with a lot of foot traffic, as well as pet hair and allergens.
One of the things I have appreciated about Neato robot vacuums, in general, is that they have a large dustbin, which means they can hold more dirt and debris before needing to be emptied. This is especially useful for households with pets, as pet hair can quickly fill up a smaller dustbin. The dustbin is also easy to empty, which makes maintenance a breeze. There are units available that are self-emptying—sucking the contents of the dustbin in the robot vacuum into a larger containment unit in the charging base. That is a very cool concept, but with the amount of pet fur we have in our house, it is not a substitute for having a high-capacity dustbin on the unit itself.
The Neato laser-based mapping and navigation system is better than many of the units I have used. This allows the vacuum to map out the layout of your home and create a cleaning plan that is tailored to your specific needs. It uses a laser sensor to scan the room, which allows it to avoid obstacles and navigate around furniture. This makes it very efficient, and it can cover large areas of the home in a short amount of time.
The Neato comes with a number of smart features that can be controlled via the Neato app. You can schedule cleaning sessions, set no-go zones, and even track the robot's progress in real-time. You can also use voice commands to control the robot with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer the same functionality with Apple Siri because we replaced our Amazon Echo units with Apple HomePods.
It seems like most of the competing robot vacuums are round. The Neato line of vacuums are built around a D-shape design that allows it to reach tight corners and edges, ensuring that no dirt is left behind. It's relatively quiet, making it easier than some to use while you are at home.
Cost is obviously a factor, but the more important metric is total cost of ownership. At the very least, you have to factor the cost relative to the lifespan of the device. My father bought a very expensive Kirby upright vacuum and I thought it was crazy to spend that kind of money on a vacuum at the time. But, that was 30 years ago and he still has a perfectly functional Kirby upright vacuum. Meanwhile, I have gone through thousands of dollars of every shape and style of vacuum in that same time.
For what these vacuums cost, lasting for three years should be expected rather than remarkable. My experience, however, has been that most vacuums suffer some sort of catastrophic failure long before the three-year mark—but coincidentally after the warranty coverage has expired. That being the case, it is impressive that the Neato D7 is still going strong.
That brings me to another thing I really like about the Neato brand. They had units before the D7 and they have introduced vacuums after the D7. While they continue to innovate and introduce new features and capabilities, they have maintained essentially the same form factor throughout. The benefit for consumers is that the parts and accessories are interchangeable between virtually every model.
This is not a “review” per se. The D7 isn’t even currently available from Neato. On the other hand, this is a much better review than most in my opinion. Most reviews are written after running through a battery of staged scenarios in an afternoon—or maybe over the course of a week. It’s not a real-world test, and it’s not a long enough test for many issues to surface. I have used the Neato D7 in grueling conditions for three years and it’s still going strong. That kind of durability and longevity is not easy to find these days.
It is notable to me that Neato is nowhere to be found on the “The Best Robot Vacuums for 2023” from PC Magazine. I don’t know for sure whether any Neato units were considered, and I also have no firsthand knowledge of the vacuums that did make the list, so it’s possible Neato just didn’t make the cut. All I’m saying is that Neato has consistently been the best brand I have used, and the D7 continues to do a great job even after almost three years.
