Neato Botvac D7 Connected: What you need to know
The Neato Botvac D7 Connected comes from a relatively long line of robot vacuums that have evolved over the years into a super smart cleaning assistant. This has some of the best controls of any robot vacuums, allowing you to map and mark out areas for vacuuming in your home.
The design is good looking but also functional with that "D" shape which means this little friend can even get into corners, something the competition can struggle to do well.
Neato Botvac D7 Connected: Features
- Will map out your home
- Battery life is one of the best we've seen
Battery life: 120 minutes
App: iOS and Android
Multi-surface: Yes
Pet capable: Yes
The Neato Botvac D7 Connected will map out your home, across floors, and plan its cleaning efficiently around that. This model also allows you to edit these maps with No-Go zones which protect things like messy cables or pet beds.
The battery life on this robo vac is one of the best we've seen making it ideal for larger homes that need regular cleaning. The bin could do with being made larger and the price is steep but this is one of the big names in the world of robot vacuum cleaning.
Neato Botvac D7 Connected: Design and build
- 120 minute battery life
- D shape design
The big difference between the Neato Botvac D7 Connected and the competition is the lack of round shape in favor of that "D" shape. As a result the spiral combo brush roller is placed on the front to reach the edges, meaning this can squeeze into corners to collect dust and dirt in every nook and cranny. The dust bin could be bigger, ideally, and come with a notification when it's full - but Neato has decided not to do this with this generation, just like the last, which is a shame.
The 120 minute battery is one of the best on the market but it's how it charges that's also helpful. The vac will return to its charge station to power up but will only top-up enough to make sure it gets the job finished as quickly as possible. It knows this thanks to smart mapping, but more on that below.
The addition of a filter means you can trust this little robo buddy to capture up to 99 percent of dust mites and allergens as small as 10 microns. Should you want a super clean of an area there is a Max mode to allow for deep cleaning even beyond that which you can see.
This little vacuum uses lasers to navigate and map out a room. That means minimal accidents and perfect working even in the dark.
Neato Botvac D7 Connected: Cleaning performance
- Turbo mode and spot cleaning
- Huge range
Neato says this robo vac can cover, in a single charge, a whopping 5,000 square feet. That's about the size of a basketball court. So unless you live in a mansion you can rest assured this will cover the whole home before needing a charge. It can do this in Eco or Turbo modes.
Eco mode is quieter and conserves battery while Turbo mode is pretty loud but will deep clean the areas it covers. This applies to rugs, carpets and hard floors as this bot will navigate the lot easily.
There is also a spot cleaning mode which allows you to place the bot down and it will clean a seven feet square area from that point - ideal if you spilled something. The manual mode, which lets you control the bot like a toy car via the app, is also a nice way to clean specific areas like you would with a more traditional vacuum.
Neato Botvac D7 Connected: Smart skills
- Smart mapping
- No-Go marking
While the Neato Botvac D7 Connected uses lasers to navigate obstacles, it also builds a map as it goes. This means it can then clean areas using the smartest, aka most efficient, route. As a result you don't get knocks and crashes and maximise that already long battery life.
What we really like is the ability to work with those maps. That means you can literally mark out areas by drawing lines on the map and the vac won't go there. This is great for protecting the dog's bed or a tassel rug but also ideal for cabled areas under desks. All that means you don't have to move things when you go out and yet won't have to worry about the vacuum getting stuck.
The app is great as it blends totally manual controls with complete autonomy. This means you can let the bot go, in Turbo, Eco or even Extra Care safe navigation modes, or go Manual and drive the bot yourself. The No-Go marking of areas is also helpful but this works the other way too. You can select certain zones to cover, so you might set the bot to vacuum under the dining table at a time each night so you go to bed crumb free, for example.
The app also lets you control everything via smart assistants like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or even using your Apple Watch.
Neato Botvac D7 Connected: Verdict
This is actually one of the best robot vacuum cleaners out there thanks to its original and unique features. The "D" shape makes for perfect cleaning with even corners cleared from mess. While the bin could hold more, the battery is super powerful and smart charging means you'll always get the quickest performance.
The app allows for marking areas to avoid, areas to focus on and manual controls - for total freedom like no other robot vac offers. Spot cleaning, power mode and eco mode all make for great options to suit exactly what you need. Or just schedule a clean and leave it running - the point is, you have the option.
This is one of the best robot vacuums out there and as long as the small bin and regular maintenance aren't issues for you, even that high price isn't too terrible.
