Tag Archives: robotic

ECOVACS DEEBOT N79 Robotic Vacuum Review: A Wi-Fi Roomba Killer!

If you want a robot to clean your carpets, the Deebot has quite the following.
If you want a robot to clean your carpets, the Deebot has quite the following, and for good reason.

While upright and canister vacuums make up the majority of vacuum sales in the United States, the fact of the matter is that sometimes we all fantasize about having a robot “do life” for us. While you can’t yet buy an Avatar to go to work for you, you can buy a vacuum to clean up after you–at least when it comes to hardwood floors and low-pile carpeting. There are a lot of robovacuums out there–Roomba being perhaps the most famous of them–and more manufacturers are entering the ring each year, determined to get a piece of the robo pie. Today we’re going to look at the ECOVACS DEEBOT N79 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner. No, we don’t know why they like caps-lock so much either. The bottom line is that for around $200, you’ll get a self-propelled vacuum you can control from your smart phone to give you one less thing to do after work. Does it work? Yeah, and pretty well, actually. Our full review is below, and you can buy it here. Canadians can buy the N79 here.

Pros, Cons, and Key Features of the Ecovacs Deebot N79 Robotic Vacuum

Here's everything that comes in the box.
Here’s everything that comes in the box.

The Deebot N79 Robotic Vacuum is a battery-powered, programmable, Wi-Fi compatible, and yes, robotic vacuum cleaner. It takes about 4-5 hours to charge and runs on a 2600mAH Li-on battery that can deliver up to 100 minutes of cleaning time per charge. The dust bin can hold up to 300 mL of dirt, and the vacuum is completely controllable through Wi-Fi. It weighs 10 pounds, is 3.1 inches tall, and has a 14 inch wide cleaning path.

While you can control the Deebot with the included remote, most users will probably end up using their smartphones instead.
While you can control the Deebot with the included remote, most users will probably end up using their smartphones instead.

Through the app controls, you can control it with any smart phone that’s Android or Apple compatible and use it to schedule cleaning sessions, track their progress, follow battery life, and be informed of error alerts. In the box, you get the robot, its battery, charger, and power adapter, a remote control with a battery, sponge and high efficiency filters, side brushes, and an instructional manual. Ecovacs also touts the inclusion of a bonus sponge and high efficiency filter and a pair of extra batteries. On top of this, you’ll also get a standard one year warranty.

How well does the Deebot N79 actually clean carpets and hardwood floors?

The Deebot is as agile as a robotic ballet dancer--which is to say, it does a good job moving through furniture.
The Deebot is as agile as a robotic ballet dancer–which is to say, it does a good job moving through furniture.

While this all sounds wonderful in theory, what ultimately matters is how well it cleans and how often it gets stuck.  It doesn’t matter, after all, if your robotic vacuum looks lovely but has a ten minute battery life if you dare put it onto carpet. Fortunately, the answer to the “how well does it actually clean?” question is “pretty well for a robot” and the answer to the “how often does it get stuck?” question is “very rarely.” We’ll look at the first question here in detail.

Between the cleaning modes, it can handle most types of rooms as long as the carpet pile is low.
Between the cleaning modes, it can handle most types of rooms as long as the carpet pile is low.

Some vacuums are only happy on hardwood floors; others can handle carpets but do so grudgingly. The Deebot is, fortunately, more capable than both. While it’s not going to be able to handle medium- or high-pile carpets (the driving wheels are too small), it’s perfectly happy with hardwood floors, tile, concrete flooring, laminate, and low-pile carpets and rugs. While definitions of carpet pile can and do vary, the Deebot will be able to tackle anything up to 1/2 an inch without issue. Above that, it’ll start getting bogged down and drain battery life more quickly. It’ll pick up dirt, pet fur, dander, dust bunnies, sand, and a range of other thing with ease.

When connecting it to your wireless network, you might have some issues initially. The secret is to stand within 5 feet at the most of the robot to sync the networks. Once you do, it’s likely to be seamless. Also keep in mind that you’ll need a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band for the Deebot.

How often do you have to rescue the Deebot N79 from getting suck, falling, or tipping over?

Your Deebot should be afraid of heights and not like getting too close to things that can get it stuck.
Your Deebot should be afraid of heights and not like getting too close to things that can get it stuck.

If the most important question you can ask about a robotic vacuum is whether or not it can actually clean anything, the second most important would probably be about how often you need to rescue it. Ecovacs has clearly learned from the competition, because the Deebot N79 is easily one of the smartest robovacs we’ve yet come across.

It literally has tiny bumpers to help it along when it runs into things, which is rarely.
It literally has tiny bumpers to help it along when it runs into things, which is rarely.

We’re not saying it never gets stuck, because it does now and then (particularly if you don’t fully open your doors), but between its drop sensors (designed to keep it from running over “cliffs” higher than 3.1 inches and its anti-collision sensors, the vacuum deftly navigates around most obstacles that you end up genuinely surprised during the occasional times it has trouble. And in those times, you want to rescue it so it can get back on its merry cleaning way. Yes, you do kind of get attached. Many people end up naming their Deebots. We named ours Dobbie. At any rate, it’s a robotic vacuum you can trust on stairs and upstairs, although you’ll want to watch it the first time to make sure it recognizes your new environment. But it’ll happily glide under low end tables, spin this way, that way, reverse, and keep on going. It’s rather impressive to watch. You’ll just want to remember to keep your doors to the outside world shut, because this vacuum will leave and start trying to clean the great outdoors if you give it a chance.

Why Buy the Deebot N79?

This is how your Deebot would look if you ran it on a glass table. Don't run it on a glass table.
This is how your Deebot would look if you ran it on a glass table. Don’t run it on a glass table.

Ultimately, if you’re buying a robotic vacuum, it’s going to be for one of about for reasons: You either don’t like vacuuming with uprights and canisters, you don’t have the time do do so, you don’t have the physical abilities to do so anymore, or you simply love new technology. We find most people fall into the second or fourth categories (time-strapped or technology lovers). In any of these cases, you’ll be on the lookout for a vacuum that basically does what you ask it to at the push of a button, ideally without getting stuck too many times and while cleaning reasonably well.

The Deebot N79 passes all of these tests and does so for around $200, which makes it hard to complain about. It’s actually quite an endearing piece of technology and it quickly becomes a part of your home in a way you wouldn’t expect an appliance to. About the only thing we can honestly complain about at this price point is the warranty; we’d like to see at least 2 years of confidence by Ecovacs in their little robot that could. Perhaps next year, Dobbie?

You can buy the Deebot N79 here on Amazon. We heartily recommend it as a budget Roomba alternative.

Canadians can buy the Deebot N79 here; it’s loved on both sides of the border.

If you find our research on PMC helpful, you can follow our efforts to keep maniacally reviewing home cleaning tools by shopping through our links above. We promise to keep fighting the good fight against every horror children, animals, and grown, yet messy humans can inflict upon a clean home.