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Technology evolves at an extremely fast pace and robot vacuum cleaners are no exception. Highly intelligent devices such as app-enabled robotic cleaners (and even lawn mowers) are continuing to increase their market share. The Botvac Connected has become one of the bestselling vacuum cleaners in today’s forever advancing world. This robot vacuum cleaner is specifically designed to make cleaning up after your pets a breeze as it zooms around your home, effortlessly picking up pet hair and dander.
The Botvac Connected is a marvelous product from Neato Robotic designers. The company is known to have started its production back in 2010. Recently they have upgraded the Neato XV-series to the new generation of app-enabled robotic cleaners.
The Neato D7 robot vacuum sticks with the same model of the previous design with only a few changes in the color and shape of past models. It is available in numerous colors, with black being the most dominant. The device is D-shaped with corner-clever technology to navigate around corners and walls conveniently without getting stuck or missing areas. It has a strong brush and uses the same accessories as the previous generation. Although the approach is the same, the new model of Naeto robot vacuum is more advanced in cleaning floors due to advances in the navigation’s intelligent design. Together with powerful suction, these features help to make it one of the best robots to get deep down in thick carpet and prevent dirt buildup.
In general, Neato Botvac vacuum design is rather simple. There are only a few features on the dashboard which makes it quite simple to use and operate. Additionally, the dashboard is well-documented with a quick guide that makes it even simpler to operate.
This robot features laser-smart technology which assists with quick navigation. Instead of cameras, the use of laser lights enables it to effectively clean even in the dark and take care of crumbs in hidden places like under chairs and tables. Additionally, the integration with laser technology enables it to map and navigate through multiple rooms conveniently.
The patented laser-guided technology also ensures that the robotic vacuum can clean the entire floor by carefully avoiding restricted areas, furniture, and other items strategically. Also, the real-time object detection enables it to navigate methodically, avoiding chairs or furniture present in the cleaning area. Therefore, it is hard for the Neato Botvac to bump into walls or get stuck in corners.The combination brush and the extra-large dust trays are useful in scrubbing and storing the dust, crumbs, debris, animal hair, dirt and other allergy causing elements.
No-Go Line ProgramThe no-go line is a rather unusual feature in the Neato Botvac. It is the only robotic vacuum that currently supports this feature. Sometimes, you may want to restrict the vacuum cleaner from going into certain areas which may be off limit. In that case, it is easy to teach the D7. All you must do is set the boundaries and program the device where to clean. The no-go line commands your robot where not to go, avoiding places like verandas or balcony edges. In combination with the smart laser technology, the performance of this feature is exceptional. It’s able to dodge items and avoid restricted areas, making sure you don’t have to babysit it while it zips around, cleaning your house. What could be better? Don’t we all want a robotic vacuum that doesn’t need babysitting? With a no-go line feature, you can conveniently set the cleaning boundaries either rectangular or whatever shape you wish. The D7 will clean the area in straight lines as scheduled and return to its recharging area automatically.
This feature is a true game changer, when compared to similar products such as the Roomba’s Virtual Walls. Having the ability to restrict access to certain areas, digitally, is almost mind-blowing in it’s almost sci-fi roots. It is the only feature absent in rival competitors and what’s more, it works efficiently giving Neato Botvac Connected an added advantage over the competition.
One feature that makes this device more expensive than the previous generation is the smart app application. Although it is costly, it is easy to connect and use. Once the Wi-Fi is turned on, it easily connects to a smartphone where you can control the Botvac. With the smart app connected, you can comfortably schedule the cleaning routine for your vacuum cleaner from your smartphone. You can also start, stop or pause your robot movements. In addition to that, you can even get notifications of your vacuum cleaning progress, view the areas coved by the robot and see a summary of the cleaning.
Additionally, the smart app feature connects to Amazon Alexa, and google home where you can also choose between the cleaning modes of either turbo or Eco. The turbo mode is a superpowered cleaning with maximum pickup and suction while the Eco cleaning is quieter and takes longer. Telling Alexa to have your vacuum clean your house is also thrilling. What’s more, you can give your vacuum a name (we call our Carrie) and instead of telling Alexa to have “Neato” clean your house, you have Alexa manage “Carrie”. Having fun with the names can lead to some entertaining times.
The Botvac Connected has a superior filter that is easy to remove and clean. It also cleans more floor than any other robotic vacuum cleaner. If the vacuum does run out of charge, it will return to the charging station to recharge, before picking back up where it left off. Furthermore, it calculates the energy required to complete cleaning, quickly recharges and then goes back to finish the remaining part.
Although the D7 Connected can detect and calculate the required charge to finish a task, it also has a high battery capacity capable of lasting for more than two hours after a single charge which is perfect for cleaning large houses.
The Neato Botvac D7 has proven to be an excellent robot vacuum. Nevertheless, despite its exceptional performance, there are a few problems associated with it. First, it has poor documentation with minimal information in the package making the startup procedure complex the first go-around. Mastering the navigation map takes longer than expected with 2-3 false starts. The connectivity with other smart devices is a little hard at times, especially if its already synced with another device. Nonetheless, the application usage is awesome once connected.
The other problem is its poor filter design. Although the filter is easy to removable and clean, frequent cleaning is tedious and annoying. The dirt sticks on the filter easily which makes it necessary to clean it at least once every other session, depending on surface area cleanliness. If you have an exceptionally disgusting carpet to clean, expect to empty the filter more often.
Given its top-notch features, the D7 is quite expensive compared to other manufacturer’s offerings. Fortunately, considering the steep upgrade in features and performance make it worth the added cost, due to the additional peace of mind and reduced hassle.
Overall, the Neato Botvac Connected D7 supersedes other robot vacuum cleaners, such as the iRobot Roomba 675 on several levels. It has proved to be better at cleaning floors than any other vacuum in the market. Although it is quite costly, its merits far surpass the minor problems associated with this device. Getting a good vacuum cleaner can sometimes be troublesome. There is a broad and deep range of vacuum cleaners out there which, makes selecting the perfect one quite overwhelming at times. However, this little guy checks all the boxes and shows what a joy a vacuum can really be if you get the choice right.
| Dimensions | 12.5 x 13.2 x 3.9 in |
|---|---|
| Weight | 8 lbs |
| Battery | 120 mins |
| App-enabled | Yes |
