The Neato Botvac D7 Connected is a Wi-Fi enabled robotic vacuum cleaner that works with both the Neato app and Amazon Alexa devices. Its corner-cleaning shape means that it will corner and sweep up dusty dirt hiding along the walls and in the corners of a room.
Cleaning Performance
The Botvac D7 has the ability to clean, return to its dock to recharge, and then to resume cleaning. The robotic cleaner has a large brush and a suction port in front and a small side brush for edge cleaning. An ultra performance filter removes dusty particles from the air it expels so that you do not inhale it later. Its laser navigation system means that it cleans in straight lines. It does not clean in random patterns.
Keep in mind that you still need to empty out the Botvac D7’s dust bin after each use. You should also check the brushes and remove hair that might accumulate and clog it up. Its ultra performance filter probably needs replacement after a few months. Therefore, the robot vacuum needs regular cleaning in order to keep it cleaning regularly.
Multiple Floor Plan Mapping
The Neato Botvac D7 uses laser technology to scan and map the floor plan of your home. It creates a map for the Neato app. You can then draw no-go lines on the map to prevent the robot from cleaning certain parts of the house.
This Neato vacuum robot is supposed to be able to remember up to three different floor plans, which makes it useful for a multi-story house. However, you might have to update the Neato app and the robot’s software before being able to access these abilities. A recent update have solved these problems. The Botvac D7 is able to receive over-the-air software updates. We just wish the company would have solved these problems before releasing the Botvac to the market.
Botvac D7 vs. Roomba 980
Let us consider how these robots navigate inside the rooms of the house. The Botvac D7 uses laser navigation, while the Roomba 980 uses visual navigation. The visual navigation system relies on an optical camera which requires enough light, therefore the Roomba 980 cannot see properly in dim lighting or dark rooms. The Roomba 980 seems to suffer from night-blindness.
The Botvac D7 does not have a problem with dim lighting because it uses laser navigation instead of cameras. The only drawback with the laser system is that it increases the height of the robot vacuum. The Botvac D7 might get stuck under furniture because it is about 3.9 inches high, while the Roomba 980 is only 3.6 inches high.
These robotic vacuum cleaners both have 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, so you may control them with a smartphone app. You can also use a voice control system such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home. The smartphone app provides a map report of the areas that has been successfully cleaned. However, the Botvac D7 creates an interactive map of the floor where you can draw virtual no-go boundary lines. The Roomba 980 does not offer an interactive map, so it relies on a virtual wall barrier device to create an exclusion zone.
The D7 and the 980 can both recharge automatically and then resume cleaning. They have side brushes for cleaning edges and roller brushes for dirt and hair. There is not much else that we can say about it.
The last thing to do is to compare the price tags of these robotic vacuum cleaners. The Botvac D7 and the Roomba 980 are going to cost you about $800 each, so there is almost no difference when it comes to price. Therefore, your decision will depend on which features you like the best.
Botvac D7: Verdict
Overall, do not expect a robotic vacuum cleaner to do all the vacuuming forever. You might still need to use a manual vacuum cleaner, but much less than before.
The Neato Botvac D7 is somewhat expensive, but it does offer some neat features. It is a high-quality product. It uses laser navigation to scan, map and move around the floor plan of your house. However, the laser system sits on top of the robot, which increases its height. Therefore, the Botvac D7 tends to get stuck in places where other robot vacuum cleaners will not get stuck. This is a good example of a specific feature that is either an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the circumstances. The robot will try to alert you to its predicament by sending alerts to the app on your smartphone and by beeping for help.
The Neato Botvac D7 certainly provides enough suction power and brushing action, but it might be a little noisy while working. Nevertheless, it is one of the robotic vacuum cleaners that support multiple floor plans. Shop now on Amazon.