The Deebot N78 is a cheap vacuum cleaner and wet mop robot for pet owners. It can sweep, vacuum and wet mop hard floors to remove human and pet hair, but it might choke on rugs and carpets.
Introduction
The Deebot N78 is manufactured by Ecovacs Robotics, which is a well known household robotic brand in China. It sells products in many other countries, including the United States of America.
It seems like the Deebot N78 does a good job at removing fur and dander from the floor. Its noise level is surprisingly low at less than 60dB.
2018 update: it seems like the N78 might not include the water tank and wet mop anymore. The model we reviewed in 2017 still had the wet mop feature. Nevertheless, this is not a great loss because the wet mop function really had a limited effect. It could never replace cleaning with a real mop. Keep this in mind while reading the rest of this Deebot N78 review.
Deebot N78: Overview
The Deebot N78 has two side brushes which do the sweeping. It does not have central counter-rotating brushes such as the Roomba 650. Instead, its side brushes sweep the dirt towards the brushless vacuum port, where it is sucked into the dust bin. The dust bin is a normal size with a 500 milliliter capacity.
The air is expelled through a high-efficiency particulate filter (HEPA) which removes pollen, spores, dust mites and pet dander. Cleaner floors and cleaner air equals fewer allergies.
The Deebot N78 does not only sweep and vacuum, but it can also wet mop a hard floor. It has an optional water reservoir which can be filled with water and loaded with a reusable microfiber cleaning cloth. It is fitted underneath the robotic cleaner, behind the brushless suction port. The robot can then sweep, vacuum and wet mop the floor. However, it might be safer to remove the detachable water reservoir before it automatically returns to the charging dock.
This Ecovacs robotic vacuum cleaner automatically runs around the room, cleaning the floor many times. There are three cleaning modes: automatic, spot (5 minutes) and edge cleaning. Its obstacle and anti-drop sensors keep it on a clear path, away from obstructive objects and dangerous drop-offs. Nonetheless, remove any items from the floor such as toys, clothes, cables and loose rugs that might choke up the vacuum cleaning robot.
The Deebot N78 returns to the charging dock when its battery is low on power. The maximum cleaning time per charge is about 100 minutes. However, it might not be able to find its way back if the charging dock is in a different room. Move the dock to the same room that the robot is currently cleaning. It recharges its battery automatically in approximately 5 hours, but does not resume cleaning. Nonetheless, one cleaning cycle per day at a specific time might be enough to keep pet hair under control.
You can use the included remote control to start, pause, direct and program the vacuum cleaning robot from a distance. The robot can be programmed to clean the floor once per day.
What do you get with the Deebot N78?
The box should contain the following things:
- N78 vacuum cleaning robot
- charging dock
- four side brushes (you now have two spare brushes!)
- one extra HEPA filter
- instruction manual
- remote control with battery
- two washable microfiber cloths
- water reservoir, measuring cup and cleaning solution
The Ecovacs Deebot N78 has a one-year limited warranty on the vacuum robot. The battery is covered by a 6-month limited warranty.
Does the robot get rid of pet hair?
Yes, it will clean up the almost unseen layer of hair that pets like to leave lying around the house. It will also pick up the small pieces of cat litter that seems to escape the confines of the litter tray.
Can it clean carpets?
It might clean thin carpets, but the Deebot N78 is much more efficient at cleaning hard floors. It only has side brushes and therefore lacks the bristling brushing power of a central rotating brush. Another thing to remember is that it cannot clean a carpet or rug if the water reservoir and microfiber mopping cloth is still attached.
The N78 is not recommended for cleaning carpets. It just does not have the brushing ability or the suction power to clean a carpet. You might try another cheap robotic vacuum cleaner, such as the ILIFE A4s, which cleans both carpets and hard floors.
Does it make a lot of noise?
The manufacturer states that its noise level is 58 decibels. This noise level might be compared to running an air conditioner or an air purifier. The N78 has a lower noise level than a regular upright vacuum cleaner because it is not nearly as powerful.
Is it compatible with virtual walls?
No, the N78 does not support virtual wall technology. There is no virtual wall in the box. Use physical barriers, such as doors or books, to prevent this Deebot from entering or leaving a specific room or area.
Deebot N78 vs. Roomba 650
First of all, the Roomba 650 has a single side brush, while the Deebot N78 has dual side brushes. The Roomba 650 also has two brushes beneath its suction port that agitate and brush dirt into its vacuum dust bin. The N78 has a brushless suction port. Therefore, the Roomba 650 will brush away more dirt, but will get more hair stuck in its brush bristles.
The brushes of the Roomba need frequent cleaning to remove tangled hair. The brushless vacuum port of the N78 is tangle-free. Nevertheless, its dual side brushes might need infrequent cleaning to remove long hairy fibers.
The Roomba 650 is much better at cleaning carpets than the N78 due to its extra brushes and stronger suction power. The N78 is recommended for hard floors, but not for carpeted floors.
Furthermore, the list price of the Deebot N78 is usually less than the Roomba 650. The price of the N78 also includes a removable water tank and microfiber mopping pad, which the Roomba 650 does not have.
What the Roomba 650 does have, which the Deebot N78 does not have, is virtual wall technology. The Roomba is shipped with a virtual wall.
Another thing to consider is that the Deebot N78 has a HEPA filter, while the Roomba 650 has less efficient filters. This might be a consideration if you are prone to allergies.
Finally, the Deebot N78 probably performs almost as well as the Roomba 650. It might also be less noisy, but that might be because the Roomba 650 has more brushing and suction power.
Deebot N78: Verdict
The Ecovacs Deebot N78 is a cheap robotic vacuum cleaner and wet mop combination. It does a good job on hard floors, but it is not powerful enough for carpets and rugs (check price on Amazon).