I’ve wanted a robot vacuum for several years but have held off from getting one primarily because of the price. After reading an article on WireCutter that recommends the ECOVACS DEEBOT N79 with a $200 price point and good reviews, I decided to give it a shot.The ECOVACS DEEBOT N79 is recommended for wood floors, low carpet and a modest amount of dog hair. It comes with a remote and smartphone app that allows you to control the vacuum and set the schedule. The app works well but it would be nice if it would notify you when the vacuum gets stuck or is low on battery.
The anti-collision feature works most of the time but I’ve had some issues with it getting stuck under furniture. The ECOVACS DEEBOT N79 does not work well with thick rugs and can get also stuck on them. Unfortunately, in my case, the vacuum has gotten stuck almost every time I’ve run it. From reading reviews of the most expensive Roomba 980 ($799), this appears to be an issue with all robot vacuums.
Overall, if you are interested in a budget-friendly robot vacuum and I would recommend you giving the ECOVACS DEEBOT N79 a chance. You could buy four ECOVACS for the price of one Roomba 980. Make sure you get some replacement brushes and filters.
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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I don’t trust them. I used to have have a Roomba not long after they came out. Maybe 10 years ago and I think it sold for $300. It was maybe 50% effective at picking up the dirt and got stuck all the time. I put up with it because I thought at least it was doing something. Something’s better than nothing, right? Then the battery needed replaced because it wouldn’t hold a charge. I think they wanted $100 for a replacement battery. I threw the whole thing in the trash.
I would imagine they’ve gotten better in 10 years but I agree they have a way to go before they are reliable. Unless the battery is cheap to replace this one will most likely be trashed when it dies.
If you want something to sweep while you’re busy and out of the house, its fine. It keeps the floor reasonably clean. It still requires at least once a week manual sweeping though. If that was all there was, it would probably be ok. But after a couple of years the battery starts dying and needs replaced. Then the cost of the new battery is just crazy.