Neato Robotics - Botvac D6 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum - Black
Model: 945-0308
SKU: 6277902
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Customers are pleased with the Botvac D6's cleaning performance and navigation capabilities, frequently praising its ability to thoroughly clean floors and effectively maneuver around obstacles. Many appreciate the mapping feature and long battery life, allowing for efficient cleaning of larger areas. However, some users noted that the robot can be noisy and the dustbin requires frequent emptying. The app is generally well-received, but some experienced issues with docking.
The first time this takes of and starts cleaning it is pretty neat to see. The vacuum does a great job cleaning both hard floors and carpets (I have low pile carpet in three rooms and hard surfaces with medium pile area rugs in the rest). It also gets better and faster the more times it cleans an area (it learns the room, cleans the border, then goes back and forth rather than bumping into things randomly like other robot vacuums). It cleans the 1000sqft area I have it program for in a little less than 2hrs, with about 40% battery life remaining. Setup was not bad, but there are a few things to know. The included instructions are thin, only showing initial dock setup and where to download the required app (phone or tablet required for use/setup). Setup was no problem, but you must have a flat wall with a plug and 3ft of space around it for the robot to maneuver. I will also say that if you plan on using a floorplan with virtual no-go lines the dock should be in an area where nothing moves (I had mine near a door that was sometimes open and this would cause cleaning to fail). You must have WIFI and a reliable internet connection for the robot to function as intended (it is controlled through a cloud service). The first time the robot attempted to learn my floorplan it got stuck (wedged half under the couch and caught on the edge of an area rug). I immediately got a notification that it needed my help, but when I clicked on the support link it gave me a page not found message (it also did this for the check dust bin message). I was able to resume the learning session without completely returning it to base by moving the rug slightly and pushing the only button on the top of the unit, but the in app support was disappointing. Daily use is no problem with automated schedules, but you have to make sure the house is semi-clean to start with (no shoes laces, phone cords, small toys - it is a vacuum, it will suck these up). I recommend cleaning when you are not home - this is still a vacuum and while not obnoxiously loud, you can hear the motor and the occasional bump as it maneuvers (even in eco-mode with careful navigation enabled). It also makes the occasional chime to let you know it is starting, finished, or has a message for you. The dust bin is not large, but adequate (I get a message to check it about half way through the second cleaning cycle). The use of virtual no-go lines and a floorplan is a must to keep the robot from getting tangled in the shoes you always leave by the door or bumping the dog's water bowel. After the first cleaning a map of your house appears and you can mark areas where you don't want the robot to go. This does work, but drawing the lines was a little tedious and if the base or too many objects around it are moved the robot will not start cleaning. I would recommend. Like many "smart" products you have to put effort into helping it learn to get the most out of it. The instructions and in app support might be an issue for some. Despite a few minor issues I found this robot intuitive, friendly and a good cleaner.
Posted by MGoose
The Neato Botvac D6 is a high-performance laser-mapping robot vacuum from Netao Robotics. I’ve been using it for almost a month now, and I want to give you my thoughts on the D6 in comparison to the more expensive D7, as well as my experience with Neato Robotics Customer Care. In my review of the D7, I claimed that it was the “archetype robot vacuum”, and I think that still holds true today based on my experience with other robot vacuums. The D6, however, is a great alternative for those who don’t care for some of the more luxurious features found in the D7, while also getting a cheaper price. For example, the D6 will not receive the upcoming Zone cleaning functionality—which would have allowed you to create zones on your map so that your Botvac can clean that specific zone either when you command it to, or when you set a schedule to do so. On top of that, The D6 saves a bit of cost by omitting 5GHz Wi-Fi Connectivity. Given that these Botvacs aren’t using tons of network bandwidth, this is likely a fair tradeoff; however, it’s something to consider if your home network configurations are more advanced. Lastly, the D6 does not have the capability for manual control like the D7, but honestly, that functionality was never cohesive, and it defeats the purpose of having such a smart robot vacuum. In short, the only considerable compromise I see for the D6 when compared to the D7 is the lack of Zone cleaning, which the D6 and even lesser models are technically capable of—but Neato Robotics is reserving that functionality for loyal customers who have already paid for the more premium model. With that comparison out of the way, let’s talk about what the D6 is good at. Firstly, the setup process is mostly painless. You download the app, register an account if you don’t already have one, turn on the Botvac, wait for it to broadcast a Wi-Fi connection, then connect your Android or iOS device to the D6 over an ad-hoc Wi-Fi connection. From there, the app will ask you to select your home’s Wi-Fi network and password, and the D6 will connect to your home’s Wi-Fi connection and will remain connected. At which point, you can command/schedule the D6 via the app. The D6 accurately maps the layout of your house and can even do multiple floors if you are so inclined to move your D6 from time to time. The app allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and toggle between Eco/Turbo suction modes for either extended cleaning time (great for larger houses) or more powerful suction (for a more effective clean, but at the cost of battery). Additionally, there is a Gentle Navigation mode which will slow the botvac down to better prevent the D6 from bumping into walls and potentially causing scuffs on more sensitive areas. On top of that, like the other Neato Botvacs, the D6 sends you a push notification of its completion map when it has finished a cleaning session. This map highlights the areas where the D6 has vacuumed, while leaving the unaffected areas unmarked. It even gives a sq ft. metric and how much time it took to complete. Additionally, if the Botvac has issues or gets stuck (which is rare, from my experience), it can also send you a push notification to alert you so that you can manually reposition the botvac and resume its session. From my experience, the D6 is effective at picking up dirt, dust, lint, pet hair, and so on. I make sure to clean out the bin and filter at least once a week (the app allows you to set reminders for this) so that I never have issues. The D6 has had no issues traversing floor mats, but very light, easily movable materials can cause issues, so it’s best to otherwise keep your floors clear of objects. Lastly, because of the D-shaped body and side brushes, the Botvac is able to clean up against walls and corners quite a bit better when compared to other robot vacuums. And because of its low profile, it can go under furniture that other robot vacuums could not. For my use-case scenario, I find the D6 to be just as good as the D7. Lastly, I want to talk about some issues I faced with the D6 at the beginning and how they were resolved. Initially, I had issues with the D6 staying connected to my Linksys Velop mesh Wi-Fi network, but after contacting Neato Robotics Customer Care, we eventually found that my router’s firmware was out-of-date. After performing a firmware update to my router, the D6’s Wi-Fi connectivity has been flawless. I’d also like to disclose that I provided detailed information to Neato Robotics’ engineering team about my network configuration and with my permission (which they asked for), they were able to collect error logs from my D6 and they were able to expedite a package to my address which included a software update for the D6 as well as instructions to perform the update. In conjunction with the router update, I also performed this software update on the D6, and have had no issues with the D6 staying connected to my home network. My experience with Neato Robotics has been pleasant, overall. Their commitment to helping me have the best experience is unparalleled. I asked them to step up and show me what customer support is, and they definitely did. While there were initially some hurdles, I am very satisfied with the end-result. The D6 is a very reliable robot vacuum, and I’m glad to have it in my arsenal. As someone who has enjoyed a Neato Botvac in the past (and will continue to do so in the future), I believe that Neato has an excellent product that comes at a premium price, but from my experience with other robot vacuums, the reliability, features and performance is worth the cost.
Posted by Xephyroth
Really impressed so far. Got it to map the whole level and it's a pretty good size, probably 1600 sq ft or so. Navigation is way better than the budget models I am used to. It has only gotten stuck once really and that's when it ate part of a loose string on a rug. I did notice that when I had a dog bed blocking the path to the living room only leaving a few feet clearance it didn't want to go in living room. I just picked up the dog bed and made a normal pathway and it mapped and swept the area. It's worth the extra few hundred for the advanced navigation features. That older bounce off the wall thing can't compare to this at all.
Posted by briand
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