Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo Review: The Wi-Fi Robot for Under 400 Bucks

Whoever said that having a Wi-Fi connected robot vacuum means that you would need to spend a great deal of money probably did not hear about the Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo.

This little robot vacuum proves that you can get an efficient robot vacuum that you can control on your smartphone without spending too much for it.

Features of the Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo 

The Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo follows the same form factor as the original Deebot Slim, which is squarish with very rounded edges.

However, it comes in black and gray color combination, rather than the light green and white color theme you see on the original.  It measures 12.2 inches on all sides and stands 2.2 inches thick.  It weighs 6.6 pounds. 

These dimensions mean that the Ecovacs Slim Neo is both narrower and shorter than most Roombas, as well as other Ecovac non-Slim models.  Its lower profile means that it can clean under more furniture without getting stuck.  The robot vacuum can also squeeze itself into tight corners and clean there.    

Sensors.  The Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo has a range of sensors, which it calls Smart Motion.  The Smart Motion navigation technology helps the robot vacuum find its way around your home.

there are also sensors that help it avoid dropping off stairs or colliding into furniture legs or the wall, keeping your robot vacuum safe from damage.  In short, these sensors allow your robot vacuum to clean more efficiently, while preventing incidents that might damage it. 

Three cleaning modes.  The Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo uses three cleaning modes.  Auto is the default mode, where the robot vacuum moves around your floor in a random pattern in order to clean it.  It also has a spot cleaning mode that sends the robot vacuum in a spiral cleaning pattern over a small area.

Focusing on that particular area, the Ecovacs Slim Neo is able to clean dirtier parts of your floor.  The spot mode is also very useful when you spill something and you just want to clean the spillage without having to clean the rest of your floor.

Lastly, the Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo has an edge mode, which sends the robot vacuum to the corners and edges of the room, giving it a thorough clean.  The Slim Neo has two side brushes that you can attach at the front corners of the robot vacuum.

These side brushes do the sweeping and put the dust in the way of the suction intake.   

Mobile app.  The mobile app allows you to easily create cleaning schedules for your Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo.  The mobile app can also show you the battery charge level and status of the robot vacuum.  You can also use the mobile app to manually control where the robot vacuum goes.

So, if you see it missing a spot, you can easily tell the robot where to go and clean.  You can also set a cleaning mode for the robot using the app.

Furthermore, you can get maintenance reminders on the app, so you would know when it is time to change the side brushes or its other accessories.Lastly, the mobile app gives you the ability to tweak the settings for the robot vacuum, including changing its name.   

What’s in the box? 

• DEEBOT SLIM Neo 
• Charging dock 
• Remote control and batteries 
• Side brushes 
• Extra filter 
• Instruction manual and quick start guide 

What you would like about the Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo 

The Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo delivers a decent clean for your hardwood floors without costing too much.  It sells on Amazon (check here for the latest price). This makes it one of the notable robot vacuums available in the market today.  

The Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo is your best friend if you have a lot of small corners in your room that your upright vacuum cleaner or other robot vacuums cannot reach.  It can go under more furniture and into tighter spaces compared to other robot vacuums.  

On hardwood and tiled floors, it does a very decent job of cleaning up dust and dirt.  If you have pets at home, you will love just how good this robot vacuum is at cleaning up pet hair and dander.  Plus, the brushes are mostly tangle free, ensuring consistent cleanups.

It does not matter if you have just started the cleaning run, or are close to finishing the job, the Slim Neo will pick up the same amount of hair, dust and dirt all throughout its cleaning run. 

There are a lot of things that you will love about the Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo. It can get into more places compared to bigger, fatter, and taller robot vacuums.

It can pick up more than its share of dust, dirt, and pet hair.  It can even pick up heavier debris such as cereals and small rocks.  Plus, it works quietly too, registering a noise level of only 64 decibels!   

What could be better 

The Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo does not have a main brush, which would have helped in agitating and loosening up more dirt and dust.  Instead, you rely on the two side brushes, which have soft bristles. 

This limits the Slim Neo to effectively clean only on hardwood floors and tiled floors.  It will not be able to thoroughly clean your carpets, so, if you have carpeted floors, or have areas that are carpeted, you might want to consider something else.   

Another limitation for the Slim Neo is that it can get easily stuck or caught by common household obstacles such as a power cord or a piece of string.  You would need to make sure to put away these obstacles before you start cleaning.  

Furthermore, there are reports that the Slim Neo sometimes has difficulty finding its charging dock.  There might be times when it would take minutes before it is able to locate the dock, and might even run out of battery before being able to recharge by itself.

This can be easily remedied by placing the charging dock in a place where it can easily be found. 

Moreover, the Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo might not be a good choice for larger rooms.  Not only does it have difficulties finding its way back to the charging dock, but having a random cleaning pattern might mean that it would miss quite a few spots when placed in a larger area. 

Alternatives to the Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo 

There are very few robot vacuums today that could give the Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo a run for its money when it comes to its low profile, smart features, low price, and cleaning ability.   

The lowest priced connected Roomba is the Roomba 690, which has a more discernable cleaning pattern than the Deebot Slim Neo. It also has a main brush, which the Deebot Slim Neo lacks.

Unlike the Slim Neo, the Roomba 690 can clean carpets with no problems whatsoever. However, it is comparatively more expensive (check here for the latest price). 

If you are looking for a cheaper Roomba, then you could check out the Roomba 614.  It’s not exactly as cheap as the Slim Neo, but it will give you a better clean and take care of your carpets.  It does not, however, have Wi-Fi connectivity. 

Then you have the Eufy Robovac 11c, which is only 3.1 inches high, offers Wi-Fi connectivity, and delivers a solid and efficient clean.  It can handle carpeted floors, wood, tile and other floor types with no hassles.  It also works with Amazon Alexa.

It has a suggested retail price, although current prices on Amazon are double the SRP.

If you want to keep the price at a decent amount, you can buy the Eufy Robovac 11, which is basically the same robot vacuum as the 11c but without the Wi-Fi connectivity and the Amazon Alexa support. 

Speaking of not having smarts, you can also consider getting an ILIFE A4, which sells on Amazon (check the latest price).  The ILIFE A4 delivers three-step cleaning with a powerful suction that also features a max mode.   

Final Call on the Slim Neo

If you are on the lookout for budget robot vacuums that deliver efficient cleans while keeping the price down, then the Ecovacs Deebot Slim is definitely right up your alley.

However, it is not perfect in that it cannot handle carpeted floors and would require some preparation on your part to make sure that it can easily find its way back to the charging dock and also so that it does not get stuck too much.

Still, for its Wi-Fi connectivity, good cleaning performance, and low price, you can easily recommend the Ecovacs Deebot Slim Neo. 

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