Ecovacs Deebot N8 Pro Robotic Vacuum: Product review

There is nothing worse of a chore than hoovering.

From back-breaking work to the need to get into every nook and cranny, vacuuming has never really been a favourite pastime of many. Even less so now the spring nights have come in and there are 1,001 better things to do - even if most of New Zealand is in some form of Covid-19 induced lockdown.

Ecovacs is aware of this (possibly not the Covid-related side of things) and is about to launch a wider range of its robotic vacuums on to the local market. The expansion means that more New Zealanders should be able to access the technology and continue the love affair with smart homes and the possibilities that come with it.

NB - Ecovacs provided a Deebot N8 Pro (Price $899) for the purposes of this product review.

From the box

It's important to acknowledge the packaging of the Deebot. It sounds silly, but most electronic items these days come wrapped in plastic, surrounded in unnecessary bits and destined only for landfill. So it's pleasing to note that the box itself has minimal waste, the majority of which can be recycled, and is packaged to use every inch of space to the best capacity possible.

In this time of disposable technology and ever expanding consumer needs, the fact Ecovacs has started with the basics is a vital right step.

Out of the box

It's hard not to overstate how easy this machine is to set up.

While the Deebot N8 Pro doesn't come with a self emptying station (more on that a bit later), it is a case of simply removing the robot from its cover, taking off some of the plastic covers which protect certain parts, and attaching the colour-coded bristles to the base.

Plug in the charger and place the robot on the charger, and you're ready to go - it really couldn't be simpler.

The sleek white design makes it an item that can fit nestled almost anywhere in the house and not really stand out - after a few weeks with the robot living as part of the household, it's barely noticeable that it's there. 

Unlike clunky traditional hoovers with uprights that need to be folded away and moulded into surroundings.

As is apparent from the picture of the base, the robot itself contains basically all it needs to - the bristles go in the red and green elements and clip once in and don't need readjusting.

The wheels are incredibly sturdy and better than any remote controlled car on the market. 

It's all topped off by the no-frills packaging approach which once again prevents Ecovacs from overstuffing its equipment for the sake of it.

Set up

Like all smart devices, the Ecovacs Deebot N8 Pro requires an app to be downloaded and to work the device. It's an easy and relatively quick download that opens up the N8 Pro's possibilities and once pairing is done, the only real decision you need to urgently make is what to name the robot.

Getting started

With the publicity blurb screaming about the "TrueDetect 3D, TrueMapping Technology", there's a lot riding on the robot's capacity to self-regulate on different surfaces and while facing the different obstacles of a living room.

Initial mapping takes its time to ensure the area is completely covered, and the robot does a good job of getting around areas, even if some nooks and crannies can be missed from the mapping. 

Occasionally doors would be closed before the initial process was complete, but the Deebot seemed to cope with odd differences from the projected route when thrown in its path.

In fairness, the robot itself has coped pretty well with most objects around the house - cats included. The only times it's massively failed to reach its potential is getting stuck on the under the bottom rungs of a chair in a living room and needed a correction, and when it knocked a door closed and got stuck behind it, unable to continue its required task - but sending an error message to the app to notify its user.

With a mixed surface house that has both carpet and tiled floors, there's a difference in the speed the areas are cleaned, but not the level to which it's done. Carpet is more time-consuming (and obviously power-draining) but the unit speeds along tiled surfaces cleaning to efficiency, but also registering a notable increase in speed of doing so.

Customised mapping makes a difference too, with the ability to single out sections a benefit if you can't be bothered to do the whole area.

The obstacle avoidance is largely successful, and even walking around the robot while it's on its cleaning rounds means that you don't have to adjust your lifestyle because the droid is working around you.

That's the thing with the Deebot, it actually let you get on with life, rather than have you fuss over what it's doing on the app. A case of setting it and going is enough to ensure that once the map has been completed, and routes highlighted, the robot simply gets on with what it needs to do.

The downsides

Perhaps the biggest downside of this robot is the bin capacity within.

The unit doesn't come with a self-emptying station, and there's no obvious way to be notified that the bin is full. The bin itself inside the unit isn't obviously a great capacity bin, and can hold 0.42ml of waste from around the house being cleaned.

Bear in mind, that with 2 animals in the house, a lot of the fur is what the Deebot will be picking up, and in all honesty, that has been the majority of what the Deebot's bin has collected. 

The problem with the lack of any notification of a full bin in this unit means the device carries on as normal, and upon return to its charging dock, tends to leave waste and dust when it next sets off. 

Maybe the self-cleaning unit would make a difference, but this is truly the biggest hands on issue that the robot faces, and perhaps given the unit's size and its sleek nature, one that manufacturers can't easily overcome. There is possibly a chance to get it rectified via the app though.

The 2600Pa suction power is powerful enough for a small unit on carpet in an average house, but there were occasions when the route taken by the robot missed some of the crumbs left behind on carpet surfaces. Whether this was as a result of the above is not 100% clear, but it is highly likely.

And as mentioned above, occasionally the robot got stuck going through chairs and over some uneven terrain, necessitating a need to give it a helping hand. While that's not crucial while in a lockdown setting, it does make one wonder how it would cope if the house was empty and only the robot was here. (Though again, notifications on the app make the difference to the robot's issues.)

It also doesn't handle cords very well - the brushes easily get confused by what the sensor tells them to do and it's felt really like that is something that necessitates human intervention. 

 

Conclusion

There's something about the Deebot N8 Pro that screams simplicity - and for a chore like hoovering, the robot vacuum does more than enough to make less of a chore and give you your time back to do other things - or multitask while it does its cleaning. 

It may suffer from a lack of storage when doing the vacuuming, but with a bit of a mindset change, the benefits outweigh some of the cons. It's not possible to talk to value when compared to other units, as they've not been under review - or a market that has been explored to the full. 

But for the peace of mind that the Deebot N8 Pro can afford and the fact the robot can do the job while freeing you up to doing other things, it's a welcome addition to the continuing smart home evolution.

Ecovacs provided a Deebot N8 Pro (Price $899) for the purposes of this product review.