Where the Roomba i7 is supported by a top-mounted camera that tracks the robot’s location using your ceiling, opting solely for laser sensors allows the Botvac to operate in darkness. The cleaner navigates using a laser sensor neatly perched on top of the device, which continuously scans the surroundings to create a floor plan of your home. The latter, however, shouldn’t be required with the D7’s virtual boundary feature. The D7 arrives with a compact charging base, two spare dust filters, a cleaning brush, and boundary marker strip for creating a physical “no-go” zone. Where other vacuums rely on a small, central brush to sweep dirt into the vacuum, the D7 sports a much wider brush at its front, supported by a side spinner that assists with edge cleaning. Neato says the rectangular end of the cleaner is better able to pick up dust from corners and the edges of walls. While the design gives the Botvac a simple, almost retro appearance, the shape is about more than mere aesthetics. The first thing you’ll notice about a Neato Botvac is its “D” shape, which is a change from the circular form factor prevalent in robot vacuums. Unique, D-shaped design targets enhanced edge and corner cleaning With a premium price, we expect the Botvac Connected D7 to compete strongly on both convenience and performance. It’s a feature already available in the recently-reviewed Roomba i7, priced from $699.
In addition, Neato added a zone cleaning feature to the D7, which allows you to target specific areas of your cleaning map – ideal for kitchens and dining areas that need regular maintenance.
They include laser-guided multi-floor mapping, Amazon Alexa/Google Assistant voice control, two-hour battery life, and “no-go” virtual boundaries, managed directly from the accompanying app. Boasting Neato’s unique D-shaped design (meant to deliver better edge and corner cleaning), this Wi-Fi equipped model supports a slew of advanced features. The $800 Neato Botvac Connected D7 is the company’s range-topping cleaner. Effective cleaning performance, but edges and corners disappoint.Quick setup, cleaning experience that lacks finesse.Unique, D-shaped design targets enhanced edge and corner cleaning.