In this review, we’ll be looking at one of Neato’s latest robot vacuums, the Botvac D8.
It’s one of three new releases from Neato, and I’ve put it through a series of tests to find out how good is it and how it compares to other brands.
The Botvac D8 retains the same D-shape frame as other Neato Botvac options, but it doesn’t have a self-emptying feature, which is surprising since most brands have added this to their products.
But it does have one of the largest dustbins of any robot vacuums, mitigating this omission.
Lots Of Promise, But Lacking In Several Critical Features
- Navigation - 90%90%
- Surface Cleaning - 96.67%97%
- Deep Cleaning - 85.7%86%
- Quality - 95%95%
- Design - 96%96%
- Value - 94%94%
Summary
The Neato D8 has great potential with its D-shape frame and ultra-wide brush roll. There’s no question that this robot will pick up debris well, but my biggest issue is its navigation. It’s quirky and tends to get stuck if it approaches a wall at the wrong angle. Also, it’s lacking thoroughness with its one-pass-only run. Plus, it’s got no self-emptying feature. Neato has to address these if it wants to compete with the likes of Roborock
Pros
- One of the least expensive LIDAR-based robots
- Excellent deep cleaning performance (above 85%)
- Large capacity dustbin (0.7-liters)
- Widest brush roll in the industry (over 11″)
- It’s excellent at avoiding obstacles within the LIDAR’s point-of-view
Cons
- Sub-par navigation despite using a laser sensor
- The app lacks critical features (e.g., multiple-pass runs, multi-map saving)
- Navigation tends to be aggressive if you use the turbo setting
User Review
( votes)Introduction to the Neato Botvac D8
The Botvac D8 is one of three new Neato products released this year, but strangely, none comes with an auto-empty feature.
I’m unsure what Neato is trying to accomplish with these three, but it has fallen behind. One thing going for the D8 is it’s one of the least expensive smart robot vacuums with LIDAR, but how good is it?
I’ve spent many days testing this robot, doing my usual series of tests to check its performance and how it compares to other brands.
First, let’s look at its features.
LIDAR sensor
LIDAR, or laser distance sensor, is a staple for all Neato Botvac products.
One advantage of using such is it’s not reliant on light, so it’s possible to use LIDAR robots in pitch-dark conditions.
Another advantage of LIDAR is its efficiency in tracking locations and drawing maps since using a laser is precise.
Unfortunately, the MyNeato app doesn’t have a live map feature, unlike other LIDAR-based robots such as Roborock and Dreame.
D-Shape Frame
The Neato brand was the first brand to implement a D-shape frame. One advantage of utilizing such is that it enables a wide brush roll to be fitted.
Robots with a square front tend to do better at cleaning corners and edges with the roller and side brush placement close to the front.
Wide 11″ Brush Roll
Utilizing a D-shaped frame gives it enough space to put a wide brush roll. And the D8 has the widest in the industry at around 11″.
It’s wider than the Roomba S9+ and even a full-sized stick vacuum like the Dyson V15 Detect.
This width helps it pick up more debris per pass than any other robot vacuum I’ve tested.
Side brush
The D8 side brush sits behind the brush roll, unlike the Roomba S9+ behind the rollers.
And like the Roomba S9, it has a five-pronged side brush but mostly bristles.
Related: Neato D8 vs. Roborock S7+
I’m not a fan of this placement since it hampers its ability to reach the very edges, which you’ll see later in the edge cleaning results.
One plus with the placement is that there’s no risk of scattering debris since it goes through the primary brush before reaching the side brush.
Dustbin Design and Capacity
The Neato D8 utilizes a top-mounted dustbin with an extra-large 0.7-liter capacity.
It’s one of the largest in the industry but needs every ounce since this robot doesn’t have an auto-empty feature.
Since it doesn’t have a door, consumers must empty it by removing the filter, which can be tricky since it’s wide.
MyNeato App
With the Botvac D8, D9, and D10, Neato also released the new MyNeato app.
It’s a newer version of the old Neato app with a few wrinkles.
New interface
The first thing you’ll notice with the MyNeato app is the new interface with five bottom tabs for easy access to the different functions: history, scheduling, cleaning, map, and robot settings.
However, the core functionality remains the same, and there’s not much that Neato added except for the no-go zones feature.
No-Go Zones
The most significant add-on to the MyNeato app is the No-Go zone features. It’s Neato’s answer to Roomba’s keep-out zones.
This feature lets consumers draw boxes or rectangles as “no-entry” zones.
But here’s a head-scratcher for me. Neato removed the no-go lines, which they should have kept.
No-go lines act as a virtual wall for those unfamiliar, blocking the robot from going past it.
The beauty of it is that you can draw diagonal lines, which is helpful in specific zones where a rectangle isn’t practical.
History
The history tab shows the previous cleaning cycles and the corresponding maps. There’s not much functionality here except for showing the mileage of the robot.
Scheduling
The MyNeato app has a scheduling feature that automates the vacuuming process.
One pro is that you can schedule multiple daily runs, which mitigates the one-pass-only run cycle.
Robot Preferences
This tab enables consumers to adjust the robot settings, but the MyNeato app only has one customization option.
There’s only one option: clean the area even if it doesn’t recognize it or cancel cleaning.
Map Saving
Currently, the MyNeato app can save one map level. It does say in the app that a multi-level feature will be available soon.
However, I hoped Neato would release the feature during the product release without making consumers wait.
No Live Map
Unfortunately, the MyNeato app doesn’t have a live map. Instead, it only shows a graphic of a robot during the run.
For a LIDAR robot, this omission is disappointing since most laser robots I tested have this feature in the app.
How does the Neato D8 navigate?
Next, we’ll look at navigation, and as I’ve said earlier, the D8 relies on LIDAR or a laser distance sensor.
I like LIDAR-based robots because these products are precise with how they navigate.
But not all LIDAR robots are created equal, so some perform better than others.
If I’d put brands into tiers, I’d rank them in this order: Roborock, Dreame, Ecovacs, then Neato.
Like those brands, the Neato D8 utilizes LIDAR and SLAM, enabling it to move in straight lines.
However, I find it lacking in several aspects, and it doesn’t have the polish of a Roborock or even an Ecovacs.
The first issue is it only has a one-pass run, unlike the other brands with a multi-pass run.
Another issue is that it becomes more aggressive with the Turbo setting, sometimes getting stuck on overhangs.
I was expecting more from Neato since it’s one of the pioneering brands, but it was disappointing.
How much power does the Neato Botvac D8 have?
Airflow is another critical factor in robot vacuum selection, and I use an anemometer to measure it in all robot vacuums I test.
Here are the results for the Neato D8.
- Eco: 13.74 CFM
- Turbo: 19.74 CFM
The 19.74 CFM figure is the same as the Roomba 980, which is impressive since this robot is one of the least expensive smart navigating robots.
However, the navigation issues hamper its cleaning performance as it only goes around once.
The app doesn’t have the provision to adjust the number of passes.
Cleaning performance
I put all robot vacuums through a grueling series of tests on various debris types like sand, quaker oats, quinoa, coffee grounds, pet litter, hair, etc.
Here are the results.
- Overall: 93.93%
- Hard floor: 96.6%
- Sand on hard floor: 96.5%
- Carpet: 96.92%
- Deep cleaning: 85.7%
The results above are disappointing for a high-airflow robot. Again, one reason is the navigation issues I outlined earlier, especially with the turbo setting.
I did these experiments mostly with the Eco setting because of the navigation issues with the Turbo setting.
It pushed the barrier out of position several times, and it’s a microcosm of the issues plaguing this robot.
Hard floor results
- Quaker oats: 100%
- Coffee: 88.2%
- Quinoa: 99.8%
- Pet litter: 98.4%
It did well with most tests, except for coffee grounds, where some debris didn’t go past the brush.
Using the turbo setting would resolve this issue, but I couldn’t use it with navigation issues.
Sand on hard floor
The Neato D8 did fairly well in the sand on hard floor test, picking up a decent 96.5%, but it’s a notch below the Roomba 980, which picked up 100%.
There is a combination of things why the D8 didn’t do well—first, the lack of passes and the wide turns.
The Neato D8 had wider turns with less overlap than the Roomba 980.
Another reason is the Roomba 980 has dirt detect, so it does extra back-and-forth passes when it detects more debris.
And that’s on top of the two-pass run. Plus, I used the 980’s max power setting, which greatly helps.
Edge Cleaning
One benefit of a D-shape robot is its edge-cleaning performance, and the D8 didn’t disappoint.
I scattered this much on the test area, and the D8 picked up most of it.
But it didn’t pick up everything 100%. It left this patch of debris close to the edge.
One reason could be the side brush placement or the shorter bristles that didn’t do much at dislodging debris in this area.
Hair Wrap
Next, we’ll look at the hair wrap results, where I test the D8 on how well it resists tangles from five and seven-inch strands.
Here’s the result after the five-inch test. There’s not much wrapping on the brush.
It did well, picking up 94% but struggled with longer seven-inch strands, only getting 45%, with most of it wrapping on the brush.
Carpet Tests
Next, we’ll look at how the Neato D8 did on low and mid-pile carpet, where I tested it on the same debris set.
Low pile results
- Quaker oats: 97%
- Coffee: 86.8%
- Quinoa: 99.6%
- Pet litter: 99.2%
The D8 did quite well with most tests, except for coffee grounds. Again, the issue is my hesitancy in using the max setting as it pushes the barrier aside.
Using the D8 in the highest setting will surely help with debris pick-up.
I hope Neato will address this, as it is a software issue, and I think it’s easy to update through the app.
Mid pile results
- Quaker oats: 96.4%
- Coffee: 98.2%
- Quinoa: 100%
- Pet litter: 98.2%
You’ll notice with the results above that the D8 did much better with coffee grounds.
It’s because I can use the turbo setting, helping it pick up more.
I mentioned that using the turbo setting may cause some issues with navigation, but it doesn’t happen at every run, but the erratic nature of how the robot traverses is a source of frustration.
It shows the potential of this robot if Neato can iron out the kinks with its new app and navigation.
Deep Cleaning
The Neato D8 is one of the better deep-cleaning robots based on tests. It picked up an average of 85.7% in two tests.
This figure is in the upper echelon for robot vacuums in this category.
How noisy is the Neato Botvac D8?
One issue with high airflow robots is their tendency to be noisy. Fortunately, the Neato D8 isn’t as noisy.
I used a sound meter to test these robots a few feet away.
- Eco: 64.6 dB
- Turbo: 67.9 dB
It only maxed out at 67.9 decibels and didn’t breach the 70-decibel level mark, which was the case with the Roomba S9 and 980.
Product Specifications
Model | Neato D8 |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Neato |
Battery | 2100 mAh Li-ion |
Run time | Up to 100 mins. |
Dirt Capacity (dry) | 700 ml. |
Auto empty capacity | None |
Width | 12.71 inches |
Height | 3.99 inches |
Smart Navigation | Yes |
Recharge and Resume | Yes |
HEPA Filtration | No |
Side Brush | Yes |
Extra Filter | Yes (2) |
Manufactured In | China |
Warranty | 1 year |
Price | Check Price |
Where can I buy the Neato Botvac D8?
You can purchase the Neato D8 in online stores like Amazon. Check the links below for the latest pricing information.
- Neato Botvac D8 on Amazon
Disclaimer: I’ll earn a commission if you purchase through the link above, but at no extra cost, so it’s a win-win for us.
Is the Neato Botvac D8 Worth It?
Yes, the Neato D8 is one of the least expensive smart robot vacuums available, and the low cost makes it a compelling option.
One issue hampering it is the navigation issues that affect everything else.
If Neato could tighten the loose screws and fix this, I’d recommend this robot. But until that happens, I wouldn’t recommend this over a Roborock S5 Max or even an Ecovacs T8 AIVI.
3 Reasons to Choose the Neato D8
- Budget Smart Robot Option: The Neato D8 is one of the cheaper LIDAR-based robots, cheaper than the S5 Max.
- Wide brush roll: The 11″ brush is the widest in the industry, wider than a full-sized stick vacuum like a Dyson V15.
- Extra-large dustbin: This robot has a larger dustbin capacity at 0.7-liters but doesn’t have a self-emptying feature.
The Verdict: Strong Potential, But Lacking in Critical Features
The Neato D8’s design has a lot of promise on paper: 11″ brush roll, large 0.7-liter dustbin, and LIDAR navigation.
But after testing it extensively, I found it lacking in several critical areas, and most of it is navigation-related.
There are a lot of quirks with how it traverses, and these issues affect how it picks up debris.
Neato, if you’re reading this, please improve the algorithm to compete with Roborock and Roomba.
The same goes for the MyNeato app. Otherwise, it’s hard to recommend this over a Roborock S5 Max, even a Roomba 980.