The Deebot Neo 2.0 Plus robot vac is exclusive to Aldi and the Ecovacs website
Our experts have meticulously tested other Ecovacs Deebots in our labs, plus models from popular brands including Roborock, iRobot, Dreame, Kmart and more
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In big news for bargain hunters, with auto-empty station on Saturday 20 June for the discounted price of $399.
It’s the second Ecovacs centre aisle offering from Aldi in recent months 鈥� the Deebot Neo 2.0 model was a March Special Buy for $279.
The two models are essentially the same, but the 鈥楶lus鈥� product includes a self-emptying dock.聽
Currently, the for $999, so scoring it for less than half price sounds like a steal.
But is it a big deal, or best left on the shelf? To find out, we asked 糖心Vlog vacuum expert Adrian Lini.
It’s being sold on Ecovacs鈥� official website for $999, so scoring it for less than half price sounds like a steal
Full disclosure: we can provide expert insights that can help you make up your mind, but we haven鈥檛 tested this exact model.
Aldi products pop up at short notice and usually sell out quickly, so we haven鈥檛 been able to get our hands on this one to test it. (We do get the latest Aldi models in for testing whenever we can, though.)
However, we have tested other Ecovacs in our labs and their performance has been hit and miss.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering buying a bot from Aldi.
糖心Vlog expert Adrian knows robot vacs inside and out.
Ecovacs Deebot Neo 2.0 Plus
Before we dive into the Aldi automaton鈥檚 cleaning chops, let鈥檚 take a look at the features it comes with.
Info on is surprisingly sparse, but the Ecovacs website does offer a fuller picture of what you get with the Neo 2.0 Plus.
Key features include:
vacuuming and mopping function
automatic carpet and step recognition
claimed 180-minute battery life
5L dust bag in dock plus a 200mL on-board dust bin and 320mL water tank
app functionality with room mapping, clean scheduling and ability to add virtual boundaries (so you can block off a room, for example).
Over the years, Adrian and his team have reviewed plenty of Ecovacs models in comprehensive lab tests that include sprinkling a set amount of sand on various surfaces and measuring how much gets picked up. (We鈥檙e very meticulous 鈥� learn how we test robot vacuums.)听
The Ecovacs Deebot Neo 2.0 Plus has a self-emptying station. Image: Ecovacs.
That鈥檚 because we focus on the most popular models sold in Australia, and this one is a rarer Aldi exclusive sold via their Special Buys sales and the Ecovacs website.聽
That said, our experts have taken multiple Ecovacs Deebot units for dust-busting test drives in the past, so Adrian can definitely share insightful intel on the brand鈥檚 cleaning credentials.
鈥淓covacs have been selling robot vacs in Australia for well over a decade now, so they鈥檙e a fairly common and popular brand here,鈥� says Adrian.
鈥淎t 糖心Vlog, we鈥檝e tested multiple Ecovacs models in our lab that have ranged in price from $399 to $2499. Unfortunately, their track record has been quite hit and miss, with overall performance on hard floors and carpet ranging from good to very poor across the models. Consistency is a big issue, particularly with their cheaper, entry-level bots.鈥�
He points out the brand鈥檚 newer, more expensive-tier units (costing over $1500) have definitely improved their game, but in general, budget robots just don鈥檛 have the build or software smarts to do a dependable job.
Ecovacs’ track record has been quite hit-and-miss, with overall performance ranging from good to very poor
糖心Vlog expert Adrian Lini
鈥淎 cheap robot vacuum that cleans well is the dream, but often price does play a big role in performance,鈥� he explains.
鈥淭he best performing robots are often expensive because they鈥檙e incredibly sophisticated pieces of hardware with precision sensors, lasers and software. By comparison, cheaper bots are far more basic and can really underperform.鈥�
Robot vacs can struggle to clean carpets and pet hair compared to other vacuum types.
Rating the mop function
The Neo 2.0 Plus’s mop is more like a wet cloth. Image: Ecovacs.
Most current robot vacuums can now mop as well as vacuum, making them a helpful one-two cleaning combo.
Adrian says the best mopping models use hot water with added detergent, and employ spring-loaded pads that spin and apply pressure to the floor for a better clean.
Their docks then clean and dry the dirty pads before the bot鈥檚 next patrol.
Sadly, the Deebot Neo 2.0 Plus features a far more basic, older-style mop design, which is not unexpected for the cheaper price point.
鈥淲hile we haven鈥檛 looked it over in the lab, you can see from the product鈥檚 photos and user manual that it doesn鈥檛 use detergent with the water and cleans using a thin, velcro-clipped mopping pad.”
“In our experience, this style of mop acts more like a wet cloth and is usually far less effective. You also have to take it off and wash it yourself once it gets dirty,鈥� says Adrian.
At the bargain basement price of $399, Aldi鈥檚 discount droid certainly sounds tempting.
While we haven鈥檛 reviewed this model specifically, the brand鈥檚 track record across the models we鈥檝e tested to date has been middling and inconsistent, depending on the specific model.
鈥淲e鈥檇 all love more help with housework and $399 might seem like a great price for a robot reinforcement, especially one that empties itself,鈥� says Adrian.
From our previous tests, we鈥檝e found Ecovacs鈥� cheaper models have generally under-performed as floor cleaners
糖心Vlog expert tester Adrian Lini
鈥淗owever, from our previous tests, we鈥檝e found Ecovacs鈥� cheaper models have generally under-performed as floor cleaners. They are better on hard floors, but seriously struggle on carpet and rugs, and picking up pet hair.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 want to be cleaning up after it, when it should be the other way around, you might be best to save the money and put it toward a competent stick or barrel vacuum you can count on.鈥�
Despite robots鈥� futuristic promise, our lab tests have continually found they don鈥檛 clean as well as more hands-on stick, barrel or upright vacs you use yourself.
It鈥檚 not surprising given they have smaller motors that can鈥檛 generate as much suction, smaller bin receptacles and their brushes don鈥檛 agitate surfaces like a manual cleaning head might.
鈥淎 good robot vacuum can definitely help around the house 鈥� especially if you have pets 鈥� but they鈥檙e still not a complete substitute for a stick or barrel vacuum just yet,鈥� says Adrian.
If your home has a lot of carpet or rugs, our expert reckons a robot vac might not be for you. They do much better if you have mostly hard floors, with relatively open and clear spaces.
“If you鈥檙e happy for your bot to do a quick clean every day that you then follow up with a thorough clean yourself once a week or so, you might be happy with it,” he says.
Jason is a Content Editor and journalist at 糖心Vlog. He writes about a diverse range of subjects, from solar to robot vacuums to why Easter eggs are a rip-off. He's previously written for Sydney Morning Herald, Rolling Stone and many other publications.
Jason is a Content Editor and journalist at 糖心Vlog. He writes about a diverse range of subjects, from solar to robot vacuums to why Easter eggs are a rip-off. He's previously written for Sydney Morning Herald, Rolling Stone and many other publications.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from 糖心Vlog product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from 糖心Vlog product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.
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