When it comes to the robotic vacuum world, we are burdened with more choices than we can imagine. Some light up, some talk. The Ecovacs DEEBOT N79 is a budget-friendly, entry level vacuum with mid-level advancements and one of the most heavily reviewed robotic vacuums of all time.
Does being popular create a good cleaning vacuum though? If so, is it a good fit for your home? In this article, we will look deep at the most popular robotic vacuum (based on reviews) and see what it can and cannot do. I will tell you everything you need to know about the N79 to see if it is the right robot vacuum for you.
Contents
Who the DEEBOT N79 for?
The DEEBOT N79 is not designed for everyone, but for a lot of homes, it will do just fine. It may be a good fit for your home if:
- You are on a tight budget or looking to get into the robotic vacuum arena for the first time.
- You have mainly hard flooring or low pile carpet in the home.
- You are looking for a robot with wireless communications.
Who is the DEEBOT N79 not for?
The robotic cleaner isn’t going to fit perfectly in every home. For example, you may need to find a better fit if your home:
- Has a large, open floor space that requires cleaning in more than one battery charge.
- Needs a robotic vacuum to link to other smart home devices.
- Has a lot of shed pet hair that needs collecting.
Dimensions, Features and Options
The N79 has a lot of features you may not expect to find on an entry-level robotic vacuum. Let’s take a look at some of the more prominent ones here to get a better idea of what’s going on under the hood.
The Battery Seems To Be Slightly Under-Powered
Sometimes a robot can try to be too much all at once. The DEEBOT N79 doesn’t have all the features of a higher priced model for sure. However it has enough moving parts and battery draining pieces to necessitate a larger battery.
The 2600mAh lithium-ion battery pack it does have will run the vacuum, under extreme lab quality conditions, up to 100 minutes of runtime. Under more normal conditions, such as your home, you can expect an average closer to 75 or 80 minutes.
The more hard flooring you have and the less you utilize some of the other features, the closer you can get to the 80 minutes. However, you don’t get a robotic cleaner for its features and then not use them.
One of the largest battery draining obstacles will be the maintenance. The collection bin is small, the filters don’t have a large surface area and both will need to be cleared of debris more often.
As they get full, the suction will slow and the battery will have to provide the motor with more power to run at optimal speed. Likewise, the wireless connection, use of the mobile app and the type of flooring (as well as the size) will all come into play.
The robot will sense when the battery is running low and stop the cleaning cycle and return to the charging dock all on its own. What it will not do, however, is resume the cleaning once the battery is recharged.
You will have to tell the robot to get back to cleaning manually and it will essentially start over the entire cycle. However, while it won’t pick up exactly where it left off, it will start in a new spot and it will get the entire house done as required.
The recharge time for the smaller battery pack is about three hours, which is pretty quick overall and about the industry average for a battery cell of that size.
Filtration is a 3-Stage Process; Good News For Allergy Sufferers.
The filtration on the DEEBOT N79 is a triple layer filter that effectively cleans the air passing through and keeping the motor area free of dust and debris.
The filter is HEPA certified, which means it will capture particles down to three microns in size. On-home allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, pollens and other irritants will be collected by the HEPA filter, keeping your home up to 99 percent allergen free.
The first stage is a screen filter that will collect larger particles, dust balls, etc. that escape the collection bin. You can easily wipe this filter clean to keep air flowing through the rest of the machine and keeping the robot working efficiently.
The second filter is a sponge filter that will capture smaller particles that may make it through the first filter. These particles would make their way to the motor or other internal parts if not for the sponge filter.
It is also easily cleaned and should be inspected regularly. This filter will collect most of the non-allergen particles and can easily impede airflow if not cleaned frequently.
The final filter is the HEPA certified filter that collects all other particles before allowing the clean air back out into the home. This filter should be knocked clear of the fine particles frequently and changed on a regular basis. Ecovacs recommends changing the filter every few months.
If you run the robot daily, you may need to change the filter more frequently. On the other hand, you may be able to make the filter last longer if you don’t run it as often.
When all are together, though and working without obstruction the efficiency of the robot is improved and the air is cleaner, reducing your allergy triggers in your home’s flooring and air.
When It Comes To Controls You Have Options.
Ecovavs doesn’t leave their robots without options for controls, and the N79 is no different. You will have local control, a remote control included in the purchase and the ability to download a mobile app to your phone or tablet for even more control.
The local controls, as expected, are quite limited. You only have one button. This button, though, will send the robot off to do a full cleaning cycle in automatic mode. When the cycle is completed, or the battery gets low, the robot will return to the charging dock.
The remote control is where most of the functions and programming are done. You should be standing within three or four feet of the robot when using the remote control.
With the remote, you can select one of the cleaning modes (auto, room, spot or edge) as well as create a schedule for a cleaning cycle done in the future.
You can also pause a cleaning cycle, resume a paused cycle, or send the robot to the charging dock with the press of a button.
Most likely, though, you will find that downloading the free mobile app will be the easiest and most efficient method of controlling your DEEBOT N79.
Once the app is installed on your device, you will need to sync it to the robot. You should be near the robot during this portion, however, once the robot and app are linked to the wireless network, you don’t even have to be in the house for control.
The app will have an interface and screens that mimic the remote control. Selecting the cleaning cycle mode is as simple as pressing the button on your screen.
In automatic mode the robot will randomly run through the home cleaning the floors with a sporadic pattern, navigating around, or under, your furniture and returning to the dock when complete.
In room mode, the robot will confine itself to the boundaries of a single room, returning to the dock when that room is clean.
Spot mode will concentrate the robot to deep clean a very specific area of about three feet in diameter. The robot will spiral around in ever-growing circles giving that area a deeper, more concentrated clean.
The edge cleaning mode will make the DEEBOT N79 scoot to the nearest wall and run along the edges of the home, cleaning the baseboards and corners with the side brushes. The N79 runs a little slower than when in a normal cleaning mode, to get all the dirt dust and debris that builds up in these areas.
Scheduling allows you to select a day of the week and a time of the day for the robot to run an automatic cleaning cycle. You can set a schedule for up to seven consecutive days, at which time you will need to create a new schedule.
Even though the Ecovacs DEEBOT N79 has wireless communications you won’t be able to use third-party integrations or voice controls. There isn’t a way to connect the robot to an Amazon Alexa, Google Home or Apple HomeKit device.
However, with the mobile app and remote control you will have all the control you really need.
Using The Brushes, The DEEBOT N79 Can Sweep and Vacuum A Lot of Floor Types.
There are two side brushes on the N79. They extend out past the body of the robot to gather dirt and dust from edges, corners and just outside the robots “reach” to pull it to the center where it is then suctioned up into the collection bin.
The main brush roll is very similar to the extraction bar on your upright vacuum. The rotating bar has a wave pattern of soft bristle brushes that loosen, lift and separate dirt dust and debris to be collected as the robot moves along the floor.
The soft bristles won’t damage softer flooring or mar sealed hard floors. It also means it won’t agitate carpet very well. Ecovaces has rated the DEEBOT N79 for all hard flooring surfaces and low pile carpet only.
If you have thick area rugs, medium to high pile carpet or shag, the DEEBOT N79 won’t work very well for you. Longer carpet fibers, cords and fringe will all be wrapped around and become tangled in the brush roll.
For your hard flooring surfaces, though, the N79 will do a wonderful job. It rarely leaves anything behind and will cover all hard flooring types: tile, linoleum, vinyl, stone, marble, granite, etc. It can even handle uneven surfaces such as natural stone or slate.
The motor produces up to 1000pa power which results in quite a bit of suction. As an example, the ILIFE A6, which is a popular alternative, only produces up to 600pa.
The extra power allows the robot to pick up virtually all types of messes, although you shouldn’t attempt to clean wet messes like cereal spills or liquids. Salt, sand, dirt and other normal debris will be no issues for the high power of the N79, though.
As the robot runs around, it uses a series of sensors to navigate your home. The bottom of the robot houses a few drop sensors. These infrared sensors will detect falls and ledges greater than an inch.
The robot will stop and change direction to avoid falling off stairs or thresholds that could cause it damage.
Around the robot is a bumper that houses bump sensors. These alert the robot that an object or obstacle is nearby. The robot will slow down and usually avoid collisions. There is actually a better collision avoidance ratio for the N79 than there is from the Roomba 650.
If there is contact, the robot will stop and reverse direction to avoid causing damage to the object or itself. However, is some rare instances there can be a collision with a higher speed impact.
This is usually due to dark or black furniture which isn’t detected by the infrared sensors.
This can also occur with dark flooring or carpeting. The robot may interpret the dark areas as ledges and avoid them to prevent a fall. The dark color absorb the infrared beam instead of reflecting it. This gives a false positive to the robot sensor receivers that there is a ledge.
Specifications Chart
The Ecovacs DEEBOT N79 has a few features (and is lacking a few others). I’ve made this chart so you can easily see what the N79 has to offer.
| DEEBOT N79 | |
| Dimensions | 13x13x3.1 inches |
| Weight | 6.7 pounds |
| Battery | 2600mAh lithium-ion |
| Battery Runtime | Up to 100 minutes |
| Battery Recharge | 3 hours |
| Automatic Recharge | Yes |
| Automatic Resume | No |
| Filter | 3-Stage HEPA |
| Collection Bin Capacity | 0.3L |
| Navigation | Sensors Based |
| Wireless Connectivity | Yes |
| Bluetooth Connectivity | No |
| Mobile App | Yes |
| Voice Control | No |
| Remote Control | Yes |
| Side Brushes | 2 |
| Extraction Method | 1000pa suction with bristle brush roll |
| Scheduling | Yes |
| Floor Types | All hard flooring, low pile carpet |
| Drop Sensors | Yes |
| Bump Sensors | Yes |
| Dirt Detection Sensors | No |
| Containment | No |
| Warranty | 1 Year |
Alternative Options
If you have made it this far into the review and think that maybe the DEEBOT N79 isn’t the right fit for you, or perhaps you want to broaden your search, here are a few other options to consider.
Roomba 680
iRobot’s Roomba line is the gold standard when it comes to robotic vacuums. Each new series is a vast improvement on the previous versions and each year other manufacturers attempt to dethrone the champion. Few even come close.
Because of the cost, many people entering the market don’t want to pay top dollar for the latest model. The Roomba 680 is a top of the line model that is a few years old, which means a lower price tag. It has all of the features of the N79 plus voice commands and a larger capacity bin.
If you want a Roomba and don’t want to break the bank getting one, the 690 is a viable option for most homes.
ILIFE A6
The A6 is one of the most compared vacuums to the DEEBOT N79. It offers a budget-friendly cost and a lot of features that come standard on most entry-level robot vacuums. It doesn’t perform as well on carpet but will outshine most other low-cost models when it comes to keeping your hard floors clean.
If you want to save even more money and stick with a brand name you can trust, the ILIFE A6 is worth looking into.
Samsung Powerbot R7010
The R7010 from Samsung is a basic model without a lot of frills or extras. For instance, you won’t get wireless communications, mobile apps or voice controls. You also won’t get the ability to set a schedule or program different cleaning modes.
What you will get is a robot, that out of the box, will clean your floors without a lot of fuss. You have two options for control: clean or dock. Simple for every day use and efficient enough considering the price point. It is as simpler as it comes and you can get a feel for robotic vacuums without spending a ton of cash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Allow me to take some time now to answer a few of the most common questions surrounding the popular DEEBOT N79. As always, if you still have questions, feel free to answer them in the comments section below.
Q. How often does the collection bin need to be emptied?
A. As often as it gets full. I really can’t give you a direct answer as I don’t have enough details. The collection bin is small, having a capacity of 0.3L. Most users find they have to empty the bin after every use.
After prolonged and constant use, you may be able to go every other cleaning cycle before emptying the collection bin. However, it also depends on how dirty the floors are and what they are collecting.
If you have pets that shed, for example, the bin will fill up faster than if it is just you and normal every day tracked in dirt and dust. For efficiency and continued use, I would still empty the bin after every use.
Q. Will it knock over items on the floor, or spill the pet’s water dishes?
A. Only if you make it angry. These little robots love passive-aggressive payback. To prevent this from happening, only compliment the robot and give it treats for good behavior.
In all seriousness though, it can happen. Floor lamps, vases, pet dishes can all be knocked into. The N79 does a fairly decent job of avoiding collisions and those that do happen are usually at low speeds. However, it is possible.
To prevent damage or spills, remove the items from the path of the robot prior to cleaning, or find a way to block off the area with a physical barrier.
Q. Is there a compatible containment method like a virtual barrier or magnetic strip?
A. No. Unfortunately Ecovacs didn’t include a device that would act as a barrier for the N79. While they do have a few different options on later models, none of them are compatible with the N79.
If you need to prevent access to a room, you will need to close the door, put up baby gates or otherwise physically block off the area. You should also remove cords and wires as well as rug fringe from the robot’s path as it can’t sense these and will get stuck or tangled on them.
Q. Can I use the DEEBOT N79 on multiple floors in my home, or do I need to purchase more than 1?
A. You can use the robot on all levels of your home. You should keep the charging base in the same spot on the first floor (or whichever floor you will use it most). You will have to carry the robot up and down the stairs manually though, as obviously, it cannot climb.
In Conclusion
The most heavily reviewed and purchased entry-level robot is the Ecovacs DEEBOT N79. While newer models have been introduced, the N79 continues to be bought and sold in near record numbers.
The numbers don’t lie. The N79 is a decent vacuum robot for the price you will pay. You can effectively clean all hard floor types and low pile carpeting. You also have the ability to schedule the robot’s cleaning cycles, by the week, and can use a mobile app for added control.
If you want to get into home cleaning automation, the DEEBOT N79 is a great starting point for those on a tighter budget or unsure how a robot vacuum will work for them.
In a Nutshell
The DEEBOT N79 from Ecovacs is a highly rated and reviewed robot vacuum. The results are above average for the price range and on hard floors the robot is hard to beat. You may find some frustration in the maintenance and upkeep though.
What I Like
- Easy to use remote control or mobile app.
- Has decent collision avoidance sensors.
- HEPA certified filtration.
What I Don’t Like
- Small collection bin capacity.
- The battery could be larger celled for a longer lasting cleaning cycle.
- Only works on low pile carpeting.