The Deebot Neo 2.0 robot vac is exclusive to Aldi and the Ecovacs website
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In big news for bargain hunters, Aldi is selling the Ecovacs Deebot Neo 2.0 robo vac on Saturday 7 March for the discounted price of $279. This model is exclusive to the supermarket as a Special Buy and available for a limited time only.
It’s the second Ecovacs centre aisle offering from Aldi in recent months – the Deebot Neo 2.0 ‘Plus’ model was a December Special Buy for $379. The two models are essentially the same, but the ‘Plus’ product includes a self-emptying dock.
Currently, the non-Plus model is being sold on Ecovacs’ official website for $699, 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 CHOICE vacuum expert Adrian Lini.
CHOICE expert Adrian knows robot vacs inside and out.
Ecovacs Deebot Neo 2.0
Before we dive into the Aldi automaton’s cleaning chops, let’s take a look at the features it comes with.
Info on the supermarket’s Special Buys page is surprisingly sparse, but the Ecovacs website does offer a fuller picture of what you get with the Neo 2.0.
Key features include:
vacuuming and mopping function
automatic carpet recognition
claimed 180-minute battery life
400mL dustbin and 300mL 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 100 grams of sand on various surfaces and measuring how much gets picked up (we’re very meticulous – learn how we test).
Unfortunately, CHOICE hasn’t specifically tested the Ecovacs Deebot Neo 2.0. That’s 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.
That said, our experts have taken 13 different Ecovacs Deebot units for dust-busting test drives in the past, so Adrian can definitely share insightful intel on the brand’s cleaning credentials.
Ecovacs’ track record has been quite hit-and-miss, with overall performance ranging from good to very poor
CHOICE expert Adrian Lini
“Ecovacs have been selling robot vacs in Australia for well over a decade now, so they’re a fairly common and popular brand here,” says Adrian.
“At CHOICE, we’ve 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 ranging from good to very poor across the models. Consistency is a big issue, particularly with their cheaper, entry-level bots.”
He points out the brand’s newer, more expensive-tier units (costing over $1500) have definitely improved their game, but in general, budget robots just don’t have the build or software smarts to do a dependable job.
The Deebot Neo 2.0 is exclusive to Aldi and Ecovacs’ official website. IMAGE: Aldi.
“A cheap robot vacuum that cleans well is the dream, but often price does play a big role in performance,” he explains.
“The best performing robots are often expensive because they’re incredibly sophisticated pieces of hardware with precision sensors, lasers and software. By comparison, cheaper bots are far more basic and can really underperform.”
Rating the mop function
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’s next patrol.
The Neo 2.0’s mop is more like a wet cloth. IMAGE: Aldi.
Sadly, the Deebot Neo 2.0 features a far more basic, older-style mop design, which is not unexpected for the cheaper price point.
“While we haven’t looked it over in the lab, you can see from the product’s photos and user manual that it doesn’t 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.”
At the bargain basement price of $279, Aldi’s discount droid certainly sounds tempting.
While we haven’t reviewed this model specifically, the brand’s track record across the 13 models we’ve tested to date has been middling and inconsistent, depending on the specific model.
“We’d all love more help with housework and $279 might seem like a great price for some robot reinforcements,” says Adrian.
“However, from our previous tests, we’ve found Ecovacs’ 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.
“If you don’t 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.”
Despite robots’ futuristic promise, our lab tests have continually found they don’t clean as well as more hands-on stick, barrel or upright vacs you use yourself.
It’s not surprising given they have smaller motors that can’t generate as much suction, smaller bin receptacles and their brushes don’t agitate surfaces like a manual cleaning head might.
Robot vacs can struggle to clean carpets and pet hair compared to other vacuum types.
“A good robot vacuum can definitely help around the house – especially if you have pets – but they’re still not a complete substitute for a stick or barrel vacuum just yet,” says Adrian.
“If your home has a lot of carpet or rugs, 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’re 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,” says Adrian.
Pru Engel is the Audience and Engagement editor at CHOICE. Her job is to ensure as many Australians as possible know about the great work we do at CHOICE.
She works closely with our testers and experts to find the gems of information in our data and research that will resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions, whether they're purchasing an air fryer, looking for a new mattress or trying to find the cheapest car insurance. She also helps to drive meaningful change for consumers by collaborating with our Campaigns team on content covering issues such as grocery pricing, product safety and scams.
Prior to CHOICE, Pru worked as an editor at many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.
Pru has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) from the University of Technology, Sydney.
Find Pru on LinkedIn.
Pru Engel is the Audience and Engagement editor at CHOICE. Her job is to ensure as many Australians as possible know about the great work we do at CHOICE.
She works closely with our testers and experts to find the gems of information in our data and research that will resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions, whether they're purchasing an air fryer, looking for a new mattress or trying to find the cheapest car insurance. She also helps to drive meaningful change for consumers by collaborating with our Campaigns team on content covering issues such as grocery pricing, product safety and scams.
Prior to CHOICE, Pru worked as an editor at many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.
Pru has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) from the University of Technology, Sydney.
Find Pru on LinkedIn.
Jason Treuen is a Content producer and editor at CHOICE. Previously at CHOICE, he worked as a Content specialist and Audience engagement editor.
Find Jason on LinkedIn.
Jason Treuen is a Content producer and editor at CHOICE. Previously at CHOICE, he worked as a Content specialist and Audience engagement editor.
Find Jason on LinkedIn.
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