The Neato Botvac D7 is one of the best robot vacuum cleaners that money can buy. At £800, though, it’s undoubtedly a big investment – and for those sat on the fence about spending so much, Neato has unveiled two cheaper cleaning bots: the D4 and D6.
Unveiled at IFA 2018, the two models follow up on the D3 and D5, and provide a number of decent features to make you feel more comfortable at having your home cleaned by robots without human supervision.
Both models, for example, include virtual no-go areas, programmable via the accompanying app. This means you can mark out areas of your house as off-limits to vacuum bots, be it because of a stray wires or a particularly fragile antique rug.
Unfortunately these floor plans are limited to just one level for the D4, while the D6 can memorise multiple floors – although you’ll still have to carry both between levels, as stairs remain a challenge too great for their little wheels.
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The D6 also improves on the D4 with an improved handling of troublesome pet hair, and a core brush that Neato claims is 70% larger than most round robots. A turbo mode can be applied to help it deal with particularly troublesome spots, too.
The D4, for its part, has a battery that’s 33% larger than the D3 and now has added quick charging. Neato boasts that the robot will be able to figure out how much power it needs for the task in hand, and top itself up accordingly.
Both models are available from today, priced at £479/$499 for the D4 and £649/$699 for the D6.
If you’re a D7 owner feeling a bit left out, then don’t fret: Neato has also announced that Zone Cleaning will be coming to the D7 via an app update this autumn. This new feature will let you single out specific parts of the house for extra attention, so troublesome spots can match the rest of the house for cleanliness.
Are you tempted by a robot vacuum cleaner, or are they still too expensive? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
