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  • Performance at a glance

  • What's the deal with No-go lines?

  • Data privacy

  • Our take

  • Performance at a glance
  • What's the deal with No-go lines?
  • Data privacy
  • Our take

Pros

  • Excellent dirt pickup performance

  • Able to direct towards or away from specific rooms

  • Able to climb on to thick carpet

Cons

  • Expensive

Fear not, Neato has come up with an innovative solution: No-go lines. The Neato Botvac D7 Connected (available at Amazon) has the ability to create a digital floor plan of your home. You can then draw lines on that map via your smart phone, declaring where the D7 can and cannot go. It's a brilliant solution to an age-old problem of robot vacuums going where they shouldn't. On top of this all, the Neato kept its eyes on real goal of getting your floors clean.

Performance at a glance

  • Above average pickup
  • 10-15 minutes per room
  • Makes a map of your home
  • Good for pet hair
  • Can get caught on throw rugs
Neato as a company has always thought outside the box.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Jonathan Chan

Neato as a company has always thought outside the box.

After spending a week with the D7, we noticed that it has powerful pickup, quick cleaning cycles, and navigational issues.

When it comes to dirt pickup, Neato has always been in been up to the task. The Neato's D-shaped design allows the unit to get flush with walls, and the 10.9-inch brush gives it a wide cleaning path. On average, the Neato picked up 9.6 grams of dirt per run. To put that in perspective, if you set the D7 to run automatically every day, that equals 67 grams of dirt a week–on par with a light cleaning from a full-sized vacuum.

The brush runs the entire 10.9-inch width of the robot.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Jonathan Chan

The brush runs the entire 10.9-inch width of the robot.

What's the deal with No-go lines?

The floor planner app lets you draw no-go lines.
Credit: Neato

The floor planner app lets you draw no-go lines.

We think No-go lines are the most interesting feature the D7 has. In a nutshell, you start off by running a mapping cycle, in which the D7 goes around your house, pinging your walls with infrared beams. That map is uploaded to your phone, allowing you to draw lines where you don't want the D7 to go. You can draw as many lines as you'd like, meaning you can cordon areas around delicate furniture or entire rooms.

If you don't want to hook your D7 to wifi, this unit comes with a magnetic strip that can also be used as a barrier.

Data privacy

With stories about robot vacuum companies potentially selling your data, we decided to take a look at Neato's privacy policy.

If you install the app and hook your D7 up to wifi, Neato will have access to your day-to-day metadata. In plain English, that's when you start your vacuum, if you schedule it, how long you run it for, and any error codes that come up. However, Neato does not have access the maps of your home that your D7 creates.

Should you want, Neato will destroy any of your personal data, just shoot an e-mail to privacy@neatorobotics.com.

Our take

Large wheels allow the D7 to easily cross over thresholds.
Credit: Reviewed.com / Jonathan Chan

Large wheels allow the D7 to easily cross over thresholds.

We give praise for the D7 being a stepping stone in the evolution of robot vacuums. That's not something we bandy about lightly, but once the No-go line technology filters down to lower-end models, it will change the way we think about what robot vacuums should do. However, given its high price, we'd reserve our recommendation of the D7 to pet owners and people who want to be on the cutting edge of robot vacuum technology. With its wide brush, powerful suction, and easy-to-use virtual barriers, this robot vacuum can be tough on pet hair while being gentle on water bowls and puppy pads.

Meet the tester

Jonathan Chan

Jonathan Chan

Senior Manager of Lab Operations

@Jonfromthelab1

Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.

See all of Jonathan Chan's reviews

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