The first thing I did after I set up the ECOVCAS DEEBOT SLIM Neo vacuum that we got in for review was to rename it via the included app. The name that I picked? Rosie. You remember Rosie don’t you? She was the hard working, sometimes sassy, robot that cleaned up after the Jetsons in the classic ’60s cartoon series. Who hasn’t dreamed of having a robot like Rosie to do chores, clean up, and generally look after us and our homes? The DEEBOT SLIM Neo may not be able to serve dinner, but can it bring us one step closer to that future? Keep reading the full 
review of the DEEBOT SLIM Neo to find out.
Specifications
- Input voltage: 100-240V AC
- Battery: Lithium 2600mAh
- Auto charging
- Infrared receiver for remote control
- Mechanical cushion bumper and bumper strip
- Anti-collision sensors
- Dual side brushes
- Time scheduling via included app
- Uses 2.4 GHz wi-fi
- 3 cleaning modes
What’s In The Box
- DEEBOT SLIM Neo
- Charging dock
- Remote control with battery
- Side brushes
- Extra filter
- Instruction manual
- Quick start guide
Design
The DEEBOT SLIM Neo is shaped like a square with rounded edges. It turns out this shape has a name, it’s a squircle. It may be a funny name for a shape, but it serves the SLIM Neo very well. It’s able to get the brushes that are mounted on the front corners into some tight areas without getting stuck. I wasn’t quite sure that the Slim Neo would be able to clean deep into the corners, but because of the shape, it did a very good job.
Besides the shape, the SLIM Neo that I reviewed was black and grey with a chrome power button and logos on the top. It’s a simple design that won’t look like an eyesore if you have the charging dock set up in your living room.
Ease Of Use
Setting up the DEEBOT SLIM Neo is a simple enough task. First, find an area for the charging dock with 1.6 inches of clearance on either side. Next, remove packaging from the SLIM Neo, install the brushes and charge it for four hours. There is also a free app that you can download from either the App Store or Google Play. The app lets you rename the SLIM Neo, set cleaning schedules and control the vacuum. You may also control the SLIM Neo via the included controller.
Setting cleaning schedules is easy with the included app. Go into the settings menu on the upper right of the app, select Scheduled cleaning tasks, and press the + sign. This will let you set a new scheduled task. Pick the time and days that you want the tasks performed and click the check mark to accept. As long as you have that schedule in the app, it will turn on and run on the days and time you set.
ECOVACS says to do a quick scan of the area before you set the SLIM Neo to cleaning. I forgot to do this one time, and the SLIM Neo got one of its brushes entangled in the blind cord. The SLIM Neo stopped running and started to beep, thus alerting me that there was a problem. I did like the fact that it didn’t just keep on going when it ran into a problem.
There are three cleaning modes: auto, edge, and spot. Auto cleaning mode just randomly goes about the room picking up whatever it may find. Edge mode works around the edges of the room and spot mode goes in a circle to clean one problem area. I tried each of the different cleaning modes, and each was very effective.
The only issue I found with the SLIM Neo was that it sometimes took a while to find the charging dock. It always found it to be sure, but on more than one occasion, it took several minutes of wandering around to get there. I found the best way to avoid this was to tell the SLIM Neo to charge when it was near the base.
Software
The app included with the DEEBOT SLIM Neo is simple and easy to use. It lets you control the SLIM Neo so that you can steer it back to the charging dock. You can also use the app control to maneuver the SLIM Neo to a certain area that needs cleaning. It shows the status of the SLIM Neo and allows you chose one of the three cleaning modes as well. Setting up cleaning schedules and renaming the SLIM Neo can also be done via the app.
Performance
The DEEBOT SLIM Neo is designed to operate on hard floor surfaces, not carpet. The brushes that it has are more like a broom; they sweep dust and debris into the vacuum. The vacuum then sucks it up into the dust bin. As the name SLIM implies, it has a very slim design that allows it to go under furniture. I like to think that I keep my place very tidy, but I was shocked at how much junk the DEEBOT SLIM Neo found under my couches and chairs. The SLIM is 2.2 inches tall, so if your furniture is too low to the ground, it may have problems cleaning underneath it.
When I used the spot clean, I used the remote to drive the SLIM Neo over to the spot where I had tracked in some grass after mowing. I pressed spot clean on the remote, and it started to go around in an ever widening circle until the spot was clean.
The SLIM Neo did an excellent job of picking up a variety of objectionable items from the floor. It handled dust and hair extremely well. I would think dust and hair would be what the SLIM Neo would encounter most in the typical home. I did place other items such as cereal and even a few small rocks on the floor for this review. The SLIM Neo handled all without a problem. I wouldn’t expect the SLIM Neo to pick up very large items though. The vacuum intake is not that large. But overall I would say the SLIM Neo does a good job of cleaning up floors. Even my wife, who is a bit averse to new technology, had to admit that she could tell a difference in the cleanliness of our floors since I started using the SLIM Neo.
Price/Value
The ECOVACS DEEBOT SLIM Neo has a price of $249.00USD but is currently on sale for $189.98 on Amazon. I think that’s an excellent price, but then I have a mostly hardwood flooring that needs constant cleaning. If you have a lot of carpet, you may find the price a bit steep for a vacuum that will only work on a portion of your flooring.
Wrap Up
The ECOVACS DEEBOT SLIM Neo is a handy little robot that will help with the everyday drudgery of cleaning floors. Yes, the fact that it only operates on hard floor surfaces is limiting, but if you have hardwood floors like I do, it definitely is a great little helper. Now if I could just get it to hydrate a nice prime rib for me.
Comments are closed.