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Comparing Neato Botvac D7 Connected vs. iRobot Roomba 960: What Are the Main Differences?
![]() You may have heard that iRobot and Neato both offer Wi-Fi supporting vacuuming robots that can be controlled from your smartphone or tablet. iRobot's Roomba 960 and Neato's Botvac D7 Connected are two of their top level robots that support Wi-Fi and that come with a very rich set of features.
If you were considering to get a Roomba 960 or a Botvac D7 Connected, but were not quite sure which to get, you might find this article useful. Indeed, we will provide you here with a detailed comparison of the two robots, so you can make the right decision and choose the robot that will respond best to your home's vacuuming needs.
This article will compare the iRobot Roomba 960 and Neato Botvac D7 Connected Robots.
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Comparing iRobot Roomba 960 and Neato Botvac D7 Connected
The following pictures show the two robots selected for comparison:
The following table compares the feature of iRobot Roomba 960 and Neato Botvac D7 Connected. Please read the table notes that follow for a better understanding of the feature differences.
Table Notes 1- 22 Explained:
Note 1:
Roomba 960 is a little bit thinner (only 3.6" in height as opposed to the 3.9" for the Neato Botvac D7 Connected) which means that it can go better under low lying furniture. The Neato on the other hand, is a little bit narrower (13.2" wide as opposed to 13.8" for the Roomba) and therefore can pass better through narrower passages.
Note 2:
Both robots are equipped with side brushes, but because Neato Botvac D7 Connected has a semi-rectangular D-shape, it is reasonable to think that it can be even more efficient in cleaning better wall edges and corners.
Note 3:
Both robots support Wi-Fi and can be controlled remotely from a smartphone or tablet.
Note also that both robots are compatible with Amazon Alexa. Simply ask Alexa to start, stop, or dock your robot.
Note 4:
Both iRobot and Neato provide Android and IOS apps to control remotely the robots which can also send status and alert text messages to your smartphone or tablet.
Note 5:
Note 6:
Note 7:
Using the app associated with each of these two robots, you can generate a visual map of the space vacuumed that show where your robot cleaned, along with details such as floor coverage summaries. With Neato Botvac D7 Connected, you can also use the map to create Virtual Boundaries in the space to be cleaned to prevent the robot from entering rooms and areas that are not supposed to be cleaned (see Note 8).
Note 8:
Note 9:
Both robots can transition with ease between different types of floors, be it hardwood, laminate, tiled or carpeted.
Note 10:
Both robots allow scheduling up to 7 times a week, one cleaning for every day of the week. Scheduling is done using the app associated with the robot.
Note 11:
When the battery gets low, both robots return to the charging base to recharge. Once recharged, they resume automatically the vacuuming where it was interrupted. This allows seamless coverage of very large surfaces and entire floors without human intervention.
Note 12:
Spot cleaning allows the robot to focus on a limited area that requires more intense vacuuming. In Spot mode the robot will clean a 7’x7’ area.
Note 13:
Both Robots are equipped witha side brush to clean wall edges. But using the Roomba 960 smartphone app, you can invoke special final edge cleaning action to make sure that stubborn dirt and debris along wall edges are all removed.
Note 14:
Neato Botvac D7 Connected can be run in Eco mode which is the power saving economy mode and gives you a quiet, longer cleaning.
In this mode, the brush and blower are at a medium setting, allowing the robot to clean a larger area on a single charge. This is the quietest mode.
Note 15:
The Turbo mode is the default mode in which Botvac D7 Connected runs, In this mode, the robot brush and blower are set to high, providing strong suction and moving at a normal speed.
Note 16:
Extra Care is useful if you have delicate furniture or areas your robot has trouble navigating. With Extra Care enabled, Botvac D7 Connected navigates more carefully around objects and obstacles. Note that, because in this mode the robot leaves a wider buffer around items like chair legs, it may not be able to get fully underneath some furniture.
Note 17:
Most vacuuming robots will remove dirt and debris with just one pass over each area of your home. With Roomba 960, two-pass cleaning can be requested and can be particularly helpful in homes with pets or for periodic deep cleaning. The number of cleaning passes is one by default. This feature can be invoked from the app.
Note 18:
Both robots notify you when the dirtbin gets full so you can empty it.
Note 19:
The following pictures show the Roomba 960 and Neato Botvac D7 Connected control buttons and status indicators:
Note 1:
Roomba 960 is a little bit thinner (only 3.6" in height as opposed to the 3.9" for the Neato Botvac D7 Connected) which means that it can go better under low lying furniture. The Neato on the other hand, is a little bit narrower (13.2" wide as opposed to 13.8" for the Roomba) and therefore can pass better through narrower passages.
Note 2:
Both robots are equipped with side brushes, but because Neato Botvac D7 Connected has a semi-rectangular D-shape, it is reasonable to think that it can be even more efficient in cleaning better wall edges and corners.
Note 3:
Both robots support Wi-Fi and can be controlled remotely from a smartphone or tablet.
Note also that both robots are compatible with Amazon Alexa. Simply ask Alexa to start, stop, or dock your robot.
Note 4:
Both iRobot and Neato provide Android and IOS apps to control remotely the robots which can also send status and alert text messages to your smartphone or tablet.
Note 5:
- iRobot AeroForce technology used in Roomba 960 delivers the ideal balance of vacuum suction and debris extraction: The robot is equipped with counter-rotating dual multi-surface tangle-free brushes (known also as debris extractors) that grab and break down dirt and debris eliminating hair tangles and jams.
A spinning side brush cleans along wall edges. In addition, an airflow accelerator creates a sealed channel that concentrates the airflow, sucking in all the debris. Thanks to the high efficiency vacuum created, the air power is increased 5 times in this robot compared to previous models of Roomba robots. - Neato SpinFlow technology used in Botvac D7 Connected combines powerful vacuum suction and precision brushes to leave floors immaculately clean. The robot can be equipped with two types of brushes: a spiral blade brush which combined with Neato's powerful vacuum suction removes easily debris, dirt and fibers, and a side brush for thorough edge cleaning which allows the robot to get deep into corners and right up against walls as well as base boards for superior cleaning coverage.
Note 6:
- Roomba 960 iAdapt 2.0 technology uses a high-efficiency cleaning pattern and a full suite of sensors to map and adapt to real world clutter and furniture for thorough coverage. Roomba 960 is equipped with a camera that enables visual localization making possible seamless and efficient navigation of an entire level of your home. This is achieved with the use of Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) technology which creates visual landmarks in its map so it doesn’t lose track of where it is or where it has been.
- Neato Botvac D7 Connected is equipped with a laser eye that uses infrared light to scan the surroundings and uses the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology to build an accurate map of the room and any obstacles. Using this map, the robot is able to efficiently clean the floor in a pattern of straight and overlapping lines, avoiding obstacles and never missing a spot.
Note 7:
Using the app associated with each of these two robots, you can generate a visual map of the space vacuumed that show where your robot cleaned, along with details such as floor coverage summaries. With Neato Botvac D7 Connected, you can also use the map to create Virtual Boundaries in the space to be cleaned to prevent the robot from entering rooms and areas that are not supposed to be cleaned (see Note 8).
Note 8:
- To prevent the robot from entering off-limit areas, Roomba robots can be used with Virtual Walls which are tiny devices that emit an infra-red beam that the robot will not cross. Roomba 960 does not use any Virtual Walls, but uses Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers which, like Virtual Walls, can be used to block off an open doorway, but they can also be used as Virtual Wall Halos which protect some restricted area within the room that may contain things like pet bowls or pile of toys. These units require 2 AA batteries. The 960 robot comes with 1 Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier, batteries included.
- With Botvac D7 Connected, to prevent the robot from entering certain rooms or certain areas containing things such as pet bowls or piles of toys that are not supposed to be cleaned, you can create Virtual Boundaries using the smartphone App and the visual map of the space to be cleaned. These boundaries are called No-Go Lines.
Note that, with all Neato Botvac robots, including Botvac D7 Connected, to prevent the robot from entering certain rooms, one can also use Boundary Markers made of magnetic strips that are laid along the entry to off-limit areas. They are simple to use and best of all, they don't require any batteries.
Note 9:
Both robots can transition with ease between different types of floors, be it hardwood, laminate, tiled or carpeted.
Note 10:
Both robots allow scheduling up to 7 times a week, one cleaning for every day of the week. Scheduling is done using the app associated with the robot.
Note 11:
When the battery gets low, both robots return to the charging base to recharge. Once recharged, they resume automatically the vacuuming where it was interrupted. This allows seamless coverage of very large surfaces and entire floors without human intervention.
Note 12:
Spot cleaning allows the robot to focus on a limited area that requires more intense vacuuming. In Spot mode the robot will clean a 7’x7’ area.
Note 13:
Both Robots are equipped witha side brush to clean wall edges. But using the Roomba 960 smartphone app, you can invoke special final edge cleaning action to make sure that stubborn dirt and debris along wall edges are all removed.
Note 14:
Neato Botvac D7 Connected can be run in Eco mode which is the power saving economy mode and gives you a quiet, longer cleaning.
In this mode, the brush and blower are at a medium setting, allowing the robot to clean a larger area on a single charge. This is the quietest mode.
Note 15:
The Turbo mode is the default mode in which Botvac D7 Connected runs, In this mode, the robot brush and blower are set to high, providing strong suction and moving at a normal speed.
Note 16:
Extra Care is useful if you have delicate furniture or areas your robot has trouble navigating. With Extra Care enabled, Botvac D7 Connected navigates more carefully around objects and obstacles. Note that, because in this mode the robot leaves a wider buffer around items like chair legs, it may not be able to get fully underneath some furniture.
Note 17:
Most vacuuming robots will remove dirt and debris with just one pass over each area of your home. With Roomba 960, two-pass cleaning can be requested and can be particularly helpful in homes with pets or for periodic deep cleaning. The number of cleaning passes is one by default. This feature can be invoked from the app.
Note 18:
Both robots notify you when the dirtbin gets full so you can empty it.
Note 19:
The following pictures show the Roomba 960 and Neato Botvac D7 Connected control buttons and status indicators:
Note 20:
- Roomba 960 is equipped with an AeroForce High Efficiency filter that can capture 99% of allergens, pollen, and particles.
- The Ultra Performance filter found on the Neato Botvac D7 Connected robot can capture particles as small as 0.3 microns.
Both types of filters are easy to remove and clean.
Note 21:
Lithium-Ion batteries run longer vacuuming sessions than Ni-Cad (Nickel Cadmium) or NiMH (Nickel–Metal Hydride) batteries and last longer before battery replacement is needed.
Note 22:
When you purchase the iRobot Roomba 960, you get the following in the box:
- iRobot Roomba 960
- Rechargeable Battery
- Home Base Charging Station
- Line Cord
- One Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers (batteries included)
- Extra Filter
- Extra Side Brush
When you purchase the Neato Botvac D7 Connected, you get the following in the box:
- Neato Botvac D7 Connected (with Battery)
- Spiral Blade Brush
- Side Brush
- Charging Base
- Ultra Performance Filter
- Power Cord
- Boundary Markers
- Cleaning Tool
*** For exact price information on the two robots, please refer to the Amazon products section below. ***
So which robot to buy: Neato Botvac D7 Connected or iRobot Roomba 960?
Here we have two of the best Wi-Fi supporting vacuuming robots available today, and chances are you will be quite happy with either one.
The two robots share a number of key features, in particular:
Here are some additional reasons why you might want to choose a Neato Botvac D7 Connected:
The two robots share a number of key features, in particular:
- Ability to auto recharge when the battery gets low and resume the job where it was interrupted.
- VSLAM/SLAM technology that allows intelligent navigation as well as efficient and seamless vacuuming of an entire floor.
- Long lasting Lithium-Ion batteries
- Powerful filters (AeroForce High Efficiency and Ultra Performance) that clear the air from allergens.
- 7-day scheduling.
- Wi-Fi support and an easy to use smartphone/tablet app.
Here are some additional reasons why you might want to choose a Neato Botvac D7 Connected:
- Both robots are equipped with side brushes, but because Neato Botvac Connected has a semi-rectangular D-shape, it is reasonable to think that it can be even more efficient in cleaning better wall edges and corners.
- Dual Virtual Wall Barriers used with Roomba 960 to block access to off-limit areas require batteries, while the Virtual No-Go LInes or the Boundary Markers used with Neato Botvac D7 Connected do not require any batteries.
- It can be operated in Turbo, Eco and Extra Care modes.
- It is equipped with counter-rotating dual multi-surface tangle-free brushes that grab and break down dirt and debris eliminating hair tangles and jams.
- It has a final edge cleaning mode that focuses more intensely on cleaning edges.
- It allows to select two-pass vacuuming for a more thourough clean.
Roomba 960 and Neato Botvac D7 Connected on Amazon
Please click the robot of your choice below for exact price information or to purchase:
Neato Botvac D7 Connected |
iRobot Roomba 960 |
Neato
Boundary Markers
Roomba 960 Filter and Brush
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Roomba 960
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