Neato D10 robot vacuum review: This bot’s shape gets dirt others leave behind

Neato released three new robot vacuum models earlier this year: the D8, D9, and D10. More recently, the company introduced a new multi-zone cleaning feature for the top two of those models. The Neato D10, reviewed here, is the feature-rich flagship of the line, with the longest runtime (300 minutes) and coverage area (2,700 square feet on a single charge). It’s also the only model of the three to offer true HEPA filtration, which Neato says enables it to captured up to 99.97 percent of allergens and fine dust particles as small as 0.3 microns, making it an attractive choice for allergy sufferers.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robot vacuum cleaners.

The D10 features Neato’s trademark “D” shape, which allows it to hug along wall edges and get deep into corners for more effective cleaning. It also just looks cooler than more customary saucer-shaped robots. That eye appeal is enhanced by a complementary D-shaped LIDAR turret and a brushed-metal finish on top of the appliance. A large button on top of the robot allows you to start and pause cleanings, but the D10 is otherwise controlled by the new MyNeato companion app.

There’s a removable 11-inch rolling brush on the underside of the robot, along with a single magnetically attached spinning side brush. These combine to to provide more thorough edge-to-edge cleaning. The 0.7-liter dustbin is set in the center of the robot and is removed by simply lifting the center segment of the robot’s top.

Michael Ansaldo/IDG

Setup and performance

To set the vacuum up for cleaning, you just need to plug in its dock and set the robot against the charging pins. The MyNeato app scans for the D10 and walks you through the process of connecting it to your Wi-Fi network. This was one of the easiest smart device setups I’ve encountered.

The Neato D10 has three cleaning modes: Eco, which enables that impressive 300-minute battery life, Turbo, and Max. All three modes are quieter than a conventional standup vacuum and provide a range of suction that suits everything from light-duty to intensive cleaning. Still, the omission of an “auto” mode that automatically adjusts suction to the cleaning job at hand is a head-scratcher for a vacuum in this price range.

Nonetheless, the D10 did an impressive job cleaning both the hard and carpeted floors in my home, clearing them of dust, food crumbs, and an abundance of pet hair. The last tended to get wrapped around the two brushes but never to the point of obstructing them. To clear these types of fibers, the D10 comes with a brush cleaning tool—also D-shaped—that slots into the back of the charging dock so that you don’t misplace it.

Michael Ansaldo/IDG

The robot maneuvered well around furniture and wall corners and slipped easily in and out from under my couch. Its unique D-shape allowed it to hug along baseboards and my entertainment center, picking up debris that saucer-shaped robots typically leave behind. It transitioned easily from hard floors to carpet and once it was done cleaning, it made a beeline back to its dock, backed up and shimmying itself against the charging contacts.

The new MyNeato app is attractively designed and intuitive to use. You can initiate cleaning jobs and select cleaning modes from the home screen. There’s also a handy “locate” button that prompts the robot to emit a chime when you lose sight of it. Other screens, accessible from a toolbar on the bottom, display your cleaning history and saved maps and allow you to create cleaning routines that run automatically at a given time.

The D10 builds a map of the room the first time you run a cleaning job and displays it on the map tab of the app once the job is complete. The map enables zone cleaning, which tells the robot what areas you want it to clean more frequently and what areas you want it to avoid. To add these, you tap the edit button on the map and select “add zone.” A prompt pops up asking “Should the robot clean this zone” and you select “no” or “yes.” The first will add a pink box over the map to mark a no-go zone and the second will add a blue box for area cleaning and ask you to select a cleaning mode. From there you simply drag the respective box to the appropriate area on the map and drag its corners to resize it. The D10 will steer clear of all no-go zones during cleaning jobs. To perform area cleaning, you just tap the that particular box on the map, then tap the “clean” button and the D10 will go directly to that spot and vacuum.

Currently, the MyNeato app only supports one map at a time, so each time you use the D10 in a different room it will create new map. Neato assured us that multiple-map support is coming soon, though, which should allow you to save separate maps for each room you clean.

Verdict

The Neato D10 is strong cleaner with a straightforward app experience. It’s $599 price tag seems a bit high for its capabilities, though, considering there are similarly price robot vacuums that also mop or that come with an auto-empty base station. If the unique D-shape of this vacuum, which made a clear cleaning difference in my testing, is the appeal, then the D10 will best serve people with large homes or allergy issues. Otherwise, you can get many of the same features and save a few bucks on the D9 or D8.