Neato has been making D-shaped robot vacuums for more than a decade, and they have consistently earned high marks in our reviews. Unfortunately, its latest model, the $699.99 Neato D8, leaves us a bit underwhelmed. It’s not that the D8 is a bad robot vacuum. In testing, it delivered strong suction power, leaving hard flooring and carpet free of dust, debris, and pet hair. It’s just too expensive. In this price range, we expect features like automatic bin emptying or the ability to mop as well as vacuum. The D8’s main strength lies in its design: with one flat edge, it’s able to clean deeper into corners and along the edges of walls than round robot vacuums. If you have wall-to-wall carpeting, the D8 is an appealing option, but keep in mind that Neato sells several older but more affordable D-shaped models, including the D7, which offers longer battery life, better third-party smart home integration, and zone cleaning support for $100 less.
New Model, Same Shape
In terms of design, the D8 retains the D shape of its predecessors (which iRobot emulated with its Roomba s9+). Neato says the design allows the robot to better clean in corners and along the edges of walls than round models, and offers enough room for a large dustbin and a wide brush roll.
The D8’s 11-inch Spiral Combo main cleaning brush is indeed the largest I’ve seen in a robot vacuum. It’s significantly larger than the brush rolls on most other models, including the Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL R101AE and the Wyze Robot Vacuum. Moreover, on most robot vacuums, the brush roll is situated in the middle of the unit; on the D8, it’s positioned parallel with and close to the flat side for more effective edge cleaning.
With the ability to hold up to 23 ounces of debris, the D8’s dustbin is also larger than you’ll find in most of the competition, including the Bissell SpinWave Wet and Dry and the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI, which feature 13.5- and 14-ounce dustbins, respectively. Inside its dustbin, the D8 has a small high-performance filter that Neato says captures 99% of allergens in the air that pass through it as the robot runs. True HEPA filters, in comparison, are tested and certified to remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns.
The D8’s compact size, D shape, and brushed matte finish give it an attractive look. It measures 12.71 by 13.22 by 3.99 inches (LWH) and weighs 8 pounds. On the bottom, the vacuum has one side brush in addition to the main Spiral Combo brush roll. On top, the D8 has an information button, which you can tap to hear the robot’s status as well as any error notifications. Beside that is a power button, which lets you start cleaning. It also has battery and Wi-Fi indicator lights.
The included charge base is quite compact at just 3.15 by 6.7 by 4.3 inches. Neato says the D8’s base is 30% slimmer than its predecessors, and offers improved cable management. If you want the robot to be hidden from view, you can place the charge base under a bed, couch, or TV stand.
The D8 has two modes: Eco, recommended for hardwood floors, and Turbo, recommended for carpets. Turbo mode increases the suction power and speeds up the Spiral Combo brush. Eco mode lowers the suction power, but saves battery and reduces volume.
The D8 uses a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) laser (the same technology used in self-driving cars) to map and navigate your home. Once reserved for the most premium robot vacuums, LiDAR technology is becoming much more common these days; even the $250 Wyze Robot Vacuum offers laser mapping and navigation. This technology allows the D8 to clean in a methodical way, instead of haphazardly ping-ponging from wall to wall like some older robot vacuums. It first goes around the edges of a room, then makes straight lines to cover the rest of the space.
It features a 2,100mAh lithium-ion battery, which Neato says allows for up to 100 minutes of runtime. I couldn’t quite replicate that battery life result, but in testing the D8 cleaned for up to 90 minutes on a charge, which is the baseline I look for.
Setting Up the D8
Unboxing the Neato D8 is a pleasure, which isn’t something I’ve ever said about a robot vacuum before. The unit itself and the charge base are both protected by fabric dust covers instead of the usual plastic bags you get with most other vacuums. In the box, you get two extra filters and a cleaning tool, which is conveniently housed on the back of the charge base.
To set up the Neato D8, simply insert the plug into the back of the charge base, select a spot for the base with good Wi-Fi coverage, and plug the other end of the cord into the wall. If you have extra cord, you can wrap it around the recessed part on the back of the charge base. Neato recommends placing the base against the wall in a spot with at least one foot of free space on either side and in front.
Next, pick up the robot and place its rounded edge against the charge base. When properly docked, the battery icon will light up.
While waiting for it to charge, download the MyNeato mobile app (available for Android and iOS) and create an account or sign in, then follow the instructions to connect the robot to the app. In testing, it only took a few minutes to get them connected. After you accept the Bluetooth pairing request and the app finds your robot, it will instruct you to press the information button on the unit for three seconds to authenticate it. From there, just enter your Wi-Fi password in the app and you should be good to go.
After getting the robot connected, the app attempted to download and install an update, which it said would take approximately 15 minutes. About halfway through the process, I got an error message saying it couldn’t install the update and advising me to contact Neato’s customer service team via text or phone. When I texted with a customer service agent, they informed me that my app software and robot firmware were up to date.
Controlling the D8
The MyNeato app has the following tabs at the bottom: History, Routines, Home, Maps, and My Robot. In History, it keeps a record of its cleaning jobs, including the square footage it covered and the duration of each session. You can click into each record to see a map of where the robot cleaned. I’ve noticed that the runtimes in the History section are sometimes off if the robot gets stuck on that job.
In the Routines tab, you can create a weekly cleaning schedule. To do so, press the plus sign, select which days you want it to clean, a time, and a cleaning mode. After creating them, you can easily toggle your Routines on and off.
In Home, you’ll see the map of your home (once it has been created), and three main buttons: Mode, Start, and Locate. Tap the pencil button to add or remove no-go zones, or rename your map. Then, just select the mode you want and press Start to send the robot on its way. When you tap the Locate button, the robot makes a ringing sound so you can find it if it goes missing. For better or worse, Neato doesn’t make it easy to turn off the ringing. I almost went crazy trying to figure out how to make it stop, but fortunately, it eventually did on its own.
In My Maps, you can view and edit your saved maps. In My Robot, you can rename the D8 and select other settings, including your preferred language.
I had no problem connecting the D8 with Amazon Alexa and controlling it with voice commands via an Echo smart speaker in testing. To set it up, just search for and enable the MyNeato skill in the Alexa app. When linking the accounts you’ll need to sign in using your MyNeato account credentials, so make sure you have them handy. After connecting them, the robot promptly responded to voice commands such as, “Alexa, ask MyNeato to start cleaning.”
While several of Neato’s other robot vacuums, including the D7, D6, and D4, work with Google Assistant, the D8 does not, a spokesperson confirmed.
Putting the D8 to the Test
Before running the D8, Neato recommends picking up any items from the floor that could become tangled in the robot, such as power cords, socks, and shoelaces. The company also recommends tucking any fringes under rugs.
Some more expensive competitors, such as the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI, use cameras and AI to recognize and automatically avoid things that can get in the robot’s way like power cords and socks, a feature you don’t get on the D8.
On its first test run, the robot cleaned for 78 minutes in Eco mode before successfully navigating back to its charge base. While cleaning, the robot traversed different flooring types with ease (I have tile, laminate, area rugs, and wall-to-wall carpet in my home). It also cleaned under furniture and maneuvered tight spaces without issue.
In terms of volume, the D8 operates at around 60dB when cleaning over carpet in Eco mode, according to a reading from the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app taken in the same room where the robot was working. According to OSHA, that’s quieter than a normal conversation.
After its first test run, I checked the bin and was pleasantly surprised to see it was almost completely filled with dust, dog hair, and other debris.
Emptying the bin can get pretty messy, so I recommend doing it outside if possible, as when you open the dustbin, particulates fly everywhere. Unlike most competing products, the D8’s dustbin door completely detaches, which isn’t the best design choice, in my opinion. One time, the dustbin door accidentally fell into my large outdoor trash bin, and I had to hoist myself over the edge to grab the piece at the bottom.
On the plus side, it took just one complete test run for the D8 to generate a map of my home. The app then makes it easy to create virtual no-go zones to cordon off areas you want the robot to avoid. The D8 doesn’t support targeted area cleaning, which seems like a missed opportunity since it maps your home. Many other robot vacuums that offer home mapping, including the Wyze Robot Vacuum and Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL R101AE, let you label each room so you can send the robot right there.
While testing the D8 over several days, it got tripped up on multiple test runs. It was foiled by a door jamb, became wedged under a kitchen cabinet, and got stuck on a long window blind pull cord. Even on test runs when it didn’t get stuck, the robot sometimes failed to make its way back to the charge base. One time, it stopped under the bed (where the floor is completely clear) and I had to manually pick it up and put it back on the base. Another time, it died in the middle of the kitchen.
On the plus side, when you’re having a problem with the robot, Neato makes it easy to contact its customer service team. Just tap the question mark button in the top right corner of the app to either call or text a customer service agent.
Don’t Pay Full Price
The D8’s $699.99 price (which includes a one-year limited warranty) is a bit baffling. Given the plethora of affordable robot vacuums on the market that perform well and offer similar smart features to the D8, it seems outrageous to charge that much for what the company is calling its latest “entry-level product.”
Neato announced the D8 in the fall of 2020 alongside a new MyNeato app that promises a simplified Wi-Fi setup process, and two other more premium models, the $799 D9 and the $899 D10, both of which are currently unavailable. Neato expects to launch those models “in the coming weeks,” a spokesperson says. The D9 promises up to 120 minutes of runtime and features a “HEPA-style” filter that Neato says can capture 99.5% of dust and allergens. The D10 promises up to 150 minutes of runtime and features a True HEPA filter.
At the time of this writing, the D8, despite being listed as “All New” on Neato’s website, is already marked down $100 to $599.99. (Pro tip: Never pay full price for a robot vacuum, as they always go on sale, and Amazon’s Prime Day is right around the corner.) Even with that discount, the D8 is overpriced compared with the myriad of similarly priced or cheaper options from other brands offering more functionality.
For example, the Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL R101AE and iRobot Roomba i3+, both of which are listed at $600 without any discounts, can empty their own dustbins, a major plus for allergy sufferers. Moreover, many sub-$500 floor-cleaning robots, including the Bissell SpinWave Wet and Dry and Proscenic M7 Pro, can both vacuum and mop.
The D8’s D shape and large brush roll are its differentiating features, but I’m not convinced they’re worth the markup. If you’re married to the D shape, Neato still offers a few older models that have come down in price since their debut, including the $299.99 D4 and the $499.99 D7, both of which earned our Editors’ Choice award. The $399.99 D6, which Neato says was designed for homes with pets, is currently listed as sold out on Neato’s website but is available via Amazon.
Neato’s new lineup offers a few enhancements over earlier models. The company says it has improved its build quality, outfitting its latest models with a laser on top to see better when cleaning in the dark, a repositioned Wi-Fi antenna for stronger connectivity, and better acoustics and soundproofing so they’re quieter.
Newer Isn’t Always Better
Featuring a unique D shape, a longer brush roll than most of the competition, and strong suction power, the Neato D8 does a better job of cleaning edges and corners than most round robot vacuums. It quickly connects with its companion app, and supports virtual no-go zones, cleaning schedules, and Amazon Alexa voice control.
My main gripe about the D8 is its $699.99 list price. Even at $599.99, which is the current sale price on the company’s site, the D8 is just too expensive for what Neato calls its entry-level smart robot vacuum. In this price range, I much prefer the $599 Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL R101AE, our Editors’ Choice winner, which also offers strong suction power, rarely gets stuck, has a large dustbin in its base station that only needs to be emptied about once a month, and supports targeted area cleaning so you can send it straight to specific areas on demand.
As a more affordable alternative to the D8, its three-year-old predecessor, the D7, which now sells for $100 less, features the same D shape but offers more functionality, including Google Assistant support, better battery life, and targeted area cleaning. If history is any indication, the D8 may eventually drop down to $399.99, which would be a far more suitable price.
