Review: Ecovacs Deebot T20 Omni Robot Vacuum
A couple of months ago, Ecovacs invited me to the launch of their new X2 Omni robot vacuum. This was my first exposure to Ecovacs and even robot vacuums and I learned quite a bit checking out the X2. When the X2 Omni was initially offered as a review sample I immediately declined and suggested to review another robot vacuum in their lineup. The reason for that was due to the fact I have always believed robot vacuums only worked great for large homes and not apartment's. Boy was I wrong. So they went ahead and sent over the T20 Omni to help get introduced to robot vacuums. The X2 Omni did get a couple of features from both the X1 and the T20 so this was the perfect start for me. Don’t worry, I will try my hardest to also review the X2 Omni!
The biggest concern for me when using these vacuums has been living in an NYC Apartment. Wide spaces are limited and furniture is everywhere but the T20 Omni handled it all.
Let’s start with what’s included when you purchase the T20 Omni:
Deebot T20 Omni Robot Vacuum
Antibacterial Filter inside of the Deebot
Antibacterial Dust Bag
Omni Station
Mopping Pad Plate
Mopping Pads
Side Brushes
Power Cord
User Manuals
Cleaning Materials (Brush and Multi-Function Cleaning Tool)
Setup
Setup was a breeze with mop pads sticking on to the mop plates, side brushes are color coded and easily snap in, and placing the Omni station to where you want it to live was as easy as it gets. The Omni station contains two 4 Liter tanks for clean and dirty water which is also used to clean the mop pads when docked in the station. Under the magnetic cover on the Deebot lies the power switch and QR code to pair with your Ecovacs app, entering all user information, and the Deebot finds its way to the Omni station.
The Deebot is prompted to make a full house run of where it will be cleaning as it uses its TrueDetect 3D and TrueMapping to map out a full layout of the rooms and area of the house; the initial run isn’t always perfect but the mapping will improve with every clean run the robot does. Once the mapping is complete you’re good to go in using any of the robots cleaning features.
Ecovacs App
The app offers many ways to set your Deebot to clean your home; from housekeeping mode which uses its intelligence to identify what needs cleaning in the home, to area cleaning which allows you to clean specific rooms you designated in the mapping function and of course scheduling when to clean. You’re able to set up whether you’d like the Deebot to just Vacuum, Vacuum + Mop, Mop Only, or Mop After Vacuum. This also goes with setting up certain rooms or specific areas to only vacuum or mop. You can also control certain features of the Omni station like cleaning the mopping pads with the clean water, emptying the dust bin, self-cleaning the station and possibly the best feature, heating the mop pads. That’s right, the T20 Omni heat cleans the mop pads at 131 degrees Fahrenheit which stops molding and kills odors so the mop pads can last longer. Housekeeper mode is probably my favorite as it goes on its own to determine what needs cleaning and how strong to do it.
User Experience
So the app can control how and when to mop and vacuum but how well does it actually clean? I have been blown away by the results I’ve seen in these past months using the robot vacuum. It’s handled all of the dust and dirt that can accumulate on the floor as well as natural hair and dog hair mixed in. The brushes do a good job at positioning debris for the vacuum to suck but has had some instances where the strength of the brushes pushes a bit of the dirt to the sides which eventually gets scooped up as it makes its rounds. Being able to set suction strength is a plus for rooms that may need it a bit more.
As mentioned my home isn’t that large so the standard vacuuming and mopping overall worked great for me. Letting the Deebot go in housekeeping mode handling 3 bedrooms, an entrance way, living room and kitchen takes about one hour and ends with at least 55-60% battery left before recharging. I want to also add that I do not own any carpet in my apartment however, the Deebot features intelligent carpet detection that raises the mop pads when on carpet to only vacuum and not wet the carpet. If I end up doing those long deep cleaning sessions often, I find myself having to empty the dirty water and refill the clean water tank about 2 times a week which isn’t too bad but may vary with larger homes so keep that in mind. As far as general maintenance goes, clearing out hair from the side brushes and main detangling roller on the side of the brush has been easy thanks to the tools included.
Conclusion
Overall, it has been amazing experience using the Deebot T20 Omni in my apartment. The app has become easier to navigate and this robot has been the perfect companion to our regular vacuuming/mopping routine. The only time I have experienced some disturbances was in the beginning dealing with wires/cables under the TV unit and my dogs Food Mat, which was solved by creating no go zones via the app. One final note, since it’s been a few months I have just personally ordered new accessories to replace and clean the station. While this unit was sent for review, I’m fully invested in this eco system and can’t wait to try out more!
The Ecovacs T20 Omni is currently on sale for $699 from its usual $1,099 and may even get cheaper in larger sales.
