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Ecovacs Deebot N79 Robot Vacuum Review

Derek Hales

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on:

Budget Robot Vacuum

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Ecovacs Deebot N79

The Ecovacs Deebot N79 is a hands-free, budget-friendly robot vacuum built to tackle a variety of messes. Included with this vacuum is a wireless remote and built-in wifi, giving you the ability to vacuum your floor without even going near the vacuum cleaner. Although this unit is not built for high pile carpets, hard floor types and low pile carpet are able to benefit from the suction offered by this Ecovacs Deebot vacuum. Check Price

Pros

  • Equipped with wifi and remote for hands-free cleaning
  • Budget-friendly, solid value

Cons

  • Suction power on high pile carpet is below average
  • Difficult to get a replacement battery

Bottom Line

  • The Deebot N79 is a good choice for users who like the idea of a remote or wifi enabled device.
  • This vacuum offers a good value, sold at an affordable cost for the degree at which it cleans.
  • The Deebot N79 seems be less widely available. However, it’s been replaced by the Deebot N79s, a slimmer and improved robot.

Table of Contents

Design

The Ecovacs Deebot N79 vacuum cleaner is constructed in a circular design with two separate bumper walls that make up the exterior perimeter of the unit. 

The interface on top of the vacuum is simple, as it only contains the logo of the vacuum, an “Auto” button for automatic cleaning, and the wifi light indicator. The vacuum can be controlled via the auto button, the remote, or the Ecovacs app.

Below the surface is a dust bin and filter, which can be released by the latch located in the front of the vacuum, in line with the clear walls. Once the dust bin is released, a smaller latch will open the filter compartment.

Two battery charging pins also sit on the bottom portion of the Ecovacs, allowing the vacuum to drive onto its home base to charge up.

Aesthetically speaking, this Ecovacs robot vacuum offers more of a matted gray color scheme on top with black, glossy sides. In my opinion, the vacuum has a sleek appeal to it

Base Features

  1. Control panel
  2. Bumper
Ecovacs Deebot N79 robot vacuum overview

How It Cleans

Designed with modern robot features, the Ecovacs Deebot vacuum uses a Smart Motion system to detect dirt and debris, and then clean it up. There are a few different cleaning modes available with this robot vacuum, but they all use the same process to clean.

V-shaped brush helps to lift the dirt while the brushless motor sucks up the debris. Two spinning brushes attached to the bottom of this vacuum also help to sweep dirt / debris into the suction area, ensuring it is cleaned up upon passing.A V-shaped brush helps to lift the dirt while the brushless motor sucks up the debris.

Ecovacs Deebot N Robot Vacuum Rollerbrush

The three cleaning methods available are automatic, edge, and spot cleaning. Automatic cleaning means the Ecovacs Deebot N79 vacuum will drive around your home looking for debris to clean up. The edge cleaning mode is used for cleaning specific edges.

Once you turn this on, the vacuum cleaner will follow the line of your baseboards / walls to properly clean the edges. Finally, there’s a spot cleaning mode. Just as it sounds, this mode is to be used to clean a specific spot.

Users have the ability to choose from the cleaning methods with either the remote control or wifi (smartphone app).

Cleaning Features

  1. Wheels
  2. Spinning brush
  3. Charging pins
  4. Roller brush
  5. Dust bin / filter
Ecovacs Deebot N79 - cleaning features annotated

Size & Dimensions

When it comes to size, the Ecovacs Deebot contains a smaller build, sitting at 3.1″ tall and weighing 6.7 pounds. Similar to most other robot vacuums, this Ecovacs Deebot N79 is able to drive in low spaces.

ecovacs deebot n79 robot vacuum size

However, robot vacuums have the potential to get stuck or wedged underneath furniture. This may lead to scratches along the surface of the Ecovacs vacuum.

These scratches should not affect the performance of the vacuum, but the scratches are not necessarily aesthetically appealing.

Therefore, you may want to keep close watch on the Ecovacs Deebot N79 as it makes its first few runs around your home. That said, this is not a specific problem with the Deebot N79, but a common potential problem for most robot vacuums.

To date, the Ecovacs N79 is the shortest robot vacuum I’ve tested. This is a definite benefit, as it will allow it to squeeze under the smallest areas to clean (hopefully without getting scratched).

Accessories & Parts

The Ecovacs Deebot N79 robot vacuum includes the following accessories and parts:

  • Four spinning brushes
  • Two HEPA filters
  • Remote
  • Charging base and cord
  • Cleaning tool
Ecovacs Deebot N79 robot vacuum accessories and spare parts
  1. Remote control
  2. Charger
  3. Spinning brush
  4. Cleaning brush
  5. HEPA filter

Cleaning Tests

The following vacuum cleaner tests are designed to show how the Ecovacs Deebot N79 vacuum performs on different surfaces, picking up a variety of debris types. We test on three different floor types, including hardwood floors, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet. For each floor type we test the vacuum cleaner against:

  • Rice – 3 ounces
  • Dry Cereal – 1 ounce
  • Kitty Litter – 3 ounces
  • Sugar – 3 ounces

The base surface of our testing lane is an engineered hardwood floor. For our carpet tests we slide in a low pile and high pile carpet insert on top of the hardwood floor.

Cleaning test debris types
Testing Debris – From left to right: Rice (3 oz), Kitty Litter (3 oz), Cereal (1 oz), Sugar (3 oz)

Our vacuum cleaning process strives to be as consistent, fair, and true to real-world use as possible. Our tests utilize the following procedure:

  1. Measure the weight of the testing debris and the weight of the empty vacuum debris container.
  2. Spread the respective debris type evenly across the central portion of the testing lane.
  3. Run the vacuum cleaner over the testing lane.
  4. Measure the weight of the now filled container and take notes on the cleaning performance.

Hardwood Floor

The Ecovacs Deebot vacuum performed quite well throughout our hardwood floor test. Each debris field we spread across the hardwood was cleaned up at 98% or higher. The time to complete its cleaning process wasn’t exactly great, but it progressively improved.

Cereal

100%

Kitty Litter

98%

Rice

99%

Sugar

99%

Ecovacs Deebot N79 hardwood floor cleaning tests

Low Pile Carpet

After testing the Ecovacs Deebot N79 on the low pile carpet, there was a slight decline in performance. Rice and cereal were still no match for this Ecovacs vacuum, but the sugar and kitty litter did put up more of a fight. At first, it looked as if kitty litter was going to be a big issue for the Deebot N79, but in the end, 90% of the debris was cleaned up.

As we moved onto sugar, the Ecovacs Deebot N79 started to struggle. Forty-one percent of the sugar remained on the low pile carpet after testing was complete. By only cleaning up 59% of the sugar, I was still able to spot small patches of sugar residing on the low pile carpet.

Cereal

100%

Kitty Litter

90%

Rice

100%

Sugar

59%

Ecovacs Deebot N79 low carpet cleaning tests

High Pile Carpet

Last but not least came the high pile carpet test. Results on the high pile carpet did not fall far from those on the low pile carpet. The Ecovacs Deebot N79 was able to clean up the rice and cereal with ease.

The amount of kitty litter cleaned up decreased ever so slightly, while the sugar dropped a rather large amount. Only 47% of the sugar was sucked up buy this Ecovacs robot vacuum on the high pile carpet.

RELATED – See how Deebot N79 compares to Roomba here.

Cereal

100%

Kitty Litter

89%

Rice

100%

Sugar

47%

Ecovacs Deebot N79 high carpet cleaning tests

Usability

Setting up the Ecovacs N79 was simple. After unpacking everything, you need to snap in two of the four spinning brushes (there are two replacement brushes included), move the vacuum to its charging base, and then let it run.

With the exception of the spinning brushes, everything else is already put together. Therefore, no tools are needed to assemble this vacuum.

When it comes to using the Ecovacs Deebot, simplicity is the word that comes to mind.

A small power switch on the side of the unit allows you to turn the vacuum on and off.

After this switch has been moved to the “on” position, you can press the “Auto” button on the top of the Ecovacs DN79 or on the remote. Both move the Ecovacs Deebot vacuum into auto cleaning mode.

The remote included with this Ecovacs robot vacuum is well labeled.

Each button has an image or one-word phrase describing the cleaning style. Whether you want to spot clean, use wifi, or just let the vacuum clean your house in more of a spontaneous fashion, the remote allows you to do so.

Users also have the option of using Ecovacs smartphone app. This app gives you total control over the Deebot N79. Whether you want to schedule a cleaning, or use the “Find Me” feature to locate your Deebot N79, you’re able to do so with the smart app.

Maneuverability

Maneuvering the Deebot N79 is effortless. The vacuum does all of the work for you. As noted above, the Deebot N79 comes with a remote and is equipped with Wi-Fi. Therefore, you can control the vacuum from a completely separate room if you so desire.

Designed with a circular build, this vacuum cleaner is able to rotate 360° with ease. This allows the Deebot N79 to completely wrap around legs of furniture, in addition to other tight turns. Most other vacuums would need a couple of passes to reach these areas, whereas the Ecoovac Deebot is able to do so with just one pass around.

Corner cleaning is probably the most difficult task for the Deebot N79 to tackle. The circular design does not allow it to fully drive into a corner. That said, the brushes on the bottom of the unit are able to reach into these corners and pull out some of the debris, so you’re not left with a big mess in your corners.

Having a handheld vacuum can be a nice help to take care of any debris remaining in the corners.

Aside from the corners, this Robovac vacuum is able to get most other areas. There is even an edge cleaning mode, which means the Deebot N79 will follow along the edges of your home, using its brushes to remove dust and dirt, then sucking it up. This is a feature I have not seen in many other places.

Anti-drop sensors on the vacuum also allow the Ecovacs DN79 to drive up to ledges and stop before driving off of them.

  • Weight: 6.7 pounds
  • Width: 13″
  • Height: 3.1″
  • Turning: 360°

Maintenance

The following table indicates the frequency at which you will likely want to replace the various parts and components of the vacuum. The following replacement frequencies are what the manufacturer recommends. However, your individual experiences may vary.

BatteryDetails
Size2600 mAh
Charging Time3-4 hours
Run Time100 minutes
Replacement CostCheck Price

Being able to find a replacement battery is important. Even the best batteries are only going to last 2-3 years before the performance starts to slip, or the battery dies altogether.

Given the importance of the battery, I am incredibly confused at just how difficult it is to find a replacement battery for the Deebot.

I was unable to find where I could purchase the battery on Ecovac’s website.

I reached out to Ecovacs’ customer support who told me the following:

“As of the moment we don’t have a parts store so we are sending out a replacement parts for free.”

The absence of a store or retailer where I can buy a replacement battery still has got me concerned. However, for now, I am giving Ecovac’s the benefit of the doubt since the company does seem to be trying to properly service and support their customers.

ecovacs deebot n79 robot vacuum battery
N79 has a 100 minute run-time and takes 3-4 hours to fully charge.

Value

Overall, the Ecovacs Deebot N79 offers a solid value. This vacuum shares a lot of similarities with the Eufy Robovac 11, including a similar price point.

This specific Ecovacs Deebot also did well in a majority of our cleaning tests, only adding to the value of the vacuum. To that end, the Deebot N79 did struggle at times on low pile and high pile carpet. The suction power was simply not enough to reach the deeply ingrained particles of debris (sugar mainly).

Despite the difficulties with sugar particles, I am still impressed with the overall performance, especially considering the price.

Ecovacs also offers a one year warranty and 30-day refund policy through Amazon. Ecovacs warranty states the following:

…the Ecovacs product that you purchased will be free from defects in materials and workmanship when used under normal conditions for 1-year from the product purchase date.

The one remaining concern I do have is simply the battery issue. It’s great that Ecovacs is offering these for free to all customers who require a replacement (warranty or not). However, I would feel much better if I could simply purchase one without having to go through customer service.

My fear is that the company may change the policy in the future, or otherwise that batteries simply won’t be available, leaving me with what amounts to a large paper weight once the original battery dies.

Specifications

Below is a complete list of important specifications and features included on the Ecovacs Deebot N79

Specifications
TypeRobot
ManufacturerEcovacs
ModelDeebot N79
Length (inches)13
Width (inches)13
Height (inches)3.1
Weight (pounds)6.7
Floor TypeAll (indoor)
Battery2,600 mAh
Dust Bin Capacity0.3 L
CordlessYes
BaglessYes
ReturnsVaries by retailer
Warranty1-Year limited
PriceCheck Price

Who Should Buy the Ecovacs Deebot N79 Robot Vacuum?

The Ecovacs Deebot N79 robot vacuum is designed to make cleaning your home effortless. With a remote and wifi capabilities, users have the ability to control the Deebot N79 with the click of a button. If you’re not a fan of manual labor when it comes to vacuuming, the Ecovacs Deebot N79 may be a good option to consider.

I would recommend the Ecovacs Deebot N79 if you’re looking for the following features in a robot vacuum.

  • Want a robot vacuum – Robot vacuums are designed to drive around your home and do all the vacuuming for you. That said, suction power on the Ecovacs Deebot N79 does leave something to be desired. It’s best suited for low pile carpet and hardwood / tile floors.
  • Like the idea of an app and a remote – The Ecovacs Deebot N79 vacuum can be controlled by its included remote or with the Ecovacs smartphone app. Both options allow users to vacuum their floors without having to ever stand up.
  • Want a good value – Priced on the low end of the $$ price tier, this robot vacuum offers a very good value. The overall cleaning performance for the price you pay adds up to a well-rounded Ecovacs vacuum.

For more information on the Ecovacs Deebot N79, visit here.

Low Cost, Excellent Value Performer
  • Design - 92%
    92%
  • Performance - 90%
    90%
  • Quality - 90%
    90%
  • Usability - 92%
    92%
  • Value - 91%
    91%
91%

Summary

The Ecovacs Deebot N79 is a robot vacuum equipped with several cleaning modes, wifi capabilities, and a balanced level of cleaning capabilities. Ecovacs designed this vacuum as its more affordable option for users who like the idea of a robot vacuum, but don’t necessarily want to break the bank. The Deebot N79 offers a good value and is certainly worth checking out if you’re in the market for a new vacuum cleaner.

About Derek Hales

Derek HalesDerek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ModernCastle.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, She Knows, and other major publications. Derek has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Hales has been testing and reviewing products for the home since 2014.