I love a good robot vacuum. It makes cleaning easier and my dog Juancho has an instant playmate. Sure, he takes a bit of time to get used to the new addition to the family but once he’s used to it, he’ll follow it around in a playful manner and tire him out. I recently had the chance to test the Ecovacs Deebot T9 Robot Vacuum Cleaner and it helped in keeping our home tidier while allowing me to focus on work and other personal commitments. While hoovering is one of the more entertaining chores one can do at home, nothing beats having the option to take it out of one’s to-do list.

Is the Deebot T9 worth the price tag? Should you replace your current vacuum with it? Allow me to give you a list of the things I loved about the vacuum and a few things you should be aware of before getting one.

It maps out your home

It was pretty interesting to see how the vacuum mapped out our home and planned its own cleaning routine based on that map. The best thing is you don’t have to be a real techie to handle it.

The app on your phone is pretty straight forward and since it gets to know your home through powerful sensors, the most you have to do is either schedule or start a cleaning program. You can even select which room you want to be cleaned!

It leaves your home smelling fresh

The Deebot T9 has a built-in air freshener that infuses the home with a clean, delicate fragrance as it moves. Our unit came with the ‘Wild Bluebell’ fragrance and I loved it. It’s not overpowering but it also leaves the room smelling fresh.

Other scent options are Cucumber & Oak and Bergamot & Lavender. Each capsule lasts up to 60 days before they need a replacement.

It empties itself

One of the major issues people with robot vacuums have is how often they have to empty the waste compartment. After all, having a robot instead of a handheld vacuum with a bag means its compartment is much smaller. Deebot’s solution is having its own Auto Empty Station which also serves as the device’s charging dock.

Once a cleaning cycle ends, the T9 makes its way to the dock and automatically empties itself, letting the dirt go into a convenient, 2.5 liter bag which ensures fewer trips to your waste basket.

But can it handle fur?

My dog Juancho is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi which means he’s quite the fur monster. This type of dog sheds all year round and that means we get corgi fur everywhere. Yes, it sucks the fur in quite well, picking it off tiled floors and even carpeted rooms easily. The main issue is that the fur gets stuck in the vacuum’s waste bin.

It docks into the Auto Empty Station and you hear the loud woosh supposedly taking the dirt from the vacuum to a convenient bag. However, when you check the vacuum’s waste compartment, all the fur is still in there. Not a deal-breaker but definitely a concern if you have a shedder for a pet. You can probably skip the Auto Empty Station as you’d still have to manually empty the T9 anyway.  

Control through the app

I can turn on the Deebot T9 to clean our home (while entertaining my dog) even when I’m outside and on the go. Since it maps out your home and uses the all-new TrueDetect 3D 2.0 technology, it’s able to easily detect obstacles that may come its way. A magazine that fell on the floor, dog toys left in corners. There are less chances of the T9 getting stuck so it’s able to complete cleaning even if you’re not there to watch it.

It mops your floors!

Ok, this isn’t the first robot vacuum to have this feature. However, it’s the first time I ever had a need for one that does this chore and I was thrilled with the convenience it brought! We have white, tiled floors in our living-slash-dining space so mopping is a part of life. Unless we want drool marks or a random paw print on the floor, mopping must be done quite regularly.

Thankfully, I have a husband who’s been into steam cleaning the floors before the Deebot T9 came in. The existence of this nifty addition to the family took a load off his back and now instead of mopping floors at night, we get more TV time together.

Attaching the OZMOTM Pro 2.0 Electric Oscillating Mopping System was quick and easy — it’s practically a no brainer. You just fill it up with water, slap a disposable, microfiber mopping pad (each unit comes with 10) and you’re good to go. Of course, the disposable pads can be quite a concern when it comes to added expenses and waste management. Maybe Ecovacs can come up with a mopping pad that we can wash and reuse instead?

All in all, the Deebot T9 is a great addition to any home. Two chores done means more time for family, productivity, and doing things you actually love. It’s currently available in Lazada.