O-Sense
INTRODUCTION
Even though the vast majority of the tests i do take place in the office/lab most of my reviews i actually type while at home and so free time for me is very limited. So, tasks like house cleaning are clearly not on top of my to do list which means testing anything that could assist me with that is more than just welcome. This is obviously why I'm so into testing cleaning devices lately like robot vacuums and wireless/cordless vacuums and yes, they've actually helped a lot. As I’ve pointed out countless times in the past however the good thing about the electronics industry is that it never sleeps and so robot vacuum cleaners and wireless/cordless vacuums keep getting better and better with numerous upgrades, some of which are actually very convenient. The DEEBOT T9 has been my favourite robot vacuum cleaner to date but since ECOVACS recently released the DEEBOT T9 AIVI model i decided to take a look and see if it's worth replacing its award winning predecessor with.
ECOVACS is singularly focused on making daily lives easier and more efficient with intelligent and connected home service robotics. With a deep, 22-year history in smart home development and 100% ownership of its R&D and manufacturing, the company leads the market in patents and innovative product development in home service robotics. ECOVACS first premiered in the U.S. with its DEEBOT robotic vacuum cleaners, today a top 3 market leader, along with its WINBOT robotic window cleaner. For more information, please visit: http://www.ecovacs.com.
The latest DEEBOT T9 AIVI by ECOVACS is the upgraded version of DEEBOT T9 robot vacuum (review here) which is marketed as a 9-in-1 solution. The DEEBOT T9 AIVI is based on a Cortex-A35 64-bit CPU and sports a very long sheet of features including 3000Pa suction power (high-durability fiberglass brushless motor, twice as much as the T8 AIVI with 4 available levels), 960P HD forward camera with two-way communication, AIVI 2.0 (artificial intelligence) which allows it to recognize up to a total of 15 different objects (such as socks, cables and chairs - humans are also included so it doesn't start cleaning in DND mode unless it detects noone is left in the room), dToF(Direct time of flight) navigation (with ranging, photon level detection and Nanosecond operation), AeroForce double-sided rubber rollers (this is a first by ECOVACS thanks to a strategic partnership with iRobot in early 2021), OZMO Pro 2.0 mop technology (480 vibrations per minute ensure excellent cleaning results), TrueMapping 2.0 for optimal navigation (3D mapping of your home), 3 layer HEPA filter (can effectively filter 99% of the particle dust and allergens), 5200mAh lithium-ion battery pack (up to 150 minutes of runtime), 360 degrees sensors (anti-fall/edge cleaning), smart home integration (can control all of its functions vocally via either Amazon Alexa and/or Google Assistant) and of course WiFi 2.4GHz connectivity. It also comes ready with a standard 300ml dust bin which can be combined with the 180ml water tank (simultaneous vacuuming and mopping). Based on the features and specifications of the T9 AIVI this seems to be the most advanced robot vacuum released by ECOVACS to date (and clearly one of the most advanced models in the market) so time to see how it holds against some of its competition.
SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES
PACKAGING AND CONTENTS
Once again at the front of the ECOVACS box we find a large product picture next to a few words about the main product features in 6 languages.
On the sides ECOVACS gets into detail about their OZMO pro v2.0 and AIVI 2.0 technologies.
The main features are explained in depth at the rear of the box again in 6 languages and under 3 product pictures.
The T9 AIVI is wrapped inside a cloth cover and placed between a piece of cardboard and a piece of black foam.
Inside the box you will find the DEEBOT T9 AIVI robot vacuum (substitute module for when vacuuming is already mounted), water tank, two side brushes, recharge station with its power cord, 2 microfiber cloths, camera lens cover, warning information paper, certification of conformity paper and the user instructions.
THE DEEBOT T9 AIVI
The DEEBOT T9 AIVI by ECOVACS measures 353mm in diameter and 93,6mm in height so almost identical to the T9 model.
Typically, the laser mapping sensor and the secondary on/off button are located on top of the robot vacuum (the company logo is printed on the sensor).
Opening the top cover reveals the dust bin, cleaning tool, primary on/off slider, reset button and the WiFi activity LED.
While vacuuming you need to keep the substitute mode installed as seen above.
The microphone in charge of 2-way communication is located on the right side of the vacuum.
At the front we find the 960P HD camera placed past a small window which you can cover with the bundled lens cover (privacy).
The 300ml dust bin is the same used with the regular T9 model so it’s very easy to empty and clean.
The same applies for the 180ml water tank.
Turning the DEEBOT T9 AIVI over we see that it’s a bit different compared to the T9.
Here we see two large rubberized side wheels, main round wheel, AeroForce double-sided rubber rollers, charging contacts, main wheel and the two ports for the side brushes.
This is the first time ECOVACS uses the AeroForce double-sided rubber rollers (iRobot has been using them for quite a while now) so i don’t know quite what to expect from them.
Attaching and removing the side brushes is very easy and as for quality these are top notch, just like the ones of the T9 model.
Once again, the charging base bunded with the T9 AIVI is nothing special, just a regular base with a cable holder at the rear.
ECOVACS HOME APP
As with previous DEEBOT models the ECOVACS app will take you step by step on how to pair the DEEBOT T9 AIVI with your local network and your smartphone (if you can’t find the model in the app change the location of your smartphone to Germany, install the app and change it back to your own location).
Naming the robot vacuum, selecting voice language (supports 13 different ones), enabling some features and checking and installing available firmware updates are the next steps.
From the main app tab, you can set the DEEBOT T9 AIVI to start cleaning, return to the dock for recharging, check its current battery level and enter both the cleaning and camera tabs.
As you can all see the 3D map is very detailed and each room is tagged and colored automatically.
Pulling up the lower end of the screen allows you to adjust the suction power of the motor (4 levels) and the water amount/volume you'd like the water tank to use (again, 4 levels).
From here you can also set the mopping preference, set a cleaning schedule and adjust voice volume levels.
Inside the more settings tab you can change the name of the vacuum, check the cleaning logs, enable/disable advanced features, use the DND (do not disturb) function, enter the video manager (camera access), check the current wear of the various accessories and parts, access the help area and check the firmware version and network status.
The video manager tab allows you to change the camera password (good safety precaution so others can’t access the camera).
Both the network information tab and the WiFi coverage map can come in handy if you want to see where your local wireless network works best.
Of course, you can also place boundaries in the map to limit the areas where the T9 AIVI can go.
The 960p HD camera is very basic and works best in bright rooms (unfortunately it has no night-vision mode). Still, that combined with the 2-way communication allow you to keep tabs at what’s happening at home (and why not, even check what your pets are doing).
TEST RESULTS
Robot Vacuums may be home appliances but they are very advanced ones so I thought about running some tests like I do with most electronic devices. So here you can see the maximum cleaned area during all tests (single pass, start to finish), total battery life (in quiet - standard/balanced - strong/max modes) and noise levels (again in quiet - standard/balanced - strong/max – max+) suction modes.
CONCLUSION
Three reasons made me so interested in checking the DEEBOT T9 AIVI out, 1st that its predecessor delivered on everything I wanted from a robot vacuum, 2nd that it featured a built-in camera (which is a cool feature overall) and 3rd that it came in black color. So right from the get go you can expect 2 things from the DEEBOT T9 AIVI, the same and better 3D mapping and object avoidance compared to the DEEBOT T9 and just as impressive cleaning results (just slightly better at vacuuming). Unfortunately, what it gains in vacuuming performance the T9 AIVI loses in battery life when compared to the T9, possibly due to the 960p HD camera used (the dual-brushes may also require more power to spin). Of course, at well over 2 hours at standard suction the DEEBOT T9 AIVI still does very well in this area (and far better compared to most models in my charts) so I seriously doubt this will be an issue for anyone. Noise levels are also very good and even though I was expecting the dual-brushes of the T9 AIVI to be noisier compared to the single one of the T9 they actually seem to be making less noise. As for the camera again, I can’t say that I was impressed with its picture quality (especially at low light scenarios – I hope ECOVACS puts an 1080p with night-vision in its next AIVI model) but it can come in handy and on top of that it does help with object avoidance (again, it works best in bright areas).
Retailing for 639Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de – limited time offer) the DEEBOT T9 AIVI by ECOVACS is both far from expensive (at least compared to its immediate competition) and at the same time not quite what I’d call affordable. As with most things in the electronics industry however it all comes down to what you want and what your needs are so if you think the 960p HD camera of the DEEBOT T9 AIVI can be of use to you then great, if not however then you may save a bit by opting for the DEEBOT T9 instead. As for me, well I truly believe that the DEEBOT T9 AIVI is clearly up there with the best robot vacuum cleaners currently and that’s why it gets the Platinum Award.
PROS
- Build Quality
- Suction Power (3000Pa)
- Battery Life (5200mAh)
- Noise Levels (Compared To Both Similar Models & A Regular Vacuum)
- TrueMapping 3D v2.0 LDS/dToF Laser Navigation/AIVI 2.0 (Mapping Accuracy)
- Vacuum & Mopping Feature (Bin & Tank)
- Mopping Performance (Up To 480 Oscillations Per Minute)
- 960p HD Camera With 2 Way Communication
- ECOVACS HOME App
CONS
- Price (For Some)
- Current Availability
- 960p HD Camera Clarity
