Ecovacs Deebot n79s vs Roomba 960: Which should you buy?

When you look at the broad perspective of these two vacuums you may not see much of a difference. Sure. The Ecovacs has an IR remote control and a higher suction power, but it also comes with a storage bin that's 150 ml smaller than the Roombas. On the other hand, you have the Roomba with floor mapping and voice commands, but it comes at a higher price. Let's check out all the fine details to see which one is best for you.

Time to check under the hood

For some, buying a vacuum is just a matter of price and size, but there's so much more to these little machines than that. When you're looking for a self-driving vacuum there are a lot of features to consider before making your purchase.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell - Column 0 Roomba 960Ecovacs Deebot N79s
Warranty1-year1-year
HEPA filterYesYes
Noise level65 db65 db
Battery capacity2600 mAh2600 mAh
Suction power900 Pa1000 Pa
Dirt storage600 ml450 ml
Side brushes12
Voice controlYesNo
Amazon Alexa compatibilityYesYes
Google Assistant compatibilityYesYes
Floor mappingYesNo
Virtual wallYesNo
Square footage covered before charge needed16151076

Comparing abilities

Roomba is a well-known brand when it comes to robot vacuums, so let's take a look at that one first. Some of the biggest features it has going for it are its abilities to detect dirt, notify you when the bin is full, and map out the layout of your house. That all adds up to you having an easier time maintaining your device, while also getting smoother cleaning service. The mapping of your home combined with the dirt detection features means that your Roomba will waste no time or battery power when it comes to making sure your floors are perfect. It may have a shorter battery capacity than the competition — since it needs to charge about every 75 minutes — but it only takes about two hours to charge, compared to the Ecovacs' 4-hour charging time.

The features are so different, but oh so similar.

Now let's take a look at the Ecovacs. This vacuum comes with way more cleaning modes than the Roomba does. While the Roomba only provides auto and spot cleaning, the Ecovacs offers auto, single room, and edge-only cleaning modes. This makes the Ecovacs seem more advanced than the Roomba, but it's something the latter can provide anyway with its targeting features and mapping abilities.

One thing the Ecovacs has going for it, that the Roomba does not, is the ability to use an IR remote. This is a feature that allows you to control the direction of the device with an app on your phone. Notice a mess that you want the Ecovacs to get to sooner? Take control and show it where to go!

Both of these devices have the abilities to schedule your cleaning times and connect to your Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. While you can use your smart features with both, the Roomba is the only one of the two that also supports voice commands. Another bonus both of them have is the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. This is a mesh compartment that catches particles like pet danger, pollen, dust mites, and remnants of smoke. It helps make the environment of your home a little healthier.

Time management

Both of these devices have the ability to connect to your Alexa or Google Assistant. That means you can set the schedules of your vacuums even if you're on the go. However, the larger dustpan on the Roomba means you'll need to empty the compartment out at a slower rate than the Ecovacs. With the Roomba you also won't need to worry about grabbing your phone, taking control of the device, and telling it which direction to clean. The dirt detection and floor mapping will do that for you. You can be confident that it is going to do its job and do it right.

What to think about when making your decision

Both of these devices have extremely compelling features that are almost entirely different from one another. What your decision will truly come down to is what features are going to be the best for you. First of all, you want to makes sure your floors are protected. If you have low carpets, linoleum, hardwood, or laminate than either one of these devices will be perfect for you. The Roomba is the only one of the two that is compatible with ceramic tile, medium length carpets, marble tile, and vinyl floors. The Ecovacs, however, is compatible with your regular-tiled floors.

Besides this, it's good to keep in mind that the Roomba was designed to fit for medium- to larger-sized homes. It covers more square footage before needing to be recharged and has a larger dust bin. If you're working with a smaller apartment or only want the vacuum for a single room, it's safe for you to save the money and go for the Ecovacs. For larger homes and floor plans, however, it's not a bad idea to invest in the Roomba.

Essa Kidwell

Essa Kidwell is an expert in all things VR and mobile devices who can always be found with an Oculus Go, a Pixel 2, and an iPhone 7+. They've been taking things apart just to put them back together for quite some time. If you've got a troubleshooting issue with any of your tech, they're the one you want to go to! Find them on Twitter @OriginalSluggo or Instagram @CosmeticChronus.