Ecovacs Deebot T9+ robot vacuum cleaner review

The Ecovacs Deebot T9+ is an improvement on its predecessor in many ways, making floor cleaning a breeze. There are some minor flaws, and it’s definitely not the cheapest model available, but it’s one of the best robot vacuum cleaners on the market right now.

The Deebot T9+ is Ecovacs’ newest model, and also happens to be their flagship. Replacing the impressive Deebot OZMO T8+ (which has since been discounted heavily), the T9+ also takes over the same RRP of $1,299. There are a couple of brands with more expensive models, but in the grand scheme of robot vacuum cleaners in Australia, it’s still one of the priciest. That said, it also packs some of the most advanced tech you’ll find in a robot cleaning pal, along with the holy grail of premium robovacs: an auto-emptying station. More on that later.

Unlike the T8 series, however, there’s only one model in the new generation so far (the T9+), so you can’t save by opting for the standalone vacuum with no auto-emptying station, nor can you upgrade to a fancy camera-enabled AIVI model.

In terms of controlling your Deebot T9+, the ECOVACS HOME app makes setup and usage a breeze. From the app, you can create and edit a map of your home (both in 2D and 3D, even if your house is more than one storey), create no-go zones, set schedules, change suction power levels and a whole lot more.

When it comes to robot vacuums and the way they navigate around a space, the results are often hit and miss. Cheaper vacs, in particular, tend to struggle due to their simple infrared sensors. Thankfully, a higher price tag does come with one major perk: the Deebot T9+ (or, The Terminator, as I dubbed it) simply refuses to get lost.

It’s equipped with what Ecovacs call ‘upgraded 3D detection and obstacle avoidance technology’, which essentially means it won’t get tangled in your power cables, stuck in tight spots it can’t get out of and knows where it is at all times.

After a spill in the kitchen, I picked up The Terminator and plonked him right on the lino floor where he promptly got to work. Upon checking the app, the vacuum still knew exactly where it was in my home, managing to find its way back to the auto-emptying dock without a hitch. Considering the amount of robovacs we’ve tried that don’t know their left from their right, the T9+ gets full marks for navigation.

The Deebot T9+ is a powerful little thing, with noticeably stronger suction than its predecessor. One run was all it took to suck up a frankly obscene amount of dust, leaving little in its wake. As most of my floors are carpeted, the only thing it struggled with was larger clumps of fluff or fibres that had been walked on so much, they had become embedded in the carpet. Considering even my upright vacuum can barely manage these, it’s not a major issue.

I live in a two-bedroom apartment and vacuum weekly. The robot can’t enter my bathroom or laundry due to a large step, so there’s even less floor space to cover. Still, the dustbin filled up even covering this small area. It’s much less of an issue thanks to the auto-emptying station, but on occasion it would refuse to empty itself because it was so full that the suction tube was blocked. Granted, this only happened once or twice during my testing period, but for a device that’s designed to prevent you having to lift a finger, having to get my hands dirty and pull out chunks of dust is pretty annoying.

The mop is about as effective as you could hope for, given it doesn’t really mop in the traditional sense, but rather wipe a wet cloth along the floor, dirt and all. Still, it’s certainly better than nothing, and it should reduce the frequency with which you have to actually do it yourself.

It also allows for a (supposedly) deeper clean than the usual wipe along the floor thanks to the vibrating mopping pad. To test it, I “accidentally” “spilled” BBQ sauce on my kitchen’s beautiful lino floor then commanded The Terminator to d e s t r o y. Overall, it did a good job cleaning up the mess.

One thing that I will note is that, unlike the T8+, which came with both reusable and disposable mopping pads, the T9+ only comes with disposable ones. This would be fine if they were biodegradable, but since they’re made of microfibre and Ecovacs recommends you replace it with each use, mopping with the Deebot T9+ can get very wasteful, very fast.

The Deebot T9+’s battery life is pretty on par with the T8+’s, which is to say it can run up to three hours on a single charge (depending on suction power). For most of my testing period, I had the suction set to the second highest level. After about 45 minutes of cleaning my apartment, it returned to its home with over 60% battery left. That’s pretty impressive.

If you’re willing to spend a decent chunk of change on a robot vacuum cleaner, we reckon it would be hard to find something better than the Deebot T9+. It’s a testament to how far robot vacuum cleaners have come, proving to be powerful, efficient, long-lasting and almost as good as my trusty upright vacuum (which is saying something). We’d love a larger dustbin and some reusable mopping pads, but overall, there’s not many cons to this robo beast.