DEEBOT N20 PLUS
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →A budget ECOVACS robot vacuum that empties itself into a bagless bin. It suits a tidy, mostly hard-floor home and vacuums well for the money. It can't see obstacles, though, and the mop is basic.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in ECOVACS’s range
- DEEBOT N20Same robot without the emptying dock
- DEEBOT N20 PLUSThis model
- DEEBOT N20 PRO PLUSAdds a vibrating mop
- DEEBOT N30 PRO OMNIDock also washes and dries spinning mops
Feedback
What reviewers found
Two proper tests. Vacuum Wars bought one and ran it through its studio tests, naming it its best budget robot vacuum of late 2024. Les Numériques measured it in a lab and was more reserved. They agree it runs a long time, maps quickly and does a fair job of vacuuming for the money. They disagree on how well it cleans carpet and how reliably it navigates. Both say it can't deal with clutter, and the mop is basic.
Vacuum Wars, lab test, A few weeks of studio testing, Dec 2024 · Les Numériques, lab test, Oct 2024
Hard floors
Mixed resultsVacuum Wars found it handled every size of debris well on hard floors. Les Numériques was more reserved, finding pickup only fair and watching the side brush fling rice out of reach.
Carpet and rugs
Mixed resultsVacuum Wars got better-than-expected results on sand buried in carpet. Les Numériques measured the same modest pickup on thick carpet as on hard floor and felt it lacked power, so don't expect deep carpets to come up like new.
Pet hair
Not enough evidenceOnly Vacuum Wars tested pet hair, finding it lifted almost all of it from carpet with no long hair wrapped round the brush.
Mopping
Not enough evidenceOnly Vacuum Wars tested the mop, a fixed pad that drags behind, and it did poorly on dried stains. Les Numériques didn't test mopping.
Navigation and obstacles
Mixed resultsVacuum Wars saw it map in five minutes and cover the floor almost perfectly, but Les Numériques found it got lost when furniture moved. With no camera, Les Numériques watched it swallow a screw, a pen, a cable and a tea towel, so clear the floor first.
Dock and upkeep
Not enough evidenceOnly Les Numériques judged the dock, finding it emptied the robot's bin almost completely into its bagless container, though loudly.
App and software
Not enough evidenceOnly Les Numériques judged the app, finding it pleasant and quick to learn, though zone cleans sometimes ended with the robot heading home early.
Noise
Not enough evidenceOnly Les Numériques measured noise: 55dB for the robot, which is quiet, and 68.2dB while the dock empties.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has run it long-term or judged ECOVACS's support.
Value
Reviewers rate it highlyVacuum Wars named it its best budget robot vacuum in late 2024, with results rivalling robots costing two or three times more. Les Numériques called it a good robot vacuum that won't break the bank.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Vacuuming is the draw, with caveats
Vacuum Wars found above-average suction, 96% of pet hair lifted from carpet, no hair tangled on the brush, and better-than-expected results on sand buried in carpet. Les Numériques measured roughly 80% pickup on hard floor, thin carpet and thick carpet alike, saw the side brush fling rice out of reach, and felt it lacked power on carpet. So it's a capable daily vacuum at this price, but don't expect deep carpets to come out like new.
Tidy up before every run
It has no camera and no obstacle sensors beyond basic infrared, as Vacuum Wars points out. In Les Numériques' lab it swallowed or pushed around everything in its path: a screw, a pen, a cable and even a tea towel. Pick things up first, and use no-go zones in the app for spots where it keeps getting into trouble.
Maps fast, but dislikes change
Vacuum Wars saw it map its test floor in five minutes and cover it almost perfectly. Les Numériques found it got lost when furniture was moved and left the newly cleared space uncleaned, and it sometimes headed back to the dock partway through a zone clean. If you rearrange your rooms often, expect to remap.
The mop is a light wipe
The pad is fixed: it doesn't lift, vibrate or spin. Vacuum Wars scored it at about half the average in its dried-stain test, and you have to take the pad off by hand before vacuuming carpet, though it does steer round rugs when the mop is on. Les Numériques didn't test mopping at all for this reason. The dock doesn't wash or dry the pad.
A bagless dock and long runs
Les Numériques found the dock emptied the robot's bin almost completely and liked not buying bags, but noted emptying is loud at 68.2dB. The robot itself is quiet, at 55dB. It ran about 3 hours 40 minutes in standard mode, though a full recharge took almost 6 hours. Vacuum Wars also rated battery efficiency well above average.
This covers the N20 PLUS with the bagless dock. The N20 PRO PLUS has a vibrating mop and is a different model.
Our take
Should you buy the DEEBOT N20 PLUS?
Best for: Homes with mostly hard floors that are kept clear of clutter. Skip it if: You want it to scrub floors or wash its own mop.
The N20 PLUS may suit a tidy, mostly hard-floor home if you want a bagless emptying dock and accept basic mopping. Vacuuming results differed between the two labs, and only one tested hair. The Q7 M5 has encouraging hair evidence but its basic dock only charges. The N30 PRO OMNI adds spinning pads and mop washing, with more water and dock upkeep.
The N20 PLUS is one of the cheapest ECOVACS robots with a dock that empties the bin. Instead of a bag, dust goes into a see-through container you tip out, so there are no dust bags to buy. A raised sensor maps rooms quickly, but there is no camera, and the mop is a plain pad you clip off by hand before it vacuums carpet.
Vacuum Wars named it its best budget robot vacuum in late 2024, with above-average suction, nearly all pet hair lifted from carpet and none tangled on the brush. Les Numériques was more reserved, measuring about 80 per cent pickup on every floor type and finding it short of power on carpet. Both say it can't cope with clutter. In the Les Numériques lab it swallowed a screw, a pen, a cable and a tea towel. Vacuum Wars saw it map in minutes and cover the floor almost perfectly, but Les Numériques found it got lost when furniture moved. The dock doesn't wash or dry the mop pad, and Vacuum Wars scored the mop at about half the average on dried stains. Les Numériques found the dock loud when it empties.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Will it avoid cables and pet mess?
No. It has no camera, and Les Numériques watched it swallow a screw, a pen, a cable and a tea towel. Vacuum Wars notes it only has basic infrared sensors to reduce wall bumps. Clear the floor first, and don't run it near pet accidents.
Does it fit under low furniture?
It's 9.6cm tall, per the specifications, and Les Numériques measured the same, so it gets under many sofas and beds but not the lowest. Measure the gap first.
Can it leave the mops in the dock for carpet?
No. The pad doesn't lift, so Vacuum Wars says you must take it off by hand before it vacuums carpet. With the pad on, it recognises carpet and steers round it. Les Numériques notes the pad is washed by hand or in the washing machine.
How often do I have to empty or refill anything?
The dock tips the robot's bin into a 1.5-litre container rather than a bag, per Les Numériques, which you empty into the bin with a pull-release base. The robot's 220ml water tank is filled by hand, per the specifications.
How big is the dock, and is it loud?
It's compact: 35.6cm wide, 45.1cm deep and 38cm tall, per the specifications. The robot is quiet at 55dB, but Les Numériques measured 68.2dB while the dock empties, so don't schedule it for the middle of the night.
Alternatives
Other robot vacuums to compare.
Q7 M5 / M5+
Why consider it: Vacuums and lifts pet hair far better than its price suggests.
The compromise: It bumps into clutter, and without the M5+ dock you do all the emptying.
RV30 Max Plus
Why consider it: Laser mapping, a clip-on mop and a compact dock that empties into a bag.
The compromise: Fine grit and sticky spills beat it.
K11+
Why consider it: A very small robot with one of the smallest self-emptying docks around.
The compromise: Its mop is a wet wipe, and tests disagree sharply on how well it vacuums.
D10 Plus Gen 2
Why consider it: Strong hard-floor results and a self-emptying bag rated by the maker for up to three months.
The compromise: Weak on thick carpet, and it runs over cables and socks.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the DEEBOT N20 PLUS?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
- Vacuum Wars: Ecovacs Deebot N20 Plus Review ↗Lab test, A few weeks of studio testing
- Les Numériques: Test Ecovacs Deebot N20 Plus ↗Lab test
Sources
- ECOVACS: DEEBOT N20 PLUS product page (UK) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Vacuum Wars: Ecovacs Deebot N20 Plus Review - Our New Fav Budget Robot Vacuum ↗
- Lavelab EN: Ecovacs Deebot N20 Plus : HONEST Review and Test ↗
- Search YouTube for ECOVACS DEEBOT N20 PLUS ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.