Neato D4 vs. D6

The Neato D4 and D6 are very similar in a lot of ways, with the latter having a few extra features to go along with the more expensive price tag. But are the extra features worth the extra cost? The truth is that the has been updated to support pretty much all of the utility that the D6 has to offer, so we recommend saving your money and opting for the less expensive model.

Neato vacuums as a whole are some of the most impressive on the market due to the company’s commitment to keeping older models updated with new tech and features. While they continue to improve upon their brand with new releases, they also extend that functionality to previous models — ensuring that your new smart vacuum won’t be out of date too quickly.

Let’s break down the similarities and differences of the Neato D4 vs. D6 to help you get a sense of which vacuum is right for you. Read on below for the full picture, or use the navigation bar to jump right to the section that interests you most.

Neato D4 vs. D6 — Things in Common

• Via App Control – Both the Neato D4 and D6 use WiFi to communicate, and as such they are primarily controlled via a smartphone app. Using your iOS or Android device, you’ll be able to adjust scheduling, start a manual clean, or even call for a spot cleaning of a specific area that needs some extra attention.

  The WiFi functionality also allows you to control your Neato vacuum from wherever you can get online, which means you can start up a clean while at work and come home to immaculate floors.

• WiFi Connectivity – Both devices communicate over WiFi, which enables app control and a number of cool features that wouldn’t be possible without that wireless connection. Keep in mind, however, that the D4 and D6 only work on 2.4GHz connections. Check out the Neato D7 if you’re looking for a smart vacuum that can communicate over 5GHz frequencies.


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• Virtual No-go Areas via App – With either device, you’ll be able to designate virtual no-go areas that you’d like your smart vacuum to avoid. Whether it’s an area with a mass of cords or perhaps even a room that’s just a little too messy for cleaning, it’s nice to have the flexibility to easily keep your Neato vacuum contained.

• Quick Charge & Resume – The majority of smart vacuums feature the ability to automatically navigate back to their base in the event that they start to run low. However, there are not a ton of vacuums that have the ability to automatically resume cleaning once they have enough charge.

  The D4 and D6 have a recharge and resume feature, but they are also relatively unique in that they are smart enough to continue their cleaning when they have just enough power to finish the job. Rather than tipping off their battery completely, Quick Boost will allow your Neato to charge only what it needs in order to wrap up the job as quickly as possible.

• Smart Control – The Neato brand as a whole is one of the best in terms of smart control. While a number of vacuums feature Amazon Alexa or Google Home support, the D4 and D6 take that a step further with support for Apple Watch, Neato Chatbot for Facebook and IFTTT.

  The IFTTT support in particular is especially useful, as it adds in a powerful conditional trigger system to your Neato vacuum. This power extends far beyond simple voice control, and allows you to integrate your robot cleaner into the rest of your smart home and have it cooperate with other products in unique ways.

  From syncing vacuuming with lighting, to having your Neato suspend its cleaning when smart home sensors detect you’re home from work, the Neato brand is one of the few vacuum manufacturers that gives you this sort of creative latitude.

• LaserSmart™ Technology – Navigation with your D4 or D6 should be a breeze, as the LaserSmart technology will create a floor plan for your robot to follow. By intelligently mapping your home, your Neato will be able to vacuum in efficient straight lines rather than the random patterns you’d see on more budget brands.

• D-shape design – One perk that is pretty unique to Neato is the D-shape design of the vacuums. This allows them to get deep into corners and close to walls in a way that is much more efficient than traditional round robots. That D-shape is the perfect solution for capturing dirt in corners and around walls, and you should see a pretty thorough clean with either device.

  The vacuum is also only 3.9 inches tall, so you shouldn’t run into any issues when it comes to navigation under furniture either.

You might like our take on Neato D3 vs. D5.

• ECO & TURBO Mode – One of the unique benefits of the D4 and D6 is the ability to set the vacuum to run in either ECO or TURBO mode.

  ECO is a quieter mode that will give a thorough clean without disrupting your daily routine. However, the lower suction means that it will take a good deal longer to clean the room.

  TURBO is much louder, but it uses all the suction available in order to finish the job much more expediently.

  The ability to use ECO while you’re at home during the clean is a definite perk, although we do recommend using the scheduling feature to set the Neato to clean during times when you’re regularly out and about.

Neato D4 vs. D6 — Differences

• Difference #1: Floor Plans – The first notable difference when comparing the Neato D6 vs. D4 is that the former supports up to 3 floor plans while the latter only supports 1.

  Since your vacuum uses lasers in order to map out your home and set no-go lines, you’ll need the D6 if you intend to regularly vacuum multiple levels and want to set prohibited areas on each floor.

  If you’re only vacuuming the main level, you won’t really notice the lack of support of additional floor plans. For those who are looking for a clean throughout the entire home, however, the Neato D6 has you covered.

• Difference #2: Boundary Markers – In order to set your no-go zones, you’ll need boundary markers. Both vacuums support this feature, but only the D6 comes with them included. If you’d like to use markers on the D4, you’ll need to buy them separately.


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• Difference #3: Brush – The primary way that the D4 cleans is though a combo brush that offers excellent pick-up of pet hair across all different floor types. It also offers reduced noise during operations, and is the perfect solution for homeowners that are looking for a vacuum that can easily transition between carpet, hardwood, and pretty much any other type of flooring.

  The D6 uses a Spiral Combo Brush which is Neato’s highest-performing brush. It’s very thorough and is the superior option for homeowners with pets and sensitive allergies. Additionally, the S6 has a side brush that backs up the main spiral brush for extra cleaning power.

• Difference #4: Filter – Another fundamental difference between the Neato D4 and the D6 is the fact that they use different filter technologies.

  While smart vacuums do an excellent job and picking up debris, they can also potentially agitate it and kick up allergens into the air. Excellent filtering is important to keep your home feeling fresh, and the Neato D4’s High Performance filter gets the job done nicely by capturing fine dust particles and reducing allergens in your home.

  However, the Neato D6 comes with an Ultra Performance filter which is much more powerful and can even block out particles as small as 0.3 microns in size.

  The difference between the two might not be immediately noticeable for the average homeowner, but for those with allergies or who are particularly sensitive to dust, the extra filtration may make all the difference.

  One thing to keep in mind is that it’s possible to swap out the high performance filter in the D4 for an ultra performance filter. This is an additional purchase, but essentially makes the two models identical in terms of filtration if you’re willing to buy that extra accessory.


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• Difference #5: Run Time – One area in which the Neato D6 does have an undoubted advantage is in its run time. On a single charge, the D6 can clean for up to 120 minutes while the D4 can only clean for 75 minutes.

  In most situations, this disparity won’t make much of a difference due to the ability of both models to recharge and resume, but for larger homes the additional battery life of the D6 may allow for a more thorough clean. Regardless of home size, the D6 will generally get cleaning done faster as well as it won’t have to return to the base as often.

• Difference #6: Find Me – Last but not least is the “Find Me” feature. In most cases, your Neato will do a good job at navigating itself back to its base at the end of a cleaning. But in situations where it gets trapped, or perhaps when you’d like to have an idea of where it currently is during a clean, the Find Me feature of the D6 is a useful perk.

  Just click on your robot icon in the Neato app dashboard and your D6 will start to beep. Just follow the sound until you’ve located the vacuum, pressing the button again if the beeping stops before you can locate it.

  Unfortunately, the Neato D4 has no such feature.

Neato D4 vs. D6 — Comparison Chart

Neato D4 vs. D6 — Accessories

Most of the accessories for the D4 and D6 are focused around ongoing maintenance. Parts on your vacuum will start to wear out after extended use, so it’s nice to have the parts on hand for a simple swap when equipment is worse for wear.

The Neato D4 could always benefit from a replacement High Performance Filter, although you could always use the D6’s Ultra-Performance Filter as well.

Both robots can benefit from a replacement Combo Brush as well as a package Neato Botvac D Series Brush Kit, and Side Brush Replacements are always good to have on hand as well if you opt for the D6.

Neato D4 vs. D6 — Our Thoughts

Like with many Neato models, the older vacuum actually supports a lot of the features that the newer ones do due to the continual updates. The only real reason you’d want the D6 model is the multiple floor plans, as the D4 is highly upgradable in terms of the brushes, boundaries, filters and more.

There are some benefits to the D6 such as Find Me, the side brush, and a better battery life, but we don’t feel that those features warrant the additional expense.

So essentially, the has pretty much anything you’d need in a smart vacuum. If you’re looking to vacuum across multiple floors the amazon link=”B07GC72BMN” title=”Neato D6″ link_title=”Neato D6 on Amazon” /] is a viable option, but we suggest saving money by opting for the D4 otherwise.

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Last update on 2024-04-25 at 06:00 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API