Convenient Smart Home

Why the Deebot T9 is your next robot vacuum

Hoovering and mopping done!

Published

April 23, 2022

I love a good robot vacuum. It makes cleaning easier and my dog Juancho has an instant playmate. Sure, he takes a bit of time to get used to the new addition to the family but once he’s used to it, he’ll follow it around in a playful manner and tire him out. I recently had the chance to test the Ecovacs Deebot T9 Robot Vacuum Cleaner and it helped in keeping our home tidier while allowing me to focus on work and other personal commitments. While hoovering is one of the more entertaining chores one can do at home, nothing beats having the option to take it out of one’s to-do list.

Is the Deebot T9 worth the price tag? Should you replace your current vacuum with it? Allow me to give you a list of the things I loved about the vacuum and a few things you should be aware of before getting one.

It maps out your home

It was pretty interesting to see how the vacuum mapped out our home and planned its own cleaning routine based on that map. The best thing is you don’t have to be a real techie to handle it.

The app on your phone is pretty straight forward and since it gets to know your home through powerful sensors, the most you have to do is either schedule or start a cleaning program. You can even select which room you want to be cleaned!

It leaves your home smelling fresh

The Deebot T9 has a built-in air freshener that infuses the home with a clean, delicate fragrance as it moves. Our unit came with the ‘Wild Bluebell’ fragrance and I loved it. It’s not overpowering but it also leaves the room smelling fresh.

Other scent options are Cucumber & Oak and Bergamot & Lavender. Each capsule lasts up to 60 days before they need a replacement.

It empties itself

One of the major issues people with robot vacuums have is how often they have to empty the waste compartment. After all, having a robot instead of a handheld vacuum with a bag means its compartment is much smaller. Deebot’s solution is having its own Auto Empty Station which also serves as the device’s charging dock.

Once a cleaning cycle ends, the T9 makes its way to the dock and automatically empties itself, letting the dirt go into a convenient, 2.5 liter bag which ensures fewer trips to your waste basket.

But can it handle fur?

My dog Juancho is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi which means he’s quite the fur monster. This type of dog sheds all year round and that means we get corgi fur everywhere. Yes, it sucks the fur in quite well, picking it off tiled floors and even carpeted rooms easily. The main issue is that the fur gets stuck in the vacuum’s waste bin.

It docks into the Auto Empty Station and you hear the loud woosh supposedly taking the dirt from the vacuum to a convenient bag. However, when you check the vacuum’s waste compartment, all the fur is still in there. Not a deal-breaker but definitely a concern if you have a shedder for a pet. You can probably skip the Auto Empty Station as you’d still have to manually empty the T9 anyway.

Control through the app

I can turn on the Deebot T9 to clean our home (while entertaining my dog) even when I’m outside and on the go. Since it maps out your home and uses the all-new TrueDetect 3D 2.0 technology, it’s able to easily detect obstacles that may come its way. A magazine that fell on the floor, dog toys left in corners. There are less chances of the T9 getting stuck so it’s able to complete cleaning even if you’re not there to watch it.

It mops your floors!

Ok, this isn’t the first robot vacuum to have this feature. However, it’s the first time I ever had a need for one that does this chore and I was thrilled with the convenience it brought! We have white, tiled floors in our living-slash-dining space so mopping is a part of life. Unless we want drool marks or a random paw print on the floor, mopping must be done quite regularly.

Thankfully, I have a husband who’s been into steam cleaning the floors before the Deebot T9 came in. The existence of this nifty addition to the family took a load off his back and now instead of mopping floors at night, we get more TV time together.

Attaching the OZMOTM Pro 2.0 Electric Oscillating Mopping System was quick and easy — it’s practically a no brainer. You just fill it up with water, slap a disposable, microfiber mopping pad (each unit comes with 10) and you’re good to go. Of course, the disposable pads can be quite a concern when it comes to added expenses and waste management. Maybe Ecovacs can come up with a mopping pad that we can wash and reuse instead?

All in all, the Deebot T9 is a great addition to any home. Two chores done means more time for family, productivity, and doing things you actually love. It’s currently available in Lazada.

Convenient Smart Home

I swear, Samsung’s The Freestyle spells freedom

The projector-slash-smart-TV makes you want to watch shows wherever, whenever possible

Published

May 2, 2024

MJ Jucutan

Anyone in their late 20s who just finally broken free from the asylum that raised them would know that settling for a small, tight space would be better for mental sanity.

Getting away from my parent’s clutches meant bidding goodbye to a capacious living room. There’ll be no more monstrous TV that I can watch on while I rot on the sofa bed.

You can’t have the same luxury in a 40 sqm condominium space. When you’re moving out, you have to let go some of the stuff that made you… you. But it gives you an opportunity to create a new identity, armed with the freedom of making decisions on your own.

Freestyle for those who just earned their freedom

Taylor Swift’s speech at the NYU Spring 2022 graduation ceremony resonated with me as I pack my bags and boxes.

“The scary news is: You’re on your own now. The cool news is: You’re on your own now.”

It’s scary to be on your own. No fallbacks; no safety net. But I revel in the freedom of making decisions that won’t be disapproved by my parents.

Instead of opting for the familiar rectangular TV, an unconventional projector such as Samsung The Freestyle took over my chamber.

I didn’t have to worry about mounting a TV on bare walls I haven’t decided how to decorate or setting a TV stand that would cramp my already tight space.

I’ve had my hands on it a few years back, which makes me familiar with its capabilities as a Smart TV. Now, it’s on its 2nd-generation, and this portable TV just got even better.

Learning to adjust and adapt

Samsung’s The Freestyle is easy to set up, and it’s even easier if you have a Samsung device that allows you to control everything through the SmartThings app.

While I have the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, I still managed to set everything up using my iPhone. My Samsung account, after all, is still logged in on my Safari browser. (I am deeply sorry, Samsung)

The beauty of having a Smart TV is how everything just works. It connected easily — on my WiFi, signing in my accounts, and accessing my favorite streaming apps.

It took me less than 30 minutes to set the whole thing up. From unboxing the device to figuring out the setup and finding the right angle.

It keystones automatically, which meant adjusting the screen to a perfect rectangle regardless of the angle you’re projecting on. This makes it easy to watch on a wall or on a ceiling — depending on your preference and watching behavior.

And more importantly, the remote control works even if you don’t point directly to the device. I tried pointing it at the screen and on a different wall, and the Freestyle just works flawlessly — even its voice assistants such as Samsung’s Bixby.

Whatever situation it finds itself in, the Freestyle just knows how to adapt and give you the best experience. I’m still learning to do the same.

Drawn to a whole new world

The first thing I did was watch my comfort anime, One Piece, and feel free like a kid again. The picture quality — whether on daytime or at night — is superb, vivid, and crisp.

Even at the scorching noon time reaching a heat index of almost 50-degrees Celsius, the sunlight is no match for the Freestyle’s projected screen. It’s like looking at a phone screen with almost 3000-nits peak brightness.

Netflix has just added the Enies Lobby arc, which is the storyline that made me fall in love with the anime. Having no friends growing up like Nico Robin makes me burst into tears every time I re-watch the scene where she screamed wanting to be live and be saved.

It didn’t help that the built-in speaker projects a 360-degree sound making me feel as if Nico Robin is screaming within my apartment.

To refresh my tears and regulate my emotions, I shifted to watching my favorite Disney movies since I just came back from Hong Kong Disneyland, and the magic’s still inside me.

I relieved my memories by playing my favorite films such as Aladdin, Frozen, Tangled, and Little Mermaid. Singing to my childhood songs made it magical, and the Freestyle just makes the experience spectacular.

Since the Freestyle can be connected via Bluetooth and/or HDMI to another sound system, I linked it to my JBL PartyBox Encore Essential, which immersed me and my whole space — making me feel like I’m back in Disneyland.

Of course, I almost burst into tears again.

To endless possibilities

I had a lot of fun using the Freestyle. Sometimes, I’d stand in front of the projector while playing some of Ariana Grande’s music videos, acting as if I’m starring in my own music video. Honestly, there are plenty of ways to experience and enjoy the Freestyle.

It’s portable, lightweight, and I bet it would make a great tool for traveling — especially on camping and road trips. I haven’t found ways to do that since I’m preoccupied with moving in and out of my new home.

Looking back, I would have loved to own the Serif as I dream of decorating my own space with my own aesthetic. But the sudden life change didn’t give me the space and the budget to make me build my dream space.

Nevertheless, it came with an unconventional solution. One that gave me endless possibilities as I try to explore who I am becoming. The Freestyle suits those with creative minds; it’s just as versatile as I am. Simply plug it in and find the right angle to experience a new way to watch your favorite content.

Maybe we don’t get what we want, but the universe will always give us what we need at the moment. Everything is still in perfect alignment. That’s my conclusion from the whole ordeal with the moving out process and having to only take the Freestyle with me in my new space.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

I’m a big fan of Samsung’s Lifestyle TVs. Most of the time, they’re unconventional and fits a certain aesthetic and — of course — lifestyle.

Samsung The Freestyle fits those who are in love with freedom, wanting to watch their favorite shows in YouTube, Netflix, or Disney+ whenever, wherever possible. It’s a smart projector and TV in one that won’t require you to use your last three brain cells, because it just works.

Samsung The Freestyle (2nd Gen) is currently available at an introductory price of PhP 34,999. Its predecessor retailed for PhP 48,999.