Robot vacuums can be incredibly expensive gimmicks, but a new affordable option from Ecovacs has just arrived on Australian shores, and it'll clean your floors for just AU$399, less than half the price of most rivals. The Deebot U2 has joined the Ecovacs lineup as a new entry-level option, and it's a dual-duty droid with suction and cleaning capabilities. Ecovacs promise great suction power, with a standard mode for daily use, while the Max+ mode is said to offer a deeper clean by increasing suction power by up to 2,5 times. When it comes to cleaning hard floors, you'll need to manually position the cleaning plate and fill the water tank; this will then put the device into cleaning mode. There's a smart navigation system on board, which Ecovacs says works on hard floors to find your best cleaning route, while shock sensors and bumpers should protect furniture from damage. It uses the EcovacsHome app, which is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and is the same app used to control the brand's more expensive models, like the Deebot Ozmo T8. The app lets you schedule cleaning times and control cleaning modes like edge and spot cleaning for areas that need a little more attention. Ecovacs has cut costs by removing some of its more premium features, like advanced mapping, but you have the option of getting some of this technology for an additional fee. A magnetic boundary strip can be purchased separately and allows you to block off certain rooms or areas in your home where you don't want the droid to venture. Ecovacs promises that its new robot vacuum has a battery life of up to 110 minutes and will automatically connect to its charger when it runs out of power. By comparison, the much more expensive T8 has a battery life of up to three hours, though it retails for AU$1,299.