The automated routine of a robotic vacuum can clear time in your day for the things you actually want to do besides vacuuming. Its powerful suction and hands-off controls can help your home stay cleaner, especially if you have pets.
To help shoppers decide whether a robotic vacuum is right for their home, we tested two popular Eufy by Anker models: the RoboVac X8 and the RoboVac G30. Here’s what we learned.
While they may look fairly similar from the outside, robotic vacuum features vary widely. Some can automatically map your room to navigate the space they’re intended to vacuum, while others bounce off obstacles or respond to boundary strips placed on the floor. It’s also important to note the vacuum’s battery life, which can vary depending on both the square footage it’s cleaning and the suction power it’s using.
While the type of flooring can sometimes dictate which robotic vacuum is best, RoboVac models are equipped with BoostIQ technology that helps the vacuum determine what kind of surface it’s cleaning and adjust its suction power automatically. Both of the RoboVac models we tested are also equipped with washable filters, but shoppers should consider the additional cost of replacing filters every few months.
RoboVac vacuums pair with the user-friendly EufyHome app to help you monitor the battery level, control room mapping, set schedules and more. Onboard the RoboVac, drop-sensing technology keeps your vacuum from falling down the stairs.
The Eufy by Anker RoboVac X8 features twin turbines for more powerful suction. Its advanced iPath Laser Navigation mapped the home quickly and accurately. We tested it on tile, hardwood and medium-pile carpet and were impressed by its performance on all surfaces. The twin turbines plus its spinning side brush easily handled debris like pet hair, dust and cat litter. The twin turbines made it somewhat louder than other robotic vacuums we’ve tested, but it was still considerably quieter than a standard vacuum.
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Mapping and vacuuming a 215-square-foot area took only 20 minutes, and its mapping technology enabled it to accurately navigate around furniture. The RoboVac X8’s twin turbines provide a noticeably deeper clean. On the rare occasion that the roller became tangled in long hairs, we were able to use the X8’s included tool to clean and fix it.
Its advanced features also translate to better interactivity on the app. The app can help with troubleshooting by identifying specific brushes that need attention, or it can direct the X8 to clean or stay out of specific areas. Along with its extra features compared to the G30, the X8 also has a longer-lasting battery, with a maximum runtime of 190 minutes compared to the G30’s 105.
Overall, the RoboVac X8 performed like a high-end robotic vacuum, and it’s priced like one, too. If you want impressive cleaning power and lots of app functionality — or if you regularly deal with plentiful pet hair that’s defeated less powerful vacuums in the past — the X8 might be a great choice for your home.
The Eufy by Anker RoboVac G30 is one of Eufy’s more affordable models, but we still found it to be a solid performer. Its Smart Dynamic Navigation technology uses infrared sensors instead of the X8’s lasers, which make it a little less adept at detecting objects and corners but more accurate and efficient than models that rely on bouncing off obstacles.
The G30 has the same BoostIQ technology that lets it automatically adapt its suction power according to the surface it’s cleaning. It also offers convenient features such as auto-return recharge-and-resume technology, which lets the G30 return itself to its charging dock during cleaning to recharge, then pick up where it left off in its routine.
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The G30 was easy to set up and start using right away. It’s compact and quiet — at 56 decibels, it’s about as loud as a normal conversation. It has the same 600-milliliter dust collector capacity as the X8, and during our testing, both took about the same amount of time (4-5 hours) to recharge.
While the G30 didn’t remove pet hair or long hairs from medium-pile carpet as well as the X8 due to its single-turbine design, we still think it would be a good model for those looking for a middle-of-the-road robotic vacuum. Its side brushes clean hard-surface floors thoroughly, and the BoostIQ technology noticeably improved its efficiency as it switched between different types of flooring.
Overall, the G30 offers plenty of useful features, such as app scheduling and Alexa compatibility, at just half the price of the X8. Plus, at 2.85 inches, it’s a full inch shorter than the X8 and more capable of easily fitting underneath furniture.
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Laura Duerr writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
