review

Eufy RoboVac X8 Review Laser Guided Robot Vaccuum With Virtual Boundary Wall

Tuesday, February 01, 2022


Eufy's newest RoboVac X8 sweeps its way cleanly and efficiently, using laser guided vehicle technology - the same type used by driverless forklifts in warehouses! 


The RoboVac X8 robot cleaner scans and creates in real-time a 360 degree digital map of an area and then, works out the most efficient way to clean the area, using a zigzag cleaning pattern. RoboVac X8 is also intelligent enough to return to the charging base automatically when it completes a cleaning job and/or when it runs out of battery. Along with greater suction power, you can create a virtual boundary wall without the need of having to stick a physical black strip tape on the floor.


RoboVac X8 is equipped with a bumper, as well as front and side sensors to help RoboVac X8 navigate around obstacles. The front sensor provides good coverage to prevent the robot from crash bumping into things as much as possible. RoboVac X8 uses a single side brush - same as the RoboVac G30 Hybrid - and one wall sensor on the right side. Previous RoboVacs, namely the BoostIQ RoboVac 15C Max and the RoboVac 30C models have dual brushes, which are more effective at sweeping up debris in one fell swoop without the robot having to back on itself.


On top of the RoboVac X8, you find the laser navigation system hidden under a small turret cap. There are also three plastic buttons for controlling three functions: spot cleaning, return to base and automatic cleaning mode, which allows RoboVac X8 to automatically create a cleaning map of the area. This means, you can use RoboVac X8 right out of the box with a mobile app. If you want the robot to clean more areas or a specific zone, you will need to download the EufyHome app, which also gives you access the other useful features too such as voice assistant integration so, you can voice control the X8 robot via an Alexa/Google Home assistant device. 

 

Downloading the app is quick and easy, although it does require an account registration and the usual phone permissions (e.g. location). The EufyHome mobile app only supports 2.4Ghz wireless (Wifi) connectivity. There is no bluetooth support so, you will need a Wifi router to connect.


During spot cleaning, RoboVac X8 maps a large square section (1.5 meters x 1.5 meters) around itself and cleans it in a zigzag pattern. Underneath RoboVac X8, you will find a caster wheel, a rolling brush with guard (both detachable), two spring loaded wheels with thick rubber thread, a side brush, two metal charging contacts and a compartment for the 5200mAh rechargeable battery, which is user replaceable. 

There is also a 600ml plastic container for collecting dust/debris. The dust container slides in and out very easily from underneath the robot via a spring loaded button mechanism. Inside the dust collector, there is one large filter with a large surface area, which allows RoboVac X8 to collect more dust/debris than previous Eufy RoboVacs.


On the underside of the dust collector, you will also find a blade/brush tool, which you can easily remove and attach by clipping it back onto the dust collector. Having the brush/blade tool on-board the X8 robot is convenient and a better way to prevent misplacing the tool.

The suction power of RoboVac X8 is one of the biggest selling pointsa and with good reason. It is powered by two suction motors that provide a total of 4000pa suction power (2000pa per motor), making the X8 robot the most powerful Eufy RoboVac and also the loudest too (~70dB at max suction). RoboVac X8 has more power than RoboVac G30 Hybrid (2000pa), RoboVac G10 Hybrid (2000pa), RoboVac 15C Max (2000pa) and RoboVac 30C (1500pa). RoboVac X8 suction power can be adjusted via four suction modes. The lowest suction mode provides 2000pa.

RoboVac X8 robot and its charging base have similar dimensions to previous Eufy RoboVacs, although the X9 robot is heavier, taller and has a sportierlook, thanks to the carbon side trims. RoboVac X8 weighs 3.5kg, making it the heaviest Eufy RoboVac to date too - about 800 grams heavier than previous RoboVacs. Despite the extra weight, RoboVac X8 is able to still perform a cleaning job just as fast. The X8 charging base measures 13cm long, 16cm deep and 8.5cm high.


You can create multiple cleaning maps, as well as set no-go areas, virtual boundaries and manually tap anywhere on the map to send X8 RobotVac to clean that specific spot. Once a cleaning map is created, the size is displayed in square meters (m2) but, you can change it to square feet via the app. You can set up to 10 no-go zones and up to 10 virtual boundaries per map and set them up while RoboVac is running. 

 

It's worth noting that you can only set a virtual wall and no-go zone after the robot has performed a cleaning map of the area first. One drawback you get with the virtual boundary wall feature that you don't get with a physical boundary strip tape is repositioning. When you physically move the robot and/or anything in the robot's environment, the robot has to reposition its location on the map, which can cause the virtual boundary to disappear.


The RoboVac X8 cleaner can be remotely controlled too, just like an RC vehicle, using the EufyHome app. You can also view the cleaning history, change the voice prompt language, update firmware, buy accessories and find my robot, which triggers the robot to produce a really loud ringtone so, you can find it.


From the EufyHome app, you can also turn on/off auto-return cleaning and do not disturb, which turns off voice prompt and auto-return cleaning. If you only want to turn off voice prompt, you can do so by lowering the voice prompt volume slider to lowest, which effectively mutes the voice prompt. The voice prompt language can be changed from 6 languages - all of them female voices except from one male voice which is English. RoboVac X8 can climb over obstacles up to 2cm high and navigate through high pile carpets with less than 2cm tall pile.


Eufy RoboVac X8 is equipped with a larger 5200mAh battery capacity than previous Eufy RoboVacs. This allows the robot to have a longer runtime of 2.5 hours in lowest suction mode, which is 50 minutes longer runtime than the G30 Hybrid. The RoboVac X8 charging time is 5 hours but will charge to 80% in 3 hours. Like most robot vacuums, RobotVac X8 has anti-drop sensors to detect a flight of stairs, as well black tape; hence you can still use physical boundary strip tape with RoboVac X8. The sensors work reliably as long as the sensors are not dirty and the carpet and surface aren't dark colored.

Along with the RoboVac X8 robot and charging base, you get a 24V/1A power supply brick, 5 cable ties, brush/blade tool, spare side brush and filter, which can be washed under running water. The included user guide is very comprehensive and detailed, which is perfect for a first time user who has never used a robot vac before. The user guide includes a troubleshooting section too, which is handy. 

 

RoboVac X8 does cost more than the previous high end model - the G30 Hybrid. But, the price increase seems adequate since the X8 robot has, literary, twice the power suction and can pack twice as much dirt/debris too, which means you don't have to empty the X8 dust collector as often. You can buy the Eufy RoboVac X8 from amazon.

 

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