Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid Review

Eufy's first attempt at a mid-range robot vacuum cleaner is impressive, offering high-end features in a more affordable package.

Should I Buy The Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid?

Pros

• Great performance across carpet and hardwood floors
• Well-built app
• High-end functionality

Cons

• Basic mop integration
• No self-emptying bin

Our Verdict

• The mid-range RoboVac X8 Hybrid offers a great all-round experience with advanced features like multi-floor mapping and consistent performance across carpet and hardwood, but basic mop functionality means it's not the perfect all-in-one. 

Price When Reviewed

• $649

While Anker-owned Eufy is no stranger to the robot vacuum market, it tends to keep its offerings budget focused. The RoboVac X8 Hybrid breaks from that trend, offering a tempting mid-range robot vacuum cleaner with a swathe of new and upgraded features that could give similarly priced models a run for their money.

Offering improved smarts with multiple map support, LIDAR scanning, twin-turbine suction technology with automatic adjustment and the ability to mop hardwood floors, the X8 Hybrid is a tempting – but not perfect – robot vacuum cleaner.  

Design & Build

When it comes to robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to look similar – all are largely shallow, circular products with a raised area that houses sensors that allow them to sense the world around them. But while they all sport a similar form factor, Eufy has done a stellar job at making the RoboVac X8 Hybrid look like a bit of high-end tech, sporting an all-black design with stylish bronze flourishes on its top that add some pizazz to proceedings.

Robot vacuums are designed to reach every nook and cranny possible, and in the case of the RoboVac X8 Hybrid, it measures in at 97mm tall with a diameter of 345mm. The majority of the body is actually thinner, with much of the height down to the centrally-placed dome that houses the LIDAR sensor system that lets the vac navigate even more complex environments with relative ease – but more on that later.

The 97mm height means that it can squeeze into most spaces, although the LIDAR dome does get in the way of being able to reach extremely narrow gaps like beneath sofas – although it’ll still reach as far as it can before moving on.

Atop of the RoboVac, you’ll find three controls, allowing you to initiate a cleaning session, return to the dock or perform a spot clean (which requires you to move the robot to where you want it to clean by hand) but we’d recommend using the app when possible. It’s much more feature-rich and allows access to more advanced functionality, but if you’re anti-app, you can control most basic functions without ever touching it.

There’s a 400ml bin that pulls out from the rear – a particularly handy design decision that allows you to remove the bin while the X8 Hybrid is charging at its dock. The only downside, as I found out when removing the bin for the first time, is that it has an open front with no flap or other protection to stop dust and other debris from falling out, so you’ll have to be careful when emptying it.

Within the dust bin, you’ll find a filter – these should both be cleaned regularly to provide optimal performance – and there’s a handy brush attachment that lets you quickly get rid of excess dirt within the X8 Hybrid itself, with a dedicated hair removal tool.

The bin capacity is on the low side at 400ml, but that’s mainly down to the fact that Eufy had to fit a 250ml water tank and space to attach a microfiber cloth for mopping hard floors. I’ve found 400ml to be sufficient for my home, cleaning it out once every few goes around the downstairs of the house, but there are larger bins available on the market. Eufy’s own standard X8, without mopping functionality, offers a larger 600ml bin.

Flip the RoboVac X8 Hybrid over and you’ll find the standard robot vacuum gubbins, including a motorised floor brush designed for both carpet and hardwood, along with a three-prong side-sweeper brush that pushes dirt from the edges into the suction path – a feature that particularly excels when it comes to the dirt and dust that can build up in the small gaps between hardwood flooring and adjoining walls.  

When not in use, the RoboVac X8 Hybrid will dock itself to recharge. The all-black dock is much more compact than others we’ve seen, making it easier for the RoboVac to blend in when not in use.

Although Eufy recommends the dock sits in an open space for an optimal auto-docking system, I found the X8 Hybrid would consistently dock without error in more compact spaces, so there is a bit of wiggle room there if you want it hidden when not being used.

Features & Performance

As mentioned, to get the most out of the Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid, you’ll have to use the EufyHome app available for iOS and Android. Companion apps can often be badly designed and frustrating to use, but Eufy’s app is slick, performs well and importantly, it’s simple to use.

The setup of the X8 Hybrid is gloriously simple, and following the steps in the app to connect it to my local Wi-Fi network and associate it with my account took no more than two minutes – a refreshing change for smart home technology.

The app did look a little bare at a first glance, but that’s because the X8 Hybrid needs to first map out its new territory using the built-in LIDAR system. It’ll take a little while as it cautiously explores its new surroundings, navigating big objects like sofas and tables, and it’ll even automatically split the final map into different rooms with impressive accuracy.

If the final map is a little skewwhiff, you can tweak the layout using built-in tools – an important factor if you want to use some of the more specific commands, like being able to just clean a single room in the house. The vacuum will also continue to improve the accuracy of the map on subsequent trips around the home, updating the location of any recently moved furniture.

Most importantly, the X8 Hybrid is capable of storing multiple maps and identifying which to use at any given time, making it the perfect companion for multi-storey houses.  

Hitting the big play button on the auto mode will set the X8 Hybrid loose on the home, and it’ll automatically clean the entire floor. You also have the option of selecting other cleaning modes  - Room, Zone and Spot – if you want the vacuum to focus on smaller areas of the home, with an intuitive box system allowing you to pinpoint the exact area you want to be cleaned on the map generated previously.

You’ve also got the option to completely automate the process, setting up a daily, weekly or monthly schedule for the X8 Hybrid to follow. That way, your home should always be spotless – in theory, anyway.

Vacuum cleaners are usually loud, but that’s not the case with the X8 Hybrid; it’s no more than a hum on the Pure setting. That’s the lowest suction mode, and although noise levels do rise as you cycle through Power, Turbo and Max, it’s not something that’ll distract you if you’re in the same room.

Suction largely depends on which of these modes you select, with Max making the most of the two 2000Pa motors to suck up as much dirt and debris possible, even on thick pile carpets. There’s also a BoostIQ mode that’ll adjust suction power depending on the type of floor, with more power used on carpet than hardwood, for those that don’t want to worry about constantly fiddling with suction settings in the app.

The RoboVac X8 Hybrid puts the twin-turbine technology to good use, making easy work of hair, dust and other debris on my thick pile carpet running at maximum suction power, although there were a few particularly embedded areas of dirt that it couldn’t completely clean. But, with a daily clean (that can be completely automated) it’s less of a problem.

The vac is also more than capable of getting past obstacles like rugs using kickstands to help lift itself, and the transition from carpet to hardwood is about as smooth as you’ll get from a robot vacuum.

It’s on hardwood flooring that the X8 Hybrid performs best, sucking up sugar and toast crumbs after a particularly messy breakfast in the kitchen without a trace – and not when on Max mode either. The side-sweeping brush also comes into its own on hardwood floors, making it easier to clear out the dust and debris that builds up in corners and other crevices.   

The key feature of the X8 Hybrid is that it also offers a mop mode via a dedicated mop mount that attaches to the bottom of the robot vac.

Combined with the 250ml tank, the X8 Hybrid offers a good surface-level clean that’ll clear spills and light sprinklings of dirt, but due to the static mop head and gravity-driven nature of the tank, it’s not quite capable of getting particularly stubborn stains – like tea or cola - out. You’ll likely have to get the mop out and give it a good scrub from time to time, but it’ll suffice for a daily once-over.

You’ll also find a rubber matt in the box that sits beneath the dock, helping to protect your carpet or floor while the mophead is soggy.

The RoboVac X8 Hybrid comes with a claimed 180-minute runtime, and while that is impressive, that is measured with the lowest level of suction power. If your floors are anything like mine, they’ll need a bit more power to effectively clean, which means charge does deteriorate faster.

The good news is that it’s still capable of covering my entire downstairs twice over running at medium suction (or Power, as it’s known officially) with a little bit of charge left in the tank. The beauty of the X8 Hybrid is that, even if it does run out of battery mid-clean, it’ll top itself off and resume where it left off.

Oh, and if you can’t be bothered to open the app or press a button on the robot vac to initiate a clean, you can use your voice via either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It’s a small feature, but one that makes a difference in day-to-day use.

Pricing

The Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid isn’t a cheap robot vacuum, starting at £499 in the UK from the likes of Amazon, and $649 in the US. That puts it at a slightly higher price point than the camera-equipped Roborock S6 Max V, but with the cleaning performance on offer, it’s a price that some will be happy to pay.

The good news for those in the UK is that it’s discounted during Black Friday sales, bringing it down to an incredibly tempting £379.99 at Amazon for a limited time only.

To see how it compares to the competition, take a look at our selection of the best robot vacuum cleaners.

Verdict

Although there are robot vacs that can do more – some have a self-emptying bin, and others have mop flow control – we think that the Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid excels at what it does offer.

The twin-turbine technology on offer provides powerful suction that’s enough to give even thick pile carpets a thorough cleaning, though it’s on hardwood floors that it performs best, using the side-sweeper to get dirt and debris from all the nooks and crannies, and it’ll even give it a mop using the attachable mop head.

Bundle in great features including multiple map support, a slim design, intelligent LIDAR scanning and decent battery life, you’ve got a capable robot vacuum at a tempting mid-range price.

Specs

• 2x 2000Pa suction power
• 450ml dustbin
• 250ml water tank for mopping
• 4 suction modes with BoostIQ smart adjustment
• LIDAR navigation
• Multi-floor plans
• Zone cleaning
• Map editing
• Wi-Fi with Smart Assistant support
• Up to 180 minutes runtime

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About Wanni Arachchige Udara Madusanka Perera

Hey, I'm Perera! I will try to give you technology reviews(mobile,gadgets,smart watch & other technology things), Automobiles, News and entertainment for built up your knowledge.