Eufy is an offshoot of the acclaimed Anker Innovations company just like the awesome Soundcore (audio) and Nebula (projectors) brands.
The Eufy family of products revolves around the smart home. It manufactures everything from wireless security systems, and cameras such as Eufy Cam Solo, to cordless stick vacuums.
It also makes robot vacuums, of which the two-in-one Robovac X8 Hybrid is one of the latest machines.
Smarts on board include mapping, LIDAR scanning, twin-turbine suction technology with automatic adjustment and the ability to mop hardwood floors.
Sporting a largely all-black design (aside from some bronze flourishes on top), Robovac X8 Hybrid is a relatively thin circular robot vacuum with a dome on top that houses a LIDAR sensor system for navigation.
The protruding dome prevents the machine getting under sofas and chairs in the way that some robot vacuums can, but that’s not a big issue for me.
There are some physical buttons on the top of the machine, for docking and start/stop cleaning, but I found it much easier to control everything through the slick and well-executed smartphone app.
If you switch on the BoostIQ feature, the machine will automatically switch the suction mode based on the floor type.
The first thing to do when you set the machine up and use the app is to allow it to map out its territory which it will then update every time you use the vacuum.
It will automatically split the final map into different rooms with impressive accuracy. It’s a clever feature that then allows you to clean precisely whichever areas in your home that you wish using cleaning modes such as Room, Zone and Spot. And you can map out multiple floors in your house.
You can also clean the whole house in one go and you can schedule everything too. You can set up no-go zones too.
Cleaning
The all-important cleaning power from the twin-turbine tech makes easy work of hair, dust and other debris on carpets and the vacuum does a great job on tiles and hardwood floors too.
It has a built-in mopping function too (there’s a 250ml water tank for this), and comes with a reusable microfibre cleaning pad along with five disposable cleaning pads. With the water tank attached, the machine mops and vacuums at the same time.
You can add no-mop zones in the app so that the X8 will avoid the likes of rugs, but these no-mop zones cannot be saved in the app which is a bit frustrating as it means you have to add them every time you use the mop.
Mapping
Watching it in action is a thrill. The X8 outlines the area to be cleaned and moves back and forth in an S-shaped pattern, filling in the space it just outlined.
Its navigation smarts are great and it successfully returned to the docking station each time I used it.
Underneath the Robovac is a rubber and bristle roller brush, a side brush, two standard wheels, an omni-directional wheel and an array of sensors.
Other features
Battery life is three hours on the lowest power setting, but that drops considerably the more you use modes such as Turbo. It’s not a noisy vacuum in operation. It registers between 40dB and 50dB, about the same as a refrigerator.
Robovac X8 Hybrid comes with a large transparent mat that is attached to your floor where you dock the robot. It protects your floor from having a wet mop sitting on it.
The vac’s bin has a large enough capacity for at least a full cleaning of a three-bed semi. You can remove and empty it easily.
There’s a handy cleaning tool that attaches onto the dustbin which can be used to clean out the nooks and crannies of the bin.
And the filter is washable and replaceable.
You can purchase a range of accessories such as replacement brushes and filters on the Eufy website.
Verdict
On the whole, this is a hugely capable two-in-one vacuum-mop cleaning machine with plenty of appealing top tech features.
It’s not as powerful a cleaning machine as Dyson’s 360 Heurist robot vacuum but in fairness that costs €350 more than the X8 Hybrid.
Pricing and availability
€549 from Joyce’s of Wexford and Eufy.
Key specs
Height: 97.2mm
Diameter: 345mm
Weight: 3.493kg
Floor types: all
Suction power: 2x 2000Pa
Dust bin capacity: 450ml
Water tank capacity: 250ml
Navigation: LIDAR
Battery: 5200mAhRun time: 180 minutes
Charging time: Four hours
WiFi: Yes
Warranty: One year
