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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Christine Persaud

I tested this robot vacuum for a month. It cleans like a pro – and comes with a secret weapon for spills

Eufy Omni E28 Robot Vacuum and Deep Cleaner
A Eufy Omni E28 Robot Vacuum and Deep Cleaner. Photograph: Courtesy of Eufy

There are a lot of robot vacuums to choose from these days. The Eufy Omni E28 may look like every other robot vacuum and mop, but it has one very big standout feature: its dock includes a detachable handheld carpet/fabric spot cleaner. Whenever you get a bad spill on the carpet, you’re supposed to be able to race over to the Omni dock, yank the “FlexiOne” portable deep cleaner’s handle to release it from the dock, plug it in where you need to deep clean, and eliminate that unsightly stain before it sets and leaves a permanent stain.

For a month, I used this robot vacuum to clean my home’s hardwood flooring, kitchen tiles and carpet. I also conducted a stain test to see how well its detachable deep cleaner could handle a variety of stains. I came away highly impressed with the cleaning power Eufy has packed into the E28, but you will also need to be a patient person who can handle a little noise.

Jump to:

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At a glance:Eufy Omni E28 Robot Vacuum and Deep Cleaner

Eufy Omni E28 robot vacuum 4
  • Loved: Great vacuuming and mopping, excellent obstacle avoidance and amazing portable deep cleaner attachment
  • Disliked: Loud while cleaning, LED flashlight for navigating dark rooms is blindingly bright and after mopping, the dock cleans everything for 5 hours
Eufy Omni E28 Robot Vacuum and Deep Cleaner
  • Amazon $629
  • Eufy $629
$629 at Amazon $629 at Eufy (with discount code)

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How we tested Eufy’s Omni E28 vacuum

I have reviewed many vacuums over the years, including a dozen or so robot vacuums, robot mops and robot vacuum/mop hybrid devices. I set up the Eufy Omni E28 in a corner of my living room familiar to puck-shaped vacs, filled its tanks, then let it map the main level of my home – including a living room, dining room, kitchen and front foyer, plus landings for two sets of stairs. From there, I used it for about four weeks, vacuuming every two-to-three days and mopping once a week.

I tested its removable FlexiOne Portable Deep Cleaner on my old dark brown and beige carpet runner by prepping three liquids known for staining – iced tea/juice, black coffee and red wine – to see how well the deep cleaner handled them. Each time, I rubbed the stain in and waited a few minutes before spraying the area with Eufy’s carpet cleaning foam solution (you should keep some on hand) and waited another minute, as per the instructions. Then I turned on the portable deep cleaner, pressed the button on the head to eject water and rubbed it back and forth gently over the stain. It mixes the solution with water to clean and sucks the dirty water back up into the reservoir. I was surprised with how well it worked!

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We liked the robot vacuum

The Eufy Omni E28 works wonderfully for both vacuuming and mopping. Like other robot vacuums, when it runs its first cycle, it maps the space, determining where there are things such as walls, landings, furniture and doorways. From there, the app generates a map and you can create and edit room boundaries as desired, including no-go zones, like your toddler’s play area or a dog bed. Once it knows your home’s layout, it runs using a logical pattern, using parallel passes back and forth, picking up dust and debris while also nicely mopping kitchen tiles.

I loved the Omni E28’s CornerRover Arm, an extending side-brush that vacuums right up to the sides of the walls and lower baseboards. The arm protrudes when it detects edges so the tiny sweeping brushes on either side of the front can get closer. I noticed it didn’t do this just with walls but even while cleaning around the legs of my dining room table. The brushes and suction also grabbed things like hairballs without hair getting tangled up in them, something pet owners will love. I used simulated hairballs and clumps in my testing.

You can choose to either just vacuum or vacuum and mop and the E28 intelligently lifts the mop brush when it detects carpet. Under the dock’s hood is a tiny dispenser you can fill with an approved detergent solution (Eufy offers its own). It mixes it with water before a mop so you don’t have to manually add it each time. The water for mopping is stored in a larger clean water tank on the dock. When it finishes mopping and returns home, dirty water is pushed into a secondary tank for manual emptying and cleaning. Debris from the vacuum is also sucked into the dock’s dustbag after each clean.

The built-in RGB camera and LED light helped it intelligently avoid obstacles some vacs can’t handle, such as the socks your teenager left on the floor or your pup’s chew toy. I appreciated that it would come right up to my feet and turn back around whereas other robot vacs I have tested would bump into my toes. I even observed it come close to a cable on the floor and skillfully navigate right up to the edges of it without touching the wire. Flat obstacles also posed no threat. It scaled a slight incline between my dining room and kitchen without hassle. Once, it even rolled over some loose pieces of cardboard my son left on the floor while working on a project yet managed to dislodge itself and keep going. The light helps it vacuum well in the dark, too, but if you’re worried about obstacles, avoid having it clean in pitch black.

The Omni E28 vacuum has only two buttons: one to clean and one to return it to home. For more personalized cleans or to choose modes (vacuum only, vacuum and mop, fast v deep clean, suction level, etc.), you need to use the Eufy app. Or, you can use your voice if you pair it with a voice assistant such as Alexa or Google. It’s also Matter compatible, if you have a newer smart home setup. The vacuum will also use voice prompts if it gets stuck or the portable deep cleaner isn’t positioned properly in its dock.

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We loved the portable deep cleaner

As nice as the robot vacuum is, the included FlexiOne Portable Deep Cleaner was the star of my testing. It’s amazing for anyone who has carpets, fabric furniture, kids or pets.

In my simulated spill test with iced tea (yellow), black coffee (dark brown) and wine (red), each stain came out instantly, with no trace left behind once the carpet dried.

The big advantage this has versus a separate deep cleaner is convenience. It’s small, easily carried from room to room and it’s already in a central location of your home with the robot vacuum, ready to go. This greatly increases your chances of getting to a spill before it sets in. It’s also easy to use on stairs as long as the 9ft power cord can reach an outlet to plug in.

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We disliked the noise and bright light

As much as I have praised the E28, it isn’t a perfect system. Both the vacuum and the portable deep cleaner are loud when they run. The vacuum is especially loud when it empties into the dustbin, so keep this in mind if you plan to run it at night or early Sunday mornings when the rest of the family is still sleeping. The vacuum runs at about 74dB at its loudest, so it’s not atypical of a standard vacuum. But it’s still loud enough to be distracting. That said, the Quiet mode brings it down to about 64dB, based on my measurements.

The LED light, which turns on for low-light cleanings, is also blindingly bright as it scoots around your home (as bright as a pen light). If you have dogs and especially cats, it’s bright enough that they might chase it! That said, it also helps the vacuum run well in dim light.

I also love that the docking station thoroughly cleans the roller mop when it finished a job, but the drying process seems to go on forever. It can last up to 5 hours, and it makes a quiet humming noise the entire time. You can shorten the drying cycle, but for the best possible clean, you’re better off letting it do its thing and hum in the background like a quiet dishwasher. If you’re sensitive to noise, I would suggest scheduling cleans for when you know you won’t be home, so the dry cycle finishes by the time you get back. Or you could place the dock in a side room, away from quiet areas of your home.

Finally, I wish the dustbin didn’t require a disposable bag. It would be nice if you had the option to empty and clean it without buying bags from Eufy or an Amazon knockoff. Each bag should last about three months based on how often you clean, and a three-pack is under $20. Still, it’s an added cost and part to stock.

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Repairability and longevity

The Omni E28 has a standard one-year warranty. You’ll need to replace the bags and eventually the roller brush once it’s worn. Eufy’s app has a section for maintenance accessories, outlining the life left for each part. For example, the roller brush and side brushes are at 96% for me – most others are still 100% after several months of use. It also advises when parts need replacing.

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Is it worth it?

There are cheaper models, but at a mid-range street price that seems to hover around $600 - $700, Eufy E28 Omni robot vacuum and mop is a solid option for families, especially if you have kids or pets. The portable deep cleaner is a useful way to avoid an unsightly permanent stain.

As a robot vacuum and mop, it skillfully navigates large homes, lifting its mop to pick up dust and debris then lowering it to scrub your floors and kitchen tiles and getting right up to the edges of walls and furniture with a special extending brush arm. It was super convenient to customize cleans in the app and control it with my voice.

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Eufy Omni E28 robot vacuum and deep cleaner

Eufy Omni E28 Robot Vacuum 4
Eufy Omni E28 Robot Vacuum and Deep Cleaner
  • Amazon $629
  • Eufy (with discount code) $629

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Key specs

  • Dimensions:
    Robot Vacuum: 12.83in × 13.72in × 4.40in
    Base: 14.63in x 19.07in x 17.29in
    Deep Cleaner: 8.74in x 15.26in x 10.90in )

  • Weight: 47.95lb (combined)

  • Navigation: LiDAR with RGB Camera + LED

  • Suction Power: 20,000 Pa

  • Obstacle Clearance Height: 0.83in

  • Docking Station Details: self-emptying, self-refilling, self-washing, hot air drying, automatic detergent dispensing

  • Bin Capacities: 3 liters dust bag (replaceable), 2.5 liters clean water tank, 1.8 liters dirty water tank

  • Battery Life: 110 minutes (vacuum and mop), 180 minutes (vacuum only)

  • Smart home: supports Matter over wifi, Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri shortcuts

  • Maintenance: replace dustbags as needed (approximately every three months or when prompted), empty and clean dirty water tank weekly, clean filter weekly, clean brushes and other components monthly, replace mop roller every three to six months (see official accessory replacement kit at Amazon or Eufy)

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