Anker vacuuming and mopping robot eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid – Test
With eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid, manufacturer Anker launches its second vacuuming and mopping robot with laser navigation on the market after two years. In our test, the wiping and robot vacuum had to prove whether it is worth buying because the expectations for Anker devices are high: The brand stands for high-quality products at affordable prices. We revealed the advantages and disadvantages of the eufy robot vacuum hybrid in our eufy RobotVac X8 Hybrid test.
Design, and features of the robot vacuum
eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid is the successor model of the RoboVac L70 Hybrid. Both devices belong to Anker‘s robot vacuum series with iPath Laser Navigation, which means they belong to the manufacturer’s premium segment. It is immediately apparent that Anker has placed the “laser tower” in the center of the RoboVac X8. This has the advantage that the device does not have to rotate around its axis as often to analyze the immediate surroundings with the laser.
Furthermore, the new design of the inner workings of the device has been improved: The collection bin for dust and dirt is pulled out and inserted like a drawer on the front of the device. The dust can then be emptied through the opening through which the container is connected to the nozzle. In the eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid test, this worked without any problems. By comparison, we always had to first remove the filter of the predecessor RoboVac L70 Hybrid to empty the dust box and then reinsert it.
The brush is a combination of rubber and synthetic brush that is located between the wheels. There is also a rotating three-sided brush on the side of the front, which carries dust and particles from corners and wall moldings into the suction path of the eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid.
A new feature is twin-turbine technology, which provides the robot with 2x 2,000 Pascal suction power. eufy promises particularly good deep cleaning. In the test, we could confirm this. eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid “pulled” dirt even when another robot vacuum had already performed a pre-cleaning. The high suction power is thus also very suitable for hard floors with crevices, where dust and particles like to accumulate.
How we tested the vacuum/mop robot
For our test of eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid, we decided to use a real test environment. Many test editors test according to the “sandbox” principle. This means that the robot vacuum is placed in a kind of fenced-in area that resembles a sandbox during the test. The disadvantage of this test method is that the fenced area is usually relatively small and there are no objects in it. This means that the navigation behavior of the robot in dealing with chair or armchair legs or shelves is not mapped realistically.
In our eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid, the vacuuming/mopping robot had to master a 10 square feet room with shelves, cocktail chairs, couches, and obstacles. In addition to the suction behavior on hard floors and carpet, we were thus also able to test the navigation behavior with obstacles.
eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid sucks so well
Before eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid could make its first rounds in our test, we first had to set up the charging station. Here the cable must be pulled as tightly as possible to the socket. Cables are a major weak point of all robot vacuums. Once stuck, the industrious machines try to free themselves by circling, but this only causes them to wrap the cable around themselves more tightly. So before users start with eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid or any other robot vacuum, the floor should be cleared of cables if possible. The same applies to floor-length curtains, for example.
When vacuuming for the first time, eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid creates a map. This is done automatically. The robot proceeds systematically and first travels along the edges of the room to be vacuumed. Then, the cleaning area is divided into different quadrants, which are successively traversed in lanes. We were able to follow the exact navigation route live on the EufyHome app during the test. We had a pre-release version for the test, which was already translated and seemed very mature. If several eufy robots are in use, they are available for selection next to each other.
In the test, we first let eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid vacuum in maximum mode, the strongest of the four available levels. The disadvantage of the high suction levels: The working noise gets louder. Nevertheless, the volume did not reach the noise level of a conventional vacuum cleaner even at the maximum level.
It was interesting with the “cocktail chair trap”. This is where many robot vacuums have difficulty getting around the closely spaced feet. Surprisingly, eufy RoboVac X8 mastered the difficulty perfectly. While its predecessor L70 Hybrid repeatedly bumped into one of the four legs here during the suction process under the armchair, this only happened with RoboVac X8 during the first encounter with the obstacle. If a chair leg was mapped, the robot vacuum went around it in the future without another collision.
When testing on carpets, we activated the BoostIQ function, in which the Anker robot vacuum automatically increases the suction power when it switches from hard floor to carpet. To increase the level of difficulty, we used a carpet made of polypropylene, which is a synthetic material that holds dust, fibers, dirt, and other particles particularly well, and which is mixed with fibers, dust, and crumbs. Here, the Twin Turbine technology used in the eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid effectively demonstrated its performance by leaving a virtually flawless carpet after vacuuming over it.
With a height of 3.85 inches, eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid had no problems vacuuming under shelves or the couch in the test.
How well the hybrid vacuum/mop robot mops
After the successful vacuum test on hard floors and carpets, Anker eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid had to prove its mopping function in the test. However, before it can start mopping, users first have to prepare the robot for “water use”.
The water tank is integrated into the mopping unit of the eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid. Special mopping cloths are required for the mopping process, which is pulled onto a rail and then attached to the mopping unit using a Velcro device. Anker supplies a washable wipe as well as several disposable wipes. This is exemplary because the reusable cloth keeps follow-up costs low. One advantage of almost all robot vacuums is that they work without a bag, unlike conventional vacuum cleaners.
Compared to the predecessor model, we could not set the water discharge in the app in the test. Anker eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid doses the water delivery automatically. In our wet mopping test run, this corresponded to a mist-damp cleaning. In other words, the water output was very low, and the damp streak left behind by the vacuum mopping robot evaporated by itself after a short time so that no dry mopping was necessary. Thus, the eufy robot is also suitable for sensitive floors, but not for cleaning dirty floors. So, when children come home from “jumping in puddles”, RoboVac X8 should better remain in the charging station to avoid spreading the dirt further.
In its function as a hybrid robot vacuum, however, the mist cleaning is ideal for deligating the more extensive weekly routine cleaning. We recommend here to let eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid first vacuum on maximum level to clean the floor from dust and particles and then start a mopping cycle.
Important: No cleaning agents may be used for wet cleaning, and the water tank may only be filled with pure water.
Special features and functions
Many robot vacuum manufacturers try to set themselves apart from their competitors with special features. These include, for example, suction stations as with ECOVACS T9 or a video live stream as with DEEBOT OZMO T8 AIVI.
Anker eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid does not offer either of the mentioned features. The robot pretends to be modest and “sells” its special features almost incidentally as “new normal”. This includes, for example, the Twin Turbine technology, where two lateral air ducts ensure that the generated airflow not only sucks in the center but also comes into play on the left and right sides, which results in better suction performance.
Another feature that will surely please many users is the option to turn off the WLAN function on the device. This is particularly useful when the robot vacuum is sitting in its charging station for a longer time and no cleaning jobs are scheduled. To do this, users simply have to press all three buttons on the top of the eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid for 10 seconds. This saves electricity and reassures all users who want to avoid ” wireless radiations ” in the house as much as possible.
Installation and setup of Anker eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Installing the robot vacuum eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid is easy as pie. The robot vacuum and smartphone must be on the same Wi-Fi home network, and Bluetooth must also be activated on the phone.
- Connect the charging station to a power supply
- Place eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid in the charging station for the first full charge.
- Download the EufyHome app and connect the robot vacuum to the WLAN home network.
Tip: The eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid robot vacuum requires a 2.4 GHz WLAN network. It may be necessary to switch to the 2.4 GHz WLAN in the router during installation. After the setup, activate the dual-band function in the router settings so that the 2.4 and 5 GHz WLAN are used simultaneously.
Alternative to eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid: The predecessor model L70 Hybrid
If you are looking for an alternative to eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid with similar features, you can also reach for the predecessor model RoboVac L70 Hybrid, which also delivered a convincing performance in our test. Emptying the dust container box and wet cleaning require more maneuvers here, but both are quickly practiced. The suction power is not quite as strong as in the V8 Hybrid, since the Twin Turbine technology is missing, but it is still powerful with 2,200 Pascal and is in the good midfield of the current premium robot vacuums. The amount of water in the mopping function can be regulated and the affordable price still makes eufy RoboVac L70 Hybrid an insider tip.
Test conclusion of the eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid vacuuming and mopping robot from Anker
The robot vacuum and mopping robot eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid is a powerful vacuum robot with a mopping function, which stood out in the test with precise navigation and very good cleaning performance. The integrated mopping function is well suited for damp-mist cleaning of hard floors but does not replace manual labor.
Very nice: The app is intuitive to use and the WLAN can be switched off manually. All these features make eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid a frequently used workhorse among the premium robot vacuums, which does not offer an automatic suction station, oscillating mopping plate, or live video streaming, but shines with simplicity and small, useful extras.
