Eufy RoboVac 30C Review
Ryan
$259.99
$299.99
Amazon.com
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You’re probably familiar with the iRobot Roomba line of robotic vacuums, so how does the lesser-known Eufy RoboVac compare? Let’s put the RoboVac 30C and the Roomba 690 to the test!
Setup
The setup process was fairly easy thanks to the app-based guidance and handy Quick Start guide included in the box.
- First, unpack the vacuum and remove the foam inserts that protect the protect during shipping.
- Attach the two side brushes to the bottom. They just push into the pins.
- There’s a “master” power switch on the bottom. Flip it to “On”.
- Attach the power cord to the charging base and place it on the floor against a wall. Optimally, there should be about 3 feet of free space to each side.
- Plug in the charging base and place the RoboVac on the base, making sure the charging pins line up. It should be charged fully before use.
- If you want to control the RoboVac with the app or Alexa, download the “EufyHome” app and create an account (or login if you already have one).
- Tap the + icon in the top right corner and select RoboVac. The app will walk you through the rest of the process.
Performance
The Eufy RoboVac cleans in a very familiar pattern as the iRobot Roomba. They both kind of just “ping pong” around the room and what seems like a random pattern, but somehow manage to clean most of the room. There is no “smart mapping” feature in either vacuum. Advantage: Neither
The Eufy RoboVac 30C does have an extra advantage of an additional side brush, where the iRobot Roomba 690 only has one. This helps the RoboVac pull in some additional debris without directly rolling over top of it. Advantage: Eufy RoboVac 30C
Both vacuums boost suction power when they encounter dirty spots, but the Eufy RoboVac and be manually set to always use a boosted suction mode (at the cost of battery life). Advantage: Eufy RoboVac 30C
Both vacuums have a “Quick Cleaning” or “Spot Cleaning” mode where the vacuum will concentrate on one area. However, the Eufy RoboVac also has two additional modes not found on the Roomba: “Edge Cleaning” (where the RoboVac only cleans along the walls) and “Manual Cleaning” (where you can manually move the RoboVac around with the d-pad on the remote, like a video game). Advantage: Eufy RoboVac 30C
Check out my “Skittles test” in my review video below. After 30 minutes of vacuuming, the Eufy missed some Skittles around the chairs and along the wall. By comparison, the Roomba seemed to maneuver around the furniture a little better to collect more Skittles, but still missed the Skittles along the wall.
At first I thought the Roomba was the winner, until the next day when the Eufy RoboVac vacuumed another room that was just vacuumed the day before by the Roomba. After checking the dust bin, the Eufy seemed to collect a good bit of dirt that the Roomba left behind. So the Eufy may not be the best about maneuvering around furniture, but its suction power is no joke.
Features
Does your vacuum really need WiFi? Initially, I would have said no. However, both the Eufy and the iRobot allow the vacuum to be started via the app when you’re not home. This solves the problem of forgetting to start the vacuum before leaving for work. Advantage: Neither
The iRobot Roomba take the app functionality a step further and sends a push notification when the Roomba gets stuck or has any other issue. The Eufy app doesn’t appear to do this. Advantage: iRobot Roomba 690
Both the iRobot Roomba and Eufy RoboVac have Amazon Alexa integration, allowing you to start the vacuum with a voice command, “Alexa, ask Roomba/Robovac to start cleaning.” Do I use this feature very often? Well, only to impress friends when they’re over. But I usually need to empty the dust bin before starting the vacuum, so it’s easier to just hit the start button on the vacuum while I’m pushing the dust bin back in. Advantage: Neither
Maintenance
Both the Eufy RoboVac and iRobot Roomba have very similar maintenance tasks and schedules:
- After each use: Clean the dust bin
- Weekly: Vacuum off the filters, clean off the brushes
- Monthly: Wipe of the sensors and charging pins.
Therefore, I wouldn’t say one is easier to take care of than the other. Advantage: Neither
When something goes wrong, such as a stuck wheel, the iRobot Roomba actually plays a voice recording describing the problem and how to correct it. Additionally, the app gets updated with the information as well. The Eufy RoboVac just beeps at you, in a series of beep codes, which requires flipping it over to read what the beeps mean (the folks at Eufy were nice enough to include a “legend” of the beep codes on the bottom of the unit). Advantage: iRobot Roomba 690
Which should you choose?
No robotic vacuum is perfect and all of them will miss a spot or two (or three). However, with a robotic vacuum, you can it multiple times a week (or daily!), so any missed spots will eventually get cleaned.
The Roomba’s cleaning algorithms may be a little more matured than the Eufy’s (relatively new) RoboVac line of vacuums, but if you’re running the robotic vacuum often, you likely won’t notice a difference in how clean your floors are. I typically run the Roomba downstairs and the RoboVac upstairs and really don’t notice a difference in the cleaning ability. Therefore, if you can score a deal on either one, you likely won’t be disappointed either way.
