Ecovacs Newest Flagship Robovac Has A Unique Mopping Solution

Initially announced at CES earlier this year, Ecovacs’ latest robotic mopvac is now available for purchase. The Deebot X8 Pro Omni has an impressive 18,000Pa of vacuum suction and 4,000Pa of mopping pressure applied by its 200 RPM roller mop. All of this is paired with a self-cleaning, self-emptying, self-drying docking station. Now available on the Ecovacs website and on Amazon for $1,169 ($130 off its $1,299 MSRP), it’s the most capable robovac that the company has released yet.

Unboxing

You’ll notice right out of the box that the X8 Pro Omni is a hefty customer. Decidedly square, the docking station has two large capacity water tanks on top. The “linen” panels on top do at least try to impart a little bit of style but it’s still a large black rectangle.

Hidden behind a front panel is the self-emptying dust bag and the cleaning solution reservoir (the X8 Pro Omni adds it as needed to keep the mop and floors clean). Under that is the wash-mopping and charging dock. The X8’s dock uses hot water at a variety of temperatures depending on the room it’s washed (with the hottest disinfecting temperature used after cleaning the bathroom and kitchen). It also has hot air drying to keep anything funky from building up on the mop.

The X8 itself is surprisingly hefty. It doesn’t have a radar hump, instead relying on 3D sensors and AI-powered cameras for navigation and obstacle avoidance. However, because of the roller mop, it’s considerably taller than other robovacs. The X8 won’t be sliding under your low couches and cabinets.

The roller mop and side brush are both extendable, allowing the bot to reach into corners and essentially “square off” its cleaning path.

First Impressions

Having had a variety of experiences with previous Ecovacs bots, I was cautiously optimistic when I started the X8 up for the first time. While it did take longer to map my home than any other bot I’m currently testing, it did so accurately (something that’s not always guaranteed). The app has undergone continuous improvements over the years, so labeling and dividing up the map it created was an easy task.

Noise wise, it’s at the high end of the bots I’ve tested recently. The motor that extends and retracts the roller is especially whiney. But I can’t deny the results. As I experienced with eufy’s roller mop botvac, it’s clear that a high-pressure, quickly rotating roller cleans much more efficiently than any other mopping solution. The X8 constantly cleans the roller as it mops, catching debris in an easily-cleaned tray in the roller housing.

Ecovacs claims that the X8 is tangle free and I have to say they’re right. After a week of puttering around my home, the only hair I could find tangled in the unit was around the front roller ball (a common missed area that I’ve only seen addressed on Roborock vacs). The suction power is impressive and self-adjusting, so that it only activates the highest (and loudest) suction when it detects rugs and carpeting.

Speaking of, unsecured rugs and tables with lots of chairs seemed to be the only things that regularly defeated the X8’s new AIVI 3D 3.0 obstacle avoidance system. It would try to activate extra suction on my bathmat, only to suck up a corner and drag the mat after it as it tried to escape. My dining room table was the other pain point—with its chairs that taper towards the back, the X8 would navigate under them and then get stuck. Other than that, though, the X8 didn’t suck up cords, socks, or pet toys. All things that have defeated many a bot in my home.

After scheduled cleanups, my intervention was largely unnecessary. The roller mop setup is very efficient when it comes to water, so I only have to refill and empty the water tanks every couple of days. The X8 is self-emptying and the dust bag is quite large, so I should only have to change that out every few months. It’s as hands-off a botvac as I’ve encountered recently.

Buy or Bin?

As one of the least expensive flagship botvacs on the market, the Deebot X8 Pro Omni has a lot to offer. Based on initial impressions, the bot itself cleans impressively well and keeps itself in good condition with a full-featured dock. The latest AI-driven sensors and cameras have made a noticeable difference in how well the X8 performs and I expect that to only improve over time.

That said, “least expensive” is a relative term. The X8 is still over $1,000, even with a launch discount. This class of robovac is for the consumer that’s willing to pay top dollar for the latest tech. And I will say, it’s as impressive of a launch as I’ve seen from Ecovacs in a long time. You can find out more about the Deebot X8 Pro Omni on the Ecovacs site.