Ecovacs is stepping up its game with the Deebot X8 Pro Omni. Square designs are a thing of the past—this model is round and, like its predecessors, skips the bulky navigation tower. The real game-changer? Its new mopping function, which works much like a cordless vacuum cleaner. In this review, we put it to the test and reveal why Ecovacs is catching up to Roborock faster than ever.
Good
- Top suction performance on all floor surfaces
- Outstanding mopping performance thanks to its built-in roller mop
- Solid navigation capability
- Automatic cleaning agent supply in docking station
- Impressive app support
Bad
- Does not mop edges completely clean
- Docking station requires frequent maintenance
Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni: All deals
Ecovacs X8 Pro Omni: Sleek Design & Unique Mopping
Ecovacs has decided to back down from the square form factor with the X2 Omni (review) and X5 Omni, Ecovacs seemed to have backtracked and entrusting a round design to the X8 Pro Omni.
| Design and workmanship | |
|---|---|
| Height of the robot vacuum cleaner | |
| Special features |
|
| Docking station dimensions | |
| Docking station functions |
|
Nevertheless, there are similarities between the models. On the one hand, the LiDAR tower is still missing from the equation. The robot vacuum cleaner is flatter than ever, which means it can weasel its way under more furniture with its height that measures 9.8 cm.
The biggest innovation can be found when you flip the Deebot X8 Pro Omni over: the mopping technology. Ecovacs has been inspired by cordless vacuum cleaners (Best Of list) and relies on a roller mop. The highlight of this mopping function: during the mopping process, the roller is constantly moistened with fresh water.
At the same time, a scraper will push dirty water into the dirty water tank. This ensures the vacuum and mopping robot will always perform a clean mop regardless of the surface.
In contrast to conventional mops, the roller mop has further advantages: According to the manufacturer, the contact pressure on the floor is higher as the contact surface is smaller. The pressure of the mop roller is said to be rated 4,000 Pa. Ecovacs specified the contact pressure of mop pads stand at 500 Pa. In addition to the mopping function, there is an extendable side brush that enables the robot to collect dirt in corners and hard-to-reach areas.
The docking station is as feature-rich as ever. At 59 × 38 × 40.5 cm, it is compact to say the least. The docking station combines a self-emptying function, roller mop washing and drying, and automatic detergent supply. You will need to supply yourself with the detergent of your choice, which always boils down to personal taste.
A word about the design, though. The Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni is only available in one color: black. I personally like the look with gold accents as it makes this robot vacuum cleaner sport a really high-quality look. Unfortunately, the truth behind this is, black also makes dust quickly visible.
Ecovacs Home App: Impressive Performance
Regardless of whether this is the first vacuum and mopping robot or not, the Ecovacs Home app impressed with its overview and a variety of practical functions for the home cleaning assistant. Every user will be able to easily find their way around.
| Ecovacs Home app | |
|---|---|
| Suction levels | |
| Water flow rates | |
| Deep carpet cleaning |
The arrangement of the cleaning settings in the start menu is not new at all. Here, users can choose between four suction levels and 50 water flow rates. Below, you can see options for navigation. In other words, this is where you specify how closely the Ecovacs robot vacuum cleaner should follow paths.
I particularly like the variety of functions when it comes to map management. In this department, Ecovacs is on par with the likes of Roborock and Dreame. The robot vacuum clener can clean along the direction in which the floor is laid, which should prevent scratches on the floor. The Ecovacs Home app really comes into its own where carpets are concerned. There are three settings in the app to handle carpet cleaning on the next level. These are:
- Increase the suction power when cleaning carpets
- Carpets should be cleaned first during cleaning
- Deep cleaning of carpets. It is here where the robot vacuum cleaner moves over the carpet in a zig-zag pattern
Naturally, Ecovacs integrated AI functions into the robot vacuum cleaner. The most impressive is known as “AI Intelligent Hosting”. The X8 Pro Omni creates a cleaning plan based on your habits, floor type, and room. The Yiko voice assistant has also improved. You can send the robot vacuum cleaner simply by issuing a voice command. In reality, I found it impressive that even precise instructions such as “clean the living room in 10 minutes” or “go and vacuum under the bed” worked flawlessly.
I found how the robot vacuum cleaner always turned in my direction when I hollered “Hey Yiko” to be a little creepy. If you want to deal with the settings on a daily basis, you can rely on schedules. There is also an AI option here, where the robot vacuum cleaner adjusts the cleaning schedule depending on how dirty the home is.
Ecovacs X8 Pro Omni: Vacuuming & Mopping Performance
As mentioned, the app offers four suction levels and 50 water flow rates. I was surprised at first because the “mop only” function was not available. Thankfully, that’s not a fatal flaw, as I recommend that everyone vacuums their home first before even thinking about mopping.
| Suction and mopping performance | |
|---|---|
| Suction power | |
| Navigation |
|
| Threshold override | |
| Mop lift |
The suction power is almost top-class, as is typical for Ecovacs. This robot vacuum cleaner is impressive across all surfaces. Even more remarkable is the fact that Ecovacs managed to fix the battery problem found in previous iterations.
One of the main criticisms in our Ecovacs robot vacuum reviews has been its relatively high battery consumption. In comparison, models from Dreame and Roborock have typically outperformed Ecovacs in this area—until now.
The X8 Pro Omni features a 6,400 mAh battery, and despite its powerful 18,000 Pa suction, it still has plenty of stamina left after an intense mopping and vacuuming session.
After a 30-minute vacuuming session, followed by a 30-minute mopping session, the Ecovacs robot vacuum cleaner still held a solid 61 percent remaining battery life. The robot vacuum cleaner ends up fully charged as the docking station takes care of cleaning and drying the roller mop.
| Test volume (g) | Suction volume (g) | Efficiency (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oat flakes (tiles) | |||
| Sand (tiles) | |||
| Sand (carpet) |
Ideal for households with four-legged friends: the main brush relies on Zero Tangle technology. In simple terms: no human hair or animal fur gets tangled in the brush. All hair and fur are automatically untangled. However, the main focus should be on the mopping function.
As mentioned earlier, the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni comes with a roller mop. The mopping result is first class! It wipes away stains and damp dirt without any issues. The roller mop requires fewer passes than other robot vacuum cleaner models when it comes to dried stains.
In corners and hard-to-reach areas, the roller mop moves outwards to cover edges and corners to the best of its ability. However, the robot vacuum cleaner does not manage to wipe along the edges of walls 100 percent of the time. In some places, it seems it conveniently missed out some distance from the edge. That’s just too bad because even the expandable wiper doesn’t help much.
When it comes to carpets, the roller mop is raised by 10 mm. Short-pile carpets are spared from getting wet, but high-pile carpets are slightly moistened when the robot vacuum cleaner runs over them. My deep-pile carpet loves this party trick.
I recently reviewed the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete and found its mopping performance to be the best among all the robot vacuum cleaners I’ve reviewed. The X8 Pro Omni out-mopped the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, making it the best choice if you value mopping performance in a robot vacuum cleaner.
Both navigation and obstacle detection are top-notch. In the home office, I found it annoying that many models were unable to recognize and avoid table legs. The X8 Pro Omni went against the grain! In addition to LiDAR navigation, the manufacturer installed a 3D edge sensor on the front right-hand side. This enables the robot vacuum cleaner to detect cables reliably, making sure that nothing ends up in a tangled mess.
Depending on the selected setting, the robot vacuum cleaner returns to the docking station in between or at the latest after a cleaning session. The self-emptying function and the 75-degree roller mop washing process then begins. The mopping equipment is then dried quietly using 63-degree hot air. This brings us to the docking station’s only catch—maintenance. After just two cleaning trips, the washboard is visibly dirty. With this model, maintenance becomes a priority sooner than some might like.
Is Ecovacs Finally on Par with Roborock and Dreame?
Ecovacs has done the seemingly impossible! With the Deebot X8 Pro Omni, the manufacturer joins the best robot vacuum cleaners (Best Of list) that tends to revolve around Roborock and Dreame. Its suction power is first class. What sticks in the mind is the fantastic mopping performance of the home appliance.
The switch to a rotating roller mop, which intuitively moves outwards, has paid off one hundred percent. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if other high-end manufacturers followed suit and imitated this mopping function. Even SwitchBot has switched to the same technology since the S10 (review).
Ecovacs also managed to fix the biggest flaw. In the past, I have criticized the relatively high battery consumption of almost every robot vacuum cleaner from the manufacturer. This issue is now a thing of the past. The robot vacuum cleaner is (finally) on par with Roborock and Dreame.
I haven’t even revealed the best part yet. Ecovacs also approaches this battle from a multi-faceted view, taking the price tag into consideration as well. The X8 Pro Omni costs $1,169.99 a pop based on the recommended retail price. This makes it approximately $300 cheaper than the flagship models from its competitors, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra (review) and Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, right from the get-go.
Ecovacs’ robot vacuum cleaners tend to see a price drop not too long after release. Hence, it would not be a surprise if the robot vacuum cleaner falls below the $1,000 mark over the coming months.
Where to Buy the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni?
The Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni is available in stores and retails for $1,169.99 a pop. You can pick up this high-end robot vacuum cleaner via the official Ecovacs online store.
