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Eufy is an organization that, typically, makes merchandise I actually like. They make a number of the greatest safety cameras within the trade, sufficient that after testing plenty of manufacturers, Eufy’s Solocams are what I preserve put in at my home. Anker, their dad or mum firm, makes a few of my favourite energy banks, and I actually like my Eufy doorbell. Like plenty of firms making sensible tech, additionally they make vacuums.
The Eufy Robotic Vacuum Omni S1 Professional is fascinating in a lot of methods. Though Eufy is a well-established model that has produced and launched many merchandise together with different robotic vacuums, for this mannequin, they went again to Kickstarter, the place their aim was blown out of the water in hours. Second, as a substitute of going for the compact tower design virtually all firms have chosen for robotic vacuums recently, the S1 has an enormous retro tower look to it. Regardless of my model loyalty, the fascinating design and the vacuum’s first rate efficiency, nevertheless, I feel the Omni S1 Professional isn’t a great purchase—there’s a disconnect between the robotic Eufy thinks they constructed and the one I examined. At present priced at $999 on Kickstarter, the S1 will turn into out there for retail buy later this spring or early summer season at a a lot greater worth.
Distinctive design, however no distinctive options
Usually, robotic vacuums and mops now include a dock and tower that may refill the clear water, empty the soiled water and vacuum, and clear the mop. These towers are inconceivable to disregard resulting from dimension, however manufacturers usually attempt to make them generic-looking sufficient in order that they’ll mix into the panorama of the room round them. Eufy went a distinct means with the S1. The tower is tall sufficient you would possibly mistake it for a stick vacuum, and bears the phrase “MACH” proper on the entrance, which can be the identify of the app. Product of molded clear black plastic, the contents of the tower are veiled, however solely barely. Whereas it’s possible made from the identical supplies as different manufacturers, that are additionally molded plastic, the see-through plastic sometimes seems to be low-cost. Regardless of the vertical dimension, the tower additionally doesn’t take up a lot much less horizontal area than different robots have. The footprint is about the identical, however you possibly can’t tuck this below tables and counters as simply.
The robotic itself is like plenty of different fashionable robotic vacuums, with a curler, rotating sweeping brushes and mop brushes—and to its credit score, Eufy ships the S1 Professional with loads of alternative elements, together with additional rollers, brushes and filters. However Eufy has promoted this robotic as a premium floorbot, with a premium worth. Within the advertising for the robotic, you routinely see phrases like “groundbreaking” used. In truth, the advertising supplies used to say “The World’s First Ground-Washing Robotic Vacuum with All-in-One Station” till I requested what was completely different from different floor-washing robots, since they’re fairly widespread now. The language disappeared from Kickstarter however stays on the Eufy web site. The issue is, it’s not groundbreaking: Whereas this robotic was being developed, ground washing robots turned routine, and the expertise surpassed what this robotic gives, with different manufacturers providing extending brushes and mops, on board video, voice assistants and direct connection to water strains. Whereas the S1 contains plenty of options I like on different robots—like a spot for cleansing resolution constructed into the tower, and a straightforward technique to divide and merge rooms within the app—a lot of the different premium robots have that, too.
Straightforward set up, and a well-designed app
Most robots come able to roll out of the field, and the S1 isn’t any completely different. After unboxing, it simply wanted to be crammed with water and have just a few brushes popped into locations. Within the case of many robotic mop combos, you possibly can add cleansing resolution to the clear water, however lately, fashions like Roborock have added a bay for cleansing resolution to the dock, so that you all the time have the correct quantity. As I discussed, Eufy included this function, but it surely depends on Eufy branded cleansing resolution in a sealed bottle that you simply set up—to interchange it, you’d must buy extra from Eufy, whereas different fashions help you select any resolution you need to use. The MACH app is separate from the Eufy Clear app, and I’ve beforehand talked about how each one in every of Eufy’s merchandise makes use of a distinct app (Clear, Safety, Pet, and so on), so this was only one extra so as to add to the bunch. Nonetheless, it’s a great app, and has the identical consumer interface as most manufacturers. A map is made utilizing LiDAR the primary time the robotic goes out, after which you possibly can break it into rooms, dividing and merging areas as you want and naming them. Of all of the robots I’ve examined, the S1 mapped the area higher than another (and I’ve had six or seven robots map the identical area).
One side I did actually like was that you could set cleansing preferences per room, as a substitute of doing so per run, and you may as well set a precedence of rooms moderately than let the robotic determine. If you wish to wash the kitchen ground a number of instances however the hallway solely as soon as, you possibly can, and you may ask the bot to all the time clear the toilet final. The app has schedules, and the identical common settings you anticipate, together with the distant management. The app lacks two options I’m seeing in lots of robots today: pin and go, or “spot cleansing,” and onboard video. Whereas I don’t suppose video is all that helpful, it’s nonetheless a function you’d get in different fashions. Pin and go is definitely very helpful—you possibly can simply drop a pin in your map and the robotic cleans that spot particularly.
The S1 is simply okay
As a ground cleaner, the S1 does an okay job. That is how I felt concerning the Eufy X10 Professional Omni I reviewed just a few months in the past. It vacuumed up plenty of particles on the ground, however after three passes on my kitchen had missed a intentionally left onion peel within the useless heart of the ground. The S1 doesn’t hug the wall; it lacks these extending arms different fashions now provide. As a mop, it definitely cleaned up floor degree spills, however the rotating brushes didn’t dig into grime in any respect, leaving the white tile trying soiled. On 11 ventures out, I’d let the Eufy run at max settings, the best degree of suction and mopping, going over every area two instances. In every occasion, I might then ask my Roborock S8 MaxV Extremely to make a single run afterwards, and I may watch it seize the whole lot the S1 missed. It occurred time and again.
Backside line: there are higher robots for the worth
Earlier this week, I spoke with Eric Villines, Head of World Communications at Anker concerning the S1 launch and why they selected Kickstarter. I appreciated how proud the group at Anker appeared to be about the way in which the Eufy encourages innovation, working like an incubator with at the least half the workers dedicated to analysis and improvement. When groups produce nice ideas, crowdfunding permits Eufy to search out progressive methods to maneuver these merchandise ahead. One of many causes they like crowdfunding for merchandise just like the S1 is that it creates a protracted runway of suggestions from lovers and funders, which Villines mentioned often impacts the merchandise rather a lot earlier than launch.
To be clear, Eufy doesn’t make unhealthy robotic vacuums; they work simply positive. However they appear to solely work positive—not nice. The S1 is positioned as a premium robotic vacuum, however for the present $999 worth, i feel you are able to do higher with the Roborock S8 Professional, on the identical worth. When the S1 strikes to its full retail worth within the mid-$1000 vary, I feel you’d do higher with the Roborock S8 Maxv Extremely at $1799. I’m additionally eagerly awaiting the brand new S10 from Switchbot; if I have been purchasing for a robotic vacuum proper now, I might look ahead to that to launch, since Switchbot has already made a extremely nice vacuum earlier than.
