eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30c vacuum cleaner (review 2020) takes you one step closer to eliminating the household chores with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support for voice operation. With full Wi-Fi support you can also trigger cleaning from anywhere you happen to be through the mobile app, or there’s a handy remote control if you prefer the old-fashioned way of doing things. Cleaning itself is pretty good, with powerful yet quiet suction from the 1500Pa inlet with rolling brush and two spinning side brushes, while the low-profile design makes getting under most furniture easy. Reveal all details on eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30c vacuum cleaner review 2020.
eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30c vacuum cleaner review 2020 comparison
| eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30c | RoboVac 30 | RoboVac 30C MAX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Compatible | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Works with Amazon Alexa | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Max Suction Power | 1500Pa | 1500Pa | 2000 Pa |
| BoostIQ Technology | 2nd Gen | 2nd Gen | 2nd Gen |
| Dust Box Capacity | 0.6L | 0.6L | 0.6L |
| Decibels | 55dB | 55dB | 55dB |
| Product Height | 2.85 in | 2.85 in | 2.85 in |
| Navigation Technology | Bounce Navigation | Bounce Navigation | Bounce Navigation |
| Boundary Strips | 13.2 ft | 13.2 ft | 13.2ft |
| Multi-Surface Cleaning | Hard Floors to Medium-Pile Carpets | Hard Floors to Medium-Pile Carpets | Hard Floors to Medium-Pile Carpets |
eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30c vacuum cleaner review 2020
Design
If there were a Tron-branded robot vacuum, it would be the RoboVac 30C. The top of the circular bot features a U-shaped pattern of pencil-thin, muted bronze lines that get farther from each other as they move toward the outer edges of the lid, giving the impression of a cheezy 3D illusion. The Eufy logo just below the center completes the mid-1980s-chic aesthetic. An oval power button sits at the top along with a blue Wi-Fi indicator.
The vacuum’s throwback lid was neither radical nor totally tubular. I greatly preferred the understated, premium look of this robot’s sibling, the nonconnected Eufy RoboVac 11s.
Like the RoboVac 11S, the Eufy RoboVac 30C is a mere 2.85 inches high, enabling the vacuum to travel under low-clearance furniture with ease. However, the RoboVac 30C routinely got stuck halfway underneath my low-clearance couch, a problem I didn’t have with the vacuum’s sibling.
How effective are the three brushes?
Straight suction is fine if you only have hard floors in your house. For carpets, you need more than just suction. To meet the needs of homes with carpet, Eufy added a standard brushroll to the 30C robot vacuum. With this brushroll, the robot can lift debris from low-pile and medium-pile carpet.
You also get the benefit of edge-cleaning brushes. The robot has two of these propeller-style brushes. As they spin, the brushes pull in debris toward the suction inlet. They also act as sweepers that whisk away dust and dirt from wall edges as well as baseboards. Plus, they work wonders at removing debris from wall corners.
Does brushless motor make any sound?
Motors can be put in one of two categories – brushed and brushless. When it comes to longevity and noise, brushless motors like the one in the RoboVac 30C are more desirable. This motor has fewer moving parts than a brushed motor, resulting in less friction and more efficiency.
The motor is also quieter than the brushed variety, producing just 55 decibels max even when BoostIQ technology increases the suction. What is BoostIQ? This Eufy-created technology automatically revs up the 30C’s suction in 1.5 seconds to tackle heavy concentrated messes and the dirt in high-traffic areas.
Sure, the dirt bin on the 30C is much smaller in comparison to those on full-size vacuum cleaners. However, it has a large capacity in the scope of robotic vacuums. The 30C’s bin can hold 0.6 liters of debris, so you won’t be taking frequent trips to the garbage can.
Within the bin, there is a set of filters that trap an array of allergens and irritants. To access the pre-filter, the high-performance filter and the foam filter, simply push the release button to make the bin pop out the side of the robot. Then, open the hinged lid. With proper care, the filter set will last 2 or 3 months.
How long is battery life?
Eufy chose lithium-ion for the robot vacuum’s rechargeable battery. This 14.4-volt battery boasts a high capacity of 2,600 mAh. Due to its capacity, the robotic vacuum can run for 100 minutes when it’s fully charged.
The battery takes 5 to 6 hours to recharge. While that time frame isn’t the shortest, it’s to be expected from a high-capacity rechargeable battery. To replenish the battery, you don’t have to press a button or even be a home. The RoboVac 30C drives and docks itself to the charging station.
Height matters. The shorter the robotic vacuum, the more places it can fit. At the height of 2.85 inches, the RoboVac 30C can zoom under your sofa, bed, desk and other furniture. This means you don’t need to move heavy furniture to get your floors vacuumed. Let’s hear it for less prep work.
Just because the 30C, don’t assume it’s compact. Making the most of its 100-minute runtime, the robot vacuum has a wide cleaning path. Its diameter measures 12.8 inches in width and the side brushes protrude from the vacuum’s edge, further extending the robot’s cleaning path.
Does it have sensors and strips to stop fall down?
Steps, toys, the random dog – The Eufy RoboVac 30C won’t fall down the stairs or collide with objects. To keep it from tumbling, Eufy integrated drop-sensing technology into the 30C. The robot also has a total of nine sensors that detect objects well in advance of making contact with them.
If you have a fireplace or pet dishes on the floor, you may want to block them off from the robot vacuum. To do so, lay down a boundary strip, and the 30C’s hall sensors will guide the robot away from the strip. Eufy gives you 13 feet’ worth of boundary strip that you can cut to your desired length. Since there is no residue on the strip, you won’t be left with a mess on the floor should you decide to relocate it.
Is eufy RoboVac 30c app Alexa enabled?
Got an iPhone or an Android-based smartphone? Then, Eufy has an app for you. The EufyHome app allows you to utilize the 30C’s Wi-Fi technology, putting the robot vacuum cleaner’s controls at your fingertips at or away from home.
Once you install this app, you can use it to locate the robot’s exact location – a handy feature for those who live in large homes. You can also get status alerts and schedule cleaning sessions. If you want turn by turn control, simply press the directional arrow buttons on the screen.
Voice-Activation and Other Controls
Eufy offers another way to make use of the robotic vacuum cleaner’s Wi-Fi connectivity. If you have an Amazon or a Google smart home device, you can give Alexa or Assistant voice commands. For instance, teach Alexa the Eufy skill, and you can tell Alexa to start, pause or charge the 30C.
There are other ways to control the robot vacuum besides a smartphone or smart assistant. A remote also comes with the RoboVac 30C, which offers many of the functions available with the EufyHome app. To quick start an auto-clean session, push the power button on the robot’s cover.
Auto mode feature to clean every corner
Regardless of the control method, you can run the RoboVac 30C in auto mode. When this mode is engaged, the 30C moves in a random pattern around your house. Single-room mode is an option with the smartphone or remote. This mode vacuums the floors in one room by moving back and forth and side to side until the floor is clean.
There are times when you don’t need to clean all the floors in your house. Therefore, Eufy gives you two more modes from which to choose – a small-mess mode and a perimeter mode. In small-mess mode, the robot moves in a spiral pattern to clean a pile of crumbs or dirt. In perimeter, the robot vacuum drives alongside the walls.
Stop slide with mega-grip wheels
Robo vac wheels come in smooth or treaded textures. Although smooth-textured wheels won’t leave marks, they do tend to slide on hard floors. On the other hand, wheels with tread don’t put skid marks on the floor, nor will they slip on bare surfaces.
The RoboVac 30C has a pair of treaded wheels, which are large enough to keep from getting stuck in the plush carpet. These wheels also give the robot plenty of climbing power. Whether it’s floor transition strips or going from hardwood to carpet, the 30C can handle inclines of up to 0.63 inches.
While inexpensive, filters and edge-cleaning brushes aren’t free. To save you a few bucks and the wait time involved with ordering replacements, Eufy throws in a pair of propeller-style brushes and an additional filter set.
The RoboVac 30C also comes with a cleaning brush you can use to knock off dust buildup on the robot’s filters. Plus, you get five cable ties that help keep power cords organized and out of the robot vacuum’s reach.
eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30c cleaning performance review 2020
Although it’s quiet at 62.7dB, the Eufy RoboVac 30C is comparatively quite powerful. Running over our test dirt on carpet and hard floors, the vacuum cleaner did a decent job when it hit an area head-on. There are some minor issues, though.
Smarter vacuum cleaners will more carefully tackle an area before moving on, but the Eufy RoboVac 30C can charge through an area, picking up some dust and then spreading the remainder around; it will then bounce off in a random direction. Eventually, the vacuum will cover your entire floor, but it can take a while to do so.
Testing on hard floors first, I spread an “X” of flour and carpet freshening powder on a tiled floor. Leaving the vacuum in Auto mode until it had run out of battery, the Eufy RoboVac 30C managed to pick up most of the mess, although some residue was stuck in the grout lines.
Hard floor test: Dirty hard floor (left) vs Clean hard floor (right) – move slider to compare
For this test the vacuum passed over the area several times. A smarter vacuum cleaner would have done the job in less time, making sure it covered the area properly on the first outing.
Likewise, the same test on carpet showed that when the Eufy RoboVac 30C made solid contact, it picked up most of the dust. However, it left a little behind due to the way it bounced around the room.
Carpet test: Dirty carpet (left) vs Clean carpet (right) – move slider to compare
For edge cleaning, I sprinkled an “X” of dirt against a cupboard. In Auto mode, the cleaner didn’t quite make the right contact, bouncing up against the edge, rather than running along it. For better cleaning here, I switched the robot to its Edge Clean mode. Results were pretty good, with most of the dust gone, although some remained behind in the grout lines in the tiles.
Edge test: Dirty floor (left) vs Clean floor (right) – move slider to compare
Considering the price, cleaning performance is very good, but make sure you use the right mode for your cleaning needs. Depending on the room size, a Quick Clean may be a better choice, followed by an Edge Clean.
Should I buy the Eufy RoboVac 30C?
At this sort of price, robot vacuum cleaners tend to be very basic in navigation, bouncing around until they’ve covered a house. What’s important is that pick-up is sufficiently strong enough to remove dirt. The Eufy RoboVac 30C certainly does a good enough job with powerful suction. However, as with other cheap cleaners, it’s worth switching between cleaning modes to get the best coverage in your home.
It’s nice to see Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and app control, too, making this robot easier to control and schedule.
All that said, the competition at this level is tough. The base price of the Ecovacs Deebot N79S is less, and you get similar cleaning ability and features. However, at the time of review, the Eufy RoboVac 30C was available for £70 off through the official website, making it cheaper than the N79S.