We love Eufy’s robotic vacuums. They’re affordable, effective, and easy to use. And Eufy’s new robotic vacuum, the RoboVac 11S Max ($270 retail, $199 promotional), is no exception. After putting it to work, it’s clear that the 11S Max sucks—in a good way.
Eufy (an extension of Anker, the portable battery company), has been in the robotic vacuum game for a while. Its aim is to sell no-nonsense, reliable robotic vacuums that can start cleaning right out of the box. The RoboVac 11S Max is, as the name suggests, an updated version of the standard RoboVac 11S.
But the differences between the 11S and the 11S Max are few and far between. While the standard 11S has 1,300 Pa of suction power, the 11S Max has 2,000 Pa of suction power (pascals are a measurement of force or pressure). And while the 11S uses 3-stage dust filters, the 11S Max uses high-performance dust filters, which should last longer and require less cleaning. Aside from a $40 retail price increase and a slightly larger dustbin, those are the only noticeable upgrades.
Do these upgrades make the 11S Max a worthwhile mid-range robotic vacuum? And is it really worth $40 more than the standard 11S? Here’s our experience.
Easy Setup and a Straightforward Remote
Setting up the RoboVac 11S Max is a breeze. Its modest packaging is easy to get through, and everything is clearly laid out. It comes with a remote control, a charging station, two pairs of corner brushes (the bug-like arms on the vacuum), a detangling brush, and a pack of zip ties to keep any loose TV or USB cables off the floor (the vacuum can get stuck on cables).
If you read the RoboVac’s quick start guide, you’ll find that it’s easy to set up. So easy that I skipped the instructions and still had the RoboVac in action after about two minutes. I didn’t even put the batteries in the remote or plug in the charging station, although Eufy recommends that you charge the vacuum before its first cycle. I guess I got a little excited.
My initial reaction to the remote was one of hesitation. Remotes tend to be clunky and unintuitive, and I couldn’t help but think of all the robotic vacuums (including Eufy’s “C” vacuums) that can be controlled with a phone. But, as it turns out, the remote is great. It’s easy to use, it has a handy key on the back, and the buttons are laid out intuitively.
Technically, you don’t even need to use the remote. When the RoboVac is removed from its charging stand and set on the carpet, you can simply tap its power button to begin auto cleaning mode. But you should use the remote, as it gives you access to a slew of other cleaning modes. You can tell the RoboVac to focus on the room’s edges, to spot clean an area, or to go back to its charging dock. You can even set the vacuum on a daily cleaning schedule, or control its direction manually with a few buttons.
A Small Vacuum with Big Suction Power
The RoboVac 11S Max is pretty good at sucking. It offers 2,000 Pa (pascals) of suction power, which is almost double the power of the standard 11S. But that’s still a lot less suction power than a traditional vacuum, which usually operates around 20,000 Pa, so how effective is the 11S?
