Eufy RoboVac 12 vs. 11S Comparison Review
One of the cheapest robot vacuum brands on the market is Eufy. The Chinese brand has both entry-level robot vacuums as well as high-end models. In this RoboVac 12 vs. 11S comparison review, find out whether the newer Eufy Boost IQ RoboVac 12 is a better deal than the Eufy Boost IQ RoboVac 11S. For the record, these are two of the cheapest robot vacuums from Eufy.
In this comparison review, we will assess how the two models compare in terms of design and aesthetics, cleaning performance, autonomy, navigation and mapping, and convenience. But before going into the details, here is an overview of the brand and the two models in this review.
About Eufy
Established in 2016, Eufy is a Chinese company that is part of the larger Anker Innovations, a renowned Chinese conglomerate that deals in a wide range of electronics. Eufy develops next-gen smart home devices, including smart cameras, video doorbells, robot vacuums, and more. Today, the brand is best known for its RoboVac line of robot vacuums.
Comparison Table
Eufy Boost IQ RoboVac 11S (T2108)
Released in May 2018, the RoboVac 11S is one of the most popular Eufy robot vacuums and is also the cheapest. The vacuum boasts a slim design and is best suited for handling bare floors and pet messes. For the record, the company released an updated model known as RoboVac 11S Max in June 2019. The difference between the RoboVac 11S vs. 11S Max is the stronger suction that the latter comes with.
Eufy Boost IQ RoboVac 12 (T2109)
With other brands bringing cheaper and advanced models, Eufy had to revamp its product portfolio with RoboVac 12. This is also a cheaper model, in the same price range as the RoboVac 11S, but then, as a newer model, it comes with several extras. According to the manufacturer, the RoboVac 12 is quite similar to the Eufy 11S, but then the RoboVac 12 offers better cleaning performance at a slightly higher price.
Now, onto the day’s main business, how does the RoboVac 11S compare to the RoboVac 12?
RoboVac 12 vs. 11S Face to Face Comparison Review
To ensure that consumers make the best purchase decision, we have compared the two RoboVac vacuums based on the important aspects considered when looking for the best robot vacuum. So, without further ado, here’s a face-to-face comparison of the RoboVac 11S vs. RoboVac 12.
1. What’s in the Box?
Robot vacuums come with different accessories. These accessories vary depending on the model, and at times, the retailer. To start this comparison review, let’s find out what you should expect in the package of these two robot vacuums.
The RoboVac 11S package comes with the robot itself, remote control with a pair of AAA batteries, docking base, power adapter, cleaning tool, two high-performance filters, five cable ties, and four side brushes, alongside the documentation.
As for the Robovac 12, expect to find the robot itself, remote control with a pair of AAA batteries, the docking base, power adapter, two high-performance filters, four side brushes, five cable ties, and the documentation.
2. Design and Aesthetics
The design of a robot vacuum determines where it will reach, talk of under the kickstands, beds, couches, and other household fittings. When it comes to aesthetics, some buyers have preferences regarding the color or the robot vacuum. It’s also important to tell the difference between the two robot vacuums from how they look.
When it comes to weight, the RoboVac 12 is slightly lighter at 5.73lbs.
While the RoboVac 11S is available in two color options, the RoboVac 12 is available in black only.
3. Cleaning Performance
The most important consideration when looking for the best robot vacuum is the cleaning performance. In this section, we have assessed all the crucial factors that determine the cleaning efficiency of these two robot vacuums.
(a) Orientation
Robot vacuums are highly specialized to suit different cleaning needs. So, what are the RoboVac 12 and RoboVac 11S best for?
The RoboVac 11S was designed for cleaning all types of bare floors, including tile, vinyl, marble, laminate, hardwood, etc. The robot is not the best for most carpets, but it does a great job on low pile carpets. When it comes to pet messes, the RoboVac 11S is powerful enough to pick up pet hair and kitty litter on bare floors.
Unfortunately, it tends to get tangled when dealing with long pet hair.
The RoboVac 12 is not very different from the RoboVac 11S. This model is also ideal for handling all types of bare floors, for example, hardwood, tile, marble, vinyl, and the rest.
When it comes to carpets, the RoboVac 12 offers better performance courtesy of stronger suction. You can rely on it to vacuum low to medium pile carpets, but on high pile carpets, it gets overwhelmed.
When it comes to pet messes, it handles kitty litter and short pet hair without a problem.
(b) Suction Power
One of the fundamentals of robot vacuums is suction power. The motor and design of the robot vacuum determine how powerful the robot vacuum will be. In this segment, let’s find out more about the suction power of these two RoboVacs.
The RoboVac 11S comes with a powerful motor that delivers a maximum of 1300pa making it more powerful than several Roombas, including the Roomba E5, 800 series, and I series. One interesting feature of this robot vacuum is the BoostIQ™ Technology that steps up suction in less than 1.5 seconds when the robot detects areas and surfaces that require suction boost. A good example is when the robot transitions from bare floors to carpets, the BoostIQ feature will be activated to guarantee thorough vacuuming.
The RoboVac 12 also features a powerful motor that steps up suction to a whopping 1500pa. This is why the RoboVac 12 is a better deal for homes with carpets than the RoboVac 11S. Here again, we have the BoostIQ Technology that works exactly the same way as the RoboVac 11S. When it detects surfaces that require more suction power, the BoostIQ feature is activated in just 1.5 seconds.
(c) Brush System
The brush system of a robot vacuum can be the deal maker or breaker. For the record, the brush system is responsible for sweeping and agitation.
Unfortunately, this brush will also get tangled when dealing with long dog hair.
Besides the primary brushroll, the RoboVac 12 has two side sweeping brushes that gather dirt from the wall edges and corners.
(d) Filtration
Robot vacuums come with elaborate filtration systems that capture elements that cause bad odor from the atmosphere. They also have bins where dirt is collected.
The RoboVac 11S comes equipped with a dual-layer filter plus one high-performance filter to ensure that all allergens and other elements that cause bad odor are in the bin and not lurking in the atmosphere. In addition to the superior filtration system, the RoboVac 11S comes with a large 0.6L dust box that reduces the frequency of bin emptying.
The RoboVac 12 comes with the same filtration system that the Eufy 1S features. The dual-layer filter and one high-performance filter are still intact. This robot also comes with a large 0.6L dust box to reduce the frequency of bin emptying. Unfortunately, despite being a new model, there is no automatic bin emptying. As you may be aware, other brands, including Roomba, are offering consumers robot vacuums that empty themselves automatically. While most of these models are expensive, there are some cheap models that come with the technology. A good example is the Roomba i3 and i3+ that automatically empty themselves for an entire month.
(e) Cleaning Modes
As mentioned earlier, robot vacuums are highly specialized. They come with multiple cleaning modes, each designed for a specific purpose.
- The RoboVac 11S comes with four cleaning modes; Auto, Spot, Edge, Single Room. Auto mode is for general cleaning, while Spot mode is for cleaning specific areas where there is concentrated dirt. Edge mode is for the wall edges, while Single Room is used to vacuum just a single room instead of the entire house.
- RoboVac 12 also comes with four cleaning modes; Auto, Spot, Edge, Single Room. Their function is exactly the same as that in the RoboVac 11S.
(f) Cleaning Test Results
As is the norm, we put all the robot vacuums under rigorous testing to give consumers a feel of how the robot vacuums we tested performed in a real household setting. The RoboVac 11S and RoboVac 12 are no exception to this rule.
We tested them on bare floors and carpets using the daily household dirt, for example, cereals, sugar, flour, sand pebbles, pet hair, kitty litter, and rice. Below are the results of our exclusive cleaning tests.
Cleaning Test Results on Bare Floors
Cleaning Test Results on Carpets
Inference: As witnessed above, the RoboVac 12 performed exceptionally compared to the RoboVac 11S. While their performance was almost at the same level when working on bare floors, the real difference came when on carpets. The RoboVac 11S struggled on carpets, definitely because of the lower suction power.
4. Battery and Autonomy
Unlike the regular vacuums that have to be pushed around, robot vacuums come with inbuilt batteries for locomotion. In this section, let’s find out the type of battery included in the two RoboVacs, their capacity, runtime, and, importantly, power management.
- The RoboVac 11S, despite being a cheap model, comes with a powerful 2600mAh Li-ion battery that offers a 100 minutes runtime when in standard mode and around 50 minutes when BoostIQ is activated. This is pretty impressive as it can clean an area of 1292 ft2 on a single charge. Now, when the robot’s charge runs low, the robot will automatically dock for recharging. The recharge time is around 5-6 hours. Unfortunately, the RoboVac 11S will not resume cleaning after recharging.
- The RoboVac 12 is not in any way different from the RoboVac 11S in terms of battery capacity and power management. It comes equipped with a 2600mAh li-ion battery that offers 100 minutes runtime in standard mode and 45 minutes when BoostIQ is active. This battery can also cover a 1292 ft2 on a single charge. Like the RoboVac 11S, the RoboVac 12 will recharge automatically when the battery runs low, but unfortunately, it won’t resume cleaning automatically. The recharge time is 5-6 hours.
5. Navigation and Mapping
Besides having a battery, robot vacuums have intelligent systems that help them in navigation and floor mapping. These systems help them find their way around your house, and importantly, prevent accidents. So, how does the RoboVac 11S compare to RoboVac 12 in terms of navigation and mapping?
- The RoboVac 11S is based on bounce navigation. The edges have retractable bumpers, so whenever they hit an obstacle, the robot changes direction immediately. There are also drop sensors that detect falls, so the robot won’t fall down the stairs. The RoboVac 11S has a 16 mm (0.63 in) climbing threshold for a seamless transition from bare floors to carpets. The average speed of the robot is 26.7 cm/s (10.2 in/s). There is no elaborate system to help the robot plan efficient cleaning paths when it comes to floor mapping. The robot cleans in a random pattern, so in high traffic rooms and large apartments, entire level cleaning is not guaranteed. Unlike other high-end models, the RoboVac 11S lacks boundary marking, a feature that helps homeowners contain the robot.
- The RoboVac 12 has the same features as the RoboVac 11S in terms of navigation and map[ping. This robot, too, boasts a bounce navigation system with retractable bumpers that retract when they hit obstacles. After hitting obstacles, it turns back and uses a different route. Well, this is not an intelligent navigation system considering this is a pretty new model. But all the same, it gets the job done, but not in high traffic rooms and large apartments. The speeds and climbing threshold are all the same. Just like the Eufy 11S, the RoboVac 12 lacks boundary marking technology.
6. Smart Features and Convenience
In this smart home era, everyone wants the convenience of remote operation and scheduling. In this last segment of this RoboVac 12 vs. 11S comparison review, let’s find out the features these two root vacuums offer.
The RoboVac 11S is not a smart robot vacuum. It doesn’t come with WiFi, so smartphone operation via the Eufy Home app or via voice assistants such as Alexa is impossible. That leaves a lot to be desired but considering what you are paying for; this shouldn’t be a major issue. Instead of WiFi, Eufy opted to include a physical IR remote controller. You can use it to schedule, switch off BoostIQ, and even control the robot when using Spot mode. If you badly want a cheap smart RoboVac in the 11 series, check out the RoboVac 11C, a connected model that allows smartphone operation and is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant.
The RoboVac 12, just like the RoboVac 11S, lacks WiFi, so you can’t operate it using the Eufy Home app or voice assistant. Instead, it comes equipped with a physical remote that allows for remote operation but within a 13ft radius. You can access different controls on the remote, including the scheduling function, manual robot control, and so on.
RoboVac 12 vs. 11S Summary
That’s the end of this RoboVac 11S vs. Robovac 12 comparison review. As witnessed, these two robot vacuums share a lot in common, but there are some clear differences. The RoboVac 11S is the best bang for the buck if you want a cheap robot vacuum. However, if you want that extra power for handling carpets satisfactorily, the RoboVac 12 will be the best choice. The RoboVac 11S delivers a maximum of 1300pa, while the RoboVac 12 can put up a whopping 1500pa.
