Budget-friendly robot vacuums have come a long way in the past year.
At $269.99, the Eufy RoboVac 30 is not only relatively affordable, it sports a sleek, slim design and comes with magnetic boundary strips so it only cleans exactly where you want it to.
That said, it lacks Wi-Fi connectivity and voice assistant support, two features we're increasingly seeing on sub-$300 models.
The $230 Ecovacs Deebot N79s remains our Editors' Choice, but the RoboVac 30 is a solid buy if you find it on sale.
Tried and True Design
The RoboVac 30 is quite similar to its cousin, the RoboVac 11s.
It shares the same dimensions, at 12.8 inches in diameter and 2.85 inches tall.
The difference is that the RoboVac 30 sports a sleeker design.
The top is black tempered glass with subtle curved white lines.
The silver Eufy logo is in the center, while an oval Start/Stop button is located toward the front.
The button doubles as an indicator light that blinks orange while charging, red if there's an error, and blue when everything is good to go.
The front bumper houses the vacuum's infrared sensors, while the 0.6-liter dustbin can be found on the opposite side.
Flip the robot over and you'll find two spin brushes, a swivel wheel, charging contacts, the roller brush, drop sensors, and two treads.
You'll also find a handy troubleshooting chart, and a power switch underneath the left tread.
As for accessories, the RoboVac 30 comes with the same remote control as the 11s, which you can use to manually steer the bot, schedule cleanings, and toggle through various modes.
You also get 13 feet of magnetic boundary strips (more on those shortly), two AAA batteries for the remote, a charging dock, power adapter, cleaning tools, filters, and spare spin brushes.
The RoboVac 30 is notable for being Eufy's first vacuum to include boundary strips, so you can cordon off areas you don't want the robot to clean, like a pet's food bowl or exposed power strips.
Performance
In testing, the RoboVac 30 was able to suck up as much dust and dirt as pricier vacuums like the iRobot Roomba 960.
When it comes to suction power, it easily picked up hair and other debris from the floors of PC Labs without getting tripped up on the odd USB memory stick or computer case screw.
Like the 11s, it also benefits from Eufy's BoostIQ feature, which means it can automatically increase or decrease suction power depending on the type of flooring.
Navigationally, the RoboVac 30 successfully trawled across different surfaces including vinyl, tile, and carpet.
It handled raised edging with aplomb, and can tackle thick carpeting without getting tripped up.
While more advanced—and often more expensive—vacuums employ a methodical, back-and-forth cleaning pattern, the RoboVac 30 ping-pongs across the room, often changing direction after bumping into an object.
That doesn't make it any less effective.
And it's thankfully gentle when bumping into things, so you don't have to worry about it scuffing up your walls or antique chairs.
The RoboVac 30 is fairly limited when it comes to scheduling.
Unlike some other bots, it can only be programmed for once-daily cleans via the remote control.
And as mentioned, it doesn't work with an app on your phone or support any voice control, which are features you get with the less expensive Deebot N79s.
On a single charge, the RoboVac 30 clocked in about 100 minutes of cleaning.
That's more than enough for most apartments or a single floor of a house.
And while no vacuum we've tested is silent, the RoboVac 30 is hardly noticeable.
If you've got the air conditioner or TV on in the same room that's being cleaned, you probably won't even notice it's there.
Comparisons and Conclusions
A year ago, the RoboVac 30 would've earned our Editors' Choice for its strong performance, compact form factor, good battery life, quiet motor, and affordable price.
But while it's an excellent robot vacuum, its also hard to recommend over its predecessor, the $220 Eufy RoboVac 11s, when all you're getting is slightly better suction power and boundary strips.
The Ecovacs Deebot N79s, meanwhile, remains Editors' Choice as it gets you app control, better scheduling, and Amazon Alexa compatibility for just $230.
The Bottom Line
The Eufy RoboVac 30 is a compact, quiet, and affordable robot vacuum that comes with boundary strips so it only cleans exactly where you want it to.
