Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni w/Matter (review)

14th July 2025 The Editor Ecovacs, Homekit, robot vacuums 20 min read

If you’re one of our regular readers who also follows our YouTube channel, you may have seen our recent video on the X8 Pro Omni from Ecovacs. The video begins with an intro styled like a 1970s technology TV show – a creative choice that seems to have gone over some viewers’ heads. The reason for this throwback is that, of all the smart home products available today, robot vacuums arguably come closest to the kind of futuristic home people imagined in decades earlier, like the 1970s. Unlike smart bulbs or plugs, robovacs carry out a real, visible task – one that many of us still consider a chore.

You can check out the video above, but today we’re focusing on our written review of the X8 Pro Omni. In some ways, it improves on the last robot vacuum we reviewed – the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra – herein referred to as the S8 – (video HERE, review HERE) – but it also falls slightly short in a few areas. Read on to find out more…

PACKAGING | CONTENTS

Given that the X8 (we’ll refer to it simply as the X8 from here on) comes with a tall base station, the box is understandably quite large. That said, it clearly showcases all the key features of the device, leaving no doubt about what it’s capable of. The Matter logo is notably absent, but that’s to be expected, as this unit was released before the Matter-compatible firmware became available.

Speaking of Matter, the X8 was – and still is – compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home/Assistant. However, when using these legacy integrations, functionality is mostly limited to basic voice control. Compared to the manufacturer’s own app or the newer Matter standard – for that matter (pun intended) – these platforms still don’t offer more advanced features like room-level control.

It’s unclear whether Matter support in platforms like Alexa and Google Home is fully on par with Apple Home just yet, but if it is, opting to use Matter with these platforms should provide a much better – and importantly, local – experience, without relying on a cloud connection.

The two main components in the box are, of course, the base station and the X8 itself – and both look very sleek. That said, I personally find the base station design a little less refined compared to the one that came with my S8, though that’s purely a matter of taste. As we’ll explore later, this base station actually comes out ahead in some respects – particularly when it comes to ease of use and accessibility, rather than aesthetics.

Also included in the box is a ramp to help the robot climb into the docking station, a power cable, a single side brush (which needs to be attached before use), and the usual documentation. A large card insert that outlines the basic setup process is also present – from physical installation to adding the X8 to the app and connecting it to your network.

THE BASE STATION

As mentioned earlier, I’m not as fond of the X8’s base station design compared to the S8’s, mainly because the water tanks are visible. On the S8, the tanks are neatly concealed behind a panel, giving it a cleaner look. However, there’s a trade-off – you need to remove the tanks to unlock the latches before refilling them. With the X8, the latches are exposed and easily accessible, so you can refill the clean water tank without removing it. That said, in both cases, you’ll still need to take the tanks to the sink to empty the dirty water.

The X8 also includes a power toggle switch on the base station – a feature missing from the S8. This makes rebooting the station much easier, as you don’t need to physically unplug it from the mains.

Each water tank is clearly marked with an icon indicating whether it’s for clean or dirty water, so there’s little chance of mixing them up. However, the gold-coloured latches feel a bit gaudy to me – a matter of personal taste. One design choice that does stand out in the X8’s favour is the placement of the tank lid hinges at the back. This allows the entire lid to swing open, which is especially helpful when it comes time to clean the inside of the dirty water tank. Over time, a thin film of slime will inevitably build up, and being able to fully open the lid makes it much easier to wipe clean. In contrast, the S8 only opens halfway, which can make the job more fiddly.

The X8 isn’t just a mop, of course – it also features auto-empty functionality, allowing it to collect dust and hair and transfer them to the included dust bag. The bag comes pre-installed, but you’ll need to purchase replacements yourself when it eventually fills up.

Next to the dust bag is a compartment for cleaning fluid, which must be purchased separately. It’s important to note that this fluid is used solely for cleaning the roller mop – not for mopping your floors. The system only uses a small amount each time, so a single bottle should last quite a while.

THE X8 PRO OMNI

One of the first things that sets the X8 apart is the absence of a traditional LiDAR turret – a common feature on many robot vacuums. Instead, the LiDAR sensor is built into the front of the X8, which results in a lower overall height compared to the S8 and other vacuums with top-mounted turrets. However, if you measure from the outer edge rather than the turret, the X8 is actually slightly taller. This can occasionally cause problems, particularly with edge cleaning, where its height may make it just a bit too tall to navigate certain low-clearance areas effectively.

The entire top section of the X8 is a removable cover – aside from the three-pointed gold (yes, gold again) design element – which reveals the power button and a Wi-Fi connection indicator, in case you need to power cycle the device. That three-pointed feature isn’t just decorative; it’s actually a multifunction button that also houses the microphones used for voice commands.

Removing the top cover reveals a power switch, which is useful for rebooting the robot – as it’s the vacuum itself, not the docking station, that connects to your Wi-Fi network (2.4GHz only). There’s also a small LED to indicate the connection status. Most importantly, this area gives you access to the dust tray. While the X8 is designed to automatically collect and empty debris, you’ll still need to clean the filter inside the dust tray regularly, as accumulated dirt can reduce suction performance. The filter will eventually need replacing too, although not as frequently as it needs cleaning. Fortunately, the app will notify you when it’s time for a replacement.

Pressing the centre of the shape will pause or resume the X8’s current task, while a double tap extends the roller mop for cleaning or replacement. A long press sends the X8 back to its dock. Personally, I rarely use this button, as voice commands usually do the job – provided the X8 can hear you over the noise it makes during a deep clean at full suction.

The roller mop on the X8 is a significant improvement over the mopping system on the S8. Unlike the S8’s vibrating cloth, the X8 uses a rotating roller mop that is continuously rinsed with fresh water from its onboard tank while it cleans. In contrast, the S8 applies water to the mop as it goes, but any dirt picked up remains on the cloth until it returns to the dock for a full clean.

Having mopped the floor numerous times with both models, it’s clear that the X8 does a much better job. It either picks up more dirt or, at the very least, prevents that dirt from building up on the mop mid-clean – something the S8 is simply not capable of.

It’s worth noting that nearly all components of the vacuum can – and should – be replaced at regular intervals to maintain performance. The app assists with this via the ‘Maintenance’ section, which tracks the condition of various parts. However, this tracking doesn’t extend to the dust bag, the cleaning solution, the drip tray (which temporarily collects water during mop cleaning), or the dirty water tank – all of which need to be checked and maintained manually.

FEATURES OF THE X8 PRO OMNI

The X8 can vacuum and mop, the base station can empty both solid and liquid waste from the vacuum, and it also keeps the roller mop clean. Still, the X8 itself offers a lot more functionality, much of which admittedly needs to be there for it to perform its designated tasks effectively.

The front section of the X8 houses the LiDAR sensor, helping it avoid bumping into furniture or walls, with additional support from a side sensor. It also includes a built-in camera, which allows it to identify objects it encounters, whether that’s general mess or clothing left on the floor. What it lacks, however, is a floodlight, which is present on the S8. While you could argue that LiDAR alone is sufficient for detecting obstacles, the onboard AI relies on visual input to identify what those objects actually are. In poorly lit areas, it can only detect the shape of an object, not recognise it visually as it would in a well-lit environment. In practice, this hasn’t proven to be an issue so far, but only time will tell whether it can consistently avoid small wires or power cables close to the ground in low-light conditions.

Aside from object recognition, the X8’s camera can also be accessed for live streaming. While this feature is of limited use in low-light conditions due to the lack of a floodlight, it can be genuinely helpful during the day for checking areas only the X8 can reach, such as under beds or sofas. You might find it useful for locating a missing remote or a pair of earphones, for example.

The camera also powers a feature called ‘Patrol’, which can be set up in the app. Once scheduled, the robot performs a non-cleaning sweep of your home, checking room by room much like a security guard. It takes snapshots during its patrol, which are saved in a separate gallery for later viewing. You can also access the live stream while it’s patrolling to see what the robot sees in real time. The feature allows you to exclude specific rooms or areas and set patrols to run at certain times of day or on selected days of the week.

In terms of numbers, the X8 far surpasses the S8 when it comes to suction power, offering up to 18,000Pa at maximum compared to the S8’s 10,000Pa. In practice, it’s difficult to say whether such a high figure makes a noticeable difference beyond a certain point, but it’s still reassuring to know that the X8 has serious suction power available when needed.

Alongside the roller mop, the X8 also includes a side brush, which is fairly standard for robot vacuums these days. However, it’s worth noting that the recently released X9 introduces a feature that raises the side brush when dealing with liquid-based messes, helping to prevent it from getting soaked. Unfortunately, the X8 lacks this feature, so the brush can end up moving through liquid spills. In these situations, I’ve found it best to clean up most of the spill manually first, allowing the X8 to focus on removing the remaining residue with its mop.

The roller mop should get a special mention, as it extends out from the side, allowing you to get closer to edges when mopping. In all honesty, I’m not sure how much closer it gets, but the mechanics of how it does it, looks impressive enough, and gets right up to edges, regardless of whether that’s the straight edge of a wall, or around the edge of the base of a floor lamp.

THE ECOVACS APP

The Ecovacs app isn’t my favourite, if I’m honest, but after spending some time with it, I’ve come to appreciate some of its features, even if I still prefer the Roborock app overall. The main screen shows your robot vacuum front and centre, with the option to swipe between different models if you have more than one.

There are three basic quick-action buttons. The first is ‘Scenario Clean’, which gives you access to preset cleaning routines without needing to dig through the app’s sub-menus. The second button, labelled ‘Start’, is fairly self-explanatory – it begins cleaning using the same mode and room selection as your previous session, whether that’s vacuum only, vacuum and mop, or vacuum then mop. Lastly, the ‘Docking’ button lets you send the X8 back to its base station at any point.

There are a few other icons of lesser importance, but one you might find interesting is the icon that mimics the three-pronged control on the X8 itself. Tapping on it opens a chat-style window where you can ‘message’ the X8’s voice assistant, named ‘Yiko’, sending it instructions or asking basic questions. That said, it’s limited to cleaning-related queries, so don’t expect it to tell you the average annual rainfall in the Amazon basin, or who scored the winning goal at the 1966 World Cup final…

Map screen with a quick ‘start’ tab for auto cleaning

Station tab with three basic function options

Pressing ‘Enter’ takes you to the map screen where, once your home is mapped, you can carry out a range of tasks. The map can also be viewed in 3D, which looks quite cool if you’re into visual flair. Below the map are two tabs – one for the vacuum and one for the dock. Without expanding either tab, you’ll see a quick start button for the X8 to begin an auto clean, along with three shortcut buttons for the docking station: empty dust bin, wash mop, and dry mop.

The cleaning options available when you pull up the X8 tab are fairly comprehensive, though one feature is notably missing. At the top, you’ll find the three familiar modes: vacuum only, vacuum and mop, or vacuum then mop. Unfortunately, unlike the S8, there’s no mop-only option.

You get four suction power settings: Quiet mode, Standard, Strong, and Max. A nice touch is the slider interface that lets you control how much water is fed to the roller mop, from as low as 1 for very humid environments, up to 50 for drier conditions.

Under the ‘Cleaning Speed’ section, there are three options. While you might assume this affects how fast the vacuum moves, it actually controls the density of the cleaning pattern. The denser the pattern, the longer the clean takes. Lastly, the ‘Cleaning Passes’ setting determines how many times the robot will clean the selected area: one pass by default, or two passes, with the second done at a 90-degree angle to the first.

Tapping on the ‘Map’ button floating over the main map gives you access to a range of controls for editing the layout. These include renaming rooms, creating virtual boundaries, dividing or combining areas, and more. You can also rotate the map in 90-degree increments, as well as set the flooring direction (if relevant) on a room-by-room basis.

The floating ‘Zone’ button allows you to create a one-off zone for cleaning a specific area of the map. Once that area has been cleaned, the zone is automatically removed. You can also create multiple zones at once if needed.

Passcode for accessing the live camera stream

In the top left corner of the map screen, there are three icons. The first opens the Yiko chat screen mentioned earlier. The second, a camera icon, takes you to a login page where you can access the live feed from the X8’s built-in camera. The third icon, shaped like a hexagon, opens the settings page.

I won’t go into all of these settings as many are either self-explanatory, or may offer different options depending on your use case. However, the Matter ecosystem is of use, due to it’s ability to be added to Apple Home, which we’ll look at shortly.

Once you’re in the live feed screen, a wide selection of controls is overlaid on the video stream. A mini version of the map appears, which can be expanded if needed. Below that is a joystick-style controller, allowing you to move the robot forward, reverse, or swivel left and right. Underneath this are several controls for performing different actions.

The first set, under the ‘Camera’ section, includes options for accessing the gallery (to view snapshots taken during patrol mode), recording live video, and taking a photo. ‘Arrival on Command’ brings up the floor plan and lets you send the X8 to a specific room without initiating a cleaning task. ‘Patrol’ has already been covered earlier. ‘Voice Call’ enables a two-way conversation with someone near the robot, and ‘Return to Station’ simply sends the X8 back to its dock.

While the ‘Arrival on Command’ option is useful for times when you need the X8 out of its docking station, such as to check or change the filter, accessing it is noticeably quicker on the S8. Both models require a couple of taps in their respective apps, but the S8 handles it better overall, as it doesn’t require you to enter the live feed first. In my experience, accessing the live feed on the X8 can take several seconds, which makes the process feel slower.

YIKO VOICE ASSISTANT

One aspect of the X8 that initially intrigued me, and one I’m very happy about, is the built-in voice assistant, Yiko. With my Roborock S8, you can give commands to Rocky (its voice assistant), but they have to be word-for-word accurate, matching the exact phrases it has been taught to recognise. If I tell it to clean the master bedroom but say “main bedroom” by mistake, it simply doesn’t understand and will let you know as much.

With the X8, while it’s not on the level of ChatGPT or similar LLM-based voice assistants, it’s more forgiving with how commands are phrased. Using the earlier example, saying “main bedroom” instead of “master bedroom” is no problem, as it still understands what you mean. You can also get more specific with your requests. For instance, if I ask it to clean under the bed in a bedroom, it will do just that, provided I’ve marked a bed on the map in the Ecovacs app. I can also tell it there’s been a spill, and it will determine whether it should vacuum or mop, based on what I’ve said.

There’s a set of suggested commands that are useful to be aware of, which you can use as a guide, but in general, you can speak to it quite naturally without needing to stick to precise phrasing. You can refer to the docking station as “station” or “dock” and it will understand either.

The app also keeps a log of your voice interactions, so if it fails to grasp a command, you can check the history to see where it got confused.

IN APPLE HOME

As you can see in the first screenshot, I’ve got both my S8 and X8 set as favourites, side by side, in Apple Home. I honestly thought I’d never see the day! Tapping on the tile for the X8 brings up a basic interface that allows you to start the X8 so it begins cleaning based on a few options you can set yourself. In the case of the X8, I get Vac and Vac & Mop, but once again, there’s no mop-only option, or Vac Then Mop.

The ‘Rooms’ button pulls up the list of rooms you would have previously set up in the Ecovacs app, so this list may differ from the rooms you’ve configured in Apple Home, especially if you live in a house with more than one floor. So you can set which rooms to clean or omit, from here, which can be set up as a scene or as part of an automation.

There’s another icon in the bottom right of the screen that gives you options based on the type of cleaning you’ve selected. In the case of Vacuum & Mop, you can choose between Deep Clean or Automatic. I haven’t explored these settings in depth, but it appears that Deep Clean mirrors what you’d configure in the Ecovacs app, while Automatic simply uses the current settings from the app.

For Vacuum only, the available option is Quick, which I find a bit puzzling. By comparison, all cleaning modes for the S8 in Apple Home include Quiet, Deep Clean, and Automatic. This is one area where the X8 currently falls short in terms of its Matter integration. That said, it’s likely something that could be improved through a firmware or software update.

Settings for the X8 are fairly basic, showing you the battery level and whether the device is currently charging. You can also play a sound to help locate it if needed, and of course, you can include it in automations. What you can’t do at the time of writing is use the X8’s status (or the S8’s) as a trigger for another smart device within an automation, which would have been a really useful feature. Hopefully that’s something that can be addressed in a future update.

THE X8 IN USE

I started out by constantly comparing the X8 to the S8, and in many cases, it seemed to fall short. This was largely due to the app, which I found less intuitive than Roborock’s. I still believe that to be true, but now that I’m more familiar with where everything is, I’ve developed a greater appreciation for the X8 overall.

It certainly cleans well, noticeably so when it comes to mopping, and it has a few thoughtful design touches I’ve mentioned earlier. That said, I still prefer the overall look of the S8.

Obstacle avoidance is just as good, even without the floodlight found on the S8. The fact that the roller mop can extend to get closer to edges is a definite advantage, as long as the unit isn’t too tall to get fully into tight spaces, which happens to be the case in our kitchen. Fortunately, I can leave that area to the S8.

Of course, the question is will I continue to use it or will the S8 get my attention? Well, I love gadgets, and to me robot vacs are the ultimate gadget in terms of the smart home, so both are welcome to stay and perform cleaning. I simply divide the apartment between the two of them, and for the past few months that has largely worked out great.

I do wish there was a mop-only option for the X8, but in all honesty, if I’m going to mop an area, it should be vacuumed too, either at the same time or one before the other, which is an option.

Overall I don’t have any serious complaints to level at the X8, aside from the minor issues already outlined, so it’s a thumbs up if you want something that gives you easy access to the water tanks, cleans along edges very well, and works well to a degree via the Yiko voice assistant.