Eufy 11s Max Review

Our Eufy 11S Max Experience

The Eufy 11S Max offered us a unique experience that we aren't used to seeing in modern-day robot vacuums. Instead of an AI-powered “smart” navigation system that is fully equipped with an app, the Eufy is simple. No app. No “smart” features. Instead, it has an old-school remote. While we missed some of the more advanced features, like smart mapping, we also appreciated the vacuum's very simple operation.

Though it doesn't have real-time object detection and tends to run into obstacles, it still cleans well. Our carpets were largely cleaned after the Eufy vacuumed. On hard flooring, we were blown away by how well it cleaned. The vacuum did an impressive job of sucking up sand with one pass and not leaving it behind on thresholds, like when moving over doorways or from carpet to hardwood.

The Eufy's navigation is hit or miss, literally. It relies on bumping into objects to change directions. It bumped into our feet repeatedly and even got stuck between a bike and a kayak that was lying against a wall.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Cleaning Performance

The Eufy 11S Max did a great job cleaning in our tests. Though it doesn't offer nice straight checkerboard lines like the competitors, it still does well at cleaning the areas it passes over.

The vacuum zig-zagged away, covering almost the entire carpet in the process, though somewhat chaotic to watch. The Eufy missed a few spots in the middle, resulting in 69% of the mess to be cleaned up. The same was true for hard floors, though it was able to clean a whopping 90% of the mess.

For both tests, we noticed that more attention was paid to the perimeters than to the centers of each space. Several passes make all the difference for robot vacuums, and the extra time spent edging made for great results. The 11S hugged the walls, skirting deftly within a half inch consistently, and allowing the spinning edge brush to do an effective job.

The onboard dust bin is a respectable 0.6L, so even though this budget model doesn't have an auto-emptying dock, you won't need to bend over and empty the bin more than every few runs.

Maintaining your robot butler will be necessary from time to time. Accessing the center roller brush and replacing other components is thankfully easy-peasy, because removing hair knots and the like will need to be done relatively often. And unfortunately, the hair removal isn't as fun. After a month of heavy-duty testing, the spinning brush was visibly deformed and separated. It still spins without struggle, but it absolutely needed to be replaced.

Navigation

This Eufy doesn't have a LiDAR laser-ranging system, unlike most competitors. Instead of building a concise map of each room and sticking to a grid, the cleaning approach is seemingly random, bouncing off walls and furniture, much like a game of ping-pong. It isn't as efficient as other vacuums tested, but all said and done, no obvious trouble spots, except for a few center areas, were ever missed.

Many competitors with LiDAR technology have a pop-top head that houses the spinning laser on other models, making them much taller than the Eufy. At 2.9" tall, this is the shortest vacuum in our tested lineup, meaning this is a great option if your home has low couches. That said, the 11S was fairly aggressive and persistent, pushing against furniture, so mind any teetering vases perched on end tables.

The series of under-chassis sensors it relies on doesn't do a great job of avoiding common objects you may leave lying around. Larger or floppier items like hats and shoes were pushed around instead of rolled over, which can be seen as a win depending on how you look at it. Cords and cables were a mixed bag — they were often run over, but not captured.

Smaller items like socks were unceremoniously plowed over. Worse, our simulated dog poo piles were also run over. With this in mind, we can't recommend this product for homes with accident-prone or skittish pets. This is the only vacuum that actively bumped into us without a care in the world. It cleans well, but needs a pre-clean tidy up and supervision.

The dock is also small and very lightweight, so you'll want to back it against a wall or tape it down. The vacuum itself does have issues finding the dock at times, too, so be prepared to go on the occasional search-and-rescue mission.

Ease of Use

Hate fighting your smart TV? This product is for owners who want a simple, no-hassle experience running and training their robot cleaner.

The 11S Max has no app, a very rare feature (or lack thereof) for this product category. There is no WiFi needed at all, in fact; all operations are controlled entirely through an old school remote.

The feature set is understandably a little limited as a result — no smart or multi-floor mapping, no video monitoring, no virtual barriers. However, it does allow for suction level adjustment and will even automatically adjust the suction based on the flooring type, if desired. Schedules can be set, and there's a small screen to keep track of basic information like current settings and cleaning times.

Pet Hair

Where the vacuum ran, we were happy to see very effective hair removal, better than many of its peers. This is a tough ask of a self-contained, low-powered vacuum, and the 11S Max did a reasonable job.

As seen in earlier tests, the issue tended to be the randomized cleaning approach, so the hair missed was simply not encountered at all. The other concern we had was that while an incredible 86% of our heavily fur-dosed carpet was picked up, only 60% ended up in the bin. The rest ended up tangled on the roller or spinning brushes.

Both are pretty easily removable, so detangling and cutting the knots away wasn't what we would call a terrible process, but you'll still need to get your hands dirty every few cleanings.

Noise

On the bright side, the 11S Max is the quietest vacuum we measured in our entire lineup. The pitch is pleasant and somewhat low, compared to others in the lineup, and can almost be considered white noise. There are no mechanical clicks or clangs, no rattly wheels, no strange squeaks.

Unlike other robot vacuums, which talk to you with a dozen or so recorded vocal cues, the 11S only communicates with a series of beeps. It'll beep often, though, when it gets stuck, hits a barrier too hard, or vacuums up something it shouldn't have, which can be annoying. Although this can help you find it if it is in need of assistance.

Mopping