RoboVac 11S MAX
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →A slim, basic eufy robot vacuum with no Wi-Fi or app at all. It's quiet, good on hard floors and slips under very low furniture. But it bumps around at random and gets stuck on clutter.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in eufy’s range
- RoboVac 11SEarlier model in the same slim family
- RoboVac 11S MAXThis model
- RoboVac 15C MAXSame slim body, adds Wi-Fi and Alexa control
- Omni C20Slim mapping vacuum-mop with a self-emptying, pad-washing dock · £499
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What reviewers found
Two home tests. TechGearLab bought one and put it through measured debris, hair and obstacle tests, and The Ambient used it for everyday cleaning in a mostly hardwood apartment. Both found it cleans well for such a simple robot, especially on hard floors, and both liked how quiet it is. Both also found the bump-and-turn navigation clumsy: it gets stuck on cables and furniture and doesn't always find its way home.
TechGearLab, hands-on · The Ambient, hands-on, Jun 2019
Hard floors
Reviewers rate it highlyTechGearLab found it cleared most of its scattered mess from hard floors, picking up sand in one pass and following walls closely. The Ambient found it handled everyday cleaning well in a mostly hardwood flat.
Carpet and rugs
Mixed resultsThe Ambient turned the power up for rugs and found it shifted most of the dirt it met. TechGearLab measured much weaker results on carpet than on hard floors, with patches in the middle missed. Keep a manual vacuum for proper carpet cleans.
Pet hair
Not enough evidenceOnly TechGearLab tested pet hair, finding much of the fur it collected wound round the roller and side brushes instead of reaching the bin.
Navigation and obstacles
Reviewers found problemsWith no map, TechGearLab watched it bounce between walls, miss central areas, run over cords and drive through fake pet mess. The Ambient found it caught on cables, wedged between chairs and sometimes unable to find its dock.
App and software
Not enough evidenceThere's no app, so there's nothing to rate here. The Ambient found the infrared remote handles power and a daily schedule, but needs line of sight.
Noise
Reviewers rate it highlyTechGearLab measured it as the quietest robot in its line-up, and The Ambient said it barely made a sound on hardwood in standard mode.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has run it long-term or judged eufy's support. TechGearLab found its side brush bent and needing replacement after a month of heavy testing.
Value
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use judged whether it's good value against rivals.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Good pickup on hard floors
On hard floors TechGearLab measured about 90% of its scattered mess cleared, with sand picked up in one pass and walls followed closely. Carpet was another story at only 69%, with patches in the middle missed. The Ambient turned the power up for rugs and found it shifted most of the dirt it met. It's strongest on hard floors and low rugs, so you'll still need a manual vacuum for proper carpet cleans.
Random routes and missed spots
There's no map. TechGearLab watched it bounce from wall to wall and miss a few central areas, and it bumped into furniture and people's feet. The Ambient found it getting caught on cables and wedged between chairs, and sometimes struggling to find the dock when its battery ran low. A small, open flat gets covered reasonably well, but larger homes with many rooms will take longer and see more gaps.
Tidy up before every run
TechGearLab found it often ran over cords, ploughed through socks and drove straight over its simulated pet mess, so it doesn't recommend it for homes with accident-prone pets. The Ambient had similar trouble with cables. Drop sensors stop it falling downstairs, per eufy, but there's no camera to recognise objects. Pick up anything loose before it starts.
Hair gets wound round the brushes
In TechGearLab's pet-hair test it picked up 86% of the fur, but only 60% made it to the bin. The rest wound round the roller and side brushes. After a month of heavy testing the side brush was visibly bent and needed replacing. Both brushes come off easily, but with a shedding pet you'll be cutting hair off them every few runs.
Quiet, simple and offline
TechGearLab measured it as the quietest robot in its line-up, and The Ambient said it barely made a sound on hardwood in standard mode. Setup is just plugging in the dock. The infrared remote starts cleans, changes power and sets a schedule. The Ambient found the schedule can only run every day, though, and the remote needs line of sight, so you have to find the robot to send it home.
Both tests are of the RoboVac 11S MAX. The Ambient's test dates from 2019, when the model launched, and the robot's specifications haven't changed since.
Our take
Should you buy the RoboVac 11S MAX?
Best for: Homes wanting a simple vacuum that never connects to the internet. Skip it if: You want to choose individual rooms or set areas to avoid in an app.
consider it if you want a robot that never connects to the internet, or you need to clean under very low furniture on a small budget. If you're happy using an app, the Tapo RV20 Max Plus or Roborock Q7 M5 map your home and cover it methodically.
The RoboVac 11S MAX is one of eufy's oldest and simplest robots, and it has no Wi-Fi at all, so no app, no account and no map. You start it with the button on top or an infrared remote that can also set a daily clean. It's the stronger-suction version of the original RoboVac 11S, and at 7.2cm tall it slips under sofas and beds that stop most robots.
Both tests found it cleans well for such a simple robot, at least on hard floors. TechGearLab found it cleared most of its scattered mess from hard floors, picking up sand in one pass, but did much worse on carpet and missed patches in the middle. The Ambient found it handled everyday cleaning well in a mostly hardwood flat and barely made a sound, and TechGearLab measured it as the quietest robot in its line-up. Navigation is the weak point. With no map, TechGearLab watched it bounce between walls, run over cords and drive through fake pet mess, and The Ambient found it caught on cables, wedged between chairs and sometimes unable to find its dock. TechGearLab also found much of the pet hair it collected wound round the brushes, and its side brush was bent after a month.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it work without Wi-Fi?
Yes, completely. It has no Wi-Fi at all, per the specifications, and you run it from the button or the infrared remote. The Ambient found the remote handles power levels and a daily schedule, but it needs line of sight, so you can't call the robot back from another room.
Does it fit under low furniture?
Very likely. It's 2.85 inches tall, about 7.2cm, and eufy says it passes under gaps as low as 73mm, per the specifications. TechGearLab found it the shortest robot it tested. Measure your lowest sofa or bed first.
Will it avoid cables and pet mess?
No. TechGearLab found it ran over cords and socks and drove through its simulated pet mess, and The Ambient saw it choke on cables. It only has bump and drop sensors, per the specifications. Clear the floor first and keep it away from pet accidents.
Can it cross rugs and raised thresholds between rooms?
eufy lists a climbing limit of 0.63 inches, about 1.6cm, per the specifications, so taller doorway thresholds and thick rug edges may stop it. TechGearLab found it carried sand across thresholds without leaving any behind, and The Ambient got decent results on rugs with the power turned up.
How often do I have to empty it?
Every few runs. The bin holds 0.6 litres and there's no emptying dock, per the specifications. The Ambient expected to empty it after two or three cleans, and with no app there's no warning when it's full, so check it yourself.
Alternatives
Other robot vacuums to compare.
RV20 Max Plus
Why consider it: Mapped vacuuming and automatic emptying in a fairly compact package.
The compromise: Its simple mop is a light wipe, and it gets caught on low furniture and loose objects.
Q7 M5 / M5+
Why consider it: Testers found good debris and carpet-hair pickup, with a compact charging dock.
The compromise: You do much of the upkeep, and it needs help around cables, rugs and small clutter.
Robot Vacuum E10
Why consider it: Simple scheduled vacuuming for a small, uncomplicated space, and it cleaned well for the money in one test.
The compromise: Its basic navigation and frequent emptying make it a poor choice for room-by-room control.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the RoboVac 11S MAX?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
Sources
- eufy: RoboVac 11S MAX product page (US) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for eufy RoboVac 11S MAX ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.