This robot vacuum and mop combo is the most convenient one I’ve ever used

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Deebot X2 Combo Complete is now available at Best Buy for $1,700, which gets you a robot vacuum and mop unit, a self-cleaning station, and a stick vacuum with four brush heads.
• The square-shaped X2 robot vacuum fits in corners and under furniture, but the X2 Combo shines for having a self-emptying stick vacuum attached to the charging dock.
• The X2 robot vacuum underperforms compared to other high-end competitors in its price range, especially in mapping and object avoidance.

Ecovacs’ latest Deebot X2 Combo Complete<!–> robot vacuum, mop, and stick vacuum combination is the ultimate laundry room or pantry appliance. It’s the first robot vacuum and mop on the market to include a self-emptying stick vacuum that performs superbly.

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The Omni station, where the robot vacuum empties its dustbin, washes its mop pads, and recharges, also has an attached dock for the stick vacuum to recharge and empty its dustbin.

View at Best Buy–>

You can grab the cordless vacuum from the dock, snap the unit onto the stick and the floor brush from the side of the dock (exclusive to the “Complete” variation), and do your cleaning. Once done, return the handheld unit to the charging dock, which automatically empties the dustbin contents into the unit’s dust bag and charges the unit.

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You no longer have to shake the dust, pet hair, and random crumbs from the stick vacuum’s dustbin over the trashcan. This single process beats the most popular stick vacuums on the market, including the Dyson V series handheld vacuums and the viral Homeika brand, famous on TikTok, that both need to be emptied by hand.

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Last fall, Ecovacs released the Deebot X2 Omni, a square robot vacuum with a charging station that empties the dustbin and washes and dries the rotating mop pads. The company then showcased the Combo variation during CES 2024. Unfortunately, you cannot purchase the Combo unit’s handheld charging and emptying dock for an existing Deebot X2 Omni station.

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Instead, Ecovacs now offers two new packages: the Deebot X2 Combo, which includes the robot vacuum and mop plus a handheld vacuum with three brush heads, and the Deebot X2 Combo Complete, which includes all of this plus the motorized floor brush.

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The Deebot X2 Combo Complete is a grab-and-go device that makes cleaning floors, stairs, and upholstery simple. You never have to deal with dust or debris directly. Each unit includes four brush heads, which I’ve used on my car, curtains, the A/C return, dryer filter, stairs, and couch.

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I’ve used the Deebot X2–>

robot vacuum and mop in my home since last fall. While the new unit looks the same, it has more suction power (increased from 8,000Pa to 8,700Pa). I’ve found the robot vacuum and mop holds its own among high-end competitors. It keeps my floors free of pet hair and muddy paw prints, thanks to its strong suction and effective mopping.

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The cordless vacuum has a 4000mAh lithium battery, just like the $750 Dyson V15 Detect cordless vacuum, which yields up to 60 minutes of runtime. Unlike the V15 Detect, the Deebot X2 handheld vacuum’s battery is not removable.

During my testing, I found that the Deebot handheld vacuum’s battery runtime on the highest setting was 17 minutes and 11 seconds when operated continuously. When run on the lowest setting, the runtime clocked in at 54 minutes and 31 seconds.

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The handheld vacuum only has two intensity modes: high and low. When you turn it on, the cordless vacuum runs on the last setting used before it was turned off. I keep mine on the high setting because I have a dog that sheds a lot, and the 17 minutes that the battery lasts on this mode is more than enough to clean my stairs, two high-traffic entry rugs, large living room rug, my dog’s favorite runner rug, and most of the edges along the wall of the roughly 900-square-foot downstairs area.

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Like the Deebot X2 Omni, the new Deebot X2 had issues mapping my home (when the device vacuums for the first time and saves a map in the app). When you set up the robot vacuum and add it to the Ecovacs app, you must let it map your home before diving into a full cleaning. 

After the initial mapping, I ran the new Deebot X2 Combo Complete robot vacuum to clean the floors at least every other day, but sometimes daily for 10 days. The robot screwed up three times during this period, going out to clean and returning to recharge after only cleaning about a quarter of the mapped area – and it was always a different area.

The first time, the robot only cleaned behind the couch. The second time, it stopped in the kitchen and returned to the dock after doing the living room and half the kitchen. The third time, it stopped after completing the living room. Although you can select areas or rooms for the robot to clean using the mobile app, in these cases, I triggered the cleaning sessions using the button on the charging dock.

Hopefully, Ecovacs will fix this issue with firmware updates. The other problem I noticed is object avoidance. The Deebot X2 robot vacuum and mop unit often attempts to pick up items it has no business grabbing, like my toddler’s socks and random paper towel sheets, which are too big for the roller brush. I had to detangle these and other items from the brush, which detracts from the convenience of a robot vacuum.

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Please don’t think I live in a pigsty – I don’t. These items are often in places where I can’t see them, like under furniture and against a wall. My kids often also leave toys my one-year-old pup likes to break into two- and three-inch plastic pieces that the overachieving robot also sucks up, only to jam the roller brush. 

Ecovacs explained that small items don’t trigger the robot’s obstacle avoidance. Otherwise, the Deebot X2 robot wouldn’t pick up cereal and wouldn’t be able to climb floor transitions. Still, I wish larger items like socks and wadded-up paper towel sheets would trigger obstacle avoidance, as both the Eufy S1 Pro and the Eufy X9 Pro avoid these items.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Deebot X2 Combo Complete–> keeps its promise of a full-home cleaning solution. At $1,700, it’s a pricey unit that rivals competitors like the $1,400 Roomba Combo j9+<!–> and the $1,600 Roborock S8 Pro Ultra–>. 

I’ve reached for the cordless vacuum daily to clean messes and dust on different surfaces or to vacuum the high-traffic areas and rugs where my dog likes to sleep. I am still amazed when it automatically empties its dustbin when I set it down to charge. The Deebot runs every other day to handle the floors. I like to use the cordless vac over all the rugs downstairs and then turn on the robot vacuum and mop to ensure we get the deepest clean. 

Also: Dreame X30 Ultra review: ZDNET’s new top pick for best 2-in-1 robot vacuum

Since trying the Deebot X2 Combo Complete, I’ve spent less time cleaning and yet my house has never been cleaner.

The Deebot X2 Combo<!–> is available for $1,600 on Amazon and the Ecovacs website, while the Deebot X2 Combo Complete–> with a motorized floor brush is available exclusively at Best Buy for $1,700.

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