Eureka E20 Plus in test

The Eureka E20 Plus promises powerful cleaning, smart functions, and a bagless suction station. Our test shows how a robot vacuum cleaner with wiping function performs in everyday life.

Robot vacuum cleaners have become an essential part of modern homes. But while bagless models have long been the norm in cordless vacuum cleaners, this feature has rarely found its way into the suction stations of vacuum robots. The main advantage is obvious: Users do not have to constantly purchase special dirt bags and thus save money during ongoing operations. The Eureka E20 Plus comes with one such cyclone suction station and we tested what the robot and the suction station are all about.

The scope of delivery includes the robot vacuum cleaner, charging station, power supply, mop attachment with two microfiber wipes, replacement brush, replacement filter, cleaning tool and a multilingual operating manual. The robot itself is kept simple: the device is completely covered in black plastic, and a laser turret for navigation is placed on top and on the front. Two side brushes peek out from beneath the robot on either front of the round body, and the dirt and water tanks are inserted into the back of the model instead of on top. Eureka has installed a floating, purple main brush with rubber slats at the bottom, slightly offset to the rear, and a liftable mopping plate with cloth at the rear.

The narrow, but almost tower-like suction station is a bit more exciting. Eureka uses purple as an accent color for the filter unit within the otherwise transparent dirt container. The rest of the body is made of black plastic, just like the robot.

Starting the Eureka E20 Plus is pleasantly simple. The charging station is set up, the vacuum robot is docked and the Eureka app is installed. Connection via WLAN works smoothly. The app offers most of the typical features found in the competition, including detailed real-time maps, voice control via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri, virtual boundaries, and cleaning schedules. Even less tech-savvy users should have no problems with installation and if necessary, the three control buttons on the top of the robot are enough to control basic functions like start and stop.

The Eureka E20 Plus impresses with the laser-based vacuum robot’s typical systematic approach, moving first along the edges of a room and then along overlapping paths. Thanks to the obstacle avoidance system called Duo Detect AI 3D, not only furniture but also objects lying nearby can be avoided. However, when it comes to items like toys or cables, users should not completely rely on the vacuum’s independence. We were satisfied with the recognition rate overall, but it doesn’t come close to the top models, which don’t work as well without errors.

Very small obstacles can cause problems such as high door thresholds or wobbly chair legs. The E20 Plus often bumps into it and continues to rumble back and forth until it frees itself from it again. The robot didn’t get stuck in testing, but most users probably wouldn’t like it if the robot made loud, audible efforts to free itself forcefully rather than cautiously, out of fear of losing nice furniture. Expandable too: In our testing, the Eureka E20 Plus initially didn’t want to drive down a very narrow and not really manageable route. Later it worked better, but not always.

Suction power on hard floors is excellent at a specified 8000 Pa. Dust, crumbs and even thick dirt are removed easily and thoroughly. We initially missed the automatic increase in suction power on carpets, but this is not activated at the factory and can be activated manually. We were a little surprised to see hair wrapped around the main brush despite the manufacturer-promoted “anti-tangle brush design.” Although it can be removed and cleaned without any tools, using the robot is more complicated than suggested by the manufacturer. Only upon closer inspection it becomes clear that, according to the manufacturer, the risk of tangling is only 14 percent less – by “anti-tangle brush design” we mean something different.

The mopping function basically leaves a streak-free shine and automatically lifts the carpets by about 10mm to keep them dry. However, there is no active function that moves the mop, meaning actual cleaning performance lags far behind models with vibrating mopping plates or rotating mops. On the Eureka E20 Plus, the wiping operation is similar to that of dusting damp dust. Good cleaning of edges is a positive. Even tight corners are covered to a great extent by the rotating side brush.

Noise development occurs at a normal level of around 70 dB. Conversing or watching television in the immediate vicinity while operation is in progress is possible, but limited. Since the sound of the vacuum cleaner is not very loud, neither we nor our pets found it unpleasant. As usual, the suction station, which reliably removes dirt from the robot’s corresponding collection container, rings loudly. Since this process takes only a few seconds, as in models with a dust bag, it is not subject to criticism.

After the vacuuming process, the dirt container of the station can be easily removed for emptying. All you have to do is unlock the lock using a slide switch, then users can remove the dirt container from the station using the fold-out handle. The mess can then be disposed of like a cordless vacuum cleaner using the open flap on top of the dustbin. However, similar to these manual vacuum cleaners, some users may find the visible contents of the dirt container not very appetizing, and users will sometimes have to remove grime from the dirt container with their fingers. It is not meant for particularly sensitive people or even allergy sufferers.

In testing the battery life of up to 180 minutes was enough for about 120 square meters of hard flooring, but this number naturally reduces if there is a lot of carpet and suction power enhancement is activated. Larger homes require intermediate charging, which increases cleaning time. When the battery level is low, the E20 Plus automatically switches to the charging station and continues cleaning in the same location after approximately 3 hours.

The Eureka E20 Plus is available in black and white, and has a manufacturer’s RRP of less than €500. However, Eureka offers robot vacuum cleaners at the time of testing 100 euros cheaper To.

The Eureka E20 Plus offers a good overall package for those who primarily want a good vacuum robot with a suction station and low running costs. The model works well, especially on hard floors, and navigation, including object detection, is largely reliable. However, if you are looking for a good wiping function, you should look for alternatives. This also applies to deal makers who can get the same range of services from the competition for less money. Related models can be found in the “Price” section above or in our best list of robot vacuum cleaners.