Price: Both Are Pretty Expensive
Both models are expensive, with the Deebot X9's $1,599.99 price making the Deebot X8’s $1,399.99 look a bit better by comparison. Like most robot vacuums, you’ll likely be able to find both at a steep discount around sales holidays like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday.
Winner: Ecovacs Deebot X8
Design: Modular or Sleek
Both models are disc-shaped and measure 13.9 by 13.8 by 3.9 inches (LWH). The bases are also similar in size, with the X8 measuring 18.8 by 13.8 by 21 inches, which is just a bit wider and taller than the X9 (18.1 by 13.3 by 19.7 inches).
The robots have slightly different coloring, with the X8 featuring a matte black design and the X9 adding a subtle brushed finish on top. Their respective bases match this color pattern, and the brushed highlights give the X9 a bit more visual texture at a glance.
The clean and dirty water reservoirs are concealed inside the X9's base, whereas they are visible from the front of the X8. That gives the X8 a more modular appearance, while making the X9 look more elegant and streamlined.
Otherwise, both have a dedicated mopping detergent reservoir and a dust bag hidden behind a removable panel on the front of the base. Both robots have the same vacuum brush roll design, incorporating rubber fins and bristles to effectively agitate dirt on multiple flooring surfaces while keeping themselves clear of hair tangles. Additionally, both have the same spinning roller mop with a scraper to keep it clean as it works.
Winner: Ecovacs Deebot X9
Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance: Both Are Mostly Masterful
In testing, both models efficiently mapped my 1,500-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment. The X8 completed the task in 7 minutes and 46 seconds, outpacing the X9 (8 minutes and 6 seconds). Both produced blocky but functional maps that required some editing in the app to get room labels and boundaries just right.
Once mapping was complete, both proved to be efficient cleaners. The X8 completed a vacuum-only run of my place in 61 minutes, while the X9 took 60 minutes on the same task. On the first combined vacuum and mop run, the X8 worked quickly, finishing the job in 77 minutes, while the X9 spent extra time going over my living room and took 86 minutes.
In terms of obstacle evasion, the X8 only got stuck once during testing, while the X9 did so a couple of times. With both models, it happened seldom enough to be anomalous, but it is disappointing in both cases, given the price of the machines.
That said, both models masterfully avoid clutter on the floor. I tested this feature by intentionally scattering cat toys of various shapes and sizes around the room. The X9 barely bumped any toy, while the X8 ran into the obstacles a bit more often. Neither model completely ran over any toy, which is a rarity for robot floor cleaners, even at this price, as some of the obstacles blend into the carpet.
Winner: Tie
Battery Life: Plenty of Charge
The X8 lasted longer in my battery tests despite having the same 6,400mAh capacity as the X9. The X9 cleaned for 115 straight minutes before calling it quits and heading back for a charge, while the X8 lasted 134 minutes under the same conditions. Both models exceed the 90-minute threshold that I consider sufficient for most homes.
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Winner: Ecovacs Deebot X8
Vacuuming Performance: Blast Beats Stronger Suction
Ecovacs calls the X9's vacuuming system Blast, which stands for boosted large-airflow suction technology. It comprises a wider inlet than the one on the X8, a redesigned path from intake to exhaust, a 100W high-torque motor, and specially designed fan blades. In short, it’s meant to improve airflow (and thus pickup capability) while vacuuming. At the same time, the X9 also has a lower suction power spec (16,600Pa) than the X8 (18,000Pa).
After putting both models through my gauntlet of vacuuming tests, the X9's Blast tech proved its worth, to an extent. It beat the X8 in my suction stress test, sand on carpeting, picking up 41.7% of the debris, compared with the X8's 37.7%. This testing proves that higher Pa suction power doesn't always lead to better real-world cleaning performance.
That said, in my other three pickup tests (rice on carpet, rice on hardwood, and sand on hardwood), the two models posted comparable scores. The X8 also works well as a vacuum, but the X9's Blast system is more effective at removing stubborn debris like sand or pet hair from carpets.
Winner: Ecovacs Deebot X9
Mopping Performance: Super Scrubbers
The Ecovacs Deebot X8 and X9 trade places when it comes to mopping. I test mopping performance by spreading 0.25 ounces of raspberry jelly on my kitchen floor before sending the robot out to clean. I closely monitor the cleaning run to see how much of the glob the mop picks up and how much it spreads.
Both the X8 and the X9 spin their roller mops at 220 rotations per minute, but the X8 applies more downward force as it works, with up to 4,000Pa of pressure compared with 3,700Pa on the X9.
The extra force made a difference in my testing. The X8 missed three raspberry seeds but cleaned up the rest of the smear and didn’t spread any sticky residue. The X9 only missed two seeds but also left a noticeable splotch of jelly. The rest of my kitchen floor was slightly sticky after the X9’s run.
The X9's base station did a better job of cleaning the mop after the test, washing away all evidence of the jelly, whereas the X8 still had a couple of seeds left along the spindle. Both mops do a good job of tackling sticky stains, but overall, the X8 comes out slightly ahead as a mop.
Winner: Ecovacs Deebot X8
Smarts: Similar Interoperability
Both the Deebot X8 and the Deebot X9 have a built-in AI assistant called Yiko. Thanks to Yiko, you can issue direct voice commands to the robots themselves, without a separate smart speaker or display. Otherwise, both work with Alexa and Google Assistant for third-party voice control and Matter for wider smart home interoperability. Through the Ecovacs app and third-party platforms, you can send either robot to target specific rooms, schedule cleanings, or incorporate them into automated smart home routines.
Winner: Tie