The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni is the brand’s newest flagship robovac. It’s aimed to compete with the Dreame X40 and Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra. In essence, it’s an evolution of the previous generation Deebot X2 Omni with a few improvements.

It comes with better navigation and obstacle detection, together with more advanced vacuuming. As such, it’s now equipped with the same bristled roller brush and ZeroTangle tech we saw on the Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni.

Let’s see if these few improvements make the new Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni a strong competitor against other flagship robovacs, and how it scores on a daily basis.

At Smart Home Critic, we help you find the right smart home product for your needs. To ensure fairness and depth, we test every product rigorously for at least a week by a minimum of two reviewers, who have to agree on the final rating. Please refer to our review policy for more information.

Familiar design, with a few improvements

The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni features an innovative and advanced design that sets it apart from other models. Unlike those with a LiDAR dome, this robot uses front sensors and 3D structured light for precise obstacle detection and navigation. Like the Deebot X2 Omni, it comes in a D shape. The flat side allows for better cleaning along baseboards and in corners, making it stand out from traditional round designs. However, it lacks a motorized flexible brush for dusting corners, unlike the Dreame X40 and Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra.

The Deebot X5 Omni uses a single bristled roller brush, providing a deeper clean on carpets and better reach in grouts compared to bristleless versions. A built-in comb prevents hair tangles, which are more frequent with bristled rollers.

The docking station is designed for convenience, with two concealed water tanks under a flap. The dust bag is easily accessible from the front panel. Additionally, the washboard is entirely removable, making it easy to clean.

The build quality is solid, with high-quality materials and plastics used throughout. However, the top cover is made of shiny plastics that are very easily scratched, which isn’t the best idea for a robot that needs to clean under furniture.

Same old app

Ecovacs’ app falls short compared to its competitors. The map design feels outdated and doesn’t show obstacles. However, it remains accurate and customizable. You can add furniture, merge or separate rooms, and adjust floor types with some effort. You can also set up scenarios with specific cleaning settings for each room, like boosting suction power in the kitchen.

The app allows you to tweak cleaning parameters to your liking. This includes suction power, water flow, and speed. Slower speeds let the robot focus more on tough stains. You can choose from different modes: vacuuming, mopping, doing both simultaneously, or one after the other. The Intelligent Hosting mode simplifies everything by adjusting settings based on detected dirt. The Deebot X5 Omni can automatically detect dirty areas and deep clean them when necessary. However, switching from Intelligent Hosting to manual settings requires too much fiddling. A direct toggle would have made it easier.

Other handy settings include adjusting mop wash and auto-empty frequency, obstacle detection sensitivity, and mop extension modes. By default, the robot extends the right mop to clean crevices and corners. It also detects carpets and adjusts its behavior accordingly. It can lift its mops, ignore the carpet, or even mop it, depending on your preferences.

Unfortunately, the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni lacks a built-in camera. As a result, the robot can’t take pictures of obstacles it senses. It also doesn’t provide the ability to remotely monitor your home with two-way audio.

The Deebot X5 Omni works with Alexa and Google Assistant, making it easy to control with your voice using your smart speakers. However, Ecovacs removed the built-in Yiko assistant, which added some convenience.

Impressive vacuuming power

The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni takes cleaning power to the next level with an whopping 12,800Pa suction power, surpassing even the Dreame X40 Ultra. This incredible power makes the Deebot X5 Omni highly effective on all surfaces, easily lifting dirt from carpets and hard floors and reaching deep into fibers and grouts. Its bristled roller brush efficiently sweeps debris for optimal results.

When put to the test under harsh conditions—with dirt, sand, mud, leaves, and pet hair—the Deebot X5 Omni performed admirably. It effortlessly vacuumed and removed all visible dust, dirt, and debris.

The Deebot X5 Omni’s powerful suction is particularly effective on rugs, reaching deep into thick carpet fibers. However, while the bristled brush does a good job, a model with two roller brushes, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, might be more suitable for thick rugs.

While its D-shape aids in cleaning alongside baseboards and in corners, it’s not as effective as a dedicated robotic brush that extends to sweep dust from corners, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra and Dreame X40. However, the robot compensates by backing up to clean corners more thoroughly.

Excellent mopping overall

The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni features two rotating and liftable mop pads. Its dock washes them with 70ºC hot water before, during, and after each session, ensuring optimal cleanliness. The station also refills the robot’s built-in water tank, keeping the mops damp throughout the cleaning process. However, the X5 Omni lacks a built-in cleaning solution tank, requiring you to manually add some when refilling the water tank. While not complicated, it feels like a missed opportunity given the station’s size. It’s disappointing that Ecovacs didn’t include a detergent tank, especially since competing flagships from Dreame and Roborock come with one built-in.

The X5 Omni excels at tackling stains, including dried ones, by intelligently detecting soiled areas and cleaning them thoroughly when necessary. It can use a high amount of water to heavily dampen the floor and effectively remove stains. While the water usage can be adjusted to lower settings, it’s beneficial that the X5 Omni can use ample water when needed, especially since most other robots are more economical. In all cases, the mops apply enough pressure while cleaning, ensuring most stains are properly removed.

The TruEdge system is highly effective, keeping the mop extended and retracting it as needed. This system ensures a thorough clean without leaving an uncleaned band, a common issue with some other products.

Disastrous navigation and obstacle avoidance

The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni’s most notable improvement is its more advanced navigation, with 3D structured light and a front-facing LiDAR. Unfortunately, it proved very disappointing during my tests. Indeed, whenever I didn’t move furniture and obstacles out of its way, it consistently ran straight for them. It systematically failed to avoid cables, furniture legs, and other obstacles. This is particularly disappointing for a flagship device, falling short compared to the competition.

Navigation is a mixed bag too. It does a good job at moving from room to room. However, it sometimes ignores some areas, thinking it can’t access them. However, it managed to understand it can squeeze into tight spaces, cleaning where other robovacs didn’t want to go. It’s sometimes been a bit too cautious, though, losing one of its mop pads on the way.

In essence, I ended up clearing furniture and obstacles out of the robot’s way for it to clean, as it would otherwise run into issues.

Noise and battery life

The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni isn’t the quietest robovac around. The silent mode doesn’t make too much noise, but other suctions powers are more noticeable. Worse, the side brush and wheels are noisy, and changing the suction settings doesn’t have an impact on this. This is a bit disappointing, especially considering competing robots do better on this.

Although the robot comes with a Do Not Disturb that prevents the robot from using the station and making too much noise, it’s still not a great idea to use it at night. The dock itself isn’t nosier than most other models. Mop washing, self-emptying, and drying functions make a reasonable amount of noise, within the acceptable average.

Battery life is excellent, though, with the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni achieving up to two and a half hours of runtime on a single charge. Of course, it can automatically return to the dock to recharge and then resume working if needed.

Easy maintenance, but watch out for hair tangles

The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni is designed to minimize maintenance. While the baseplate tends to get dirty after a few cleaning cycles, it’s easy to clean. You can trigger a cleaning mode that fills the baseplate with water to scrub it, then the robot drains it into the dirty water tank. Alternatively, you can remove the baseplate entirely and clean it in the sink or under a hose, making the process a breeze.

Ecovacs prides itself on the robot’s anti-tangle design, but this isn’t entirely accurate. Although the built-in comb minimizes tangles, it doesn’t entirely prevent them. Hair, especially pet fur, still end up trapped in the bristled roller brush and need to be cleared frequently. Also, cleaning the comb is painstaking, as dust and dirt tend to accumulate.

The water tanks are particularly large, allowing for hands-free cleaning of about 170 square meters. The dust bag is also sizeable, lasting for several weeks or months without needing replacement.

Is the Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni the right robovac for you?

The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni, the brand’s latest flagship, improves on the Deebot X2 Omni with more advanced vacuuming. It offers excellent cleaning results, both when vacuuming and mopping. It’s also relatively easy to care for, provided you don’t have pets or long hair.

However, the outdated app and very disappointing navigation and obstacle avoidance are major drawbacks you should consider.

It falls short compared to the competition in terms of innovation. However, it’s slightly more affordable compared to flagships from Dreame and Roborock. This makes it worth considering if you’re looking for effective cleaning at a slightly cheaper price, if you’re fine with its shortcomings.

Pros	Cons
Cleaning performance	Navigation and obstacle detection
Removable baseplate for easy cleaning	App
Not as expensive as others	No robotic side brush

Q&A