Dreame Mova M1 vs. Eufy 11S | Tech Man Pat

Features and setup

The comparison involved two robot vacuums selected after filtering Amazon listings for models under $300 Australian dollars. The Dreame Mova M1 and Eufy RoboVac 11S were presented as costing approximately the same, around $250 at the time of the test.

The Dreame Mova M1 is described as a 4-in-1 robot vacuum and mop with 12,000Pa suction and LiDAR navigation. Its mopping is not automated, as there is no docking station to clean the mop or refill the water. The 220ml water tank and 300ml dust bin need to be managed manually. The robot also includes an app for mapping, no-go zones, room selection, scheduling and sending the robot home.

The Dreame has sensors for navigation and edge detection, and it is stated to handle thresholds up to 2cm. It also has a movable suction section that sits closer to the floor. The test unit had a space where an additional brush and motor could be fitted, although that component was not included.

The Dreame Mova M1 test

The test used measured amounts of sweet popcorn, white playground sand, ground coffee and garden dirt. The mess was spread across a hard floor and a deep, fluffy carpet in a children’s playroom, with chairs and other obstacles included. The Dreame was first mapped without vacuuming, then run in standard mode.

The Mova M1 completed the area in approximately 31 minutes and 36 seconds. It travelled around the edges before moving in a back-and-forth pattern across the room. It sometimes returned to areas where more dirt appeared to be concentrated. Its sensors also allowed it to navigate around chair and table legs, while a no-go zone successfully prevented it from entering the space under the couch.

The robot collected a large amount of sand, popcorn and dirt, filling most of its 300ml dust bin. It performed particularly well on the carpet, although some sand remained on the hard floor and some popcorn was left behind. The transcript suggests the robot treated larger popcorn pieces as obstacles. Pat noted that a second pass could improve results in an unusually dirty situation, but this was a single-pass, worst-case test.

The Eufy RoboVac 11S test

The Eufy RoboVac 11S is described as a quieter, self-charging robot with 1,300Pa suction and BoostIQ technology, which increases suction when it detects carpet. It has no app, navigation mapping or mopping function. Instead, it is operated with a basic remote control, supplied with two AAA batteries. The box also includes spare brushes and a filter.

In the test, the Eufy moved randomly, generally bouncing between corners and objects. It could not be given a no-go zone, so it entered the area under the couch and became stuck there several times. After about 40 minutes, it ran out of battery while stuck, despite the expected return-to-charge function not working as anticipated during the test.

The Eufy collected a substantial amount of debris, particularly popcorn. Its dual brushes helped move the larger pieces towards the suction opening. However, it left a large amount of sand across the carpet, even after crossing the area repeatedly. The comparison attributes this partly to the fixed suction section, which did not sit as close to the floor or carpet as the Dreame’s movable section.

Cleaning and navigation comparison

The test highlights that suction figures alone do not determine performance. Pat’s explanation is that a suction opening that stays closer to the floor can form a better seal and collect more debris, even if another robot advertises a higher number. In this comparison, the Dreame’s closer, movable suction area appeared to help it collect more sand and dirt from the carpet.

The Eufy’s extra brush was useful for collecting popcorn, but it did not overcome the robot’s limited navigation and weaker carpet results. The Dreame could be configured around restricted areas and was able to continue cleaning more systematically. Its battery used approximately 25 per cent during the test, while the Eufy ran until its battery was depleted in the test area.