This New Robot Vacuum Wants to Remove Dust Mites and End Your Allergies

Ecovacs makes some of the best robot vacuums we’ve tested here at CNET, and for a long time, their unique combo T90 Pro Omni was our top choice for its incredible versatility. The new Ecovacs Deebot X12S OmniCyclone is a bit more iterative than its predecessor, the X12, but it makes key improvements to tackle dust mites and allergies. “A dust mite allergy isn’t something you just get over. You clean around it,” said Michelle Jones, associate brand marketing director at Ecovacs Americas. “Most robots skim the top of a carpet. We built the X12S to get down to where the dust actually sits.” The X12S was tested by the SGS Testing & Control Services Singapore and, in testing, removed an average of 97.44% of dust mite allergens and 95.45% of dust mites from carpet. Ecovacs points out that dust mites live in soft material, especially carpet. Since carpet is underfoot, it traps dust mites and allergens deeper in the pile that a conventional robot vacuum can’t reach. This might sound niche, but as someone who has three asthmatic cats and occasionally seasonal allergies, I’m interested to see if it lives up to the testing claims. The feature sounds similar to Anker’s new Omni E35, which also claims the ability to remove 99% of dust mites and has Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America certification. The X12S also has 53 air watts of effective suction, 60% more than the previous-generation X12; Ecovacs claims this gives it handheld-vacuum-level cleaning power, which I’ll be interested to see if that is true in CNET’s lab testing. The OZMO Roller 3.0 is self-washing, as is increasingly common among robot vacuums from different manufacturers, so the roller keeps refreshing itself with clean water. Reprising its role from the previous generation is the FocusJet stain spray, which shoots water to loosen and break up older and dried-on stains — this is another feature we’ve seen other manufacturers adopt after Ecovacs showed it off on the X12 earlier this year. The rest of the cleaning system carries over from the X12, including the 15-millimeter auto-mop lifting and the Mop Roller Smart Cover, which keeps the mop clear of the carpet. It has AIVI 3D 4.0 dual obstacle avoidance, which pairs camera vision with 3D laser sensing to navigate cluttered rooms. There’s also a 3D edge sensor to clean close to walls and baseboards without leaving gaps. Interestingly, the X12S has a physical privacy shutter, not just software privacy. It covers the AIVI camera so you can be sure that when it’s closed, the lens is blocked. “A cover you can see is easier to trust, because you can look at it,” Jones said. “As these robots take in more of the home, people will want to ensure they have their privacy.”This is a first for robot vacuums, at least with the ones I’ve seen, and it’ll be interesting to see if other companies choose to adopt it. Lastly, it also comes with the fast-charging system we liked on the X12 that can top the robot vacuum up more quickly between mop washing dock cycles. Price and availability The Deebot X12S OmniCyclone is available in the United States at an MSRP of $1,300. Buyers can order it on Amazon or at ecovacs.com. From Sept. 4 through Sept. 11, an Amazon launch deal brings the price to $1,000. Editors’ note: Ajay Kumar’s travel costs for the IFA conference were covered by Roborock. The judgments and opinions of CNET are our own.