eufy Omni C28 Review: A Pet Owner Puts It to the Test

I wasn’t prepared for just how much a Cavalier King Charles spaniel would shed.

I’ve had two previous dogs — a terrier and a mutt — and both were low-shedding dogs. But about a year after Izzy came into our lives, I started noticing large furballs on our hardwood floors. I call them fur tumbleweeds. “Fumbleweeds”?

So when I finally got the opportunity to try out a robot vacuum, I was excited. I knew our Izzy would put it to the test, and she didn’t let us down.

But even if you don’t have furry creatures creating fumbleweeds in your home, the eufy Omni C28 Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo is worth checking out. Here’s what you need to know about setting it up and getting the most out of this time-saving appliance.

Unboxing the eufy Omni C28

The eufy Omni C28 arrived in a box within a box. The external box had sustained considerable damage, but the contents were well-packed.

What initially surprised me was the weight of the box. It probably didn’t weigh more than 30 pounds, but it was bulky. As I removed the items inside, though, it became clear that the sturdiness and heft of both the base and unit means this robo-vacuum is likely to live a long life.

Inside the box are setup instructions, a safety information booklet, the vacuum, and a base with a detachable tray. Everything is well protected with stickers and cushioning, so set aside some time to unpack everything.

All in all, unboxing and setup took about 15 minutes, and I had to stop to snap photos, so you should be able to get it in place fairly quickly. But next comes the app setup, which takes a little more time.

eufy Omni C28 App Setup

To manage your new eufy, you’ll need the mobile app. To get the app, I just scanned the QR code on the setup instructions and followed the link to download it from the app store.

Once the app is downloaded, you’ll create an account and choose your specific model. The app walks you through each step, including connecting to your Wi-Fi.

I learned that the eufy Omni C28 was designed for 2.4GHz Wi-Fi routers, and some people have reported issues when connecting to the now-popular 5GHz routers. But I have a 5GHz router, and I can say I had not a single issue. And it seems to be responding quickly to anything I direct it to do through the app.

Once my eufy was connected, it was time to let it map our house. We have two stories, but the app allows you to create multiple maps. Of course, I’ll have to carry the robo-vacuum upstairs, but until stair-climbing robots hit the market, this looks like the only option.

The app directed me to remove objects like dog toys (it must know our house!) from the floor before starting the process. I also had to open all downstairs doors. I missed one room…but I was glad I did because I got to test out something you’ll probably want to know about. More on that later.

Once it finished mapping, eufy automatically started the cleaning process. The app shows exactly where the robo-vac is with a small black square. The larger black square represents the base. As the vacuum cleaned, the app also indicated its progress using lines.

As mentioned above, I forgot to open our primary bedroom door when it was mapping. I was worried, but fixing the issue was easy. I simply opened that door as it was cleaning and once it finished the other rooms, it headed in that direction and added it to the map.

With that initial mapping and cleaning out of the way, I was ready to tweak the cleaning process.

Scheduling and Managing the eufy Omni C28

The heart and soul of a robo-vacuum is its mobile app. The user-friendliness of the eufy app is impressive. It’s simple enough to be easy to navigate without sacrificing features.

I learned right away that our dog was not a fan of this new appliance, so I set our eufy up to run early in the morning. This means skipping the bedroom, of course, but I can manually send eufy in there whenever I want.

You can get to the scheduling section directly from the main screen. You’ll see a small alarm clock icon in the upper-right corner. Tap on that and choose the time that works best for you.

You can also set “do not disturb” hours to prevent the vacuum from making noise while you’re rushing around getting ready for work or enjoying family time.

How Well Does the eufy Omni C28 Clean?

I couldn’t wait to see how nice and shiny my floors looked after eufy finished its first clean. But, as it turned out, I had to wait.

I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

It took an hour and a half for the first clean. I realized too late that it was set to “deep clean” by default. I changed that to “fast” as soon as I saw how long it was taking.

After the cleaning, the device dries the mop — a process that took five hours. The device sounds like a fan as it’s drying, and I found the white noise a little soothing.

Now, for the results.

I typically walk around my house in socks because I can’t stand things sticking to my feet. My dog hauls in leaves and tiny yard debris on her fur, so I’m constantly finding small items throughout the house.

After eufy finished, the floors were shiny and clean. I did notice it missed a couple of specks in the bathroom, but with it now cleaning three times a week, I’m already noticing a huge reduction in pet hair.

Izzy approves.

Or maybe she’s just ready to get it dirty again?

Mopping and Cleaning Solution

eufy can mop using only water. That’s fine for daily use, but if you want to do a true clean, you’ll likely need some type of cleaning solution. You can’t simply go to the grocery store and buy standard floor cleaning solutions. eufy cautions against using anything but its cleansers in the machines, stating that third-party cleaners can damage the machine.

The good news is, you can buy the cleanser on eufy’s site, as well as through retailers like Amazon and Walmart. However, it’s a little more expensive than what you’ll find in the grocery store. You’ll spend around $20 a bottle.

Cost

Robot vacuums aren’t cheap. Yes, you can find options in the $100-$200 range, but it won’t have advanced features like automated dustbin emptying and mop cleaning, advanced object avoidance and navigation management, or brushes that prevent tangling.

While the eufy Omni C28 is considered one of the company’s budget-friendly options, the C28 is at the top of that range, with premium features for a relatively cheaper price. The eufy Omni C28 retails for $799.99, but at the time of writing this, it can easily be found for around $499-$530. Compare that to similar models like the Roborock Qrevo S, which retails for $649.99 (currently on sale for $499.99) or the MOVA P10 Pro Ultra, which retails for $499, and eufy’s sale price is in line with the overall market.

Object Avoidance

No way will I remember to pick up all of Izzy’s dog toys before every scheduled cleaning. That isn’t a problem for eufy, though. He (yes, I’ve given my robo-vac a pronoun) is great at simply navigating around objects. I even have a couple of rugs in our master bath that eufy can’t safely handle. I woke up the first morning to a notification asking whether I wanted eufy to attempt it or avoid. I chose “avoid,” and as you can see from the below video, the vacuum does exactly that.

It did manage to suck up an unlaced shoestring in my closet, at which point it notified me that the brush was stuck. If you’re setting it for cleaning while you’re away, you may want to check obstacles that could jam the roller brush.

Is the eufy Omni C28 Worth It?

If you’d told me a month ago that I’d be emotionally attached to a vacuum, I’d have laughed. But here we are. I call him “eufy” like it’s his name, I gave him a pronoun, and I genuinely enjoy waking up to clean floors.

The eufy Omni C28 isn’t perfect. It occasionally misses a spot or two, cleanings take well over an hour, and it was frozen in its tracks by a stray shoestring. The cleaning solution situation is also worth knowing about going in — you’re locked into eufy’s own cleaner at around $20 a bottle, which adds to the cost.

But those are minor complaints compared to what this appliance does well. The floors in our house have never been this consistently clean. The fumbleweeds are gone. The mystery debris my dog tracks in from the yard quickly disappears. And I don’t have to do any of it. eufy handles it all while I sleep.

At $799.99, the sticker price may seem steep, but eufy regularly puts the C28 on sale for $499–$600. At that price, it’s competitive with similar models from Roborock and MOVA, and it’s roller mop system — which continuously rinses with fresh water as it cleans — is a standout feature that sets it apart from the spinning mop pads used by most competitors. If you’re shopping for a robot vacuum and mop combo that handles the daily mess without a lot of fuss, the eufy Omni C28 is a strong pick, especially for pet owners who are tired of chasing fumbleweeds.