iOS 18.4 finally brought robot vacuum support to HomeKit, opening the door for a new wave of Matter-enabled vacuums that work with your existing smart home environment. I’ve been testing the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni for the past few months (even before iOS 18.4) to see how well it fits into a smart home, but more importantly, whether it’s worth the money as a way to keep your floors cleaned.
Some of my favorite gear Abode Home Security System Abode is the best home security system and includes compatibility with HomeKit.
HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.
HomeKit and Matter support with the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni
The Ecovacs X8 Pro Omni is one of the first models to use HomeKit with Matter. It shows up in the Home app, can be triggered with automations, and Siri can start or stop a cleaning session without much fuss. That’s about where the HomeKit magic ends, though.
Like many other smart home products, the Ecovacs app still offers full functionality. You’ll need it to set up room maps, adjust suction power, create schedules, or trigger custom cleaning cycles. For basic things like running a quick clean when you leave the house or asking Siri to start a cleaning cycle, HomeKit works great.
HomeKit support is a nice bonus, but it is not the main reason to buy it. I’ve added it to HomeKit, but I use the Ecovacs app more often because I want to run different daily cleaning cycles. I used it on my main level for a few months, and now I am testing it upstairs, and we have different schedules.
Some of my favorite gear Aqara Smart Lock U50 Upgrade your doors with Apple Home Key and the Aqara U50.
This isn’t a knock against the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni. It’s just where Matter support stands today with robovacs. Hopefully, future Matter updates will allow deeper integrations like custom floor plans and zone selection.
Let’s talk about the vacuum
... continue reading