I thought robot hoovers were a fad. Until I got the Eufy X8 Pro (and a puppy)

I never saw the appeal of a robotic vacuum cleaner. I enjoy hoovering as much as the next person, which is to say I don’t enjoy it at all. But it’s one of life’s chores that we just have to do every other day or so until we leave this mortal coil. A clean house is a sign of a wasted life, sure. But outsourcing a basic responsibility to a small, disc-shaped robot felt like a stain on my character. Then, I got a puppy. And shortly after, the Eufy X8 Pro.

It’s the first time I’ve ever trained a puppy myself. I grew up with them, but as a child I had a pretty sweet deal. All of the cuddles and cute photos, none of the smelly mess. But time waits for no man. Or, more importantly, my puppy doesn’t wait for…anything, really.

Until now, I never truly understood the carnage a puppy is capable of. Plants that I have nurtured since they were just a handful of seeds have been massacred. Books have been mercilessly shredded, turning great works of literature into chew toys. Food is there to be eaten, or used as confetti. Nothing is safe.

In my two or so weeks with the Eufy X8 Pro, this 2-in-1 vacuum and mop has already saved me from dog mess disaster on a few occasions. I switch on the vacuum through the app as I go to sleep, and wake up reassured that I won’t groggily step in some poorly aimed liquid come the morning. During moments of downtime, rare occasions when my puppy isn’t attempting to eat electrical items, I’ll set it going to clean up that day’s shredded newspaper, and prepare the living room for the next bout of hyperactivity.

I also have a cat, who has a habit of sneaking into my sock drawer to shed her fur. Until the Euxy X8 Pro can fly, there’s not much it can do about that. But the twin turbines and 2×4000Pa suction power does an excellent job at keeping my carpet cat hair free.

I was told that becoming a dog owner will bring with it newfound hobbies and pursuits. A greater love for the outdoors I could have predicted, or a greater appreciation for dog harnesses. I never thought I’d get excited about something called an ‘auto-detangling brush roll’ that cleans up pet hair, or a 2.5l self-emptying hoover station I don’t need to empty for at least two weeks.

I could never have foreseen I’d become someone who makes laser-navigated maps for his vacuum. Using the iPath laser navigation, I’m able to map out every room of my home for optimum cleaning. Watching the trail from my phone fills me with a strange sense of domesticated bliss that’s hard to describe.

I was reluctant to let a robovac into my house, as if hiring a non-sentient cleaner was a sign of personal failure. But with a puppy comes a refreshed outlook…or rather, a much messier house.