Roidmi F8 test - cordless vacuum cleaner with high suction power

Foreword: Roidmi F8

The Xiaomi Youpin Store is the number 1 contact point for all crowdfunding financed Mi products. Many of the products published there come from various Xiaomi subsidiaries and usually do not appear directly under the brand name "Xiaomi". A good example of this are the recently released robotic vacuum cleaners "Roborock S50" and "Xiaowa Youth Edition". It is the same with the Roidmi F8 cordless handheld vacuum cleaner. So far, mainly smart car USB chargers have appeared under the “Roidmi” brand. The publication of a handheld vacuum cleaner under this brand came as a surprise.

What's in the box

The cordless vacuum cleaner is delivered with a large accessory package. In addition to the vacuum cleaner, it includes: 

• A wall bracket for sticking or tightening
• An extension tube
• A padded brush with soft bristles and angled tube
• A motorized main brush with exchangeable soft and carbon roller
• A (spare) HEPA filter
• A polymer filter
• A cleaning tool for cleaning the filters
• A charging cable with NEMA-1 connector and 2-pin connector
• A Chinese manual

Our test copy of GearBest included additional accessories that were originally intended for Chinese Youpin pre-orderers. The extended scope of delivery includes: 

• A flexible extension tube
• A motorized upholstery brush with carbon roller

As an interested buyer, you should definitely inquire about the scope of delivery beforehand or take a look at the product specifications of the respective shop. Depending on the shop, different packages are sold, mostly for the same price! An international version of the Roidmi F8 with EU charging cable, CE mark and multilingual operating instructions is already being planned.

Design and workmanship

The cordless handheld vacuum cleaner has won two design awards. In addition to the iF Design Award 2018, the smart suction aid was also able to claim the German Red Dot Design Award 2018. Typical of the Xiaomi ecosystem, the vacuum cleaner impresses with its extremely modern and at the same time simple design.

The handheld vacuum cleaner does not need to hide from the competition. All individual parts are made of high-quality plastic and metal, which give the vacuum cleaner a great feel. Due to the matt white finish, the device also makes a lot of looks. The modular structure allows brush heads, telescopic tubes and filters to be changed depending on the area of ​​application. The processing quality is first class. All parts close tightly and without gaps. After several weeks of everyday use, no signs of use were noticeable.

Construction of the cordless vacuum cleaner

Suction unit (main element)

The main element of the plug-in vacuum cleaner is ergonomically shaped and fits perfectly in the hand. The weight is quite tough at 1.5 kg.

In order to vacuum up stubborn dirt, the Roidmi vacuum cleaner is equipped with a 415 watt DC motor. This achieves an effective suction power of 115 watts. With up to 100.000 revolutions per minute, the suction power is a whopping 18.500 Pascal (Pa). The Roidmi F0.3 vacuum cleaner sucks up the smallest particles down to 8 microns as well as animal hair, dust and coarse dirt. Due to the special structure with a multi-stage air duct, annoying suction noises are largely suppressed.

For switching on and adjusting the suction power, there is an easy-to-reach push-button at grip height. The vacuum cleaner's battery, which incidentally cannot be replaced, is charged via a barrel connector. An LED display provides information about the remaining capacity of the battery and the fill level of the dust container.

dust container

The 0.4 liter dust container is docked to the suction unit. The filter system has four layers and consists of a coarse-meshed metal screen, followed by an air filter, followed by a HEPA filter and a final polymer filter. The dust container can be completely disassembled for cleaning.

Extension and attachments

The suction tube or the attachments are connected to the suction unit via a plug-in connection. All attachments can therefore be used with or without an extension. With the extension the weight is a whopping 2.5 kg - pretty heavy!

There are almost no limits to the possible applications. Because of its versatile attachments and adapters, the Roidmi F8 is suitable for hard floors, wooden floors, carpets, but also for sofas and furniture as well as mobile use, for example for cleaning the interior of the car. Only a wiping function or a wiping attachment does not (yet) exist!

The handheld vacuum cleaner masters hard-to-reach places thanks to its articulated brush head, which can be flexibly bent. As a special feature, the brush head is also illuminated by an LED bar. The roller of the electric brush is replaceable. In addition to a conventional soft roller, Roidmi also offers a carbon roller.

Practical test of the Roidmi F8

Getting Started

The handheld vacuum cleaner is ready for use in just a few simple steps. Plug in any attachment, switch it on and you can start sucking away. The power button is multifunctional. By holding down the suction power can be adjusted in 2 stages.

Only the placement of the wall bracket requires a little dexterity. If you want to glue the bracket on, you should definitely look for a smooth surface. You should also be aware that the vacuum cleaner is only held magnetically by leaning against the holder. It is not possible to hang it up, and there are no holding options for the individual attachments! There are notches on the left and right of the bracket to guide the charging cable. Inductive charging or a charging device integrated in the holder is also not available!

Mi Home App

If you want to control the Roidmi F8 with the app, you have to download the "Mi Home" app. The app is available free of charge and can be obtained from the respective stores for iOS and Android mobile devices. The connection is established through Bluetooth.

The app offers a number of operating advantages that cannot be accessed without the app. It is possible, for example, to choose an additional suction level. Instead of 80 watts (normal) and 180 watts (turbo), an intermediate level of 130 watts can be selected. The suction power is adjusted at the push of a button (app).

 Other advantages are: 

• A precise battery level in percent and the remaining suction time
• Note for cleaning the filter system
• Note on the level of the dust chamber
• Notes on air quality
• Notes on cleaning time and cleaning surface

 The vacuum cleaner receives firmware updates directly via the app. The possibility to control and monitor a smart home device via app is an interesting feature in itself. In contrast to the vacuum robot, which does its job automatically, the F8 is operated completely manually. The smartphone in one hand and the vacuum cleaner in the other is more than impractical!

absorbency

 The Roidmi F8 does not replace a full-fledged vacuum cleaner. This is particularly evident in the rather small dust container and the battery life (2500 mAh). Large rooms can hardly be managed with the 0.4 liter dust chamber. What the hand vacuum cleaner is very suitable for is cleaning (car) upholstery, drilling holes or getting to hard-to-reach places.

Normal operating mode

In normal operation, the cordless vacuum cleaner offers enough power to vacuum up dust and small crumbs. Dirt on smooth surfaces is efficiently sucked away. Even upholstered furniture with a fine surface can be cleaned effectively with the various attachments. Hair, regardless of whether it is from humans or animals, is caught. The Roidmi F8 has to struggle with carpets, especially deep pile. Deep-seated dirt is only insufficiently absorbed.

The operating volume is still quite pleasant in normal mode, so that you can at least talk in the same room. However, the vacuum cleaner is not suitable for night-time use! The battery life is around 45 minutes. 

Turbo mode

In the Turbo, the vacuum cleaner is particularly suitable for stubborn dirt. Here you can clearly feel the suction power. If the motorized main brush is docked, the F8 literally pulls away. Carpets can get stuck in the process! The Roidmi F8 does not clean as deeply as a corded vacuum cleaner. For fine-grained and especially heavy dirt, such as cat litter, the cordless vacuum cleaner needs significantly longer.

According to Roidmi, the operating volume reaches 75 decibels. The distance from which the manufacturer determined the value is not known. Personally, the F8 is pretty loud in turbo mode, which is why conversation in the same room is no longer possible. The battery life is just 9 minutes! 

Maintenance

The dust container is easy to clean thanks to the multilayer structure of the filter system. Coarse dirt can be emptied by opening the main flap. All filters are removable and can be cleaned of dirt with the enclosed cleaning tool. The HEPA filter can even be cleaned under running water.

The brushes are also easy to clean. The rollers of the motorized brushes are removable and can be easily freed from rolled up hair. The subsequent purchase of accessories and spare parts is possible without any problems despite their Chinese origin. Filters, brushes and attachments can be reordered from well-known shops such as GearBest.