Packages – Appliances catalogue

22 Oct

Eufy HomeVac H30 Review: Good Things Come in Small Packages

October 22, 2021
Posted by Samson

The Eufy HomeVac H30 with 2-in-1 crevice nozzle and handle attachments.

Eufy HomeVac H30

RRP $ 199.99

"The Eufy HomeVac H30 has a strong suction power, but has a somewhat unfriendly design that complicates the attachment process and is not easy on the wrists."

advantages

Strong suction power
Slim and easy to store
Convenient charging station
Infinity comes with wiping accessories

disadvantage

Uncomfortable grip
Attachments can be difficult to use
Low battery life

Chaos can manifest itself in the blink of an eye. Maybe you filled up the cereal bowl and some flakes fell on the kitchen floor. Or maybe the cat decided to get creative with the litter spread across the homestead. And let's not forget the cobwebs on the ceiling that don't belong on your Halloween diorama.

While today's leading upright vacuum cleaners are built for the kind of roll-up sleeve that cleans the whole house that many of us take to weekend days off, a cordless handheld vacuum is the perfect solution for the little clutter that pops up out of nowhere – the kind of rubble that simply cannot be avoided until Saturday.

One such wireless companion is the Eufy HomeVac H30. It is designed for light, fast performance and comes with numerous attachments (some good, some not so good). I was able to put the H30 to the test for several weeks. That's what we think of Eufy's bite-sized cleaner.

Out of the box

The HomeVac H30 is available in three different model levels: Venture, Mate and Infinity (our test model). The fundamentals remain the same across the three levels, with appendices being the compromise from unit to unit. The Venture Series ($ 160) comes with a 2-in-1 grout cleaner and multi-surface tool. The Mate ($ 180) adds a motorized brush for removing pet hair. The flagship Infinity ($ 200) comes with everything you get with the Venture and Mate, along with a stick attachment and hard floor head for quick mopping (plus disposable mop heads). All H30 models are available in both black and white.

The Eufy HomeVac H30 with 2-in-1 crevice nozzle and handle attachments. Michael Bizzaco / Digital Trends

When I unpacked the H30 Infinity, I also received a replaceable lithium-ion battery, charging station, and wall-mounting accessories for hanging the charger (not required).

draft

I was immediately impressed with how light the H30 felt. Designed to be gripped with one hand, the entire vacuum weighs just 1.78 pounds. In terms of dimensions, the H30 measures 16.7 inches wide, 3.5 inches high and has a depth of 2.9 inches. As for the grip, it honestly took me a minute or two to get used to holding the H30. It's clear where to reach, but when you point the vacuum cleaner down to vacuum up dirt, the angle in the wrist area feels a little strange. Throwing up a cleaning attachment will help reduce the angle you have to dive into, but it doesn't completely eliminate the discomfort.

The Eufy HomeVac H30 vacuums oats from carpets. Michael Bizzaco / Digital Trends

The controls on the H30 are front and center and easy to understand. There is a power switch, a toggle switch to toggle between Eco and Max suction power (more on this in the next section) and a trash can button that unlocks the trash can. In addition, there are three LED indicators above the power button that show how much battery life is left.

When emptying the H30, be sure to position the vacuum cleaner over your garbage bag. After unlocking the container, you need to slide it all the way forward to release it from its rail. After emptying it can be a little difficult to lock the container back onto the absorbent body, but not overly.

The Eufy HomeVac H30 with mop attachment. Michael Bizzaco / Digital Trends

One of the very first things that caught my eye was how small the trash can actually is. At 250 grams, it is one of the smallest tank sizes that you will find on every cordless vacuum cleaner. Got a discarded bowl of lucky charms to clean up, foremilk? You may need to empty the container once (or twice).

The cleaning attachments all do their jobs well but feel incredibly cheap.

The Infinity comes with a variety of attachments including a 2-in-1 grouting tool, motorized brush head, and an extended handle and cleaning head for reaching ceilings and floors. While useful, my overall impression with these add-ons isn't a great one. Once locked up, they all do their job well, but they feel incredibly cheap and some of them are downright painful to attach to the H30 body. Other than a few box art pictures, there are no instructions to teach you how to connect things.

power

Eufy's patented TriPower system is an integral part of every H30 model. It's a technical innovation that effectively transfers more power from the battery to the vacuum motor and provides more suction power when you need it most. But how can that be transferred to the real world? Pretty seamless.

I also liked the possibility of plugging the power supply unit directly into the battery instead of having to dock the entire vacuum cleaner (with the battery connected) to the charging station.

In Eco mode, the H30 delivers a suction power of up to 12 kPa. With just the 2-in-1 grouting tool attached, the vacuum cleaner pulled dried oats out of my plushy dining room carpet excellently. I actually found that when switching the vacuum to Max mode (for up to 16 kPa suction power) it was more difficult to get the oats. That was until I switched to a new test environment.

With the stick and hard surface attachments locked in place, the H30 worked like a champion in Max mode and in just a few passes sucked up all of the oat flakes that I had placed on the kitchen laminate. The eco mode with the same attachments was also good, but a little weaker.

The Eufy HomeVac H30 is used to clean a couch.

I'll be the first to admit that I have hypersensitive hearing and generally have problems with loud devices, but my goodness, the H30 whines. Even in the eco setting, the noise of the simply running vacuum cleaner is rather high. It's by no means industrially loud, but it's certainly not as quiet as I expected (considering its small size).

If you spilled something quickly that needs mopping up, I'd honestly recommend paper towels and your cleaner of choice instead of the H30's mop head and pads. Yes, that's a nice consideration, but I found the attachments and pads difficult to work with. In my cleaning test, the H30 cut through some of my deliberately spilled lemonade, but the sticky residue stayed around.

Battery life

The H30's 2500 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery isn't the most powerful on the market. Built for up to 20 minutes of use in Eco mode and only 10 minutes in Max mode, you want to get your cleaning done quickly.

Low battery capacity is not a foreign concept in the world of handheld vacuum cleaners, but when you consider that it takes up to four hours to fully recharge the battery, the reduced run time can be a nuisance for some users. Fortunately, you can buy extra batteries to swap out while cleaning.

As far as charging is concerned, I also liked the option of plugging the power supply unit directly into the battery instead of having to dock the entire vacuum cleaner (with the battery connected) to the charging station.

price

The Eufy HomeVac H30 Infinity (the flagship model) typically retails for $ 199 but is currently out of stock. The H30 Venture (including 2-in-1 grout tool and multi-surface tool) costs $ 159, and the H30 Mate (2-in-1 grout tool, multi-surface tool, motorized brush attachment) can cost $ 179 US dollars can be purchased.

Our opinion

As a quick-grip, quick-to-clean cordless vacuum cleaner, the Eufy HomeVac H30 sucks up dirt well for which you don't want to pull the large stand out of the closet. It's also perfect for cleaning cars, between sofa cushions, ceiling corners and other hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. From a design standpoint, it's not the most convenient handheld to wrap your paws around, and some of these add-ons can be quite a chore.

In terms of pricing, I think $ 199 is a bit high for the Infinity, with $ 169 sounding a bit more reasonable to me.

Is there a better alternative?

I think so. the Black + Decker Max handheld vacuum cleaner has a nozzle that can be adjusted by 200 degrees and the 20 volt battery offers unbelievable suction power. As with the HomeVac H30, the charging station can also be used to store all of your attachments.

There are those too Hai Wandvac. The Wandvac is similar in size and shape to the HomeVac H30, can be easily hung and comes with a multi-surface pet hair tool.

How long it will take?

With the option to buy multiple batteries, I can see that the HomeVac H30 will last for several years. Plus, Eufy's hassle-free warranty protects your H30 for up to two years.

Should you buy it?

If you desperately need a handheld vacuum and the business of your choice has no other choice, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to go home with the Eufy HomeVac H30. If there were other options I would suggest buying a different model – mainly to save some money (and gain some convenience).

Editor's recommendations

30 Jan

Blog

Earin A-3 Review: Good Things Come In Small Packages

January 30, 2021
Posted by Samson

Earin A-3 true wireless earbuds

"A chic design and a tiny size make the Earin A-3 in a class of its own."

Tiny size
Elegant design
Good call quality
Good battery life
Wireless charging
Auto play / pause

Expensive
Limited control adjustment
No noise cancellation
No quick charge option

You may not have heard of Earin before, but if you've ever seen someone with a set of true wireless earbuds, you've seen the impact the company has had on personal audio. The Swedish company single-handedly introduced the true wireless category when it launched its M-1 earbuds in 2015. The rest is history. And while it's been pretty quiet for Earin in recent years, it hasn't rested on its laurels.

At CES 2021, the company unveiled the $ 199 A-3, its true third-generation wireless product, and its first earbuds to use a semi-open design. Much like the M-1, the A-3 broke barriers as the smallest and lightest earbuds on the market, as well as the first true wireless earbuds that automatically detect which ear they're in.

All of this is very impressive, but it won't mean much if the A-3 doesn't perform in all of the major areas like sound quality and battery life. Let's find out if they're worth your consideration.

What's in the box?

Earin A-3 true wireless earbuds Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Earin A-3 are delivered in a matt printed box. With the exception of a few small plastic stickers that protect the earbuds' contact surfaces, everything is easily recyclable. Inside you will find the A-3 earphones – already in the charging case -, a braided USB-C charging cable and a user brochure.

design

Earin A-3 true wireless earbuds From left: Jabra Elite 75t, Apple AirPods Pro, Earin A-3 Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Let's start with the loading case. The U-shaped bottom and the hinged lid are available in silver or black and most closely resemble the case of the second-generation Google Pixel Buds. However, the A-3's satined aluminum shell gives it a high quality, sophisticated feel that Pixel Buds owners can only dream of. It is perhaps the nicest charging case I've ever seen, as is the Klipsch T5's fantastic Zippo case.

Earin tells me that both the case bodies and lids are hand polished and then clear anodized so there may be small differences in the finish that you see on these parts. That certainly was true for me – Earin sent in two samples of the A-3 and each case and lid differed slightly in terms of smoothness.

The charging case is also very small – only slightly larger than the one that houses the AirPods Pro, which is still one of the smallest cases on the market.

They look like someone painted a set of AirPods black, tore off the stems, and then gave them a mohawk.

On the back of the case is a black plastic plate that not only enables wireless charging, but also masks the A-3's invisible pairing and reset button.

The only thing I can't figure out is why the case isn't even smaller than it is. You'll also wonder why when you flip open the lid to reveal the A-3 earbuds inside. They are incredibly small. So small, in fact, that once you've removed the bottom two-thirds of the charging box, you might not have room for the battery and wireless charging coil, but still plenty of room for the buds.

The earbuds themselves look like someone painted a set of AirPods black, tore off the stems, and then gave them a mohawk.

They're likely to be easy to drop if you're not careful. To my great surprise, they slide in and out of their charging sockets with ease. Your magnets are aligned so well that all you have to do is drop them into the top of the case. They take care of the rest and click into place as if they had been waiting for the opportunity.

According to Earin, the A-3 are rated IP52 for water and dust protection. This is the bare minimum to claim water resistance. However, if you don't forget these while in the shower (quite possible), this should be fine for most workouts.

Convenience, control and connections

Earin A-3 true wireless earbuds Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Do earbuds with silicone earbuds feel like a little rubber animal is trying to get into your brain? Do you like the way Apple's AirPods or their wired equivalent, the EarPods, feel? If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, the A-3 is very comfortable. As I've also found, they may feel a lot more secure than Apple's earbuds.

There really aren't any perfectly comfy earbuds, but the A-3 comes as close as I've ever felt.

Their shape is part of the reason. The main body is a tiny bit larger than the corresponding part of the AirPods, which allows them to make contact with the skin of your concha (the outer ear). But the other part is their tiny mass. Shake your head as hard as you dare or pound the sidewalk for hours – those things are going nowhere.

There really aren't any perfectly comfy earbuds, but the A-3 comes as close as I've ever felt.

The A-3 are equipped with both touch-sensitive control panels (the small protruding slats with the Earin logo) and accelerometers. Skin contact with the panels is considered "touch" while "knocking" is any type of bump and can be done through clothing such as gloves and hats.

What's a little strange is that despite these two types of control methods, Earin lets you choose which one to use and then turn the other off. Oddly enough, these modes are not equivalent. In “classic” mode, which uses touches, you can use single, double and triple touches to control play / pause, skip the track forwards / backwards and access the voice assistant. It is possible that Earin intended to let you adjust the controls of these touches, but for now they are locked out.

In "Hybrid" mode you can tap twice, but this only controls play / pause and cannot be used for any other function.

That's the bad news. The good news is that the earbuds will detect both tapping and touching accurately – just don't confuse them. Trying to use Taps in Classic Mode will get you frustrated pretty quickly.

The auto ear detection works very well and will quickly pause and resume your music whenever you remove or reinsert an earbud. It can be deactivated in the app if you wish.

Bluetooth pairing is quick and easy, and the earbuds remember previously paired devices so you don't have to use the pairing button when switching back and forth between them.

Wondering if the A-3 automatically knows which ear it is in? It works as stated, using the accelerometer to detect the earbud's orientation. If the "E" in the Earin logo is facing up, it's the right earbud. If the "N" is on top, that is the left bud. If one of the buds is pointing in the same direction as your partner, the system will assume you are sharing one of your buds with a friend and will put both earbuds in mono mode so neither of you will overlook details from the audio track. Smart!

Bluetooth range is decent. Indoors, I was able to walk around two floors from my phone before it was disconnected.

Sound quality

Earin A-3 true wireless earbuds Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

With its semi-open design, it would be unrealistic to expect the A-3 to deliver the same sound quality as a set of inexpensive in-ear canal earphones. Instead, you get sound quality that can rival Apple's AirPods – and maybe even a little better than them.

The sound is not without compromise.

The A-3 are particularly good at reproducing higher frequencies with a clear and accurate sound. Vocals – especially those that reach the highest register, like Whitney Houston's – are brilliant and sharp.

The bass, which is usually the Achilles heel of half-open earbuds, shows up with enough presence that you don't get the nagging feeling that something is missing. Even the midrange drivers get their money's worth, which adds up to a satisfying listening experience.

But the sound is not without compromise.

First, your listening environment plays a bigger role than with closed earbuds. Traffic, loud chatter, or even the sound of a TV in an adjacent room will get to your ears where they will compete with your music.

Second, as powerful as the A-3s are for a semi-open design, I had to run them at 80% volume to feel like I was getting enough volume. This will not only hit the batteries harder, it will also push the drivers of the A-3 to their limits. On a few occasions I heard the beginning of the distortion.

Third, nuances in the midrange and across the soundstage tend to be smeared a bit. Our brains are amazingly good at adjusting to this, and you may not be bothered at all, but throw in a set of Jabra Elite 75t or AirPods Pro and you can definitely hear the difference.

I don't know how much tweaking the EQ would help with this – I suspect it probably wouldn't help much – but the point is controversial: there are currently no EQ adjustments in the Earin app.

The advantage of a semi-open design is that you can perceive your surroundings much better. This should be taken into account when running near traffic or other hazards while exercising.

Battery life

Earin keeps the A-3's battery life at five hours per charge, with a total of 30 hours of playtime when you include the charging case. That surpasses both the AirPods and AirPods Pro, which both reach a maximum of five hours and 24 hours. Also, I think Earin was conservative in finding out his numbers. After running the A-3 at 85% volume for five consecutive hours, the Earin app still reported 30% battery remaining.

Unlike Apple's earbuds, the A-3 does not have a quick charge mode. If it dies, you'll have to wait about 90 minutes before it can be used for another five hours. In comparison, the AirPods can last three hours of play with a 15-minute snooze in their case.

Call quality

Given that the A-3 barely sticks out of your ears, meaning its mics are farther from your mouth than stem-based designs, I was prepared for some pretty terrible call quality. But Earin managed to pack four microphones into those tiny buds, including two dedicated voice pickup units, and the result is surprisingly good.

Most background noises, such as B. passing traffic are well suppressed and my voice was mostly clear to callers. As you'd expect, wearing a hat over my ears degrades call quality, but even then I could make myself understood.

Our opinion

The only major contribution the Earin A-3 makes to the real world of wireless earbuds is its incredibly small size. I'm not sure if this is worth the $ 199 price tag for most people. However, if you're struggling to find earbuds to live with, the A-3 may be the answer you've been looking for.

Is there a better alternative?

If a semi-open design is appealing for the sake of fit, iPhone users should probably stick with Apple's AirPods. For the same price as the A-3, you get almost identical functions, almost as good sound quality and thanks to Apple's H1 radio chips, hands-free access to Siri.

For everyone else, the A-3 has few direct competitors. There are 1Mores $ 60 comfobuds that are semi-open and very comfortable, but don't sound that great, don't have wireless charging, and have shorter battery life. A better compromise could be the $ 150 Strange branches. They're just as comfortable as the A-3, charge wirelessly, and have better bass response, but their three-hour battery life isn't that good.

How long will they last?

Backed by a one-year warranty from Earin, the A-3 and its charging case appear to be very well built with high quality materials. Without worn-out silicone ear tips, they are likely to last longer than some in-ear canal models.

Should you buy it?

Yes, but only if you really appreciate what the A-3 has to offer: A tiny and comfortable semi-open design. If this isn't high on your list, other models can help you get better sound quality for less money.