Eureka’s J15 Pro Ultra robot vacuum promises more power and smarter cleaning

Eureka is a North American (founded in 1909 in Detroit, Michigan) company that most of us are probably familiar with – it’s been around for over 100 years. In that time, it’s produced classic upright and canister vacuums, upright vacuums, handheld vacuums, cordless versions of various models, and of course, robot vacuums. Lots and lots of robot vacuums, currently spanning three different ranges ranging in price from $599.99 to $1,399.99, all with dedicated customer service six days a week.

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The recent product launch event held in Berlin at IFA 2024 saw the reveal of a range of new models – seven individual devices in total – from the upright RapidWash 360 and Stylus Series models to new robot vacuums like the E10s, E20 Plus, J20 and J12 Ultra. Topping the list is the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra robot vacuum, which boasts a number of mechanical and software improvements over its predecessors and contemporary J Series models.

These aren’t your typical incremental upgrades between new models. The J15 Pro Ultra offers more powerful suction than some traditional canister vacuums, a self-cleaning base station, and smarter smart mopping technology. It even introduces a new AI system that promises to improve the vacuum’s ability to tackle stains and large pockets of dry debris, making it one of the most exciting robotic home cleaners from the big-name manufacturer.

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The J15 Pro Ultra boasts 16,200 PA (pascals of air pressure) of suction, thanks in part to its aluminum fan design. The material difference allows for better heat dissipation, allowing for better use of the motor’s power, resulting in an incredibly thorough (99 percent) clean in Eureka Lab tests using cereal, crushed potato chips, and other dry bits of food.

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In other words, one of Eureka’s best-selling canister vacuums (i.e. traditional, non-robotic models) is the NEN180, which reaches 16,000 Pa. This means the J15 Pro Ultra has 200 Pa more suction power, in addition to being able to clean a floor on its own. So, in addition to being more powerful than the average robot vacuum (which usually has between 6,000 and 10,000 Pa), it manages to outshine even the popular canister model.

Eureka’s J15 Pro Ultra also features an anti-tangle system called FlexiRazor™, which tackles potential blockages and tangles caused by pulling in too much hair. Or rather, it prevents those literal snags from building up in the first place, with a set of 4mm high-density blades that move 400 times a minute across the entire brush. In SGS lab tests, that meant a 99 percent reduction in hair tangles—zero percent for dog hair and just one percent for human hair.

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As a high-end robotic vacuum cleaner, the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra can also be used as a mop. It now also features Eureka’s new ScrubExtend technology, which allows the vacuum cleaner to extend its mop surfaces outward on a pivot arm system. This allows the J15 Pro Ultra to get much closer to the edge when working in corners, on furniture legs, and other places where its physical size might make it a bit more difficult to work.

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ScrubExtend is also designed to protect the arms and furniture. The system knows not to press too hard on corners and other heavy surfaces to protect the arm motor, while the soft rubber edge of the mop pads cushions and protects furniture and moldings from damage. In fact, it protects the mechanism so well that Eureka Lab tests suggest the arms are likely to last through 36 months (minimum!) of daily home cleaning.

Despite its softer touch, the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra still cleans deeper than you might expect from a robot mop. It achieves this by applying 7N (about 1.5 pounds) of downward force when extending and retracting the mop arms. Working in conjunction with the ScrubExtend system, it really gets into edges and corners.

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Another new addition to Eureka’s technology that’s being introduced with the J15 Pro Ultra is IntelliView™ AI. This intelligent system allows the J15 Pro Ultra to differentiate between wet and dry messes, and it can adjust accordingly.

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But it’s more than just switching between vacuuming and mopping. Eureka knows that robot vacuums can sometimes mess things up a bit — like sucking up wet or damp dirt with the brush — and that these oversights can cause clumps in the vacuum’s bin, making cleaning a real chore. With IntelliView™ AI, the J15 Pro Ultra knows to turn to the mopping side to prioritize wet dirt, while also using Eureka’s FlexiRise™ technology to raise the brush. This effectively prevents any debris from getting into the bin that needs mopping.

This also allows the J15 Plus Ultra to identify stains and other more difficult spills, then change its cleaning strategy to better handle them. Instead of a simple one-time mop pass, IntelliView™ AI will have the vacuum return to the base station and rinse the mop with hot water, then return to the mess to continue cleaning — repeating these steps as many times as necessary.

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IntelliView™ AI can also reduce the annoyance of dry debris being kicked up by an overzealous brush. Now, the J15 Pro Ultra can detect dry debris and slow down the brush speed (to prevent it from throwing bits out). Once it’s cleared of debris, the brushes speed up again to better handle dust and smaller particles.

Even the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra base station does something extra by cleaning itself. Sure, it still empties the vacuum, but the biggest change is that it can now take care of itself.

Many other robot vacuums feature a base station that collects all the dirt and debris (wet or dry) that gets picked up during regular home cleaning. However, the base stations themselves can sometimes suffer from a buildup of dirt and other substances that don’t make it into the vacuum’s dust bin or other internal collection areas.

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Now, however, the base station includes a designated dirt collection area, a scraper for the tray, and a channel for moving that dirt. All of these elements work together so that when the J15 Pro Ultra is done mopping, any remaining dirt in the cleaning tray is swept into the dirt collection area. This dirt is then dried and ready to be sucked into the base station’s internal dust bag during the next cleaning cycle.

So instead of worrying about cleaning up various mop debris around the base station every now and then, all you have to do is empty and replace the dust bag every now and then. That way, you’ll spend less time scrubbing the vacuum’s docking station and your overall experience will be much more streamlined.

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Learn more about why Eureka’s J15 Pro Ultra received the SlashGear Innovation Award at IFA 2024 in Berlin, the world’s largest consumer technology trade show.