What are the best Roborock cleaners and what are the differences?
If you’re shopping for the best robot vacuum cleaners then the Roborock name is likely to come up: it now has a substantial number of models on the market, and you’d be forgiven for being confused about exactly which devices offer which features.
We’re here to explain everything in simple terms, what the differences are between the top end models such as the S8 MaxV Ultra, S8 Pro Ultra, S7 MaxV and the S8+, the mid-rangers such as the S6 MaxV and S5 Max, and the entry level models such as the E4, E5 and the Q series.
Believe us, it can get confusing understanding what the different names and models are for each Roborock model.
No matter what your budget or specific needs, we’ll tell how much you can expect to spend on the different Roborock models that are available, a comparison between the Roborock vacuum cleaners and which Roborock model might be the best pick for you.
Read on for our guide to the best Roborock vacuum cleaners…
Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra / S8 Max Ultra
Roborock usually uses CES to whip the covers off of its new flagship cleaner and CES 2024 was no exception, with the Chinese brand unveiling the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra over in Vegas.
In terms of big picture smart home news, is the fact that the S8 MaxV Ultra brings Matter to the robot vacuum cleaner party; robo cleaners were one of the new device categories added by the CSA back in October, when it launched Matter 1.2.
For the users at home though, the big new additions are hardware rather than software based. First up is a whopping 10,000Pa suction rating, by far the biggest we’ve ever seen from a robo cleaner.
And it’s not just the extra suction power that will result in your floors being cleaner; there’s also a new FlexiArm Design Side Brush and Extra Edge Spinning Mop System on board, essentially a robotic arm and extra pad that extend to clean hard-to-reach spaces, with more than 99% corner coverage.
When it comes to mopping, the S8 MaxV Ultra takes what was already a winning combo from its predecessors but adds a whole bunch of new features to the mix.
With the new flagship, there’s a heavy emphasis on heat – the new RockDock Ultra not only empties, refills, and dispenses detergent to the robot, but also washes the mop with 60°C hot water and dries with 60°C heated air to prevent odor and mildew build-up.
There’s also a new dock on offer too, that can be plumbed straight into your water supply and waste, much like a washing machine or dishwasher.
VibraRise, the name Roborock gives to the functionality of lifting the mopping pad when carpet is detected, reaches version 3.0 with the S8 MaxV Ultra, adding two vibration modules, 20mm lifting, and 4000rpm high-speed sonic mopping.
There’s also some new Roborock software on board the new flagship including DirTect to recognize different types of dirt and change cleaning settings accordingly, and Reactive AI 2.0 for advanced obstacle recognition and avoidance.
Roborock has also taken a leaf out of Ecovac’s book by adding its own voice assistant to the mix, dubbed ‘Hello Rocky’.
If your budget won’t stretch to the $1,799 that the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra costs, and you don’t care about ‘How Rocky’, Matter or DirTect features then the all-new S8 Max Ultra might be for you.
It’s $200 cheaper than its V-labelled brethren but you’ll also ‘only’ get an 8,000Pa suction (8,000 is still incredibly high in the robo vacuum world.)
Read our Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra review to find out more.
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra / S8+ / S8
2023’s flagship follows roughly the same format as we’ve seen from the company over the last few years, with the headline Roborock S8 Pro Ultra model sitting above the Roborock S8+ and Roborock S8.
The robo cleaner itself, the S8, is the same no matter what configuration you get, the other monikers refer to the extras you get in the box.
The entire S8 range ups the suction power to 6,000Pa – the most we’ve seen on a Roborock robot vacuum – while a new dual rubber roller brush has been designed to pick up more dirt and resist tangles more readily compared to predecessors.
On the S8, the headline upgrades over the Roborock S7 Series, however, actually isn’t to do with the robot cleaner itself.
Instead, the RockDock Ultra, which promises a new warm air drying feature for mop pads, automatic mop washing, dust emptying, self-cleaning and tank refilling, is the big improvement for the flagship S8 Pro Ultra.
The company’s own VibraRise sonic mopping technology is also getting upgraded for the S8, with version 2.0 offering improved efficiency thanks to the addition of a second vibration module.
As ever with the company’s premium vacuums, the entire S8 series is also equipped with real-time obstacle avoidance, meaning it’s able to react during a cycle and deviate its path around an object.
The S8+ model doesn’t have the Ultra’s highest-end dock, but still comes with auto dust emptying, so you’ll have to manually sort the water tank aspect yourself.
As you’d expect, the Roborock top-dog doesn’t come cheap. Available Stateside right now, but not in the UK, it’s $749.99 for the S8 on its own, $200 on top of that if you want the dust-dock with the S8+ and it’s $1,599.99 for the S8 Pro Ultra package.
Read our full Roborock S8 Pro Ultra review to learn more.
Roborock S7 MaxV / S7 MaxV Plus / S7 MaxV Ultra
Until the S8 range came along and stole its thunder, the S7 MaxV was the big daddy of the Roborock range
An S7 MaxV is one of the most advanced robots you can get into you home; Roborock’s flagship has a whopping 5,100Pa suction rating.
The S7 MaxV boasts 2.0 ReactiveAI Obstacle Avoidance System, which means that – thanks to its array of RGB cameras, 3D structured light and an all-new neural processing unit – it can see objects in its path and adapts quickly to clean around them.
The S7 MaxV will recognize and position your furniture in the Roborock app, allowing for quick cleans around dining tables or sofas with just a simple tap of an icon in the app.
Like the S7, the S7 MaxV boasts VibraRise sonic mopping and an intelligent automatic lift; underneath the mopping pad is an ultrasonic vibration plate so, rather than a wet pad simply wiping away at your hard floors.
In the Roborock app you can choose between high-intensity scrub settings from 1,650 times per minute, up to to 3,000 times per minute.
It’s a great machine on its own but the S7 MaxV is also available in a couple of dock configurations, as well.
Teamed up with Roborock’s Auto Empty Dock you have the S7 MaxV Plus package, where you can expect up to eight weeks without manually emptying the dust contents.
Or, for the ultimate automated clean, the S7 MaxV Ultra package includes the Roborock Empty Wash Fill Dock; the most advanced dock the company has ever produced.
Not only will it empty the dustbin into a chamber, it also boasts two water tanks so it can both clean the mopping pads and also remove any dirty water.
Read our full Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra review.
Roborock S7 Pro Ultra / Roborock S7 Max Ultra
We’ve put these two S7 models together but they are actually a bit different.
The Max is actually the superior model of the two as it adds mop drying and obstacle avoidance to the mix, and ups the suction rating from 5,100Pa on the Pro to 5,500.
Apart from that they are very much alike and both come with the Ultra dock, which includes dirty and clean water tanks and a dustbin for auto-dirt emptying.
These models seem to be getting more of a push from Roborock than the S7 MaxV range now, and are newer, but their spec sheets and feature sets are extremely similar.
The S7 Max Ultra is $1,299, whereas the pro is $150 less.
Roborock S7 (and S7+)
The Roborock S7 was announced at CES 2021, a smart robot vacuum cleaner that, at the time, was Roborock’s most advanced yet, when it comes to mopping.
It’s still a heavy hitter and there is also a Plus model available that comes with Roborock’s Auto-Empty Dock (for an additional $299).
In the app you can choose between high-intensity scrub settings from 1,650 times per minute, up to to 3,000 times per minute.
The sonic mopping feature equates to a doubling of the pressure of either the S6 MaxV and the S5 Max.
Roborock’s new VibraRise feature, which went live on the S7 detects that it has left a hard floor area and his landed on a rug, or carpet, and the mopping pad is a lifted up.
As well as the advanced mopping skills, the S7 has all the high-end power we’ve come to expect from Roborock; including a 2,500Pa suction rating and a whopping 5,200mAh battery.
Read our full Roborock S7 review
Roborock S6 MaxV
A real oldie here, but one that seems to be hanging around for now, the S6 MaxV introduced Roborock’s most advanced tracking tech back in 2020: the ReactiveAI Obstacle Avoidance System.
It’s still the joint quietest (67db), and has the joint biggest internal battery (5,200 mAh) – so you can see it’s the model Roborock use as a base for all new machines.
Before the S6 MaxV there were a wide range of S models that have now been discontinued including the regular S6, the S6 Pure, the S5 and S5 Max, the S4 and S4 Max and more.
Read our full Roborock S6 MaxV review
The Roborock Q Series
With the Q Series, Roborock has made it even easier to get in on the high-tech self cleaning action.
Budget-friendly and still offering all the superb core functions of fellow Roborock models, the lineup – made up of the likes of the Q Revo, Q5, Q7, Q7 Max and Q8 Max – allows users to receive a hassle-free solution to dusty floors and dander-filled carpets.
With some very distinct models in the Q Series collection, however, you might be wondering just what you can expect from one of these low-cost robot vacuums. Read on for the six key functions of these clever cleaners.
Powerful suction
Any robot vacuum worth its salt is able to blast around the home and suck up any dust and dirt that comes its way – and that’s exactly what you can expect from the Q Series devices.
Whether you opt for the likes of the Q5 and Q7, which boast an impressive suction force of 2700Pa, or you want the serious power of the Q7 Max – a model that ramps this suction rating to 4200Pa – your Q Series model will have the ability to rid your home of pet hair, dirt, pollen and dust mites.
The top Q machine, the Q8 Max, actually boasts a 5,500Pa suction rating and adds obstacle avoidance to the mix.
It’s the ideal companion for those with allergies – particularly if you have carpets around the home in which these allergens can easily hide.
Hands-free emptying
When your Q Series cleaner has finished ridding your home of unwanted dirt, the best is yet to come. If you opt for the ‘+’ variation of any of these three vacuums, it will be paired with the Roborock Auto-Empty Dock Pure, meaning you’ll no longer have to perform the task of emptying the device yourself.
It quickly and effectively pulls dust into a separate 2.5L dust bag – an amount that Roborock estimates is enough to store around seven weeks of dust and dirt. When you do eventually have to empty the stored-up result of the Q Series vacuum’s cleans, you can also rest assured that the air remains clean, with the dustbag featuring an air filter that is tested to filter 99.7% of pollen as small as 0.3 microns-squared.
Long-lasting power
The dock isn’t just the base for the various Q series devices, though – it’s also the place where the robot vacuum will come to recharge after charging around the home and tackling dirt.
Even for those with large and extended spaces, however, the Q Series models won’t be found lacking battery power. Whether you opt for the Q5, Q7 or Q8 Max, you can expect 180 minutes of runtime in the vacuum’s quiet mode.
That’s all thanks to the built-in 5200mAh lithium-ion battery, enabling all models of the Q Series to cover a maximum range of 3230 square feet – and more than enough to cover most homes.
No corner untouched
In fact, it’s not just the incredible staying power of the Q Series that will ensure your home remains free from grime and dust – it’s also abetted by the intuitive Roborock app and the PreciSense LiDAR system, which is the brains behind the vacuum.
Through a combination of these two forces, each Q Series model is able to find the most efficient way to clean space in your home and deliver you with an easy-to-understand visual of the process.
From within the app, users can also access tons of handy features, such as scheduling – which affords the ability to set up regular cleans for any time of day, at any power level, and in any room – and multi-level mapping.
Though the Q Series can’t quite make it up and down stairs, it is able to remember the different levels of homes. All you have to do is move it from one to another and place it down; there’s no need for additional docks, and you don’t need to do anything within the app. It all means that every area of the home is under watch.
Dual-action cleaning
It’s not just about vacuuming, either – if you opt for either the Roborock Q7, Q7 Max or Q8 Max, you’ll also receive the mopping function.
Ideal for homes with plenty of hard surfaces, these Q Series devices are able to vacuum and mop simultaneously to ensure finer dirt and spills are all cleaned.
The Q7 and Q8 Max is particularly impressive in this regard, given that it’s fitted with an electronic pump that offers 30 different water flow levels, which allows users to fine-tune the mopping to their different floor types and preferences.
With up to 350ml able to be held in the vacuum’s water tank, as well, they can ensure even larger homes remain mopped regularly. Even the Q7, with its 180ml tank, is no slouch, though.
More Roborock tech to consider
As well as the S-series detailed above, there are other Roborock devices that you may want to consider, such as…
Roborock Auto Empty Dock
$299.99 | Amazon
Last year, Roborock introduced self cleaning docking station and the Roborock S7 is the first compatible model.
The HEPA rated self-emptying dustbin filters and traps 99.99% of allergens and airborne pollutants, allowing for easy, hands-free disposal.
Roborock E4 / E4 Mop
$249.99 | Amazon
Roborock’s cleaners are all incredibly competitive when it comes to pricing but, if you’re looking for the cheapest entry to the Roborock vacuuming and mopping party then look no further than the E4 Mop.
It may not have the advanced tracking and laser guidance of its more expensive siblings but you are still getting a fantastic cleaning performance from a 2,000Pa vacuum and a 180ml water tank for mopping.
28% larger than previous E-series Roborock models, the upgraded E4 mopping system uses innovative hydraulics to let you adjust the water flow to meet different cleaning preferences.
There is also a new E5 model, which adds 500Pa to the suction rating for an extra $40.
