Improved Vacuuming Ability with Advanced Sonic Mopping
The newest addition to the Roborock family, the S7, continues the company's legacy of effective and intelligent vacuuming robots while improving the mopping functionality lacking in previous iterations.
Like others in this line, this robot vacuum uses highly accurate LIDAR mapping and navigation that allows you to easily create a map of your home using the phone app. Unlike the previous version, though, this vacuum is missing the front-facing camera, making it less able to avoid unexpected obstacles. But the new model does include an updated bristleless rubber brush that is less prone to tangles and moves up and down for better surface contact.
But where this version steps away from previous models is in the mopping department. This new mopping robot features a sonic vibrating pad that scrubs the floor 3,000 times per minute. This improved technology still isn't enough to lift set-in stains or tennis shoe scuffs, but it will lift dried-on spills-something previous versions could not do.
Overall, the Roborock S7 gives you a slight upgrade in vacuuming power with most of the same great features found in previous versions and a massive upgrade in the mopping department.
Review Criteria Ratings
Disclosure:It is important you understand that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. All opinions are our own we pride ourselves on keeping our articles fair and balanced. For more info see our disclosure statement.Roborock S7 Product Overview
The S7 is the latest robotic vacuum from Roborock. Like the S5 and S6, this advanced product comes with a unique mopping feature that gives it extra cleaning power on hard surfaces. Unlike those previous versions, the S7 employs "sonic mopping" technology that vibrates the mopping pad 3,000 times per minute for extra stain lifting power.
What's Changed?
The first mopping robot from this company was the Roborock S5. While that version, and the subsequent S6, did a decent job of shining up tile and hardwood floors, they were fairly ineffective at lifting dried-up spills. The S7 is more advanced but will not replace a good deep manual mopping, especially if your floor gets stained or scuffed.
Despite the revamped mopping features, the vacuuming ability of this robot is still where it shines. With an upgraded rubber brush that avoids tangles and responds to changes in surface height, it somehow manages to vacuum even better than the iterations that came before.
If you have never owned a Roborock vacuum, you've been missing out on a great line of products from a company that has grown exponentially in popularity over the last few years.
About Roborock
Roborock, founded in Beijing in 2014, has two main product lines: robotic vacuums and cordless stick vacuums. The organization's unique inclusion of minds from all different corners of the tech world-from former Microsoft engineers to former DJI drone designers-has helped create many breakout products. Only a few years after launching their first robotic vacuum, you could find the brand's name alongside iRobot on best-of lists across the net.
Vast Improvements
In many areas, the S7 is a vast improvement over these original products. In terms of cleaning power, it even outperforms the highly celebrated S6 MaxV. But a few features are missing on this most recent release that we would have loved to see.
The front-facing camera that gave previous versions the ability to avoid obstacles like dog poop and vomit is not included in this version, likely due to a lack of available space. The ability to set a room cleaning order via the connected app also appears to be missing. This is especially odd given that the app is otherwise basically identical to the original version.
To get an idea of how the S7 compares to previous Roborock mop-vacuums, check out this handy comparison table.
Overall, the missing features on the S7 pale in comparison to the improved vacuum brush and mopping pad. This increased cleaning power combined with some functional new features and many of the old standbys we've come to love about this brand makes it an excellent choice in the robotic vacuum market.
Keep reading to see our full S7 Roborock review and how the product stood up to real-life use.
How the Roborock S7 Performs
We were given the opportunity to test out the new S7 Roborock firsthand. Below we've reviewed the four aspects that determine whether a robotic vacuum is worth the cost or not.
Cleaning Power
The S7 is capable of vacuuming hard and carpeted floors and mopping hard floors. We tested all aspects of its cleaning power to see how it matched up to the previous versions and other robot vacuums on the market.
Vacuuming
Despite their many features, it's the vacuum power of the Roborocks that we have always found the most impressive. This new model had a few upgraded features that we were especially eager to test out.
The new brush on this version uses rubber instead of bristles. This design makes it less prone to getting tangled up in hair and other debris. While the new brush isn't completely immune to the strangling effects of long hair, we found it does happen less frequently than with the older bristled models.
Another upgrade to the brush is the floating housing that allows it to move up and down over surfaces of different heights. Because it tracks the ground more tightly, it can pull debris from cracks and crevices. We found this feature made a noticeable difference on hard floors, especially those with deep grout lines.
Overall, this robot vacuum delivers a powerful clean on both carpet and hard floors. It easily outperforms earlier models and holds its weight against more expensive products with recognizable names.
Dustbin
Part of the improved cleaning power of the S7 has to do with the larger capacity dustbin. While it looks smaller than the previous version, it is actually 17% larger. This means it takes longer for the bot to lose suction. It also means you'll have to dump the bin less often, which is perfect for those with a larger floor plan.
Mopping
The new sonic mopping capability of the S7 vastly improves on previous mopping performance, which is, of course, the marquee feature of the newer Roborocks.
The mopping mechanism on this model vibrates the center of the mopping pad at a rate of 3,000 pulses per minute. This vibration helps loosen stuck-on debris and spills by moving the pad back and forth incredibly quickly. This movement is enough to remove light marks and dried spills -something previous versions struggled with.
Even with the new tech, this product will not replace a good manual mop. But it will keep your floors looking cleaner in between those necessary deep cleans.
While we appreciate the improved cleaning ability, what is really nice about the new model is the fact that you no longer have to manually remove the mopping pad before the robot can vacuum the carpet.
The S7 automatically lifts the mop pad 5mm off the ground when it senses carpet. It will then switch straight into vacuum mode, allowing it to clean the entire level in less time and with less input from you. For low pile carpets, this feature works great, but we did notice it will drag some on tall carpets.
Battery Life
All Roborocks seem to have great battery life, and this one is no exception. The 5200mAh Li-ion battery is advertised as having a 180-minute battery life. The bot was able to clean our entire 1140 sq ft ground-level floor without losing charge.
Navigation
The S7 features the same smart LIDAR navigation that the other models utilize. This highly capable system allows the bot to map out your entire floor plan without you having to do more than start the machine. Once the map has been saved, the robot will automatically recognize its location, even if placed on another level of your home away from the docking station.
Once the maps have been uploaded and customized with no-clean zones, no-mop zones, and other special features, the robot will choose the most efficient path for cleaning and get to work.
The LIDAR navigation helps keep the robot from running into major obstacles like dropped toys and moved furniture, but it is less effective against smaller obstructions. The previous iteration, the S6 MaxV, featured a front-facing camera and AI obstacle detection that helped with these smaller issues.
The lack of a camera on the S7 isn't a huge deal in most situations, but it can be problematic if large food spills or pet accidents frequently happen in your home. The S7 isn't likely to see these and may run straight through them, causing more mess than it cleans.
Smartphone App
The S7 uses the same basic phone app as previous models. We have always found this app a bit overcomplicated, but we'd rather get a ton of features than not enough.
Setting up your floor plan map is easy enough. All you need to do is set the vacuum in the dock and activate it to begin cleaning. The floor plan will load in real-time on the app as the bot moves. Once all the rooms have been traced out, you can save the map to access the additional features.
These features include:- The ability to set separate rooms
- Allows you to set the power and water usage for each area
- Allows you to clean a single room at a time
- The ability to add different zones
- Can tell the unit to clean a particular zone
- Can set no-clean and no-mop zones
- Pin n Go
- Allows for emergency spot cleaning of spills
- Maintenance reminders
- Filter, sensor, and brush cleaning
- Battery power left
- Remote control
- Ability to manually control the vac
- Set voice language and volume
- Set cleaning schedules
- Set DND mode
- The do not disturb mode allows you to restrict when the vacuum will automatically run
You'll find the most significant difference between the S7 app and previous versions is the inability to set the order for room cleaning. The bot will automatically choose its cleaning path based on the most efficient route. If you have multiple rooms that require cleaning at specific times, this lack of functionality may cause some issues.
Alternatives
In terms of cleaning ability, the Roborock S7 is as good as any robot vacuum we've tried. But it lacks in some areas that other models don't.
If you have a toddler prone to making sticky, icky messes or a puppy who is still being housetrained, you may want to consider the Roborock S6 MaxV. This vacuum and mop-capable robot includes an integrated camera and AI navigation that easily avoids smaller obstacles like dog poop and overturned bowls of spaghetti.
A combination mop/vacuum is excellent if you have a lot of different surfaces in your home. But if your house is predominately carpet, you can save yourself a little money by opting for a vacuum-only model like the Roborock S4. This older version is a little less powerful than the S7 and S6 but has more mapping functionality and costs less.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Robot Vacuum
Robot vacuums are a great way to keep your house cleaner between deep cleans. They are optimal for busy families who struggle to keep up with household chores and individuals who want to up their base-level of cleanliness. However, these smart machines are not going to erase the need to manually mop or vacuum forever. If that is your end goal, you are better off looking into a weekly maid service.
What you hope to achieve with your new robot vacuum is just one thing you should think about before investing in the Roborock S7 or any other type of robotic vacuum cleaner. Here are a few more things to consider:
- If scheduling/zone cleaning is important to you. Consider how customizable you need your cleaning program to be.
- How much you are willing to spend.
- How many levels you need to clean. Some robot vacuums can map multiple levels, and some cannot.
- What kind of obstacles will need to be avoided. Is your robot likely to encounter pet messes or small toys? Or is your house generally debris-free?
- What your normal "messy" is. For homes with pets, kids, and dense carpets, you'll need powerful suction. For those with less chaos and short pile carpets, you can get away with less power.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a robotic vacuum to help you keep your house neat and tidy between chore days, you've found the right product in the Roborock S7. It has an improved rubber brush and advanced sonic mopping technology for powerful cleaning of hard surfaces and carpets
The newest Roborock product lacks a few of the features we loved about the older models, but you just can't beat its cleaning prowess. If you have a large house with different surface types, you will appreciate the responsive brush, auto-mop retraction, and advanced mopping tech this robot vacuum brings to the table.
Click here to learn more about the impressive Roborock S7 or to purchase one of your own.
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