Looking for the best robot vacuum? The market is flooded with alternatives. It can be hard to choose. So let’s get this review out there for one very popular model in particular — the Roborock S7. The robotic vacuum of this generation is not just a vacuum; it is a robot for all of your floor cleaning woes.
The Roborock S7 is a top-tier robot vacuum. It combines the best of high-end features with a price that is less than many others. It’s right up there with models such as the Roborock Q5. It sits lower than the top-tier Roborock S7 MaxV and the more recent Roborock S8 series.
This review will cover everything. We will review its design, features, performance, and maintenance. We will also be answering the most frequently asked questions about the Roborock brand. Read on to see if it’s the right robot vacuum for your home.
First Impression: Design and Build
The Roborock S7 looks as cool as it sounds. Available in ‘White’ and ‘Black’, we tried out the ‘White’ edition. Both color variants perform identically. The reliability and quality of the build feel strong.
One option is the S7+ bundle. It adds the Roborock Auto-Empty Dock that can take care of your dirty work as well. When the S7 is done with its cleaning cycle, it goes back by itself to that dock. Finally, the debris is discharged automatically by the dock itself from the robot’s bin. It is a great time-saving feature. You will not need to empty the small bin after each cleaning.
Roborock S7 Features
The Roborock S7 has all kinds of smart tech features inside. All of these capabilities render it one of the best cleaning robots you can get.
S7 is Smart to Navigate
LiDAR tech is how vacuuming robots navigate. It uses the same technology that self-driving cars do. In other words, a rotating laser located on the top of the robot maps every nook and cranny in your house, down to the centimeter. In exchange, a detailed floor plan can be created in the app by the robot. This means it cleans in straight lines, perfectly — no more random bumping around. The vacuum knows where it has cleaned, and what still needs to be cleaned. That is why it would be wise to list it among the best robot cleaning tools for smart homeowners.
The VibraRise Sonic Mopping: The Star of Our Show
This is the vacuuming robot’s gem. Ideally, most robot mops merely drag a wet pad around the house. However, for the S7, things are utterly different. The mopping robot features an ultrasonic mopping system. Consequently, the pad vibrates up to 3,000 times per minute. This vibration, in essence, creates a scrubbing action. Therefore, with this power, the device clears off dirt, stains, coffee spills, or even a pet’s muddy paw prints. Thus, the sonic mopping is what makes the S7 an exceptional vacuuming robot.
Smart Carpet Detection
Here we have another fantastic innovation of the vacuuming robot. The Roborock S7 can differentiate between hard floors and carpets. Notably, when the robot shifts from tile to a doormat, an ultrasonic sensor senses the carpet. Consequently, the robot can vacuum a carpet and mop a hard floor in one cleaning session. You won’t find any need for no-mop zones, as there is no need to remove the pad. For a fact, it’s all seamless and peaceful.
Performance on Different Surfaces
On Bare Floors (Hardwood, Tile, Laminate)
On hard floors, the Roborock S7 easily sucks up everything and anything from cereal to fine dust particles. A combination of high suction and its floating rubber brush does wonders. This could be the best robot vacuum for you if your home has mostly hard surfaces.
On Carpets and Rugs
The S7 is a solid vacuum cleaner on carpet, but it’s not its standout feature. It works decently well on low-pile carpeting when considering only surface dirt and debris.
Unfortunately, its performance seems to fall a bit short here. It finds it tricky to pull out pet hair buried deep in the pile of a thick carpet. A model that focuses on vacuum power might be better if you have a couple of heavy-shedding pets and plush carpets. For deeper carpet cleaning needs, you might want to consider dedicated carpet cleaner machines.
Maintenance: What to Expect
Regular maintenance is essential for optimal performance of your Roborock S7. This includes cleaning the dustbin after each use, washing the mop pad regularly, and replacing filters as needed. The main brush should be cleaned weekly to prevent hair tangles, and the sensors should be wiped clean monthly to maintain navigation accuracy.
FAQs: Answering Your Roborock Questions
We answer the most common questions we get asked about Roborock.
Is the Roborock S8 better than the S7?
Roborock vs. Xiaomi: Which Is Best for You? Is Roborock made by Xiaomi?
Is Roborock better than Dyson?
Why choose Roborock?
Which is the cheapest Roborock?
Is Roborock good for tiles?
Are iRobot and Roborock the same company?
Is Roborock or Eufy better?
Is Shark better than Roborock?
Roborock vs. Deebot: What are the similarities?
The Roborock S7: Pros and Cons
What We Like (Pros)
- Excellent sonic mopping for a truly deep clean.
- Speed and efficiency with smart LiDAR navigation.
- The auto-lifting mop pad is great for mixed-floor homes.
- Powerful suction on bare floors.
What We Don’t Like (Cons)
- Difficulty with pet hair on thick carpets.
- Ongoing costs for non-reusable filters and pads.
- Best performance requires frequent maintenance.
- Good, but not the best obstacle avoidance.
- The S7+ emptying dock is on the clunky side.
Roborock App — Your Cleaning Command Center
The software is what runs a robot vacuum cleaner. The Roborock app is really good and simple. It effectively unlocks your S7 from just a vacuum to a wildly powerful cleaning tool. That’s when this robot vacuum cleaner gets to be smart.
The S7 maps your floor during its first run with surprisingly granular detail. This map is the key to unlocking the full power of your top-tier automatic vacuum.
Key App Features:
- Multi-Floor Mapping: Save up to four maps on the S7. It’s great for multi-level homes, and it also knows which floor it’s on.
- Room Division / Naming: The app automatically suggests room divisions. You can simply combine, divide, and name rooms. This means you can say, “Hey Google, get Roborock to hoover the kitchen.”
- Create Virtual Zones: You can create No-Go and No-Mop Zones by exercising a few taps on the map. This creates “No-Go Zones” where the bot will not go. Users can also make “No-Mop Zones” for spots that are cleaned by the vacuum but not mopped, even if they’re not carpet.
- Zone and Room Cleaning: Don’t need to clean the whole house? All you need to do is tap on the kitchen and living room in the app map. The vacuuming robot will clean only those areas that you select.
- Individual Cleaning Settings: You can determine the suction power and mop vibration intensity for each room.
- Scheduling: Create a complete cleaning calendar. For example, get the S7 to vacuum the whole house every Monday morning. Or say, vacuum the entryway at 5 PM daily. It has an impressively high level of control.
The app is another big contributor to why Roborock is typically ranked as one of the best robot vacuum brands out there.
So, Is the Roborock S7+ Auto-Empty Dock a Valid Investment?
Purchasable as a standalone product or bundled together, the Roborock S7+ bundle is an option. The “plus” signifies that it comes with the Auto-Empty Dock. This station not only charges the robot but also acts as a powerful vacuum for the robot’s bin.
Your robot vacuum comes back to its dock after completing the cleaning. The dock has a very powerful motor that sucks everything from the robot’s dustbin into a larger bag placed inside the dock.
Advantages of the Auto-Empty Dock:
- Forget emptying for weeks: The robot’s dustbin is the last thing on your mind. This makes the robotic vacuum practically self-sufficient.
- Ideal for Allergy Sufferers: Emptying a tiny dustbin can let dust into the air. The dock’s sealed bag system effectively captures dust and allergens.
Things to Consider:
- Additional Expense: The S7+ bundle is far more costly than the robot on its own.
- Noise: It is loud during emptying for 15-20 seconds. It sounds like a traditional upright vacuum running at peak suction.
- Recurring Cost: The dock uses disposable bags. You’ll need to buy more over time, which is an ongoing expense.
The Auto-Empty Dock is a luxury auto-clean attribute. So yes, if it is convenient and within your price range, it is most definitely worth the money. It empowers your experience of owning a robot vacuum in the best possible way.
Obstacle Avoidance Behavior to Roam Your Home
How well does the Roborock S7 work? It uses its LiDAR sensor to discover walls, furniture, and doorways. It has an almost zero failure rate of getting lost.
What does this mean for you?
- The S7 will get out of the way of a chair, a sofa, or a wall.
- It could miss a charging cable, a miniature toy, a sock, or maybe pet waste.
It is also a good idea to do some quick tidying up before each cleaning (a 1-minute tidy) so the robot is prepared to provide you with the best cleaning performance. Collect any small floor clutter. This means that the S7 is free to clean without getting stuck or dragging belongings around.
Roborock S7 vs. Other Roborock Models
Roborock S7 vs. Roborock Q5
The Q5 is a great vacuum robot with LiDAR navigation, but it has a simple, non-vibrating mopping system. If you are relying on good mopping performance, choose the S7.
Roborock S7 vs. Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
The S7 MaxV Ultra is a formidable upgrade. There is an upgrade of adding an AI-powered camera with smart obstacle avoidance, so it can see and avoid those socks and cables. It also has a more advanced “Ultra” dock. It both empties the dustbin and washes the mop pad, in addition to refilling the robot’s water tank. For the time being, the S7 MaxV Ultra takes the absolute top spot if you are not only in search of advanced automation but also object avoidance.
Roborock S7 vs. Roborock S8
The Roborock S8 has two rubber brushes that resist hair tangles and do really well with debris. It also has greater suction and more sophisticated obstacle avoidance than the regular S7. Grab the S8 for its new tech and slightly better cleaning, especially if you have pets. Yet, the S7 tends to offer nearly equal value for its price.
The best Roborock model depends on what you are looking for and are ready to pay for.
Top Tips for Getting Started with Your New Roborock S7
Here are a few things to keep in mind so that your robot vacuum works properly:
- Run Your First Map (Home Layout): Open all doors to places you want cleaned for the first map. Clear the clutter on the floor. This prevents the robot from creating an incomplete or inaccurate map.
- Set a Cleaning Schedule: The true beauty of a cleaning robot is automation. Schedule the app to clean busy areas regularly. This means your home will always be clean.
- Keep Your Mop Ready: You will get the best mopping experience when you pre-soak the mop pad before the robot begins. It is also important to wash the mop pad after each use to avoid mildew and ensure it will continue to clean well.
Our Verdict: Is the Roborock S7 the Robot Vacuum You’re Looking For?
The Roborock S7 is a great robot vacuum. This cleaning robot has certainly earned its spot as one of the most effective ones on the market.
Purchase the Roborock S7 if:
- Your home has plenty of tile, hardwood, or vinyl floors.
- You want a robot vacuum that mops well.
- You have a thing for smart home tech and deep app systems.
You may want to explore other options if:
- You have a lush, deep-pile shag carpet everywhere in your house.
- You have multiple pets and a lot of hair shedding onto your carpet.
The robot provides an optimal combination of smart navigation, powerful vacuuming, and a unique mopping experience. It is an excellent choice for everybody who is interested in a long-term investment that will keep their floors clean with little effort. Thus, it is still one of the greatest today.