Roborock S7 vs S6 MaxV comparison - UK (2024)

Let's check out the cleaning performance in our Roborock S6 MaxV and Roborock S7 comparison first.

We spread various dirt types on a hardwood floor and low-pile/high-pile carpets for our cleaning test. Then the Roborock robot vacuums have to show what they got and clean it all up.

Last but not least, we also checked how the two models coped with cleaning our home in everyday life over a more extended period.

The following table gives you an overview of the results.

Roborock S7 vs. S6 MaxV: Cleaning Test Results

Cleaning Test on a Hardwood Floor

The two premium robot vacuums were on par in the cleaning test on laminate.

The Roborock S7 achieved a tad more cleanliness in total...

If you have mainly hard floors at home (laminate, tiles, PVC), you can’t go wrong with either of the two devices.

Cleaning Test on Carpets

The two robot vacuum cleaners (Roborock S7 and S6 MaxV) also do a great job when it comes to cleaning carpets.

They deserve their places among the best robot vacuums for carpets that we tested so far.

Low Pile Carpet:

High Pile Carpet:

They remove almost everything of the two lighter dirt types (lentils, oat flakes) from the carpets.

Only sand is a bit more challenging for the robot vacuum cleaners - as we’d expected.

The Roborock S7 achieved a better result here.

The new rubber brush could be the reason for this because it can "swing". This means that the brush can quickly move in all directions.

Now the main brush can adapt to any uneven spots in the carpet.

The brush holder also has "little nubs". They kind of "dig into" the carpet – Just like farming ?.

With this, the Roborock S7 can loosen the dirt, grab it with the brush and suck it in.

The rubber brush of the Roborock S7

The main brush of Roborock S7 is made of rubber. The Roborock S6 MaxV’s brush is made of lamellae and bristles instead.

The Roborock S7’s brush is more susceptible to damage due to its material.

But don't worry. The rubber is very robust, and everyday dirt won’t cause any damage to the brush.

The Improved Carpet Detection of the Roborock S7

Another new feature of the Roborock S7: Improved carpet detection.

The robot hoover recognizes the carpet when it drives over it and turns up the suction power to the highest level, "Max".

So far, so good – The Roborock S6 MaxV can do that too.

However, the Roborock S7 goes one step further. It has a separate "ultrasonic sensor" on the bottom side.

It doesn’t just "recognize" carpets, but also marks them as a "shaded area" on the map.

This is a great feature.

Now you can see the carpets as “landmarks” on the map (e.g. for setting up no-go/no-mop zones).

Furthermore, it also cleans the edges of the carpets separately. The robovac makes an "extra lap" along the edges of the carpet to do this. You have no idea how much dirt can hide there. Therefore, the function makes sense.

And the best is yet to come:

Roborock S7 can lift the mopping plate when it drives onto a carpet!

This is a first in 2021. We’ll talk more about this in the chapter "Mopping test".

If you have many carpets at home, you should go for the Roborock S7.

Roborock S6 MaxV vs. S7: Cleaning Hair (pet hair/long human hair)

Hairs pose a threat to neither the Roborock S6 MaxV nor the Roborock S7.

Both get a hold of any kind of hair and safely remove it.

But not all hairs end up in the dirt container. Long hairs sometimes wrap themselves around the main brush...

... So you have to remove them from time to time

With the Roborock S6 MaxV, you have to use a special cleaning tool to remove the hair.

If you have pets and/or live with people with long hair, you’ll have less maintenance with the Roborock S7's maintenance-free rubber brush.

Roborock S7*

Roborock S6 MaxV*

The Mobile Dirt Container of the Roborock S7 is Slightly Larger

The mobile dirt container of the Roborock S7 not only looks a little different: It’s also slightly larger (Roborock S7: 470 ml vs Roborock S6 MaxV: 460 ml).

The larger the dirt container, the better...

... because then you won’t have to empty the mobile dust bin that often by hand.

However, the sizes of the two roborock models don’t differ much, so that it doesn’t make a big difference.

Roborock S6 MaxV vs Roborock S7 Comparison: Everyday Life cleaning performance

The two premium robotic vacuums were convincing in our cleaning test.

But can the two smart robots keep up with everyday floor cleaning?

The answer is a no-brainer: Definitely yes!

They achieved excellent results, even in the medium cleaning mode ("Balanced").

The vacuums reliably remove everyday dirt. You’ll be 100% satisfied with both.

The Roborock S6 MaxV and the S7 are hybrid models or so-called "Robot Vacuum and Mop Combos".

Your advantage: They vacuum and mop the flat at the same time.

How that works?

It’s pretty straightforward!

• Fill the tank with water.

• Attach the mopping pad to the mopping plate.

• Attach the water tank with the mopping plate to the robot vacuum.

• Set the water intensity level in the mobile app.

And off we go ?

First things first: The two smart robots differ significantly here. The main improvements of the Roborock S7 compared to the S6 MaxV are:

• The higher weight of the vacuum mopping robot and more pressure on the mopping cloth

• Liftable mopping plate when it drives onto a carpet (VibraRise)

• Vibrating mopping plate (sonic mopping)

• "Deep Cleaning mode" (then it only mops your flat)

Now we’ll get more into detail about each feature.

Roborock S6 MaxV vs. S7: Mopping function

The "Standard" Mopping Function of the Roborock S6 MaxV

The Roborock S6 MaxV has a somewhat "passive" mopping function.

It continuously supplies the mop with water (from the water tank).

Then the robot vacuum simply drags the mop behind during the cleaning trip (= passive mopping).

And that’s the result:

The Roborock S6 MaxV can’t remove stubborn stains.

However, it can handle light soiling and remove the last traces of dirt.

The flat looks even cleaner and fresher.

The Significantly Improved Mopping Features of the Roborock S7

The Roborock S7 trumps that easily.

After all, this is where you can see most of its innovations.

The Vibrating Mopping Plate (Sonic Mopping)

You can let the Roborock S7’s mopping plate vibrate.

It has a separate motor for this.

You can set the speed (by selecting the water intensity level) via the app:

• "Low": 1650 vibrations/minute

• "Medium": 2300 vibrations/minute

• "High": 3000 vibrations/minute

The vibration simulates "scrubbing" movements.

With this, it can remove stubborn dirt more easily.

The Liftable Mopping Plate (VibraRise)

The liftable mopping plate (VibraRise) is a first in 2021. So far, no vacuum mopping robot on the market has a comparable feature.

As soon as the Roborock S7 drives onto a carpet, it raises the mop plate by 4-5 mm.

Now the robot hoover won’t drag the wet mop across your carpet.

If you have pretty low carpets/carpet runners at home, it’s an excellent feature!

The Roborock S6 MaxV doesn’t have this function.

Fluffy Mopping pad

The Roborock S7’s mop is of much better quality than that of the Roborock S6 MaxV.

The S7’s mop absorbs water more quickly and can also remove dirt better.

Increased Pressure on the Mop

You have to apply pressure on the mop to remove more stubborn stains.

We know this too well from manual mopping...

Roborock recognized this problem and came up with two improvements:

• The weight of approx. 5 kg is higher than that of its predecessor (Roborock S6 MaxV: 3.9 kg).

• The S7 applies an additional pressure of 580 grams to the mop (vs Roborock S6 MaxV: 300 grams)

That contributes to a slightly better mopping result.

"Deep Cleaning Mode" (Only Mopping)

You have to go over some stains several times to remove them when you mop by hand.

The Roborock S7 also makes use of this principle.

If you activate the "Deep Cleaning" mode in the mobile app, the robot will wipe your rooms twice.

That’s what we call thorough!

You can see that in the improved mopping result and also in the app.

Another unique feature: It switches off the suction motor in “Deep Cleaning” mode. That makes the Roborock S7 particularly quiet, and the battery lasts much longer.

The Significantly Improved Mopping Result of the Roborock S7

All these innovations ensure a significantly better mopping result.

It can also remove stubborn stains (e.g. coffee stains, wine stains, etc.) more easily.

You don’t believe that? Just take a look at the mopping pad after the cleaning trip...

Conclusion on the Mopping Feature

We won't beat about the bush.

The numerous improvements:

• The liftable mopping plate when driving over a carpet (VibraRise)

• The vibrating mopping plate (sonic mopping)

• The increased contact pressure on the mop

• "Thorough Mode" (Deep Cleaning)

… take the mopping function to the next level.

The mopping feature of the Roborock S7 is much better. If you have many hard floors at home, and you’re big on the mopping function, we’d recommend the Roborock S7.

Both the Roborock S7 and the Roborock S6 MaxV can save a map of your home.

They create the map during the first cleaning trip.

Their maps look identical in the app. The robots also mark larger pieces of furniture (table (3), cupboards (2), doors (1) couch etc.) on the map.

The main difference: The Roborock S7 also marks carpets on the map (as shaded areas).

This is a convenient feature. It makes the map more detailed. The shaded areas (carpets) can serve as orientation points. Now it’s easier to set up "no-go zones", for example.

Both devices can save a total of up to 4 maps.

If you live in a house with several floors, you’ll be pleased with both the Roborock S7 and the S6 MaxV.

Roborock S6 MaxV takes images and processes them for obstacle detection.

Some people may have legitimate concerns about data protection.

The manufacturer assures that the images are processed on the device itself and then deleted. There’s no transfer to a cloud.

Furthermore, Roborock emphasizes that it complies with the European General Data Protection Regulation.

A third party also inspected and certified the process.

If you still feel uncomfortable with this, you can deactivate the camera function in the app...

... but then you can’t benefit from the essential feature of the Roborock S6 MaxV: The automatic obstacle detection no longer works.

If you have privacy concerns or are uncomfortable with the camera, you should go for the Roborock S7.

Roborock S6 MaxV vs. S7 Comparison of Battery Life

The two premium vacuum cleaners are on par in terms of battery power.

Both the Roborock S7 and the S6 MaxV have powerful batteries.

This means that both units are also suitable for larger flats/houses.

A special feature of the Roborock S7: If the robot only mops the floor (in "Deep cleaning" mode), it hardly uses any battery (since it switches off the suction motor).

Robot Vacuum Cleaner

First things first: Roborock is known for producing premium robot vacuums. The Roborock S7 and the S6 MaxV are no exception.

The devices are of high quality and can easily hold a candle to the competition from the US and Europe.

Both devices have the same dimensions (height: 9.65 cm (3.8 inches) diameter: 35 cm (23.8 inches)).

The Roborock S7 weighs almost one kilo more than the S6 MaxV. So if you live in a house with several floors, you’ll have to carry a bit more weight.

A minor disadvantage of the Roborock S6 MaxV: The device is only available in the UK in one colour (black). With the S7, you can choose between black and white.

Visually, the two devices differ in one or two details.

The Roborock S7 has a "wave-like" pattern on top. It’s supposed to represent the oscillating movement of the mopping plate.

There’s also a practical LED display that shows what the robot vacuum is currently doing:

• White = Vacuuming

• Blue = Mopping

• Status display when charging the battery (blue = charging the battery, green = battery is full)

The Roborock S6 MaxV, on the other hand, has a camera at the front (the Roborock S7 doesn’t have a camera since it doesn’t have the obstacle detection function).

However, the robots hardly differ from below.

The main brush is made of different materials (Roborock S7: rubber vs Roborock S6 MaxV: bristle hair). The Roborock S7’s brush is quite a bit narrower than that of the Roborock S6 MaxV.

You won't find any big surprises when you open the lid, either.

The Roborock S6 MaxV has a cleaning tool here. That’s missing on the Roborock S7, which we consider a slight disadvantage.

The mobile dirt container’s appearance has also changed somewhat.

The mobile dirt container of the Roborock S7 looks slightly smaller but has a larger capacity (S7: 470 ml vs S6 MaxV: 460 ml).

The HEPA filter is in a separate chamber on the Roborock S7. With the Roborock S6 MaxV, the HEPA filter is integrated into the dirt container.

This seemingly unimportant detail has an advantage: The Roborock S7’s filter takes longer to get dirty. You won’t have to clean or replace it that often.

It’s the same with the water tank...

They increased the capacity by 10 ml (S7: 300 ml vs S6 MaxV: 290 ml).

You’ll see the biggest differences when you look at the two premium robot vacuums from behind.

The Roborock S7 has a much better solution for the entire mopping construction (water tank + mopping plate).

Compared to the Roborock S6 MaxV, the water tank and mopping plate are permanently installed in the robot vacuum.

With this, you can remove the parts individually on the S7.

This means that we could remove the water tank but leave the mopping plate in place (you can’t do that with the S6 MaxV).

Attaching and removing the water tank and the mopping plate is therefore much easier with the Roborock S7.

The Charging Dock

The charging dock is identical for both units.

Neither of the two has a cable management system. That’s a pity. However, you can stow away excess cable with a cable tie (better than nothing...).

The Roborock S6 MaxV comes with a floor mat for the docking station. It protects the floor from the wet mop after mopping.

With the S7, you won’t need it anymore because it lifts the mopping plate when it docks at the charging station. Thus, the wet mop won’t touch the floor.

That’s a massive advantage because the transparent mat isn’t what we’d call an eye-catcher...

There’s also another little difference: You can see small brushes on the Roborock S7’s charging dock. They clean the charging contacts when the robot docks at the station. Cool idea ?

The two devices belong to the premium segment in terms of price.

The extra charge is for the luxury features:

• Roborock S6 MaxV: Reactive AI technology for obstacle detection + monitoring function
• Roborock S7: Numerous improvements in the mopping function (Sonic Mopping, VibraRise, etc.)

The Roborock S7’s emptying station will be launched in Autumn 2021 in the UK. It will cost 200 - 300 £.

We don’t know yet whether there will be discounted bundle packages (robot + emptying station).

Are the higher prices of the Roborock S7 and the S6 MaxV justified?

That’s a matter of taste.

If you can do without the premium function described above, then the Roborock S5 Max would undoubtedly be an excellent alternative for you. It’s also a great robot vacuum with a mopping function. It just doesn’t have all the high-tech features and is therefore much cheaper. You can save some money here.

However, if you’re big on the luxury features of the Roborock S7 and the S6 MaxV, you can buy both without hesitation.

Both units are an excellent investment!

After putting both devices through their paces in our "Roborock S7 vs. S6 MaxV comparison", we can say one thing for sure:

Both vacuum robots are excellent household helpers! They clean your floors reliably and 100% satisfactorily.

But which model should you choose?

That depends on which premium features you want (and need).

• Do you want an excellent mopping function?? Would you also be interested in a self-emptying base? Then you should go for the Roborock S7.

• However, if you live in a somewhat "chaotic" household with children and/or pets, the Roborock S6 MaxV could be more suitable. It also recognizes flatter objects with a special camera and avoids them independently?. The monitoring function of the Roborock S6 MaxV is also quite interesting.

Long story short: You can't go wrong with either model.

These little household helpers will do almost all the floor cleaning for you. You’ll be thrilled!