I have always been a big fan of Roborock robot vacuum cleaners. I have had a chance to test the Roborock S5, S4, S6 and even its budget version the Xiaowa C10. I run each of them every once in a while and still impressed by the performance and how clean my carpets look after each use. Since the release of the S5 many things have been changed and the S5 Max took the best from each model.
Two weeks ago I got my hands on the latest Roborock S5 Max. The S5 Max takes all of the great things from the S5 that we all love and makes them better and smarter.
Roborock robots are known for nearly perfect navigation and being gentle with furniture. You should not worry about it not covering the whole place especially with the ability to track the movements in real-time, which is not presented in many high-end models such as a Neato Botvac D7 Connected or Roomba i7+/s9+. One of the best things about Roborock robots is that they are suitable for both: hard floors and carpet, and the S5 Max got it to the highest level because now it has updated mopping technology and everyone who wanted to have a robot with mopping will be excited to try it.
The new model has a bigger water tank, many options for mopping, smart features and performance that surprised me in a good way. What has been changed comparing to the Roborock S5? What makes it different from the Roborock S6? Let's see what the Roborock S5 Max offers and who is the device for.
Appearance
At first glance, the Roborock S5 Max looks very similar to its predecessor, the Roborock S5: the same shape and elements location, and a similar charging dock to the one that comes with the Roborock S5.
There are a few improvements in the S5 Max, and the most significant one is the completely redesigned mopping system. All the previous models used a slim 150 ml water tank and mopping pad attached underneath when the S5 Max equipped with a large 290 ml water tank.
The difference is not only in the mopping tank, the S5 Max has a built-in water pump which takes the necessary amount of water (which can be adjusted in the app) from the water tank and sprays it on the mopping pad.
A dustbin and water tank are always installed which means if you want the robot to mop, you can either make it sweep and mop or only mop.
The Roborock S5 Max: what's new?
- Water tank. The new model has a bigger 280 ml water tank. Enough to clean a 65sqm (700sqft) apartment more than 3-times or a 200sqm (2600sqft) home in one go.
- Water level control. Now you can control water level in the app. In small areas, the robot turns off the water when it goes over the places it's already been. When it's done mopping, the robot shuts off the water leaking to let the mop dry as it returns to the dock.
- Customizing water level and suction for each room. You can set water level and suction power for each room depending on high-traffic areas and rooms that might not be as dirty.
- Scheduling for mopping. You can schedule the robot to mop at a specific time.
- Selected room cleaning. The new feature allows the robot to clean within a certain room or a few.
- Scheduling to work in a specific room. You can make the robot work in a particular room at a specific time.
- No-mop zones. The new feature allows keeping your carpets dry when the robot is mopping. Once you take off the mop unit, the barriers disappear. You can mix them up with virtual no-go zones (for vacuuming) if needed.
- New efficient navigation. In narrow spaces like corridors, the robot uses a different navigation pattern which saves battery life and allows finishing the job faster.
How long will it take to clean your home?
The new Roborock S5 Max runs for the whole 150 minutes on balanced mode and up to 180 minutes on quiet mode before it needs to recharge.
The S5 Max is ideal for big houses
When the battery runs out of charge, the robot returns to recharge up to the level it needs to finish the job and then resumes cleaning. While the previous generations needed to recharge up to 80% before resumption, the new Roborock S5 Max calculates how much space remains to be cleaned and returns to the dock to top up enough power to finish the cleaning cycle. With this feature, the robot saves time spent during charging.
The Roborock S5 Max cleans one square meter (10.76 sqf) in 1 minute so a 100 square meters (1076 sqf) apartment will be covered in about 100 minutes.
Mopping Improvements
- A bigger water tank
- The water tank does not leak even when being shaken
- No-mop zones keep the robot off carpets
- Customize water level for each room
- More scheduled features for mopping and sweeping
- Schedule to mop in a particular room
The biggest improvements in the latest model - the mopping feature. It has a bigger water tank (290 ml) compared to 150 ml the Roborock S5/S6 have.
In mopping mode, the S5 Max can go up to three times over the cleaning area covering a 65sqm (700sqft) apartment or a 200sqm (2600sqft) home if it's running once.
In the app, you can control the level of water dripping depending on the light of heavy jobs (there are three water dripping levels: low, medium, high). The Roborock S5 doesn't have any water control, the Roborock S6 has a toggle on a water tank and two levels of water dripping. The toggle is not as convenient as the app control.
Choose the right water flow via the Roborock app
If the robot cleans small areas, it turns off the water when it goes over the areas it has already mopped. After finishing the job, it shuts off the water allowing the mop to dry before the Roborock returns to the dock.
Now you can set no-mop zones so the carpet will not get wet when the robot is mopping. You can also mix them up with no-go zones when the cleaner is vacuuming. The no-mop zones disappear once the mopping pad and cloth are off. Leave your carpets dry while the S5 Max is mopping with the new no-mop zones feature.
Mopping test: Can the S5 Max remove stains?
So let's talk about my experience with mopping and how good the Roborock S5 Max at mopping. Can the Roborock S5 Max replace manual mopping?
To make stains, a mix of cocoa and Coca-Cola was used, and the area was also covered with oatmeal. Since the water tank and dustbin are separated containers and are being placed together all the time, the Roborock S5 Max can do mopping and sweeping at the same time. You can also turn off the mopping or sweeping if it is needed.
I set the highest level of water dripping and let the Roborock S5 Max go clean the stains. It leaves visible wet marks on the floor either on low and high water leaking settings, by the way.
So the Roborock removed most of the stains in one pass, and it was impressive! I think the Roborock S5 Max did a great job by improving the mopping system. Because it is now closer to the floor, it does an excellent job when mopping.
Thanks to the improved mopping technology, the Roborock S5 Max is able to get rid of stubborn stains
The stains were completely gone after three passes.
When the test was done, I run the Roborock around the whole place on the highest water dripping settings, set no-mop zones around my rug so it could avoid it, and waited for it to finish. It needed 38 minutes to clean 38 square meters of hard floors. Before letting it go, I filled the water tank with water (290 ml), and by the end of the cleaning cycle, 130 ml of water was left in the tank. When testing the same cleaning cycle on the lowest settings, there were 170 ml of water left. I assume the 290 ml water tank is enough to cover 100 square of hard flooring area.
The S5 Max also the first robot (of at least the first of what I know of) that has customized mopping.
When setting mopping options, you are allowed to choose from any water dripping level (or shut mopping off) along with sweeping modes (none, silent, balanced, turbo, max). So basically you can choose either you want the robot to mop, sweep only or sweep and mop at the same time and also set the mode that would be better for the room the robot is going to clean.
I would recommend setting it on the highest water level and balanced mode in the kitchen or any other high-traffic area. For the living room and bedroom, I would go with medium settings. You can also set the same water level and cleaning mode for the whole house if you don't want to play with different settings.
The customized mode is my favorite. It basically allows you to choose different water levels and sweeping modes for each room. If you didn't set it for some rooms, the app would do it on default (balanced mode and medium water level).
Customize suction and water level for each room depending on cleaning tasks
When setting no-go zones, I noticed that they are active all the time, so the robot will not go to the places with no-go zones set. But with no-mop zones, it is different. Yes, you can set them in the no-go zone tab, and they will be there, but if you do not install the pad, you will not see them on the main map. Basically, they become invisible when the mopping pad is not attached.
Mapping and navigation
- Separates a map by individual zones (rooms)
- Gentle with furniture
- Builds an accurate map of the floor layout
- More efficient than the Roborock S5
The newest Roborock S5 Max is equipped with 14 types of sensors including 4 cliff sensors and Lidar for more precise mapping and navigation. 2 of them let you know whether the filter gets clogged or it is in position, and whether the water tank is inserted or not. You will get a notification as well as the robot will tell you by voice if there is something wrong with any of these parts.
Same as the previous Roborock S6, the Roborock S5 Max has an efficient cleaning pattern. It saves battery energy in narrow spaces, thus finishing cleaning about 20% faster. The S6 and S5 Max follow a lengthwise path in long corridors and wide rooms.
App Features
- Can be scheduled to work in a specific room (sweeping and/or mopping)
- Has many options for mopping (water level, customization, etc)
- Supports zoned cleaning
- Capable of tracking in real-time
- Has no-go and no-mop zones
- Extended scheduling options
- Stores more than one map
If you are familiar with the Roborock or Mi Home app, you will not see many new features except for the advanced scheduling and more mopping options. The S5 Max supports both apps.
It has the same start/stop and manual control. You can also track the robot's movements in real-time. Zoned cleaning is similar to the room cleaning, but you can't schedule the robot with drawn zones. When you draw a rectangle, you make the robot clean within it.
No-go zones or no-go barriers keep the robot of specific areas. Barriers look like tapes and are ideal for areas where a rectangle can not be placed. The no-go zones are ideal to set around cluttered areas or where you have many cords.
What is the difference between no-go zones and barriers? No-Go Zones come in a rectangle shape and are limited in terms of changing the shape while no-go barriers are tapes which you can set depending on the shape of the zone you don't want the vacuum to go to.n cleaning history, you can see how well the robot cleans whether it covered the whole area or not.
Selected room cleaning
When the robot creates a map, it automatically divides it into separate sections (rooms). If you don't like the way your rooms look on the map, you can merge or divide sections. Once every room is set, you can choose which one to clean through the app. If you don't want to vacuum a guest bedroom, you can make the robot clean the kitchen and living room only so it will not go clean the whole place. There is also an option to schedule the robot to clean a particular room. This feature is presented in the Roborock S6 and lacks in the Roborock S5.
Aside from understanding rooms location, you can also set cleaning zones, the place where the robot should clean, and as we said before, no-mop/no-go zones to keep the machine off some areas.
Scheduling
So the S5 Max scheduling is the most extended among all of the robots I have tested. The things you can do with the timer:
- Set "Start" when you want the robot to work
- Choose when to repeat (once, everyday, weekdays, weekends, custom). The custom option allows choosing certain days when the robot should clean.
- Clean mode. There are two options: to set cleaning mode and water level manually or use that customized settings you did before with water level and cleaning modes chosen for each room.
- Select a room to divide. It allows you to set a room or a few rooms to clean. When picking the room, it already has water level and cleaning mode for each room if you customized it before. If you did not, you would be capable of tapping on the rooms you want the robot to clean and choose the right water level and cleaning mode in the "clean mode" settings.
In short, you can do almost everything with scheduling: choose which room to clean, only mop or sweep there, set water level and cleaning modes, and so on.
I customized the whole place, so it is easier to set a timer now. In my case, the charging dock stays in the room with carpets so I can set no mopping there and make the robot start mopping when it is in the kitchen or corridor, but since the mopping cloth will be wet there is no reason to set no mopping in that room because when the robot is returning to the dock it needs to go over the carpet, and it will be wet anyway. As a solution, I can change the room with no carpets for the dock, and in this case, the Roborock will sweep first and then mop the other rooms. When it is returning to the dock, it does not make my carpets wet. So if you have carpets, think of where the robot should clean first if you want it to avoid the carpeted area when mopping.
Multimapping
The Roborock S5 Max is capable of saving up to three maps and it is still in beta and hopefully, Roborock will update the whole multi-floor feature so it will be easier to use the S5 Max in multi-level houses.
Currently, there are three maps available to be created: current (Map1), manually backup (Map 2), and automatically backup (Map 3).
The manual map is saved after you setting no-go zones there (when you manually edit rooms or no-go zones), the backup automatically creates a map after the robot runs around the whole place and finishes cleaning on its own.
So when you let the robot run the first time, it creates a map1 (current) and backup (map 3). If you set no-go zones, the map2 (manual) is created.
Basically, if you have a two-story house, and one of the floors have carpets or zones, you don't want the robot to go, you set no-go zones and it will create the Map2. If you run the robot there, all three maps will look the same (since the first and third map are always the same), but if the robot and dock are downstairs where you don't need to set limited areas, the Map2 will be different (the upstairs map with created no-go zones). If you edit rooms downstairs, it will recreate the Map2 and you will have all three maps the same again.
So if you want two different floor plans for two levels, you should keep one without editing, and one with no-go zones set.
To make the robot recognize its location, place the dock (and the robot) to the floor you want the robot to clean, choose the map you need, and start it from the dock. The map will be created when the Roborock finishes cleaning by automatically docking itself.
The Roborock S5 Max is suitable for multi-story houses
The multi-mapping management is not complete and still has room to improve but if you don't have a need for setting no-go zones on one floor, the current version will work just fine.
Firmware updates
Roborock works on its app, improves it and fixes bugs. You will constantly receive updates. When there is a software/firmware issue, a new update would be released as soon as one is discovered.
Customer support
A few words to say about Roborock customer support. If you have any issue, you can contact the company via email:
- US SUPPORT: support@roborock.com
- EUROPE SUPPORT: support@roborock-eu.com
Normally Roborock responds quickly. If you have any questions about the product, feel free to contact them.
Accessories
So far there are no extra accessories for the S5 Max available to buy but you can use some from the S4 or S6. You can either buy additional accessories on Gearbest, Amazon or Aliexpress. Gshopper Lifestyle Store is a Roborock’s authorized retailer and is safe to purchase from.
The main cleaning brush is the same that is used for the S4 and S6. You can actually get the one from the S5 too but it does not have an ability to be disassembled so I prefer the one from the S4 and S6.
The side brush is made of rubber, which means you can also use one from the S4 or S6.
All Roborock models use the same washable HEPA filter so you can get one suitable for any model, they all are the same.
The main brush cover is also interchangeable for all models.
For those who want to use magnetic tape, you can get one separately too (supported by all models).
Where to buy additional accessories:
Warranty
Warranty depends on where you purchase the product. The official customer support response is:
«Customers could return the device for a refund within 30 days if purchasing from our official Amazon store. The device covers a 1-year warranty for free repairing or replacement.
If bought from other platforms, we suggest you contact the seller for warranty service. As the manufacturer, we could provide customer technical support and the seller is responsible for the warranty. It is because we have an agreement with our first-class official distributors when we sell devices to them that the warranty of the product is provided by sellers. We appreciate your understanding.»
Cleaning performance
- Suitable for medium-pile carpets
- Boost suction on carpets
- Capable of crossing a 20 mm (0.8 in) obstacle
- Has a cleaning brush that is easy to maintain
- Quieter than the Roborock S5
The Roborock S5 Max delivers 2,000 Pa of suction. It climbs an obstacle up to 20 mm (0.8 in) which makes it suitable for thicker carpets. The robot is able to recognize carpets. It boosts suction power once it is stepping on carpet providing the best pickup.
With a disassembled cleaning brush, the S5 Max is ideal for pet owners; the roller is easy to maintain.
Because of the new mopping system and a 290 ml water container, the latest Roborock covers a bigger area and is more suitable for light jobs or heavier messes but do not expect it to remove stubborn stains though it is better at mopping than the previous S6.
I have a low-pile carpet, and medium-pile carpet, which is not shaggy. The Roborock S5 Max did not have any issues with running over these carpets and left them completely clean.
It is not as quiet as the S6 tho, so if you want a more silent robot vacuum, might have a look at the high-end Roborock S6. But it is also not as loud as the Roborock S5 and is much easier to the ear than the older model.
If you run the Roborock every other day, it can replace vacuuming with your traditional cleaner.
Because of strong suction and the cleaning brush that has detachable tips, the Roborock S5 Max is suitable for pet owners, but you will most likely need to empty the dustbin and clean the brush after every cleaning cycle.
A pick-up test on a middle-pile carpet shows that the Roborock S5 Max cleans carpets as good as its predecessors.
I don't have pets but have long hair that is everywhere, and it ends up in the dustbin after cleaning. It takes a few seconds to clean the main brush and empty the bin, which I do after every cleaning session anyway, even if the dustbin is not full. The cleaning brush always has hair tangled tho. There is not that much hair clogged but still better to be removed.
Also, do not forget to wash the filter since the clogged filter causes weaker suction.
Roborock S5 Max vs. Roborock S5: what has changed?
- More efficient navigation. The Roborock S5 Max adapts to the shape of the cleaning area choosing the most efficient way of cleaning, thus saving battery energy and finishing faster.
- It can go over three times while cleaning. In mopping mode, the S5 Max can either go over the same cleaning area three times or cover more with one pass.
- No-mop barriers. Now you can keep the robot off carpets in mopping mode by using the no-mop zones and also set no-go lines for a full cleaning control.
- Bigger water tank. The S5 Max has a 280 ml water tank compared to the Roborock S5 140 ml container.
- Has a new water dripping level feature. The Roborock app allows setting the level of water dripping.
- Schedule for mopping. Set the robot to mop in a certain room or two at a specific time.
- Intelligent recharging. The Roborock S5 returns to the dock, recharges up to 80% and then resuming cleaning, the new model calculates how much power it needs to finish cleaning, and juicing up to the level it needs.
- Cleaning brush. The new model is equipped with a brush that has detachable parts which make it easier to maintain and 250% more bristles for better pickup.
Roborock S5 MAX vs. Roborock S6: is the new model better?
- Bigger water tank. The S5 Max has a 280 ml water container.
- Water flowing in the app vs. in the tank. The Roborock S6 water container has a toggle to switch between two levels of water flowing, while the S5 Max water dripping can be controlled via the Roborock app.
- No-Mop barriers. Now when the robot is mopping, you can set no-mop zones and barriers as well as no-go lines and barriers (for sweeping) to leave carpers dry. The no-mop zones disappear once you take off the mopping attachments.
- It can go over three times while cleaning. In mopping mode, the robot can make three passes or cover a bigger area before the container gets dry.
- Schedule for mopping. This feature allows scheduling the Roborock to mop in a specific room or two. The Roborock S6 only allows scheduling the robot to sweep.
- Intelligent recharging. While the S6 needed to recharge up to 80% before resuming cleaning, the new model calculates how much power it needs to finish cleaning and recharges exactly to the level that would allow getting the job done without spending time on recharging the battery to the full capacity.
Roborock S5 Max vs. Roborock S5 vs. Roborock S6 comparison chart
| Specs |  Roborock S5 Max |
 Roborock S6 |
 Roborock S5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suction Power (Pa) | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| CPU | Unknown | ARM Allwinner R16 Quad-Core | Unknown |
| Working Time (min) | 180 | 150 | 150 |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | Li-ion 5,200 | Li-ion, 5,200 | Li-ion, 5,200 |
| Rated power, Watts | 58 | 58 | 58 |
| Noise in min/max mode (dB) | 60 | 45-60 (50% quieter than the S5) | 54-67 |
| Dust Bin Capacity (ml/oz) | 460 / 15.5 | 480 / 16.9 | 480 / 16.9 |
| Water Box Capacity (ml) | 290 | 140 | 140 |
| Amazon Alexa | yes | yes | yes |
| Google Home Support | coming soon | yes | yes |
| Mopping Function | yes | yes | yes |
| Adjustable water supply | yes (in the app) | yes (in the water tank) | no |
| Mopping attachments | Microfiber mop | Microfiber mop + 10 disposable wipes | Microfiber mop |
| Central cleaning brush | yes (detachable parts, easy to maintain) | yes (detachable parts, easy to maintain) | yes (solid) |
| Side brush type | silicone | silicone | bristle |
| Infrared Sensor | yes | yes | yes |
| Mapping and smart navigation | yes (LDS + SLAM, improved, ~20% faster cleaning) | yes (LDS + SLAM, improved, ~20% faster cleaning) | yes (LDS + SLAM) |
| Intelligent carpet identification | yes | yes | yes |
| Rooms recognition | yes | yes | yes |
| Selected rooms scheduling | yes | yes | yes |
| Selected rooms scheduling (mopping mode) | yes | no | no |
| Multi-floor support | up to 3 maps stored | up to 3 maps stored | up to 3 maps stored |
| Automatic Recharge and Resumption | yes (AI powered) | yes | yes |
| Digital customized areas | zoned cleaning, no-go lines, no-mop lines, blocked areas | zoned cleaning, no-go lines, blocked areas | zoned cleaning, no-go lines, blocked areas |
| Number of sensors | 14 types of sensors | 14 | 13 |
| App | Roborock (iOS, Android) | Mi Home (iOS, Android), Roborock (iOS, Android) | Mi Home (iOS, Android) |
| Filter | Washable E11-grade HEPA | Washable E11-grade HEPA | Washable E11-grade HEPA |
| Barrier Height (in/cm) | 0.78 / 2 | 0.78 / 2 | 0.78 / 2 |
| Weight (lbs/kg) | 7.7 / 3.5 | 7.7 / 3.5 | 7.7 / 3.5 |
| Height (in/cm) | 3.78 / 9.6 | 3.78 / 9.6 | 3.78 / 9.6 |
| Width (in/cm) | 13.77 / 35 | 13.77 / 35 | 13.77 / 35 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years | 1 year |
| Accessories | charging dock, power adapter, mop rack, mop, waterproof pad, manual | charging dock, power cable, water tank, mop, user manual, warranty card, English manual, 10 x disposable wipes, 2 x micro fiber mops | charging dock, charge cable, mopping pad, water tank, cleaning brush, English manual |
| Price | $508.83 Aliexpress $379.99 Amazon |
$599.99 Aliexpress $259.99 Amazon |
$259.99 Amazon |
The differences between the Roborock S5 Max vs. S4
Best places to buy the Roborock S5 Max
- The Roborock S5 Max available to buy on Aliexpress for $508.83
- The Roborock S5 Max on Amazon: $379.99
Conclusion
The company has stepped forward by making the new product better, improving the mopping experience for its users, keeping the Roborock S5 Max as powerful, and having a user-friendly app. The model meets expectations for those who live in a big house, have pets, many carpets, and also some areas without carpet since now it is a robot vacuum that can avoid carpets when mopping.
The Roborock S5 Max is not only one of the best robots that do a great job at vacuuming but also the best robot I have tested that has excellent mopping performance. If I had fewer carpets, I would use the mopping feature every other day because it is fantastic!
- If you have a big hard floor area for mopping, the Roborock S5 Max is perfect.
- If you have carpets (not thick ones tho), the S5 Max is a great device to buy.
- If you want a smart machine with many additional features, including advanced mopping performance, the S5 Max is ideal.
I personally think it is one of the best Roborock models so far, and I would recommend this model to anyone who wants proper mopping ability and excellent vacuum performance, have pets or struggle from allergy/asthma.
