Roborock sent us a sample of the S7 so we tested it and shared our thought it in this review. The robot has an advanced mopping system that includes a vibrating mopping pad. The biggest improvement we have been looking for is mopping pad lifting technology. Now you don’t have to set no-mop zones, the robot will automatically lift the mopping pad when detecting carpets. Unlike the previous models, the Roborock S7 can vacuum carpets and mop the hard floors in one cleaning cycle. The S7 also got an upgraded brushroll that is ideal for pet owners and supports a self-emptying bin. That’s right, the company is going to sell a self-emptying base this year later. The robot is available on Geebuying for $459.99 or on Amazon for $599.99.
Our video review of the Roborock S7
Roborock S7 what has changed over the Roborock S6 MaxV
- Has a new vibrating mopping pad
- VibraRise technology: the robot lifts up the mopping pad when a carpet detected
- New brushroll. A whole-rubber brush that supposed to agitate dust better
- Automatically detected carpets now appear on the map
- Self-emptying bin support
- Lacks a front camera
- Weight. The S7 is the heaviest in the lineup
Roborock S7 vs. S6 MaxV Mopping Test
Design and appearance
The Roborock S7 design reminds me of the S6 MaxV with a few additions. It has the same water tank and dustbin size as well as dimensions tho the water tank and dustbin have a different shape. I kind of like the new water tank. The newer model is heavier than its predecessors. It is 4,7 kg which is on the heavier side in the robot vacuums world. It will be available in two colors, white and black.
The filtration system looks different too. Because of the new design, it doesn’t get clogged as fast and easy which helps with keeping suction at the same level for a longer period of time. I actually noticed the difference between the S7 and other Roborock modes especially at picking up sand on both hard floor and low-pile carpet.
The water tank and dustbin inserted inside at the same time which is more convenient if you want to use mopping every other day.
The robot supports Alexa, Google Home, and Siri. You can not only make it start and stop but clean in a certain room with your voice too.
At first sight, the charging dock looks the same but not really. Here you can see some additions that help to clean the cliff sensors.
Mapping and Navigation
As well as other high-end Roborock models, the Roborock S7 uses Lidar for navigation and mapping purposes. It scans the surroundings creating the map. Unlike the camera-based robots, the Lidar-guided machines complete a map after the first cleaning session. When the map is complete, the robot automatically divides it into separate sections (rooms) that can be named to make the robot clean one or a few rooms by voice commands.
A purposeful back-and-forth navigation pattern helps the robot to not miss any area as it cleans. Roborock is known for its efficient navigation, and the S7 is no exception.
A wall sensor located on the side keeps the robot from a 2cm distance from the walls. With a bunch of other sensors, the Roborock has one of the best navigation systems on the market being gentle with furniture and covering almost 100% of the cleaning area.
As always I am fascinated by how smoothly the Roborock moves.
Cleaning Performance
A large 5,200 mAh battery ensures up to 180 minutes of cleaning on one charge and if the robot didn't get the job done, it'll top up to the level of battery it needs to finish and then resume cleaning. A large battery makes the Roborock suitable for large houses. It covers up to 300 square meters (3,230 sqft) on one charge.
The Roborock S7 uses the same motor as the S6 MaxV that delivers 2,500 Pa suction.
A new carpet detection technology not only boosts suction when carpets are recognized but also shows the carpets on the map so the robot always knows where your carpets are located. You can see the carpet location on the map.
Another improved thing is the cleaning brush. It is now all rubber which is supposed to agitate dust off carpets better than previous-gen rubber & bristle brush.
As a nice bonus would be easy maintenance. This is essential for pet owners and those who have long hair. In addition, it has detachable side tips.
The New Mopping System
Let's talk about what we are here for. The Roborock S7 is equipped with a new sonic vibrating mopping system. According to Roborock, a variety of high-intensity scrub settings from 1,650 times/min to 3,000 times/min helps disintegrating surface dirt and breaking up even the toughest, dried-on messes - leaving floors cleaner than ever. The company claims that the new sonic mop is one of the fastest on the market.
In the demonstration video, we can see how easily the Roborock S7 handles dry coffee stains. In my testings, the Roborock S7 did better than the S6 MaxV after the first pass removing most dried stains. Overall it does better as a mop perhaps because of the new mopping cloth that looks completely different.
Another big thing is the mopping pad lifting system.
What is VibraRise technology?
The VibraRise is a technology that automatically lifts the mop when carpets are detected. Now you don't have to set no-mop zones to avoid carpet in mopping mode, the robot will do things for you. When the robot steps on the carpet, it lifts up the mopping pad, and when leaving it, the pad resumes the previous position. So now the robot can vacuum carpets and mop hard floors in one cleaning cycle. When the pad is raised, the robot shuts off the water flow.
The robot is equipped with a 300 ml electronic water tank that allows setting water flow depending on cleaning tasks. It covers up to 200 square meters of a mopping area.
When mopping is complete and the robot is charging, it automatically raises the mopping pad
Even during the first run, the robot automatically lifts the pad on carpet.
Test results. How well the Roborock S7 performs on carpet and hard floor
As to cleaning test results, I must say the Roborock S7 is one of the best robot cleaners I have ever tested. It was best on hard floor and carpet and overall did the best. I assume because of the improved filtration system and fully-rubber brushroll the robot does not lose suction and is able to pick up fine debris on both surfaces.
On hard floor, it did pick up a solid 100% of sand and debris which is the best result I have ever seen. The same was on a low-pile carpet with 99.9% of debris and 93.5% of sand collected and hands down, it was the best result among all robot vacuums I put through these cleaning tests.
One of the best cleaning results on the market so far
As to pick up test on a medium-pile carpet, the S7 scored 96.8% which is also one of the best results.
Floor type | Hard floor (sand) | Hard floor (debris) | Low-pile carpet (debris) | Low-pile carpet (sand) | Medium-pile carpet (debris) | Overall |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Score (%) | 100 | 100 | 99.9 | 93.5 | 96.8 | 98 |
I couldn’t be surprised enough by how well the Roborock S7 cleans and I expected no less than the Roborock S6 MaxV on this.
Mopping test
To test the mopping performance, I made stains out of coffee, cocoa, fruit juice, and soy sauce. I thought the vibration would be loud and you actually can hear it when the robot is working but it’s actually doesn’t make a difference with the older models.
To my experience with the S7, it is so far the best hybid robot vacuum on the market. It removed most stains after the first pass and almost completely removed them all after the second. In the menu, you can select between deep and standard mopping mode.
The Roborock S7 showed the best mopping results I have ever seen
The deep or high-intensity mode is recommended for just vacuumed floors. It tighens the Z-shape so the robot goes over the same area twice. You can’t select suction in this mode too as the vacuuming power is going to be reduced automatically once you make the robot mop.
As to the whole house cleaning, I likes the way Roborock S7 mops too. You can see the wet lines it leaves on the floor which is satisfying.
And by the way, the robot lifts the mopping module once it completes the job so if the dock’s location is on carpet, it would not touch it with the wet cloth.
The App
The Roborock S7 would probably support both, the Mi Home and Roborock apps.
On the main menu, you can select cleaning mode, water level output, and intensity.
The app offers features we have seen in other models such as:
- real-time tracking (watch the robot working in real-time)
- no-go & no-mop zones support (prevent the robot from crossing certain areas)
- scheduling. You can select cleaning mode, mopping intensity and water level for each room or the whole house
- zoned cleaning (customize where to clean)
- room cleaning (send the robot directly to a specific room)
- customizable scheduling (set cleaning mode and water flow for each room)
- multimapping (supports up to 4 floor plans)
- child lock locks the buttons so your kid nor a pet can turn on the robot
- remote control to control the robot like a radio car
- pin and go to send the robot to a particular location
- edit map (merge/divide the areas, name them, set no-go and no-mop zones, etc)
- cleaning history
With all these features, you can customize where the robot should or should not clean but there are some new settings.
There is Carpet Display in App that shows carpeted surface on the map so the robot knows the carpet location. On the map, you are able to see which area the robot mopped and which one is covered with a carpet.
And the other feature is carpet settings. It includes three options:
- Rise. This option is suitable for low-pile carpets and rugs. It lifts up the mopping module to vacuum the carpet.
- Avoid. With the mopping attachments on, the robot will avoid the carpets altogether.
- Ignore. Suitable for surfaces with no carpet or rugs that can be mopped such as rubber mat.
A self-emptying bin is coming soon
The Roborock S7 supports a self-emptying bin which is currently under development and will be available this year. This is the first self-emptying bin from Roborock and we hope it would be as good as the robot itself. On the render, it looks fantastically good. Like nothing, we've seen before.
*this is a draft render which means that there's still design changes down the line.
Keep in mind, the bin will be available only in black color so if you want to get one, you'd better go with the black robot.
To me, the bin looks awesome!
Price and when will be available to buy
The Roborock S7 is already available on Amazon in the US.
In Europe, you can order the S7 from Geekbuying for $459.99.
About Roborock
Roborock has been producing robot vacuums for about 6 years. Founded in July 2014, Beijing Roborock Technology Co., Ltd. (Roborock) specializes in the research, development, and production of products that make people's lives more comfortable. The company develops and produces robot vacuums under its Roborock brand, as well as creating robot vacuums for one of China’s largest technology companies, Xiaomi.
Currently, Roborock is available in 40 countries, including the U.S., Germany, France, and Spain. The company operates out of four locations, with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.
Read more about the Roborock S6 MaxV on the official Roborock website.
To know more about Roborock, feel free to visit its official website and join the unofficial Roborock community on Reddit.
You can also find an email to contact Roborock if needed in the app.
To conclude or who is the Roroborock S7 for
The Roborock S7 is easily best vacuum-mop on the market to date. It has new features to the market and performs great on both surfaces. It is ideal for homes with bare floors and carpets as it would keep vacuuming your carpets and mop the hard floors at the same time. This is absolutely new and none robot vacuum performs this way.
Thanks to the upgraded cleaning brushroll, the S7 agitates fine debris better than the previous models and is easier to maintain too.
I really like the S7, I was impressed by cleaning results even tho I expected them to be better than average. I think this is an ideal choice for those who have a mixed surface. Keep in mind the robot will still be touching a medium-pile carpet with the mopping module but I don’t see the reason of not getting one even if you have such carpet.
Yes, the price tag is higher than average but we never seen anything similar on the market before. In fact, the Roborock S7 is not only a good vacuum but also one of the best mops too. Normally you have to choose one among the two but with the S7, you can have both.