The Roborock Q-series is a new lineup of budget-friendly Roborock models. This year, Roborock presented three new Q-series models, the Roborock Q5, Roborock Q7, and Roborock Q7 Max. All three robots support a self-emptying base, modifications with the self-emptying base have "+" in the model name (Q5+, Q7+, and Q7 Max+).
Let's take a look at the main differences between the Roborock Q5+, Q7+, and Q7 Max.
| Specs | Roborock Q5 | Roborock Q7 | Roborock Q7 Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mopping function | no | yes | yes |
| Water tank capacity | - | 180 ml | 350 ml |
| Electric water tank | - | no | yes |
| Dustbin capacity | 470 ml | 760 ml | 470 ml |
| Suction power | 2700 Pa | 2700 Pa | 4200 Pa |
| Main brush type | 2 types | rubber brush | rubber brush |
| Amazon price | $699.99 | $799.99 | $869.99 |
All other features are the same, you can find all the specs in our Roborock comparison.
Roborock Q5 vs Q7/Q7 Max
The main difference between the Q5 versus Q7/Q7 Max is the lack of mopping. The Roborock Q5 also supports 2 types of the main brush: a rubber+bristle one, and an all-rubber brush. It includes the standard bristled roller but can be switched to the all-rubber brushroll optionally. Unlike the Q7 and Q7 Max which only work with the all-rubber brush that is included in the box.
Which brushroll performs better?
Based on our cleaning tests, the brush with bristles performs much better with pet hair on carpets. The all-rubber brush, on the other hand, performs better with sand and debris on hard floors and carpets. If you have pets and carpets, the brush with bristles would be a better choice. However, both perform equally well on hard floor. If you have to deal with lots of long human hair, keep in mind, that the rubber roller is easier to maintain and it resists hair tangles better.
What's the difference between the Q7 and Q7 Max model?
The Roborock Q7 Max is a slightly improved modification of the Q7. The S7 Max has higher suction power (4200 Pa vs. 2700 Pa) so it should perform better on carpets (especially medium-pile ones). Both have mopping, but the Q7 Max has a larger electric water tank (350 ml vs. 180 ml) which means it has a built-in electric water pump while the Q7 uses a gravity-controlled water tank.
The electronic water tank has a few advantages over the gravity controlled water tank:
- ability to adjust water flow in the app
- ability to set different water flow modes for each room
- doesn't leak when the robot is idle
- you don't need to remove the mopping pad when charging
- ability to schedule the robot in mopping mode
The gravity-controlled water tank just slowly supplies water through water filters. These filters require replacement from time to time.
I would recommend the Q7 Max over the Q7 if you're planning to use the mopping function regularly or have a big area of hard floors.
Which model will suit your needs?
If you don't plan to use the mopping function at all or if you have a lot of carpets (which makes the mopping function useless), I would recommend the Roborock Q5 as it has a significantly lower price tag. I also like that the Q5 supports both types of the main brush.
If you want to use the mopping function regularly, I would recommend the Roborock Q7 Max as it has a larger water tank with an electric water pump.
If you have mostly carpets and planning to use the mopping function ocassionally, maybe it's worth saving money and going with the cheaper Q7 model. The larger dustbin of the Q7 will be very helpful for those who have a few pets as pet hair fills the dustbin pretty quickly.