We also wish Roborock would have adopted VSLAM technology, but that is not to say the LIDAR navigation isn’t good enough. You can get almost as good a clean as you'd get with a normal vacuum and mop. This houses a red spinning laser that, together with an array of 14 sensors, enables the S6 to navigate and map its environment. Initially, Roombas used Virtual Walls nodes for containment, but recently, iRobot introduced digital barriers. This is an intelligent system that works in the same way as iAdapt 2.0, but it brings on board Imprint Smart Mapping. We had it up and running with Google Assistant in no time, enabling us to bark “clean with Roborock” and have it obey our commands. ... “Roborock S6 … This is another low-slung, circular robot that can turn on a sixpence with the help of its two centrally placed main wheels. But what I can say is that if you do, you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

It’s relatively rare that a product will improve during the relatively brief time we spend with it for a test, but that’s precisely what happened with the Roborock S6. All rights reserved. At $749 it’s $150 more than the S5 Max and $350 more than the vacuum-only S4. Once you’ve got the software update, you’ll see a new icon on the map screen in the S6 MaxV’s screen in the Roborock app (right under the time remaining, it looks like a security camera). The Roborock S6 MaxV is Roborock’s most powerful vacuum cleaner yet. To make sure readers have a picture of how the two vacuums perform in a real household setting. Roborock has stuck with the same basic design template that informed the Roborock S5. You first have to enable remote viewing, both in the app and by pressing the dock, power, and spot cleaning buttons on the robovac itself, then agree to a privacy policy outlining how data is transmitted, and finally, add a pattern lock to serve as two-factor authentication if you wish. So, how do these two vacuums compare? In this section, we want to find out how these two vacuums compare as far as cleaning performance is concerned. Setting up the Roborock S6 MaxV only takes about ten minutes.

Turning this setting on increases the S6 MaxV’s sensitivity and helps it improve strategies for avoiding pet waste. The Roborock S6 arrived in the retail package that you will find in stores. The iRobot Roomba i7 was released in October 2018, and two years down the line, it’s still a favorite Roomba amongst many homeowners. The vacuum is available in two models, the i7 (7150) and i7+ (7550).

Water flow control has been improved (which fixed my occasional streaking problem when the mop got a little dry towards the end of a clean). When you enter remote viewing mode you can control the robot with a basic d-pad or use the map to send it somewhere instantly. This is basically a technology that allows the Roomba to learn and map your home. You’ll first need to connect the S6 MaxV to your Wi-Fi network, so enter your password for that. You might also shy away from buying a Chinese brand, but considering the reviews, Roborock is indeed a reliable and trusted brand. I can’t definitively say you should buy the Roborock S6 MaxV because $749 is a lot of money. The vacuum software is based on a VSLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) algorithm, which combines sensors, and a camera for efficient navigation. Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors?

The Roborock S60 is a white model of the S6, while the S65 is black. Your email address will not be published. Of course, you can leave everything just as it is and have the S6 MaxV do its thing, but you do get a better result if you pitch in a just a bit. The small turret at the top houses a 360° laser rangefinder that spins at 300rpm, and alongside a broad sensor network, they help the robot create a 98% accurate 2D floor plan map of your house. It can vacuum homes up to 2,600 square feet (~240 square meters) and mop up to 2,150 square feet (~200 square meters) on a single water tank and charge using low water flow. As with previous Max models, it combines mop and vacuum functionality.

You can do three things: take photos; live stream video; transmit audio. The Roborock S6 is also not the latest model from the Chinese brand, but it’s still a force to reckon. Another thing, the battery should have been enlarged, but Roomba used the same model used in lower-end models, so the most you can get out of the i7 is 75 minutes while even the low-end models like ECOVACS Deebot vacuums put up 100+ minutes. When it comes to sheer bangs per buck, though, we can’t think of a single robot vacuum cleaner that tops the Roborock S6. In our initial runs with the Roborock S6, its rubbery side brush seemed to struggle with the long fibres on our carpet. Roomba uses an intelligent system called Imprint Smart Mapping. One of the best parts of the S6 MaxV is its dual cameras and AI-based object recognition. When it comes to voice compatibility, Roomba i7 can sync with Alexa and Google Assistant as well as several other IFTTT protocols. It improves on a few features, and even though there is the new Roborock S6 Pure and S5 Max, it is still a force to reckon.

No data is stored on the device once the stream has ended. So, Roborock S6 and Roomba i7 are recommended for multi-story houses and multi-floor cleaning. The Roborock S6 is a fairly classic vacuum cleaner in appearance. The i7+ comes with a Clean Base unit, which empties the Roomba when it docks. If I’m not in my office, you will find me testing gadgets and writing reviews. Never fear, it’ll come back.

The system creates a map of your house after several runs, and can store up to 10 maps. Both vacuums have advantages and disadvantages. If you are looking for the best value for money, Roborock S6 is the best choice here as it is more powerful and offers deep carpet cleaning, 2-in1 cleaning, longer runtime, and is more affordable. It doesn’t hang around, either. The recharge time is 2 – 3 hours, and the life cycle of this battery is 12 months on average. Which one covers the floors well, and which one can clean multirooms efficiently. We do wish the power lead was a bit longer though. If you expect, er, poop to be one of the obstacles the S6 MaxV encounters during its daily duties, make sure to say “yes.”. The Roomba i7 cleans in a methodical pattern just like the other Roombas with VSLAM navigation to ensure entire level cleaning. And if you don’t like the idea at all, just don’t enable anything! Now, there’s naturally a difference in suction power between a small robovac and a big column or upright vacuum. Manually mounting the S6 on this dock is far easier than with many of its rivals (we’re looking at you Dyson), due to a deep groove that cups the unit’s small front wheel and makes for a snug fit. Setting up the Roborock S6 MaxV only takes about ten minutes. On the other hand, Roborock, a new generation model, uses LIDAR technology, which offers precision laser navigation. They are also efficient but not reliable, especially if you have pets and allergies. I’ve heard the horror stories involving “painting” when robovacs don’t avoid dog poop, so I’m happy to inform you the S6 MaxV won’t do that.

Roborock S5 Max vs S6 – Which is the Best Choice in 2020? Lastly, buy the Roomba i7 if you have pets as the dual multisurface brushroll is effective in preventing tangling when dealing with the long dog hair. In well lit high traffic rooms and large apartments, this system does an excellent job, but not in the dark. It tags along with a dual multisurface brushroll where one brushroll agitates dirt, and the other picks the dirt. The effect is roughly equivalent to lightly running a damp cloth over the floor. Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. Tap it and you’ll be prompted to enable remote viewing first. The S6 MaxV divides areas into sections and cleans each one in turn. Required fields are marked *. Another major factor is how much effort you put into setting up the app and maps. Roborock also has a mobile app where much of the controls are. The Roborock brand appears to be gaining some recognition in this space as I see hundreds of highly rated reviews on Amazon for the S5, whish has also been selected as an Amazon's Choice product. You can create different schedules for different rooms and adjust the vacuum power and water usage for mopping (or disable it entirely). We observed to see how the Roborock S6 would fare with some chocolate spread, but the robot vacuum cleaner merely smeared it around a little. It also ekes out an extra half hour from the same-sized battery despite its more powerful motor. It gives us a fair amount of confidence that the Roborock S6 you buy today will grow and improve over its life. Roborock S6 also comes with voice assistant compatibility with Alexa and Assistant. The S6 MaxV’s advanced capabilities will cost you more. You can use it to direct the S6 to clean your whole house, select rooms, or a manually sized up zone. Not only did the S6 MaxV correctly identify the fake poop, it gave it a very wide berth.

Open the lid of the S6 MaxV and press both buttons on either side of the power button. Any uneven mopping coverage at the start of cleaning can be avoided by dampening the mop cloth when inserting the water tray and mop bracket. Roomba also works with the mobile app, the iRobot Home app, to be precise. Automatic floor recognition means you can take it anywhere in your house and it will know where it is. You’ll then need to read the privacy policy and agree to its terms once you’re aware of how data is processed and stored. The difference between the two models is that the former doesn’t come with the iRobot CleanBase unit while the latter tags along with the unit. Now that we know a thing or two about these two vacuums, let’s compare the important features to find out which areas each one of them excels in. You can change the order of cleaning and create your own zones. It’s not quite as powerful or advanced as the S6 MaxV but it’s still a very capable machine. That means you need a separate robot mop to get the job done. It has spiral bristles that also reduce tangling but not as efficiently as Roomba’s dual multisurface brushroll. If, like me, you don’t have pets then you can safely turn it off. Your email address will not be published. Each smaller zone isn’t necessarily a room so don’t worry if the robovac only cleans 70% of the room and goes somewhere else. The unit can hold up to 30 bags, and that means you could go up to 30 days without worrying about bin emptying. You’ll be able to see a live feed of what the robot sees the entire time and switch from standard definition to high definition depending on network strength. The only issue I found with mopping was streaking when the mop cloth was a bit dirty, at least at first.