Unveiled at CES 2024, the new Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is packed with advanced cleaning tech. It packs all the features you’d need. These include strong suction power, a vibrating mop, AI cleaning strategy, hot water mop washing, detergent dispensing, and much more.

While it’s one of the best robovacs around, at least on paper, it’s also one of the most expensive. It costs a whopping $1,800, bringing it on par with the DreameBot X30 Ultra. In this detailed review, let’s see how it compares to the competition, and whether it’s worth this much for it.

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Premium design and build quality

As it’s a flagship device, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra uses premium materials. The quality is excellent and both the robot and the dock feel sturdy.

The robot looks upscale, with a glossy cover on top to hide the HEPA filter and dustbin. It uses an AI camera with fill lights for obstacle detection, together with a LiDAR for mapping and navigation. On the underside, it comes with two bristleless brush rollers to capture dust, a FlexiArm motorized side brush, and a VibraRise vibrating mop that works jointly with a small rotating mop pad to clean alongside baseboards.

The S8 MaxV Ultra works in conjunction with the latest RockDock Ultra, which comes in two variants. The first is a standard self-emptying dock measuring 409 x 419 x 470mm. It’s equipped with a 4L fresh water tank and a 3.5L wastewater tank. Both are easily accessible from the robot’s top without the need to remove any panel, featuring built-in handles.

The second variant is notably more compact, measuring only 409 x 419 x 300mm. It eschews water tanks in favor of a direct connection to the home’s water supply and drainage for automatic water cycling. It includes all necessary fittings and tubes, making installation straightforward.

Both versions come with a 2.5L dust bag, concealed behind a removable front panel, alongside the refillable detergent tank. The lower part of the dock is designed for mop care, with a dedicated brush that cleans the mop with hot water, followed by a drying process with hot air.

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra with water tanks is available in black or white. The self-refilling and draining variant is exclusively available in white. The latter’s more compact design makes it less conspicuous and its color choice should not significantly impact user preference.

One of the most complete apps around

During the setup, the robot maps out your living space. This allows the robot to segment rooms and recognize furniture, automatically distinguishing your bedroom from your dining room.

Once the map is generated, you can modify room divisions, set up virtual barriers and restricted zones. You can also tweak floor type settings and adjust furniture placement. The robot can store up to four maps, and automatically recognizes which one to use.

The Roborock app provides precise control over cleaning preferences, including suction strength, mop moisture level, and cleaning sequence. You can tailor these settings to each room, with more intensive cleaning in dirty areas. To make things easier, Roborock has developed a new AI-based features called SmartPlan and DirtTec. They allow the robot to adapt its cleaning settings according to the dirt levels and stains it sees while cleaning.

The settings include options to clean along the floor direction, re-mop soiled spots, and handle carpets in various ways. The robot can either avoid them, lift the mops to prevent dampening, or even mop them. The dock also offers adjustments regarding the water temperature, drying time, and mop washing frequency. Additionally, an off-peak charging option is available to optimize energy usage.

Thanks to its onboard RGB camera, the S8 MaxV Ultra recognizes obstacles intelligently and plots them on the map. It also functions as a surveillance device, allowing you to view a live video feed of your home, complete with two-way audio — a handy feature for pet monitoring. Speaking of which, the robot can even take pictures of your pet or help you find it!

The S8 MaxV Ultra integrates with Google Assistant, Alexa, and also comes with its proprietary voice assistant, Hello Rocky. The latter offers hands-free control even without smart speakers. I’ve found it does a better job at understanding commands compared to the Q Revo MaxV. This may be because the S8 MaxV Ultra automatically turns toward you when it’s summoned. In addition, it’s the first Roborock device to feature Matter compatibility, making it easier to integrate with your smart home ecosystem.

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra: A tornado on wheels

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra boasts an impressive 10,000 Pa suction power, making it a powerhouse for cleaning both hard floors and carpets. It excels at removing dirt, dust, and small particles, leaving floors spotless.

Its enhanced FlexiArm side brush ensures comprehensive cleaning coverage, sweeping along baseboards brilliantly. It’s also good at reaching into corners, but may leave a small area uncleaned in tight crevices.

After outdoor adventures with my dog, who tends to bring the muddy outdoors inside, the S8 MaxV Ultra has been a game-changer. It tackles the challenge head-on, effectively cleaning hardwood floors and tiles and leaving them spotless. Thanks to its capability to clean grouts deeply, it leaves no dirt hidden between tiles.

For carpeted areas, this robot vacuum is particularly adept. It features two bristleless brush rollers designed specifically for capturing more dirt and debris. This makes it an excellent option to vacuum thick rugs. What’s more, it automatically boosts its suction power on carpets to make sure it cleans them thoroughly. Thanks to this, it can reach into the fibers to extract even the most stubborn dirt.

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra: The best robotic mop, period

Unlike the dual rotating mop pads found in some models, the S8 MaxV Ultra features a vibrating mop to scrub the floors more effectively. It also comes with a rotating side mop that cleans alongside baseboards and edges. An additional feature of the S8 MaxV Ultra is its detergent tank, housed within the dock. This allows the robot to mix cleaning solution with water, enhancing its cleaning potency.

The dock cleans the mop before, during, and after each use, using hot water for best hygiene. You can also adjust the cleaning frequency and cleaning mode, according to your preferences. Plus, the dock automatically re-washed the mop if it senses dirt, to make sure it comes out clean. Moreover, the robot’s design smartly avoids unnecessary dampening of surfaces by not lowering the mop until it’s ready to clean.

In practice, the cleaning results of the S8 MaxV Ultra are outstanding. Its vibrating mop handles everyday spills and more stubborn such as dried coffee or sauces brilliantly. The addition of detergent to the significantly boosts its stain-removal capabilities, achieving impressive results often in a single pass. The rotating side mop complements the main mop by reaching into crevices and along edges, covering a larger area.

Flawless navigation and reliable obstacle avoidance

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra uses LiDAR and an AI RGB camera for navigation and advanced obstacle recognition. It can navigate flawlessly across different rooms without getting stuck. Similarly, it doesn’t try to vacuum cables left on the floor.

In addition to its navigational prowess, the S8 MaxV Ultra incorporates an AI-powered camera that allow it to perceive and avoid obstacles. This camera can also capture images of the obstacles and integrate them into the cleaning map shown on the app.

During my tests, I intentionally scattered cables, shoes, and toys across the floor to challenge its detection capabilities. Remarkably, the S8 MaxV Ultra identified and navigated around every single obstacle

Good battery life and relatively quiet

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra maintains a reasonable sound profile that doesn’t intrude excessively into daily life. It’s not as quiet as the new Q Revo MaxV, which is barely audible, but doesn’t make much noise when used on low settings. It’s more noticeable on high suction power, without it being particularly annoying.

Battery life on the S8 MaxV Ultra is excellent, with up to 180 minutes of continuous cleaning on a single charge on low settings. This ensures it can handle large cleaning areas without needing to recharge mid-session.

In real-life usage, it’s been able to clean about 55 square meters in 55 minutes on thorough settings with approximately 35% battery remaining. It means you can get it to clean up to 85 square meters in about 85 minutes on high settings.

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra: An almost maintenance-free experience

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra helps streamline your cleaning routine by reducing the amount of maintenance required. Thanks to its large dust bin and water tanks, it required little intervention. This is particularly true of the self-draining model, as it doesn’t even need human intervention. What’s more, the built-in detergent tank lasts for months without a refill, requiring minimal attention.

A standout feature of the S8 MaxV Ultra is its unparalleled mop-washing function. It does this more thoroughly than other models, thanks to the dedicated brush that scrubs the mop. What’s more, it also uses 60ºC hot water and hot air to wash and dry the mop. This helps prevent the buildup of mildew and eliminates odors.

There is a downside to this, though, as the dock does tend to get dirty. There is no option to clean it automatically either, and means you have to get your hands dirty once in a while. This means you have to wipe the cradle, remove the brush and clean it, and do the same with the filter. It takes a few minutes, but is a bit cumbersome.

As for the robot, it doesn’t need much care. Its mop is detachable, making it easy to throw in the washer if needed. I’ve noticed hair sometimes gets wrapped around the brush rollers, and particularly the side brush. It’s not a big deal, but means you have to flip the robot upside down and check underneath it about twice a month.

Is the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra the right robovac for you?

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra boasts top-of-the-line features, making it a compelling choice for those seeking the pinnacle of robotic vacuum technology. Its powerful suction, AI-powered navigation, and innovative self-cleaning functionality ensure a level of cleaning precision and convenience unmatched by many competitors. However, this cutting-edge technology comes at a premium price.

For those with more modest cleaning needs or tighter budgets, alternative models like the Q Revo MaxV might offer a better balance between performance and cost. Ultimately, the S8 MaxV Ultra is ideal for users who prioritize the latest advancements in robotic cleaning and are willing to invest in a device that delivers exceptional cleaning power, convenience, and peace of mind. It’s definitely the best option for households with pets, as well as thick carpets, and of course the bucks for it.

Pros	Cons
Cleaning performance	Expensive
AI features	Dock care
Advanced and automated mop care	No accessories in the box
Smart home integration

Q&A