Roborock S6 MaxV Review

The newest Roborock model is finally here! Welcome the Roborock S6 MaxV. But how well does this spendy robot perform? Let’s find out now.

Pros

• New frontal cameras improve navigation and help to avoid obstacles
• Highest suction of any Roborock model at 2,500 pa
• Digitally maps your home and can store up to 4 floor plans within the memory
• 2-in-1 design, both vacuums and mops
• Great cleaning performance on hardwoods (100% removal rate) and good performance on carpet (88% removal rate)

Cons

• Cleaning performance on high pile carpet (85% removal rate) isn’t as good as other high-end robots we’ve tested
• On the more expensive side

What’s New with the S6 MaxV?

The S6 MaxV includes a few new features that help to separate it from previous models.

Here’s some of the highlights of what is new with the MaxV:

1. New navigation uses ReativeAI technology to detect and avoid obstacles better
2. Includes a dual frontal camera for improved visibility, mapping, and obstacle avoidance
3. New processor for better AI integration and connectivity performance
4. 25% increased suction compared to S6 model

Rather watch than read? Our video review is below:

Table of Contents

• Cleaning Performance
• Design
• Features
• Size
• Accessories
• Usability
• Value
• Specs
• Summary

Cleaning Performance

To test cleaning performance, we test all of our vacuums in an enclosed testing lane with three different floor types and four different debris types, ranging in density and size.

We test cereal, rice, kitty litter, and sugar. And use the following floor types— hardwoods, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet.

Performance of the Roborock S6 MaxV was good, averaging 92% across all floor types. In addition to raw suction power, the navigation on this vacuum is top-tier.

We ran these performance tests on our enclosed testing lanes. Even enclosed, the vacuum was still able to map the entirety of the room without ever leaving the testing lane.

Cleaning Hardwoods

Cleaning hardwoods was a breeze for the S6 MaxV. It had nearly flawless performance and captured 99% of debris from hardwoods.

Cleaning Low Pile Carpet

On low carpet, there was a definite dip in performance, but most of that is due to its inability to pick up all of the granulated sugar. Overall, the S6 MaxV captured 91% of all debris from low pile carpet.

Cleaning High Pile Carpet

On high carpet, the performance took another dip, but this time it was due to the kitty litter. The vacuum captured all cereal and rice, but left a fairly large amount of kitty litter and sugar.

While I can’t say for sure why it had such a problem, my guess would be that the density of the kitty litter combined with the longer distance between floor and brushroll, made it harder to maintain peak performance.

Overall, the MaxV captured 85% of debris from the high pile carpet.

Mopping Tests

Lastly, we also testing the mopping functionality of the MaxV.

Below is a before and after shot of the mopping pad. We ran this test in single room sized area of our studio.

Roborock mops do a nice job at removing dust, dirt, and light debris from floors. However, they are not a replacement to a traditional map. Even so, we think they are a great addition to help maintain clean floors via the mopping attachment.

This can help extend the time you need to do deeper mop cleanings.

Navigating Obstacles

One of the biggest perks of the S6 MaxV is its ability to navigate around detected obstacles. We decided to put this claim to the test by making a cleaning course of obstacles and seeing which ones it was able to map and avoid.

We even included Roborock’s artificial ‘pile o poop’ which was included in the box with the robot.

S6 MaxV Design

The Look

The S6 MaxV is the newest Roborock to be added to the S Series robots. It has a round body style with controls on the top of the vacuum, navigation cameras in front, and a spiral brushroll and side spinning brush below to help capture debris of all types and sizes.

What colors are available?

The Roborock S6 MaxV is only offered in the black color, as pictured above.

Design Tech

One of the most impressive parts of the design of the S6 Max is its advanced navigation. This vacuum uses twin cameras on the front of the vacuum to improve visibility and mapping.

The MaxV can see items in its path as small as 5cm wide and 3cm high, which makes it easier to vacuum without having to pick up first.

When objects are detected, the vacuum is able to estimate its size and location, properly rerouting the vacuum around the obstacles.

The Controls

The controls on the S6 MaxV are simple and intuitive. The top of the vacuum has basic features and additional features and settings are available using the app.

Controls on the vacuum itself include:

• SPOT – start a spot cleaning session
• CLEAN – to start or pause a cleaning cycle
• HOME – to send the robot back to its charging base

The Underside

The underside of the S6 MaxV feels pretty similar to other models we’ve seen from Roborock.

Basically it comes down to four main parts:

• Brushroll: It has a spiral bristle brushroll nestled in the center of the vacuum, between two large navigational wheels.
• Contact Pins: There is a smaller wheel towards the front of the vacuum and two small charging contact pins which helps the vacuum to know when it has reached the charging dock.
• Side Spinning Brush: To one side, there is a spinning brush that pulls debris from the corner and edges and into the path of the brushroll.
• Edge Sensors: Edge sensors on the front half of the vacuum help to avoid fall hazards like stairs or lofted areas.
• Mopping System: Mopping with the S6 MaxV includes a 300ml water reservoir and a spring-loaded mopping pad which puts even pressure, no matter where you’re mopping.

Features

Features on the S6 MaxV are extremely smart and advanced for a robot vacuum. To break down the capabilities of this vacuum, we’ve divided the features into a couple of different topics, including:

• 2-in-1 vaccum / mopping
• App control
• Extended run time
• Smart navigation & mapping
• Custom cleaning cycles

2-in-1 Vacuum & Mop

Similar to Roborocks before it, the S6 MaxV is also a 2-in-1 vacuum / mop combo.

As a vacuum, it is suitable for all floor types, offering 2500 Pa max suction and a 460mL dust bin capacity.

As a mop, it uses a pressure-sensitive mopping system that puts consistent pressure on the mopping mad, regardless of floor type or setting.

How much area can it cover?

• Vaccum: up to 2,580 square feet.
• Mopping: up to 2,150 square feet.

How does it move?

This robot navigates in a Z-shaped navigation pattern, moving in straight paths until the area is cleaned.

Is it hard to switch back and forth between vacuum and mop?

Not at all. You can schedule vaccum and moping cycles separately and even define different “No-Go zones” between the two functions.

When docked, water is switched off which prevents the mop from leaking water between cleaning cycles.

App Control

Using the app, you can access quite a few extra features that aren’t available from the face of the vacuum itself.

The app allows you to:

1. Schedule a cleaning
2. Digital mapping
3. Zoned cleaning
4. Virtual barrier
5. No-Go zone
6. Spot cleaning
7. Remote control

The Roborock app works with iPhone, Android, or Amazon Alexa (which enables voice-activated cleaning cycles).

Extended Run Time

With a 5,200 mAh battery capacity, the S6 MaxV can run for up to 180 minutes and takes less than 6 hours to generate a full charge.

In addition, this vacuum also has a smart “Top-Up” feature.

What is Top-Up?

This feature allows it to vacuum unto the battery is low. It will then assess how much area is left that needs to be cleaned and drive back to the dock to charge up.

Based on the map, the S6 Max will only charge up exactly how much power it needs to finish the cleaning so it can get back to work sooner.

Smart Navigation & Mapping

The navigation and mapping on the S6 MaxV are also quite advanced beyond what we’ve seen from other models.

To highlight the improved navigation, it’s got:

• Dual cameras on the front of the vacuum
• AI obstacle recognition
• Multi-level mapping
• Room selective cleaning

What about for larger floor plans?

The MaxV automatically recognizes up to four levels and allows for customization on each cleaning cycle, as detailed below.

Custom Cleanings

The S6 MaxV has the ability to perform a number of custom cleaning cycles. This includes many variations, but basically comes down to the following customizations:

1. Selective room cleaning: allows you to identify rooms on a map and selectively clean or skip those rooms, as needed
2. Scheduled cycles: use the app to schedule cleanings ahead of time, for vacuuming or mopping
3. No-go zones: mark off sensitive areas as “no-go zones” which prevents the vacuum from accessing that area; useful for pet areas, kid areas, etc. You can block off up to 10 zones when vacuuming or mopping
4. Custom cleaning sequence: allows you to specify an exact sequence in which you want rooms cleaned; save certain rooms for last and / or prioritize the dirties spaces

Size & Dimensions

The size of the S6 MaxV is similar to other Roborock models.

How big is the vacuum?

The Roborock S6 MaxV robot vacuum is the following dimension:

• 13.8″ diameter
• 3.8″ tall
• 8 pounds

Accessories & Parts

The Rboorock S6 MaxV comes with the same accessories that you see with the S5 Max. It’s a wide variety for both vacuuming and mopping cycles.

What’s in the box?

THE BASICS

• Roborock S6 MaxV robot vacuum
• Dock charger
• Washable filter x 2
• Cleaning tool
• Artificial poop (for obstacle detection test)
• Service card and user manual

VACUUM TOOLS

• Spiral brushroll: pulls debris from the floor into the dust bin
• Spinning side brush: captures debris from edges and corners

MOPPING TOOLS

• Water tank: holds the water
• Mopping cloth: microfiber cloth that velcros onto the bottom of the unit
• Moistureproof mat: protects the floor from any leaking moisture, while the mop charges between cleaning cycles

Setup & Usability

Getting started with the Roborock S6 MaxV is simple and quick. First, you’ll want to unbox the vacuum, setup the docking station, and go ahead and charge it up.

Depending on what type of cleaning you want to do, there are a few different options.

1. Fast cleaning: press START on the top of the vacuum
2. Hands-free cleaning: use the local wifi network to pair your vacuum with the Roborock app; takes about 5 minutes. From here, you can use the app to start, stop, pause, or schedule a cleaning cycle
3. Voice-controlled cleaning: pair the vacuum to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant; takes about 5 minutes

The first few cleaning cycles may be slower than usual or more sporadic. This is expected as Roborock learns more about the space and begins to set up and refine the map.

Once the map is established, the S6 Max will be able to work more efficiently and effectively.

Setting up the Vacuum

To get up and running, unbox the vacuum and remove all packaging.

Charge the vacuum.

To start a cleaning cycle, press the “on / off” button on the top of the vacuum.

Setting Up the Mop

To start a mopping cycle, fill the water reservoir with clean water and install it into the vacuum. Make sure the mopping pad is attached securely.

You can specify exact areas on the map that you want to mop or simply define “No-Go Zones” that you want the mop to avoid.

The mop will intelligently navigate the space and adjust the pressure on the mop as needed to get the optimal cleaning performance.

Setting up the App

Installing the app takes just a few minutes.

1. Install the Roborock app on your device.
2. Follow the prompts to pair with the S6 MaxV.
3. Start a cleaning cycle, set schedules, view cleaning performance, or check out recommended maintenance tasks.

For more versatility, you can also control the S6 MaxV with voice commands, when paired with a device like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

Maintenance

Keeping the Roborock S6 MaxV running at its best requires a few simple maintenance tasks.

Here’s the quick rundown:

1. Empty the dust bin and wash as needed. To wash the bin, the manufacturer recommends pouring water into the dust bin, closing the dust bin cover, shaking the bin left and right and pour out the dirty water. Repeat this step several times, until the filter clean.
2. Clean the brushroll using the provided tool and remove any tangles, as needed.
3. Wipe the sensors clean with a dry lint-free cloth.
4. Wash the filter and replace, as needed.

Is the Roborock S6 MaxV a good value?

So all things considered, is the S6 MaxV worth the cost? In my opinion, yes. It makes some pretty big strides other robot vacuums in the market that really help this model to stand out.

A few of the top value-adding features include:

• Long run time (up to 180 minutes) – Most high-end robots run for 75-90 minutes
• 2-in-1 vacuum and mop (the largest and most capable mopping system in a 2-in-1 robot we’ve seen)
• Twin cameras for better navigation and obstacle foresight (this is a feature we’ve only seen on a couple of other robot vacuums)
• Custom cleaning cycles
• No-Go zones (up to 10 when vacuuming or mopping)
• Wifi connectivity for hands-free control
• Voice control capabilities

The S6 MaxV is expensive, no question, but it offers a ton of features and excellent cleaning performance

Roborock S6 MaxV Specifications

For a full list of the Roborock S6 MaxV specifications, check out the table below:

Should You Buy the Roborock S6 MaxV?

I would recommend the Roborock S6 MaxV if you’re looking for the following in a robot vacuum:

• Excellent navigation: The dual cameras really helps to take the MaxV to the next level in terms of obstacle detection. In addition, the laser sensors, no go zones, room by room cleaning, and general app control makes the MaxV incredibly easy to use and a great navigator.
• Good for large floor plans: Along with advanced navigation, the mapping technology is also top-notch on the S6 Max. It can vacuum over 2,580 square feet with a single charge and mop up to 2,150 square feet (with a Top-Up feature for larger floor plans). In addition, it can map up to 4 levels of a floor plan.
• Great for hard surfaces, good on carpet: The added suction in the S6 MaxV makes this the highest suction vacuum from Roborock. Its performance on hardwoods was excellent, with good cleaning performance on carpets.

The S6 MaxV isn’t currently available to purchase, but should be soon. We will update this page as soon as it’s available. In the mean time, you can check out the official info page here.