The Roborock S6 MaxV is a well-built robot vacuum with excellent automation features. It has a unique 'ReactiveAI' feature that uses two cameras on the front of the vacuum to identify obstacles and move around them. It delivers great performance on bare floors and comes with a mopping attachment, although we don't test it currently. Unfortunately, its overall performance on carpets is mediocre.
Our Verdict
The Roborock S6 MaxV has great performance on bare floors. This very well-built vacuum easily sucks up pet hair, large debris, and small debris from surfaces like hardwood or laminate. However, it struggles with picking up large debris like cereal when its dirt compartment is partially full. It does an excellent job of maneuvering itself and works with an app that allows you to set up virtual boundaries and 'no-go' zones. Unfortunately, like most robot models, it incurs high recurring costs and has quite a few parts that need regular maintenance.
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Excellent performance on bare floors.
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Excellent build quality.
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High recurring costs and demanding maintenance needs.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has passable performance on low-pile carpets. While it's very well built and does a great job of maneuvering itself, it struggles with pet hair and fine debris like baking soda. It also incurs quite a few recurring costs and has demanding maintenance needs. On the plus side, it does a decent job of sucking up larger debris like sand and has a 'carpet mode' that allows the vacuum to adjust its suction power when it's cleaning carpets.
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Excellent build quality.
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Excellent automation features.
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High recurring costs and demanding maintenance needs.
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Sub-par performance on low-pile carpets.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has an okay performance on high-pile carpets. It picks up a good amount of sand but struggles with pet hair and fine debris like baking soda. Its performance drops when its dirt compartment is partially full. However, it's very well-built and does a great job of maneuvering itself. If you turn on 'carpet mode', it can automatically change its suction power when it moves onto carpets. It also has a feature that allows it to detect and avoid obstacles.
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Picks up a good amount of debris like sand.
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Excellent automation features.
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High recurring costs and demanding maintenance needs.
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Struggles with pet hair and small debris.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is a mediocre choice for cleaning up after pets. It easily clears pet hair from bare floors, but it struggles more on carpets. Pet hair can get wrapped around its brushroll or gets left behind. Like most robot vacuums, it also has quite a few parts that need regular maintenance, and it incurs high recurring costs. Thankfully, the brushroll is removable for easier cleaning, and it comes with a tool with a hook blade that can help with removing hair wraps.
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Easily sucks up pet hair from bare floors.
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Excellent build quality.
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Struggles with pet hair on carpets.
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High recurring costs and demanding maintenance needs.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is a robot vacuum and not suitable for cleaning stairs.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is a robot vacuum and not suitable for cleaning your car.
- 7.3 Bare Floor
- 6.7 Low-Pile Carpet
- 6.6 High-Pile Carpet
- 5.5 Pets
- 5.8 Stairs
- 4.7 Cars
- 4.4 Workshop
- Updated Dec 14, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update builds on our previous 'Suction' test with a new 'Airflow' test that more accurately measures a vacuum's ability to generate air movement. If you'd like to see an in-depth look at the reasoning and methodology behind this change, you can see our full changelog here..
- Updated Oct 17, 2022: We've corrected an error in this review stating that this vacuum has a HEPA-efficiency exhaust filter. This isn't the case, and all mentions of this vacuum having a HEPA filter have been removed.
- Updated Sep 23, 2022: We've set the 'Scheduled Start Buttons' field in the 'Physical Automation' section to 'No', as you need to use the vacuum's companion app to schedule a cleaning session in advance. All relevant scores and text have been updated.
- Updated Sep 01, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Aug 30, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated May 12, 2021: Updated 'Height', 'Width', and 'Depth' fields in 'Storing' section and retested 'Maximum Battery Life' test in 'Battery' section.
- Updated May 10, 2021: Review published.
- Updated May 06, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Apr 29, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Apr 28, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Apr 20, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- Updated Apr 12, 2021: The product has won our suggestion poll, so we'll buy and test it soon.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Roborock S6 MaxV comes in one color, 'Black'. You can see the label for the unit we tested here. If you come across another variant of the Roborock S6 MaxV or your vacuum is different, please let us know in the comments below, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The Roborock S6 MaxV stands out for its 'ReactiveAI' feature, which uses a pair of cameras on the front edge of the vacuum to help it identify and avoid obstacles. The companion app also has a broad range of features, like virtual boundary setting, and it can remote-control the vacuum. It also has a mopping feature, although we don't test it currently. Unfortunately, the Roborock S6 MaxV's overall cleaning performance isn't as good as the Roborock S6 or the Roborock S5.
If you want to see other options, check out our recommendations for the best robot vacuums, the best robot vacuums for pet hair, and the best robot vacuums for carpet.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is better than the Roborock S5 Max, though the S5 is a better option for value-conscious buyers. They deliver similar overall cleaning performance; however, the S6 MaxV feels better-built and has a dual-sensor navigation system, which uses LIDAR to quickly map out its coverage area and front-facing cameras to let it identify and avoid hazards like pet waste in real-time.
The Roborock S6 MaxV and the Roborock S6 are similar vacuums, and you may prefer either one, depending on your preferences. The S6 delivers a better cleaning performance on every surface type and has longer battery life. However, the S6 MaxV has a 'ReactiveAI' feature that uses cameras on the front of the vacuum to detect obstacles and move around them. It's also slightly smaller. Both models come with mopping attachments, but we don't test that feature currently.
The Roborock S6 MaxV and Roborock S7 are fairly evenly-matched robot vacuums, so one may suit you better, depending on your needs. The S6 MaxV has a larger dirt compartment, struggles less with pet hair on bare floors and high-pile carpet, and uses its 'ReactiveAI' navigation system to identify and avoid obstacles. However, its overall maneuverability is similar to that of the S7. The S7, meanwhile, has a more advanced mopping system that actively scrubs away stains and lasts a little longer on a single charge when set to its most energy-efficient 'Quiet' mode. Unlike the S6 MaxV, it's also fully compatible with a self-emptying station.
The Roborock S5 is better for most purposes than the Roborock S6 MaxV. The S5 delivers better performance on bare floors and low-pile carpets. It also does a better job of cleaning pet hair from high-pile carpets and has longer battery life. However, you may prefer the S6 MaxV if you're looking for a robot with advanced automation features. It has a 'ReactiveAI' feature that uses two cameras on the front of the vacuum and detects obstacles, identifies, and avoids them. You can also remote-pilot the vacuum with the companion app while watching what the camera 'sees'.
The Roborock S7 MaxV is a more fully-featured vacuum than the Roborock S6 MaxV, though the latter is still a great option if you don't want to spend quite as much. Both vacuums feature LIDAR and optical sensors, allowing for precise room mapping and real-time object avoidance. However, the S7 performs slightly better on most surfaces. It also has a more advanced mopping system that uses vibrating pads to scrub away stains. Only the S7 can also be used to clean and mop throughout the same cleaning session since it can raise its mop pad when it detects that it's on carpet. The S6 isn't compatible with a self-emptying base station, so you'll need to empty its dustbin and refill its water tank manually. However, the S6 does have a much larger dustbin that won't need emptying as often.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is better for most purposes than the iRobot Roomba i3. The two models deliver a fairly similar performance on bare floors and carpets, but the Roborock is better-built, easier to maintain, and incurs fewer recurring costs. On the other hand, the iRobot has an automatic dirt disposal feature, so you shouldn't need to worry about emptying its small internal dustbin.
The Ecovacs DEEBOT OZMO T8 AIVI and the Roborock S6 MaxV have different strengths, and you may prefer either one depending on your preferences. The Ecovacs delivers better performance on carpets, has a longer maximum battery life, and incurs fewer recurring costs. On the other hand, the Roborock delivers better performance on bare floors. Also, while both models have excellent automation features, it has a unique 'ReactiveAI' feature intended to detect obstacles and allow the vacuum to move around them. Its dirt compartment is also much bigger.
The iRobot Roomba i7 and the Roborock S6 MaxV have different strengths, and you may prefer either one depending on your needs. The Roborock delivers much better performance on bare floors. It's also better-built, easier to maintain, and incurs fewer recurring costs. On the other hand, the iRobot does a significantly better job of cleaning low and high-pile carpets. It also has an automatic dirt disposal feature built into its charging dock, so you can avoid emptying its small internal dustbin.
The Roborock S6 MaxV and iRobot Roomba j7 perform better for different uses, meaning one might be a better fit for your needs than the other. The Roborock incurs fewer recurring costs, has a much longer maximum battery life, comes with a mopping attachment, and delivers superior overall performance on bare floors and low-pile carpet. Its LIDAR sensor also allows for faster room mapping, though it also has cameras that let it identify and react to hazards in real-time. Meanwhile, the iRobot is compatible with a self-emptying docking station, takes much less time to recharge, deals with pet hair more effectively on low-pile carpet, and delivers better overall performance on high-pile carpet.
The Roborock E4 and the Roborock S6 MaxV have different strengths, and which you may prefer depends on your needs. The E4's performance stays more consistent as its dirt compartment fills up, and it's much more effective at picking up pet hair from carpets. On the other hand, the S6 MaxV has significantly better automation features, including virtual boundary setting and schedule programming for individual rooms. It also has a unique 'Reactive AI' feature that helps it identify and avoid obstacles.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is better for most purposes than the Shark AI Robot. The Roborock delivers better performance on bare floors and high-pile carpets. It can automatically adjust its suction power when cleaning carpets and has a unique 'Reactive AI' feature for detecting and avoiding obstacles. However, the Shark has a longer maximum battery life and recharges more quickly. It also delivers better performance on low-pile carpets.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is better for most purposes than the Shark IQ Robot. The Roborock is easier to maintain, incurs fewer recurring costs, and delivers significantly better performance on bare floors. It can also automatically adjust its suction power depending on the surface type. However, the Shark is lighter and does a better job of cleaning carpets.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is better at vacuuming than the Narwal T10. The Roborock has a much larger internal dustbin, can automatically adjust its brushroll speed depending on the surface type that it's on, and delivers superior performance on all surface types. Meanwhile, instead of the Roborock's static cloth pads for mopping, the Narwal has a far more robust mopping system, with rotating cloth pads that provide a more thorough clean. Its docking station has a built-in cleaning and drying system for its mopping pads that should significantly reduce the chances of it tracking dirty water around your home. In addition, the Narwal charges much faster and lasts roughly as long as the Roborock on a single charge.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is more versatile than the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum. The Roborock is better-built, can clean high-pile carpets, and maneuvers itself around obstacles like electrical cords with less difficulty. It also has a mopping attachment for dealing with messes on hard floors, though we don't currently test this function. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi charges faster and performs better on bare floors and low-pile carpet.
The Roborock S6 MaxV and Roborock S4 Max each have their own advantages, so one may suit you better than the other depending on your needs. The S6 MaxV is better-built, delivers superior performance in regards to clearing larger debris like sand from carpets, and has a mopping attachment for clearing stuck-on debris on bare floors, though we don't currently test the latter. Meanwhile, the S4 Max is notably better when it comes to cleairng pet hair from carpeted floors and has a longer battery life, though it does take longer to recharge.
The Neato D8 is slightly better for most use cases than the Roborock S6 MaxV. The Neato is less demanding in terms of maintenance, is smaller and lighter, and delivers superior performance on bare floors and low and high-pile carpet. It also takes much less time to recharge, though its battery life is shorter than that of the Roborock. The Roborock also feels better built, incurs fewer recurring costs, and maneuvers itself more effectively. It also has a mopping attachment.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is better than the iRobot Roomba E5. The Roborock is better-built, incurs lower recurring costs, has a larger internal dustbin, maneuvers itself more effectively, has a more advanced suite of automation features, and performs much better on bare floors. It also comes with a mopping attachment for clearing sticky messes on bare floors. The Roborock lasts longer on a single charge too, though this can vary in the real world, and it's also worth noting that the iRobot charges much faster. The iRobot also performs better on low-pile carpet.
The Roborock S6 MaxV and iRobot Roomba 981 each have advantages, meaning one might suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The Roborock feels better built, has a longer battery life, and comes with a mopping attachment for clearing messes on bare floors. It has more advanced automation capabilities, with a combination optical/LIDAR navigation and mapping system that enables it to identify and avoid obstacles. The Roborock stores a permanent map of its coverage area, which you can access through its companion app to set up virtual boundary lines or schedule cleaning sessions for specific rooms. Conversely, the iRobot delivers better performance on bare floors and low-pile carpet, charges faster, and has an easier time climbing over obstacles like electrical cords, which the Roborock might identify as obstructions to avoid.
The iRobot Roomba S9 and the Roborock S6 MaxV have different strengths, and you may prefer either one depending on your needs. The iRobot delivers a much better cleaning performance on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpets. It uses a sensor to detect areas that need extra cleaning and can automatically adjust the height of its brushroll. However, the S6 Max has better automation. It has a unique 'ReactiveAI' feature intended to detect obstacles and allow the vacuum to avoid them.
The Neato Botvac D7 and the Roborock S6 MaxV have different strengths and which you may prefer depends on your needs. The Neato delivers better performance on every surface type and is significantly easier to maintain. However, the Roborock does a much better job of maneuvering itself. It also has an automatic surface type adjustment feature, as well as a unique 'Reactive AI' feature intended to allow the vacuum to detect obstacles and avoid them.
Test Results
The Roborock S6 MaxV has an amazing build quality. It feels sturdy and is a mix of matte and glossy black plastic with some metallic accents. There's a small raised cylinder on top that houses the laser navigation system, and next to it are three buttons that give you basic control without needing to use the companion app. There's also a panel you can open to access the dirt compartment, WiFi indicator light, and system reset button. It looks very similar to the Roborock S6, with the addition of two cameras on the front edge of the vacuum used for object detection. The water tank for the mopping feature is located near the back of the vacuum, although we don't test that feature currently. Most parts feel quite sturdy, but the dirt compartment feels like it could break if you drop it on a hard floor. The silicone and plastic side brush may also wear out over time, and you can purchase a replacement when necessary.
It's quite easy to set up. All you need to do is set up the charging dock and connect it with the Roborock app if you want.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is somewhat hard to maintain, with quite a few parts that need periodic maintenance. However, the parts are all easy to access.
- Brushroll: The brushroll should be cleaned about once a week. It's is easy to access and remove after you take off the brush guard on the underside of the vacuum. You can use the small hook blade on the cleaning tool that comes with the vacuum to remove any hair wraps. It's also possible to remove the brushroll's bearing, which can make it easier to clean.
- Dirt compartment: The dirt compartment can be removed by lifting the top cover and pressing the grooves on its sides. It needs emptying about once a week, or whenever it's full, and can also be washed with water to remove any built-up debris.
- Filter: The filter is attached to the dirt compartment. You can unclip it once the dirt compartment is removed from the vacuum, and you should wash it with water every two weeks.
- Side brush: You need a screwdriver to remove the side brush and to screw it back in. You should clean it of any tangled hair or debris once a month.
- Wheel: You should clean the wheel whenever you notice tangled hair or built-up debris. You may need to use a small tool, like a screwdriver, to pry it out of its socket.
- Mop cloth: While we don't currently test it, the mopping cloth needs to be cleaned after each use.
Any part washed with water should be allowed to dry thoroughly before being put back in the vacuum.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has a few recurring costs. The parts are all sold through Roborock's Amazon store, and you can use the 'Maintenance' tab in the vacuum's companion app to check the estimated remaining service life of each part.
- Brushroll: The brushroll needs to be replaced after every 300 hours of use or every six to 12 months.
- Side brush: The side brush should be replaced after every 200 hours of use or every three to six months.
- E11 filter: The filter should be replaced after every 150 hours of use or every three to six months.
- Mop cloth: We don't currently test the mopping feature, but the mop cloth should be replaced every six to 12 months.
Update 05/12/2021: The vacuum's dimensions were remeasured to include the plastic plate that the vacuum rests on. The score remains unchanged.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is very easy to store. It's a little bit smaller than the Roborock S6 and mounts onto the compact charging dock by itself. It also comes with a plastic base that attaches to the dock and prevents the vacuum from dripping water onto your floor when you use the mop attachment. There's also a velcro strap you can use to wrap up any excess cable.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has an alright dirt compartment. It doesn't have a physical max fill line, but you can let the app remind you to empty it after every few cleaning sessions. It's also made of clear plastic, so you can physically check how full it is if you like.
- Roborock S6 MaxV vacuum
- Charging dock
- Charging cable
- 2x E11 filters
- Main brushroll
- Brushroll guard
- Brushroll cleaning tool
- Dirt compartment
- Water container
- 1x mopping cloth
- User guide
The Roborock S6 MaxV has an unlimited range as long as it has room in its dirt compartment and battery life remaining. However, it can't go up or down stairs.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has very good portability. It's somewhat light and should be easy to carry from room to room or between floors. It doesn't have a carrying handle, though.
Update 05/12/2021: The 'Maximum Battery Life' test was rerun, and the result was updated from '165 min' to '180 min'. The score and text for this section have been updated.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has an excellent battery performance. If you use it in its most powerful suction mode, Max, it provides about an hour and a half of cleaning time. Set to the least powerful 'Quiet' mode, it lasts for roughly three hours, which is quite close to its advertised maximum runtime. However, battery performance can vary with real-life usage, so you may have a different experience.
Its power button changes color to indicate the battery status. It flashes on and off when it's charging, turns solid white when the battery is at least 20% charged and goes red when the battery falls below 20%. At that point, the vacuum stops cleaning and returns to its dock to charge.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has a few extra features. There are four different suction modes: 'Quiet', 'Balanced', 'Turbo', and 'Max'. The default is 'Balanced', and you can use the app to change modes. Like the Roborock S6, it also has a carpet mode you can turn on and off in the app that allows it to adjust its suction power automatically when it's cleaning carpet. The vacuum also adapts the speed of the brushroll to the situation. It speeds up when it's near walls and other edges and slows down when in the middle of a room to help prevent debris from getting scattered around.
In addition to the main brushroll, the Roborock S6 MaxV is equipped with a silicone and plastic side brush to help push debris into the vacuum's path. It also comes with a brushroll cleaning tool with a small hook blade that you can use to cut away tangled hair. There's also a reusable mop cloth, a water container, and a mat you can attach to the dock to prevent the vacuum from dripping water on your floor when you're using it with its mop attachment. However, we don't currently test that feature.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is a robot vacuum and doesn't have any alternative configurations.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has an excellent performance on bare floors. It easily clears pet hair, smaller debris like rice, and bulkier debris like cereal. However, it picks up much less bigger debris when its dirt compartment is partially full.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has a disappointing performance on high-pile carpets. It picks up a decent amount of larger debris like sand but struggles with fine debris like baking soda and pet hair, which can get wrapped around the brushroll. Take a look at the Neato D8 if you want a robot vacuum that cleans debris more effectively on low-pile carpet.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has a passable performance on high-pile carpets. It's good at picking up bigger debris like sand as long as its dirt compartment is fairly empty. It doesn't do as well with pet hair and struggles with fine debris like baking soda. It also picks up less debris when its dirt compartment is partially full. Consider the Roborock S7 if you're looking for a robot vacuum that performs a little better on this surface type.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has excellent maneuverability. Similar to the Roborock S6, it uses its laser sensor navigation system to navigate and has a smart pathing feature that allows it to become more efficient with each cleaning session. It also has a 'ReactiveAI' system that is supposed to help the vacuum identify and avoid obstacles. The vacuum noticeably adjusts its suction power when it cleans carpets, and the side brush effectively pushes dirt into the path of the vacuum when it's near a wall. It's small enough to fit under low furniture and cleans around the feet of couches and tables.
Unfortunately, it can get stuck on rug tassels and electric cords. You can use the app to mark these obstacles, so the vacuum cleans around them.
Note: During our testing, the vacuum identified a grey rug as an obstacle and avoided it, which is why it has a lower score for maneuverability than the Roborock S6.
The Roborock S6 MaxV has decent physical automation features. It differs from the Roborock S6 with its 'ReactiveAI' feature, which uses two cameras on the front edge of the vacuum to detect objects, identify them and navigate around them. The cameras have infrared imaging, which allows the vacuum to navigate in the dark.
The Roborock S6 MaxV returns to its dock when the battery falls below 20% full. If it's in the middle of a cleaning session, it calculates how much power it needs to complete the job and resumes cleaning once its battery is sufficiently charged. If you want to use the vacuum without an internet connection, you can use the buttons on the top to start a cleaning session, have the vacuum spot-clean an area, or send it back to its dock to recharge.
Still, unlike the Roborock S7 MaxV, it isn't compatible with self-emptying stations like the Empty Wash Fill Dock, which not only empties its dustbin but also washes its mopping pads and refills its water tank.
The Roborock companion app is easy to use and gives you access to many features and functions. The vacuum creates a map of your home as it cleans, which you can see in the app. You can use it to set up 'no-go zones', virtual wall barriers, designate specific areas for spot-cleaning, set cleaning schedules for different rooms, or send the vacuum to a specific location. It's possible to set up maps for up to four different floors.
With the companion app, you can see its cleaning history, check when parts need replacing, change the power mode, turn carpet mode on and off, and change the volume for the vacuum's speakers and the language of the audio cues. The app also allows you to remote-pilot the vacuum and watch where it's going live through the cameras. You can even record a voice message that gets played out of the vacuum speakers, a feature the manufacturer advertises for checking in with your pets while you're away at work.