Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra Review: A Flagship Robot Vacuum That Excels in Cleaning and Navigation

Introduction

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is a flagship robot vacuum and mop combo designed for users who want top-tier cleaning performance and the latest smart features. It promises strong results across all floor types, low maintenance demands, and deep customization through the Roborock app. In practice, it delivers on most of those promises, though a few trade-offs are worth knowing about before you commit to this premium machine.

Who This Product Is For

This robot vacuum is aimed at households that want a hands-off cleaning experience with excellent results. It is especially well suited for owners of mixed flooring, since it performs strongly on hardwood, low-pile carpet, and high-pile carpet. It also appeals to pet owners, given its outstanding pet hair removal scores. If you are willing to pay a premium for the best available performance and convenience features, the S8 MaxV Ultra is a strong candidate.

Cleaning Performance

The S8 MaxV Ultra earned an almost perfect cleaning score in testing, collecting all debris types across all testing surfaces with zero issues. In the debris test, it removed 96.4% of debris by weight, which is 3.7% more than the average of 92.7% based on all tests. Its best results came on hardwood flooring, crevice cleaning, and edge cleaning, where its dual rollers and swinging side brush collected nearly all debris.

For low-pile and high-pile carpet tests, the S8 MaxV Ultra delivered excellent scores, though there is some room for improvement. The main issue was getting small debris like sugar and kitty litter out of the carpet fibers. This is a common challenge for robot vacuums during carpet testing and is not unusual in this category.

In the long hair test, only 40% of the hair was tangled by weight, which is 10% less long hair tangling than the average of 50%. Long hair can wrap around the roller and fail to transfer into the collection bin, and this was the case here. Still, the robot managed to transfer 60% of that long hair into the bin.

Pet hair performance was a standout. The S8 MaxV Ultra removed 99.0% of pet hair by weight, which is 20.6% more than the average of 78.4%. This is a fantastic score for a robot vacuum. The brush and roller removed nearly all hair from high-pile carpet with no tangling around the roller or brush.

Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance

How well a robot can navigate and clean the home greatly impacts the overall user experience. The S8 MaxV Ultra comes with multiple sensors and software features to help avoid obstacles and create the most efficient cleaning path. It includes AI obstacle recognition software that identifies objects seen through its cameras and sensors. A 3D structured light sensor and RGB camera help map rooms, find dirt, and feed information into the robot’s computer. It is also paired with a LiDAR sensor to map rooms and maximize navigational efficiency.

In navigation testing, the S8 MaxV Ultra detected and avoided all objects placed in its path. Thanks to the AI obstacle recognition software, it could even notify users what the object was. For example, when it approached fake pet waste, the app identified the obstacle as pet waste on the map and saved the location as a hazard. On subsequent cleaning cycles, it cleared the obstacle from the map once it was no longer in the testing area. Based on all robots tested to date, this is one of the best obstacle avoidance performances seen.

Design and Build Quality

The S8 MaxV Ultra is available in black or white and has an exceptional build quality. It features a thick body and base station that can withstand day-to-day use. All accessories and attachments have a sturdy, high-quality feel. As Roborock’s high-end flagship robot combo, it distinguishes itself with exceptional build quality and style. Compared to other flagship robot mop combos, it is on par with the market standard for build quality.

Maintenance and Usability

The usability of the S8 MaxV Ultra is fantastic. Testing and follow-up cleaning cycles ran smoothly and without issue. Setup was easy, taking no more than 10 minutes to set up the robot and base station, connect to the app and Wi-Fi, fill the water tank, and get the robot onto its first mapping run. The robot does come with a lot of protective packing material, but that is a minor point.

The base station includes a hot water mop washing feature to keep the mopping pad cleaner. Inside the docking bay, a cleaning track runs along the mopping pad, providing even cleaning and drying. There is also a model variant option for a refill and drain system that automates mopping maintenance even further. This requires some plumbing to connect the base station, but it is an incredible feature for minimizing weekly maintenance tasks.

The base station also includes an extra-large debris bag. The robot transfers its debris from its bin into the base station, which further automates maintenance. For most users, the bag would need to be replaced a few times a year. The estimated yearly maintenance cost is $32.

One thing to keep in mind is that the base station comes with relatively small clean and dirty water tanks, so you will need to refill them more often than with some competing models.

Noise Levels

In noise testing, the S8 MaxV Ultra generated 68.4 dB of noise on max power mode, which is 0.29 dB less than the average of 68.69 dB. During testing, there was not much of a noise level change when switching between modes. Only when switching between the lowest and highest suction modes was a more significant difference noticed.

Buying Advice

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is an expensive robot vacuum, and it is one of the highest-priced robot mop combos on the market. That price is the main trade-off to consider. There are also two other minor drawbacks: long hair can tangle around the roller during use, and the base station’s water tanks are relatively small, requiring more frequent refills.

However, if you simply want the best of the best, this is it. The S8 MaxV Ultra dominated both cleaning and navigation tests. It is packed with advanced hardware, software, and features that create an incredible level of usability. It is a straight upgrade over the previous best robot tested and is the new top performer in its category.

Conclusion

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is a truly incredible robot vacuum. It excels at cleaning across all floor types, delivers outstanding pet hair removal, and features some of the best obstacle avoidance seen in testing. The premium price and a few minor maintenance quirks are the only real downsides. For users who want the highest level of performance and convenience, the S8 MaxV Ultra is a compelling choice.