Roborock makes some of the most advanced robot vacuums on the market, and has just unveiled a new flagship model as part of the CES 2021 expo. The Roborock S7 is better at handling stubborn stains, smarter in its mopping mode, and can even empty itself.
Following on from the Roborock S6 MaxV we saw last year, the new S7 offers the same 2,500 Pa of suction but improves its internal brush – this model uses rubber fins rather than the traditional bristles, and has more levels of vertical movement, which means it should last longer and clean better.
It's in the mopping department where the major upgrades are though. While the S6 MaxV could mop as well as vacuum, the S7 can do both on the same cleaning routine, pulling up the mopping pad when carpet is detected – previously, users had to set either the vacuuming or the mopping mode for each clean.
Roborock is also introducing sonic vibration technology to the mopping process, with up to 3,000 min-scrubs per minute possible. That should mean the more stubborn stains and dirt on hard surfaces should be taken care of, Roborock is promising.
"The robot mopping process in the past has been arduous, needing customer time and input to set barriers or zones," Roborock CEO Richard Chang said in a press statement. "The S7 completely transforms the mopping experience through surface recognition technology designed to automatically lift the mop element and avoid carpets, making mopping completely effortless while also delivering a deeper clean than ever before."
The last significant improvement is the auto-empty feature. This is going to be the first Roborock vacuum that can empty its dustbin itself. The dock that enables this feat won't be out until later in the year though, so you'll have to do some manual emptying to begin with, if you're considering a purchase.
The 300-ml (10 fl oz) water tank, 5,200-mAh battery and 3 hours of battery life are the same as the S6 MaxV, though the dirt dustbin expands slightly from 460 ml to 470 ml. All of the other features that helped the previous flagship model stand out are here again, including detailed LiDAR room scans and Alexa and Google Assistant support.
As with a lot of the tech being showcased at CES, it will be a while before you can actually buy the Roborock S7: it's going on sale on March 24 for US$649, with white and black models available. The auto-empty dock is scheduled for a June 2021 launch, with pricing to be announced.
Product page: Roborock S7
