Roborock made a name for itself some years ago when it partnered with Xiaomi to create the original Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum. Given the fanfare the Mi Robot Vacuum has had over the past several years, the third generation Roborock flagship robot vacuum has a lot to live up to. Thankfully, the Roborock S6 delivers in almost every way possible, something that’s tough to believe given its fantastic price.
Launching in France, Germany, and Spain first at €549, Roborock once again undercuts the price of big names like Neato and iRobot all while offering an identical core experience. Roborock is pitching the S6 as the vacuum to get if you want a machine that’s more intelligent, efficient, and even quieter than the competition.
The 5,200mAh battery begins our journey down the impressive spec list, a battery that’s roughly twice the size of other high-end robot vacuums and is rated to keep the vacuum running for 3 hours straight when set in quiet or balanced modes. It’s not just the size of the battery that makes a difference though, it’s how the battery is used. Aside from the battery, two additional things help significantly in Roborock’s quest to clean your entire home in a single charge: more intelligent algorithms, and a motor that’s quieter and more efficient than the previous generation.
Previous generations broke rooms down into smaller squares and would clean within those squares until the entire room is covered, but the Roborock S6 does this in a more intelligent way. Once it has cleaned the home for the first time and fully mapped it, the Roborock S6 will then outline each room and clean within it. This cuts down on the number of times it needs to move from one square to another, as would have been the case with previous generations of robot vacuum, and also ensures a more organic, intelligent pattern of cleaning in a room, much more like the way a human would.
This doesn’t just mean better coverage, it also means faster coverage, and the robot is able to better plan its route instead of feeling so…robotic…in its patterns and behavior. On average this means it can clean up to 20% more of your home in the same period of time as other robot vacuums, which also helps cut down on the number of times your vacuum will need to recharge before finishing the cycle if you have a large home.
As is always the case with Roborock’s products, the lower price doesn’t mean you’re getting a worse experience, but it does mean that there are a few things you’ll have to do without. At this time there’s no multi-floor support, as Neato and iRobot offer, and of course there’s no self-cleaning option to purchase yet either. You’ll pay big bucks to get these two features, but it’s worth noting that they’re just not here if you need or want them.
Check out our full video review below, or take a gander at the written review if you prefer that method of content delivery instead.