Roborock S6 MaxV robot vacuum review: One of the most reliable and accurate vacuums you can buy

Vacuuming is, without a doubt, the chore that I despise the most. It isn't a difficult task, but if I'm not consistent, my house can quickly look messy. That's why I absolutely love having a small machine that quietly and reliably vacuums up the debris from my floors on its own. However, some units are far better than others. If you don't purchase a reliable one, you'll just end up chasing it around the house and making sure it doesn't fall down the stairs or suck up anything it shouldn't.

With that being the case, I'm always eager to test out a new robot vacuum when I get the chance. I had the pleasure of testing Roborock's new S6 MaxV for several weeks. This robot vacuum is the first one to boast a dual-camera and ReactiveAI, which Roborock states allows it to identify objects in its path and effectively vacuum around them. During my time with the S6 MaxV, I definitely was impressed with its performance. It isn't perfect, but it is one of the best vacuums on the market. Here's my review for the Roborock S6 MaxV.

Roborock S6 MaxV What I like

Over the years, I've been able to test several different robot vacuums. I can honestly say that Roborock offers some of the best cleaning units you can buy, and the company's latest unit doesn't disappoint. Here are the features that stand out the most on the S6 MaxV.

The standard features Orderly cleaning and powerful suction

As with all Roborock vacuums, the S6 MaxV maps out my home and vacuums in an orderly back and forth fashion. This means that every inch of my flooring gets cleaned and perfect vacuum lines appear on my carpet. I love coming home to that. It also has long battery life, which allows it to clean more flooring during one session. If the battery gets low before the session is done, the unit returns to the dock, charges, up, and continues where it left off. My hair ends up winding around the brushes pretty badly after cleanings, but fortunately, the unit features a razor that gets stored under the lid. This tool makes it really easy to remove any hair, string, or other materials that get wrapped around the brush.

This vacuum also does a great job of cleaning up after my pets. The powerful suction pulls in gobs of fur, kitty litter, fine dust, and dry pet food while making the rounds. It really helps keep my floors looking clean and tidy. I can even command it to clean up after my pets by talking to a voice assistant like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa in moments when my hands are full. While impressive, these are just the normal features you should expect from a Roborock. The S6 MaxV has a few other features up its sleeve that make it stand out from other vacuums in the Roborock line.

Object identification Avoids obstacles and learns from mistakes

The thing that sets the Roborock S6 MaxV apart from the other Roborocks (and actually apart from most other robot vacuums out there) is the fact that it has a dual camera and uses Reactive AI. The only vacuum to rival it is the Deebot OZMO T8 AIVI, which also uses a camera for object recognition. The cameras allow the S6 MaxV vacuum to recognize specific objects and avoid them during cleaning. For example, when I tell it to clean my house, it recognizes the shoes that I place under my bed, the scale in the bathroom floor, and even the power strip that I have in my living room. It knows to avoid these things and even marks the map to let me know where it identified an obstacle.

While I'm on the subject of maps, the S6 MaxV can remember up to four maps, which means that if you have a multi-level home you won't have to erase one map in order for it to remember another. I have an upstairs and downstairs, so it's nice that the unit can operate effectively no matter which floor I place it on. Additionally, I can drop a pin somewhere on a map of my house and the unit will head directly to that spot and start cleaning. It's super convenient.

While this prevents it from bulldozing into my belongings, object recognition isn't perfect. However, since it has the ability to adapt and learn, it can become more accurate as time goes on. At one point during a cleaning session, I checked the progress of the S6 MaxV on the app. I noticed that it claimed there was poop on my bathroom floor. Considering that I have a cat and a dog, finding animal droppings on the ground somewhere isn't out of the question, though unlikely. So I ran to the bathroom only to discover that the S6 MaxV had mistaken a crumpled up leaf (one of my cat's favorite things to play with) for poop. To be fair, the leaf was extremely dry and wrinkled, so I can see how the vacuum misidentified it.

The good thing here is that I was able to go into the app and tell the vacuum that it had incorrectly identified something. This then allowed it to learn from its mistakes and make more accurate identifications in the future. As time went on, it got better at recognizing my shoes or other familiar obstacles that were put in its path. It's honestly fascinating watching it come upon an obstacle and then figure out a way around it. However, it isn't perfect. While it can identify large wires like power strips, it can easily suck up small wires like your smartphone cable.

That being the case, I still need to pick small things up from around my home before starting the unit. Once I've done a quick pickup, though, I don't feel like I have to babysit the S6 MaxV while it cleans. I know it's less likely to get stuck or suck up something it shouldn't, so I can really relax while it cleans my house.

App settings Convenient options and controls

Using the official Roborock app, I can command the vacuum to start or stop cleaning, see where the vacuum currently is while it cleans, create cleaning schedules, and more. The app is well organized and easy to use — I just recommend that you update the vacuum firmware as soon as you get the vacuum and enable Map saved mode while in the settings menu. Otherwise, the unit won't remember the layout of your house and might not vacuum as effectively.

Once Map saved mode was enabled, I was able to tell the vacuum to go clean a specific room or to avoid sections of my home. This is perfect for if you have a messy hobby room or something on the floor somewhere that you don't want the vacuum going near. There's even a remote control built into the app so you can maneuver the unit exactly where you want it. The app adds to the overall experience and makes the Roborock that much more convenient to use.

Roborock S6 MaxV What I don't like

While I definitely recommend the S6 MaxV to people, it isn't perfect. Here are the things that I didn't like as much.

Object detection isn't perfect Low lighting complications

While the S6 MaxV is definitely better at avoiding items in its path than some other robot vacuums, it isn't perfect. For instance, I placed some tennis shoes beside my bed specifically to see how the robot would respond to them. The S6 MaxV did identify that the shoes were there, but this was only after bumping into them and pushing them around a little bit. Granted, it didn't bulldoze into them or suck up the shoelaces and then drag them around the room as some other robot vacuums do. However, it wasn't as accurate as I thought it would be. To be fair, the shoes were in a dark location, so the camera might not have been able to see them very well.

My privacy No camera cover

Obviously, the cameras on the S6 MaxV are intended to help it identify objects while cleaning your floors. However, it's a little unnerving to have a roaming device with a camera come upon you while you're not expecting it. I felt uncomfortable about getting changed while the vacuum was in my bedroom and I'm sure plenty of other people might not feel that comfortable allowing a traveling camera into their home.

Granted, when I pulled the device out of the packaging, there was a sticker over the camera that read, "To protect your privacy, images captured by ReactiveAI cameras are processed onboard and immediately deleted." Even so, I know that this machine connects to the internet and hacking is definitely a thing. If only the unit had some kind of built-in camera cover that I could manually close, I think more people would feel comfortable allowing this device to roam freely in their homes. But as it is, there's no such way to cover the camera when it isn't in use. Something to note is that when it docks, the camera gets blocked by the charging station, so it can't spy on you while it's resting.

The expense Well priced, but still costly

In order to get any form of technology with new or advanced features, you're going to need to spend a decent amount of money. The S6 MaxV features brand new technologies and is one of the best cleaners on the market. Compared to other companies, Roborock definitely prices its vacuums fairly, but that doesn't mean they are the most affordable options out there.

All-in-all, I'd definitely say that the S6 MaxV is worth the cost, even though it is a bit pricey. Of course, if you like the idea of this Roborock vacuum but want something a little cheaper, you should check out the other vacuums in the Roborock line, like the S5 Max. It doesn't have a camera, but it's very reliable.

Roborock S6 MaxV Should you buy it?

So far, I haven't met a Roborock vacuum that hasn't impressed me — and the same goes with the S6 MaxV. This unit beautifully maps your home to provide an efficient and orderly cleaning pattern. Unlike other vacuums I've tested, I don't have to worry nearly as much about it running into things or damaging my belongings. The camera allows the unit to better identify objects in its path and avoid them, but it isn't always perfect. Thankfully, you can tell the vacuum when it categorized something incorrectly and the machine will learn from its mistakes.

4.5 out of 5

My biggest problem with the S6 MaxV is that there is no physical camera cover on the unit. Considering that it has a dual camera on board, I would feel a lot better if I could cover it up when I feel the need to do so. Other than that, it really is an awesome device that will help you clean your home. You won't be disappointed if you make this purchase.