Roborock Q7 Max+ robot vacuum review

REVIEW – I had given up on robovacs. After trying several, they would get stuck in corners, I had trouble with their corresponding apps, and they just didn’t clean all that well. Plus, their tiny dust cartridges were no match for my pups’ dog hair. However, I’ve been using my Roborock stick vacuum daily for a year. So when I saw an opportunity to test Roborock’s Q7 Max+ robotic vacuum, I decided to give them one final try. And I’m glad I did.

What is it?

The Roborock Q7 Max+ is a robotic vacuum that empties itself after every use. It has a mopping feature and several programming options, controlled through an app.

What’s in the box?

• Roborock Q7 Max+ robot vacuum
• Auto-empty dock
• Dustbin/water tank
• Charging dock
• Power cable
• User manual
• Screwdriver 

Hardware specs

• Package dimensions: 19.9 x 16.9 x 15.8 inches
• Item weight: 25.5 pounds
• Manufacturer: roborock
• ASIN: B09NNFNWZ9

Vacuum

• Model: A380RR
• Battery: 14.4V/5200mAh lithium-ion battery
• Weight: 8.38 pounds
• Rated input: 20VDC 1.2A
• Charging time: Less than 6 hours
• Dustbin volume: 470ml
• Water-tank volume: 350ml
• Robot dimensions:13.90×13.78×3.80 inches
• Maximum vacuuming area: 3229 sqft

Dock

• Model: AED03LRR, AED04LRR
• Rated input voltage: 120VAC
• Rated frequency: 50-60Hz
• Rated input/dust collection: 9.5A
• Rated input/charge: 0.5A
• Rated output: 20VDC 1.2A
• Charging battery: 14.4V/5200mAh lithium-ion battery

Design and features

Setup

There’s a little bit of light setup required to get the Roborock Q7 Max+ going. Fortunately, it’s designed very well, and it was very easy to figure out. There’s a small screwdriver attached to the docking station, and six small screws already partially screwed in. You just need to screw them in and attach the power cord. And then charge the vacuum, if it’s not already fully charged.

You also need to download the app. Technically, you could start the vacuum with the buttons on it, as well as send it home, spot clean or lock it. I’ve only used the actual buttons once or twice. For the most part, it’s easiest to use the app, which includes several helpful features.

To use the mopping function, you’ll need a custom mop pad. Our sample vacuum did not include the mop pad, but you can get a 2-pack on the Roborock website for $16.99.

Performance

Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can have it start mapping your floors. The app allows you to set barriers on your map, which is helpful if you have a child who doesn’t want to keep his cords off the floor. It’s also helpful if you want to designate an area as a quiet zone.

I really like the pinning feature, which lets you pinpoint a certain area, send the vacuum there and then spot clean that area. I’ve used it, for example, when we didn’t have time to clean the entire floor before an after-lunch conference call but could pinpoint that we wanted just the kitchen cleaned. Or if your kids or dogs make a mess in just one area of the house, you can send the vacuum exactly where you need it, when you need it.

You can also easily see from the app the cleaning area covered, current battery level and cleaning time.

In the app, you can also adjust the Roborock Q7 Max+’s robot voice (language and volume) or remote control the vacuum. It defaults to a setting with an automatic carpet boost so you get higher suction on rugs/carpet, but you can turn that off if you like.

Also, you can select your Water Flow for mopping and Suction Power from quiet to balanced to turbo to max. Each one is a little bit louder. We find the balanced gives a great clean and isn’t too loud (though if you’re doing a zoom call in the same room with it, you’d probably want to switch to quiet or off).

I’m a light sleeper so even the quiet mode would be too much for me overnight. In fact, Mason and my husband would be able to sleep through it at any setting. My youngest son and I wouldn’t be able to sleep through it on any setting.

Also, at the end of every cleaning session, it empties itself into a vacuum bag. It comes with one extra vacuum bag, and additional bags are available on their website for $31.99 for six or $18.99 for three.  We’re still on our first one after 1-2 cleanings per day for 11 days (so far). It says a vacuum bag can last up to 7 weeks, and I honestly laughed at the idea of that…but we will find out. I will share a follow-up when we have a better sense of how long the dust bins last in a family of four with two teens and two dogs.

The Roborock Q7 Max+’s self-emptying feature makes the vacuum basically self-sufficient, unlike constantly emptying the dust cartridge like we’ve needed to do with other vacuums. It’s something I really appreciate with two shedding dogs! However, it’s very loud for the short burst when it empties itself. So I would caution against having the dock near your bedroom, if you plan to run it while you’re asleep. Similarly, I wouldn’t place the dock near your office, if you plan to run it during your workday.

There is a feature that lets you turn off auto-emptying each time it docks. So technically, you could turn off auto-emptying, run a scheduled clean during your working/sleeping time, and then click to empty it when you can. But my problem is that I would forget. Even better would be an option to schedule emptying for times when a short burst of loud noise isn’t a problem.

As for cleaning, the Roborock Q7 Max+ does an excellent job. And that’s crucial. In fact, I don’t think my floor has ever been cleaner, especially since we’ve had two dogs. The Roborock has never gotten stuck, making it far superior to other robovacs we’ve had. Once it got trapped in the bathroom (we had the windows open and the door blew shut) and it gave us a notification that it needed rescuing.

Once we had a phone cord stuck in the vacuum (our fault!) and once a dead piece of a plant got stuck. Both times we got a notification to our phones, and it was very simple to remove. Unlike past vacuums, we didn’t have to try to rip the cord/plant out, because the roller comes in two pieces that are very easy to pop in and out to retrieve anything that gets stuck.

What I like

• Excellent cleaning job
• Lots of features in the app
• Thoughtful design

What I’d change

• An even quieter cleaning mode
• An option to schedule dustbin emptying

Final thoughts

The Roborock Q7 Max+ is a fantastic robotic vacuum. If you’ve given up on them for design flaws in previous brands/models, this one might change your mind as it did for me. Also, check out The Gadgeteer’s other Roborock reviews.

Price: $869.99
Where to buy: Roborock website or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Roborock.