Roborock S4 Max
MSRP $430.00
“The Roborock S4 Max is a budget-priced robotic vacuum that delivers great cleansing energy, even versus higher-priced choices.”
Execs
Handles flooring transitions nicely
Cleans all surfaces nicely
Straightforward-to-use app
Bot will map your property shortly
Room by room cleansing
Cons
No full dustbin notifications
Dustbin may very well be greater
Everybody loves a clear home, nevertheless it appears nobody can ever discover time to do it. A robot vacuum can save time by scheduling and automation. I lately had the prospect to attempt the Roborock S4 Max in my house for about 4 weeks, testing its varied options and capabilities in comparison with different gadgets in the marketplace.
What’s Roborock S4 Max?
The Roborock S4 Max is a single-purpose robotic vacuum, managed by a smartphone app. At a listing worth of $430, it matches in the midst of the vary for Roborock vacs, however it will possibly usually be discovered at quite a lot of retailers for as little as $310. Whereas some Roborock fashions such because the S7 have mopping performance in-built, this isn’t one in every of them. Much like different fashions just like the S6 MavV, the S4 Max has laser-guided navigation and good mapping. There’s a rubber-bristled nook brush on the underside in addition to a small double curler brush.
The S4 Max has multi-level mapping that permits you to apply it to as much as 4 flooring. It additionally has Automated Carpet Enhance, the next suction possibility to drag grime out of carpet fibers, and a barely longer cleansing time/battery life so it will possibly clear bigger areas on a single cost.
The S4 Max has multi-level mapping that permits you to apply it to as much as 4 totally different flooring.
Brains and tech: Laser lidar navigation
The Roborock S4 Max has the flexibility to “see” round obstacles in your house because of its lidar navigation expertise. The bot bounces lasers off the partitions and furnishings to find out the structure of your property and the place it will possibly and may’t go. This information is then used to attract an in depth map of your property. With the map drawn, you’ll be able to designate particular rooms for room-by-room cleansing. That laser mapping additionally means the vacuum doesn’t speed up blindly into desk legs or partitions.
After only one outing, my vacuum had created a usable (and correct!) map, and that’s considerably sooner than another pricier bots I’ve reviewed. Additionally, in contrast to a number of different bots, the Roborock S4 Max is prepared so that you can label and customise your property map proper from the get-go in comparison with different bots which may want a number of passes to create the map.
Utilizing the Roborock app
You can begin, cease, and direct your robotic house utilizing the buttons on the highest of the vacuum, however the true energy comes within the Roborock app. You can begin and cease cleanups, set a number of schedules, create digital boundaries or no-go areas, select your cleansing energy, and alter your property maps or re-label rooms.
The app helps you to create dividers between rooms, merge areas, and label them for extra particular cleansing. The app is straightforward to grasp and to seek out the controls and settings for issues, so I used to be in a position to get my house labeled shortly. The subsequent time I needed to do a focused clear of my hallway, I used to be ready to decide on that space on my map, and ship out the S4 Max. I used to be additionally in a position to schedule vacuuming of various rooms on totally different days.
Roborock S4 Max efficiency
Roborock’s advertising and marketing for this bot makes some extent of claiming the S4 is “onerous to entice” and it’s “engineered to flee the areas the place others would get caught.” I discovered this to be true throughout my evaluation interval; I by no means noticed it get caught as soon as. Relating to its climbing talents, the S4 Max by no means obtained held on flooring transitions, edges, or rugs. I can confidently say that of all of the robotic vacuums I’ve ever examined, this one obtained caught the least.
In case you are having issues with a bot like this getting caught, you’ll be able to create digital boundaries or no-go zones. You possibly can bar your robotic from getting into particular rooms or sure problematic corners. Creating these zones is completed by the Roborock app. I can verify it’s fast and straightforward and really user-friendly to do.
Elevated suction energy on carpet
I used to be fairly impressed with how nicely the Roborock S4 was in a position to clear my carpets and rugs. After I tipped out the dustbin I observed it had picked up every part from very fantastic mud to greater particles, pet hair, and even items of plastic.
Multi-floor cleansing
One of many main options of the S4 Max is that it will possibly retailer as much as 4 totally different flooring in reminiscence, together with each room on these flooring. This may not seem to be a giant deal — in any case, it will possibly’t climb stairs by itself — nevertheless it’s really one of many foremost promoting factors for this machine. Except you need to spend money on a separate robotic vacuum for every ground, the multi-level cleansing means all it’s important to do is let it discover the realm as soon as.
After it has vacuumed that degree and made a map, all it’s important to do is place the vacuum on the ground you need to clear. The S4 Max will bear in mind every room and robotically acknowledge the place it’s. It is going to ship the identical cleansing efficiency irrespective of which ground of your property it’s on, which makes it nice for whole-house cleansing with little intervention from you; all it wants is slightly help up and down stairs.
For most individuals, solely two flooring (and probably a basement) are wanted. In case you stay in a four-floor house, contemplate us jealous.
Completely different ground surfaces: How nicely does Roborock S4 Max clear?
The Roborock S4 was simply in a position to deal with the various kinds of flooring too: I’ve carpet, rugs, tile, and hardwood and it cleaned each nicely, and it even vacuumed grime out of holes in my ground’s grout. I take a look at out robotic vacuums by spilling issues like flour or sugar, rice, and cracker crumbs or cereal on each carpet and onerous flooring. I can verify the bot picked up every part simply, and what it didn’t get on its first cross it obtained in subsequent passes. The Roborock S4 Max cleans in a really linear vogue too; it’s attainable to see the great traces it leaves within the carpet after it’s been by a room.
Bin emptying
The onboard dustbin on this vacuum actually must be emptied after each use. I didn’t get any type of notifications from the app if this bin was full; neither push notifications nor passive alerts. I believe it could be good if it may ship me emptying reminders, however I don’t know if it’s simply not designed to try this, or if my iPhone isn’t enjoying properly with the Roborock app.
Battery life and cleansing time
The vacuum defaults to being parked on its charging base, which means it’s all the time able to go. With a full battery, Roborock says the S4 will continuous for as much as 180 minutes, equal to nearly 300 sq. meters (3,200 sq. ft), and I can verify the S4 Max cleaned my complete foremost ground (about 1,500 sq. ft) while not having to recharge.
Our Take
The Roborock S4 Max combines premium options, an extended cleansing interval, and a number of energy ranges right into a single, practical robotic vacuum. Mix that with the easy-to-use app and you’ve got a robotic vacuum able to dealing with any mess on any ground.
Is there a greater various?
There are dozens of robotic vacuums in the marketplace at this worth vary. Whereas the Roborock S4 Max is listed for an MSRP of about $430, it will possibly readily be discovered for the much more budget-friendly worth of $310. At this worth, the iRobot Roomba e5 ($345) is an in depth competitor however tends to be a bit dearer. The Dreame D9 can be on this class at $320, however I discovered it had main hassle with any tall flooring transitions and it obtained caught lots. The Roborock S4 Max is a superb, hardworking robotic vacuum at a low worth level, which makes it top-of-the-line choices for somebody on a price range.
How lengthy will it final?
In my expertise, the typical lifespan of a robotic vacuum may be 5 to 10 years relying in your utilization and which producer. I’ve reviewed a number of Roborock vacuums within the final couple of years and each was nicely made and sturdy. For essentially the most half, producers constantly replace their software program and add smarts remotely over the air, which means you’ll be able to maintain getting new options with out the fixed want for upgrading the {hardware}. Roborock provides a normal, if considerably disappointing, one-year limited warranty.
Do you have to purchase it?
Sure. The Roborock S4 Max delivers great cleansing efficiency at a low worth level and does so with out sacrificing high quality.
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