Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra

Pet owners and hard-floor households have a compelling option in Roborock’s flagship for 2024. The S8 MaxV Ultra pairs 10,000Pa suction with some of the smartest obstacle detection on the market, recognizing 73 different household objects before your dog’s toy becomes a cleanup disaster. At $1,799 MSRP (though frequently discounted to under $1,000), it goes head-to-head with the Dreame L40 Ultra and Roborock’s own Qrevo Curv.

Quick Take

This is an 8.5/10 robot vacuum that excels at what matters most for pet households: picking up hair without tangling, dodging obstacles without getting stuck, and running mostly hands-off thanks to its comprehensive dock. Where it falls short is mopping (decent but not exceptional) and raw suction power (competitors push nearly double the Pascal rating). If you have mostly hard floors with some area rugs and pets shedding everywhere, the S8 MaxV Ultra handles that situation beautifully. Thick wall-to-wall carpet? Look elsewhere.

The Hardware

The S8 MaxV Ultra measures 13.8 inches across and stands 4.1 inches tall, that last number mattering more than you’d think since the LiDAR turret on top prevents it from sliding under low furniture. The robot weighs about 10 pounds, with the whole package (dock included) shipping at 29 pounds.

What sets this model apart starts with the brushes. Dual rubber rollers spin in opposite directions, grabbing debris while actively resisting hair tangles. Pet owners who’ve spent quality time picking hair out of traditional bristle brushes will appreciate this design choice. The side brush extends automatically to sweep corners and edges, though some users report it doesn’t always deploy when expected.

The camera system combines 3D structured light with an RGB camera (what Roborock calls “Reactive AI 2.0”). This setup recognizes shoes, cords, socks, pet waste, mirrors, and dozens of other objects. Dark cables on dark carpet can still sneak through, but overall obstacle detection ranks among the best available.

Suction and Cleaning Power

At 10,000 Pascals, the S8 MaxV Ultra delivers excellent performance on hard floors and low-to-medium pile carpets. Testing shows 97-99% debris pickup on most surfaces. However, this puts it behind newer models like the Qrevo Curv at 18,500Pa, which matters if you have thick carpets that trap deep dirt.

The 270ml dustbin seems small, but the self-emptying dock means capacity rarely becomes an issue in practice. The dock holds about seven weeks’ worth of debris in replaceable bags.

Battery and Coverage

A 5,200mAh battery provides up to 180 minutes of runtime on the lowest suction setting, covering roughly 3,230 square feet. In practice, most homes use higher power modes that reduce runtime, and the vacuum returns to dock for charging before resuming where it left off. Fast charging cuts recharge time by about 30%.

The Mopping System

VibraRise 3.0 uses a vibrating mop pad that pulses 4,000 times per minute. A smaller side mop extends to clean within about 1.7mm of baseboards. The pad lifts 20mm when carpet is detected, which protects low-pile rugs but won’t fully clear thick shag.

Performance falls into the “good enough for maintenance” category. Fresh spills come up easily. Dried stains take multiple passes. Rotating dual-pad systems on competitors like the Qrevo Curv clean more effectively, making this a secondary feature rather than a primary selling point.

The dock washes mop pads with water heated to 140°F, then dries them with warm air over 2-4 hours. A 580ml tank automatically dispenses cleaning solution. Clean water capacity is 4 liters, dirty water holds 3.5 liters.

The RockDock Ultra

This 8-in-1 base station handles charging, bin emptying, mop washing and drying, water refilling, and detergent dispensing. It requires roughly 16 x 16.5 x 18.5 inches of floor space, plus clearance for the robot to dock and undock.

An optional version adds plumbing connections for automatic water supply and drainage. Installation requires running inlet and drain lines to within about 20 feet of the dock, plus some plumbing knowledge (or a professional). Most users stick with the standard tank-based model.

Dock noise during auto-empty runs about 68dB, comparable to conversation volume. The vacuum itself operates at the same level during max suction.

App and Smart Features

Roborock’s app (4.7 stars on iOS, 4.6 on Android) offers granular control over every aspect of cleaning. Map editing lets you set no-go zones, no-mop zones, and room-specific suction and water settings. Multi-floor mapping stores layouts for different levels of your home.

SmartPlan AI suggests optimized cleaning schedules based on your floor plan and room types. You can create custom routines, schedule recurring cleans, and monitor the robot remotely through the camera.

Speaking of the camera: it defaults to off and requires physical button presses plus password setup to activate. When enabled, live video monitoring and pet checkup features let you locate pets, take photos, and even make two-way audio calls through the robot. Obstacle photos get encrypted and deleted from servers within three business days.

The on-device voice assistant (“Hello Rocky”) works offline but recognizes only preset phrases with inconsistent accuracy. Most users prefer app control or third-party integration with Alexa, Google Home, or Siri. This was the first robot vacuum with Matter certification, expanding smart home compatibility.

Privacy Considerations

Maps store locally on the device, not in the cloud. Camera images process onboard and get deleted immediately unless you enable obstacle photos. Data servers operate in China, Germany, or the US based on your region. The microphone defaults to on but can be disabled. Privacy-conscious users should review Roborock’s privacy policy, though the company states it doesn’t sell personal data.

Navigation Performance

LiDAR-based mapping creates accurate floor plans in under 45 minutes for a typical 1,000-square-foot space. The robot follows methodical grid patterns, covering about 98% of accessible area with minimal missed spots.

Carpet detection triggers automatic suction boost. The robot can climb thresholds up to about 0.8 inches, handling standard door transitions without issues. Thicker transitions and tasseled rug edges can cause problems.

Corner and edge cleaning reaches roughly 85-90% of debris, respectable but not outstanding. The FlexiArm side brush helps but doesn’t reach every nook.

Pet Performance

Here’s where the S8 MaxV Ultra shines. Testing shows 99%+ pickup of short pet hair with minimal tangling in the dual rubber rollers. Long hair performs nearly as well, with tangles mainly occurring at the roller axles rather than wrapping around the brushes themselves.

Pet Mode prioritizes waste avoidance with a 95-98% detection rate. The robot keeps safe distance from identified pet waste rather than spreading disaster across your floors. Pet Snaps automatically captures photos of your pets during cleaning runs.

The DuoRoller brush design consistently outperforms competitors for pet hair management, making this a top recommendation for multi-pet households.

Maintenance

Weekly tasks take about 15-30 minutes: check brushes for hair, empty the dock’s dirty water tank, refill the clean water tank. Monthly, clean the sensors and wash the HEPA filter (which is reusable and dishwasher-safe).

Annual parts costs run $80-120 for light use, $150-200 for heavy use. Third-party parts from AliExpress cost 30-40% less than official Roborock replacements, with generally acceptable quality.

One annoyance: Roborock doesn’t sell replacement batteries directly. After 18-24 months of daily use, when battery degradation becomes noticeable, you’ll need to source a third-party 5,200mAh replacement for $35-50.

Warranty and Support

The standard warranty covers manufacturing defects for one year. Extended plans (up to 5 years for around $100-200) exist but also cover only defects, not consumables or accidental damage. Customer support responsiveness varies by user reports, with 70-80% claim approval rates estimated. Australia and New Zealand get two-year standard coverage.

Known Issues

WiFi disconnection affects 10-20% of users. Voice command recognition frustrates many owners. The FlexiArm sometimes fails to extend. Some firmware updates have caused grout line false positives on tile floors. Rare dock flooding incidents have been reported. These issues appear manageable for most users, though the voice assistant complaints seem persistent.

Who Should Buy This

The S8 MaxV Ultra fits pet owners with primarily hard floors and low-to-medium pile carpets who want minimal hands-on maintenance. Smart home enthusiasts will appreciate Matter compatibility and the polished app. Homes up to about 3,000 square feet work well; larger spaces need multiple cleaning runs.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

Thick carpet households should consider the Qrevo Curv’s 18,500Pa suction. Buyers prioritizing mopping over vacuuming will find rotating pad systems more effective. Privacy-conscious users might prefer the S8 Max Ultra, which drops the camera while keeping similar features. Budget buyers can find capable robots for half this price.

The Competition

The Roborock Qrevo Curv costs slightly more and trades the RGB camera for superior suction (18,500Pa) and dual rotating mop pads. It’s better for thick carpets and stubborn stains. The S8 MaxV Ultra wins on obstacle avoidance and pet hair handling.

The Dreame L40 Ultra offers comparable features with roughly double the battery efficiency, covering 2,591 square feet per charge versus the Roborock’s 1,489 feet. For very large homes, that efficiency gap matters.

Bottom Line

At discounted prices under $1,000, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra represents strong value for the right household. It won’t beat specialized models at their particular strengths, but it handles the typical mixed-surface home with pets better than most alternatives. The comprehensive dock, excellent app, and reliable obstacle avoidance create a genuinely hands-off cleaning experience for everyday messes.

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Specifications at a Glance

Category	Specification
Release Date	April 2024
MSRP	$1,799 USD
Current Price	$949-1,299 USD
Suction Power	10,000 Pa
Runtime	180 minutes
Battery	5,200 mAh
Robot Height	4.1 inches
Robot Diameter	13.8 inches
Dustbin Capacity	270 ml
Water Tank (Robot)	100 ml
Clean Water Tank (Dock)	4 L
Dirty Water Tank (Dock)	3.5 L
Mop Lift Height	20 mm
Threshold Climb	20 mm
Objects Recognized	73
Warranty	1 year
Colors	Black, White

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