@@Artificial.Unintelligence Roborock didn't have a dock launched when we released this video. However, if we updated this video today we'd definitely add the S7+ from Roborock to the self-empty dust bin robot list.
About 9 years ago I purchased 6 Roombas over a 2-year period. They would last about 6 months their worst enemy was dirt getting inside the units causing them to go crazy. I would do self-repairs to remove the dirt inside but they would fail again in less than 3 months and would hit the graveyard in about a year. Because of this I don't even consider buying Roomba even though I’m sure they’ve come a long way since then. I currently have a RoboRock S5 and the Ecovacs Deebot OZMO 950 which was rated #1 2 years ago. Both are great vacs but the Deebot does out clean the S5. Both still going strong. Surprised that Ecovacs was not listed to out perform the Roborock S5. In any case at these high-end prices life span of units should be a consideration now that some of these models have been on market for over 2 years
Thanks a lot! This video was super helpful in comparing different options in the market! Appreciate the work that went in, and thanks for saving my time :)
I usually don’t comment on videos but I had to do this here. Hey man, thank you so much for you (and team?) for the video. We just moved to the US and we were looking for a robot and your content helped A LOT! Thank you so much for that man!
You're too kind, Fellipe! Thanks so much. Myself and my small team (there's 3 of us working on Modern Castle now) do our best to create the best data and videos we can. I'm glad to hear the video was helpful! Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Love my Roborock E4. It almost never gets stuck or hung up on small obstacles. I can basically press the button and leave it alone. The battery life is also terrific, even on Max power. I can usually run it two or more times (I.e., to pick up what it left behind, or to run it on different floors) on one charge. I’d bought a Tesvor M1 with more power but it constantly got hung up on mats, etc., requiring intervention. I only wish the Roborock came with a remote and had extra brushes/rollers/filters included.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm glad to hear the E4 is working so well. Your experience with Tesvor sounds similar to the type of issues we faced when testing one of their models.
@@ModernCastle Thanks - I should have mentioned, I bought the Tesvor for my parents but tried it in my home first. Their house is larger with a more open floor plan. It ran much better in their home than in mine which is smaller and a bit more cluttered and awkward. It was a great value at about $155, which included a remote and extra consumables (brushes, roller, filter). They’ve been using it at least weekly for two months and like it. So it has its place. I got the Roborock in February, before getting the Tesvor, and I’m very lucky and glad that both have worked out well in our homes.
@Sean _ There’s a “Maintenance” indicator in the app which lets you know when it’s time, based on hours. Usually twice a month, or if something gets caught in them, which isn’t often. I haven’t even replaced them yet.
N8 Pro made an honorable mention at the end. But didn't make the full list due to simple cleaning performance. It doesn't matter how amazing the navigation is if it doesn't compete on cleaning performance. I haven't tested the T8 yet. Cannot say how good / bad it is.
@@ModernCastle once you start to hit the 90%+ mark in cleaning, the cleaning performance becomes increasingly irrelevant to me. I'd easily give up 5% or more on cleaning for better obstacle avoidance.
@@mohamedahmed1023 That's fair. My cleaning benchmark was higher, but if you're okay with 90% then absolutely the N8+ Pro is a much higher recommendation. You may also consider the Roborock S6 MaxV and new Roomba j7+, which we recently tested here - moderncastle.com/roomba-j7-plus-review/ Both of those also have obstacle detection and avoidance features.
Hi, Just found your channel while looking to upgrade my roomba since it leaves rug remnants everywhere. I was looking to get the s9+ after watching your review, but on their website they have a massive number of 1 star reviews lately. Are there issues with the s9 reliability? Also do you know much about the roborock dock compared to the roomba docks? Thank you!
I cannot speak to every negative review on their website, but it does seem like many of them are complaining about a known issue with the firmware. There was a period of a couple of months where the S9+ was behaving poorly, but that issues seems to have been resolved since the sent a new firmware update out. In any case, I haven't had any issues with my S9+. It doesn't get stuck or have trouble navigating with any higher frequency than any other high-end robot vacuum. We tested the Roborock dock when it launched. You can read our review here - moderncastle.com/roborock-self-emptying-dust-bin-review/ I'd say it's every bit as good as Roomba.
Thanks for doing this. Alhough technology upgrades so quickly (and sadly many reviews like these get outdated so quickly), this remains pertinent and immensely helpful today. Just confirmed my next purchase. I appreciate it.
I've had a Roborock S4 for the last year as my first robot vac, and it's been amazing on my all-hard floor home. Glad to see that some of the higher models are highly rated when I'm ready to upgrade. (The mopping on the S7 is quite temping!) I do admit, the testing for the carpet definitely looks legit because it does struggle a bit on my door mats, but I like that it automatically kicks into high mode when it senses carpet.
Thanks for the review! Have you tried the Eufy L70? If so, how does it compare to the Roborock S5 Max and the Roomba i7? Would you recommend one over the other?
I haven't tried that specific Eufy model, so I'm not sure how it compares. After trying a couple of the more budget-friendly Eufy models I was really underwhelmed, as a result, I haven't spent much time or money buying & testing them. Between Roborock S5 Max and Roomba i7+ it comes down to a couple of things: 1) Roomba i7+ has a self empty dust bin and performs better on carpet, but has worse navigation 2) Roborock S5 Max doesn't do as good on carpet, but has better navigation and is able to mop If you have more carpet, I'd say go Roomba. If you have more hard surface flooring, go Roborock.
You found me! :D We're still out here just trying to create amazing reviews. Vacuums today, but we've got some cool new stuff upcoming! So stick around
Good Video, nobody else even mentions shark so i'm glad you did. I had an earlier generation one and they blow.. My s5 max is light years beyond the shark I had.
Thanks very much. Based on the amount of hate I've received on my Shark robot videos, it seems to be a really beloved robot vacuum. Nevertheless, I build these videos and recommendations based on what we actually experienced. And the Shark just leaves a tremendous amount to be desired. S5 Max really is an amazing machine. I've got one setup in a garage rec room (with finish floors) and it does a great job.
I’ve had the Roomba S9+ for about 2 weeks now and while it has powerful suction it has done a terrible job of mapping my house and gets stuck almost every time it cleans. It will not go around objects but will simply keep bumping into it until the battery dies. Is this typical or did I get a defective one? It was a lot of money and I had the shark AI before it which did much better at navigating.
It will probably get better over time as it better learns the layout. But it has no obstacle detection, so it is going to bump into stuff. I would suggest creating no go zones around areas that it is routinely getting stuck on.
@@ModernCastle Thanks for the reply, I ended up returning it and got the Deebot ozmo T8 which I already like much better. The true detect 3D feature seems much better for my household layout and needs.
This video is so helpful can u do a video of robots that have vibrating mops like the roborock s7 vs the deebot with the mopping pro attachment....ty for ur gr8 videos
Hello. Thank you for your very informative videos! I am looking to buy a robot combo taking advantage of the Black Friday offers. The Ecovacs Omni is discounted at £849 but so are other Ecovacs models including the T10plus (£549), N8 plus (£219 or £349 with station), Turbo (£749), T8 Aivi (£309). Unfortunately the Roborocks are not on offer. What I care about the most is cleaning performance, less about the smart features. So my question is in terms of cleaning performance is it worth buying the Omni or other more expensive models over the T10 plus or the N8 plus? The T10 plus seems to use a similar mopping technology as the S7 MaX Ultra so I wonder whether it would be as effective at mopping ? Thank you very much !
Here's a quick comparison of the models we've tested. The following are average debris removed by weight across 3 floor types: Roborock S7 MaxV = 97.9% Deebot N8+ Pro = 92% Deebot X1 Omni = 96.5% Deebot X1 Plus = 92.2% Narwal T10 = 99% hardwoods, 44.5% on carpets In terms of mopping...Narwal T10 is the best, followed closely by S7 MaxV, followed by X1 Omni.
at 3:40 you picture the docking station in between two pieces of furniture. Im confused as i thought there had to be at least half a metre or so to each side of a robot station, in order for it to work properly? Thanks for the review !
Most robot brands do recommend that, and sometimes it ends up being true that the robot struggles if it doesn't have much space. That said, in general, it's not really a hard requirement. I routinely put my robots into pretty tight entry areas and I almost never have any issues with it.
awesome video, thanks!. The most complete big analysis i´ve seen. I would have been nice to have a "budget robot with decent navigation and mapping". I have a pretty complex house, but i dont really need the flashy things like object avoideance, self empty dust bin and that kind of stuff. What i really need, and i think is the most important thing for most of us is decent performance and mapping where you can tell the vacuum to clean whatever you want, with virtual walls and no-go zones.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm starting to pull together the script, data, and all of our tests for a 2023 version of this video. I can make a point to include that section in the upcoming video. Most likely, the best robot for you is going to be whatever is the best Roborock model you can afford. Roborock S4 and S5 are reasonably budget friendly If you need something less expensive than the, Roomba 675 / 694 / 695 is your best option.
@@ModernCastle thank you so much!. My budget is 300/400dls, and for that money I´ve also found some xiaomi models like the mi robot vacum mop 2s and pro. or other brands like dreame. I´ve seen a lot of good reviews of them. Im gonna take a look at your suggestion too and make a desition.
@@Garcheezy I wouldn't buy a Xiaomi, as it's just a worse version of Roborock. Dreame I've found to be very hit or miss. But I've also mostly only tested higher end Dreame models. Not sure how good / bad their budget lineup is.
@@ModernCastle thats the thing, for what i've read most of xiaomi robots are basicly roborocks but cheaper. Their app is the same as roborock, so, at least software wise they seem pretty solid. I've also read really good reviews. Idk, i 'll watch som more videos to have a definitive answer. For now the roborock s5 seems to be the better option. Thanks!
@@Garcheezy Maybe their new stuff is better, but all the Xiaomi bots I tested a few years ago were just stripped down versions of Roborock. In the last few years Roborock has risen from a sort of mid-level manufacturer to arguably the best robot vacuum brand in the world. With the launch of their new S8 Pro Ultra I'd say they are now definitely better than anything else on the market.
@@peterklanjscek Cleaning performance was pretty mediocre across the board. I don't know why exactly, as functionally it doesn't look all that different, but it left much to be desired.
I have a Roomba 960 and stools with the same bases. The roomba is having difficulty charging and is a beast that tries to climb over the stools and scratches them. I just want one that won’t try to climb over them and will just vacuum around. Are the roborock and ecovacs my only choices?
The 960 would be fine, you just need to place the digital barrier so it blocks off those stools. If that's not an option, you'll need a robot vacuum with digital mapping that allows you to create virtual barrier within the map. Then you can block it off on the map itself. The Roborock S-series will do that, as will the Roomba i7 and S9, in addition to a number of other brands, but those would my first picks.
yep great help. sadly i dont have 600+ to spend on good stuff so i stick to the romba 676 my family got me for now. but until this video didnt even know mopping could be an option. good to know in the future...... when things hopefully get cheaper. was considering a SharkIQ, but i did watch to the end and yea....... 676 may bounce all over but it does good job cleaning. im impressed at how well these little battery things do.
Thank you for an extensive review of various vacuums! My main must-haves are good hardwood floor cleaning, the Alexa feature, and basic dependability. I'm considering the Roomba 694, I think the Dream D9 is too high to go under my sofa. What about the Eufy G30 for hardwood floors?
Between those, I'd say the Roomba 694 is the best choice. Roomba 694 was a better performer than the Dream D9 in our tests. Regarding Eufy's G30, I haven't tested that specific model, but other budget / mid-tier Eufy's I've tested have been extremely disappointing. I wouldn't expect any different from the G30.
Very thorough, thank you. What about two story homes? Can you simply carry it upstairs rather than separate ones for each floor? Will the app understand there are different maps etc? New to this completely. I have always manually cleaned. Thinking of the RoborockS7, or possibly that and the Narwal. But, our first floor, where I will want the Narwal possibly, will have several rugs, isn't that one of the problems with the Narwal - getting the rugs wet? Lastly, have you tested the Samsung Jet Bot? Any thoughts? They have a mop accessory that has the rotating brushed similar to the Narwal..
Yes, you can carry them up to the 2nd floor. Most include the ability to map and store multiple floors. Regarding Narwal, it's not a ton of water. Even if it went over your rugs they aren't going to be soaking wet. However, it's easy enough to just block those areas off within the digital map. Haven't tested Samsung Jet Bot. However, I have one in my studio now. We're testing next week. Our contextual review will be on ModernCastle.com next week, video review to follow some weeks later.
@@ModernCastle Thank you so much! Do you still think the Narwal and the RoborockS7 are top choices, or is there another I should eye? This is SO helpful, thank you!!
@@jessicaaweinstockparedes3938 If you have lots of hard wood / hard surface flooring, Narwal is indeed the best. It's what I'm using in my home (which is all hardwood, tile, and a couple of rugs). If you have lots of high traffic areas and lots of carpet, I'd go with the Roomba S9+. It has the best carpet cleaning performance we've tested to date. If you have lots of obstacles or a mix of flooring types, then I'd go Roborock S7, S7+, or S7 MaxV Ultra/Max (those last 2 models come out later this year).
@@ModernCastle I really appreciate it! I subscribed and have sent your link to friends and neighbors. This is hands down the best intel on this subject. I'm still stuck. We have 3600 SF spread over two floors. The downstairs is almost all porcelain tile, with some rugs and one carpeted bedroom, the upstairs is tons of carpet - all carpet actually, except the bathrooms. I'm not totally against buying two of these options, but would love to be able to meet our needs with one, and would like to avoid buying all three. The narwal is so tempting to not have to mop, but it seems like I'm going to be manually mopping those upstairs bathrooms no matter what...Should I do the Narwal downstairs, the Roomba upstairs and just mop those bathrooms manually? Or just get the roborock for the whole house and hope for the best? (Does it do a decent job on carpet just not quite as good as Roomba?) Finally what is the difference between the Roborock S7, S7+ (does this just mean with the docking station) and the S7 MaxV Ultra/Max - are those worth waiting on? THANK YOU!!
@@jessicaaweinstockparedes3938 Based on your setup I would go with the Narwal downstairs and a Roomba upstairs and mop your upstairs bathrooms manually. I have all hardwoods + rugs in my home so that Narwal has just been perfect. As far as robot mops, it's basically as good as it gets. For your upstairs, since it's mostly carpet, a Roomba makes the most sense. i7+ would be my first pick, though if you wanted the absolute best the S9+ is great also. S7 vs. S7+ just means the + has the docking station, regular doesn't. S7 MaxV Ultra & Plus are amazing robots, but VERY expensive. $1,400 for the MaxV Ultra. If you want the absolute best bleeding edge performance, that would be a good choice for your upstairs, and would also then mop your upstairs bathrooms in a single system. It would be a good choice for downstairs also. If you only wanted one robot this would be worth waiting on...you'd have to take it upstairs / downstairs, but it would meet all of your flooring needs.
Best review. Well done. We have a Neato, which, sadly, has not been great. Have replaced three batteries in five years! In addition the seeping magnetic drive brush has quit working. I do not recommend it.
Thank you! Your experience sounds similar to my first (and only) Neato. I repeatedly had to replace the battery, warranty claims / customer support was a nightmare. As a result I've not really bothered testing any more Neatos.
I didn't see it in the list you reviewed but was wondering if you tested the Shark IQ robots 1001AE models and your thoughts compared to the Roomba models?
We discuss the Shark IQ towards the end of the video, but you can find our full review here - moderncastle.com/shark-iq-review/ Shark was notably worse than Roomba and most of the other top performing models in this video. I have heard their newer models are better, which we'll be testing in 2022, but as of now I wouldn't recommend Shark's robots.
I'd go with the Roborock S7 - amzn.to/3sndaJt Great performance with and without the app / wifi. Better navigation and obstacle detection. Great robot for home and commercial spaces.
Recently got a Eufy X8 - and it's great. Think it's similar to the Roborock. I was trying to compare the X8 against the Roomba bots but they make it so complicated to figure what the differences are and what's value for money. I have to say though it works really well it seems, especially for mapping and getting around the home. Not sure about ostacle avoidance that much as we try keep everything off the floor if we can help it but the laser mapping works really well, and it navigates around the house and avoids the no-go zones in the app. Might worth having a look if you can get your hands on one.
We tested it here - moderncastle.com/eufy-robovac-x8-hybrid-review/ It left something to be desired on low carpet and got stuck a few times in our tests, but otherwise it was a solid robot.
@@alm3id4 I bought the Xiaomi Dreame D9 instead. Cost only a little bit more, but it uses LDS laser navigation system which gives it some more features that i use daily, like individual room cleaning. And SLAM for the most efficient cleaning routes. None of them are needed, I'm just willing to pay the extra money for some quality of life features ;)
@@alm3id4 I thought of that as well, but it has mixed reviews. And where I live, the Mop Pro is more expensive than the F9 and D9. And the Mop feature is not something that I'll use as often as the vacuum. The D9 has a mop I can use when needed though. But it's up to you, I think all 3 will work just fine for most people :)
Roomba S9+ and i7+ are the best performers for carpet and are equally as good on hardwoods. Buy Roomba S9+ - amzn.to/3vqeWLx Buy Roomba i7+ - amzn.to/3wCGc9y
Great Video on 64 Robot Vacs. Was wondering what you didn’t test the Bissell Spinwave.. even though it doesn’t have room navigation, the $299 price is great. Thanks, Paul
I've not tested the T9, so I don't really have an opinion on that one. The Roborock S7 is an excellent mop. Arguably the best 2-in-1 on the market. You can see our deep dive review of the S7 here - moderncastle.com/roborock-s7-review/
@@marijobarisic5623 Eh...it's possible, but I would say doubtful. I think these 2-in-1 mopping vacuum robots have really capped out at how good their mop can be. I've tested basically every version of it from 2 dozen different brands. In my experience there are 2 types...good and okay mops. Nothing is incredible. And nothing is a replacement to a traditional mop. Don't get me wrong, they are good, definitely worth using. But I wouldn't expect miracles from any of these.
@@ModernCastle really grate video thanks! I also saw couple of videos about the Deebot T8 compared with Roborock s7 and apparently it does a better job of mopping than the Roborock. Just want to know if that it true or not..
It's by Reward Shores. European Oak, Barbados. REW126SHOBB www.coronahardwood.com/ch/products/flooring+wood+hardwood+laminate+floors/11795/rew126shobb/reward+barbados+european+oak%2C+shores/view We purchased it through a local wood supply company in Phoenix. However, I would think most suppliers should be able to order it.
Great video! And other videos too. With Black Friday / Cyber Monday (week) the Roborock S4 Max and the S6 Pure are the same price. What should I buy (dont need mopping)
Nice video! I was wondering if you have tried any Rowenta product? I rarely see reviews of them and it is a reputable brand for other utilities. I was looking at the Rowenta X-plorer serie 75 total care, as the mopping interests me, it goes for around 300€ here.
No the only one that is wondering why these charts are not reviewed in here? Shirk historically makes great products certainly they make great vacuums that outperform Dyson and half the price. I just purchased a shark AI robot vac myself and I haven’t even practice seal in the box. So I’m anxious to see some shark reviews.
No need to wonder. We've tested a few different Shark robots and found them to simply be terrible. Don't get me wrong...in general, I really like Shark's stuff. Their higher end corded stick, cordless sticks, and uprights are fantastic. Some of them on par with Dyson and other high-end vacuums. However, their robots are just trash. There is just no nice way to say it.
I have a lot of pets and live in desert so there is a ton of pet hair and dirt... A LOT of dirt. I can sweep my kitchen floor in the morning and by noon the floor needs to be sweeped again and vacuuming our carpet has the same issue. I can dust and literally 30 minutes later I can write my name on the furniture. It is enough to drive me crazy.. I need help! I was wondering if you think getting the Roomba S9+ and the Narwal would be the best way to have a daily clean home. I want the robot to be self empty and I would like the mop to be self cleaning. Before watching your amazingly informative video I was thinking about the Bissell Spinwave 2 in 1. Being disabled I have a very hard time keeping up with my cleaning and any advice you can give me would be very much appreciated. Thank you so much for your time.
I feel your pain. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, so constant dust is something I understand. I think you nailed it with your recommendations for the S9+ and Narwal. Out of all of the robots we've tested over the years that ones I use in my home and office are the Narwal, Roomba S9+, and Roborock S7+. I am continually astounded by how much dirt and dust the Narwal T10 picks up in mopping mode. The dirty water tank is absolutely filthy every single time. If you've got the budget for a Narwal T10 (amzn.to/2R7uFja) and a Roomba S9+ (amzn.to/3vqeWLx ) those are my top 2 picks.
@@ModernCastle Well, I did it. I'm broke as all get out but I'll have clean floors. Thank you for all the work you put in to this. You really saved me. Have a wonderful holiday 😀
@Modern Castle what about Yeedi 2 hybrid or Yeedi vac station? It´s cheap and it has lots of features above its price. Don´t think the ones above are better in terms of quality/price. any opinion?
Hi, is there any model which works properly all features included without any WiFi or Hotspot or internet connection? -it is supposed to work automatically by itself and clean home whilst I am away from home!
There are numerous robots that work perfectly fine without wifi...it's only that they work best with wifi / app. When I say "work perfectly fine" I mean if you press the button on the robot it will go out, clean, and come back. But as far as mapping, scheduling, and other smart features, no, those are only going to be activated with the app, which only activates with wifi.
@@ModernCastlethank you man 👍🏻 i am planning to have a multi sim(i have unlimited data on current sim) and insert it another iPhone which is gonna be hotspot and open all the time at home definitely then I think it will work as a WiFi modem for all smart home devices. Correct right?
I know this is very late but I have birds that throw alot of seeds around and everything gets so dusty so quickly. wich would you recomend _ would love to jsut not alwasy come home to see that I have to vacuum emediatly when i come home (2 room apartment)
Any of these robots are more than capable of removing the birdseed. But if you want to be totally hands off just go with the Roomba S9+ - amzn.to/3DSReuT With the self empty dust bin you can ignore it for months at a time and always having amazing clean floors.
Great video and content, thanks. What about fringe on carpets? I’ve read conflicting reviews on different vacuums that imply no issues with fringe and other that say no workie! Anyone have real world experience that they would like to share?
Thank you! For fringe, it just comes down to length. The longer the fringe, the more likely you're going to have issues. In general, I would say fringe that's 1" or less is going to be fine. Get longer than that and the possibility of issues increases.
Hello, which vacuum would you say has the combo of self empty bin, vac, and mopping? Like which one, if any, works well for both vacuuming and moping both carpet and hardwood floors and has a self empty out feature for both the vac and mop?
Most of the bags are $3-6 per bag and you usually only need to replace them every 3-6 months, unless you do some serious cleaning + have a lot of dirt. I agree, extra costs do suck, but these aren't hugely expensive...especially relative to the performance improvement they provide. One option - you can extend the life of the bag by turning it inside out in a trash can and forcing most of the dirt / hair out. That will give you another couple months of use.
Local carpet store here in Phoenix. It was just a sample they happened to have for cheap when I went in. Unless you're talking about the rug, the rug is Ruggable - amzn.to/3AvYdLS
@@ModernCastle I just choose the Dreame D9 🕺🏻. I think it is the best in relation to price - quality. Or would you suggest another one that fulfills the same functions and is accessible?
Man, this technology is confusing. I have a Roomba i4 (Costco's version of i3) and right away I see problems. The battery life is short. Today it doesn't want to start. I reset it and checked everything but it has trouble finding home too. I think I'll try the Roborock S6 Max as it is only $400 (vs $300 for the Roomba). I have a cluttered hard tile floor apt.
Navigation on the i3/i4 isn't amazing, Roborock is certainly better. Couple of things you could try... 1) Wipe down all the sensors with a microfiber cloth 2) Delete the map and allow it to remap your home 3) Move the base to a different location
@@ModernCastle i see, I just happened to see S8pro similar to them on Amazon, but the price difference is quite big, I don't know where the difference is
@@twodogegg1484 I would avoid buying anything from these weird brands without a history. These types of companies pop up all the time, sell like crazy for 18-24 hours on Amazon, and then totally disappear.
Thank you very much. And yes, we tested the Shark IQ with the self empty dust bin. Overall, I felt it left much to be desired. Here's that full review if you're interested - moderncastle.com/shark-iq-review/
These "test" videos are mostly a waste, who cares if they can pick up cheerios, jelly beans! If ones house is that disgusting then you need more then a robot vacuum. I care about pet hair, dust bunnies, ability to get too odd places I normally don't clean regularly, like behind and under couches, those odd corners and van they not get stuck while doing this. I can say when vacuuming I never picked up cheerios or jelly beans, have to keep the kids in check, yes 4 of my own and now going #9 gc. I care about the app, mapping rather then random movements, please test that out in the future, great video BTW!