Roborock S7 robot vacuum vs S4 Max: Which is best for you?
Roborock is known for their feature-rich robot vacuums, including the Roborock S7, one of its newest, and the Roborock S4 Max. We compare the two, from the differences in price to what they can do in your home. Here's how to decide what is best for you.
Design
Both the S7 and S4 Max are similarly designed, round with rollers and brushes on the bottom. They each have a low profile charger, which we think is a nicer look as well. The S7 beats the S4 Max out a bit on suction, with 2500PA vs the 2,000PA for the S4 Max. As far as color goes, the S7 comes in white, while the S4 Max comes in black.
Buy Roborock S7 on Amazon - $649.99
Mopping or not
The Roborock S7 can work as both a mop and a vacuum, and has an attachment you snap on the bottom. There's also a water tank that needs to be filled up with water to make sure the robot knows to mop. Be aware that the S7 will basically simultaneously both mop and vacuum at the same time. And while it did good job mopping, this isn't likely going to be the mop you'll want for heavy issues.
The S4 Max does not work as a mop, and doesn't have this function.
Vacuuming
In testing both, we found the S7 and S4 Max handled themselves well in an apartment, and with a heavily shedding dog. We didn't find a lot of hair left behind, unless we were not on top of emptying the bins. You can purchase a Roborock with a self-emptying bin — the S5 Max — but that's going to be louder and certainly more expensive.
While we know the S7 has a bit more suction, we didn't find that big of a difference between the two. And we think for vacuuming purposes alone, they are fairly similar.
Buy Roborock S4 Max on Amazon - $429.99
App
Both robot vacuums work on the Roborock app and allow you to select the intensity you want to vacuum (and mop, when it comes to the S7). You can also create a cleaning schedule and even block out certain times when the robot cannot operate. And the app also lets you customize the name.
Both the S7 and the S4 Max have a feature, that you activate in the app, that automatically increases the suction when the robot vacuum detects carpeting or a rug. These means it can pull up more dirt and debris on that kind of a surface. It's a solid feature — and no matter the choice, you going to get this.
Unique features
Neither connected easily with Amazon Alexa, although we were able to successfully link the S7 with Google Assistant.
The Roborock S7 has unique features that include a child-friendly lock on the physical buttons. This means that a young child, or even a rambunctious dog, can't accidentally start the machine — a safety plus for parents.
The S7 also has a feature called spot cleaning, which lets you direct the robot to vacuum a specific, small area for two minutes. You can activate this from the app and also from a physical button on the top.
The S4 Max, though, has a unique feature that lets you ask the robot to play a sound. This helps you locate it, if the vacuum has gotten stuck somewhere. This is missing from the S7.
Price
The S7 is priced at $650 on both Amazon and Walmart, while the S4 Max us currently $429.99 on Amazon. (You can go to the Roborock site for both vacuums, but you will be directed to either Amazon or Walmart.)
Buy Roborock S7 at Walmart - $649.99
Which one to buy?
If you're focused on price, the S4 Max is certainly a solid option, a hard-working robot vacuum that did well on carpeting and wood floors. If you want something that can both mop and vacuum, the S7 is worth a look. We have never found a robot vacuum that can mop away heavy use areas, but this one did a fine job on light dirt and dust.
We do like that the S7 has a child-safety feature so that little fingers can't accidentally turn on the robot. We also like the S7 for its spot cleaning ability, which can be turned on both in the app and on the physical front. We do wish the feature to have the robot play a sound, which is available on the S4 Max, had stayed with the S7. But we appreciated that we could connect the S7 more easily to Google Assistant.
Which one is best? That's about figuring out which one is right for your home, your budget and your needs. We think both are worth considering.
Check out The GearBrain, our smart home compatibility find engine to find other smart robot vacuums and compatible products that work with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa enabled devices. You can also ask questions and troubleshoot any problems.
