The Roborock S8 robot vacuum has a lot of benefits. After thoroughly testing the device for over a month, I can confidently say it is highly effective, but only for certain users. It has some drawbacks that need to be considered, including its higher-than-expected price.
Robotic cleaning devices have come a long way since they arrived late last century. You no longer need to worry about batteries running out of juice in just a few minutes or insufficient suction to get the job done. And, although there’s still a moderate risk, these devices are increasingly unlikely to fall a set of steps, thanks to their ever-improving navigation and mapping systems.
Today, companies like iRobot, Shark, and, yes, Roborock lead the way in offering the best robot vacuums on the market. There’s no longer a “bad” robotic vacuum in many respects. Instead, whether to buy one over another largely depends on features and price.

Roborock S8
The Roborock S8 is the company’s 2023 top-of-the-line robot vacuum and mop. It might not come with the self-empty debris bin, but it’ll still clean up just about any mess around your home.
- Dimensions
- 13.9 x 13.8 x 3.8in
- Weight
- 10lbs
- Battery
- 5,200mAh Lithium Ion
- Suction Power
- 6,000Pa
- Mop
- VibraRise
- Brushes
- DuoRoller
- Excellent cleaning capabilities
- 180 minutes between charges
- The compatible app is best in class
- Requires manual cleaning
- Very expensive
- May want to spend more on key extras
Good Specs, Excellent Performance
Roborock is a consumer goods company based in China that specializes in producing robotic sweeping and mopping devices and handheld cordless stick vacuums. It was established in 2014 and has gained a significant market foothold. Its success can be attributed to its commitment to developing innovative products that cater to various demographics.
The company’s S8 series of robots consists of three models; the entry-level Roborock S8, the mid-range Roborock S8+, and the flagship Roborock S8 Pro Ultra. Like previous generations, these robots build off each other with more features added as you move up the ladder. For example, while all three products vacuum and mop, only the Roborock S8+ and Roborock S8 Pro Ultra include dust bins that empty automatically. From there, only the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra also includes auto mop washing and drying.
Although the Roborock S8 is considered the company’s entry-level model, it is not inferior. It should not be referred to as “budget-friendly” as it is not a budget option.
The Roborock S8, available in black or white, is a robot vacuum that operates independently to clean your home. It has a circular shape and is somewhat small, measuring 13.8 by 13.9 by 38 inches and weighing 10.8 pounds. With only three physical buttons—one for power, one to return the machine to its dock, and one for spot cleaning – it is simple to operate right out of the box. However, you should probably do so using the Roborock app, which I mention in depth below.
Like other modern robot vacuums, the Roborock S8 utilizes innovative technology to navigate your home without colliding with walls or objects on the floor. This includes 3D structured light and infrared imaging technology, LiDAR navigation, and other features. It also uses this technology to generate a digital map of your house, enabling the device to determine the most optimal cleaning path.
The Roborock S8 has a battery capacity of 5,200mAH and an estimated run time of 180 minutes. The machine returns to the charging dock when the battery is almost exhausted. When fully recharged, it continues with its current cleaning job when applicable.
What amazes me about today’s robot vacuums is how easily they can map your home before getting to work. We’re talking seconds here, and the technology has been designed to always look for changes and make adjustments.
What About the Cleaning?
Beyond navigation, the Roborock S8’s success or failure naturally comes down to how well it sucks dirt and mops floors. In a word: its operation is excellent.
Determining the suction power of a robot vacuum can be a challenging task. Roborock claims its S8 series can reach up to 6,000Pa on its highest setting when fully charged. This is a significant improvement over the company’s previous models, such as the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra, which promises 5,100Pa, and the Roborock S7, which offers 2,500Pa.
What do these numbers mean in the real world? Plenty. According to Roborock, 2,000Pa is enough power to lift a AA battery off the ground. For my tests, I always determine whether the vacuum can lift my teenage daughter’s long hair off the bathroom carpet without causing havoc with its bottom rollers. The Roborock S8 performed wonderfully as the hair moved quickly off the carpet and into the debris bin—without hurting the machine!
Regarding mopping, the S8 Roborock vacuum utilizes sonic vibration technology to scrub floors. This technology exerts consistent pressure while washing at a rate of up to 3,000 times per minute. You can use tap water or purchase the Roborock Floor Cleaning Solution. I did not test mopping with the cleaning solution, but it should naturally result in an even cleaner floor.
The mopping function is ideal for quick cleanups, but you may want to consider the Roborock Dyad Pro for a more thorough cleaning.
Important tip: The Roborock S8, like similar robot vacuums, is smart enough to figure out when it’s running on a carpet and when on a flat surface that requires moping. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about getting water where it’s unnecessary.
Manual Maintenance
One of the drawbacks of traditional robot vacuums like the Roborock S8 is the routine maintenance involved. Unlike all-in-one solutions like the Roborock S8+ and Roborock S8 Pro, you must manually clean the dust bin (and fill the water tank). How often you do this depends on how dirty the floor is and the size of the mopping surface. You’ll also need to remove the mop occasionally to clean it up. Although this process doesn’t take much time, it can be messy. As someone with allergies, cleaning out the dustbin is especially bothersome.
Beyond this, you’ll need to take a closer look at the robot regularly and remove whatever residue might be built up over time. I use a little bit of water with vinegar for cleanup to get the job done.
It’s All About the App
As I noted above, robot vacuums have been designed to work out of the box. However, to maximize their use, you should use the Roborock app.
The app is one of the best I’ve seen for these products. Pairing is a breeze, and the true magic can begin once that’s done. With the Roborock app (available for iPhone and Android), you can schedule cleaning, adjust vacuum and mop settings, and see when parts need cleaning or replacing. The app is also where you’ll find cleaning history, available firmware updates, and more.
After the robot maps your home for the first time, you’ll see separate spaces mapped out in the app. You can use this information to set up cleaning zones. For example, instead of cleaning the entire downstairs, you may want a robot to focus on mopping the kitchen floor.
The Roborock S8 also supports voice assistants like Apple Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. This integration allows you to maximize the cleaning solution to match your needs.
Should You Buy the Roborock S8?
The biggest drawback of the Roborock S8 is its price and how it compares to other options in the S8 family. When looking at the best robot vacuums on the market, there’s no denying the Roborock S8 is very expensive. And, depending on whether you can find a sale price, the Roborock S8+, for example, isn’t much more than the Roborock S8—and for that, you get a dust bin that cleans itself automatically. Beyond this, they’re nearly identical machines.
Therefore, it’s up to you to decide whether to go cheaper by buying a less expensive “budget” robot vacuum or consider a more expensive Roborock S8 model and get some valuable extra perks.
Still, if you have a smaller home, the Roborock S8 could be the robot vacuum for you. It’s relatively small, and without dust bins that empty automatically, it leaves a smaller footprint than other Roborock S8 series vacuums.

Roborock S8
The Roborock S8 is the company’s 2023 top-of-the-line robot vacuum and mop. It might not come with the self-empty debris bin, but it’ll still clean up just about any mess around your home.