S8 MaxV Ultra
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →Roborock's 2024 S8 flagship, with an obstacle-spotting camera and a dock that does almost everything. It's great at pulling pet hair out of carpet. Its vibrating mop and corner cleaning trail newer rivals, though.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Roborock’s range
- S8 Pro UltraSame family, no camera, older mop
- S8 MaxV UltraThis model
- S8 Max UltraDrops the camera and voice assistant
- Qrevo MasterTwin spinning mops instead of a vibrating pad
- Saros 10newer model with a retracting sensor turret · £799.99
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What reviewers found
Two detailed tests: RTINGS in its lab, and TechRadar over three weeks as the reviewer's main vacuum. Both found it very good at pulling hair out of carpet, and both saw fine dust left in corners. Mopping splits them: TechRadar was impressed, while RTINGS rated the single vibrating pad only okay. Both found obstacle avoidance hit and miss.
RTINGS, lab test · TechRadar, hands-on, 3 weeks at home, Jul 2024
Hard floors
Mixed resultsOpen floors are fine, corners less so. RTINGS rated hard-floor pickup great but found fine debris left along walls and in corners, and TechRadar saw the corner brush often stay tucked in where dust collects.
Carpet and rugs
Mixed resultsRTINGS found carpet pickup only a little behind hard floors. TechRadar saw surface cornflour lifted from medium-pile carpet but the ground-in dust left behind, so expect a tidy look rather than a deep clean.
Pet-hair pickup and brush care
Strong pickup in RTINGS’ test; some manual cleaning neededRTINGS reported strong pet-hair pickup, while TechRadar had to pull hair off the roller axles. Those are two different jobs: getting hair off the floor, and keeping the brush clear.
Mopping
Mixed resultsWet coffee and dried honey came up fine for TechRadar. RTINGS was less impressed with dried mud, which needed repeated passes. Think of it as a regular wipe-over, not a one-run fix for stubborn stains.
Navigation and obstacles
Mixed resultsMapping is quick, but avoidance is hit and miss. RTINGS rated obstacle handling decent, weaker on carpet than hard floors, and TechRadar had it try to eat a sock and get stuck on cables more than once.
Dock and upkeep
Not enough evidenceOnly TechRadar judged the dock in use: it empties, refills and washes the mop, though the small onboard bin and tank may need more than one trip in a big home.
App and software
Not enough evidenceOnly TechRadar judged the app, finding it well designed and intuitive but possibly overwhelming for newcomers, while the built-in voice assistant often failed to understand simple commands.
Noise
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use measured or judged its noise yet.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use ran it long-term or judged Roborock's support yet.
Value
Not enough evidenceOnly TechRadar judged value, finding the premium price mostly justified by its features, but noting that cheaper robots will serve most homes well.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Excellent on hair, weaker in corners
After one run on low-pile carpet, RTINGS found only the thinnest strands of pet hair left by the twin rubber rollers, and the rollers pull out easily for cleaning. Hard-floor pickup was great and carpet only a little behind, but both left some fine debris along walls and in corners. TechRadar saw the same at home: surface cornflour came out of medium-pile carpet but the ground-in stuff stayed, and a few oats were missed. Expect a floor that looks tidy rather than one that's deep-cleaned.
The corner brush doesn't always appear
The swing-out side brush often stayed tucked in for TechRadar, including beside radiators too low for the robot to get under, which is exactly where dust collects. Corners weren't great either, because the robot didn't linger long enough for the brush to work. RTINGS also found debris left at walls and in corners despite the extending brush. If your rooms have lots of low gaps and awkward corners, plan on the odd pass by hand.
Mopping: fine for upkeep, not a scrubber
TechRadar was impressed: the pad cleared wet coffee and dried-on honey, and the hot-water wash left it nearly stain-free. RTINGS rated the mopping only okay, saying a single vibrating pad can't match two spinning ones, and expected several passes for dried mud. They tested different messes, which may explain the gap. It's fine for keeping floors fresh, but for grubby kitchen floors a spinning-mop robot is the safer bet.
Clear the cables first
RTINGS rated obstacle handling decent, and noticeably better on hard floors than on carpet. In TechRadar's home it tried to vacuum up a sock. It spotted and photographed a cable once, then got stuck on cables during normal cleaning and needed rescuing. The voice assistant often failed to understand simple commands too. The camera helps, but you'll still want to pick up socks and leads before each run.
Tall robot, big dock
RTINGS measured the lowest gap it could clean under at 10.5cm, and the raised sensor turret kept it out from under some lower TV stands and sofas. TechRadar found the dock chunky and the onboard bin and water tank small, so a big home may take more than one trip. The dock needs a hard, flat floor. TechRadar also mentions a plumbed-in version that saves refilling, but it can't be moved once it's installed.
This covers the S8 MaxV Ultra, not the S8 Max Ultra or S8 Pro Ultra.
Our take
Should you buy the S8 MaxV Ultra?
Best for: Homes with carpet, hard floors and a pet that sheds. Skip it if: You need it to fit under low furniture.
Compare the S8 MaxV Ultra’s price with the Qrevo Master and Saros 10 before buying. Its strengths include pet-hair pickup and a dock that handles emptying, refilling and mop washing. Dried-on stains and low furniture are weaker points, so those should guide the comparison more than the original flagship price.
The S8 MaxV Ultra topped Roborock’s S8 range in 2024. Compared with the S8 Pro Ultra, it adds a front camera, a built-in voice assistant, an extending side brush and a small extra mop for edges. The dock empties the bin, refills water, adds detergent and washes the mop in hot water. Newer Roborock models offer different combinations of spinning pads, vibrating mops and lower bodies, so compare the features you need.
RTINGS found the twin rubber rollers left only the thinnest strands of pet hair in low-pile carpet, though TechRadar still had to untangle hair from the roller axles. Both saw fine dust left along walls and in corners, and TechRadar found the swing-out side brush often stayed tucked in. They disagree on the mop. TechRadar saw the pad clear wet coffee and dried-on honey, while RTINGS rated the single vibrating pad only okay and expected several passes for dried mud. Obstacle avoidance was hit and miss for both, and TechRadar had it get stuck on cables more than once. RTINGS measured the lowest gap it can clean under at 10.5cm, so the turret keeps it out from under lower sofas.
How it works
The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, part by part
An interactive 3D model built from the published specs. Step through how it maps, vacuums, mops and docks, then what sets it apart. Drag to look around.
Open the 3D teardownBefore you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Will it avoid cables and pet mess?
Not reliably. TechRadar saw it get stuck on cables more than once and try to vacuum a sock, and RTINGS found avoidance weaker on carpet. There's a setting that puts avoiding pet waste first, RTINGS notes, but still pick up leads and check for accidents before a run.
Does it fit under low furniture?
Only where the gap is more than about 10.5cm, the lowest RTINGS measured it clearing. The sensor turret makes the robot 10.3cm tall, according to the specifications. RTINGS found it missed areas under some lower TV stands and sofas, so measure yours before you buy.
Can it leave the mop in the dock for carpet?
No. It lifts the mop instead, by up to 20mm according to the specifications. TechRadar said that clears all but the fluffiest rugs, and a carpet-first mode vacuums the carpets before any mopping starts. If your home is mostly deep-pile carpet, a robot that leaves its mops at the dock is safer.
Is the camera a privacy worry?
The camera's off by default, TechRadar found, and turning it on takes a button combination on the robot plus a password pattern. The microphones are on by default but can be switched off. If you'd rather have neither a camera nor a voice assistant, TechRadar points to the S8 Max Ultra.
How often do I have to empty or refill anything?
The dock empties the robot’s bin, refills its water, adds detergent and washes the mop. You still top up clean water, tip out dirty water and clean the dock and brushes. TechRadar also had to pull hair off the roller axles. The three-month detergent estimate covers detergent only, not the rest of the upkeep.
Alternatives
Other robot vacuums to compare.
Qrevo Master
Why consider it: Vacuum Wars found its spinning pads particularly good on dried coffee and grape juice, with strong carpet pickup.
The compromise: It has only one detailed review so far, and very small hazards still need clearing first.
Saros 10
Why consider it: TechRadar found its retracting turret and lifting chassis got it under furniture and over transitions that stop turret robots.
The compromise: Vacuum Wars found it weaker on dried stains than its sibling, the Saros 10R.
L20 Ultra
Why consider it: It leaves its mops at the station for carpet runs, which the S8 MaxV Ultra can't do.
The compromise: The station is large and can be noisy, and object recognition still slips up.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the S8 MaxV Ultra?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
- RTINGS: S8 MaxV Ultra laboratory test ↗7.7 / 10Lab test
- TechRadar: Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra review ↗4 / 5Hands-on, 3 weeks at home
Sources
- Roborock: S8 MaxV Ultra product page ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.