S8 Pro Ultra
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →Roborock's former S8 flagship, with a dock that empties, refills and washes the mop. It's excellent at pulling pet hair from carpet. Cables and tasselled rugs trip it up, though, and the mop only does light work.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Roborock’s range
- Qrevo SNewer mid-range model with spinning mops
- S8 Pro UltraThis model
- Qrevo MasterTwin spinning mops rather than a vibrating pad
- S8 Max UltraLater camera-free model with stronger suction
- S8 MaxV UltraAdds a camera, voice assistant and corner brush
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What reviewers found
RTINGS tested it in the lab and TechRadar lived with it for two weeks in a two-bedroom flat with laminate floors and rugs. Both found it very good with hair, and TechRadar was full of praise for the dock. Both also found it poor with cables and similar hazards, and neither thought much of the mop on tougher messes.
RTINGS, lab test · TechRadar, hands-on, 2 weeks at home, Apr 2023
Hard floors
Mixed resultsRTINGS found hard-floor pickup good in open areas but weaker along edges. Flour was left smeared on laminate in TechRadar's flour test, and crumbs under low kitchen cabinets were out of reach.
Carpet and rugs
Mixed resultsLarger debris comes up, fine material doesn't. RTINGS found fine debris left deep in carpet fibres and along walls, and TechRadar still saw flour embedded in a rug after several more cleans.
Pet hair
Reviewers rate it highlyIts strongest area. RTINGS found the twin rubber rollers pulled nearly all embedded pet hair out of low-pile carpet in one job, and TechRadar saw no hair tangled on the rollers, which kept upkeep simple.
Mopping
Mixed resultsFine for light upkeep, not sticky messes. TechRadar saw footprints and drink spills vanish but yoghurt and honey smeared around, and RTINGS found stubborn stains needed more than one pass.
Navigation and obstacles
Reviewers found problemsMapping is accurate, but avoiding small objects isn't. TechRadar had it suck up a charging cable several times and get stuck on tasselled rugs, and RTINGS rated obstacle handling mediocre, warning it may run into pet waste.
Dock and upkeep
Not enough evidenceTechRadar’s dock worked without a hitch over a two-week test, and the mop pad still looked nearly new. How long a dust bag lasts depends on how much dirt and hair your home produces, so two weeks can't tell you that.
App and software
Not enough evidenceOnly TechRadar judged the app, finding it easy to set up with an accurate map, though getting voice assistants working needed a second app.
Noise
Mixed resultsThe robot is quiet enough, the dock isn't. RTINGS found the robot runs quietly, and TechRadar measured about 61dB when cleaning, but 77dB when the dock emptied, loud enough to startle.
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, calling it expensive but worth it if you want a hands-off robot, while noting replacement mop pads and cleaning solution add to the cost.
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
Superb with pet hair
RTINGS found the twin rubber rollers pulled nearly every trace of heavily embedded pet hair out of low-pile carpet in a single job, and with no bristles they're easy to clean. TechRadar also found hair and debris didn't tangle on the rollers, which kept maintenance simple. If shed fur is your main problem, this is the S8 Pro Ultra's best card, and the reason it's still worth a look at a discount.
Fine dust and edges get left
RTINGS found larger carpet debris was collected, but fine dirt stayed deep in the fibres and around edges. Hard-floor pickup was stronger in open areas than round the edges of the room. TechRadar also found flour left in a rug after repeated cleans, and crumbs out of reach beneath kitchen cabinets. Keep a proper vacuum for the dirt it leaves deep in carpet and along skirting.
Pick up cables and tasselled rugs
TechRadar had it suck up a phone charging cable several times, even though the map had flagged cables in that spot, and it got stuck on loose tassel rugs. Bigger things like clothes on the floor were skirted neatly. RTINGS rated obstacle handling mediocre and warned it may run into hazards such as pet waste. Allow for a quick tidy before each run, and keep fringed rugs out of its way.
Mopping is light work
Everyday footprints and drink spills disappeared in TechRadar's home, but yoghurt and honey just got smeared around, even on the strongest vibration setting. You can't adjust the water flow either, TechRadar found. RTINGS rated stain removal merely adequate, needing more than one pass on stubborn dirt, though it credits the mop for lifting on carpet so you don't have to take it off. It keeps clean floors clean; it won't rescue dirty ones.
A dock that earns its space
The RockDock Ultra worked flawlessly for TechRadar: after two weeks the mop pad still looked almost new and didn't smell. The clean-water tank needed refilling every two or three whole-home cleans, and the dust bag lasts months. It's a big dock, though, needing space in front and above, and emptying hit 77dB on TechRadar's meter. RTINGS found the robot itself runs quietly.
This covers the S8 Pro Ultra, not the later S8 Max Ultra or S8 MaxV Ultra.
Our take
Should you buy the S8 Pro Ultra?
Best for: Homes needing regular hard-floor cleaning and pet-hair pickup on low-pile carpet. Skip it if: You have rugs with tassels or often leave cables on the floor.
Buy it if you have a shedding pet, mostly hard floors with a few flat rugs, and don't mind picking up cables before each run. Skip it if your rugs have tassels or you want a mop that scrubs: the Qrevo Master's spinning pads handle dried stains better, and the Qrevo S offers similar automatic bin emptying and mop washing in a newer body.
The S8 Pro Ultra was the top S8 when it arrived, before the S8 MaxV Ultra added a camera above it. It pairs twin rubber rollers that lift out of the way with a vibrating mop pad that lifts over rugs, and it comes with the RockDock Ultra, which empties the bin, refills the water, washes the mop and dries it with warm air.
Its main limitations are inconsistent stain removal, difficulty with small hazards and a body that will not fit under some low furniture. It uses a vibrating mop and 3D light sensors for obstacles. Compare its current price and those limitations with newer models before choosing it.
Don't confuse it with the S8 MaxV Ultra, which adds a camera, a voice assistant and a swing-out corner brush.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Will it avoid cables and pet mess?
Don't count on it. TechRadar had it suck up a charging cable several times, and RTINGS warns it may run into hazards, pet waste included. It uses 3D light sensors rather than a camera, per the specifications. Tidy the floor first, especially if your pet has accidents.
Can it cross rugs and raised thresholds between rooms?
RTINGS measured it crossing a 1.9cm threshold. Check the shape of yours as well as the height. Loose rugs are more of a problem: TechRadar’s unit got trapped on tasselled rugs several times, even though mop lifting and suction changes worked as they should.
Does it fit under low furniture?
It's 9.66cm tall according to the specifications, and RTINGS measured the lowest gap it cleared at 10cm. TechRadar found its height kept it from reaching crumbs under the kitchen cabinets. Measure under your sofa before you buy: anything much below 10cm is out of reach.
How big is the dock, and is it loud?
The dock needs a floor area of roughly 43 × 52cm and stands about 45cm tall. TechRadar advises leaving 70cm clear in front, plus room above to take out the tanks. It measured about 61dB during normal cleaning, 69dB on rugs and 77dB during the dock’s brief emptying cycle, so emptying is the bit you'll notice.
Does it need an app and an account?
Yes. TechRadar set it up by creating a Roborock app account with an email and password, then connecting it to Wi-Fi. Getting Alexa, Google or Siri working took more hoops, including installing a second app, Mi Home.
Alternatives
Other robot vacuums to compare.
Qrevo Master
Why consider it: Vacuum Wars found its spinning pads effective on dried coffee and grape juice, which makes it worth comparing on mopping, though the stains and test conditions weren't identical.
The compromise: It has only one detailed review so far, and very small hazards still need clearing first.
Qrevo S
Why consider it: RTINGS found strong hard-floor pickup, effective spinning-pad mopping and a dock that washes and dries the mops.
The compromise: RTINGS also found it poor at avoiding socks, cables and pet waste, and weaker on carpet hair.
P10 Pro Ultra
Why consider it: Good hard-floor cleaning, useful obstacle avoidance and a well-automated dock.
The compromise: RTINGS found it struggled with embedded pet hair, which is exactly where the S8 Pro Ultra shines.
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 Pro 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 Pro Ultra laboratory test ↗7.6 / 10Lab test
- TechRadar: Roborock S8 Pro Ultra review ↗4 / 5Hands-on, 2 weeks at home
Sources
Videos
- Search YouTube for Roborock S8 Pro Ultra ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.