Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra vs Roomba s9+: What They Don’t Tell You

In a nutshell, what are the differences between the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra and the Roomba s9+?

• The S7 MaxV Ultra can vacuum and mop, the s9+ can only vacuum.
• The S7 MaxV Ultra uses LiDAR to navigate; the s9+ uses vSLAM to navigate.
• The S7 MaxV Ultra has obstacle avoidance, the Roomba s9+ does not.
• The s9+ can save up to 10 different maps of your home, while the S7 MaxV Ultra can only save up to four maps.
• The S7 MaxV Ultra’s auto-empty dock has more functions than that of the s9+’s.
• The s9+ is designed to vacuum corners and edges more efficiently than the S7 MaxV Ultra.
• The Roomba s9+ has dual rubber main brushes, while the S7 MaxV Ultra has a single rubber main brush.

Difference 1: The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra can recognize and avoid small objects along its path, while the Roomba s9+ can only detect larger objects.

The S7 MaxV Ultra has dual front cameras and structured light scanning that enable it to recognize small objects on the floor. Things like toys, cables, extension cords, or pet waste. Once the robot vacuum recognizes these objects, it will adjust its path to avoid them.

This makes it a great robot vacuum for households with pets. If your pet accidentally leaves a smelly “present” on the floor, you won’t have to worry about your robot vacuum running the mess over and spreading it around your floors.

The s9+ also has a top-mounted camera, but it doesn’t use this camera for object recognition. Instead, it uses sensors to find its way around your home. Since the camera is not low to the ground, it won’t be able to detect the same obstacles that the Roborock can. It will be able to detect objects taller than an inch off the ground, but not anything shorter than that.

If you have pets at home, the S7 MaxV Ultra will be the better choice for you. However, if your floors are generally clutter-free and you don’t have pets, the s9+ is also good and has advantages in other areas.

See Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra on Amazon

Difference 2: The Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra has the ability to mop, the Roomba s9+ does not.

The S7 MaxV Ultra has an sonic mop that it vibrates at up to 3,000 times per minute while cleaning the floor. Because of this, it’s able to remove stubborn stains and dirt that other robot vacuums might struggle with.

Additionally, the S7 MaxV has the ability to lift up its mop. Once it detects carpeted floors, it will automatically lift up its module to avoid getting the carpet wet. However, the mop module lifts itself up just high enough to avoid low-pile carpets and thus won’t be able to avoid medium-pile and high-pile carpets.

If you have a busy household and the floors need constant maintenance, then the S7 MaxV Ultra can help make it easier for you to keep your home in order. You won’t have to mop separately very often, perhaps only once in a while if there’s a mess that the robot vacuum can’t handle by itself.

However, if you’d prefer to mop your floors yourself, the s9+ is a great choice as well. It’s compatible with the iRobot Braava jet m6 robot mop, and the two robots can work in tandem to vacuum and mop your floors.

See Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra on Amazon

Difference 3: The S7 MaxV Ultra has LiDAR navigation, while the s9+ relies on vSLAM.

LiDAR enables the S7 MaxV Ultra to have more precise routes compared to the s9+. In general, LiDAR is more advanced than vSLAM, though vSLAM is also reliable and works quite well.

The positioning of both models’ cameras also comes into play. The S7 MaxV Ultra’s front cameras allow the robot vacuum to navigate around the obstacles ahead. On the other hand, the s9+ uses its top-mounted camera and the ceiling as its point of reference for navigating around the rooms of your home.

While vSLAM robot vacuums can do their jobs well, LiDAR robot vacuums are more accurate and can perform better in terms of navigation. However, the discrepancy isn’t very obvious unless you pay close attention.

If you want a more advanced LiDAR robot vacuum, then the S7 MaxV Ultra is the better choice. However, a vSLAM robot vacuum like the s9+ can still perform its functions well and clean your floors effectively.

See Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra on Amazon

Difference 4: The s9+ can save more maps of your home than the S7 MaxV Ultra.

Both models can save multiple maps of your home. This means if you have a multi-story home, both of these vacuums will remember each level and won’t have to rescan each floor level when you move it.

The S7 MaxV Ultra can save up to four different maps, while the s9+ can save up to 10 maps. I’m having a difficult time imagining a situation where you would need to store 10 maps, but hey, it’s there if you need it! 🤔

See Roomba S9+ on Amazon

Difference 5: The S7 MaxV Ultra’s auto-empty dock has more functions than the s9+’s.

The S7 MaxV comes with the Roborock Empty Wash Fill Dock, which can automatically empty the robot vacuum’s dustbin after every cleaning session or once it’s full. Aside from this, the dock can also clean the robot vacuum’s mop cloth as well as refill its water tank.

Thus, the robot vacuum can return to the dock for a refill when its water is running low. Additionally, because it can clean the mop cloth, you won’t have to do it yourself. The robot vacuum also won’t have to conduct its cleaning sessions with a dirty mop cloth.

The s9+ has an auto-empty dock as well, but it will only empty the robot vacuum’s dustbin and recharge its battery. Since it doesn’t have a mop, it won’t need to do the other things that the Empty Wash Fill Dock can do.

Difference 6: The S7 MaxV Ultra is round, while the s9+ is D-shaped.

The s9+ is specially designed to be able to vacuum corners and edges more effectively. It has one straight edge that forms two 90-degree corners,

allowing the side brush to come into contact with corners and edges. It can thus sweep all of the dirt and debris in corners and edges into the vacuum.

A round robot vacuum like the S7 MaxV Ultra may be less effective when vacuuming corners because of its shape. However, the S7 MaxV Ultra has a sizeable side brush that can reach into corners and edges.

Even with the difference in shape, both models can sweep away the debris in corners and edges quite well. However, there are other factors that come into play, such as the positioning of the main brush. This will be discussed below.

Difference 7: The s9+ has a dual main brush system, while the S7 MaxV Ultra only has a single main brush.

Both models have all-rubber main brushes, but these brush systems are designed differently.

The s9+’s first main brush is designed to dislodge dirt and debris from floors and carpets so they’ll be easier to vacuum up. The second main brush sweeps the dirt and debris up into the vacuum. Both brushes are also quite long and are situated along the straight edge of the s9+.

Because they’re not flanked by wheels, the brushes stretch quite close to the ends of the vacuum’s straight edge. They can thus cover a larger surface area in one pass.

Additionally, the straight-edge design allows the side brush to be positioned quite close to the main brush system. Anything that the side brush sweeps up will go straight into the main brush system, ensuring a more efficient clean.

Meanwhile, the S7 MaxV Ultra has just one main brush. It’s also shorter and flanked by the robot vacuum’s two side wheels. Even so, it’s still effective and will work well with different types of floors. Additionally, it’s designed to be able to consistently clean uneven surfaces because the brush sits on a pivoting platform.

While the Roborock’s main brush is high-quality, the Roomba s9+’s dual brush system is superior. The proximity of the s9+’s side brush is also a plus.

See Roomba S9+ on Amazon

Similarities between the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra and the Roomba s9+

Similarity 1: Both models can increase their suction power on carpet.

If the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra or the Roomba s9+ detect carpet, they’ll automatically increase their suction power to dislodge more dirt and debris. This ensures a deeper clean on carpet and area rugs.

This also means that the robot vacuums won’t have to make multiple passes on carpeted floors just to make them clean dirt and debris as possible.

Similarity 2: Both models can automatically top up their batteries if they run low on power mid-clean.

Depending on how large your house is, your robot vacuum may run low on battery in the middle of a cleaning session. When this happens, both models will return to their docking station and start recharging.

Both the Roomba and the Roborock will remember exactly where they were when they paused the cleaning session. Once they have enough power to finish their cleaning session, they’ll return to that spot and pick up from where they left off.

Similarity 3: Both models can be controlled via app and voice commands.

You can control the S7 MaxV Ultra using the Roborock app, and you can control the s9+ using the iRobot Home app. Both of these apps will allow you to toggle various features, access saved maps, adjust settings, schedule cleaning sessions, and more.

If your hands are busy doing something else and you can’t get to the app, however, you can use voice commands to control your robot vacuum. You’ll have to link them to the digital assistant in your home, be it Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Apple’s Siri.

Both the Roborock and the Roomba have this feature, and they both have the ability to clean only the area you tell it to.

It’s quite convenient to just be able to just say “Alexa, ask Roomba to vacuum the living room” and have it magically happen. What a world we live in.

FAQs

Can the Roomba s9+ clean in the dark?

It will still work in dim conditions but will not work in complete darkness.

Is the Roomba s9+ good for pet hair?

Yes. Not only does the s9+ have excellent suction power, but it also has dual all-rubber main brushes that are bristle-free. This means that hair and fur will be easier to remove from the brushes after cleaning sessions.

How much water does the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra store?

The S7 MaxV Ultra has an onboard water tank with a volume of 300 ml.

How tall is the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra?

The robot vacuum has a diameter of 13.9” and a height of 3.8”. With the Empty Wash Fill Dock, the entire package has a height of almost 17”.

So, Which One Should You Choose?

The biggest difference between these two robot vacuums is that the Roborock has the ability to mop.

The S7 MaxV’s sonic mop doesn’t just wipe with a wet mop cloth, it “scrubs” the floor with vibration and is thus able to remove stubborn dirt and dried stains. Additionally, it can automatically lift the mop to avoid getting low-pile carpets wet.

The second big difference is that the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra has obstacle recognition and avoidance because it has dual front-mounted cameras to see objects on the floor. These include cables, cords, shoes, and even pet waste. In contrast, the s9+ will only be able to detect bigger objects visible to its top-mounted camera.

Furthermore, the S7 MaxV has LiDAR technology, which enables precision in navigation. In comparison, the Roomba s9+ uses vSLAM to navigate, which is reliable but doesn’t perform as well as LiDAR can.

Overall, the S7 MaxV Ultra has a lot of features to offer. It’s the better choice for busy households because it doesn’t need much maintenance, especially with the Roborock Empty Wash Fill Dock. It also works well for households with pets because it can avoid running over pet waste.

See Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra on Amazon

The s9+, meanwhile, is designed for effective cleaning in corners and along edges. It has a dual brush system: one brush to loosen up the dirt and the other to sweep it towards where suction is strongest. The side brush is also positioned close to the main brushes so it can easily sweep dirt towards the main brushes.

If you only care about edge and corner cleaning and don’t need mopping, the Roomba s9+ is the way to go.

If you want a more well-rounded vacuum that also mops for you, go with the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra. It is also the better choice for those with pets.

See Roomba S9+ on Amazon