I have to confess that the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is a device that I will probably struggle to live without. This is because it’s a robot vacuum cleaner and mop system that actually does what I need it to. And when that happens, I don’t have to do as much work.
The S8 is Roborock’s latest range of robotic vacuum cleaners and was introduced at the beginning of this year. It has recently become available for sale in Australia, offering three models to choose from: the S8, the S8+, and the S8 Pro Ultra.
The key differences are as follows: the standard S8 is just the robot vacuum cleaner and a charging dock, the S8+ comes with an auto-emptying dust dock, and the range-topping S8 Pro Ultra includes an auto-emptying dust and mop water base station. The S8 Pro Ultra also features a more advanced VibraRise 2.0 mopping system, which vibrates at twice the frequency (3,000 times per minute) of the S8 and S8+. Additionally, it lifts 5mm upwards when cleaning carpets.
Essentially, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is designed for homes that have both carpet and hardwood/tile flooring types, allowing it to clean both surfaces during the same trip around your home. The auto-cleaning base station enables the S8 Pro Ultra to tackle many cleaning sessions without intervention. It seamlessly goes about its day, whether it’s vacuuming or mopping, and you only need to empty the dirty mop water and dust containers every so often.
If you have a smaller home, don’t need it to mop, or don’t mind emptying its dust or mop water containers each time, then the S8 or S8+ with the auto dust dock may do the trick.
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra specifications
| Suction power | 6000Pa |
| Cleaning Modes | Vacuuming, Mopping |
| Navigation Technology | PreciSense LiDAR, Reactive 3D Obstacle Avoidance |
| Mapping and Path Planning | Yes |
| Auto-Emptying Dust Bin | Yes |
| Mopping System | VibraRise 2.0, 5mm Carpet Lift |
| Battery Capacity | 5200mAh |
| Runtime (Approx.) | Up to 180 minutes |
| Charging Time (Approx.) | 6 hours |
| Control and App | Yes |
| Voice Control Support | Yes (Alexa, Google Assistant) |
| Maximum Cleaning Area | 300 meters squared |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 350 x 350 x 96.5 mm |
| Weight | 4.2 kg |
| Price (RRP) | $2,699 |
| Warranty | 2-year local manufacturer’s warranty |
| Official website | Roborock Australia |
Maintenance-free docking system
Let’s delve a little more into the accompanying RoboDock Ultra, as it can do more than you might expect. This is where your little robot vacuum parks itself when it’s not in use, and it will automatically return here for a recharge or when the job is done. To support regular cleaning and reduce maintenance, it also has self-washing, self-drying, self-emptying, self-refilling, and self-cleaning capabilities – so it pretty much takes care of itself. I think it’s great that it even dries the mop head using warm air once it’s finished, which can prevent mould and unpleasant odours.
If you use it frequently, Roborock suggests that you may need to empty the dust and dirty mop water containers approximately once every 6-8 weeks, but this timeframe varies depending on your usage.
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra cleaning performance
The S8 Pro Ultra comes with new features designed to clean your floors better than previous models. Firstly, it has powerful suction at 6000Pa (Pascal pressure units) and a new DuoRoller Riser brush consisting of two rubber brushes that spin towards each other. This design helps reduce hair tangles and the need for frequent cleaning. The ability to rise up into the robot’s body gets it out of the way when traversing across your home or when mopping.
In fact, both the mop head and spinning brushes can be raised automatically, providing options that many other robot vacs can’t. When vacuuming, the mop will raise out of the way; when mopping, the brushes will move out of the way; and when returning to the base station, both will move out of the way. Finally, when the mop needs to dry, it will lift away from the floor as well. Otherwise, the wet mop will drag over your carpet.
Sensors for seeing things
To map your home, avoid obstacles, and prevent falls down stairs or other cliffs, the S8 Pro Ultra is equipped with a range of smart sensors. This includes the PreciSense LiDAR navigation system, which uses light to create a detailed map of your home. In my experience, it did a great job figuring out the locations of my walls and doors, including soft surfaces like curtains and sofas. While it could see through glass shower walls and sliding glass doors, it still considered them barriers and didn’t attempt to drive over them. If needed, you can adjust this via the app.
Next, the S8 Pro Ultra includes Reactive 3D Obstacle Avoidance, which uses 3D structured light and infrared imaging to detect and navigate around obstacles, regardless of whether it’s day or night. According to Roborock, it can identify 42 different types of objects. However, it doesn’t matter if it sees a sock or a power cable; as long as it avoids them, that’s what matters.
Smarter app control
The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is controlled through an app that serves as your gateway to many features and settings. This includes configuring up no-go zones, editing your floor map, creating custom cleaning routines, checking the recharge level, and monitoring the S8’s filter, sensor, and brush conditions.
I particularly liked that the map automatically suggests no-go zones, such as areas with stairs or balcony doors. It’s also incredibly convenient to operate remotely. So, if you’re away on holiday and want a clean floor when you return, it’s just a tap away.
You can also set up your cleaning routine, adjusting suction power, mopping intensity, and even choosing to vacuum and mop simultaneously to save time. Alternatively, you can opt for a deep cleaning routine by vacuuming first and then mopping. Or you can set up a vacuum-only cleaning or solely focus on mopping. A routine I like to use is ‘After Meals,’ where the robot only vacuums and mops in the kitchen and dining room.
Advanced features
For homes with multiple levels and stairs, the S8 Pro Ultra supports multi-level mapping, making it effortless to navigate different floors. Just place the robot down, and it will recognize the floor and handle the cleaning accordingly. It supports up to four floors, and once done, you put it on its dock to charge.
Speaking of charging, the new S8 supports fast charging and is claimed to be 30% faster than previous models. It can generally cover about 300 square meters, but it’s smart enough to return to its base for a charge and then resume cleaning from where it left off. The app also offers a clever feature where you can choose off-peak times for recharging to save on your power bill.
It should also be mentioned that all of the data that is captured including your house map, is protected to a TUV Rheinland certification, which is a standard for ensuring that ‘Internet of Things’ devices follow effective safety practices.
While other robot vacuums cleaners may have other things like a roving security camera feature or voice activated spot cleaning, nothing essential is missing from the S8 Pro Ultra’s features list.
How well does the S8 Pro Ultra clean?
The S8 Pro Ultra has been a great addition to my flat. With rugs, carpet, wood, and tiled floors, I tasked the S8 with mopping and vacuuming my entire space every couple of days. I have a cat, so there’s pet hair to contend with, along with several obstacles such as office and dining room chairs, a low coffee table with rails running from leg to leg, and a tasselled rug, among other things. Overall, the S8 Pro Ultra managed to accurately map my home, and there was only one occasion where it got stuck and couldn’t return to its base.
When it comes to vacuuming, the 6000pa suction is quite powerful, and I was surprised by how much dust and fur it picked up and deposited into the auto-emptying bin. As it can see in the dark, you can run the vacuum overnight using reduced suction mode. This option is surprisingly quiet and ideal for those with a busy household during the day.
Mopping is useful for general dirt and small spills, but even though it vibrates 3,000 times a minute and applies six Newton-meters of pressure, it can’t surpass a good old hand-held mop and some elbow grease when it comes to stubborn dried-on dirt. I found that the best combination was occasionally mopping by hand and then letting the S8 Pro Ultra mop the floor regularly to keep it sparkling.
Is the S8 Pro Ultra worth the money?
The S8 Pro Ultra is priced at $2,699, which is at the top end of robot vacuum cleaners. It has the latest cleaning technology and many useful features. However, the best part of the S8 Pro Ultra is that with the auto-emptying dock, I really didn’t have to do much else. This truly is a hands-free cleaning system, and depending on your available free time and budget, it can certainly pay off in the long run.
While Dyson has recently released its first robot vacuum cleaner (in Australia), priced at around $2,399, and there are other automated vacuum and mopping robots such as Ecovacs’ Deebot Omni, priced at $2,499, neither offer the same level of hands-free performance for mixed floor types as the S8 Pro Ultra. The Deebot Omni has an excellent mop system but is more suitable for homes with predominantly hard flooring, as its mop heads do not raise out of the way for cleaning carpets. On the other hand, the Dyson is very technically advanced but does not include mopping features at all. One of the few other robot vacuums to automatically lift its mopping head out of the way is the Roomba Combo j7+ that retails at $2,199.
So, if you want to spend less time cleaning and return to fresh and tidy floors after a hard day at work, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is the robot vacuum for you.
