Roborock S6 vs. S6 Pure vs. S5 Max
Roborock’s robot vacuum and mop hybrids are getting better with each new version. That given, I will be comparing the Roborock S6 Pure vs. S6 vs. S5 Max. These three robots from the S series are Roborock’s flagships models, and as expected, they boast of upgrades and performance improvements.
The S series robots, however, are more expensive than most non-Roombas. So, I am going to cover these models in great detail and know if they are worth the next splurge.
Table of Contents
Roborock S6
Roborock made sure its S6 robot stands out in the crowded field of robot vacuums. While the Roborock S6 is often deemed an expensive non-Roomba option, it offers an impressive 2000 Pa suction, while still being quiet.
The unit is powered by a 32-bit quad-core processor. Combine that with LIDAR navigation, and you get a clever robot that can brush shoulders against the likes of top-of-the-line Roombas. Talk about 14 kinds of sensors and a high-precision laser!
Impressed? The Roborock S6 also has the longest runtime. This little robot can clean non-stop for 180 minutes, and it remains a beast on hard floors, even on its lowest setting.
I witnessed the same impressive cleaning ability on carpets, too. Thanks to its dense brush and incredible suction power, this little sucker pulls up even the tiniest specks of dust hidden deep in carpet fibers.
Additionally, this robot vacuum offers a ton of bonus features, as well as a few elaborate ones that many of us thought we could only enjoy if we have a Roomba. These include a versatile app, virtual boundaries, room selection, and a whole lot more!
In the end, you will struggle to find the same cleaning prowess that the Roborock S6 offers without spending a lot more!
Pros
- Has a 32-bit quad-core processor for brains
- Uses 14 types of sensors and a high-precision laser rangefinder
- Can run for up to 180 minutes in its lowest setting
- Comes equipped with a tangle-free brushroll
- 0.8-inch threshold climbing ability
- Boosts suction power to a maximum automatically to deep-clean carpets
- Access numerous customization options via the app
- Offers Zone Cleanings, No-Go Zones/Virtual Boundaries, and Room Select
- Saves up to three maps
- Uses an E11-rated filter
- 480 ml dustbin capacity and 160 ml water tank capacity
- Features integrated mopping for light stains
Cons
- The brushroll may still be caught up with tangles when sucking large amounts of pet hair
- Lacks a No-Mop Zone feature
- You have to adjust the water flow manually
Roborock S6 Pure
Naming convention hints that the S6 Pure is the successor to the Roborock S6. While the Pure S6 is newer, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is better. The Pure S6 has a slightly larger dust chamber and water reservoir. But in exchange for that is a charging time amounting to six hours!
To be frank, I think the Roborock S6 Pure has almost no upgrade compared to the Roborock S6. Instead of making a more enhanced iteration of the original S6, the manufacturer seemed to make a downgrade. I would like to call it a “simplified version.”
The manufacturer has clearly stated that they have reduced the number of sensors to cut down costs.
After all, the S6 Pure was designed to be easier on the pocket than its predecessor. While the deduction of sensors may not be obvious when used in a minimalistic home, I recognize a difference in the speed of cleaning when I used it to clean my daughter’s room where there are plenty of toys and pet paraphernalia.
Pros
- Uses a 32-bit quad-core processor chip
- Uses LIDAR navigation
- Can run for up to 150 minutes in its lowest setting
- Comes equipped with a tangle-free brushroll
- Increases suction power to a maximum to deep-clean carpets
- Access numerous customization options via the app
- Offers Zone Cleanings, No-Go Zones/Virtual Boundaries, and Room Select
- Saves up two maps
- Uses an E11-rated filter
- 640 ml dustbin capacity and 180 ml water reservoir
- Features integrated mopping
Cons
- Struggles to mop away denser stains
- The brushroll may still be caught up with tangles when sucking large amounts of pet hair
- Lacks a No-Mop Zone feature
- You have to adjust the water flow manually
- Has fewer sensors than the S6, making it less sensitive and less quicker
Roboborock S5 Max
The Roborock S5 Max is a robovac hybrid that prioritizes its mopping performance. You get precise water control and a 290-ml reservoir, which is almost double the size of the Roborock S6 and S6 Pure. The larger water reservoir allows the S5 Max to mop huge homes, while it remains a capable robot vacuum.
Beyond these improvements, the Roborock S5 Max carries over most of the features and design cues from the earlier models.
That includes LIDAR navigation, 2000 Pa suction, zone cleaning, and virtual boundaries, among others.
Pros
- Has a 32-bit quad-core processor
- Uses LIDAR navigation
- Can run for up to 150 minutes in its lowest setting
- Features integrated mopping
- Comes equipped with a tangle-free brushroll
- 0.8-inch threshold climbing ability
- Increases suction power to a maximum to deep-clean carpets
- Has access to numerous customization options via the app
- Offers Zone Cleanings, No-Go Zones/Virtual Boundaries, and Room Select
- Saves up to two maps
- Uses an E11-rated filter
- Features a 290 ml electric water tank, an app-controlled water flow, and No-Mop Zones
Cons
- Its mopping ability may still not be effective for dried grease and dense stains
Face to Face Comparison
The Roborock S6, S6 Pure, and S5 Max are currently the best-selling robots from Roborock. But how do these flagship models compare? Read our Roborock S6 vs. S6 Pure vs. S5 Max comparison answer below.
Design
When it comes to the visuals, the Roborock S6 vs. S5 Max are alike in many ways. I could barely distinguish one from the other at first glance. Both robots have the same dimensions and color availability, too.
But if you look closer at the Roborock S6, you will notice that no silver ring goes around the robot. One thing I particularly like are the redesigned buttons that have a nice glossy layer of plastic, which makes them scratch-resistant to boot. As for the Roborock S5 Max, you got only a Power Button and a Home Button.
How about the S6 Pure? Right off the bat, you will notice a column to the right and left side of the turret. Another distinguishing feature is there are only two buttons instead of three.
Mapping and Smart Navigation
The Roborock S6, Pure S6, and S5 Max use a powerful 32-bit quad-core processor, giving the robots the ability to calculate the most efficient route. The little turret you see on top of the robots houses a high-precision laser rangefinder that rotates at 300 revolutions per minute. With a bigger chip, you can update your map faster and refresh the robot with live coordinates much quicker.
The most significant difference between the cheaper and the more expensive Roborocks is that the S5 through the S6 models use LIDAR, while the Roborock S4, E23, and E35 use motion tracking sensors and gyroscopes. Regardless, any of these three robots are a better option than budget Roombas that navigate homes like a drunken sailor.
The Roborock S6, S6 Pure, and S5 Max can create a digital map of my home with impeccable accuracy in its first run. Talk about somewhere between 90% to 98%. These robots equipped a suite of 14 sensors, including accelerometers, odometers, infrared, and compasses.
If you move the robot into a place that it doesn’t recognize, like our basement, a new cleaning cycle begins. Regardless, the robot will restore the original saved map when you put it back on its charger.
Suction Power
As useful as the map options are, its suction power can greatly affect the cleaning prowess of the robot vacuums. As for the new members of the Roborock family, each of them has the same stated suction power of 2, 000 pascals. Take note that the sensors, programming, and brushes used can also make a huge difference.
Therefore, the Roborock S6 vs. Pure S6 vs. S5 Max have different cleaning performances, despite the equal amount of suction power.
Brushes
Another fantastic quality I love about the new generation Roborocks is the brushes. As a pet owner, I applaud the robots’ ability to pick up hair without causing tangles in the brushbar. The new brushroll has more bristles, making it a denser brush. In fact, the manufacturer has stressed that it is 250% thicker than the S5.
The S6 brushroll effectively picks up my dogs’ loose hair, and it’s amazing to see that there are no hair strands caught in the brushroll. There were a few strands at the sides, but that’s no big deal for me since you can remove the side tips and pull the hairs off with ease.
On a side note, the brushroll of the Roborock S6 is compatible with the Roborock S5. If you own an S5, but you aren’t planning to buy a new robot soon, you can purchase the upgraded brushroll for your bot.
As for the tiny side sweeper, I noticed that it is upgraded, as well. The side spinning brush is made of silicon that the manufacturer also claims to be more durable.
App Features
What makes the Roborock S series ahead of the game is that they use the Roborock mobile app, not the Mi Home app that previous models use.
The following are some of the things you can do with the app:
- No-Go Zones
Being able to draw lines or boxes to prevent the robot from approaching my grumpy pet is my favorite. Best of all, these virtual boundaries are highly accurate.
The Roborock S6, S6 Pure, and S5 Max all have this feature. I recommend you take full advantage of the virtual boundaries, especially if you have pets, expensive décor, and robot death traps left by your children. - Room Select
The Roborock S6, S6 Pure, and S5 Max also have a “Room Select” feature in the app. After your robot completes the map of your, you can divide it to create rooms. This feature gives you a lot of flexibility.
You can tell your robot to clean a specific room or skip others on different days at certain times. You can schedule various cleaning times and cleaning modes for each room. Sounds impressive, right? That’s not even the best part!
The Roborock S5 Max offers “No Mop Zones” that allows you to control the water flow via the app. - Zone Cleaning
As the name hints, this feature directs your robot to clean around a specific spot, such as underneath tables and couches. You could draw a box and have your robot clean that area. - Amazon Alexa
You can also pair the Roborock S6, S6 Pure, and S5 Max with Amazon’s smart assistant, Alexa. Speak aloud through an Alexa-enabled device and command your robot like a boss.
The Roborock app also allows you to adjust the volume of the robot’s pre-programmed voice, monitor the health of the accessories, as well as view the cleaning history and location of your robot. Rumor has it that a multi-floor mapping feature for multi-story homes is on the works for the next app update.
Mopping Capabilities
The Roborock S6, Pure S6, and S5 Max can vacuum and mop simultaneously.
As mentioned earlier, the S5 Max enables more precise water management. The mop tank of the S5 Max is electric, so it doesn’t rely on gravity alone. Using the app, I can choose how much water should trickle onto the pad.
At 290 ml, the water tank of the S5 Max is almost twice as big as the other models. The S6 Pure has a slightly bigger tank than the S6. These two models have a water tank capacity of 180 ml and 160 ml, respectively.
As you can see, the Roborock S6 and S6 Pure are inferior to the S5 Max in this category. Since there is no water pump, you can’t control how much water should saturate the fabric. Nevertheless, both models have a switch hidden between the mop and the water reservoir so that you can adjust the water level manually.
Battery Life
The Roborock S6 Pure and S5 Max have a runtime of 150 minutes during Low mode. Meanwhile, the Roborock S6 offers 30 minutes more. Although all three robots use the same 5200 mAh battery, the Roborock S6 has a different program in terms of its power usage.
Moreover, all three robots have a Recharge and Resume feature. If any of these robots are running low in battery, it will stop and head back to its base to charge and continue where it left off. But unless you live in a mansion or use the highest setting frequently, you may not need the Recharge and Resume feature.
The Roborock S6 and the S5 Max have a total charging time of three hours, while the S6 Pure needs three hours more to complete a charge.
By the way, the power cord of the robots is well-protected inside their charging dock. Therefore, it is impossible to unplug the cable from the port. I find this feature quite invaluable, especially because I have a curious pet.
Bin Size and Filtration
All three robots have an onboard E11-rated filter to capture up to 95% of allergens to keep the air quality of your home as pure as possible.
The filter is also washable, which means you won’t need to buy replacements as frequently as you would with other robot vacuums.
When it comes to the dustbin, both the Roborock S6 Pure and S5 Max have a fairly large 640-ml capacity. The S6, on the other hand, only has a 480-ml dustbin capacity.
Cleaning Performance: Roborocks S6 vs. S6 Pure vs. S5 Max
The question is: how does the Roborock S6 vs. S6 Pure vs. S5 Max fare on complicated furniture arrangement, carpeted surfaces, thick rugs, and trouble-making pets? The Roborock S6, S6 Pure, and S5 Max took turns running around my tiled kitchen floors.
All three robot vacuums managed to pick up all the pencil shavings, cotton balls, corn flakes, M&M’s, and screws I scattered purposely. Thanks to their advanced navigation, the robots didn’t get confused by chair legs and got the job done. The side sweepers deserve a thumbs up for getting rid of the iodized salt I placed along the mopboards.
The Roborock S6, in particular, booted a lot quicker than the two and finished the job a few minutes ahead. However, I did notice that the Roborock S6 and S6 Pure struggled a bit when it comes to wiping off the dried coffee stains. The S6 and S6 Pure took them a few runs to make the floor squeaky clean.
The S5 Max, on the other hand, wiped it off in a breeze, including the fresh marks left by the cat who just got out of its litter box.
Moreover, the performance remained impressive when the robots shifted from the kitchen to the living room. All three robots did not struggle at climbing door thresholds and thick area rugs.
The rotating brushroll of each model agitated the dirt, letting the robots suck up everything on its path. Even though the cleaning performance is nearly perfect, these robots remained substantially quiet on the carpet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main differences between Roborock S6 and S6 Pure robot vacuums?
The brand new Roborock S6 Pure features a bit smaller 460 ml bin but a bigger 180 ml water tank. It also has slightly reduced run time – now, the vacuum will run up to 150 minutes. Finally, the S6 Pure is lighter than its brother.
What are the main differences between Roborock S5 and S5 Max robot vacuums?
Are Roborock flagships expensive?
Roborock S5 Max vs S6 vs S6 Pure: what is the best option for large houses?
You can safely choose any of the robots for your house. Still, Roborock S6 offers the longest run time for 3 hours, that`s why you may like it more.
Roborock S6 vs. S6 Pure vs. S5 Max: Which is the Best for You?
The Roborock S6, S6 Pure, and S5 Max are all designed thoughtfully to serve its purpose. But, which one should you pick?
The best robot vacuum for you is the one that works for your space and fits your budget.
If you are looking for unparalleled performance, you wouldn’t go wrong with the Roborock S6. However, it is the most expensive option among the three. The Roborock S6 gets the job done in a swift and efficient way.
If your hardwood floors often receive heavy foot traffic, it would be best to choose the Roborock S5 Max since it has a more sophisticated mopping function. With its large-capacity water reservoir, it can cover more square feet. But if your home has many carpeted floors and area rugs, either the Roborock S6 and the S6 Pure is a fabulous option.
I`m Gary Johns and I`m this very person who is responsible for the technical part of all the reviews and tests on this blog.
In 2015 I got a technical degree at the University of California, and since that time I help people and give a professional and detailed overview of any smart technology.
Hi! Great review, thanks a lot! I’m just trying to make up my mind about the S5 Max and the S6. And it looks like there is no sense to purchase the more expensive S6 with almost identical funstions. Roborock S5 Max is the same. Am I right or am I missing something? Thanks!
Hello, Brandon! Thank you for your high appreciation of our labors and such trust! Indeed, Roborock S5 Max and S6 have lots of common features, the main of which are suction power (2000 Pa) and cleaning area (2691 ft2 / 250 m2). But the final choice always depends on your needs. Roborock S5 Max will be a more beneficial purchase if you’d like to save high power and get a more affordable robot with better mopping function. This device offers a bigger water tank (290ml vs 160 ml). However, Roborock S6 has a justly higher price. For an extra $100, it provides improved navigation, an unlimited number of app no-go zones, longer runtime, and quieter operation. Hope the answer is of assistance to you.
Hi! Could you please discribe what are the main improvements in Roborock S5 Max in comparison with the S5 model?
Hello, Alice! Thank you for your question! Roborock S5 Max was developed on the basis of the earlier S5 cleaner. Consequently, it features identical characteristics in many senses, while improvements mainly touched navigation and mopping function. According to the latest updates, Roborock S5 Max has a smaller dustbin (460 ml vs 480 ml of the S5 model) but a larger water tank (290 ml vs 140 ml). The tank also becomes smarter as now you can control the water release as well as set No-Mop Zones and schedule mopping. The Multi-Floor Mapping technology was also improved as the S5 Max saves more plans than the S5 cleaner. Finally, the Max version works quieter.
Hello! Thank you for the review and explanations. Can I use a water tank and a bin for simultaneous cleaning? Or should I replace them?
Hello! Thank you for your question and your high appreciation! Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not allow us to use both tanks simultaneously. You’ll need to replace them and install or remove the cleaning cloth for specific type of cleaning.
Hi! Can I buy a new battery for my Roborock S robot if the old one is dead?
Hello, Mary! Thank you very much for your question! Roborock allows for replacing old batteries with new sets. You can find proper accessories on their official website and retailing platforms. However, please make sure the battery you chose completely fits your robot vacuum model. We also recommend consulting the manufacturer support service on detailed replacement instructions.