Roborock Q Revo robot vacuum and mop – smart and self-cleaning (cleaning review)

The Roborock Q Revo is a robot vacuum and mop with some premium features, including a self-empty dustbin and mop clean/dry station at a more reasonable price.

We have reviewed robot vacuums and mops from Ecovacs Deebot, Eufy, Dreame, Hobot, Legee, Samsung, LG, and more, so we have a pretty good idea of what they should do.

Let’s start by positioning the Roborock Q Revo

Why? Because most people who buy a robot vacuum/mop buy the wrong one, thinking they are all much of a muchness. Wrong!

There are five generations of robot vacuums (referring to capabilities) and more than 20 brands/models. You need to know what you want, then look at robovacs, which can do that. We have a comprehensive guide, Five tips for choosing a robovac/mop that you should read first.

• Gen 1 ‘DumBots’ (<$500, bump/pattern cleaning, no intelligence easily identified by no top LiDAR turret). Pro: Cheap. Con: No one pass clean, requires full house prep, and only for hard floor homes with few obstacles.
• Gen 2 ‘DimBots’ (<$1000 2D LiDAR mapping, bumper obstacle avoidance, preprogrammed cleaning patterns, and cliff detection). Pro: A map allows you to set go /no go zones and basic scheduling. Con: No one-pass clean, no obstacle detection, and best on hard floors.
• Gen 3 ‘AverageBots’ (<$1500 with 2D LiDAR mapping, basic IR obstacle detection, basic AI navigation, Basic App). Pro: We consider this the entry-level with 2D mapping and limited forward IR obstacle avoidance. Less house prep is required. Con: No one-pass clean, limited obstacle detection, and best on hard floors.
• Gen 4 BrainyBots’ ($1500+ 2/3D Mapping, extra IR sensors, AI navigation, Comprehensive App, Voice control and beginnings of one-pass clean). Pro: The beginnings of one-pass cleaning (mix of carpet and hard floors), front and side obstacle avoidance, and less house prep. Con: Expensive.
• Gen 5 ‘SmartBots’ ($2000+ with cameras, extra sensors like IR ToF, higher levels of AI like object recognition, cleaning stations, better mopping, carpet lift systems and more. Pro: One pass vacuum and mop clean of carpet and hard floors, no house prep, vastly better mopping, and intelligent AI obstacle detection. Set and forget. Con: Even more expensive.

The Roborock Q Revo is a mid-range Gen 4 ‘BrainyBot’ with:

• 2D LiDAR.
• Forward IR obstacle detection.
• Right-side IR wall detection.
• Forward/side bumper detection.
• Carpet detector and mop lift to do one pass clean with some mixed floor types.
• Basic pre-programmed pattern navigation.
• Cliff detector.
• Self-empty dustbin and mop clean/dry station.

Unlike Gen 5 SmartBots, it has no camera-aided AI obstacle avoidance, so small objects are a blind spot issue, requiring more house prep. On the bright side, it is a few hundred dollars cheaper.

Buy this if you want one-pass cleaning on hard and short pile carpet floors and are prepared to do full house prep.

Australian review: Roborock Q Revo robot vacuum and mop

Note: This has been retested using firmware version 2.17.78, December 2023. It made some differences in results.

Website	Product Page and PDF Manual
RRP 4/1/24	$1,999 includes dock Various promotions see this as low as $1695 at Harvey Norman.
From	Roborock AU online, Harvey Norman, David Jones, JB HiFi, Godfreys, Bing Lee, Robot Specialist and Amazon.
Colours	Black or White
Warranty	One-year limited ACL (according to the paperwork in the box), but its website states 2-years. Some sales promotions are offering longer warranties. It has a Sydney service centre.
Made in	China
Company	Est 2014, with support from Xiaomi, Beijing Roborock Technology (Roborock) specialises in the research, development, and production of robotic home cleaners and other cleaning appliances.
More	CyberShack cleaning tech reviews and news

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – Pass+

We fell off Roborock’s review radar, and efforts to fix that late last year resulted in Roborock being reviewed by CyberShack again. That is important as it is a significant player in this space.

During that time, the cleaning tech category at CyberShack has climbed from #5 to #3, just below #2 Smartphones and #1 Television/Sound. Our deep-dive reviews offer far more to potential buyers, and the feedback we get is that our Guide has saved many of them from making a price-driven purchase to a feature-driven one.

We will be working on the buyer’s guide soon as mid-2023 saw the first true one-pass (on mixed floors) cleaning robots.

So, we know precisely what the Roborock Q Revo is and does. Spoiler Alert: It is pretty good as a Gen 4 robovac/mop and certainly worthy of consideration compared to other Gen 4 like the Hobot Legee D8 and Lulu mop cleaning station and Ecovacs Deebot T20 Omni – faster, cheaper, and better.

Essentially, it is a round robot with dual rotating mopping pads. It has decent 2D LiDAR mapping, forward and one-side IR detection and a carpet sensor, allowing it to navigate over hard floors and short pile carpet (it lifts the cleaning pads) in one pass.

This is perfect for a large single-level home with hard floors. Why not carpet? The 7mm lift is only suited for low-pile like sisal weave. A longer pile requires the removal of the mop pads and a separate vacuum run.

Warranty – Passable

While two years is adequate, it is not class-leading. In addition, it states:

You will be responsible for shipping charges, insurance, and other transportation-related expenses incurred in claiming the warranty from Roborock Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd. We are not responsible for any loss or damage during shipping.

It is fair to charge an inspection and transport fee if the goods are not found faulty.

Class-leading warranty accepts responsibility for freight both ways (as strongly suggested by ACL – read Why Australian Consumer Law warranties are vital for tech). And under ACL, you are entitled to return it to the retailer as it is legally responsible. ACL strongly condemns retailers that suggest you must deal with the manufacturer directly.

Setup – Pass+

The Roborock App for Android or iOS is well-developed. The Roborock Q Revo gets most of the software features its flagship S8 Pro Ultra has access to.

It connects to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi WPA-2 (suitable for up to 30m from the router and works with Mesh). It requires a Roborock account.

The App includes (and we suggest using all defaults)

• Up to four maps (useful for multi-floor or partial floor cleans. The cleaning station must be moved to the applicable floor).
• Actual 2D and simulated 3D renderings (its LiDAR maps in a horizontal pattern. Some LiDAR can map in 3D and show more wall details).
• Collision mode (Reactive Obstacle avoidance and Less collision mode)
• Select vacuuming, mopping, or both.
• Selecting vacuum and mop reduces suction power, water flow, and intensity options.
• Adjusting suction power (Quiet, Balanced, turbo, Max and Max+)
• Mop intensity (Fast, Standard, High, Deep+)
• Customise allows for individual room settings.
• Scheduling
• Carpet settings – lift 7mm (for 5mm carpet or less), Avoid, Ignore (for hard floor mode). You can enable vacuum carpet first without mopping pads.
• Floor direction (clean with the grain).
• Dock Settings: Mop wash frequency (15 minutes default), Mop washing mode (light, balanced or deep) and mop drying time (2, 3, or 4 hours)
• Post-cleaning reports
• Mobile notifications alerting cleaning start, stop, and any issues during the cycle
• Voice commands through Google Home, Siri, and Alexa
• Lights, child lock, Do not Disturb (customisable), Off-peak charging

Privacy – Pass

As usual, we recommend using a junk email address for added privacy. As the Roborock Q Revo does not have a camera, the terms are benign enough, and we have no specific concerns.

The website privacy policy is headed GDRP Privacy (usually for Europe only), but it appears this is Roborock AU’s policy, too. It can collect and share data with Vendors, Consultants, Other Third-Party Service Providers, Third-Party Advertisers, Affiliates and Business partners. Outside that, it requires your consent.

In addition is the Roborock App. You must agree to its User Agreement and Privacy Policy to use the robovac (PDFs below).

There are two potential privacy factors to be aware of (we will update this with Roborock’s response).

1. It does not disclose where Australian information is stored, ‘…data centres in China, Germany, Russia, and the United States’ (many other manufacturers now specify AU storage).
2. It states that it is governed by the laws of the Mainland of the People’s Republic of China. Again, it is not unexpected as it is a Chinese company, but some manufacturers apply the laws of your country.

Mapping – Pass+

It can perform a quick map at about 1 minute per 10m2. The resultant map is 2D (it can simulate a 3D but lacks finer vertical details). It also lacks AI to identify furniture and obstacles. We had to set more no-go zones than usual for full-length shower screens (or it would persist in trying to clean what was on the other side of the glass) and a two-level entry foyer with stainless steel handrail and wires – it wanted to clean the void on the other side of the wires.

It can have up to four maps – you can multi-level map if you move the station.

Vacuum Tests – Pass+

It advertises 5,500Pa vacuum power, but that is on Max+ only. On Quiet, it is around 2,000 and Balanced about 3000pA.

• Hard floors 95%+ up to grains of rice. Hit and miss with Nutrigrain-sized objects.
• Carpet short pile (auto boost) – 87% (picked up more on a second run)
• Carpet long pile (auto boost) – 78% (We attribute this to the carpet pile density – it may do better on a looser weave).
• Hair (mix of short and long) – picked up most, but long hair tangled in the brush.

Mopping Tests – Pass+

It has dual 200RPM rotating mopping pads. It has a carpet detection sensor that lifts pads 7mm and stops water. This is good for short pile carpet (<5mm) but not enough for longer piles. Use the Avoid setting, remove the pads, and do a separate run for longer piles.

Mopping efficiency was good courtesy of the twin rotating pads. It did better than a maintenance mop, leaving the floors clean and streak-free.

You can use a 480ml $49.95 OMO/Roborock hard floor cleaner (dilute 1:300, e.g. 480ml makes 144 litres). It is worth using as it cuts grease better and leaves a nice ‘squeaky-clean- shine to the finish.

Our engineer panellist states: ‘It contains 5-Chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (biocide/anti-microbial), 2-methylisothiazol-3(2H)-one (disinfectant), 1,2-Benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one (disinfectant and grease-cutting) and tea tree parfum. While largely benign, it can produce an allergic reaction; gloves should be used if handling undiluted solutions.

Our only concern is that the product should have detailed instructions for use on robovacs with cleaning stations to avoid wastage.

Mop intensity and suction power can be fine-tuned. Deep Mop Route is designed to provide the best mopping performance. If the Deep Route is selected, suction power is minimised, while the scrub intensity is still selectable. The Z-shape path is almost twice as dense as the Standard Mop Route, so the cleanup will take longer.

 Obstacle avoidance test – Passable

I was expecting more of Roborock’s ‘Reactive AI’, but no. It ran over our test Lego blocks, got caught on every shoelace and cable, mounted furniture legs, and went into dark corners under furniture only to require manual extraction. This did improve slightly with the latest firmware.

The Roborock Q Revo is Gen 4 (no AI camera) with ReactiveAI Tech, which, according to Roborock, uses structured light to avoid obstacles. That means an IR light transmitter and receiver issues a stop, turn right or left, and go commands. To be clear, it avoids larger obstacles without knowing what they are and how to avoid them best. It is also particularly prone to lower-level blind spots like cables and shoelaces. Without AI identification, it cannot identify things like pet poo and avoid that before gumming up the works.

If you buy this, please set sufficient go-and-no-go zones unless you are happy to do a 100% house prep before letting ‘Rocky’ go.

The bright side is that it performs way better than Gen 1, 2, or 3 robovacs!

One Pass vacuum and mop – Pass

 The most significant feedback we get from our comprehensive reviews is that buyers still shop on price, not need. And they end up regretting that.

If you need one-pass cleaning, the Nirvana is a Gen 5 SmartBot that can do that with little to no house prep. They achieve this by camera-aided AI and enough brain power to reason their way around sometimes intricate obstacles like shoelaces and pet poo. We have reviewed two in this category – the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni – can a robot vacuum/mop get any better? and DreameBot L20 Ultra is a very smart, efficient robovac/mop. We have not reviewed the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, which appears to be a Gen 5. With all of this, and by the time you add a self-clean dustbin and mop wash/dry, you are looking north of $2500.

Sill test – Pass+

It can mount up to 20cm sills.

Getting caught – Fail

At approx. 100mm high, it is just a little too high to fit under some kitchen cupboard overhangs and beds. But it tried and became stuck. It lost orientation under a bed (we expect the dark carpet and lack of light contributed here) and behind some lounge chairs, where it made its way in but could not get out. Setting no-go zones fixes that.

Cleaning time – A little slower than average – Pass

The test area is 55m2, and it took 113 minutes on balanced suction, medium water, and standard pattern cleaning (does edges first and then a U-shape for all surfaces. This is about twice as long as others that can clean/mop at 1m2 per minute. You can speed it up by changing settings.

Edge and Corner cleaning – Fail

After four weeks of testing, it was visibly evident that the mop pads did not reach the edges and corners.

Nearly all round robots FAIL, so don’t take this as any more of an indication that you need to run a stick vac over the edges and corners.

Maintenance – Pass

Roborock Australia currently lists no Q Revo parts and accessories. The US site does (US prices – approx. double for AU).

• Washable dustbin filter (US$32.99 pair)
• Side brushes (US$15.99 pair)
• Dust Bags (US$31.99 for six)
• Mop pads (US$29.99 for four). Mop pads are not thoroughly cleaned and should occasionally be machine washed.
• Rubber Brush (US$22.99)
• Brush Cover (US$20.99)

Accessories are readily available on AliExpress. A replacement battery (original ex China) costs approx. US$75 or A$130.

Voice Assistant – Passable

The Roborock app (don’t try the MiHome App) integrates with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Siri voice assistants. The minimal voice commands include Start/Stop/Pause/resume/return home (dock).

Specifying room name cleaning works if the App and voice assistant use the same names. We did not try setting up routines that may add more flexibility.

This is the same for all robovacs and opens your privacy to them. Currently, only Ecovacs Yiko has more comprehensive commands and on-device voice processing and privacy.

Will it work without the Internet?

Yes. Push the start button, and it will act as a Gen 1/2/3 robovac using the default map and settings. Note the App only works on one device at a time.

Allergy reduction – Pass+

The internal dustbin HEPA filter has an E11 Merv rating, which means the removal from the expelled air of:

• 85% of 3 to 10um particles (hair width is about 70um)
• 65% of 1 to 3um
• 20% of 1 to .3um

It is fit for purpose, and more dust is removed in the dock to allow for dust-reduced emptying. However, it is not a sealed system, so it does not assist allergy sufferers (E13 or higher).

Cybershack’s view – Roborock Q Revo robot vacuum and mop is suitable for most homes

It is a Gen 4 robot, meaning it vacuums well, mops well, and the cleaning station is fully functional.

Our main issue was the obstacle detection (common to most Gen 4 robovacs) and the need to do 100% house prep where Gen 5 robots handle that with no house prep. There is an argument that a Gen 5 with a camera can spy on you – perhaps to justify Gen 4.

Overall, it provides everything a Gen 4 robovac should do and is particularly suited to large hard floor homes without medium/high pile carpet.

Rating

• Features: 90 – a full suite of Gen 4 features
• Value: 90 – it is commensurate with Gen 4 pricing
• Performance: 90 – Its Reactive AI is not as effective on small objects as it could be.
• Ease of use: 85 – you must first do full home prep for unattended cleaning. The more you customise the map, the less attention it needs.
• Design: 85 – It is a round robot with no outstanding design features. The cleaning station lacks an overall lid to conceal the water tanks.

Competition

The RRP $1799 Ecovacs Deebot T20 Omni – faster, cheaper, and better is Gen 4.5 with an AI camera and 9mm rotating mop pad lift for longer pile carpets.

The $1145 Hobot Legee D8 and Lulu mop cleaning station is a Gen 4 with caterpillar tracks, a platten mop, excellent object avoidance and a mop clean/dry station (lacks dustbin empty).

At the current discount price of $1695, the Roborock is competitive.

Roborock Q Revo Specs

Regrettably, Roborock provides minimal information, so E&OE accepted for these specifications.

Feature	Roborock Q Revo
Type	Robot Vacuum & Mop
Navigation	2D LiDAR creates a 2D room map and a simulated 3D map.
Obstacle Avoidance	IR Reactive Tech. It is not camera-assisted AI, so it does not identify obstacles and furniture.
Wi-Fi	2.4GHz – appears Mesh capable using WP2A
Suction	5500Pa maximum
Mop System	Dual Spinning Mop Pads 200RPM
Internal dustbin	450ml with washable filter
Internal water tank	80ml
Mop Lifting	7mm (suitable for <5mm pile carpets only).
Modes	Quiet, Standard, Turbo, Max, Max+
Voice Assistant	Google, Alexa and Siri
Roborock App	Very comprehensive – one of the better Apps Multi-Level Mapping 4Virtual BarriersZone CleaningRoom Cleaning3D MappingAdvanced SchedulingCarpet BoostSuction Power Level Mop Intensity and Waterflow
Battery	14.4V/5.2A/75W Lithium Ion  5200mAh Station charge 20V/1.5A/30W Charge time 4-5 hours Run-time Silent: 3 hours Balanced:  2.5 hours Turbo 2 hours Max 60 minutes Max+ 20 minutes Expect about 2 hours of typical use
Noise	Quite mode <60dBBalanced 63dBMax 66dbMax+ >70dBEmpty/clean up to 80dB
Robot Dimensions	35.3 (round) x 9.7cm high x 4.5kg
Dock
Size	561 (H) x 487 (D) x 340mm (W) plus approx. 1.5m clear on the front and 50cm on each side.
Base	Detachable for easier cleaning
Wastewater tank	5L
Wastewater tank	4.2L
Detritus bag	2.7L
Heated Mop Pad Drying	Yes, 45° takes approx. 3 hours
Power	240V