This Robot Vacuum That Doubles as a Pet Cam Is My Favorite Way to Clean

As much as I love my pets, living in a three-cat household can be a recipe for disaster. With tipped over plants, rogue litter, and pieces of shredded cardboard from the seasonal cat scratchers I shamelessly buy them, there's a constant mess that needs to be cleaned. But, that's where robot vacuums come in.

I've been eyeing robot vacuums for quite some time, thinking that they'd make my life infinitely easier, and luckily, I was able to test one out from Roborock, an intelligent robot vacuum cleaner brand that just might give the other household names in the floor care world a run for their money. Since I have pets, the brand recommended the Roborock S6 MaxV, a two-in-one vacuum cleaner and mop with a camera and powerful suction. After months of using it regularly, here's my honest review.

(While I did receive the Roborock S6 MaxV in exchange for an honest review, all of the following thoughts and opinions expressed below are my own and are not influenced by Roborock, in any way.)

The Roborock S6 MaxV is a smart and multifunctional floor care device that doubles as a mop and a robot vacuum cleaner and retails for $749.99. At 8.16 pounds and 13.9 inches by 3.8 inches, it's relatively compact and can fit under elevated coffee tables and sofas. When you buy the device, it comes with a vacuum, electronic water tank, mop cloth, mop cloth mount, charging dock, power cable, and user manual. It can be controlled through basic buttons on the device, through the Roborock app, or voice-controlled and connected to Alexa.

Setting up the Roborock was relatively easy. Initially, the longest part was charging it before being able to use it, then the vacuum has to map out your home. Using lidar navigation — laser tech that detects room sizes and objects — it does so in real-time while using a Z-shape cleaning route to cover every inch of your home.

Connecting to the Roborock app was easy as well, thankfully, considering it's the lifeline to accessing the device's many features — from remote viewing, cleaning options, cleaning schedules, and so much more. One feature I found extra helpful is the ability to manage the cleaning map and create no-go zones where the vacuum won't clean. I use it to block out space for a coffee table that's too low to the ground, a hallway with steps, and a few rooms, so the vacuum only covers main, high-traffic areas of the house.

The vacuum has a mighty 2500 Pa (aka pascal — the measurement of vacuum gas pressure) suction power with a 180-minute runtime before it needs to be recharged. One of the many things I love about this robot vacuum is that you can customize the suction power and water flow on the app. The levels can also be customized by each room in your home, which is useful if you have carpet in one area and need extra suction, or if you know one room is particularly dusty or messy and needs a little more love.

Vacuuming with the device works wonders on hardwood floors. It picks up dust and cleans light messes, and I haven't had any issues with its performance on that front. According to the brand, it's designed to work on carpets — however, I'd recommend it for low-pile rugs and carpets. I've attempted to use it on a shag rug, but it usually gets stuck and I have to untangle it. It's not a big deal since I use a different vacuum for the rug and use the no-go zones and invisible barriers on the app so the Roborock avoids that area.

And if you're worried about how loud the Roborock S6 MaxV is, it's on the quieter end with only 67 dB (aka decibels — the measurement of sound level). Even on the highest suction setting, it's not too loud.

The mop feature uses an electronic water tank that is designed to press down on the mop cloth more as the water is used, ensuring that you're getting the same cleaning power from start to finish even as the water level decreases. I've tested the mop on hardwood floors, but noticed that there were visible streaks after it dried. However, it worked really well on the vinyl floors in the kitchen. There weren't any streaks and I use it in there often to clean up when I don't feel like using a regular mop.

The difference between the Roborock S6 MaxV and Roborock S6 (the earlier model) is the dual cameras and ReactiveAI. The cameras and ReactiveAI are used to see and avoid obstacles in the way of the robot vacuum, whether it's a chair leg, pet waste, or pair of slippers. One of my biggest fears was the possibility of using a robot vacuum and having one of my pet's tails get caught in it, so this feature gives me peace of mind. Plus, my cats are curious about the vacuum but avoid getting too close at all costs.

Despite its ability to clean and mop around the house, my absolute favorite thing about this vacuum is that I can use the camera and remote viewing feature to check on the house and, most importantly, my cats. You can also send 15-second voice messages through the app if you want to pop in and say hi (I've 1,000% done this).

For a majority of my adult life, I've wanted a robot vacuum, and now that I have one, I can't imagine not having one in my home. The Roborock S6 MaxV is efficient, convenient, and honestly fun to use when I want to check on my pets with the camera feature when I'm not home. Even though it's an investment, I think it's totally worth the purchase.

Roborock S6 MaxV Robot Vacuum Cleaner, $749.99 $459.99