Roborock Q7 Max+ Review – The vacuum robot bestseller for a small budget?!

Review: Roborock Q7 Max+

With the introduction of the Roborock Q7 Max+, Roborock has also launched a new robot vacuum range. Functionally and in terms of price, the new Q series is placed below the models in the S series and is primarily aimed at price-conscious buyers who still expect a coherent vacuum robot overall package.

Functionally, the Roborock Q7 Max+ is most comparable to the Roborock S2019 Max, which was introduced in 5 and is still one of the bestsellers in its class. In the following comparison we have compared the essential data and functions.

Comparison: Roborock S7 vs. S6 Max V vs. S5 Max

Roborock Q7 Max+ unboxing

Let's start the test. As the Roborock Q7 Max+ (the emphasis is on the "plus"), the vacuum robot is delivered in a large cardboard box, because the appropriate suction station is included in the scope of delivery.

The Roborock Q7 Max+ comes with a suction station.

When unpacking, the first thing you are greeted with is a huge quick guide that explains the individual steps from setting up the suction station to connecting it to the app. Although the explanation is completely in English, it is also easy to understand for someone who does not understand English thanks to the detailed illustrations.

First things first - The quick guide to the Roborock Q7 Max+.

Robotic vacuum cleaner, suction station and the accessories supplied are carefully stacked in the box. The extraction station consists of two parts and must first be assembled. In the case of the Roborock Q7 Max+, assembling means that we have to tighten 6 screws. The right tool is within easy reach on the underside of the extraction station.

The suction station is delivered in two parts.

 The included accessories are manageable. In addition to the vacuum robot and the suction station, there is also a 1,5 meter long EU power cable with an IEC plug, two dust bags, one of which is already in the station and one is supplied as a replacement, the wiping attachment with a wiping cloth and the operating instructions, which are also included is printed in German.

Put it together and tighten another 6 screws.

Roborock Q7 Max+: design and finish

Robotic vacuum

Roborock remains true to the classic design with a round body and attached laser tower with the Q7 Max+. With a height of 9,65 centimeters and a diameter of 35 centimeters, the vacuum robot has exactly the same dimensions as a Roborock S5 Max.

There are possible variations of the colour, where you can choose between high-gloss white or matt black. When it comes to susceptibility to dust and fingerprints, both color variants don't sacrifice anything.

The Roborock Q7 Max+ presents its laser tower from above.

When you look from above, you can see the slightly offset laser tower, with the help of which the vacuum robot moves safely in the room. In the direction of travel we would also have three control buttons that we could use to start or pause cleaning, send the vacuum robot back to the charging station or start area cleaning (or activate the child lock by pressing and holding for 3 seconds). This is useful if we don't have the app at hand and still want to start a cleaning run.

Simply fold up the flap and you have access to the combination tank.

At the other end is the flap, through which we get access to the dust and water container and where the reset button is located. In contrast to the Roborock S5 Max, the dust and water container are no longer separate, but combined. This looks smarter because the water tank is no longer visible from the outside, but it also makes it difficult to see the water level because the flap has to be opened to check it. The capacity of the dust chamber is 470 milliliters. The water tank has a volume of 350 milliliters.

From below, the Roborock Q7 Max+ hardly differs from the other models.

On the sides there are the usual sensors, including bumpers, with which the Roborock Q7 Max+ orients itself to walls and obstacles.

A look at the bottom also reveals little new about the other Roborock models. In the middle is the main brush, which, however, uses rubber slats instead of bristles, a side brush, also made of rubber, the support wheel, charging contacts and other sensors that prevent falls from stairs.

With rubber slats instead of bristles for a better cleaning result.

The main brush with rubber fins is another difference to the Roborock S5 Max, which still uses a combination of rubber fins and bristles. Roborock made the switch with the introduction of the Roborock S7. The advantage lies in the better handling of hair, which winds around it less quickly and is easier to remove. Incidentally, the different brush types are not interchangeable. So don't even try it!

Suction station

In the case of the Plus model, the suction station is also the charging station. Anyone who has only bought the Roborock Q7 Max can buy the extraction station separately and thus turn their Q7 Max into a Q7 Max+.

The suction station matches the color of the vacuum robot.

The (remeasured) dimensions of the suction station are 43 cm high, 43 cm deep and 30 cm wide at most, measured on the base plate. This makes the extraction station of the Roborock Q7 Max+ significantly more compact than the stations of many other vacuum robot competitors.

As with a conventional vacuum cleaner, the dust bag is placed in the station.

The design is unobtrusively simple, so that the suction station fits in with almost any furnishing style. The construction is just as simple. If you lift the attached lid, the 2,5 liter dust bag comes to light. A dust bag like this lasts about a month, depending on how dirty it is. You can get a replacement on Amazon, among others.

The power connection is on the side. The cable can be invisibly wrapped in the cable management on the back.

application

The Roborock Q7 Max+ vacuum robot comes in the usual good Roborock processing quality. Unfortunately, the suction station cannot quite emulate the quality of the Roborock S7+ suction station. Due to the fact that the lid is only attached and cannot be closed securely, the construction seems a bit unthought-out.

Roborock Q7 Max+: Setup

The setup is simple, understandable and quick. Download the Roborock app from the respective app stores (Android / iOS), register with Roborock and then let the app search for a new Roborock device.

The Roborock Q7 Max+ was found in the test without any problems after it was switched on for the first time and was ready to go in less than a minute after the home WiFi data had been assigned. The only thing you have to watch out for: 5 GHz networks are not supported.

Roborock Q7 Max+: App UI & Features

 The user interface of the Roborock app is one of the tidiest of its kind. The start screen provides us with important information about the cleaning area, the battery status and the cleaning duration of the last cleaning process. Using the room map placed in the middle, we can track the position of the vacuum robot in real time and see which areas have already been covered while the cleaning process is running.

The room map is created after the first cleaning run and can then be edited in detail. Rooms can be separated, merged and renamed, it is possible to draw restricted zones, invisible walls and wipe-free zones and cleaning areas can be assigned. If you own more than one floor, you can create up to 4 cards for a living environment.

All important functions for the room map and the suction behavior can also be reached with just one click via the start screen of the app. The suction power can be adjusted at the push of a button and during the ongoing cleaning process in the levels "Quiet", "Normal", "Turbo" and "Max". The same applies to the amount of water dispensed onto the wipe, which can be switched off completely or regulated in 4 stages.

In the app settings, we have access to the card management, can make settings for the emptying cycle of the suction station and can program time-controlled cleaning plans. We can find settings to increase performance on carpets, child lock or do not disturb mode in the more specific robot settings.

The different language packs that can be installed on the vacuum robot are fun. Pretty much every common language is represented there with its own language pack. Unfortunately, the installation of your own language packs is not officially supported. Another advantage is the control option via virtual control pad or joystick. This allows you to control the vacuum robot yourself from afar at your own command in the room.

Integrating the Roborock Q7 Max+ into Google Home or Amazon Alexa is an additional option for controlling the vacuum robot by voice command. Apple users can create Siri shortcuts via the Roborock app for voice control.

Roborock Q7 Max+: practical test

 So much for the app. Let's see how the Roborock Q7 Max+ performs in practice. 

Saugen

When it comes to suction power, the Roborock Q7 Max+ surpasses many a top-class model in the S series. On the data sheet, the maximum suction power is given as 4200 Pascal (Pa). In comparison, the Roborock S5 Max reaches a maximum of 2000 Pascal and the Roborock S7 ranges at 2500 Pascal. Only the Roborock S7 MaxV surpasses the suction power with an impressive 5100 Pascal.

The dust chamber of the Roborock Q7 Max+ has a volume of 470 milliliters.

A higher suction power does not mean that the vacuum robot cleans better. In the suction test, we had the Roborock Q7 Max+ compete on various hard floors and carpets. The vacuum robot performs excellently on hard floors. Typical household dirt, whether fine or coarse, is in most cases vacuumed up the first time you drive over it. The Roborock Q7 Max+ does not need to hide from a Roborock S7 here.

 Carpets are much more difficult to clean for vacuum robots. Especially high-pile carpets have to be overcome first. The maximum height must not exceed 2 centimeters, otherwise the Roborock Q7 Max+ cannot drive over the edge of the carpet. Fluff is picked up well on short and high piles. For finer and deeper-seated dirt, the Roborock Q7 Max+ needs several attempts. The automatic carpet detection works well so far. However, it takes time for the suction level to increase. Especially with small carpets, which are often used in the bathroom, the vacuum robot is usually halfway before the turbo kicks in.

The side brush is also made of rubber instead of bristles.

We didn't like the rubberized side brush as much. In contrast to the main brush, hair winds up much faster and the rubber arms tend to get caught on carpets. Maintenance is also more difficult because the side brush is screwed instead of clicked. However, the side brush fishes the dirt out of the corners well on hard floors.

As far as the volume is concerned, it ranges from pleasant (approx. 50 dB) to audibly loud (approx. 70 dB), depending on the suction mode. However, the Roborock Q7 Max+ is not louder than other vacuum robots. The vacuum robot needs about 60 minutes to clean an area of ​​65 square meters.

 Overall, the Roborock Q7 Max+ offers commendable suction power! 

Wipe

The wiping function of the Roborock Q7 Max+ is a "nice-to-have", but it cannot compete with the wiping performance of the current Roborock S7 series. The automatic lifting of the wipe when vacuuming carpets and the sound vibration technology (VibraRise) are missing here. 

The wiper attachment is plugged in. Visible are the 2 springs that generate a 300 gram contact pressure.

As mentioned before, the Roborock Q7 Max+ uses a combi tank, including a 350 milliliter water chamber. The wiping attachment is attached to the rear end of the vacuum robot and is equipped with a microfiber wiping cloth that is automatically moistened via two small water outlets. How much water is dispensed can be adjusted via the app. Two small springs on the wiper attachment ensure that 300 grams of contact pressure is generated. The wipe is pulled over the entire diameter of the vacuum robot.

The wipe is held by Velcro.

So much for the theory. In practice, the wiping power is sufficient to wipe with a damp cloth. However, the Roborock Q7 Max+ does not replace wiping by hand. Light dirt is picked up well, which is also clearly visible on the cloth at the end. How often the vacuum robot wipes over it during a cleaning process can be set. Unfortunately, the wiping power is not sufficient to remove dried-in dirt or water stains, even if you wipe over it several times. So that the mopping plate does not soak the (wooden) floor after mopping and possibly soften it, it should be removed immediately. If you use the suction station, you don't have to worry about this. The station is designed so that the mopping attachment does not touch the floor.

 The wiping function of the Roborock Q7 Max+ is a "nice-to-have", but cannot compete with the more expensive models! 

Navigate

The Roborock Q7 Max+ uses various sensors to navigate. The most striking feature is the laser tower on the top, which detects obstacles from around 10 centimeters in size. The tower is complemented by fall sensors on the sides and bottom.

 There is little to complain about when it comes to the navigation properties of the Roborock Q7 Max+. The vacuum robot navigates through the room in a well thought-out manner and finds its way back to the station after cleaning is complete.

He approaches obstacles and walls cautiously. Every now and then the bumper is used, with which the vacuum robot gently touches the obstacle. You should observe the first cleaning cycle. Cables, clothing or toys should not be lying around in the way. The Roborock Q7 Max+ does not recognize them. On the other hand, it neatly avoids larger obstacles such as table and chair legs.

Problems can also be caused by reflective surfaces or black carpets that are not recognized as obstacles or trigger the crash sensors.

 Sophisticated and precise navigation in space. However, the Roborock Q10 Max+ does not recognize cables, socks and other obstacles under 7 centimeters. 

Suction station

The functioning of the suction station is largely self-explanatory. At the end of the cleaning process, the vacuum robot drives back to the station and is sucked empty via the underside. The suction process takes about 15 seconds. The volume is decent and almost reaches the volume of an industrial vacuum cleaner. But here too, the suction station of the Roborock Q7 Max+ is not unusually loud compared to other models.

The base plate of the suction station is designed like a ramp.

The vacuumed dirt finally ends up in the 2,5 liter dust bag, which has to be changed about once a month with daily cleaning. This saves you having to empty the dust chamber by hand, which is particularly beneficial for allergy sufferers. However, the dust chamber does not get completely clean after vacuuming. Dirt occasionally gets caught on the filter inside the dust chamber. However, it is sufficient to clean the chamber and filter under water every few weeks. When the dust bag should be replaced can be seen from the LED under the Roborock logo.

Battery

A permanently installed 5200 mAh Li-ion battery is responsible for the power supply of the vacuum robot. According to Roborock, the Roborock Q7 Max+ is able to clean up to 3 hours or 300 square meters of space at a time.

We were able to understand the values ​​in practice so far. After cleaning our 60 square meter area, for which the vacuum robot needed 65 minutes, there were still 78 percent of the remaining battery. If the battery runs out while cleaning is in progress, the vacuum robot automatically returns to the charging station, charges up and continues where it left off.