Roborock Q7 Max Review

Finally, it’s done. I finished testing the Roborock Q7 Max, and here’s the review!

Roborock has been busy with product releases over the past year, and I’ve tested a bunch – the S7 MaxV Ultra and the Q5 Max, to be specific.

Now, we’ll look at the Roborock Q7 Max – the mid-level option of these new models.

There are other variants, but these are the primary ones. The other sub-models are derived from these three models.

Introduction to the Roborock Q7 Max

The Q-Series is a recent addition to the Roborock product line, and it addresses the massive price variance between the older S-Series options and the top-spec S7-Series.

There are two primary variants in the Q-Series – the Q5 and Q7.

The Q7 Max is an upgrade over the Q5 Max I previously tested.

I won’t review all the variances, but only the primary ones in this review.

It has the upgraded bristle-less brush roll absent in the Q5, plus the hybrid container with the bracket for the pad so it can vacuum and mop simultaneously.

Also, Roborock rated the Q7 Max Series at 4200 Pascals versus the Q5’s 2700 Pascals.

However, there isn’t much difference in the airflow results.

The Q7 Max got a maximum of 15.68 CFM, while the Q5 had higher results (16.75 CFM), so these tests reveal that the Q5 has higher airflow.

I’ll talk more about airflow and how it affects cleaning performance later in this review, but let’s look at the Q7 Max features.

Different Q7 variants [Q7 vs. Q7+ vs. Q7 Max vs. Q7 Max+

Looking at the Roborock website, there are several Q7 options. The model I reviewed is the Q7 Max+, which has a self-emptying base station.

One way to differentiate these variants is by looking at the letters after the Q7 model.  All “plus” variants come with the self-emptying base station and thus are more expensive.

The “Max” implies that it has a hybrid dustbin and water tank container, providing users more control over water disbursement during the mopping cycle.

1. Q7: Robot-vacuum-only option without the self-emptying base station.
2. Q7+: Comes with the base station minus the electronic water tank.
3. Q7 Max: Hybrid dustbin/electronic water tank, but no base station.
4. Q7 Max+: Most expensive Q7 variant with the base station and hybrid dustbin/electronic water tank.

I don’t put too much weight on the Pascal figures since these robots will have the same airflow output. Thus, cleaning performance variance isn’t significant to be a sticking point.

Auto-Empty Base Station

The Q7 Max+ comes with the redesigned Roborock base station with the tower design, departing from the twin barrel station found in the previous S7 Series.

All Q7 “plus” base stations have a bagged system with a 2.5-liter capacity. It used rubber lines around the opening, which is better than the S7’s cardboard material.

The plastic material offers better durability than cardboard, so it doesn’t bend out of shape easily.

You’ll notice in the photo above the wide port connecting directly to the robot’s brush roll.

I like this design over other brands, with a dedicated port underneath the dustbin.

It’s excellent at removing debris from the dustbin, even full ones like this.

And here’s how it looks after the base station emptied it.

Like all Roborock self-emptying robots, the Q7 has a ramp-style dock, meaning the robot sits on it securely.

Top View

The Q7 interface is similar to other Roborock options – minimalist with few buttons.

There’s no need to add more because most of the functionality is found in the app.

You’ll see the round shape contraption housing the LIDAR sensor.

Behind the LIDAR cover is a large door housing the top-mounted dustbin.

You could see the QR code, which links to the Roborock app (we’ll talk about that later in this review).

View Underneath

The Q7+ Max retains the same brush layout as other Q-Series robots, with one side brush plus the primary brush.

One upgrade from the Q5 is the bristle-less roller that is supposed to be better at debris pick-up.

Side Brush

All new Roborock products, including the Q7 Max+, use an all-rubber side brush.

I’ve said it previously, but this material offers better longevity than a bristled brush.

Pad Attachment

Behind the robot is a slot for attaching the pad bracket. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the agitating element found in the S7+ or S7 MaxV Ultra thus, and it won’t be as efficient.

It still was decent in the mopping experiments, removing the stains by the second pass.

Only the Q7 Max+ comes with the electronic water tank, while the Q7+ only has the gravity tank.

Hybrid Dustbin/Water Tank

The photo above is a close-up of the hybrid container housing the dustbin and water tank.

You could see the water tank opening at the bottom right portion, while the filter bracket serves as the slot for the dustbin.

If you get any of the “plus” variants, this will not matter since the base station will empty the dustbin.

App Features

The Q7 Max+ is compatible with the Roborock app and shares many of the same features as the Q5+, minus the mopping portion.

We’ll look at the most helpful features in this section.

1. 3D Map

Roborock introduced the 3D Map feature with their latest generation options, including the Q7 Max+.

This feature shows a different perspective of the map created.

The 3D Map is, what its name implies, a 3D representation of the area the robot has scanned.

Don’t expect intrinsic details from this, as the LIDAR sensor only scans what it detects.

You can see in the screenshot above that even the furniture scanned is depicted as walls.

The app can add furniture, but I don’t see any practical use for it since it won’t avoid these areas even with it.

2. Mapping Run

One of the most helpful features of the Roborock app is the mapping run.

It uses LIDAR’s 360-scanning ability to fast-track the map creation process.

One issue with VSLAM robots is it still need to go through every nook and cranny for map creation.

Laser robots don’t have this limitation and complete the task in a fraction of the time.

You’ll notice the difference inside large homes, where it will (literally) take a fraction of the time to create the map.

3. Live Map

The Q7 Max+ also has a live map, helping users track the robot’s location in real time.

Roborock pioneered this feature when they unveiled the first Xiaomi robot vacuum, and it’s been a staple for their intelligent robot vacuums.

4. Containment

Roborock has three containment options – invisible wall, no-go zone, and no-mop zone.

An invisible wall enables consumers to block the robot’s path using diagonal lines and can be helpful in most homes.

No-go and no-mop zoners are similar in their functionality. One variance is what function it blocks.

The No-go zone blocks the robot from going into the rectangular or square area, while the no-mop zone blocks it only from mopping.

5. Divide Rooms

Consumers can set partitions in the map through this function and draw division lines to separate a section from another.

There are instances when the robot detects the door and adds partitions automatically, but for my test, it did not, so I had to add these manually.

6. Room Naming

Once these areas are divided, folks can name these zones by selecting from a list or using custom names.

7. Auto-Empty Settings

Another option for consumers is the auto-empty settings to adjust suction and duration, depending on the needs.

Nonetheless, I’d keep it at the default setting to simplify things.

There’s also the option to turn it off if you don’t need the functionality.

8. Scheduling

Roborock also has a scheduling feature to automate the vacuuming process. Folks can set unlimited runs with various options for cleaning on weekdays, weekends, etc.

Combined with the self-emptying feature, consumers will benefit from its autonomy.

How Does the Roborock Q7 Max+ Navigate?

The Q7 Max+ (like all Roborock intelligent robot vacuums) utilizes LIDAR and SLAM to pinpoint and track its location.

Laser sensors are precise with location tracking and enable features like the mapping run to be the most efficient in their class.

This robot will start the run by cleaning the edges before moving toward the middle portions.

Its laser sensor and algorithm make it one of the more efficient robot vacuums available, completing the coverage test in a little over 16 minutes (16:28, to be exact).

Also, it picked up nearly every debris crumb scattered in its two-pass cycle, better than most brands I’ve reviewed.

Here’s a before photo – look at how much quaker oats I scattered around this small room.

And here’s how it looks after the two-pass cleaning run.

I barely had to vacuum the fragments that scattered around the area.

How much power does the Roborock Q7 Max+ have?

Roborock uses Pascals as its primary spec for power, but I don’t think it’s an accurate metric.

The Q7 Max+ has 4200 Pascals of suction, more than 1000 Pa higher than the Q5+.

However, the airflow results don’t match these figures (check below).

• Quiet: 7.91 CFM
• Balanced: 9.33 CFM
• Turbo: 10.99 CFM
• Max: 15.68 CFM

These results are slightly lower than the Q5+, which had a lower Pa rating, and the cleaning test results concur since there isn’t much gap between them.

Airflow is a good metric for determining a robot vacuum’s potential cleaning performance since there’s a correlation between high airflow and excellent pick-up.

Cleaning Performance

Now, to the meat of this review – how this robot picked up different debris types. I tested it on quaker oats, coffee grounds, quinoa, sand, hair, and pet litter.

The Roborock Q7 Max+ was above average thanks to its bristle-less roller, efficient navigation, and sufficient airflow.

• Overall: 91.98%
• Hard floor: 99.9%
• Sand on hard floor: 99.8%
• Carpet (surface): 98.3%
• Deep cleaning: 69.63%

Unfortunately, it’s not as good as the cheaper Q5+, probably because of the lower airflow.

I was talking about not focusing on Pascals as a metric in determining how a robot vacuum will clean floors.

Hard Floor Results

• Quaker oats: 100%
• Coffee grounds: 100%
• Quinoa: 99.8%
• Pet litter: 99.8%

The Roborock Q7 Max+ will do its best work on hard floors as it picked up the higher percentage on this surface.

It has enough airflow plus agitation from the upgraded roller, providing it enough pick up on nearly all debris types.

Sand on hard floor

It did well picking up sand with an average of 99.8% – one of the best scores amongst robot vacuums.

Sand is one of the most challenging items to clean on any surface, and it’s one barometer for me in determining how a robot vacuum will perform in other tests.

Hair Wrap

One plus with the bristle-less brush is its resistance to hair tangles. I tried the Q7 Max+ on five and seven-inch strands.

• 5-inch strands: 90%
• 7-inch strands: 47%

These results are better than the Q5+ that only has the standard combo brush and confirm my hypothesis that the bristle-less roller is better at picking up hair.

After the five-inch test, you could see how much it got inside the dustbin.

And only this much wrapped on the brush with most of it on the axle.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t as good with seven-inch strands with this much wrapping on the brush.

Edge Cleaning

Despite its round frame, the Roborock Q7 Max+ efficiently cleaned edges, needing only a few passes to pick up most of the scattered debris.

It won’t be as good as the Roomba S9+, but the results were impressive, given the debris quantity.

Carpet Results

I put the Q7 Max through the same experiments on carpets with surface debris, and it did well.

These results reveal that the Q7 Max+ is a capable carpet cleaning robot, but I wouldn’t recommend it on plush carpets, nor is it a replacement for a full-sized stick or upright vacuum.

Technically, it can vacuum plush rugs, but it struggles going over it and vacuuming, so it’s a painstakingly slow process.

Low Pile

• Quaker oats: 99.2%
• Coffee grounds: 97.4%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet litter: 98.8%

The Q7 Max was above-average on low-pile carpet with scores in the high 90s across the board, even with coffee grounds.

It’s one of the best in the industry at cleaning this surface versus other robot vacuum brands I’ve tested.

Mid Pile

• Quaker oats: 99.2%
• Coffee grounds: 93.2%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet litter: 98.6%

The results on mid-pile carpet are slightly worse than on low pile but still above average. It struggled most with coffee grounds, which isn’t surprising since most robot vacuums struggle with it.

Nonetheless, the Q7 Max+ stacks up well with most other brands outside the high airflow Roomba S9+ and 980, but these variants don’t have the same efficiency.

Mopping Test Result

In addition to its vacuuming function, the Roborock Q7 Max+ can also mop floors with its hybrid dustbin and water tank container, plus the mopping pad.

However, it lacks the vibrating element found in the S7 MaxV Ultra, so it won’t be as efficient with stain removal.

I tested it on red wine stains.

After doing one three-pass run, it removed all the stains.

One issue with hybrid robot vacuums and mops is these machines can’t pick up liquid.

It functions like a traditional mop, merely pushing liquid around.

While the photo shows a clean surface, it wasn’t dry since the robot relies heavily on the mopping cloth to absorb the stain.

Since it can’t pick up liquid, it drags this residue around, resulting in wet patches afterward.

How Noisy is the Roborock Q7 Max+?

The Roborock Q7 Max+ isn’t loud in the three lower settings, ranging between 59.3 and 63.7 decibels, but it’s loud in the max setting at 74.8 decibels.

• Quiet: 59.3 dB
• Balanced: 61.2 dB
• Turbo: 63.7 dB
• Max: 74.8 dB

Fortunately, the balanced and turbo setting is enough for most cleaning tasks, especially on hard floors.

And it has the carpet boost feature, so it increases suction when it detects carpet.

Maintenance

Next, we’ll look at some maintenance procedures for the Q7 Max+. All robot vacuums will need this to function at their peak for years. I’ll enumerate the list of components to clean or replace and (suggested) intervals.

1. Primary brush roll: It’s easily the most abused component of a robot vacuum. Detach and clean it at least once a week to clear any accumulation from the roller or axle.
2. Side brush: Hair accumulates on the base or sticks on the arms. Use a Philips screwdriver to unfasten and clean to remove it weekly.
3. Dustbin: Empty it after every cleaning cycle (for robot-vacuum-only owners). Check the filter monthly to check for any accumulation on the folds.
4. Drop sensors: Use a cotton bud or clean microfiber towel and gently wipe the drop sensors underneath the robot to prevent an error code from firing and disabling the robot.
5. Base Station: Be mindful of the base station port where debris flows from the robot’s brush roll. Ensure that this component is free from any blockages.
6. Bag: Throw the bag once it’s full. Roborock doesn’t have a sensor, so you’ll need to check if it’s full visually.

Product Specifications

Related Roborock Comparisons

• Roborock Q5+ vs. S7 MaxV Ultra
• Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra vs. S7+
• Roborock Q7 Max+ vs. S7 MaxV Ultra
• Roborock Q5+ vs. Q7 Max+
• Roborock Q7 Max Review
• Roborock S7. vs. S6 MaxV vs. S5 Max – Time to Upgrade?

Where can I purchase the Roborock Q7 Max+?

This robot vacuum is available in online stores like Amazon. Check the link below for the latest pricing information.

• Roborock Q7 Max+ on Amazon (w/ base station, electronic water tank)
• Roborock Q7+ on Amazon (w/ base station, gravity water tank)

Disclaimer: I will earn a commission if you purchase from the link above, but at n cost to you, so it’s a win-win for us!

Is the Roborock Q7 Max+ worth it?

There isn’t much variance between the Q7 Max+ and Q5+ with cleaning performance, so you’ll have to look at the other variables.

Do you need the benefits of the bristle-less brush? Do you need an electronic water tank with a higher capacity?

Answering these questions will help determine the choice between the Q7 Max+ and the cheaper Q5.

To help you, I’ve enumerated five reasons to go with the Roborock Q7 Max+.

1. Resists hair tangles well: The upgraded brush will resist tangles better than the traditional combo brush.
2. Excellent surface debris pick-up: This variant excels at picking up surface debris on most surfaces, except for Extended rugs.
3. Extended run time: The 5200 mAh lithium-ion battery enables this robot to run for up to 180 minutes.
4. Above-average mopping: It’s not as efficient as the S7 MaxV Ultra, but it got the stains out by the second pass.
5. Efficient navigation: It finished the coverage test in a little over 16 minutes – one of the best results of the robot vacuums I’ve tested.

The Verdict: An Excellent (and Cheaper) Option for the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra

One issue with the top-spec S7 MaxV Ultra is its expensive price tag – over $1,000!

If you cannot afford or are unwilling to spend this much for a self-emptying robot vacuum, the Q7 Max+ is an excellent cheaper alternative.

It won’t have the S7 MaxV’s bells and whistles, but it’s a lot cheaper and vacuums.

Another option is getting the Q7+ with the gravity tank if mopping isn’t as high on your priority list.