Roborock Q Revo impressions: This robot vacuum cleaner gets the 'wet' job done
One of the things I love about what I do at HardwareZone is the chance to try out various gadgets and discover how technology can simplify our lives. One such category of gadgets that has gained a lot of momentum in the past couple of years is the robot vacuum cleaner. These days, many smart cleaners do not just vacuum but have wet mop functionalities as well – one such model is the Roborock Q Revo.
Quick look
The Roborock Q Revo isn't just a vacuum; it's a hybrid device adept at both vacuuming and mopping. One key standout feature is an auto-empty station that takes care of disposing of the collected dirt and manages the cleaning, drying, and refilling of the mopping components. That said, while this multi-functional aspect was once a unique feature, it is now increasingly common in high-end robot vacuums.
Quick impressions
In my day-to-day use for the past weeks, the Q Revo's ability to vacuum and mop simultaneously proved quite effective. The design allows the mopping pads to lift 7mm off the ground – where 5mm seems to be the standard in most other robot vacuums. This allows it to move from, say, a hard floor to carpeted areas as well as higher-than-usual obstacles such as sliding door rails on the floor.
However, its suction power doesn't quite match the prowess of top-tier vacuums that I’ve used (or still using) like the Dyson 360 Vis Nav (my review to be up soon). Yet, it compensates with a more methodical approach to navigating around household objects, sparing the chaotic “robot banging” movements I've seen in some other models. Although the side brush struggles somewhat with corners, it's sufficient for light cleaning. If your house is really dusty or has not been cleaned in a while, I recommend running the Q Revo twice.
That said, the mopping functionality of the Q Revo is quite impressive. Unlike some robot vacuums that merely dampen the floor, its rotating mopping pads actively clean surfaces. The water release is well-calibrated, ensuring that my wooden floors don't get overly wet too. While it excels at handling dried stains, the downside is that it’s not that effective with fresh spills because the dirty liquid that it picks up gets absorbed and retained in the mopping pads. So if you spilt some juice, for instance, wipe it off manually rather than depending on the Roborock.
Another feature that determines how highly (or lowly) I rate a robot vacuum cleaner is its sensors. The Q Revo's object avoidance is akin to a well-meaning but slightly clumsy household pet, and while it’s generally aware of its surroundings, it is prone to occasional mishaps, often getting tangled with small cables or objects – in fact, it almost chewed up my laptop’s power cable after it got stuck in its roller. During my trial with it, I had to rescue whatever cables that were lying on the ground a few times from such predicaments. Again, to be fair, this is quite a common problem for most robot vacuum cleaners, and I have not come across a model that’s smart enough to steer away from cables.
Personal experience and verdict
In my few weeks with the Q Revo, I found its utility in handling post-party cleanups and daily debris in high-traffic areas like the living room pretty good. It effectively managed crumbs, my pet dog hair, and the usual household dirt, reducing my need to manually vacuum these areas frequently.
However, for more thorough wet cleaning, especially in kitchens, I still recommend the old tried-and-tested traditional hand mopping. The Q Revo’s wet mopping just isn’t strong enough to get rid of oils and the usual kitchen grime (from cooking). The Q Revo has an SRP of S$2,399, and for that price, it’s quite hard to recommend. But Roborock has knocked down the price quite significantly in recent weeks, and their website is selling it for S$999 now. For that price, I think it is a worthwhile consideration if you’re hunting for a robot vacuum cleaner/mop complete with a useful docking station that won’t bust your bank account.
You can check out the full specifications and buy the Roborock Q Revo here.
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