The floor maintenance specialist Roborock offers with its Q Revo, a mid-range robot vacuum cleaner and mop, more affordable than those in the S range, but still just as effective despite some technical concessions.
Judging from the aisles of the IFA consumer electronics show held in Berlin from 1er as of September 5, robot vacuum cleaners are on the rise. We counted at least a dozen manufacturers present (mostly Chinese). The major brands that have been established in this market for several years already will surely have a lot to do to maintain their place through great innovation and know-how. Among these, Roborock, an inevitable player in the field which unveiled its mid-range Q Revo model last July. Sold almost half as much as the S8 Pro Ultra, a true luxury home fairy (read our test), this device is nonetheless a good deal. Convincing mapping and navigation serve efficient vacuuming and very decent floor washing. It even differs from its big brother by the use of rotating mops, a first for the manufacturer. Does this change in technique work in its favor? We were able to test the capabilities of the Q Revo for several weeks. Here is our verdict.
|
|
Roborock Q Revo: a well-designed docking station
As with the high-end S range, the Q range is based on a vacuum cleaner robot associated with a docking station. This adopts dimensions, however, less generous than for the S8 Pro Ultra (34x48x56 cm). A template that allows it to find its place more easily in small spaces. It includes a dust bin emptying bag with a capacity of 2.7 liters, cleverly positioned under the clean water bin and the dirty water collection bin (5 liters each).
The robot therefore automatically empties its dust collector after each session, refills with clean water and drains the dirty water after each pass. Be careful, the dust collection phase by the station is quite noisy, at least as much as a traditional vacuum cleaner. Fortunately, it only lasts about twenty seconds. As for the operation of filling or emptying the water, it lasts less than a minute with the sound of a small gurgling sound that is quite audible but very bearable. Unlike the S8 Pro Ultra, the water trays are not hidden by a cover. It’s more difficult to put something on it. Also be careful. The dirty water tray does not have a spout to empty it.
At the base of the docking station, a device allows automatic cleaning and drying – at 45° – of the robot’s mops after use. Small subtlety: it is possible to detach the base of the docking station in order to easily clean it to remove any deposits that the robot could leave there, which is not the case on the high-end model. Practical.
Roborock Q Revo: an easy-to-live-with robot
For this Q Revo, Roborock plays on simplicity but also tries a new technique. The robot has a classic suction system which rests on a central rubber roller where its elder the S8 Pro Ultra has two intertwined rollers. It also has a side brush responsible for collecting small waste that it cannot reach because of its circular shape. This sometimes turns out to be a little too enthusiastic, throwing debris far away instead of bringing them back towards the robot. The motor develops a suction power of 5500 pa, more than sufficient for most solid or softer surfaces such as carpets. Disassembly is quite simple for maintenance. It is also possible to remove the dust collector to empty it manually or clean the filters.
On the other hand, like most of its competitors, long hair continues to twist around the axis of the main brush. You will need to take care to remove it for optimal operation.
For washing, Roborock is introducing a new technique for its own robots. The brand thus swaps the single large mop for two round mops placed on rotating plates (up to 200 rpm according to the manufacturer). These can easily be removed for a quick trip through the washing machine from time to time.
Roborock Q Revo: obstacle detection that can be improved
To wander around the house and carry out mapping in order to find your way during your office, the Q Revo relies on a laser rangefinder. However, it does not integrate a camera backed by artificial intelligence to identify possible obstacles that may present themselves in front of it. With its array of sensors it manages to detect large obstacles (legs of chairs or tables, various pieces of furniture, etc.) but is less attentive to small objects that may be in its path. If he easily dodges a pair of shoes, he will not hesitate to swallow the protruding laces, socks and other cables that may be lying on the ground. A quick inspection of the floor is therefore useful before letting the Q Revo start cleaning.
Roborock Q Revo: top vacuuming and washing
We subjected the Q Revo to several cleaning tests for both vacuuming and mopping the floor. On parquet, the robot does very well. It does not encounter the slightest difficulty in removing dust, grains of rice or semolina, sheep, etc. However, it struggles to clean the corners well if the clearance is not wide enough for its passage. And its rotating side brush, a little short and really too powerful, is not of much help in these situations.
On carpets and short pile carpets, the results are also very good. Note that the robot automatically detects the change in surface and then increases its suction capacity for a better result. On thicker carpets, however, the Q Revo cannot compete with a traditional vacuum cleaner. However, several passes allowed him to leave the surface behind in a very acceptable state.
For washing floors, the two rotating mops are a great success. The robot does well on lightly encrusted tasks in a single pass, leaving behind a very clean surface. When the stains are more stubborn, do not hesitate to select the Deep+ mode with “high intensity” floor washing. The robot will then move more slowly but will give better results. Finally, thanks to automatic surface detection, the Q Revo will take care to lift its mops before trudging on a rug or carpet. Be careful, however: the height of the mops fold does not exceed 7 mm. If the carpet is so thick that the robot sinks into it, it may soak it.
Roborock Q Revo: an exemplary application
What is one of Roborock’s strengths is also the care taken in the application used to control the robot. We had already highlighted this during the test of the S8 Pro Ultra and the observation remains the same for the Q Revo: the app is a real treat to use. As with the previous model, it is through the app for iOS and Android that we ask the robot to do an initial location once connected to the home network. Then, it is possible to rename each room, deny access to certain places, request cleaning as a priority for others, define specific areas to clean, schedule sessions for days of the week, to choose the suction or washing power, to define the number of passes to be carried out and, of course, to follow the progress of the robot in each room in real time, etc. In short, an easy-to-use app that is suitable for both beginners and users already experienced in using a robot vacuum cleaner.
Roborock Q Revo: more than sufficient autonomy
If you do not have a 400 m villa2 You don’t have to worry about the Q Revo’s battery life. The machine is durable enough to clean all the rooms in the house without having to go back to its docking station to recharge its batteries. If he is really out of breath, he will come and recharge before resuming work where he left off. Roborock has also improved charging times. Finally, through the app, it is possible to ask the robot to only charge at night, during off-peak hours when electricity is cheaper (if your contract with your supplier allows it). Well seen.
Roborock Q Revo: should you fall for this Roborock vacuum cleaner?
With the Q Revo, Roborock has created a very well-designed vacuum-mopping robot. It is versatile by adapting to almost all surface styles (thick carpets and rugs still pose some problems). Its suction capacity remains amply sufficient for regular use to maintain clean floors. The washing is also very effective even if you sometimes have to ask it to be more thorough on slightly more encrusted stains. An operation which takes a little more time but nothing prevents you from ordering the robot to stick to it while you are away. We also appreciate the simplicity of use and easy maintenance of both the station and the various elements of the robot itself. For 849 euros, the Q Revo represents a good investment. It is certainly not the cheapest on the market but the quality/price ratio is indeed there so much so that we easily forgive its sometimes somewhat brutal approaches to obstacles and its blind bulimia for small objects.