Roborock S8 Pro Ultra in the test: simply the best vacuum robot with a wiping function

The Roborock S8 (test report) has already fully convinced us, now the manufacturer is launching the top model with a comprehensive cleaning station and some minor adjustments. Otherwise, there are many similarities with the previous top model Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra (test report), such as object recognition using a camera, which should enable vacuum robots to identify and bypass small objects. What else is the same or new, we show in the test.

Note: Because of many parallels to the Roborock S8 without a cleaning station, we will not go into detail again here. For more information, it is therefore worth taking a look at the previously published test report.

The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra also has very few accessories. Only some paperwork is included for bedtime reading, otherwise of course the robot and the highlight, namely the cleaning station with cable management.

The external appearance of the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra robot vacuum does not differ much from the Roborock S8 that has already been tested, which is why we refer to its test report at this point. The water tank in the rear area of ​​the robot for manual filling is no longer available on the S8 Pro Ultra, instead there is an opening for automatic refilling of the permanently installed water tank in the robot. The cleaning station does this with every cleaning process of the wipe.

Another difference between the S8 and the S8 Pro Ultra: The two rubber rollers, which rotate in opposite directions similar to the iRobot, can be raised in the Pro Ultra model, in contrast to the simple S8. Roborock calls this technique Dual Roller Riser. However, this only works if the user manually activates the swipe-only mode. This should prevent moisture from penetrating the interior of the device when wiping up liquids. However, we do not find this function really necessary, even if it is technically interesting. But honestly: Who really lets their vacuum and floor mopping robot wipe up large amounts of liquid? Another difference: In contrast to the S8, the wiper plate of the Pro Ultra model can no longer be removed, but it now has two vibration zones instead of just one.

The main difference is the suction and washing station of the S8 Pro Ultra. Its structure is basically the same as that of the predecessor Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra (test report), but it now looks more compact. As before, the three containers for fresh water and waste water as well as the dust bag for the suction are placed separately from each other at the top, but the front is now covered by a raised plastic apron. All in all, it looks more like it was made of one piece and because of the light color (white) of our test example, the station doesn’t look bulkier – on the contrary. The slight wave pattern on the robot is also indicated in the station, and there are also new side air slots for drying the cloth. This is now integrated and dehumidifies the robot’s wipe with warm air, optionally for 2, 3 or 4 hours after the last cleaning process. This is clearly audible, but most users shouldn’t find it annoying in the hallway. In the case of the predecessor, a drying module had to be bought later, it only came onto the market after the launch of the S7 MaxV. And there is another change that is of a more practical nature: the containers for fresh and waste water can now only be opened halfway. What sounds like a step backwards, however, ensures that you can hold the containers by the carrying handle and still be able to open them. Previously, you had to fold down the handle before opening it, which was usually accompanied by parking it beforehand.

The integration of the new Roborock S8 Pro Ultra works in the same way as with the already tested S8 without the station. We therefore refer to its test report for further information on this topic.

This also applies in principle to the topic of navigation and cleaning performance. The new S8 generation benefits above all from improvements in 3D object recognition. It feels like the Pro Ultra model is a tad better than the S8, which we already confirmed in the test as making visible progress compared to the predecessor Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra (test report). However, this can also simply be due to the later test time, from which the Pro Ultra model could have benefited from updates in the meantime. But the same applies here: the technology is still not perfect in this respect. Things that the AI ​​camera has not yet been taught using machine learning are still sucked in by the S8 Pro Ultra. However, the detection success rate is higher than the previous generation.

The further development in object recognition is also noticeable elsewhere. Contrary to the predecessor S7 MaxV, the S8 Pro Max now dares to go back into the crowd of chairs under the dining table, the predecessor simply refused when 3D recognition was activated. In terms of pure cleaning performance, the S8 Pro Ultra, like the “simple” S8, caused a surprise. Despite the increased suction power of 6000 Pa, the two rubber rollers do not ensure better cleaning, at least not on carpets. It’s still very good, but more on the level of its predecessors. This is compensated for by the intensive cleaning mode for carpets, in which the vacuum cleaner pays special attention to the carpeting after the room has been cleaned. We were also visually very satisfied with it. We didn’t use this mode for the sample carpet in the S8 test, but only later.

Swiping works even better with the S8 Pro Ultra than with the normal S8. The reason for this is probably the double vibration zone under the wipe, which simply loosens even more dirt. If the S8 was already exemplary here, the result of the more expensive model seems to be even better. Anyone looking for a good vacuum and mop will definitely get their money’s worth with the S8 Pro Ultra – within the scope of the possibilities of vacuum and mop robots, of course. That manual scrubbing is still more effective should also be clear in 2023.

There are hardly any differences in the battery, but it was already strong before. About two-thirds of the capacity is enough to clean about 100 square meters in just over 1.5 hours. The carpets in the “deep cleaned” area were not specifically prepared for robot cleaning, but were even deliberately peppered with small obstacles. Most of them have been recognized. Overall, the S8 Pro Ultra should also be able to clean surfaces of over 120 to 150 square meters in one go – depending on the environment. It then drives to reload and then automatically continues cleaning if desired.

With around 1400 euros at the market launch, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is not exactly cheap, but the competition is not cheaper either – sometimes even the opposite.

The Roborock S8 (test report) has already convinced us, it does a good job of cleaning when vacuuming and wiping and scores with great navigation and improved object recognition. This is no different with the new S8 Pro Ultra, in some cases even better. So the wiping performance is a little higher and thanks to the great cleaning station, the vacuum robot is even more self-sufficient. Of course, this has its price: over 700 euros more for the station seems steep, but those who want minimal work will not regret the extra edition. The other advantages we touched on in the S8’s conclusion apply to both models. The next time we update our top 10 robot vacuums, the S8 Pro Ultra will surely come out on top. If you are looking for general tips on buying a vacuum robot, you will find them in our guide on the subject.