You’ve probably seen the ads. A sleek, puck-shaped vacuum glides effortlessly over a pristine hardwood floor, sucking up a single, lonely Cheerio while a satisfied owner sips coffee in the background. It looks like magic. But if you’re actually looking at the Roborock S8+, you aren't looking for magic—you’re looking for a tool that won't make you scream at 7:00 AM because it ate a stray phone charger.
Honestly, the robot vacuum market is a mess of numbers. 6000 Pa suction? VibraRise? DuoRoller? It sounds like tech-bro Mad Libs. Most people buy these things thinking they’ll never have to touch a mop again, and that’s the first mistake.
The Roborock S8+ is a very specific beast. It sits in that "Goldilocks" zone—smarter than the budget bots but not quite the $1,500 behemoth that is the S8 Pro Ultra. It’s for the person who wants the robot to empty itself but doesn't mind filling the water tank manually.
The DuoRoller Reality Check
Let’s talk about those red brushes. Most robots have one. The S8+ has two.
Roborock calls it the DuoRoller Brush. In plain English: it’s two rubber rollers spinning in opposite directions. This is basically the "secret sauce" for anyone who shares a home with a Golden Retriever or a human with long hair. Traditional bristle brushes are hair magnets; you end up spending twenty minutes with a pair of scissors cutting out tangles.
With the S8+, the hair mostly gets shuffled into the bin rather than wrapping around the axle. It isn't perfect—you’ll still find a few strands tucked into the side bearings—but it’s a massive upgrade from the older S7 series.
Why Suction Numbers Are Kinda Liars
The S8+ boasts 6000 Pa of HyperForce suction.
That number looks great on a spec sheet. Is it three times better than a 2000 Pa vacuum from five years ago? Not exactly. Suction in a robot vacuum is more about how well it seals against the floor than the raw power of the motor.
On hard floors, you won't notice the 6000 Pa. A cheap Dustbuster could pick up crumbs on tile. Where this matters is your area rugs. When the S8+ hits a carpet, it goes into "Carpet Boost" mode. You can hear the motor kick into a higher gear. It’s pulling fine dust out from the base of the fibers, and honestly, the amount of grey silt it finds in a "clean" rug is a little bit gross.
The "Plus" in S8+ is the Dock
If you buy the standard S8, you have to empty the tiny on-board dustbin every single day. It’s annoying. It defeats the purpose of "automation."
The Roborock S8+ comes with the RockDock Plus.
When the robot finishes its run, it docks, and a secondary vacuum in the base station screams to life for about 15 seconds. It sucks everything out of the robot and into a 2.5L disposable bag.
- The Good: You don't have to think about dust for about 7 weeks.
- The Bad: It is loud. Like, "jet engine in your living room" loud. Don't schedule it to empty while you're on a Zoom call.
- The Catch: These bags aren't free. You’re trading a bit of monthly cash for the luxury of not touching dirt.
Does the Mopping Actually Work?
This is where the nuance comes in. The S8+ uses VibraRise technology.
Instead of just dragging a wet rag across the floor, the middle section of the mop vibrates 3,000 times per minute. It’s trying to "scrub" the floor.
It’s great for:
- Footprints from a rainy day.
- Light dust.
- That weird film that develops on kitchen tiles.
It is NOT for:
- A dried puddle of maple syrup.
- Set-in grape juice stains.
- Any mess that requires actual elbow grease.
One thing Roborock nailed is the mop lifting. If the S8+ detects carpet, it lifts the wet pad 5mm off the ground. It’s a tiny clearance. If you have high-pile, fluffy shag carpets, that 5mm isn't enough—your carpet is going to get a little damp. But for standard low-pile rugs? It’s a game-changer. You can mop the kitchen and vacuum the living room rug in one single run without the robot getting stuck or making a mess.
Navigation: The LiDAR vs. Camera Debate
The S8+ uses Reactive 3D Obstacle Avoidance.
It doesn't have an RGB camera like the "MaxV" models, which some people actually prefer for privacy reasons. Instead, it uses structured light and infrared. It "sees" the world in 3D shapes.
It’s scary accurate.
I’ve watched it navigate around a stray sneaker and a tangled iPhone cable without even tapping them. Most robots act like a blind person with a cane, bumping into things to know they’re there. The S8+ usually knows the obstacle is there before it arrives.
However, it struggles with very thin objects. A stray piece of yarn or a thin tassel on a rug can still defeat it. It’s smart, but it’s not sentient.
The App is Where the Power Is
The Roborock app is widely considered the best in the business. Once the robot does its first "Fast Map" run—which it does without even vacuuming—you get a surprisingly accurate 2D or 3D layout of your house.
You can tell it: "Hey, don't go under the TV stand, there are too many wires there." (No-Go Zones).
Or: "Mop the kitchen twice, but only use low suction in the bedroom."
You can even set "Off-Peak Charging." If your electric company charges more during the day, the S8+ will wait until night to top off its battery. It’s a small detail, but it shows the level of polish here.
Is it Better than the S8 Pro Ultra?
This is the $500 question.
The S8 Pro Ultra has a dock that washes the mop, dries it with hot air, and refills the water tank. The S8+ does none of that.
With the S8+, you still have to:
- Remove the mop cloth and throw it in the laundry.
- Refill the 300ml water tank on the robot yourself.
- Manually clean the bottom of the robot occasionally.
If you have a 3,000-square-foot house that is 90% hardwood, the S8+ might feel like a chore because that small water tank will run dry halfway through. But if you have a smaller space or mostly carpet, the "Ultra" dock is massive overkill. The S8+ gives you the same cleaning performance for a lot less money.
Real Talk: The Limitations
Nothing is perfect. The S8+ has a few quirks that might annoy you.
First, the dustbin on the robot itself is actually smaller than the old S7 (350ml vs 470ml). Roborock assumes you’re using the auto-empty dock, so they shrunk the bin to make room for the dual rollers. If the dock fails or you don't use a bag, that bin fills up fast.
Second, the "Reactive 3D" navigation can sometimes be too cautious. It might see a dark pattern on a rug and think it's a "cliff" or an obstacle, leaving a patch of floor uncleaned. You can usually fix this in the app, but it takes some tinkering.
Finally, the maintenance isn't zero. You still need to wipe the sensors every month. If they get dusty, the robot starts acting like it's had a few too many tequilas, bumping into walls and getting lost.
Practical Steps to Get the Most Out of an S8+
If you decide to pull the trigger on one of these, don't just let it loose and hope for the best.
- The First Run: Follow the robot. Watch where it struggles. If it keeps getting caught on the fringe of a specific rug, use the app to draw a "No-Go Zone" right then and there.
- The Mop Hack: Don't just use plain water. While Roborock officially recommends their own floor cleaner, many users use a tiny drop of specialized, non-sudsing robot floor cleaner. Just don't use Pine-Sol or bleach; you'll ruin the internal pumps.
- Schedule Smart: Set the vacuuming for when you're out of the house, but set the mopping for when you're home. Since you have to remove the wet cloth anyway to keep it from smelling, it's better to do it as soon as the bot finishes.
- Check the Rollers: Every two weeks, pop the DuoRollers out. It takes ten seconds. You'll find hair wrapped around the edges. Clear it out to keep the suction at 100%.
The Roborock S8+ isn't a "set it and forget it" solution for every single floor mess, but it is one of the most reliable ways to ensure your house stays at a "baseline" level of clean without you lifting a finger. It handles the 90% so you only have to deal with the 10%.
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To keep your unit running for years, prioritize genuine replacement bags and HEPA filters. Third-party filters often lack the proper seal, which can let fine dust bypass the motor, eventually killing the suction power you paid for. Check your sensor health in the app's maintenance tab—it'll tell you exactly when the "eyes" of the robot need a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth. High-traffic homes should also inspect the front caster wheel; if it gets jammed with hair, it can start scratching delicate hardwood floors. Take care of these small tasks, and the S8+ will likely outlast your next two smartphones.