Roborock s5 vs s6. Deciding Which to Buy?
The Roborock s5 and Roborock s6 are both Robot vacuum cleaners from the same manufacturer, the Roborock company. In terms of model numbers, the two robot vacuums follow each other, that is, the Roborock s6 was released after the Roborock s5. The Roborock s6 was built with advancement in technology and a few other specifications as we shall explain later on in this article. Without a doubt, the two look like they would give any one a hard time in making a choice on which one to buy. So, its no surprise that you would ask us a question like, between the Roborock s5 vs s6, which vacuum cleaner would be ideal for you?
When put side by side , the roborock s5 and s6 are almost identical in size, shape and design. This is obviously because the parent company chose to keep the design relatively consistent in the S series. The two robot vacuums are Wi-Fi enabled and can be monitored and controlled remotely with the help of the roborock mobile application.
Considering technology and functionality, the roborock s6 has the upper hand because it comes equipped with a quad-core processor. This processor makes it decision making faster and more accurate. The Roborock s6 is usually priced higher and comes with additional usability functionalities like advanced scheduling as we shall see later. For a more modern experience, the roborock s6 is the robot to get.
Both robot vacuums have mopping functionality and smart mapping enabled. If you are looking for a more affordable robot vacuum while enjoying all the standard smart functionalities, the Roborock s5 is definitely worth a try.
Main differences between the Roborock s5 Vs s6
Multiple floor support
The Roborock s6 supports saving of maps for different floors. If you have a 3 storied apartment, you can set up maps for the 3 floors and each time you want to clean a certain floor, you just specify which floor on your application.
The Roborock s5 however only allows saving of one map. This limitation requires that each time you want to clean a new floor, the old map is reset and lost. This can mean to be disturbing and not convenient for users who have multiple floors in their apartment and tend to clean them frequently at different time intervals.
Room specific scheduling
After setting up the map of your apartment with the Roborock application, you can utilize the scheduling function where you can choose where and when the roborock robot vacuum should clean your house.
The Roborock s6 has an additional feature that you can use to create a room cleaning schedule. With this feature, you can name rooms and then select the days when the particular rooms should be cleaned. This is not available for the Roborock s5.
Noise level
When it comes to noise output, the Roborock s6 is quieter than the s5. Even though it is not that significant, the Roborock s6 has a noise output of around 63db while the s5 produces around 70db in standard mode.
Side cleaning Brush
The Roborock s6 side brush was changed into a rubber kind of design while the Roborock s5 side brush still maintains the multiple bristles. Even when the Roborock company claims that the Roborock s6 side brush was made to be more effective at cleaning, many users tend to prefer the bristles. Users claim that the roborock s6 side brush jams and doesn’t rotate as well as expected.
Processor speed
The Roborock s6 technology is more advanced than that of the s5. With its quad-core processor, the Roborock s6 is faster and very effective at taking better cleaning routes which ensure its battery is efficiently utilized.
Battery performance time
Even with the same battery size of 5200mAh, the Roborock s6 has been proven to last longer than the Roborock s5. Since its processor is impeccable at optimal routing, the battery usage is effective and thus the battery life is prolonged. After testing, the Roborock s5 has been seen to take up to 150 minutes (that is after a full charge) while the Roborock s6 takes up to 180 minutes. The extra 30 minutes of performance time is testament that the processor technology works wonders.
The Purchase Price
The Roborock s6 costs more than the Roborock s5 but we encourage you to follow the links so that you can get the current price of the roborock s5 and s6. Due to the advancements in the technology of the Roborock s6, including some additional features, the difference in price between the 2 robot vacuums is usually justifiable.
Main Similarities between the Roborock s5 Vs s6
The Design Shape and size
The Roborock s5 and s6 design is circular in shape like many other Robot vacuums from the Roborock family.
The top circular knob on the Roborock s6 acts as a physical pressure sensor which can be pushed like a button. For both the Roborock s5 and s6, the top knob contains the LiDar sensor technology. This technology gives the roborock an effective navigation experience.
Talking about the size, both the Roborock s5 and s6 look alike from afar. There is a slight difference in their weight, however, this cannot be felt when both are physically carried.
Multiple Cleaning Modes
Both the Roborock s5 and s6 vacuum cleaners have a variety of cleaning modes available depending on the type of floor or power you need to use. These include:
Quiet: It uses the least power of all the modes. It is mostly used at night or when you want to rest and do not want the robot making lots of noise.
Mopping mode: The mop is detachable from the robot. If the mop is attached, the robot mops the floor then dries the floor in one go.
Balanced: In this mode, the robot operates using medium power.
Turbo: This mode operates a bit faster than the balanced mode.
Max mode: The robot uses maximum power with this mode.
With this multi-mode functionality, you can flexibly switch between modes to meet the requirements of the different floor types.
Dustbin size
Both the Roborock s5 and s6 have the same dustbin size of 480 ml. It is always important to note that every time the dustbin fills up; the robot vacuum will stop cleaning and will need you to empty it.
This means that for a larger house or apartment, your Robot vacuum will not fill up so quickly therefore you will not have to empty it very often.
Mopping functionality
The Roborock s5 and s6 vacuum cleaners have a water tank that can be attached or detached from the robot. The external mop can also be cleansed and attached to the roborocks’ water tank. The water tank functions by dispensing water automatically in small bits while the mop is cleaning.
It is advised not to include any liquid soap into the water tank, since some detergents may affect the mopping technology in the long run.
Zoning and Intelligent Mapping
The roborocks use a LiDar navigation sensor to map out the house and help you clean particular zones of your house. You can use the mobile application to create and view a map of your house. This technology can be used to clean your home from one room to the next. This technology works as follows;
The roborock app creates an outlay of your home which it then uses to create sections of your home. The application generates this map the very first time the roborock navigates your home. Since the roborock is still getting familiar with the home, it might take some time to complete this step. Using the map, you can clean every section of your home one after the other as you see fit. The roborock s5 and s6 also have collision detection technology which allows them to avoid obstacles like boards, chairs and plant vessels.
This is quite a convenient feature because the Robot vacuum cleaner doesn’t make random movements and you do not have to monitor it all the time. The roborock can be automated/ scheduled to complete most of its cleaning tasks.
Furthermore, you can create areas where do you not want the roborock s5 or s6 to go. The robots create lines called no-go lines that define where the roborock should go or not go. With the map set up, the map of your house or apartment can be separated into zones and each zone cleaned separately as desired by the user. This is all done using the phone application which we shall talk about in the next segment.
The Roborock application
The roborock company developed a mobile application that allows you to control and fully utilize your roborock s6 and s5. The application should be set up before you can start using it.
To simplify your work, the Roborock application enables you to integrate your robots to voice technology assistants like google assistant, siri or alexa.
The Roborock application has a lot of functionalities it offers its users like;
- Smart mapping and viewing
- An option to clean the whole house at once or choose to clean a single entire room
- Create cleaning schedules for when you are not around
- Choose a specific part of a room to vacuum
- Clean a specific room area a number of times
- An option to save created maps
- Create no-go lines or boundaries for sections you do not want to mop
The Battery life
With a battery size of 5200 mAh, you can enjoy approximately 2.5 hours of constant battery time when the roborock is using its lowest power mode. The Roborock s5 and s6 are usually talked about for their durable battery life as compared to other products on the market. You do not have to worry about your battery running out before it can finish a standard 2.5 hour cleaning session.
Recharge and resume capability
The recharge and resume capability is one of the nifty features from the Roborock company. Here is how it works;
If your roborock s6 or s5 is about to run out of battery, it will return to its charging station to recharge. After it is charged fully, it will return to the same spot where it had stopped and will resume cleaning from there.
You no longer need to worry about your robot vacuum cleaner running out of battery and halting its cleaning before it is done.
Special features of the Roborock s5
Suction Power
Even with both the Roborock s5 and s6 having the same suction motor rated at 2000Pa, the roborock s5 after testing proved to have more suction power. With this higher suction power, the roborock s5’s battery is consumed more due to the higher energy required to sustain the higher power.
As you can see, there are not a lot of special features for the Roborock s5 as it shares many similarities with the Roborock s6.
Roborock s5 Pros
- A user-friendly app
- Multiple voice assistant technology compatibility like siri, alexa etc.
- The supportive online user community
Roborock s5 Cons
- False error detection
- Noisy cleaning experience
Special features of the Roborock s6
Quad-core processor
The Roborock s6 is built with a 32-bit quad-core processor that makes its decision making faster and smarter. Using the 32-bit quad-core processor, the roborock s6 can calculate the best and fastest route in a home therefore using the most optimal time to complete its cleaning.
NOTE: Most of the special features of the Roborock s6 are expounded on in the differences section above.
Roborock s6 Pros
- Is compatible with alexa, siri and google assistant.
- Long battery life: Even with the same battery capacity as the Roborock s5, the s6 lasts longer.
- Quieter on standard mode: The Roborock s6 makes less noise while running the standard cleaning mode when it is compared to the Roborock s5.
Roborock s6 Cons
- Poor side brush design
- High price: The Roborock s6 initial price was higher than that of the Roborock s5. But since these prices can vary, you might find some retailers selling it at a lower price.
Roborock s5 Vs. Roborock s6, which is better?
The Roborock s5 vs s6 comes with great specs and awesome features which makes making a choice between either a bit hard but we try as much as possible to simplify this decision for you.
The two Robot Vacuums may look identical on the outside but they do have a few differences as you might have already read about in this article. Below, is a summary table showing how some of the features in the roborock s6 vs s5 compare.
Roborock s5 | Roborock s6 | |
Smart maps | Yes | Yes |
Weight | 7.72 pounds | 7.94 pounds |
Dustbin size | 480 ml | 480 ml |
Mopping | Yes | Yes |
Room specific scheduling | No | Yes |
Mop tank capacity | 140 ml | 140 ml |
Height | 3.8 inches | 3.7 inches |
Maximum Climb Height | 0.74 inches | 0.74 inches |
Drop detection | Yes | Yes |
Running time (on low power) | 150 minutes | 180 minutes (approx.) |
Battery size capacity | 5200 mAh | 5200 mAh |
Warranty (from manufacturer) | 12 months | 12 months |
Color options | Black (more expensive), White | Black (more expensive), White |
Max suction | 2000 Pa | 2000 Pa |
Daily Scheduling | Yes | Yes |
Wi-Fi Connectivity | Yes | Yes |
Voice command options | Supports Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Siri | Supports Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Siri |
Conclusion: Roborock s5 vs s6
In our opinion, the Roborock s6 is our top pick. We like to look at the roborock s6 as the roborock s5 on steroids. The truth is, in the Roborock s5 vs s6 have very identical features and they both do a phenomenal job regardless of what technology the other has.
The Roborock s6 is the better vacuum to buy here and it is better than the Roborock s5.
The roborock s5 is still fundamentally a great Robot vacuum altogether and can give you a good entry into the roborock world of vacuum cleaners. This is most especially if you find it cheaper than the roborock s6 and you do not want to or do not have the extra money needed to purchase it.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Roborock s5 and s6
Q: My Roborock robot vacuum is making noise, what should I do?
A:
Your roborock robot may be making noise due to a hardware issue.
First try to unscrew and remove any of the following: - the main brush and its cover, the side brush or the front wheel (One after the other, as you re-run the robot vacuum and test whether it still works).
If it stops making noise after one of the parts has been removed, then clean up that part and screw it back again.
If the noise stops when the front wheel is removed, after cleaning, pour no more than two drops of olive oil down the wheel shaft and rotate it to spread the oil before re-installation.
Q: Can I add a detergent or cleaner into my water tank when mopping?
A: Adding a cleaner or detergent is not advised. This is because adding a cleaner or detergent into the water tank leads to bubbles, which may block the filter.
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