I was in the same boat, but recently got a Qrevo Max V. Really happy with it! What made me pull the trigger was quite a significant discount on it during a new store grand opening. So my advice would be to make a list of robovacs you're interested in, and from what stores, and then pull the trigger when there's a good discount. Like all robovacs are great value for money depending on the price.
I've been happy with my Qrevo MaxV so far. Has extendable mop that goes into edges beautifully. Only downside I guess would be that it means you have to mop to edges fully, but we've got it set to vacuum the place on Mondays, and vac+mop on Fridays, so then the edges are cleaned once a week which works for us! :)
A few people have asked about cat vomit in here, and I need to be clear: I have zero experience with cat vomit. Poop, I can tell you is going to get recognized, but I'm honestly not sure about vomit, and welcome anyone to weigh in on how robots recognize it.
Some other concerns: cat toys. They're tiny, and light, so that's good, but any robot with LiDAR is going to see those as an obstacle and go around them (where a bump and go like Roomba might have just pushed them out of the way).
Cat litter isn't an issue, its small enough most robots will capture it. Dirt is another... most robots will handle this fine.
So... you've got about 650 to play with per floor.... the thing is there aren't many vacuum only models anymore. Most are combos... you can certainly ignore the mop..... but if I might suggest. Consider getting a [Switchbot k10+](https://amzn.to/4lkV06z) for the upstairs. A few reasons. Too small for the cats to ride around on, but small enough it might not bump into as many cat toys. It navigates carpet well, and its cheap. Deal is already posted above. If you hate it, return it. I don't think you will, unless the upstairs is a lot of sq feet. If its under 1000, you're good. It is a vacuum only.
For the downstairs, now you have 900-1000 to work with. Lets see if we can find a Roborock that's within that range. If you could stretch to 1,279.99, I'd say get the Saros 10R, but prob not within budget. So, skip the sale and get a Roborock Qrevo MaxV. [https://amzn.to/3TYAaha](https://amzn.to/3TYAaha) here's my review of it. [https://lifehacker.com/tech/roborock-q-revo-max-v-review](https://lifehacker.com/tech/roborock-q-revo-max-v-review)
And, you're only blowing like $300 for the upstairs, so if, in six months, you decide you love the Qrevo so much you want to invest similarly upstairs, sell the Switchbot and grab another under $1000 Roborock at the next sale., maybe a [S8 Pro Ultra](https://amzn.to/3TpMDdG), which is only like $549. It's pre-extending arms, so the sweeps don't extend... but on carpet, it doesn't matter as much. [https://lifehacker.com/tech/roborock-s8-pro-ultra-review](https://lifehacker.com/tech/roborock-s8-pro-ultra-review)
great news! Almost ANY roborock you get (for that matter, any robot) is going to far surpass your i7 experience. I would not grab the Q5, TBH. There is, actually a very big difference between $500 and $1000 robots, but if I may recommend... I'd say the best CURRENT value on a Roborock is the Curv/Edge, the S8 MaxV Ultra and the QRevo MaxV. While the Saros are great... I don't think they're better \*enough\* than the models listed about to justify the price. Also, I'd wait for Prime Day, regardless.
Also, I test robots for a living for Lifehacker, and am not sponsored by anyone, and test robots in my very real house.
a lot of these models, having tested them, are not going to handle cat litter well. most robots don't handle larger debris, frankly. I like the Curv/Edge (its the same) and the Qrevo MaxV. Don't bother w the other options, honestly.
I do wanna throw a wrench in and suggest a model I really dig, but is a little controversial. the 3i S10 Ultra, it'll be in your price range for [the sale](https://www.reddit.com/r/RobotVacuums/comments/1nvsulx/every_robovac_on_sale_for_amazon_big_deal_days/). It'll handle the litter and anything else they drag in, and its super autonomous, and sanitizes itself. Some people have mentioned a musty smell coming from it, i haven't experienced that. I'm still absurdly happy w it. [https://lifehacker.com/tech/3i-s10-ultra-robot-vacuum-mop-review](https://lifehacker.com/tech/3i-s10-ultra-robot-vacuum-mop-review)
Oy. Don't love these options, but if this is it: Roborock Qrevo MaxV Robot Vacuum & Mop (7,000 Pa) . It was a good model, and while a little outdated for Roborock features, still a great model. Still..... peruse some other options before you decide. [https://www.reddit.com/r/RobotVacuums/comments/1nvsulx/every\_robovac\_on\_sale\_for\_amazon\_big\_deal\_days/](https://www.reddit.com/r/RobotVacuums/comments/1nvsulx/every_robovac_on_sale_for_amazon_big_deal_days/)
I'm enjoying the one on the 3i, but that said, I think the adoration for the roller is overblown. It's probably cleaner than the mop pad or spinning pads due to the design, but that doesn't always translate to cleaner floors. I've had the best experience from the vibrating mop pads... but that Qrevo MaxV and Saros 10R both do a great job with spinning pads, too. It's less about the method and more about the model.
I loved the MaxV last year, it felt very modern at the time. A number of features around nav and sweeps have happened since then, so it feels a little out of date. But... I haven't tested all these subvariants of the Qrevo listed above. The arc looks like the Curv.... so not sure why its named differently.
Id skip the Dyson as well. The Narwal Freo X Ultra or Freo would be solid choices for your mostly hard floor setup - their mopping is genuinely top-tier with the rotating pads and they handle the transition to low pile rugs well. I'd honestly put the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra or Qrevo MaxV in the same conversation though, as they have slightly better obstacle avoidance and the sonic mopping matches Narwal's quality. Skip the Dyson Spot Scrub AI - it's overpriced for what you get and the reviews have been mixed on reliability. For your specific use case with LVT and hardwood, any of those flagship bots will crush it running daily, but make sure whatever you choose has good edge cleaning since hard floors show dust buildup more obviously than carpet. - I don't know much about the Flow 2 that u/ChimkinIsYum mentioned but from what they are saying I would check that out.
I just got the QRevo MaxV (which I think is similar?) and I am loooovvvviiing it. Mopping is doing a great job and it’s *so* much quieter than my earlier models (most recently Q7 Max+).
I was trying to decide between the flagships and this but at almost 1/3 the price I’m glad I went with the Qrevo. Hopefully your model is a similar value proposition!
I have a Q Revo MaxV.
But you're not going to find any that will do the job on stuck on stuff or dried up gunk. It's just basic physics, they simply don't have the ability to put "muscle" into it and scrub. They're also pretty dumb when it comes to mopping and most (if not all, I can't say I've check them all) of the current generation just make normal passes when mopping and don't detect things that need to pause and be scrubbed at or gone over multiple times. Also they scrub with microfiber pads and then go back to the station to clean which while better still leaves you at the mercy of the microfiber for holding on to dirty water.
Like I said I'd be shocked if any of them are capable of doing more than a swiffer wet making a single pass with no scrubbing would do.
Top Robot Vacuums on Reddit
1
Roborock
Qrevo S
82% positive of 260 users
Reliable, great mopping (lifts pads), but poor cable avoidance.
6thofmarch2019
