(checked 2026-10-10)
Wirecutter's top pick for thorough, quiet cleaning with a self-emptying dock, but RTINGS found its obstacle avoidance poor, and owners report it getting stuck and failing to charge or self-empty.
Top complaints
- Gets stuck on clutter and under furniture
RTINGS tested the dockless Q7 M5 and rated its obstacle avoidance terrible: it can't identify cords, socks or pet waste, it gets stuck on fringed rugs almost immediately, and mirrors confuse it. A 1-star Walmart review says the tall LiDAR turret kept getting it stuck under chairs. Wirecutter had the opposite experience and found it avoided hurdles better than the other robots it tested.
- Charging, LiDAR and mop failures
Amazon's review summary flags reliability: some owners say the mop stops working after three months, and battery feedback is mixed, with some saying it stopped charging after six months. Low-star Walmart reviews describe a unit that won't charge after a year and a 'LIDAR error' after a couple of months.
- Self-empty and upkeep fall short
Walmart owners say the dock doesn't fully empty the robot's bin, so they still empty it by hand. RTINGS found the bin stops picking up well at about 300 ml, short of the 400 ml rating, and notes the brush roll isn't sold separately. Wirecutter says Roborock doesn't sell replacement motors, the single side brush misses edges, and the dock is loud while emptying.
What owners love
- Very thorough pickup
Wirecutter rated its pickup on hard floors and carpet first-rate; it missed fewer spots than bots costing two or three times as much. RTINGS found it clears most hard-floor debris and lifts most pet hair from carpet in one pass.
Source: Wirecutter, RTINGS Q7 M5 review - Quiet with long runtime
Wirecutter calls it one of the quietest robots it tested and measured about 180 minutes on bare floors in Quiet mode. RTINGS calls it pretty quiet even at high power.
Source: Wirecutter, RTINGS Q7 M5 review - Fast, accurate mapping app
Wirecutter says the app maps faster and more accurately than most and stores up to four maps. Amazon shoppers praise its accurate mapping.
- Your floors have cords, socks or fringed rugs
- You need it to fit under very low furniture (it needs about 10 cm / 3.9 in)
- You want real mopping
- Mostly hard floors with a few low rugs
- A self-emptying dock on a budget
- Pet hair on carpet
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Wirecutter (NYT): Top pick (updated 2026-08-04) for its thorough, quiet cleaning and great app. Flaws: it misses some spots, has only one side brush, few replacement parts are sold, and Amazon reviews report frustration with customer service.
- RTINGS: Best cheap robot vacuum (dockless Q7 M5 tested). It cleans strongly, but its obstacle handling is poor and it often gets stuck on rugs, cords and clutter.