Roborock Curv Is the Most Adaptable Robot Vacuum I’ve Ever Tried
This year, Roborock introduced three new models from its top- and mid-range QRevo lineup: Curv, Edge, and Slim. The Curv and Edge differ only in the design of the docking stations, while the Slim has a shorter profile designed to accommodate more furniture. While all of these models come with the latest features, if you prefer the look of a curved dock, you should choose the Curv; if you like sharp edges, you’d choose Edge; and if you have a specific need for a robot with a shorter profile, you’d choose the Slim, but you’d be giving up a third of your suction power and some tank space for water and dust.
It’s worth noting that the Qrevo Slim is significantly cheaper at $1,000 compared to the $1,600 Curv and $1,300 Edge. But the Curv has already become one of my favorite robot vacuums on the market. Its advanced features include a chassis that can lift itself, and I was surprised at how effective the Curv could be in the winter, when my floors were being ruined by muddy paw prints and constant debris.
Why Curv is one of my favorite new robot vacuums
The first thing I noticed about the Curv is that it is much more compact than most docking towers. The Dreame L40 I recently reviewed was nearly two feet tall, but the Curv is only a foot tall and no wider than any other model I’ve seen lately. The soft arcs of the tower set it apart from any other robot I’ve tested this year, and if you’re looking for something softer than the usual blocky robot towers, then this is it.
The tower comes more or less assembled and ready to go, and it connects easily to the app on the first try. It’s also lightweight and easy to move around, and it comes with two hefty water containers: one for dirty water and one for clean water. Unlike most dock towers I’ve seen, the face of this dock does not come off; instead, everything is accessed through the lid. If I had to make a complaint about the docking tower, it would be that it is not designed to hold cleaning fluid, as many modern docks do. You will need to add it to your clean water every time you refill it.
Maximum expandable vacuum cleaning and split roller design.
There are a lot of new things in the robot vacuum cleaner itself, and I was immediately impressed by the vacuum cleaning. Most people don’t think about vacuum cleaner bristles often, but the silicone bristles that grab debris are one of the most functional parts of a vacuum cleaner. Some models add multiple grippers while others allow the gripper to extend further from underneath the robot, but Curv was the first to reduce the number of gripper arms from three to two and place the gripper on a protruding limb that can extend to hug a wall. As a result, debris collection near the wall is improved. I just wish Curv had a soft, stationary cloth on the bumper that you could use to clean baseboards like Narwhal .
The Curv has magnetic mop heads, which means the machine activates the magnet while it’s running, but when the robot returns to the docking station, the magnet lowers the mop heads so they can be cleaned more thoroughly using the dock. Taking it a step further, this mop is actually removable and can be thrown in the washing machine and reattached.
The Curv has a lifting chassis that allows it to be detached.
One of the features of the new design is that the entire robot can be lifted by the front roller, rather than just a little bit. When it hits something like carpet or a cord, the robot looks like it’s doing a push-up to get over the obstacle, and the rear wheels bounce slightly to help. This feature helped the robot navigate the mess of cords and dog toys under my couches, but it also meant that the robot repeatedly tried to enter spaces beyond its capabilities. Instead of going around obstacles, Curv sometimes tries to climb them, such as when I watched him struggle with a lamp base and try to overcome an abandoned dog puzzle. In all cases, the robot recovered and continued on its way. Many expensive robot vacuums are mediocre at navigating obstacles, but the Curv handled them well, and the extending sweep did a great job in corners and along walls.
Bottom line
I used to think that the two rotating mops found in QRevo models and most modern robots weren’t as effective as one solid, vibrating mop pad, but the Curv has made me reconsider. Curv cleans well depending on the amount of water used, the pressure on the spinning discs and the reach of the discs. It’s not as good a job as a vacuum cleaner, but for most people and in most situations it will be as good as it gets.
The Roborock app also continues to be great, and while I didn’t see any new innovation in this model, I still appreciate features like Pin and Go, where you put a mark on the map and the robot goes straight there; and a remote control that allows you to control the robot from your phone (basically helping to rescue the robot vacuum cleaner from under the sofa or other furniture). I’d still like to see Roborock come up with an innovative solution for sweeping baseboards while the robot moves, and I’d also like to see a container for cleaning solution in the dock. But until the new S8 model arrives, I’d say it’s the best model in Roborock’s lineup, and it costs $1,599.