Editorial notes last verified: September 2026
With 2,000 Pa of suction power, the S6 ranks 39th out of
Roborock’s 39 models currently on sale. When it launched in
2019, this figure was mid-range for the brand; the chart below shows how far ahead even
today’s most modest active models are. Technology has moved that much in six or
seven years.
Roborock's active lineup, suction power (Pa)
There’s a confusing point within the same family: a few months after the S6, the
“S6 Pure” was released with almost identical specifications. Both have
2,000 Pa of suction power, and both have HEPA filters. The main difference is that the
S6 is quieter (50 dBA vs. 60 dBA) and has half the charging time
(150 minutes vs. 300 minutes); the only real advantage of the
S6 Pure is its slightly larger water tank. For those
who want camera-based obstacle detection, the same generation’s
S6 MaxV model is worth a look, and deserves a
separate review.
In contrast, the S6 is surprising in terms of noise: at 50 dBA, it ranks
1st among the 16 models in
Roborock’s current active catalog, despite having the least suction power among
them.
Roborock's active lineup, noise level in dBA (lower is better)
There’s a recurring theme in Reddit user comments: durability. On r/Roborock, a
story of an S6 that broke down after over 6 years and 1,000 hours of use, but is
still fondly remembered, has received over 70 upvotes. The owner states that the only
maintenance he did was filter cleaning, and that the device was used daily (sometimes
several times a day). Other users report similar lifespans; the typical point of failure is
the battery or the LiDAR sensor, both of which can be easily repaired with replacement parts
costing between $40–$60.
The S6 has another interesting second life: it’s officially supported by the
open-source Valetudo firmware project, favored by privacy-conscious users, allowing the
device to run entirely on a local network without cloud connectivity. Setup isn’t easy
(it requires complete disassembly), but there’s a community in the used market
specifically looking for the S6 for this reason.
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