Roborock E5: A detailed review and comparison with the E4. Ideal for seniors!

In June 2021, information appeared about the release of a new robot vacuum cleaner from Roborock, the model is called E5 and is an improved version of the previously released E4, which was a controversial issue. The new Roborock E5 has increased suction power and a remote control, which, in my opinion, makes the robot more versatile and suitable for older users who are less accustomed to smartphone controls. Below, I'll take a detailed look at and test the Roborock E5, after which I'll express my opinion on whether this robot vacuum is worth buying. It costs around $200, placing it in the mid-price range. I recommend purchasing from Wildberries, where you can buy the original Roborock at an attractive price. The purchase link is at the end of the review. So, let's get started!

Equipment

The Roborock E5 comes in a branded box like this:

In addition to the robot vacuum cleaner itself, it contains:

1. Charging base.
2. Plastic backing for the base.
3. Power adapter.
4. Wet cleaning nozzle with a microfiber cloth installed.
5. Set of spare metering valves.
6. Remote control.
7. Batteries for the remote control.
8. Operating instructions in Russian and English.

The package contents are, as always, meager; there are no spare accessories included.

Appearance

Now let's take a look at the robot vacuum cleaner itself. I received the white and gray model for review; the Roborock E5 is also available in black.

On the top of the case, we see a protruding IR sensor, which significantly increases the height of the case. The case itself is about 82 mm tall, but the sensor unnecessarily increases the robot's height to 9 cm, which is not very good.

The front features a soft-touch mechanical bumper. The control panel has two mechanical buttons: start/pause and forced return to the charging base.

The 640 ml dust container is located under the top cover:

The filtration system is based solely on a HEPA filter; there is no additional mesh. The manufacturer allows the filter to be washed with water. The container is emptied through a window into which the filter is installed; the dust container has no lid.

Let's take a look at the Roborock E5's underside. It features four anti-fall sensors, as well as an additional navigation system—the OpticEye optical sensor—which allows the robot to navigate more precisely.

There's one side brush: silicone, five-pointed. The central brush is a non-detachable bristle-petal brush; only the cap on one side is removable.

The wet cleaning nozzle holds up to 180 ml of water. It's worth noting that this nozzle features mechanical water flow adjustment, using a slider under the cloth.

Overall, the robot's build quality is above average.

Technical specifications

The main characteristics of Roborock E5, as stated by the manufacturer:

• Li-Ion battery 5200 mAh.
• Suction power up to 2500 Pa.
• Operating time up to 150 min.
• Cleaning area up to 100 sq.m.
• Dust collector capacity is 640 ml.
• The water tank capacity is 180 ml.
• Obstacle clearance up to 20 mm.
• Dimensions: 350*90 mm.

The only thing worth noting here is that the new product has increased suction power compared to the Roborock E4, which claims 2000 Pa. This will definitely be verified in tests.

Functional capabilities

The Roborock E5 is controlled via a mobile app and the included remote control. Let's first look at the app's functionality. To control it via your smartphone, you need to install the Mi Home app and connect the robot to it. Surprisingly, the Roborock E-series does not support the proprietary app.

The robot doesn't display the generated map on the main work panel; it doesn't actually generate it in real time. However, you can view the generated maps in reports to check whether the robot has covered the entire area.

The bottom row of buttons is responsible for forced return to the base for charging, starting the automatic cleaning mode and adjusting the suction power.

In the main settings, you can activate the automatic power increase function when driving on carpets, turn on the gentle mode in which the robot only wipes the floor without suction, and also set the time when the robot should not disturb you.

There's also a scheduled cleaning setting. Here, you can choose the time and days of the week when the robot vacuum should run, as well as set the appropriate suction power.

The Russian version of the Roborock E5 supports three voice packages: English, Russian, and Ukrainian. In remote control mode, you can not only manually control the robot but also initiate spot or automatic cleaning modes, or return the robot vacuum to the charging base.

Additionally, you can view the cleaning log, the status of consumables, enable the robot's search by sound signal, change the name, share control with other users, and update the firmware version if necessary.

Furthermore, the Roborock E5 can be controlled via Yandex.Alice and resume cleaning from where it left off after recharging. For a gyroscope-based robot, these features are more than sufficient.

Regarding the remote control, it has duplicate buttons for manual robot control, start/pause, spot cleaning mode, suction power adjustment, and forced return to the charging base. So, you can use the robot's basic functionality without a smartphone.

Testing

A detailed video review of the Roborock E5, including all tests, has already been prepared and published on our channel. You can watch it:

Navigation

And finally, let's move on to the tests. First, we'll test the Roborock E5's navigation in a room with obstacles. The robot vacuum first traverses the entire accessible area in a serpentine pattern, then switches to a perimeter walk. It got stuck on the dryer and spent several minutes trapped there. It eventually managed to extricate itself, but after moving away from the danger zone, it returned an error.

After restarting the cleaning process, the robot continued its cycle, swept around a box and a few chair legs, and returned to its base. Overall, the Roborock E5's navigation is quite good, considering it doesn't have a camera or lidar, but there are some minor issues with alignment, for which I'm deducting one point.

As for navigating within the house, the robot also traverses the entire accessible area, first in a zigzag pattern, then along the perimeter. There were no uncleaned areas left, and it took 49 minutes to clean 34 square meters, which the robot counted as 43 square meters including the perimeter traverse. This is a fairly standard performance for robotic vacuum cleaners with a gyroscope. The test was successful!

Suction power

I was pleasantly surprised by the Roborock E5's suction power. The robot was able to vacuum debris from crevices up to 6 mm deep, while its predecessor could only vacuum from 2 mm deep, like most similar robots. So, Roborock's engineers have truly worked hard to increase suction power.

Dry cleaning of laminate flooring

There were no complaints about the dry cleaning performance; the robot was able to pick up all debris from the floor, including pet hair and hair. The only areas left uncleaned were corners, where round robot vacuums are unable to sweep debris. Most of the debris was collected in the dust bin, and the central brush caught some hair. The test was successful!

Cleaning the carpet

The quality of debris collection on carpet is also above average; the Roborock E5 cleans carpets well from all types of household debris.

Wet cleaning

Wet cleaning is also on par with similar products. The cleaning pad presses firmly against the floor and removes slightly dried-on dirt. Only a small strip along the baseboard remains, which robots are unable to clean due to their design.

As for everyday wet cleaning, the robot handles the task well. Moreover, it doesn't flood the floor, and the flow rate is moderate. And don't forget that the Roborock E5 can vacuum and mop simultaneously, which is a plus.

Obstacle clearance

The robot vacuum cleaner can overcome thresholds up to 2 cm high, so it has good cross-country ability.

Driving on dark surfaces

But the Roborock E5 is wary of dark surfaces, recognizing them as elevation changes. It even managed to navigate a black carpet and make a mistake—absolutely brilliant!

Noise level

Finally, we measured the robot's noise level in different modes. In Gentle mode, it ranged from 56-58 dB, at minimum power, the noise level rose to 62 dB, in Medium mode it reached 65 dB, in Turbo mode it reached 68 dB, and at maximum power, the peak was 72.6 dB. Yes, the Roborock E5's noise level is above average, but this is due to its increased power, so there are no complaints.

Let's sum it up

The Roborock E5 has been thoroughly reviewed and tested. our evaluation system he was able to dial 55 out of 100 points This is 2 points higher than its predecessor, the Roborock E4, which also passed our test room. The extra power and remote control contributed to the extra points.

Overall rating of robot vacuum cleaners tested on robovac.washerhouse.com: https://robovac.washerhouse.com/en/rejtingi/robovac-obshhij-rejting-robotov-pylesosov-robo.html.

Now I will express my own opinion about this robot after testing.

I liked the following:

1. Increased suction power.
2. Control is not only via the app, but also via the remote control.
3. Simultaneous dry and wet cleaning.
4. The quality of cleaning is above average.
5. Good navigation for a gyroscopic robot.
6. Automatic power increase on carpet.
7. Continue cleaning after recharging.
8. High quality assembly.
9. Yandex.Alice support.

Considering the $200 price tag and the test results, here are some comments on the Roborock E5:

1. Afraid of dark surfaces.
2. There is no electronic regulation of water supply.
3. The body height is greater than that of its analogues.
4. Does not support virtual walls.
5. It doesn't save a map and therefore lacks advanced features such as room zoning and selecting rooms for cleaning.
6. Poor equipment.

There are no criticisms of this robot. In my opinion, the advantages are more significant. Particularly important, in my opinion, are the increased power and the included remote control, as many people choose an inexpensive robot vacuum as a gift for elderly relatives. And this model, in my opinion, is one of the best in the sub-$200 price range.

For those who haven't yet decided which of the inexpensive Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaners to choose, I'll be preparing a large comparison of models under $200 in the next few weeks. Xiaomi Mijia 1C, new product 2C, Mijia 1T, Roborock E5, Roborock E4, Dreame F9 and even a budget employee Mijia G1Let's find out which of these robots offers the best cleaning performance, features, and price. Subscribe to the channel to stay up-to-date on the comparison!

I'd like to end this review on that note. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments. Happy shopping, everyone!