Comparing the Liectroux ZK901 and Roborock S5 Max

Greetings to all readers of the site robovac.washerhouse.com! We recently tested the new product Liectroux ZK901, which costs $230 and features lidar for navigation, dry and wet cleaning functions, and mobile app control. Many were interested in comparing this robot with the popular Roborock S5 Max, which costs at least $100 more but is considered one of the best robot vacuums of 2020. In this article, we'll compare the Liectroux ZK901 and Roborock S5 Max across various criteria, then summarize and discuss which robot vacuum is better. So, let's get started!

Video comparison version

We recommend watching our video, in which we compare these robots in detail:

Below we have provided a text version of the comparison for your reference.

Main comparison criteria

Appearance and design

First, let's compare the design and appearance of the robots. The Roborock S5 Max has significantly higher-quality plastic and components, which is understandable given the price difference. Most importantly, the Roborock S5 Max comes equipped with both a dust collector and a water tank, which are installed on opposite sides of the robot. The Liectroux ZK901, on the other hand, swaps out the dust container for a water tank when needed. This isn't as convenient, and therefore the robot can't vacuum and mop simultaneously. However, the 450 ml water tank is sufficient for a larger area during wet cleaning. The S5 Max's tank holds 300 ml of water, so it's sufficient for a smaller area. We'll discuss this in detail in the wet cleaning comparison test below. Regarding dust collectors, the Liectroux has a 450 ml dust container, while the Roborock has a 460 ml one.

Externally, the robots are very similar from the top: they both feature a lidar sensor, two control buttons, a front obstacle sensor, and a wall sensor on the side of the bumper. The dust collector is located under the top cover.

The robots differ more underneath. Firstly, the Liectroux ZK901 has two side brushes, while the Roborock has one. Secondly, the Liectroux's central brush can be replaced with a suction port if needed. Thirdly, the Liectroux's microfiber cloth is slightly larger. But the Roborock has its own advantages in this regard. Firstly, the side brush is made of silicone, making it more durable. Secondly, the central brush can be removed for easier cleaning of hair and pet hair.

Overall, comparing the robots' design and appearance, Roborock definitely gets a point for its superior build quality, but Liectroux also gets a point for its second side brush and replaceable central unit. It's a 1:1 score.

Liectroux ZK901 1:1 Roborock S5 Max

Equipment

Moving on, let's compare the robots' accessories. The Liectroux ZK901 comes with a charging base with a power adapter, a replaceable water tank, two microfiber cloths, a spare HEPA filter, a replaceable central unit, instructions, and two spare side brushes.

The Roborock S5 Max comes with only a charging base with a power adapter, a wet cleaning tool with a microfiber cloth attached, a spare HEPA filter, and an instruction manual. Overall, the Liectroux is slightly better equipped, earning it a 0.5 star rating.

Liectroux ZK901 1.5:1 Roborock S5 Max

Functional capabilities

Now let's compare the robots' functionality. They are both controlled exclusively via an app and buttons on the body. A remote control is not available as an alternative. We've compared the features in a table to make it easier for you to review the information:

	Roborock S5 Max	Liectroux ZK901
Building a map of the premises	+	+
Saving multiple cleaning maps in memory	+	— (but will be available soon)
Zoning the premises into rooms	Automatic + manual	manual
Continuing cleaning after recharging at the base	+	+
Suction power adjustment	+	+
Adjusting the water supply level	+	+
Adjusting the power and water supply for individual rooms (individually)	+	—
Automatic power increase on carpets	+	—
Manual control	+	+
Restricted areas and cleaning zones on the map	+	+
Total:	10 out of 10	7 out of 10

As you can see, Robrorock S5 Max wins in terms of features, for which it receives 1 point.

Liectroux ZK901 1.5:2 Roborock S5 Max

Navigation

Let's compare the navigation of the Liectroux ZK901 and Roborock S5 Max. First, we tested a single room with various obstacles in the way: a chair, a ottoman, a mirror, and a darkened area behind the sofa. The Roborock S5 Max performed admirably, cleaning the entire accessible area, including around the chair legs. Afterward, it returned to its charging base. It took about 10 minutes to clean the 11 square meters in one pass. This is an excellent result.

We see that the Liectroux ZK901 performed just as well. It left no uncleaned areas, but it still took 19 minutes to cover the entire area, as it cleaned in two passes. Navigation is good, and at first glance, it's on par with the Roborock.

When it comes to cleaning multiple rooms, the Roborock S5 Max cleaned a house with a total usable area of ​​just over 1,000 square meters in 30 minutes, while the Liectroux took 31 minutes. The directions for the compared robots differ slightly, but are largely identical.

The only significant advantage of Roborock's navigation is that it automatically zones the room into rooms, allowing you to schedule cleaning by room at a specific time and day of the week. However, with Liectroux, you can also do this manually by drawing rectangles on the map to define the desired zones and labeling them as rooms. We've already mentioned this feature in the table and considered it in our evaluation above, so we won't further evaluate it here. This information is simply to show you that Roborock's navigation is still slightly better.

It's a draw in this comparison. Let's move on.

Dry cleaning

Let's test how well the compared robot vacuums remove debris from the floor. For the test, we scattered wool, hair, buckwheat, rice, and ground coffee on a test bench.

The Liectroux ZK901 performed worse on the floor. This applies to areas along walls and in corners. Apparently, the less flexible design of the side brushes means the robot is less effective at picking up debris around the perimeter. However, it did pick up most of the debris, including sand and hair from the floor.

The Roborock S5 Max performed better, but also struggled in corners due to its round body. However, its cleaning performance is superior, so we'll award the Roborock one point.

Liectroux ZK901 1.5:3 Roborock S5 Max

Suction power

Let's test the robots' suction power. Liectroux claims a suction power of up to 3000 Pa, while Roborock claims 2000 Pa. In reality, we didn't notice a significant difference. However, Liectroux did perform slightly better with the central brush installed. Surprisingly, the robot performed worse with the suction port installed.

No matter how you look at it, the Liectroux ZK901 won this test, and it gets the point.

Liectroux ZK901 2.5:3 Roborock S5 Max

Cleaning the carpet

The following test will clearly demonstrate which robot vacuum cleaner is better at cleaning carpets. First, we sprinkled 200 grams of sand on the carpet and weighed the robots' empty dust bags. The Roborock's bag weighs 158 grams, while the Liectroux's bag weighs 166 grams.

After testing, the Roborock dust collector weighed 241 grams, while the Liectroux weighed 247 grams. Accordingly, the Roborock collected 83 grams of sand from the floor, while the Liectroux collected 81 grams. The difference is small, so it's fair to award a tie.

We also tested how well the robots in question picked up pet hair and fur from carpet. Both performed admirably. While the turbo brush bore the brunt of the impact, the key factor is cleaning performance, and it delivered. Another draw.

Wet cleaning

Now let's show you how the Liectroux ZK901 and Roborock S5 Max clean floors. For our test, we stained the laminate floor with mud from shoes and let it dry for a bit. We see that the Roborock did an excellent job, cleaning the entire floor without leaving any traces of dirt or streaks.

Liectroux completed the task at the same level, so it's also a draw.

But there's one caveat: the Roborock S5 Max can vacuum and mop simultaneously, which I think is a crucial feature. The Liectroux lacks this feature because its water tank replaces the dust bin. The Roborock S5 Max covers an area of ​​80-90 square meters during wet cleaning, while the Liectroux covers over 100 square meters. However, even 90 square meters is quite sufficient, considering that the robot can't clean very large areas on a single charge. So, the Roborock gets a thumbs up for its combined dry and wet cleaning. Furthermore, the Roborock S5 Max's wet cleaning can be customized for each room. For example, you can set the water flow to maximum in the kitchen, as that room often has tiled floors. In other rooms, you can turn off the water supply completely, and in others, you can set the cleaning level to medium or minimum. It's very convenient.

Liectroux ZK901 2.5:4 Roborock S5 Max

Dark spots

We also tested how each robot handled black surfaces. This could be a rug, as in our case, or dark floor tiles.

Both robots recognize the black mat as a height difference, so no one gets extra points for this test.

Threshold passability

Now let's compare the robot vacuum cleaners' maneuverability. In our case, the thresholds are 10, 15, and 20 mm high. Both robots easily navigate obstacles up to 2 cm high. It's a tie.

Noise level

Finally, we compared the robots' noise levels in different modes. For this, we used a special device called a sound level meter. We entered all the readings into a table for easy comparison.

Mode	Roborock S5 Max	Liectroux ZK901
Floor polisher	Up to 62.2 dB	Up to 50.5 dB
Minimum power	Up to 63.3 dB	Up to 61 dB
Average power	Up to 65.5 dB	Up to 64 dB
Maximum power	Up to 67 dB	Up to 71.3 dB

You can see that the Liectroux ZK901 is much quieter in floor cleaning mode, as its suction is disabled. It's also slightly quieter at minimum and medium power settings, while the Roborock S5 Max is quieter at maximum power. However, it's worth noting that the Liectroux boasts a higher power output, although this wasn't evident in our tests. Overall, I think it's fair to give the Liectroux ZK901 a half point in this comparison because it's quieter in the first three modes. However, robots often operate at maximum power to thoroughly collect all the debris, and in this regard, the Roborock is quieter.

The final score was 4:3 in favor of Roborock.

Liectroux ZK901 3 : 4 Roborock S5 Max

Let's sum it up

In summary, the Roborock is better built, has more interesting features, and performs better in dry cleaning. The Roborock S5 Max has few serious competitors on the market.

But the Liectroux ZK901 also demonstrated its ability to compete with such a renowned flagship, demonstrating similar wet cleaning performance, carpet cleaning, and superior crevice suction. So, if your budget doesn't exceed $250, you can consider the Liectroux ZK901 as a more affordable alternative that's not far behind in the overall rankings.

That's all I have for now. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the comparison in the comments below. Don't forget to subscribe and like this video. Happy shopping, everyone!