Proscenic Q8 Max: two-minute review

The Proscenic Q8 Max offers a lot for its budget-friendly price. There's mopping functionality built-in, and it comes with an effort-saving self-empty base to save you from having to constantly empty the onboard dust cup. At 4,200Pa, the suction is surprisingly high for a model in this price bracket, too. I put one to the test to see how it compares to the rest of the best robot vacuums on the market, and I was fairly impressed.

In my cleaning tests, I found it did a good job of sucking up everything from fine dust to larger debris on hard floors, and when amped up to maximum suction mode it also performed well on my carpet-like rugs, although I suspect it would struggle with thick carpet. The suction is powerful enough to pull up long hair, but I did find it easily became tangled in both the main roller and the side brush, and both needed regular de-hairing.

The mop function is great for tackling fresh spillages and keeping hard floors looking smart, but it's not powerful enough for dried-on dirt (although to be fair, even premium robot vacuums struggle with this). This feature is best for maintenance rather than deep cleaning.

You select the suction power and water flow for each room according to floor type, and with three options for each, you have decent control over your cleaning. The bot automatically amped up suction when it sensed it was on a rug, but (unfortunately) did not also shut off water at this point, so you'll need to set up no-go zones on the app to avoid damp carpets.

Using smart 360 LiDAR navigation, the Q8 Max creates detailed maps of your home, and it can store information for up to five levels. On test I found it did a decent job of navigating my apartment, and for the most part avoided obstacles, especially after it had done a few runs and got its bearings properly. The navigation isn't perfect, though. The companion app is easy to follow, allowing for easy scheduling, no-go zones, and room-specific cleaning preferences.

Overall, the Proscenic Q8 Max is a solid choice for anyone looking for a decent robot vacuum on a budget – it compares well to TechRadar's best cheap robot vacuum picks. On test, I was generally impressed with how much time it saved me in keeping the apartment clean, even if it didn't get every single nook and cranny spotless. That's the short version – read on for my full Proscenic Q8 Max robot vacuum review.

Proscenic Q8 Max review: price & availability

• List price: US$299
• Launch date: July 2024
• Available: US only

The Proscenic Q8 Max launched in July 2024 and at time of writing is available in the US only. It sits in the budget range for robot vacuums (TechRadar counts anything under $500 as budget for robovacs), and it's a standout option given its features. It can mop as well as vacuuming, and auto-empties dust into its dock – both features that are unusual at this price point.

For that very affordable price, you get a complete package, including a spare side brush, mop pad, and dust bag. When you consider the convenience of self-emptying alongside smart navigation, customizable cleaning options, and a solid performance, I think the Q8 Max is an excellent deal for the price. However, you'll naturally need to make some performance compromises for this price point (I'll get into that in detail in the Performance section).

• Value for money score: 5 out of 5

Proscenic Q8 Max specs

Proscenic Q8 Max review: design

• Combination vacuum and mop, and does both simultaneously
• Comes with a relatively compact, self-emptying base station
• Various spare parts included

The Proscenic Q8 Max's design is compact and modern. It's slim enough to slide under furniture and features a sleek, all-black look. The robot vacuum is 3.8 inches tall and 12.6 inches in diameter; the charging station is 8.5 by 6.67 by 10.5 inches.

This base station includes a larger dustbin into which the small onboard bin will automatically empty when docked. Unsurprisingly for this price, there's no automatic draining or refilling of the bot's water tank.

I was pleasantly surprised by the minimal plastic that was used to transport the Proscenic Q8 Max. Aside from a few plastic wrappings, most of the unboxing waste was cardboard, something to keep in mind if you value a more sustainable option.

Setup was an absolute breeze; I followed the Quickstart guide and had the robovac up and running in no time. The charging station does double duty, automatically emptying the dustbin into a disposable dust bag (which comes preinstalled). With extras like a spare HEPA filter, side brush, and mop pad included, you won't need to buy replacements right away.

In fact, the only setup annoyance I experienced is that, because it's only compatible with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, so to be able to connect this device, I had to temporarily change my 5GHz Wi-Fi to 2.4GHz so that the device could connect.

The Proscenic app allows you to map your home, divide rooms, and customize cleaning zones, which was especially useful for my quirky apartment layout. It uses LiDAR for navigation.

There are three suction powers and three water levels, and both need to be manually selected when you start a cleaning session. There is a little automation – for instance, the robot vacuum will increase suction when it detects a rug but won't also turn off mopping on soft floors (I'll get more into this in the Performance section).

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Proscenic Q8 Max review: performance

• Solid suction on hard floors; max mode will clear most debris
• Decent navigation and obstacle avoidance, especially after initial setup period
• Mopping fine for light spills, but tough stains need manual intervention

I tested the Proscenic Q8 Max over the course of a few weeks, putting it through its paces in my 21 meter-square, one-bedroom apartment. Let's start with vacuuming performance. There's a maximum suction of 4,200Pa, which is good for this price – I'd expect more like 3,000Pa for a budget model.

There are three suction levels to choose from, and you need to select these manually before setting the robot off on its cleaning task. I threw everything I could at the Q8 Max during testing, from fine dust to hair to larger debris like oats, and tried it on both its lowest and highest suction settings, on hard floors as well as carpet-life rugs.

On the lowest suction mode on hard floor, the robot struggled a bit with finer dust and left some debris scattered. However, it really stepped up on the highest suction power, cleaning up almost everything in sight. Rugs similarly proved a bit of a challenge on the low power mode, but switching to high power yielded much better results.

The side brush was very effective at attacking the debris around the edges of rooms. Of course, the actual robot has to fit into those corners, but as long as it does, the side brush was able to do its job well.

One bigger test for robot vacuums is how well they can deal with hair. I have shoulder-length hair and while I found this robot vacuum picked up strands very well, they did tend to get caught in both the side brush and main brush. For the vacuum to function at its highest potential, I had to regularly clean the brushes to remove the hair.

I appreciated the addition of the self-empty dock, which can hold several weeks' worth of dust, making this a nice, low-effort solution. Many budget robot vacuums just have a simple charge dock, so I appreciated this more advanced option.

One useful feature is that the Proscenic Q8 Max will automatically ramp up suction when it detects that it's moving from a hard floor to soft carpet or a rug. Less impressive is that it won't also switch off mopping when it senses carpet – something I unfortunately discovered after a mopping session that left my rug wet. To prevent this from happening, you can set up no-go zones on the app, which are areas that the Proscenic Q8 Max will not go over during a mopping session.

Rug mishaps aside, I was generally impressed with the Proscenic Q8 Max's mopping powers. It handled everyday spills, like water and even dried milk, very well. However, it didn't manage to clear more stubborn stains – though that's not uncommon for robot vacuums. The water tank and mop pad are easy to install and to clean, and I appreciated the ability to adjust water flow for different floor types via the app.

Some cheaper robovacs require you to manually swap over the backplate when moving from mopping to vacuuming, but that's not the case here: the Proscenic Q8 Max can mop and vacuum simultaneously.

Maintenance was easy too – emptying the dustbin was hands-free for weeks at a time, and cleaning the mop pad and side brush was straightforward. Removing the mopping pads and washing them regularly is key to making sure the moping sessions are leaving your floors as clean as possible. There are models that have docks that can clean your mop pads, but you'll have to pay a lot more for this function (most are at least $1k/£1k. And even then, you'll need to take care of the occasional deep clean of your mop pads.

My testing also included checking how well this robot vacuum navigated my apartment and avoided obstacles like furniture. I found the obstacle avoidance feature worked well after a few sessions, bumping into fewer objects the more I used it. Similarly, there were a couple of sessions where the robot vacuum seemed to be confused and kept going over areas that it already vacuumed/mopped but after a while it settled itself and was pretty consistent.

I also let the robot vacuum map my apartment, and while the initial mapping was slow, the app allowed me to customize and fine-tune the room layouts with ease.

In terms of noise levels, the Proscenic Q8 Max is relatively quiet, especially on its lower settings. During testing, it measured 57.5 decibels in low suction mode, 60.6 decibels on medium, and 66.6 decibels on high. Even at its loudest, it's not overly disruptive, making it a good choice for cleaning while you're home without too much noise pollution.

• Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Proscenic Q8 Max review: app

• Easy-to-use interface with clear instructions
• Option to set cleaning schedules and room-specific preferences
• Requires 2.4GHz Wi-Fi for setup

During my review period, I used the Proscenic companion app extensively, and overall, I found it intuitive and straightforward. Setting up the robot vacuum and mapping out my apartment was quick, although it did require me to manually swap from my 5GHz Wi-Fi connection to a 2.4GHz one for setup. Once connected, I was able to create a map of my apartment, customize cleaning zones, set up no-go zones, and adjust the suction and water flow levels for specific rooms.

One of my favorite features is the ability to schedule cleaning sessions for different rooms or times of the day. You can also track where the robot has cleaned in real time, which is handy if you're out and about. Additionally, voice control via Alexa, Google Home, or Siri is a nice touch for starting a session hands-free. The app makes the Q8 Max feel even more powerful and personalized, allowing me to clean my home exactly the way I want.

The ability to map up to five levels and store them in the cloud makes this vacuum a great option for people with multiple floors. The app allows you to customize cleaning preferences for each level for added convenience.

• App score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Proscenic Q8 Max?

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How I tested the Proscenic Q8 Max

I tested the Proscenic Q8 Max over the course of a few weeks, running it through its paces in my 21 meter-square, one-bedroom apartment. I ran tests to see how it handled both fine dust and larger debris (hello, oats), using both the lowest and highest suction settings. In terms of mopping, I tested it with everything from spilled water to dried milk to see how it would perform on everyday messes and stickier spills.

I let the robot vacuum map my apartment, and checked how well it navigated around obstacles like furniture and rugs. During my review period, I used the app extensively, scheduling cleanings, setting no-go zones, and adjusting suction levels and water flow for different rooms.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners.

• First reviewed xxx 2024