Roborock F25 RT/GT Review: Right For Hard Floors And A Little More

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

To test the Roborock FT25 RT (AKA GT — more on that later), this review took to an environment with a variety of flooring environments, new and old. While Roborock only technically claims high-quality vacuuming action on hard floors with this cleaning machine, this review went an extra step to attempt to clean medium-pile carpeting, too. It did an OK job. SlashGear wouldn't have knocked off points for bad performance in a feature a piece of hardware wasn't meant to have — but since this vacuum did OK, it's worth mentioning. Meanwhile...

It's not often that the aging vacuum cleaner in my home gets used; the carpeting is loose in more than a few places, for starters. A living room, dining room, hallway, and two bedrooms are only vacuumed on occasion with our aging Bissell PowerForce Helix. The kitchen and bathroom floors get mopped or scrubbed just as infrequently, as well, since I'm usually out of the home more often than not. Sounds like the perfect proving ground for a brand-new vacuum cleaner to roll up to the house to prove itself against the tried-and-true (but, again, rapidly aging) slightly-more-traditional vacuum living in the hallway, right?

Recently, Roborock introduced a new member to its FT25 family of wet/dry vacuum mops (though, technically, it's two versions of the same theme): the FT25 RT/GT. According to Roborock, the GT is a "custom" version of the RT — though it's effectively the same device, "with minor differences in details like colors and logos." The version we've reviewed has "RT" on all its labeling, but the version that you'll most likely find for sale out in the wild is the "GT." Roborock assures us that these devices are functionally identical. 

The Roborock F25 RT is one of five upright wet/dry vacuums in the Roborock F25 lineup, which includes the GT (again, effectively the same device with slightly different colors and logos), the F25, the F25 ALT, the F25 ACE, and the F25 LT. The RT/GT is the lowest priced model (and the only models to come in white; the rest of the F25 lineup comes in black) at a list price $299.99 through Roborock's store (though they list it as having less than 10 units left in stock. Lucky for you, the "GT" version is available for approximately $259.99 through the GT listing on Roborock's store, Amazon, and Walmart. 

Competitors in this space include the Tineco Floor ONE S5 (both corded and cordless versions; list price of $399.99 and $449.99, respectively), as well as the Tineco Floor ONE S3 (list price of $430.99, though can be found at Best Buy for $249.99 as of this writing) and the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce ($209.99 at Amazon as of this writing). 

For the price, though, you do get quite a bit, including a drying/charging dock, a maintenance brush to really clean off the dual scrapers and the roller, and a small bottle of cleaning solution that will go a long way. The CrossWave OmniForce comes with cleaning solution and a charging dock, though it doesn't dry the roller. The Tineco models have charging docks (aside from the corded S5) which serve as also the spot for the cleaners to self-clean, though no drying vents are on these docks; cleaning solution comes with those Tineco models which suggest as much in their listed descriptions.

Upon opening the box and removing all of its contents, I had no trouble at all putting together the Roborock FT25 RT. Just pop in the handle in the correct orientation, slide on the brush roller (covered in a soft, gray terry cloth-esque material), attach the clean water tank to the top of the vacuum mop's cleaner head, and connect the plug into the combination roller dryer/vacuum charger.

Though the FT25 RT arrives with some charge in its 2500 mAh lithium-ion battery, it is recommended to charge it up before use. The top of the vacuum mop features a status indicator that will gradually brighten to its full cobalt blue tone once the battery is fully charged. It'll stay solidly blue, too, until it reaches 20% charge. 

It'll clean up to 2,825 sq-ft of space on Eco mode for 40 minutes before it needs to return to the dock for more power. The clean water tank holds up to 870 ml of water (plus a quarter-cap full of the included cleaning solution), while the dirty water tank handles up 720 ml before needing to be emptied.

After leaving it in its charging dock for a day, it was time to take the Roborock FT25 RT for a spin. The first route on the itinerary was along the carpet in the living room and dining room, prepped with a carpet rake beforehand to remove any loose hair/strings/thread that may have found their way into the old fluff (remember that part for later, by the way). 

What was left for the vacuum mop to clean easily found its way into the dirty water tank, as the FT25 RT delivers 20,000 Pa (pascals) of suction power. The vacuum mop's neck and handle can fold back effectively flat, too, for reaching under couches and tables, and its 70 degrees of pivoting allow the FT25 RT to corner around obstacles with ease.

After cleaning off the roller of what hairs it did pick up, as well as emptying the dirty water tank of all debris, it was time to mop the kitchen floor. After prepping the clean water tank with a quarter-cap full of the included hard-floor cleaning solution with clean, cold tap water, I let the FT25 RT loose upon the kitchen. A few minutes later, I poured out the smidgen of dirty water the vacuum mop picked up, emptied the clean water tank, cleaned off the roller, then let the drying dock clean and dry the roller automatically (with plenty of heat and spinning). 

After spending some time with the Roborock FT25 RT, there were some things I noticed that might be considered negatives for some prospective users. The most annoying of these involves the clean water tank. According to the manufacturer, the vacuum mop had undergone extensive water testing prior to shipment; thus, it was normal for water to remain in the waterways of the FT25 RT. Is it normal for the condensation in the clean water tank to take over a week to evaporate, though? I tried everything from opening the tank's cap to let more air in, to using my Craftsman cordless leaf blower to try to dry it out, all to no avail. It looks like time is the only thing to remedy this particular issue.

Also, because this is a vacuum mop, the FT25 RT is more suited to hard flooring than carpeting. If enough hair (like the kind that might get trapped in thick carpeting) gets caught in the vacuum, the blue ring will glow red, and the vacuum will let you know things are clogged. You'll then need to pull off the roller and untangle the mess before continuing on. 

There's also no informational display to go with the glowing ring (the rest of the FT25 line has such a thing, with the ACE specifically also being the only one with a smartphone app), so you will need to rely on both the ring and the quite loud voice announcements to let you know when it's time to recharge, clean, etc. Finally, the FT25 RT will need to be recharged at least once every 90 days to prevent the battery from over-discharging — which might be an issue if you plan on putting this vacuum in storage at any point.

As a mid-tier vacuum mop, one that is also the gateway to the Roborock FT25 lineup, the Roborock FT25 RT/GT (listed for $259.99 on Amazon) is a fine offering amid a competitive market. As long as expectations are kept in check, this vacuum mop will reward the owner with a good cleaning experience, so long as they're looking to clean flat surfaces. 

The ideal environment for this vacuum mop would be a home or office with primarily stone, linoleum, or wood flooring. As far as consumables go, the roller will need replacement after three months of use (list price of $39.99; on sale as of this writing for $32.99 via Roborock's store). The filter inside the dirty water tank, when it needs replacement, will set you back $29.99 at Roborock's store, while a liter of Roborock's floor cleaning solution goes for a list price of $25.99.

While I cannot see replacing my old Bissell with this new unit (largely because of the carpet, of course,) there's always room for mopping. This Roborock FT25 model (RT/GT) is ready to roll for all kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways aplenty.