The present invention provides a maintenance device which can suction ink in a short period of time and with a small amount of consumed ink. The maintenance device has a plurality of capping portions disposed so as to face a plurality of unit heads which can discharge liquid drops onto a recording medium; a plurality of small chambers communicating with the plurality of capping portions, respectively; a suction portion suctioning interiors of the small chambers; and a plurality of valve mechanisms independently controlling airtight states of the interiors of the small chambers. The present invention also provides a recording device equipped with this maintenance device.