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Roborock Saros Z70: two-minute evaluation
The Roborock Saros Z70 is the primary robotic vacuum available on the market to function a robotic arm, which suggests it might probably tidy away your litter in addition to clear your flooring. That is the idea, anyway – my preliminary checks discovered the tech nonetheless has somewhat option to go, no less than relating to autonomous pincering.
Most individuals I discuss to about this robovac appear afraid that the OmniGrip will probably be over-zealous, and attempt to tidy away the cat. I had fairly the other drawback: I could not get it to mechanically tidy away something in any respect. The present listing of objects it might probably deal with may be very quick, and the “circumstances” must be good to ensure that it to achieve success. Nonetheless, there’s potential: controlling the robotic arm remotely by way of the app works very effectively, and Roborock is busy bettering the service, with extra features, bug fixes, and supported objects within the pipeline.
Elsewhere, the efficiency is up there with the very best robot vacuums available on the market. Suction is superb, the setup painless, and the dock takes care of the overwhelming majority of upkeep duties for you, together with washing the mop pads with sizzling water. Talking of which, I used to be particularly impressed with the Saros Z70’s mopping potential. It comes courtesy of two spinning mop pads, considered one of which kicks out to the facet to scrub proper as much as the perimeters of rooms, in addition to beneath the perimeter of cupboards.
This bot makes use of Roborock’s StarSight system for navigation, which suggests no raised puck, enabling the robotic to enterprise beneath low-sitting furnishings. I am joyful to report I did not see any compromise in efficiency on account of this new(ish) system – the Z70 navigated precisely and reliably all through my evaluation interval.
That is all nice, however the cause to purchase this mannequin will probably be for the robo-arm tech. (For those who do not want that, you may go for one of many sister fashions launched on the identical time – the Roborock Saros 10 and Saros 10R – and get the identical glorious efficiency at a a lot lower cost.) And whereas it reveals loads of potential, proper now it is somewhat troublesome to advocate the Z70 on that foundation. That is the quick model; learn on for my full Roborock Saros Z70 evaluation.
Roborock Saros Z70 evaluation: value & availability
- Record value: $2,599 / £1,799 / AU$3,999
- Launched: Jan 2025 (on sale Might 2025)
- Out there: AU, US
The Roborock Saros Z70 was introduced at CES in January 2025, and went on sale in Australia and the US in Might 2025. At listing value it prices $2,599 / £1,799 / AU$3,999.
Whereas it’s normal for flagship robotic vacuums today to value over a grand within the US and UK, that is the most costly robotic vacuum we have examined thus far. (It is price noting that US tariff modifications have had a unfavorable impression on pricing; the Z70 is dearer now than Roborock had deliberate.)
I am not overly shocked by its excessive value. Roborock is introducing a very new know-how, alongside an extra mechanical element. Primarily based on the prototype fashions we noticed at CES in January, there could be extra arm-equipped robovacs hitting the market over the following 12 months or two, however at the moment the Saros Z70 is your solely choice. When it comes to high quality and innovation, it is a standout robovac; however you are paying a premium for the novelty of the tech.
Nonetheless, in case you do not want the arm then I would give it a large berth. There are many premium robotic vacuums available on the market providing the identical options. They’re going to simply pretty much as good a job of cleansing your flooring, they only will not have the ability to tidy away your socks. Arm-less alternate options embody Z70’s sister mannequin, the Roborock Saros 10, which prices $1,599.99 / £1,499.99, or a mannequin such because the Dreame L40 Ultra for $1,499.99 / £999.
New robotic vacuums are being launched on a regular basis, and the competitiveness of the market means you may typically keep away from paying listing value in case you’re keen to be affected person. Nonetheless, I am not satisfied offers will probably be fairly so forthcoming with the Z70, simply because the providing is at the moment so distinctive. That mentioned, there may be early hen pricing accessible at time of writing.
- Worth for cash rating: 3.5 out of 5
Roborock Saros Z70 specs
|
Max suction: |
22,000Pa |
|
Robotic W x D: |
13.8 x 13.9in / 35 x 35.3cm |
|
Robotic peak: |
3.1in / 8cm |
|
Dock dimensions (W x D x H): |
15 x 18.7 x 19.2in / 38.1 x 47.5 x 48.8cm |
|
Mud bin quantity (bot): |
180ml |
|
Mud bin quantity (base): |
2.5L |
|
Water tank quantity: |
4L (clear), 3L (soiled) |
|
Base kind: |
Cost, empty mud, clear and dry mop pads, self-clean, dispense detergent |
|
Max threshold peak: |
1.6in / 4cm |
|
Mop pad lifting: |
0.9in / 2.2cm |
Roborock Saros Z70 evaluation: design
- Pincer arm can lengthen to select issues up, or retract when not required
- StarSight navigation means there is not any raised LiDAR puck
- Complete dock takes care of most upkeep
Let’s begin with the apparent right here: the Roborock Saros Z70 comes with a giant mechanical arm often called the OmniGrip. On the tip of it’s a pincer that is designed to softly however securely grip and elevate objects weighing as much as 300g. To keep away from undesirable pincering, OmniGrip options are switched off my default. You will must outline precisely what you need the arm to do, or else it will not do something in any respect.
The concept is that it might probably choose small objects equivalent to socks and tissues off your ground, and both transfer them out of the way in which for extra full vacuuming, or tidy them to a location of your selecting. Alternatively, as a result of Roborock has acknowledged most of us are principally large children, you may distant management the arm by way of the companion app, only for enjoyable and frolics.
There’s additionally a digital camera mounted on the OmniGrip’s arm, to complement the one on the entrance of the robovac. This helps with finding objects for grabbing and likewise expands the bot’s safety capabilities by enabling you to modify to the arm digital camera to get a higher-level view of your own home. When not in use, the arm folds neatly again into the principle physique of the bot, to be hidden beneath a hatch. You’d by no means even understand it was there.
This bot makes use of Roborock’s StarSight know-how for navigation, which additionally seems on fashions such because the Saros 10R and Qrevo Slim. Primarily it implies that the bot is now not reliant on a raised LiDAR puck. So with the arm tucked into its hidey-hole, the highest of this robovac is totally flush, making the entire unit simply 7.98cm tall. Meaning it might probably clear beneath low furnishings that is inaccessible to taller bots.
The remainder of the robotic seems fairly like lots of Roborock’s different premium fashions. Flip over the unit and you will find a single, all-rubber curler and a facet brush, each designed to keep away from changing into tangled with lengthy hair. That is achieved within the latter just by positioning the brushes at an angle to the central axis, fairly than radiating instantly outwards, so the hair can slip off simply (hopefully into the principle suction path). In mopping mode, each can elevate up into the physique of the robotic, so they do not find yourself stuffed with gunk.
As talked about, as a hybrid mannequin the Saros Z70 additionally has mopping talents. These are courtesy of two spinning mop-covered discs, considered one of which might kick out to scrub proper up near your room’s baseboards. The mop pads may also elevate when traversing carpet, or be dropped off within the base, so there is not any hazard of damp rugs in any respect.
Over the previous 12 months or so, we have seen a give attention to bettering how robotic vacuums deal with extra raised room thresholds, and Roborock is included. Like a lot of the model’s latest fashions, the Saros Z70 has an “AdaptiLift Chassis” whereby the left, proper and entrance wheels can all increase or decrease independently, enabling the bot to traverse over thresholds as much as 4cm in peak.
On to the dock. The Saros Z70’s dock incorporates two massive water tanks – one for clear water, one for soiled water – plus a smaller tank into which you’ll add detergent. These sit on the high and are instantly accessible, fairly than being hidden behind a hatch. There’s additionally mud bag, which is hidden away.
The bottom is designed to have the ability to care for as a lot robotic upkeep as doable. When the robotic docks, it should mechanically empty its small onboard dustbin, refill its water tanks with heat water, and dispense detergent (in case you’ve added it). It might wash the mop pads with sizzling (176ºF/80ºC) water – intelligently figuring out how soiled they’re and increasing cleansing occasions if vital – and dry them with heat (131ºF/55ºC) air. It should additionally clear itself with sizzling (176ºF/80ºC) water, and the bottom is removable for while you need to give it deeper clear. Lastly, it affords speedy charging in simply 2hrs 30mins.
It is one of many better-looking docks available on the market proper now. I miss the mirrored entrance that options on sister mannequin, the Roborock Saros 10, though this matte model does imply any mess or litter is not mirrored again at you.
- Design rating: 4.5 out of 5
Roborock Saros Z70 evaluation: efficiency
- Arm works effectively when manually managed, however automation is unreliable
- Vacuuming, mopping and navigation all glorious
- Assessment mannequin emits a rattling noise when cleansing
I began by performing the “Fast mapping” course of, which was quick and painless, as I’ve come to anticipate from Roborock. The bot wandered into every room, regarded round a bit, and I might see the map forming on the app because it went. As soon as full, it assigned prompt rooms. It was broadly appropriate, however I used to be capable of edit to separate the principle residing house right into a kitchen and front room, and re-label any areas that weren’t fairly proper.
Then I despatched the bot off on a whole-flat vacuum and mop, utilizing the default modes. It did a stellar job of navigating its approach round. Roborock bots are typically nice at this, however that is the primary one I’ve reviewed that makes use of StarSight for navigation fairly than conventional LiDAR. I am joyful to report I could not see any compromises in efficiency with this new system.
Nonetheless, much less optimistic was the irritating rattling sound the Saros Z70 made because it went about its enterprise. You’ll be able to hear it within the video clip under. I assume that is the results of the retracted arm or the lid; both approach, it is not splendid, and never an issue I’ve skilled with any of the opposite arm-less robovacs I’ve examined.
OmniGrip arm
It is the USP right here, so let’s get on to OmniGrip arm – and whether or not or not it does what Roborock says it should. At time of evaluation, the listing of things appropriate for pickup is brief: socks, sandals (not footwear, normally), crumpled tissues and towels beneath 300g. Roborock plans so as to add extra objects sooner or later, by way of firmware updates.
I began by remote-controlling the bot over to a material. With the fabric in its peripheral imaginative and prescient, it had no hassle taking up the ultimate half itself, efficiently navigating over to it and choosing it up, at which level I might resume management and transfer it over to the place I needed it. There’s potential for this to be useful for these with mobility points.
For probably the most half, nevertheless, you’d need this robotic to care for shifting issues autonomously. These features will be toggled on within the “Robotic Arm choices” part of the app (all are off by default), and you may ask it to maneuver objects out of its cleansing path, so it does not must skip that space, and/or to maneuver particular objects into areas designated by you. In the intervening time, the suggestion is that you just use a (supplied) cardboard Roborock “bin” for socks and crumpled paper, after which set a “shoe zone” for footwear.
The difficulty is that circumstances have to be good for the bot to truly clear something away… a lot so, that I’ve but to have a profitable run. First, the robotic has to appropriately establish objects it might probably transfer. I discovered this was pretty correct in brilliant gentle, however once I tried it one night in a much less well-lit room, it recognized two sandals and a sock all as “Perform baggage” and thus did not attempt to choose them up in any respect.
Subsequent, it wants to have the ability to choose up mentioned objects. It didn’t pincer a strappier sandal, and on efficiently choosing up one other, it swung it right into a doorstop, inflicting the strap to develop into twisted. I needed to reset it manually (on the robotic itself) following a repeated warning message.
Lastly, it has to search out its option to the designated areas. It appears somewhat uncertain on this entrance in the meanwhile. On yet one more profitable run, it recognized, returned to and efficiently pincered some socks – solely to spin round as soon as after which put them again down 14 inches from their authentic place.
As I mentioned earlier, Roborock is engaged on bettering the arm operate and I am optimistic in regards to the potential of this tech and the model’s potential to ship on it. It is a new know-how and Roborock is the primary to convey it to market, so it is not stunning that there are kinks to be ironed out. Nonetheless, these points make the Z70 troublesome to advocate.
I will be persevering with to check this robovac and can replace this evaluation with a extra full image of the arm’s performance as soon as I’ve had extra time with it.
Vacuuming
Transferring on to extra mundane (however nonetheless necessary) features. How effectively does the Saros Z70 clear?
Provided that the Saros Z70 boasts a large 22,00Pa of suction energy – matching the very highest you will see wherever – I had excessive hopes for this bot’s cleansing potential. Basically use, it appeared to do a really environment friendly job of vacuuming my house’s medium-pile carpet, low-pile carpet and lino.
For a extra goal view of its cleansing powers, I ran TechRadar‘s customary suction checks. I began by sprinkling oats and unfastened tea on my carpet, and setting it on a selective zone clear. There are 4 settings to select from: Quiet, Balanced, Turbo and Max.
I ran one clear on Turbo, with the bot clearing nearly all of the oats and a lot of the tea, leaving solely a sprinkling nestled within the carpet fibers. (The tea check is purposefully very difficult.) I then bumped up the robovac’s setting to Max for a second clear, and it sucked up all however a single oat flake, and some particles of tea. This is a superb end result.
Picture 1 of 5
I repeated the check on a lino ground. Since clearing particles off a tough ground is much much less difficult, this time I used Balanced mode. It cleared nearly the whole lot on the primary go, with the second required solely to seize the remnants that had been flicked round on the preliminary run.
Picture 1 of 2
Mopping
Subsequent, I moved on to the mopping check. For this, I unfold a tiny quantity of ketchup on a lino ground and left it to dry somewhat. You’ll be able to choose Low, Medium or Excessive waterflow ranges, or for extra management you may go for a “Customized” mode, which lets you choose a waterflow between 1 (Slight) and 30 (excessive). That degree of management is superb, opening this bot up as an choice for cleansing delicate flooring that may take care of solely a tiny little bit of water, for instance.
I used “Excessive” waterflow, and instructed the Z70 to scrub the chosen zone twice. It eliminated a few of the ketchup on the primary go, and a lot of the the rest on the second go. Nonetheless, a light-weight movie of ketchup remained, and wanted wiping away manually. I’ve but to discover a robotic vacuum at any value that may take care of difficult or dried-on spillages.
Picture 1 of 3
Basically use, I discovered the Z70’s mopping very efficient. The pads saturated totally, and I might see they have been cleansing the entire ground, with out leaving any gaps. One of many mop pads would additionally usually kick out to scrub up near the perimeters of rooms and beneath the sting of my fridge or cupboards. I discovered it far simpler than the static, D-shaped pads discovered on some robovacs.
I additionally appreciated the way in which the robotic would mechanically drop off its mop pads within the dock when embarking on a vacuum run. Whereas the auto-lifting was dependable, I am all the time just a bit extra comfy when there aren’t any damp mops within the neighborhood of my carpet.
Dock performance
The dock is designed to care for a lot of the Z70’s upkeep wants, and in my checks I have never had any points with its effectiveness, save for the actual fact a few of the features generally is a little noisy.
I am on the fence about whether or not washing the mops with sizzling water is one thing that is actually required of the dock – I would nonetheless give the pads a run via the washer periodically, no matter whether or not or not this operate is included. Self-cleaning takes round 3 minutes 21 secs, though it is programmed to take longer if it senses the mop pads aren’t clear on the finish of that.
One profit is that charging is remarkably speedy. I used to be recharging a Dyson guide vacuum on the identical time, and located that the Saros Z70 juiced up far faster than the Dyson.
- Efficiency rating: 3.5 out of 5
Roborock Saros Z70 evaluation: app
- Simple to make use of OmniGrip arm by way of distant management via the app
- Nicely-designed and usable app with plenty of customization choices
- So many choices it may be somewhat difficult to search out all of them
Most management of the robovac is prefer to happen by way of the Saros Z70’s companion app. One welcome addition right here is the flexibility to make use of it to remote-control the OmniGrip arm. You drive it like a distant management automobile, navigating by utilizing the view from the bot that you could see in your display. For those who spot one thing you need it to maneuver, you may maneuver it into the neighborhood and ask the bot to select it up. It should do that mechanically, but it surely’s additionally doable to exactly modify the angles of each the arm and the pincer, if required.
In my checks, I discovered all this dependable and easy, though the incessant repetition of “Distant viewing lively” will imply you will not need to play with it for too lengthy. (I have never but been capable of finding a option to swap this off.)
You may as well swap views between the digital camera on the entrance of the robotic and the mounted on the arm, which affords a view from larger up. The concept is to make it extra helpful as a safety bot whilst you’re out of the home.
Basically, Roborock has finished an amazing job of integrating the OmniGrip choices into the app, making it as simple as doable to get began utilizing the arm. The settings are easy to search out and to modify on and off; they’re easy to grasp, even when the automated efficiency continues to be somewhat patchy.
Elsewhere, the app is effectively designed and intuitive. There are many exact customization choices – so many, in truth, that it might probably take some time to discover all of them. For those who do not need to fiddle in Settings, there is a “SmartPlan” mode that mechanically analyzes the atmosphere and cleansing historical past and makes use of that info to use the settings it thinks will work greatest. There’s additionally a built-in voice assistant, which you activate by saying “Hi there Rocky”.
Do you have to purchase the Roborock Saros Z70?
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Worth |
Wildly costly, however this is not stunning given it is the one robovac with an arm proper now. If you don’t need the arm, you will get glorious bots for a lot much less. |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Design |
Combines a lot of the superior options from the most effective robotic vacuums available on the market and provides a retractible pincer arm for good measure. |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Efficiency |
Pincer works effectively when remote-controlled, however automation is unreliable in the meanwhile. Vacuuming, mopping and navigation are glorious. |
3.5 / 5 |
|
App |
Nicely designed and intuitive, with arm features front-and-center. |
4.5 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Roborock Saros Z70: alternate options to think about
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Roborock Saros Z70 (reviewed) |
Roborock Saros 10 |
Dreame L40 Extremely |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Max suction: |
22,000Pa |
22,000 Pa |
11,000Pa |
|
Robotic W x D: |
13.8 x 13.9in / 35 x 35.3cm |
13.8 x 14in / 35 x 35.3cm |
13.8 x 13.8in / 35 x 35cm |
|
Robotic peak: |
3.1in / 8cm |
3.1in / 8cm |
4.1in / 10.4cm |
|
Dock dimensions (W x D x H): |
15 x 18.7 x 19.2in / 38.1 x 47.5 x 48.8cm |
16 x 17.3 x 18.5in / 41 x 44 x 47cm |
18 x 13.4 x 23.3in / 45.7 x 34 x 59.1cm |
|
Mud bin quantity (base): |
2.5L |
2.5L |
3.2L |
|
Water tank quantity: |
4L clear, 3L soiled |
4L clear, 3.5L soiled |
4.5L clear, 4L soiled |
|
Base kind: |
Cost, empty mud, refill water, dispense detergent, wash and dry mops, self-clean |
Cost, empty mud, refill water, dispense detergent, wash and dry mops, self-clean |
Cost, empty mud, refill water, dispense detergent, wash and dry mops, self-clean |
How I examined the Roborock Saros Z70
I used the Roborock Saros Z70 over the course of two weeks as my predominant vacuum. Throughout this time, I examined all of the OmniGrip arm features, in addition to assessing the bot’s basic cleansing powers and value. I ran TechRadar‘s customary vacuuming and mopping checks, utilizing oats and unfastened tea, to see how its cleansing compares to different fashions. I additionally hung out digging into the app and exploring the choices accessible. By all this, I in contrast my expertise with different robotic vacuums I’ve reviewed, from different manufacturers and at completely different value factors.
Learn extra about how we test robot vacuum cleaners