Roborock Saros Z70 Evaluation: Robot Vacuum's Robot Arm Falls Short of Expectations
Review: Roborock Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum and Mop with Robotic Arm
After its unveiling at CES 2025, the Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuum and mop, equipped with a robotic arm, garnered significant attention. However, despite its innovative design and advanced features, the Saros Z70 fails to live up to expectations, especially considering its hefty price tag of $2,600.
At its core, the Saros Z70 possesses a powerful 22,000 Pa suction, making it one of the most potent robovacs in the market. It boasts dual spinning mop pads, one of which extends to reach walls, and a sweeper arm for corner cleaning. The unit can elegantly vault over threshold heights up to 4 cm, and its base accommodates both water tanks, a floor cleaning liquid container, and a disposable dust bag. The mop pads are heated to 80°C for effective cleaning and drying.
The most intriguing feature of the Saros Z70 is its robotic arm, dubbed the OmniGrip, which is capable of moving objects such as slippers and socks. When it encounters an item it recognizes, it announces, "Sorting item," and the arm is supposed to grab the object and transport it to a designated zone within the user’s home. This feature, however, consistently falls short, often failing to place items in their designated zone or even miss objects completely.
The robot's performance in its specialized tricks left much to be desired. Despite multiple attempts at replicating the desired outcome, the Saros Z70 frequently missed its target, particularly when sorting slippers and balls of paper. Despite Roborock's plans for updating the firmware in June and July, the current model falls short in execution.
Another point of contention is the Saros Z70’s brush design, which deviates from the successful split-in-two design of earlier models such as the Saros 10 and 10R. The new single-roller design displayed weaknesses in debris handling, particularly when dealing with small items like Goldfish Crackers and Cheerios. In addition, the Z70’s mops were prone to dripping and streaking.
Navigation-wise, the Z70 performs comparably to earlier Saros models like the Saros 10 and 10R, albeit with some nuances. The robot's StarSight 2.0 navigation system allows for reliable and precise home mapping, though its obstacle avoidance capabilities did not see significant improvement.
While the robotic arm addition is undeniably cool, the flawed execution of this feature, combined with performance issues in debris handling and navigation, make the Saros Z70 a costly disappointment. With its premium price tag, customers expect a seamless, efficient, and convenient cleaning experience, which the Z70 currently fails to deliver.
Pros
- Unique and innovative robotic arm
- Maintenance-free dock with extended battery life
- User-friendly setup and customizable app
Cons
- Robot arm fails to sort items as promised
- Mopping performance less effective compared to earlier models
- Prone to navigation issues
- Highest-priced robovac by a substantial margin
[1] Source: "Roborock Saros 10 and 10R Review: Obstacle Avoidance, Navigation, and Mopping" - TechRadar[2] Source: "Roborock Qrevo Curv Review: Performance, Navigation, and Design" - The Verge[3] Source: "Roborock Saros Z70 Introduction: Introducing the Robot Arm" - Roborock Official Website
- The Roborock Saros Z70, despite generating buzz at CES 2025, hasn't met expectations, partly due to its high price tag and inconsistent performance with the robotic arm feature.
- Prominent tech websites like Gizmodo have published reviews of the Saros Z70, noting the vacuum's powerful suction but criticizing its mopping performance and navigation issues.
- In the future, home-and-garden enthusiasts and lifestyle connoisseurs might be more inclined to invest in gadgets like the Roborock Saros Z70 if the company addresses the issues surrounding the robotic arm and effectively improves mopping and navigation performance.
- Curious buyers can find comprehensive reviews of the Roborock Saros Z70 on popular tech and gizmo websites, including TechRadar and The Verge, to make informed decisions about whether this advanced technology is right for their homes.
