Roborock Saros Z70: A Promising Yet Flawed Robot Vacuum with a Retractable Arm

The Roborock Saros Z70 is a high-end robot vacuum featuring a unique retractable arm, which garnered attention at CES for its ability to pick up small objects like socks, tissues, and slippers. However, the OmniGrip arm still has significant limitations. In tests, the vacuum struggled to correctly pick up objects, often placing them back down, and didn’t perform well with items on soft surfaces. The app also requires users to be physically close to the vacuum for it to operate effectively, limiting the convenience of controlling it remotely. Although its cleaning and navigation abilities are strong, the vacuum’s battery life is notably shorter than other models like the Saros 10R. Despite its impressive StarSight Autonomous 2.0 lidar system, the Saros Z70 often returned to the dock mid-clean to recharge. While Roborock has the potential to fix the issues through software updates, the current version of the Z70 falls short of expectations. At $2,599, the Saros Z70 may be better suited for those who can wait for future improvements, while the Saros 10R remains a more reliable option for now.