Roborock is no longer content to simply follow the evolution of robot vacuum cleaners: with the Saros Z70, the Chinese brand is making a big splash. The world's first domestic robot equipped with an articulated arm, capable of picking up objects in its path, it transforms automatic vacuuming into a truly assisted experience. But behind this technological feat, it remains to be seen whether it's effective and practical.
During our testing, the Saros Z70 immediately stood out for its ability to analyze its environment and adjust its movements. Its five-axis OmniGrip arm gently grasps and moves small objects to clear the path, providing a more thorough cleaning than any conventional robot. This ambitious innovation places Roborock at the forefront of home robotics, but also raises questions about its complexity of use and cost/benefit ratio.
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Technical characteristics: Innovation in the service of efficiency
From the very first moment, the Roborock Saros Z70 impresses with its design. Its lines, alternating shades of gray and black, combined with discreet protections all around, give it a neat and modern look. Despite the integration of a robotic arm, Roborock has managed to maintain a contained height of 7.98 centimeters, which allows the robot to easily slide under most furniture. The traditional LiDAR turret has disappeared in favor of the StarSight 2.0 system, a dual 3D laser capable of scanning the environment with 21,600 control points, providing precise three-dimensional mapping while preserving the compactness of the device.
Putting it to the test, StarSight 2.0 reveals its full power. Two 3D ToF cameras, positioned at the front and rear, combined with an RGB camera accompanied by LED lighting and a lateral proximity sensor, allow the robot to accurately detect even vertical objects such as curved furniture legs. The Saros Z70 recognizes more than 108 everyday objects as small as 2 centimeters, with an accuracy comparable to that of facial recognition on modern smartphones. The onboard artificial intelligence goes even further and allows up to 50 additional objects to be defined via the app, offering advanced customization of the space to be cleaned.
In terms of power, the robot doesn't disappoint. It develops 22,000 Pascals, which is more than enough to tackle the thickest carpets. Its FreeFlow central brush combines soft brushes and rubber blades to capture hair and fur without tangles. The washing system maintains two rotating mops spinning at 200 revolutions per minute, with a lift of 10 millimeters, extendable to 22 millimeters thanks to the AdaptiLift chassis. The right mop benefits from a clearance of 4 centimeters via the FlexiArm system, which allows it to get closer to baseboards, providing highly precise cleaning where many robots fail.
By combining intelligent navigation and cleaning performance, the Saros Z70 stands out as a truly innovative robot. Even without its articulated arm, its vacuuming and mopping capabilities are already impressive and place it on par with the ultra-premium models on the market. Each pass on carpet or hard floor demonstrates its mastery of trajectories and efficiency, delivering precise and consistent cleaning that rarely leaves room for criticism. For anyone looking for a high-performance and reliable domestic robot, the Saros Z70 already proves itself worthy of the best current benchmarks.
The OmniGrip arm: a technological feat that can still be improved
The OmniGrip articulated arm deploys from a hatch under the main hood, and from the very first use, you can sense Roborock's ambition. Equipped with a camera with LED lighting and precision sensors, it can lift objects up to 300 grams. Two additional cameras, one on the arm and the other at the rear of the robot, constantly scan the environment to avoid collisions. The onboard artificial intelligence analyzes each object before attempting to grasp it, automatically recognizing potentially dangerous items like scissors or plugged-in cables.
In the field, the result is both fascinating and frustrating. The Saros Z70 manages to easily pick up socks, small microfiber fabrics, small toys, and even lightweight slippers. But it's not always efficient: the robot often places objects next to the bin rather than inside it, and it sometimes extends its arm and then abruptly changes its mind, interrupting the operation. The process remains slow and laborious: it often takes nearly twenty minutes to sort a five-square-meter room, and some shapes or textures are completely resistant to grasping.
The Roborock app allows you to organize two separate storage areas, one for shoes and slippers, the other for miscellaneous items via the provided bin. The "automatic sorting" mode attempts to classify objects according to their nature, while a manual mode transforms the app into a real remote control to control the arm from a distance, although at this stage, we don't really see the point: we might as well pick up the objects ourselves. This is truly a significant evolution in robot vacuums. Roborock regularly rolls out updates to improve the process, but we look forward to future models that are even more advanced and better finished in this area.
In practice, the OmniGrip arm is a technological feat unlike any other on the market. It shows real potential for small, lightweight objects, but its slowness, imperfect precision, and certain mechanical limitations are a reminder that this innovation still has room for improvement. Nevertheless, Roborock is paving the way for a future where robot vacuums could go far beyond simply picking up objects.
Multifunction Station 4.0: Excellence confirmed
The Saros Z70's base station incorporates Roborock's hallmarks of excellence, while also adding a few practical tweaks. It features two 4-liter tanks for clean and dirty water, a 2.5-liter vacuum bag offering nearly seven weeks of battery life, and a 590-milliliter detergent compartment for automatic dispensing. The mop cleaning system heats the water to 80°C before drying at 55°C for three hours, promising the theoretical elimination of 99% of bacteria. The station's self-cleaning and intelligent dirt level detection complete a particularly successful package.
On the ground, we quickly see that, on this point, Roborock is content to improve on already very solid foundations. The brand's premium robots are already extremely advanced and almost autonomous in this function. The 4.0 station therefore confirms an already well-established excellence: everything works smoothly, reliably and efficiently, without there really being any revolution to report. Autonomy and maintenance remain impeccable, but this is not where we find the most spectacular part of the Saros Z70's innovation.
Application and connectivity: advanced and intelligent control
The Roborock app has always been a strong point of the brand's robots, and on the Saros Z70, it asserts itself even more as the essential control center. From the first use, we notice the richness of its features: the 3D mapping is detailed and precise, offering the possibility to divide or merge rooms according to your needs, to create virtual walls to block certain areas, or to define zones prohibited for vacuuming and the arm. Each modification is made in a few clicks, and the robot reacts immediately, memorizing the environment for the following sessions.
The integration of the robotic arm is particularly neat. The application not only allows you to monitor its activity in real time, but also to control the arm for targeted actions. You can define specific areas where the robot must interact with light objects, control the gripping force, and observe the success or failure of the grasps via the onboard camera. This supervision provides a real sense of control, while letting the robot automatically manage the majority of operations thanks to AI.
In terms of connectivity, the Saros Z70 maintains the Roborock standards: the "Hello Rocky" voice assistant allows basic control via simple commands and integrates seamlessly with Google Home and Alexa. You can start a vacuuming session, stop the robot, or send it back to its dock simply by voice. But the real added value lies in the visual tracking of detected objects: automatic photo capture allows you to check what has been picked up or moved, providing immediate and reassuring feedback, especially during the first few uses.
In daily use, the app proves intuitive and responsive. Syncing with the robot is fast, updates happen in the background, and each new feature Roborock adds gradually improves the experience without complicating the handling. Whether managing vacuuming, mopping, or arm activity, the app provides precise, near-professional control, making interacting with the Saros Z70 both easy and rewarding.
Strengths and weaknesses
- Unprecedented technological innovation with the OmniGrip arm
- Ultra-thin design (7.98 cm) despite technical complexity
- Excellent suction power (22,000 PA)
- Highly accurate StarSight 2.0 navigation system
- Complete and efficient multifunction station
- AdaptiLift chassis to overcome obstacles (4 cm max)
- Rich and intuitive application
- Prohibitive price (1,499 euros)
- Robotic arm still perfectible (slowness, imprecision)
- Reduced dust bin (problematic with animals)
- "Gadget" feature for now
- No cleaning brush or detergent provided
- Sometimes erratic arm behavior
Verdict: The future of robotic cleaning, but not yet fully mature
The Roborock Saros Z70 represents a true breakthrough in the world of robot vacuum cleaners. For the first time, a home robot incorporates an articulated arm capable of physically interacting with its environment, providing a glimpse of what the automated home of tomorrow could look like.
When it comes to the classic functions of vacuuming, washing, and navigation, the Saros Z70 proves itself impeccable. It easily rivals the Saros S10R, while adopting a slightly more compact format. The 4.0 multifunction station remains exemplary, offering autonomy, cleaning, and maintenance at the highest level, while the build quality demonstrates premium care that inspires confidence.
However, the OmniGrip arm still reveals its limitations. Performance remains inconsistent, the slow execution reduces practicality, and the deposition accuracy requires adjustments. This feature, as spectacular as it is, is aimed more at curious early adopters than those looking for a fully operational solution for everyday use.
At 1,499 euros , the Saros Z70 is the most expensive robot vacuum cleaner on the market. The price is justified by the technological innovation, but the user is currently paying for a feature that is still being tested and can be improved.
In conclusion, if you are passionate about home robotics and want to explore the most advanced technologies, the Saros Z70 deserves your full attention. For purely practical use, the Saros 10R maintains a more balanced performance/price ratio, offering 95% of the capabilities for a lower investment.
The Saros Z70 represents the future of automated cleaning, but this future still requires some updates and adjustments before it can be fully convincing in everyday life.
To further your quest for automated cleaning and discover other models, read this Comparison of robot vacuum cleaners and mops !
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