Roborock Saros Z70 review: The world’s most advanced robot vacuum with a mechanical arm
Roborock Saros Z70, a state-of-the-art robot vacuum, features the world’s first mechanical arm. Pictures: Roborock.
The Roborock Saros Z70 is a flagship robot vacuum with a glimpse into the future of home automation. Building on the ultra-slim Saros 10R, Roborock has added a fully functional five-axis mechanical arm, enabling the Z70 to not only vacuum and mop but also pick up and organise everyday household items.
The Saros Z70 is the most futuristic-looking robot vacuum I’ve tested, and it’s packed with the latest tech to match its stylish design. Measuring just 7.98cm in height, it manages to slide under most sofas and cabinets, and what’s crazy is that it houses an onboard five-axis mechanical arm, multiple cameras, and an impressive array of sensors.
As expected from Roborock, the Z70 boasts a sleek design and excellent build quality. Moving parts operate smoothly, the motors run quietly, and all serviceable components are easy to remove and reinstall. Even the arm mechanism feels durable and precise, with smooth, deliberate movements that feel intelligently controlled.
The top panel houses easy-access buttons, while underneath you’ll find the redesigned brush system and dual rotating mop pads that are magnetically attached. It’s an elegant fusion of traditional cleaning hardware and advanced robotics, setting it apart from all other robot vacuums on the market.
The Saros Z70’s Dock 4.0 is every bit as advanced as the robot itself. It automatically empties the dustbin, washes the mop pads using 80°C hot water, and then dries them with 50°C air to prevent odours. The dock has dirty and clean tanks and refills the onboard water tank with warm water, and can automatically add detergent when needed. The detergent has its own separate compartment, and I used Roborock’s own-brand detergent, diluted as per the instructions, with excellent results.
The mop plate is detachable for easy cleaning, and the base station even has its own self-cleaning cycle, meaning the whole system stays hygienic with minimal intervention. Roborock claims up to seven weeks of hands-free cleaning, and based on my testing, that figure isn’t far off. When it’s time to clean the dock, you’ll need to remove a few parts for a thorough wash. It’s not the most pleasant task, but it’s quick, and thankfully, you won’t have to do it very often.
Under the hood, the Z70 is a cleaning powerhouse delivering up to 22,000Pa of suction, easily lifting dust, crumbs, and pet hair from both hard floors and carpets.
The dual rotating mop pads can automatically detach and stay in the dock during vacuum-only or carpet cleaning tasks, preventing any unwanted dampness. This mode delivers the best performance, though it takes a bit longer. I don’t have carpets, but I do have a large rug, and during a full vac and mop session, the robot vacuums the rug first, then returns for the mop attachments to finish the job. You can also keep the mops attached and have the robot lift them while vacuuming, which is perfect for low to medium-pile carpets.
The mop system uses hot water to help break down stubborn stains, which works well, and the FlexiArm side brush extends to reach deep into corners, while the redesigned silicone main brush resists hair tangling thanks to an integrated comb.
The AdaptiLift chassis can easily climb thresholds up to 4cm by tilting its body forward or backwards, allowing it to easily traverse obstacles like saddle boards. It transitions between rooms and over my door saddle boards without getting stuck, and StarSight 3D Navigation ensures it detects and avoids over 100 types of obstacles, from furniture legs to stray cables. Compared to robots without this lifting feature, I was really impressed at how smoothly and efficiently the Saros Z70 was able to move over the saddle boards.
The show-stopping feature, of course, is the OmniGrip mechanical arm. This five-axis arm, complete with dual cameras, LED lighting, and precision sensors, allows the Z70 to pick up and move small objects. When the onboard cameras are in first-person view mode, the Z70 audibly alerts anyone in earshot that it’s on, and I found it great for checking in on pets while I was away.
The arm mechanism can currently handle up to 300g, and my testing showed it could reliably lift socks, slippers, some shoes, crumpled paper balls, and even gloves. The grip sensor ensures it doesn’t crush fragile items, and the onboard camera at the arm’s tip provides additional precision.
The arm operates in two modes: automated and manual. In automated mode, the robot identifies items it can lift during a cleaning run, then returns to move them after vacuuming the area. In manual mode, you can control the arm yourself through the app. I won’t lie, this is the most fun I’ve had while testing a new device, and it’s a great party trick.
It’s worth noting that object handling is limited for now. It won’t attempt to pick up cables, heavy items, or anything that could damage the mechanism. Safety for both your belongings and the robot itself is a top priority.
In my testing, while the tech is undeniably cool, I’m not convinced it’s a game-changer just yet. That said, Roborock has an excellent track record for pushing out updates to fix bugs, improve performance, and add new features. I don’t doubt that, over time, the list of objects the arm can handle will grow. I’d love to see it open and close doors left ajar, perhaps with special attachments to help it grip. With more object recognition updates, the mechanical arm could become really useful, but for now, it’s more of a cool gadget.
In practical cleaning tests, the Z70 delivered excellent results. My home is mostly hard flooring, with a mix of wood and tiles, and I love the option to control how much water is used. On my medium-pile rug, it managed a decent clean, but struggled to fully remove embedded pet hair, requiring a couple of passes to get the job done. However, pet hair removal on hard floors is effective, with the main brush resisting tangles even after cleaning mixed cat and dog hair.
The dual mop pads left tiled floors streak-free, and the hot water system noticeably improved stain removal. One of the mops features a swing-out design, enabling it to reach edges and corners more effectively than most competitors. There’s also a FlexiArm side brush, which effectively pulls debris from corners that many robot vacuums miss.
The Roborock app is as central to the Z70 experience as the hardware. It’s here that you define cleaning zones, object collection areas, and even custom locations for items like shoes.
The arm’s functions are fully configurable, including grip strength adjustment, defining no-pick zones, or labelling new objects for it to recognise. You can add up to 50 custom objects to the recognition library, a feature that will become more powerful with future firmware updates. What’s nifty is that Roborock includes a folded cardboard waste bin for sorting items the robot arm picks up.
Voice control is available through Alexa, Google Home, and Roborock’s own “Hello Rocky” assistant, which works offline for basic commands. I found the latter great, but you have to be very specific. For example, you have to say "go cleaning" because "go clean" will only annoy Rocky.
Pet owners will appreciate the pet-focused features: automatic brush pause near pets, boosted cleaning in designated pet zones, and even “Pet Snaps”, which is a fun way to capture candid photos while the robot roams.
After nearly two months of regular use, I can say the Saros Z70 is a glimpse into the future of what might be possible in multifunctional domestic robots that can assist with household chores. That said, it’s important to set realistic expectations. The arm’s current capabilities are limited to a small set of objects, and even then, it’s not always successful. I’d estimate about a 70% success rate during my testing. It’s also slower than doing these tasks yourself, so its value lies in automation when you’re not home.
For now, the mechanical arm feels more like a futuristic bonus than a fully fledged household helper. But given this is first-generation tech, firmware updates and AI improvements are almost certain to expand its abilities.
The Roborock Saros Z70 is a bold, first-generation leap into the future of home cleaning. It’s not perfect, but its combination of powerful vacuuming, advanced mopping, and object-handling sets a new benchmark. For tech lovers, it’s irresistible. For everyone else, it’s intriguing but optional.
€1,699 Roborock Saros Z70
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