Is the Roborock Saros Z70’s Robotic Arm Justifiable at $2,599?

When Roborock launched the Saros Z70 at CES 2025, one aspect instantly captured attention: a robotic vacuum featuring a genuine robotic arm. The burning question? Is this advanced cleaning device suitable for daily tasks, or is it merely a flashy attraction?

The Saros Z70 transforms the concept of a “robot” vacuum. In addition to its intelligent navigation and cleaning functions, it boasts a five-axis mechanical arm that extends to remove obstacles from its way. It’s a brilliant innovation, especially for households with messy floors. However, enthusiasm fades rapidly when confronted with the $2,599 price tag—$1,000 higher than Roborock’s other CES 2025 models, the Saros 10 and 10R.

As someone currently evaluating all three Saros iterations, I was eager to discover if the Z70 could validate its elevated cost. After approximately a month of testing in my apartment—where the rent is literally half the price of this vacuum—I’ve gathered some insights.

Initial Thoughts: A Robotic Vacuum with an Incognito Arm

Upon first inspection, the Saros Z70 closely resembles the Saros 10R. It has the same sleek profile, shiny docking station, and uncovered water tanks. You’d never suspect it conceals a two-foot mechanical arm inside. The design is remarkably subtle.

But let’s park the arm for now. The crucial query is: how effective is its cleaning ability?

Vacuuming Efficacy: Potent, Yet Not Flawless

Sporting 22,000 Pa of suction force, the Saros Z70 ranks among the most robust robot vacuums on the market. It’s also notably slender at just over three inches high, enabling it to slide under most furniture—though it barely misses fitting beneath my dining room credenza.

On hard surfaces, the Z70 successfully gathers most debris, including cat food, crumbs, and dirt tracked in from outside. Nevertheless, it frequently leaves small remnants at the edges of its cleaning path. For instance, it had trouble completely cleaning up spilled kitty litter, pushing some of it into the corners of the area.

Rug performance is superior. The Z70 adeptly managed my living room rug and kitchen runner, effortlessly picking up crumbs and debris. It even tackled a plush faux fur rug without harming the fibers, eliminating around 90% of pet hair. A subsequent assessment with a Shark PowerDetect vacuum confirmed that the Z70 had left very little behind.

However, it encountered difficulties with medium-pile bath mats, occasionally getting snagged or tugging at the fabric.

Mopping: The Z70’s Best Feature

Where the Z70 truly excels is mopping. It employs dual spinning mop pads—an upgrade from the single pad on the Saros 10—and they effectively scrub dried stains and access corners. One pad swings out to clean along walls, which is a game-changer for anyone displeased with grime in bathroom corners.

It’s less capable with larger spills, such as a full glass of milk, but managed smaller wine spills effectively. The dock automatically dispenses detergent into the water tank, ensuring your floors receive a more thorough cleaning.

The Robotic Arm: Impressive, Yet Limited

Now, regarding that arm. It functions—sometimes. Roborock claims it can grasp small items like socks, slippers, and lightweight shoes. In reality, it’s hit or miss. Socks were typically picked up without issue, but bulkier shoes and sandals often bewildered the system. Occasionally, the vacuum misidentified objects or failed to pick them up at all.

Moreover, the arm isn’t activated by default, and configuring it to work automatically is more intricate than necessary. Even when it manages to collect something, the process is sluggish. The Z70 frequently wanders for a while before determining where to deposit the item. You can assign drop-off zones through the app, but the sorting procedure isn’t precisely swift.

There’s also a manual pickup option, allowing you to control the arm like a claw machine via the app. It’s entertaining, but somewhat absurd when you realize you could have simply retrieved the item yourself.

Obstacle Avoidance: Adequate, Yet Not Groundbreaking

The Z70 utilizes Roborock’s StarSight 2.0 with 3D Time-of-Flight sensors to identify obstacles. It boasts about 85% accuracy, similar to the Saros 10R. It still struggles with thin cables, like phone chargers, but generally steers clear of larger items.

Is the Robotic Arm a Major Breakthrough?

Not particularly. While the arm presents an intriguing notion, its restricted functionality doesn’t greatly enhance the cleaning experience. If it could manage a broader array of items—such as pet toys or clothing—it might prove to be more practical. For now, it feels more like a novelty.

Should You Invest in the Roborock Saros Z70?