Roborock's Saros Z70 under scrutiny: a promising vacuum cleaner put to the test
The Roborock Saros Z70 kicks it up a notch in the vacuum-mopping robot scene with its innovative OmniGrip gripping arm. This game-changer promises a leap from mere cleaners to fully automated household assistants. But is the hype justified? Let's dive in.
In essence, the Z70 delivers on the basics. Its 22,000 Pascal suction power sweeps away dust and grime, while the twin mops scrub away tough stains. The self-cleaning base station takes care of maintenance duties, ensuring clean floors at the press of a button.
The Saros Z70 aces navigation thanks to its advanced sensors and camera, maneuvering effortlessly around obstacles and creating 3D maps of your apartment. This remarkable intelligence has no issues recognizing furniture, carpets, or different floor types. In the app, you can customize your cleaning experience by setting cleaning zones, adjusting suction levels, and determining the amount of moisture for various rooms.
Now, onto the cherry on top – the OmniGrip gripping arm. In theory, this feature eliminates the need for tidying up before vacuuming. However, in practice, its performance leaves room for improvement. The arm can only handle specific objects weighing up to 300g and requires a special collection bin for placement. It missed, failed to recognize, or misplaced smaller obstacles like socks or toys in our tests.
Despite these limitations, Roborock has implemented safety features to keep humans and pets out of harm's way while the arm is running. Unfortunately, the Arm's practical benefits, as of now, are limited, feeling more like an experiment rather than a genuine convenience.
At a whopping 1800 euros, the Saros Z70 falls into the premium price segment. If you're willing to overlook the gripping arm, Roborock offers the Saros 10R, a nearly identical model at a more pocket-friendly price.
In conclusion, the Roborock Saros Z70 is an impressive machine that delivers powerful vacuuming and mopping performance. The OmniGrip arm is a futuristic step towards fully automatic cleaning, but it's not the game-changer we were waiting for quite yet. Nevertheless, tech enthusiasts will find the Z70 a fascinating device worth exploring.
For those who seek a more straightforward cleaning experience, similar quality can be achieved at a lower price without the gripping arm. So, folks, shall we clean or embark on a tech adventure? The choice is yours!
Enrichment Data:
- The OmniGrip arm can pick up objects up to 300g, but it requires the included collection bin with a QR code for placement.
- The arm's performance with items like small toys, socks, or shoes is less consistent, successfully gripping and relocating about 75% of these items in controlled tests[3].
- The robot may forget to resume mopping after dropping off an object or struggle with hard-to-grip items, such as kids' water shoes[3].
- Roborock plans to improve and expand the types of objects the arm can handle via future firmware updates[1][3].
What about the OmniGrip arm's performance with items like small toys, socks, or shoes? In controlled tests, it successfully gripped and relocated about 75% of these items, but its performance with such items is less consistent.
The futuristic OmniGrip arm requires the included collection bin with a QR code for placement, which limits its practical benefits.
Though the OmniGrip arm is a futuristic step towards fully automatic cleaning, it's not the game-changer we were waiting for quite yet, especially considering its limitations and the need for improvements via future firmware updates.
