A Freaky Cleaning Companion: Roborock Saros Z70 Isn't Quite There Yet!
Roborock's offering, the Saros Z70, lacks significant highlights
By Klaus Wedekind
The Roborock Sarom Z70, a robotic vacuum cleaner with an extendable gripping arm, promises to take cleaning to the next level. In practice, it performs well in vacuuming and wiping duties, but its pick-up game could use some work.
Unlike traditional robotic vacuum cleaners, the Saros Z70, priced at roughly 1700 euros, is designed to handle obstacles like socks, shoes, and so on, by pushing them out of the way or even storing them in a box using its gripping arm. But does it really make rooms not only clean, but also tidy?
Slender and Agile
Despite its hidden gripping arm, the robot is only 8 cm tall and slender enough to work under low furniture. The tool is stowed away under a flap on top and only extends when needed. The Saros Z70 parks in a docking station like other high-end robotic vacuum cleaners. There, not only does its battery charge, but it also independently refills fresh water while sucking out dirty water. Its mopping pads are also automatically cleaned and dried or stored in the station at up to 80 degrees when not in use.
Nifty Mapping
The setup via the comprehensive, yet easy-to-understand app is quick, and you can send the robot to map the rooms. This takes some time, but afterward, it usually navigates very well and leaves hardly any reachable spot uncleaned. The robot also reliably recognizes the type of floor it's on and lifts mops, side brushes, and/or rollers as needed. It can also independently overcome up to 4 cm high thresholds when changing rooms by lifting its chassis.
Packed with Features
The robot can store multiple maps with multiple levels. Users can edit rooms in the app, set up no-go zones, or virtually place furniture. They can also set a zone and the location of the included storage box where the Saros Z70 will deposit collected shoes, socks, and other items - at least in theory. The robot offers many other features. It can take photos of obstacles or pets on request. With the help of the camera, you can also remotely control the Saros Z70 with your smartphone or make video calls to play with your dog via the built-in speaker, for example.
Vacuuming Done Right
Despite only leaving space for a brush roller due to the integrated gripping arm, the robot is a good vacuum cleaner. It showed strong performance on smooth floors in practical testing. It also leaves little behind in corners thanks to an extendable side brush. It handles short-pile carpets or carpeted floors well when increasing suction power - up to a maximum of 22,000 Pascal according to the manufacturer. On the highest setting, it even pulls out coffee grounds and other stubborn dirt from the fibers. It may need to recharge midway through larger areas, but its endurance is generally sufficient.
However, the Saros Z70 is only conditionally suitable for high-pile carpets despite its high suction power. If the fibers are particularly long, it could also be a problem that the brush is equipped with blades that cut hair to prevent tangles.
Decent Mopping
The wiping performance of the robot vacuum is decent for a cleaning robot. As long as there are no dried-on sauces etc. on the floor, it leaves no stains behind. If necessary, you can increase the water volume or run it twice. To reach even the last corner, the Saros Z70 can extend a mop. This is sufficient for everyday use, but occasionally you have to clean the corners manually. This is also the case with all other wiping robots.
There are several automatic cleaning programs to choose from, but it is also possible to send the robot to specific zones defined in the app. It is particularly convenient to leave the decision to the AI as to what and how intensively to clean.
Gripper Needs a Boost
So far, so good, as a suction and wiping robot, the Saros Z70 does a good job. However, at 1700 euros, its integrated gripper currently does not justify the high price. Roborock itself states that currently only socks, slippers, or sandals, crumpled paper, or hand towels up to 300g can be recognized and picked up. However, this has rarely worked in practice.
Only socks and (large) paper balls occasionally ended up in the storage box. In another program mode, the robot was only able to transport or collect these items in a already clean zone or after completing the cleaning.
Sorting is purely a matter of luck. Sandals and shoes were either recognized and avoided or simply driven over. The robot was never able to transport the slippers to the designated zone in practical testing. Sometimes, the robot voice would announce that it would sort an item, only to ignore it afterwards. And if a sock was actually picked up, the Saros Z70 placed it next to the box instead of in it about half the time.
You can also use the remote control to pick up items. To do this, you drive the robot into a blue-marked area on the display near the items, start the gripper, and then drive to the box or storage zone. However, this is more fun than efficient.
Roborock states that it continuously adds further features through updates. This may be true, but with such immature software, the robot should not have been released onto the market.
Final Verdict
The Roborock Saros Z70 is a good suction and wiping robot that can handle many tasks independently. However, many other top devices can do this at least as well. If you want the robot because of the gripper, you have to trust that future updates will actually make it a useful tool. In doubt, it's better to wait and see how the Saros Z70 develops.
Source: ntv.de
The Grippy Arm: Improvements and Potential
- Weight Capacity: The gripper can pick up items weighing up to 300 grams, making it suitable for lifting small objects like socks, toys, and cables.
- Precision and Safety: Equipped with a camera, LED light, and sensors, the arm ensures precise object detection and handling. Safety features include a child safety lock and an emergency stop button to prevent accidents.
- Functionality: The arm can automatically pick up items such as socks, small towels, crumpled tissues, and slippers. It can also be remotely controlled to pick up toys and dolls.
Over the course of updates, Roborock aims to enhance the functionalities of the gripper, including expanding the types of items it can pick up, improving its precision, or adding new functions like better obstacle navigation. Future updates might also include increased safety features to prevent accidents in homes with pets or children.
- In light of the Roborock Saros Z70's smart technology and capabilities, the potential inclusion of a community policy could enable users to share and learn tips for optimizing their smart-home devices, including the Saros Z70, via the app.
- To make the most of the Roborock Saros Z70's smart-home capabilities, users could consider complementing their purchase with vocational training in technology and smart devices, enhancing their understanding of the product and its full range of features. Additionally, vocational training might provide practical guidance on lightning-up the device's capabilities, allowing users to fully utilize the gripping arm and other features.
