Skip to main content

The Saros Z70 is the most exciting robot vacuum I’ve ever seen

The CES 2025 logo.
Read and watch our complete CES coverage here

The Saros Z70 picking up a sock.
Roborock

Out of all the robot vacuum brands available in 2025, Roborock is probably my favorite. The company has been churning out premium, reliable, and powerful robots for years, with their releases consistently landing on our best robot vacuum and mop roundup. CES 2025 was filled with intriguing smart home reveals, but the Roborock Saros Z70 is by far the coolest upcoming device. Designed with a robotic arm that can pick up small obstacles that get in its way, it’s the most innovative robot vacuum I’ve ever seen — and I’ve never been more excited to see how it shakes up the industry.

Recommended Videos

Robot vacuums are intended to be autonomous assistants that roam our homes and keep floors clean with little manual intervention. But far too often, this isn’t the case. Whether it be poor sensors that cause the robot to get stuck, suction power that’s inadequate to pick up troublesome debris, or poor obstacle navigation that causes it to get tangled in your phone’s charging cable, some robots simply aren’t as hands-free as expected.

However, Roborock has pretty much perfected the basics with its existing Qrevo Curv, which offers impressive suction numbers, excellent mapping, and a self-cleaning dock, I tend to forget it’s even in my home.

The Saros Z70 placing an object in a designated location.
Roborock

With the basics figured out, Roborock is now looking to bring increased versatility to your smart home. And what better way to start than with a robotic arm that automatically clears obstacles in its path? To be clear, the Saros Z70 won’t pick up your gym shoes or move all your dirty clothes lying on the floor. It’s currently only capable of lifting objects weighing up to 300 grams, and if it attempts to lift something beyond its abilities, its sensors will determine the object is too heavy and gently set it down.

It’s also a bit slow to react in its current format, as the CES 2025 demo showcased a few missed grabs and generally sluggish movement. Regardless, it’s one of the first big innovations in the robot vacuum space, and it’s mighty exciting.

Before robotic arms, self-cleaning docks were the hot commodity, and now they’re available on almost every flagship device. They work remarkably well too, ensuring you never have to worry about the buildup of mildew or unpleasant odors. In other words, introducing a new feature like a robotic arm (no matter how slow), could be the start of something big. Just imagine where the tech could take us in a few years — before you know it, robot vacuums could be picking up all our messes without a fuss and without significant weight restrictions. That would allow them to provide a comprehensive clean, even if you forget to pick up dog toys, clothes, or other items before starting a routine.

Roborock knows how to craft a great robot vacuum. I’ve been a huge fan of their previous releases, and if any company could successfully add an arm to a vacuum, it’s Roborock. Here’s hoping the Saros Z70 is just the tip of the iceberg, and the brand continues to build on this platform to create something truly incredible in the very near future.

Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…
Roborock shows off highly automated robot vacuums at CES 2024
The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra placed in its dock.

Roborock is responsible for many of the best robot vacuums, and this year is shaping up to be another big one for the company. A whole fleet of robot vacuums were on display at CES 2024, including the highly automated S8 MaxV Ultra and S8 Max Ultra -- both of which can connect to your home drainage system to automatically empty and refill their water reservoirs.

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is the most luxurious of the bunch, offering a self-maintained cleaning system that will empty water tanks, refill water tanks, dispense detergent, wash its mop with hot water, and dry its mop with warm air. All this is possible due to its newfound ability to connect to your home's built-in drain lines, removing the need for you to fuss around with dirty water tanks or refill water reservoirs (which is arguably the worst part of owning a robot vacuum).

Read more
iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop is perfect for high-pile carpet
The iRobot j9+ cleaning a floor and retracting its mop.

Robot vacuum maker iRobot recently pulled back the curtain on the Combo j5+ lineup, and today its catalog is growing yet again with the reveal of the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ Robot Vacuum and Mop. If you don’t need a mop, a standard j9+ robot vacuum is also up for grabs -- featuring the same tech powering the Roomba Combo j9+, but dropping its mopping skills and gaining a reduced price tag.

Unlike most robot vacuum and mop combos, the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ uses a swinging mophead capable of retracting to the top of its chassis. Other products simply raise the mophead up a few millimeters, which is only enough clearance for low-pile carpets. This makes the Combo j9+ compelling for homes with both hardwood floors and high-pile carpets, allowing it to clean all surfaces without dragging a dirty mop across your “clean” carpets.

Read more
Roborock is launching two affordable robot vacuums in October
The Roborock Q8 Nax next to a wall.

Roborock revealed the Q5 Pro and Q8 Max robot vacuums during IFA 2023. Both are midrange products arriving in October. Alongside the two robovacs, Roborock also announced the Dyad Pro Combo stick vacuum and the Zeo One -- an all-in-one washer/dryer combo.

The two robot vacuums are the most exciting of the four product announcements, as they make big improvements to the existing Roborock lineup while also carrying reasonable price tags. The Q5 Pro is billed as the “entry level” option for the Q Series, and it’s equipped with a DuoRoller Brush to eliminate hair tangles, supports up to 5,500 Pa of suction, and mops in the direction of your floor seams to optimize its cleaning performance.

Read more