The way that many of us clean our homes in 2025 is different from how we did so 10 years ago. One task most of us want to be easier or taken off our hands is housework. Technological advancements have made robot vacuums accessible to so many people that tidying floors has become less daunting. From mopping to vacuuming, these devices solve nearly all our floor cleaning needs, but not all.
For the most part, much like smartphones, robot vacuums have become so good that finding ways to improve each generation is more difficult. AI is a big part of how these devices are working to get better. Another way brands are offering more from their products is with combo devices, like the Ecovacs Deebot T30s Combo with its onboard handheld vac. However, what about when there is clutter on the floor? Right now, robo-vacs go around it and leave that mess. Last week, I saw a Roborock vacuum that will change all of that.
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Ecovacs Deebot T30s Combo: The only vacuum you’ll ever need
A robovac for the floors and a handheld for everywhere else
Reaching for the next level
…literally
Roborock showed off this new vacuum, the upcoming Saros Z70, in Las Vegas this past January at CES. However, it was a limited preview with a lot of “more to come” talk. This past week, I and others in the industry were treated to an in-depth, hands-on demo in New York. Again, there was plenty of “more to come” at this showing, but there was a clearer vision of what the brand hopes to do with this ambitious project.
The Saros Z70 is a Saros 10R with a new brush system that actively removes tangles from the brush. I was told this method is new to Roborock, so it will be interesting to see how well it works in testing. While this is a neat and useful upgrade, the brush isn’t the show’s star. That honor belongs to the robotic arm that folds up inside the top of the unit. Roborock is calling this arm the OmniGrip.
Before, there was fear and concern over the OmniGrip being dangerous. It moves slowly and has a gripping capacity of 300 grams or about 10.5 ounces. You won’t have to worry about it carrying off your pets or ripping fixtures off the wall. Plenty of objects fall under the capacity limit, and the robot arm comes in handy when taking care of those items.
Hands-free pickup
Leave it to the bot
When the Roborock Saros Z70 releases later this spring, it will have two modes for the OmniGrip: automatic and manual. In automatic mode, the robot uses AI to sort items it finds on the floor. Roborock has used AI recognition for years in products like the Qrevo Curv to help it see stuff on the floor and avoid running it over. During the presentation, we were told that the cameras on the Z70 are not sending images back to Roborock and that it is a one-way street where the company can send new data to the vacuum, but it won’t send what it sees back to Roborock.
In automatic mode, the Saros Z70 can handle two sorting tasks. One is for slippers. I hope that it isn’t only slippers. However, it was unclear at the demo where to designate a spot within that app where you want the vacuum to place the shoes it finds. The other mode is for stuff, which can be small pieces of trash or socks. Those items go into the Roborock bin, which you place in your chosen location. We were told you won’t have to use the Roborock bin in the future.
During its cleaning cycle, the robot picks up and sorts the items as it cleans. The other option is to have the vacuum leave the objects on the floor, move them out of the way onto a cleaned path beside it, and continue cleaning. It was interesting watching the robot go around the floor, stop at an object, deploy the OmniGrip, and grab things from the floor.
Pick it up yourself…
While keeping your hands clean
Sometimes, it’s best to take matters into your own hands, but not with your actual hands. Switching to manual mode, you can control the vacuum and the OmniGrip to pick up anything within the device’s limits. While it’s best and easiest to drive the Saros Z70 when you can see the device and item you want to pick up, you can operate the unit remotely using the onboard cameras.
There are cameras on the front of the vacuum and between the grabbers on the end of the arm. Using the on-screen controls to navigate to the item you want to pick up, you’ll then control the arm. Though not overly difficult, there is a learning curve to understand which joint you need to move and how far. Depth perception is challenging, but that is less of an issue with the device and more of how our brains work.
I think it will be fun to use when playing with pets. I can see picking up a string with the OmniGrip, then driving backwards, so I can still see from the camera, and have my cat chase it. Maybe even a laser pointer! I have to keep it away from my dog because it would become a very expensive chew toy. Roborock says it will continue training the Saros Z70 to recognize more items. Until then, there’s manual mode.
An exciting future
After some hiccups
The Roborock Saros Z70 is a very exciting device. Aside from being a top-tier vacuum and mop combo, the OmniGrip adds more possibilities. While there will be some bumps along the road for this new technology, seeing companies push the envelope of what’s possible in these devices is fantastic. I’m sure some smart people will get their hands on this vacuum and open up interesting ideas, and that will hopefully inspire more features from Roborock.
I’d like to see options to save a pre-planned route and actions, such as getting a beverage and bringing it to me on the couch. Maybe save a route where it goes to windows I tend to open on nice days, pause at each one, and use the camera to show me if the window is open or closed. This could save me a trip from walking all around my house to check. There are many opportunities for what could be possible with this new system, and seeing what the future smart home could look like has made me hopeful.
