I Dreamed of a Robot That Sorted My Socks, But This $2,600 Vacuum Isn't It (Yet)
The Saros Z70 is priced at $2,599, making it one of the most expensive robot vacuums I've seen. You can buy two robot vacuums for this price.
The most notable feature is the OmniGrip mechanical arm designed to pick up and sort items. It also has strong vacuuming and mopping capabilities, excellent mapping, and the ability to cross thresholds.
The mechanical arm has several issues, including difficulties picking up objects, navigation problems, and software bugs. There were also connectivity issues during setup.
Cleaning my hardwood and carpet.
Ajay Kumar
Pros
Good vacuuming on hardwood
Brush roller does not get tangled with dog hair
Very low profile and fits under pretty much everything
Quiet operation
Works well with pets
Chassis lift prevents it from getting stuck most of the time
Cons
Dust bin is too small
Water tank is too small
Mopping performance isn't great
Obstacle avoidance needs some improvement
Roborock
I wanted to love the Roborock Saros Z70. Never before have we seen a robot vacuum with a mechanical arm meant to pick up objects and help you clean before it vacuums and mops. As someone who has three cats, I found this incredibly appealing. I test and write about vacuums for a living. When we first saw the Roborock Saros Z70 at CES earlier this year, we all knew we were witnessing something special.
CNET even chose it as one of our best of CES awards. I spent several hours with it in New York City during a demo, giving me fairly high hopes for its time and labor-saving potential.
I tested it at my cluttered apartment for the better part of a month and so did my colleague and lead lab tester, Jared Hannah at his home. The reality is, the Saros Z70 certainly has a lot of promise. It vacuums and mops like a champ, can cross thresholds and obstacles as effectively as the Dreame X50 Ultra, and has great mapping and pet recognition in my home.
The OmniGrip arm picking up my wife's sock.
Ajay Kumar
However, when it comes to its signature feature -- the robot arm -- we found it's still not ready for showtime. Right now, the Saros Z70 is fairly limited in its ability to pick up very small objects like pet toys and kid's toys. On occasion, it did recognize and attempt to pick up cat toys it found scattered around my home, but it was never able to succeed at that. Often, it would deploy the arm, then detect my cat or some other object nearby and freeze, blaring 'Error 69,' forcing me to manually reset the arm. At one point, it even tried to pick up my standing desk mat before realizing it wasn't a compatible object and giving up.
Roborock tells us they are aware of the issues and are actively working on software fixes that will roll out in June and July. Here are my impressions after a month of testing and whether it's worth its $2,600 price tag.
Roborock
My experience with Saros Z70
We tested the Saros Z70 at CES 2025, at a live demo, at our New York City Office space, at CNET's testing lab in Louisville KY and most recently at my home. My biggest takeaway from my real-world home test versus my other experiences with this robot vacuum is the various issues with the mechanical arm, its struggle to pick up objects, navigation problems, and software bugs. It cleaned great as a regular robot vacuum and mop, but I couldn't rely on the arm's sorting capabilities.
'Yeah, it seems like it's basically a beta version of the arm,' said Hannah, who was testing the Z70 at the same time as me. 'They should do a bit more development before it's ready for the masses. I would get the error if the arm bumped something while moving an object. It sensed that there was too much resistance, so I think it was doing what it was supposed to, but it seems like that would end up being a common occurrence.'
The Saros Z70 got scratched up after trying to clean under the desk chair.
Ajay Kumar
Vacuuming and mopping: Strong performance, good sand/litter/hair pickup; mopping with clean/dirty tanks and hot air drying is effective.
Strong performance, good sand/litter/hair pickup; mopping with clean/dirty tanks and hot air drying is effective. Special features: The OmniGrip arm is the standout special feature, though currently unreliable. I found operational issues during my home testing. It struggled to pick up certain objects, especially pet toys, but I had much better luck with socks. Not only was the Saros Z70 able to identify my wife's purple socks and pick them up off the hardwood floor in the bedroom, but it also began to transport them to my designated shoe-drop-off area that's set up in the foyer. The problem was that partway on this journey, it gave up somewhere between the hallway and the kitchen, dropping the sock, acting like the job was complete, and continuing its regular cleaning cycle.
The OmniGrip arm is the standout special feature, though currently unreliable. I found operational issues during my home testing. It struggled to pick up certain objects, especially pet toys, but I had much better luck with socks. Not only was the Saros Z70 able to identify my wife's purple socks and pick them up off the hardwood floor in the bedroom, but it also began to transport them to my designated shoe-drop-off area that's set up in the foyer. The problem was that partway on this journey, it gave up somewhere between the hallway and the kitchen, dropping the sock, acting like the job was complete, and continuing its regular cleaning cycle. Mapping and navigation: It generated a 2D and 3D map of my space, automatically tagging the rooms (bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen), flooring type (hard surface and carpet) and identifying certain pieces of furniture like my couch, TV stand and bed. It also marked notable thresholds in my space where extra effort would be required to cross. You can remap it or tell it to remap a specific room if you're not happy with the result, but it did a great job for me the first time around.
It generated a 2D and 3D map of my space, automatically tagging the rooms (bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen), flooring type (hard surface and carpet) and identifying certain pieces of furniture like my couch, TV stand and bed. It also marked notable thresholds in my space where extra effort would be required to cross. You can remap it or tell it to remap a specific room if you're not happy with the result, but it did a great job for me the first time around. Software and app: The app isn't the most straightforward tool to use, with a profusion of settings and nested menus that allow you to adjust just about everything the robot can do, from the dustbin emptying and mop washing frequency, to cleaning patterns, obstacle photos, enabling the robotic arm and more. Just about everything the robot can do is customizable, but I wish all these features and settings were a bit more front and center rather than tucked away in the lengthy settings menu.
The app isn't the most straightforward tool to use, with a profusion of settings and nested menus that allow you to adjust just about everything the robot can do, from the dustbin emptying and mop washing frequency, to cleaning patterns, obstacle photos, enabling the robotic arm and more. Just about everything the robot can do is customizable, but I wish all these features and settings were a bit more front and center rather than tucked away in the lengthy settings menu. Design and aesthetics: Low-profile design, good for fitting under furniture, but can lead to scratches.
Low-profile design, good for fitting under furniture, but can lead to scratches. Ease of use: Setup had connectivity issues; once set up, basic functions are easy, but advanced settings are complex.
Roborock
The specs
Price: $2,599
$2,599 Object weight limit (OmniGrip Arm): 300 grams rated load; approximately 700 grams actual load capacity during our testing.
300 grams rated load; approximately 700 grams actual load capacity during our testing. Threshold crossing height: Capable of crossing thresholds up to approximately two inches.
Capable of crossing thresholds up to approximately two inches. Cleaning time: (Ajay's apartment, 850 sq ft): 1.5 to 2 hours for a full vacuum and mop session.
(Ajay's apartment, 850 sq ft): 1.5 to 2 hours for a full vacuum and mop session. Cleaning time: (Jared's house, 1,200 square feet) : 2.5 to 3 hours for a full vacuum and mop session on the main level.
(Jared's house, 1,200 square feet) 2.5 to 3 hours for a full vacuum and mop session on the main level. Mapping time (Ajay's apartment, 850 sq ft): 16 to 18 minutes for initial mapping.
(Ajay's apartment, 850 sq ft): 16 to 18 minutes for initial mapping. Sand pickup performance on hardwood: 82.46%, this is excellent hardwood performance, falling just shy of our best overall, the Ecovacs Deeboth T30S Combo (85%).
82.46%, this is excellent hardwood performance, falling just shy of our best overall, the Ecovacs Deeboth T30S Combo (85%). Sand pickup performance on carpet (Midpile): 51.77%, this surpasses the Dreame X50 Ultra (44% mid-pile)
51.77%, this surpasses the Dreame X50 Ultra (44% mid-pile) Sand pickup performance on carpet (Low-Pile): 51.06%, which comes close to matching the Shark Power Detect NeverTouch Pro (54.5%).
51.06%, which comes close to matching the Shark Power Detect NeverTouch Pro (54.5%). Voice command compatibility: The app can be connected to Amazon Alexa for voice commands.
The app can be connected to Amazon Alexa for voice commands. Customizable: The app allows for a wide range of customization, including dustbin emptying frequency, mop washing frequency, cleaning patterns, obstacle photos, and enabling/disabling the robotic arm.
The app allows for a wide range of customization, including dustbin emptying frequency, mop washing frequency, cleaning patterns, obstacle photos, and enabling/disabling the robotic arm. Mapping features: The app displays the 2D and 3D maps generated by the robot, allows for room tagging, furniture identification, and setting "no-go" zones. It also identifies pet areas and allows for "Pet Area Cleaning."
The app displays the 2D and 3D maps generated by the robot, allows for room tagging, furniture identification, and setting "no-go" zones. It also identifies pet areas and allows for "Pet Area Cleaning." Wi-Fi connectivity: The robot needs to connect to Wi-Fi for setup and app control.
The robot needs to connect to Wi-Fi for setup and app control. Dual spinning mopping pads: The robot uses a pair of dual spinning mopping pads that attach and detach from the docking station.
The robot uses a pair of dual spinning mopping pads that attach and detach from the docking station. Clean and dirty water system: Uses clean water for mopping and collects dirty water in a separate tank, ensuring cleaner mopping.
Uses clean water for mopping and collects dirty water in a separate tank, ensuring cleaner mopping. Mopping pad cleaning and drying: Mopping pads are washed and hot-air dried at the base station between cleaning sessions.
Mopping pads are washed and hot-air dried at the base station between cleaning sessions. Mopping modes: The "Vacuum+Mop" mode vacuums first and then mops the entire space. There are options for Deep cleaning, Pet Area and an AI-powered SmartPlan.
Saros Z70 docked
Ajay Kumar
CNET's buying advice
For the time being, I am holding off on scoring, rating or recommending the Saros Z70. While it excels at vacuuming, mopping, and navigation, the core feature – the OmniGrip arm – is not yet reliable enough for me to fully give an opinion on this product as a whole. Roborock told CNET it plans to roll out software updates in June and July that are expected to positively change my experience. Some of the anticipated improvements include improved grab point optimization, smarter sorting optimization, and new pickup categories like sports shoes.
It is hard to ignore the $2,599 price tag. I argue that for the price, you could purchase two or three excellent standard robot vacuums and mops, like the Yeedi M12 Pro+, or a comparable high-performing model such as the Dreame X50 Ultra -- both on CNET's best robot vacuums best list.
If all you care about is strong vacuuming, mopping and obstacle avoidance: The Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo is currently CNET's "best overall robot vacuum.
Roborock
Without a fully operational and reliable OmniGrip arm, I can't justify its value for the cost at this time.
'The arm is a neat feature to watch, but I personally don't find it very useful,' said Hannah. ' I feel like if the robot is smart enough to avoid obstacles such as shoes and socks, I don't need it to try and pick them up and move them. As long as the robot doesn't get stuck on anything during its cleaning cycle, that's good enough for me.'
If the OmniGrip arm is your primary reason for considering the Saros Z70, I recommend you wait for future software updates or consider alternatives until that feature is more refined.
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In fact, I have a lipoma, which is not cancerous and occurs in 1 in every 1,000 people. Which my licensed doctor told me. I'm not saying there are no good uses of ChatGPT for health: It can help you draft questions for your next appointment, translate medical jargon and organize a symptom timeline so you walk in better prepared. That could help make doctor visits less overwhelming. However, AI can't order labs or examine you, and it definitely doesn't carry malpractice insurance. Know its limits. 2. Handling your mental health ChatGPT can offer grounding techniques, sure, but it can't pick up the phone when you're in real trouble with your mental health. I know some people use ChatGPT as a substitute therapist -- CNET's Corin Cesaric found it mildly helpful for working through grief, as long as she kept its limits front of mind. But as someone who has a very real, very human therapist, I can tell you that ChatGPT is still really only a pale imitation at best, and incredibly risky at worst. It doesn't have lived experience, can't read your body language or tone and has zero capacity for genuine empathy -- it can only simulate it. A licensed therapist operates under legal mandates and professional codes that protect you from harm. ChatGPT doesn't. Its advice can misfire, overlook red flags or unintentionally reinforce biases baked into its training data. Leave the deeper work, the hard, messy, human work, to an actual human who's trained to handle it. If you or someone you love is in crisis, please dial 988 in the US, or your local hotline. 3. Making immediate safety decisions If your carbon-monoxide alarm starts chirping, please don't open ChatGPT and ask it if you're in real danger. I'd go outside first and ask questions later. Large language models can't smell gas, detect smoke or dispatch an emergency crew, and in a fast-moving crisis, every second you spend typing is a second you're not evacuating or dialing 911. ChatGPT can only work with the scraps of info you feed it, and in an emergency, it may be too little and too late. So treat your chatbot as a postincident explainer, never a first responder. 4. Getting personalized financial or tax planning ChatGPT can explain what an ETF is, but it doesn't know your debt-to-income ratio, state tax bracket, filing status, deductions, long-term goals or appetite for risk. Because its training data may stop short of the current tax year, and of the latest rate hikes, its guidance may well be stale when you hit enter. I have friends who dump their 1099 totals into ChatGPT for a DIY return. The chatbot can't replace a CPA who'll catch a hidden deduction worth a few hundred dollars or flag a mistake that could cost you thousands. When real money, filing deadlines, and IRS penalties are on the line, call a professional, not AI. Also, be aware that anything you share with an AI chatbot will probably become part of its training data, and that includes your income, your Social Security number and your bank routing information. 5. Dealing with confidential or regulated data As a tech journalist, I see embargoes land in my inbox every day, but I've never thought about tossing any of these press releases into ChatGPT to get a summary or further explanation. That's because if I did, that text would leave my control and land on a third-party server outside the guardrails of my nondiscloure agreement. The same risk applies to client contracts, medical charts or anything covered by the California Consumer Privacy Act, HIPAA, the GDPR or plain old trade-secret law. It also applies to your income taxes, birth certificate, driver's license and passport. Once sensitive information is in the prompt window, you can't guarantee where it's stored, who can review it internally or whether it might be used to train future models. ChatGPT also isn't immune to hackers and security threats. If you wouldn't paste it into a public Slack channel, don't paste it into ChatGPT. 6. Doing anything illegal This is self-explanatory. 7. Cheating on schoolwork I'd be lying if I said I never cheated on my exams. In high school, I used my first-generation iPod Touch to sneak a peek at a few cumbersome equations I had difficulty memorizing in AP calculus, a stunt I'm not particularly proud of. But with AI, the scale of modern cheating makes that look remarkably tame. Turnitin and similar detectors are getting better at spotting AI-generated prose every semester, and professors can already hear "ChatGPT voice" a mile away (thanks for ruining my beloved em dash). Suspension, expulsion and getting your license revoked are real risks. It's best to use ChatGPT as a study buddy, not a ghostwriter. You're also just cheating yourself out of an education if you have ChatGPT do the work for you. 8. Monitoring up-to-date information and breaking news Since OpenAI rolled out ChatGPT Search in late 2024 (and opened it to everyone in February 2025), the chatbot can fetch fresh web pages, stock quotes, gas prices, sports scores and other real-time numbers the moment you ask, complete with clickable citations so you can verify the source. However, it won't stream continual updates on its own. Every refresh needs a new prompt, so when speed is critical, live data feeds, official press releases, news sites, push alerts and streaming coverage are still your best bet. 9. Gambling I've actually had luck with ChatGPT and hitting a three-way parlay during the NCAA men's basketball championship, but I'd never recommend it to anyone. I've seen ChatGPT hallucinate and provide incorrect information when it comes to player statistics, misreported injuries and win-loss records. I only cashed out because I double-checked every claim against real-time odds, and even then I got lucky. ChatGPT can't see tomorrow's box score, so don't rely on it solely to get you that win. 10. Drafting a will or other legally binding contract As I've mentioned several times now, ChatGPT is great for breaking down basic concepts. If you want to know more about a revocable living trust, ask away, but the moment you ask it to draft actual legal text, you're rolling the dice. Estate and family-law rules vary by state, and sometimes even by county, so skipping a required witness signature or omitting the notarization clause can get your whole document tossed. Let ChatGPT help you build a checklist of questions for your lawyer, and then pay that lawyer to turn that checklist into a document that stands up in court. 11. Making art This isn't an objective truth, just my own opinion, but I don't believe that AI should be used to create art. I'm not anti-artifical intelligence by any means. I use ChatGPT for brainstorming new ideas and help with my headlines, but that's supplementation, not substitution. By all means, use ChatGPT, but please don't use it to make art that you then pass off as your own. It's kind of gross.
