I’ve tested so many robot vacuums that they’ve started to merge together – but Roborock’s new flagship model definitely stands out from the crowd

A few years ago, robot vacuums were clunky appliances that would often create more problems than they solved. Fast forward to today, and robot vacuum cleaners are on a whole new level. They're more popular than ever, and they're also more powerful than ever.

Enter: the Roborock Saros 20 Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop. As the brand's new flagship model, it claims to be its most powerful robot vacuum to date. And as Ideal Home's Certified Expert in Vacuums, I took it upon myself to test that claim. And whether it deserves a place in my best robot vacuum cleaners guide. This is everything you need to know.

In a nutshell

With 36,000Pa of suction power, the Roborock Saros 20 officially takes the crown as the most powerful robot vacuum cleaner I've ever tested.... and by a hefty margin, too. It was this suction power, combined with the impressive rotating mop pads, that resulted in efficient, effective cleaning of all floors during testing.

Equipped with all of the smart technology you could want, it can successfully map out a home, detect and recognise over 300 obstacles to avoid collisions, clean under furniture thanks to its low profile, and even use its extendable mop pads to clean right up to the edge of each room. The new AdaptiLift Chassis also helps it glide over high thresholds with ease.

However, that’s a drop in the water when you consider all of the other features and customisation options this robot vacuum and mop combo offers. This means that you can easily tailor it to your home and needs, making it an extension of yourself as it cleans your space. Then, the auto-empty dock will continue the hard work by charging, emptying, refilling, and drying the relevant components.

And while there are many benefits to this all-powerful robot vacuum, the Roborock Saros 20 isn’t perfect. For a high-ticket appliance, I was a little miffed to find that there wasn't any cleaning solution provided, and there’s no denying it could be overkill for the everyday user who just wants a robot vacuum cleaner that’ll get the job done with minimal app interaction.

Because of this, I’d say it suits those looking to upgrade an older model, rather than first-timers looking to finally add their first robot vacuum cleaner to the mix.

Specifications

• Max. run time: 200 mins
• Suction power: 36,000Pa
• Bin volume: 2L
• Mop function: Yes
• Multi-level mapping: Yes
• Charge time: 2.5 hours
• Noise levels: 63dB in use (tested by us)
• Dimensions: 47.5L x 48.8W x 38.1H cm
• Weight: 16.05kg
• Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

Like almost every other robot vacuum cleaner I’ve tested, the Roborock Saros 20 arrived on my doorstep in a rather large and hefty box. At 21kg, it wasn’t exactly easy for me to carry over the threshold, but Roborock has at least made it more efficient by adding built-in handles on the sides of the box.

Inside the main box, the components were split into two: the bot, dock base, mop pads, and the instruction manual were encased in a smaller box (protected by a cardboard scaffold), and the main docking station was wrapped in plastic.

Using the printed ‘Quick Start’ guide included within the box as my point of reference, I then assembled the robot vacuum by clicking the dock base to the main dock (which they have dubbed the ‘RockDock’), connecting the power cord to the back of it, and placing it in its new home. For me, this was on the hard flooring in my dining room, right underneath a plug socket.

And while you can put the Roborock Saros 20 anywhere, it’s worth noting that with all robot vacuums, you should always keep them on a hard, flat surface - and Roborock suggests keeping it 0.4m away from the nearest carpet or rug.

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The disposable dust bag was already pre-installed, so I didn’t have to fiddle with it, but I did fill the clean water tank with cold water as recommended, then lifted the lid of the dirty water tank. I was pleasantly surprised to find two spare dust bags and spare roller mop pads stashed in here - a nice touch for when it’s time to replace them.

One niggle I did have was that Roborock’s instructions mention adding the cleaning solution, and there’s even space for a dedicated cleaning solution cartridge hidden behind the dust container cover. However, Roborock does not supply this. And while you can buy this Roborock 1L Floor Cleaning Solution from Amazon for £25.99, I really do think Roborock could have added a free one into the mix.

After all, this isn’t a cheap model, and the brand doesn’t recommend using any other cleaning solution. And if they’d have offered a freebie, I would definitely be more likely to continue buying it in the future.

Despite this slight grumble, I continued the setup process by downloading the Roborock app and connecting it to the robot vacuum. This took just a couple of minutes, and then I let the bot loose on its initial mapping quest, which allowed its StarSight Autonomous System 2.0, advanced 3D ToF sensors and RGB vision to understand everything it needed to know about the downstairs of my house - including different rooms, furniture, boundaries, and more. All in all, the mapping took under 10 minutes.

Ease of use

This isn’t the first Roborock robot vacuum cleaner I’ve tested, so I’m already familiar with the app. But one of the slight issues I had with the older Roborock QV 35S Robot Vacuum With Mop still holds true with this new flagship model. After all, the Roborock app and its accompanying features are extensive.

For the average person - and especially those who are new to robot vacuum cleaners - this will be overwhelming. But I am conscious that anyone dropping over £1,000 on the Roborock Saros 20 probably wouldn’t be a newbie. So, those already au fait with robot vacuum cleaners will see this customisability as a major win, rather than a negative.

As well as allowing you to set up voice commands and connect to Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Siri, the app also lets you customise your settings to suit your every need. You can set up cleaning routines, adjust the bot and dock settings, set up a schedule, edit your maps and set up no-go areas, and even turn on Do Not Disturb.

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There’s not enough time in the day for me to explain all of the settings available in the app. But for me, personally, there were just too many options to choose from - especially when it came to water levels and suction power. All in all, there are five vacuum modes and a whopping 30 water flow levels for mopping, and I found myself questioning my choices more often than I’d like.

Despite this, I can appreciate how useful this could be for those who love to play around with robot vacuums and their settings. And one of my favourite features was the ‘Pin n Go’ option, which allows you to spot clean a particularly dirty area - or tackle a single spill instead of cleaning the entire floor. All you have to do is drop the pin by the mess and let it work its magic.

I also like how the AI and smart technology are the overall driving forces of this new model, but it can be easily overridden if something isn’t quite right or you’d like to edit something. It can also add a fun element into the mix, with the ‘remote viewing’ option allowing you to ‘call’ the Saros 20 and view your home through the onboard camera.

All in all, ease of use is easy enough when you know what you’re doing - but it definitely takes a lot of playing around and experimenting to get to that point.

Performance

When testing any robot vacuum, I always like to use it as naturally as possible to mimic how the everyday user would experience it. But as we take how we test vacuums at Ideal Home very seriously, I start by putting it through a series of dedicated tests.

First up is the debris test, where I throw cereal and rice on the floor to assess its suction and cleaning power - and the Roborock Saros 20 Robot Vacuum performed exceptionally well. It picked up every speck of debris that came in its path and cleaned in a predictable pattern that showcased its smart navigation technology. I wasn’t surprised, though. With 36,000PA of suction power, it was bound to be a winner.

I then moved on to the mopping test, in which I squirted some tomato sauce onto my floors (yes, this is a stinky job!) to see how well it would remove more viscous debris. Thankfully, the rotating mop pads tackled the tomato sauce in just a few passes, and there was no visible trace left behind - although, as no cleaning solution was provided, the smell lingered.

The final test was the obstacle detection test, which tests a robot vacuum’s ability to navigate around any obstacles that come in its way - an important test for average households that regularly leave things like toys, shoes and other obstacles on the floor. And once again, the Roborock Saros 20 really impressed me.

Not only did it detect and avoid the dumbbell I put in its path, but instead of veering far away from the obstacle (as some robot vacuums do), it stayed close by. This meant that it didn’t hit it, but still cleaned the immediate surrounding areas.

With these tests passed with flying colours, I then continued to use the Saros 20 as the main robot vacuum cleaner in my house for the next two weeks. And one thing that I really appreciated was the confidence that I had in it. In fact, I felt like I could happily leave it to its own devices without having to chase it around the house to make sure it wasn’t hitting anything or getting stuck.

Not only that, but the robot vacuum's slimline design meant it could easily fit under furniture. This is because this new model doesn’t have a LiDAR dome on the top, so it stands at just 79.8mm tall. This, coupled with the robot vacuum's impressive extendable arm for edge cleaning, meant that almost every inch of my house benefited from its cleaning power.

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Of course, one of the Saros 20’s selling points is its ability to climb higher thresholds than its predecessors - without losing suction in the process. And while I will say that its AdaptiLift Chassis allows for better manoeuvrability over thicker rugs and floor changes, it still couldn’t clear the 4cm threshold between my living room and kitchen. However, this model is definitely the closest I’ve come to finding one that will!

All in all, I can’t really fault this robot vacuum's performance, and I did rate its cleaning power. Is it a bit overkill for the average home? Perhaps. But I guess it’s always better to have more than you need than to have too little.

Cleaning and maintenance

One of the reasons why I’ll always believe that robot vacuums are worth it is because they require so little cleaning and maintenance - and this is certainly true for the Roborock Saros 20. This is largely thanks to the large dust bag that holds up to 65 days’ worth of debris and the automatic dust-emptying system. The auto-refilling function also means that it’s always ready to mop, too.

Of course, anyone familiar with robot vacuum cleaners and mop combos will know that this isn’t anything special - but the Roborock Saros 20 doesn’t stop there. It offers so much more, making it one of the most hands-off robot vacuums I’ve ever tested.

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From the 100-degree hot mop pad washing and dock self-cleaning to the 50-degree warm air mop drying, and the dust bag fresh air drying (which supposedly helps to prevent mould and odour build-up), it does all of the hard work for you. Couple that with a rapid 2.5-hour charge, and this really is a winner.

In fact, the only niggles I have with cleaning and maintenance are, once again, that no cleaning solution was provided and that the bot itself is a nightmare for fingerprint marks. But that’s something a clean cloth can tackle in no time.

How does it rate online?

The Roborock Saros 20 is still a relatively new addition to the market, so there are limited reviews available so far. At the time of writing, it has four reviews on the Roborock website, with all four of them giving the new robot vacuum a perfect 5-star review.

There are more reviews on Amazon, with 105 global ratings and an average rating of 4.2 out of 5. Overall, customers praise the suction and mopping power, stating that it offers a quick and effective clean - particularly on hard flooring.

Users also seem to love the extendable arm for cleaning edges and corners, and found the obstacle avoidance to be impressive. However, some have complained of receiving a faulty unit, which they have taken up with Roborock.

How does it compare to similar models?

It first makes sense to compare the Roborock Saros 20 with another Roborock model I’ve previously tested in my home - the Roborock QV 35S Robot Vacuum With Mop. And in terms of appearance, these two robot vacuum mop combos look almost identical.

There are some major differences, though - including the price. The QV 35S is significantly cheaper at £499.99, so it is a much more desirable price point in my opinion (especially for those just taking the plunge into robot vacuums). But if cleaning power is the determining factor when buying a new robot vacuum, the Saros 20 is definitely the better option.

The Saros 20 has almost four times the suction power of the QV 35S and way more customisability options in the app. Because of this, it’s the superior option for results.

It’s also worth comparing it to the robot vacuum I’ve currently crowned the ‘best overall’ robot vacuum cleaner - the Eufy Omni E25, which retails at £849 (but is regularly on sale for much less). In terms of suction power, Eufy offers much less at 20,000Pa, but I will say that the mopping capabilities are just as impressive.

However, I do think the Eufy is more user-friendly and offers the perfect amount of cleaning power for everyday cleaning. So, the question comes down to whether that’s enough or whether you want something a little more advanced.

Verdict: Should you buy the Roborock Saros 20?

In terms of cleaning power, I really can’t fault the Roborock Saros 20. This Roborock robot vacuum is powerful not only in suction power, but also in its mopping ability and all of the other features that help it clean a home - from the edge cleaning technology to the intelligent obstacle avoidance.

The hands-free auto-empty dock is also a major plus, requiring very little cleaning and maintenance and ensuring the robot vacuum is ready to go whenever you need it. Because of this, I do think it’s a worthy investment for those who will appreciate an efficient and complex robot vacuum that can be customised to their home and needs.

If you’re new to robot vacuums, this might not be the right option for you - unless you’re willing to put a lot of time into understanding the intricacies of the app and all of the features available.