I test robot vacuums for a living and this new Roborock is one of the best I've seen

I’ve tested many robot vacuums and began my journey into the market over six years ago with an entry-level Roborock vacuum and mop. While that simple robot vacuum was a far cry from the flagship models available today, getting a robot to sweep and mop my floor was a game changer for me and the company behind the device, Roborock. Fast forward to today and Roborock Saros 10R is another game-changer for the company.

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The Saros 10R is one of two flagship robot vacuums and mops that Roborock released this year. I’ve been testing the 10R for over a week and am pleasantly surprised with the results, especially as a robot vacuum reviewer who tests multiple robots monthly. 

Setting up the Roborock Saros 10R is easy enough. The robot quickly paired with the Roborock app and the dock is heavy but easy to maneuver. The initial mapping run took only 11 minutes to map 742 square feet; the same area took my Roomba Combo 10 Max 84 minutes to map. 

The robot gracefully and quietly vacuums, even with its 22,000Pa of suction power set to the highest setting, and maneuvers around furniture and obstacles easily. I’ve run the device daily, and it’s only gotten its brush roller caught three times: once with a one-inch tall penguin toy and twice with a kids’ rubber bracelet. Otherwise, the robot is good at avoiding socks, wipes, and small toys too big to get suctioned into its dustbin.

Out of all the robots I’ve tested, the Saros 10R is the one that has best avoided charging cables on the floor. I set up this robot upstairs, where I’ve rarely been able to keep a robot vacuum running on a schedule because of how many messes my kids leave in their rooms and mine. 

The upstairs bedrooms also have nightstands with all our chargers, yet the Saros 10R made quick work of cleaning around them.

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The dock itself is not an eyesore, which is a big compliment for this type of self-emptying and self-washing robot vacuum and mop combination. The dust bag is housed directly above where the robot docks and separate dirty and clean water tanks sit atop, with everything housed behind a mirrored pewter gray panel. 

The robot is only 3.14 inches tall, making it short enough to fit under low-lying furniture, like dressers and benches. But this robot can also navigate high thresholds of up to 4cm, so it can quickly go over my desk’s sled legs instead of getting stuck on them like most of the robots I’ve tested or avoiding them entirely, as the minority of robot vacuums do.

The Roborock app has plenty of customization options to tailor your cleaning sessions to your liking and is one of the most intuitive robot vacuum apps I’ve ever used. 

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The voice assistant, perhaps one of my favorite features built within the Saros 10R, goes by Rocky. Saying ‘Hey, Rocky’ wakes the robot and lets you give it a command, like ‘clean the kitchen’ or ‘return home’ without opening the app on your phone.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Roborock Saros 10R is perfect for homes with complex layouts or fast-changing environments. Whether you have kids who constantly leave toys around, a housemate who leaves charging cables everywhere they sit, or a spouse who takes off their socks wherever they are, the Saros 10R can handle these challenges on the fly and adjust its path accordingly.

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Of course, this is also the perfect robot vacuum and mop for anyone looking for a hands-free solution to their floor cleaning, thanks to the auto-emptying dustbin and the self-washing and drying mop pads.