I tested the Roborock Saros 20, and I'd trust it for the next decade

pros and cons

Pros

• The Roborock Saros 20 features a beardown 36,000 Pa of suction.
• It tin ascent up to 3.46 inches successful a mates of step-ups.
• The robot is debased capable to acceptable nether furnishings that others can't reach.
• It has improved entity avoidance, suction, and mopping portion keeping the aforesaid price.

Cons

• At $1,600, this is connected the higher extremity of the terms range.

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I've tested plentifulness of Roborock robot vacuums, and I've experienced the institution steadily improving its robots each year. Last year, Roborock wowed the astute location satellite with a mechanical limb to prime up obstacles from the floor. There were 2 large flagship robot vacuum and mop combinations past year, and Roborock lone built connected that success.

Also: Finally, I recovered a robot vacuum that leaves my two-year-old exemplary successful the dust

The Roborock Saros 20 is the brand's latest flagship robot vacuum and mop combination. It looks rather akin to the Saros 10R, but it's truthful overmuch much -- successful each way.

Deep clean

The Saros 20 features 36,000 Pa of suction, which translates to improved cleaning connected carpet, specifically. In my tests, I recovered that the Saros 20 was much effectual astatine cleaning heavy into carpet fibers, including good particulate and favored hairsbreadth that gets trapped debased successful carpet.

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While the robot vacuumed beauteous good connected hardwood and low-pile carpet successful our laboratory tests, it picked up astir doubly arsenic overmuch soil from medium-pile carpet arsenic the Saros 10, and 5 times arsenic overmuch arsenic the Saros 10R. Overall, the Saros 20 was the best-performing robot connected medium-pile carpet crossed each the robot vacuums we've tested.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Obstacle avoidance

As the robot navigates your floors, it tin present amended observe and debar obstacles than its predecessors, which is simply a large triumph for the brand. Roborock flagships bash precise good with obstacle avoidance, but the Saros 20 is adjacent amended astatine avoiding objects that are traditionally pugnacious for robot vacuums, similar wrappers and tissues.

Also: The champion robot vacuums for 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

Similarly, the Saros 20 avoided cords connected the level 91% of the clip successful my tests. It lone got caught connected a bladed achromatic charging cord that was lying astir level connected the acheronian wood floor.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Transitions

The Saros 20 tin besides ascent larger thresholds than its predecessors. While it's not a robot vacuum that tin spell upstairs (that'd beryllium the Saros Rover prototype), it tin grip transitions up to 3.4 inches crossed treble thresholds. I person a precocious threshold starring to my sunroom, and the Saros 20 is the archetypal 1 to successfully ascent implicit it.

Rocky

Like older Roborock models, the Saros 20 besides comes with the Rocky dependable assistant, which lets you power the robot with your dependable by saying 'hey Rocky.' 

It tin recognize much commands than erstwhile you power your robot with a third-party dependable assistant, similar Alexa oregon Google (or, much recently, Gemini), since it tin enactment connected circumstantial scenarios similar cleaning successful beforehand of the sofa oregon successful the eating room.

ZDNET's buying proposal

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Having tested the latest Roborock flagships, I've noticed the biggest upgrade with the Saros 20 connected medium-pile carpet, particularly erstwhile tackling embedded ungraded and favored hair, arsenic good arsenic successful the mopping feature. These upgrades are astir evident due to the fact that the robot already performs precise good portion vacuuming hard floors and low-pile carpet.

Also: The champion Roborock vacuums 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

I'd urge the Roborock Saros 20 to shoppers looking for the apical show without compromising -- particularly if you're prepared to wage apical dollar. This robot is champion suited for homes with mixed flooring oregon mostly hardwood, and you'll get your money's worthy if you person medium-pile carpets oregon rugs. The Saros 20 is the benignant of robot vacuum that you tin bargain and program to support for a decennary (or longer).