Roborock Saros 20 review

Roborock Saros 20: Introduction

• Type: Vacuum and mop
• Docking: Self-clean, self empty
• Navigation system: StarSight Autonomous System 2.0

Rather than loading its latest flagship with questionable new features, Roborock has focused on improving the fundamentals.

The Saros 20 gets more suction, better obstacle climbing and stronger mopping, all controlled through one of the best robot vacuum apps around.

It is not a dramatic upgrade over the previous generation, but if you want a robot that can tackle almost any floor or layout, the Saros 20 is difficult to beat.

Design and components

• Climbs thresholds up to 8.7cm
• Dual rotating mop pads
• StarSight Autonomous System 2.0

Last year, Roborock launched two near-identical flagships: the Saros 10 and Saros 10R. This time, there is just one model.

The Saros 20 takes more inspiration from the 10R, replacing a traditional LiDAR dome with the front-facing StarSight Autonomous System 2.0. This uses 3D ToF sensors to map and navigate its surroundings.

Without a raised dome, the robot stands just 79.8mm tall, helping it slide beneath sofas, sideboards and other low furniture. The Saros 10 could retract its LiDAR sensor to achieve something similar, but the Saros 20’s simpler design has fewer moving parts. In testing, navigation was every bit as reliable.

Front-mounted cameras help the robot recognise and avoid common household objects.

Underneath, there are two rotating microfibre mop pads. One uses Roborock’s FlexiArm system to extend beyond the body, cleaning along cupboards and beneath overhangs.

The split DuoDivide main brush is designed to guide hair towards its central opening, where it can be sucked into the bin instead of wrapping around the roller. A second FlexiArm powers the side brush, allowing it to reach along edges and into corners.

The biggest upgrade is the AdaptiLift Chassis 3.0. As well as pushing down its main wheels to raise the body, the Saros 20 has additional legs that provide extra height.

It can climb a two-stage threshold measuring up to 8.7cm, split across a 4.5cm first step and 4.3cm second step. That was not enough for the large step in my Victorian home, from the kitchen to the hallway, but it allows the robot to cross obstacles that would stop many rivals.

AdaptiLift also lets the Saros 20 clean carpets with a pile height of up to 3cm.

Its floor management is equally flexible. In vacuum-only mode, the robot can leave its mop pads at the dock. While mopping, it can lift the main roller to stop collected dust from staining the floor.

When carpet is detected, the Saros 20 can raise its mop pads and, when required, lift its body. That makes it particularly well suited to homes with a mixture of hard flooring, carpets and rugs.

The new Roborock Dock handles emptying and maintenance. It washes the mop pads using water heated to 100°C, with a separate tank provided for cleaning solution, although none is included.

The dock can soak the pads for a deeper clean and dries them with 55°C air after use. Its replaceable dust bag can hold up to 65 days of dirt, with a spare bag and two additional mop cloths included.

App and controls

• Powerful app
• Furniture acts as quick-select zones

The Roborock app remains a highlight. An initial mapping run takes only a few minutes, automatically dividing the map into rooms and adding furniture spotted by the camera.

Rooms can be split or merged, while furniture, thresholds, no-go zones and pet areas can all be added manually. Furniture also works as a useful cleaning shortcut, making it easy to target areas such as the space around a dining table.

Cleaning can cover the entire map, selected rooms or a specific zone. AI SmartPlan can choose the settings automatically, or you can pick between vacuuming and mopping, mopping only, vacuuming only, or vacuuming followed by mopping.

There are four standard suction settings, plus MAX+ in vacuum-only mode. Mop water flow has 30 levels, which feels excessive. It is hard to imagine many people noticing a meaningful difference between adjacent settings.

Most modes support one or two passes and three routing options. Routines add further control, letting you combine different settings for individual rooms.

Deeper settings enable automatic re-mopping, stain detection and closer cleaning beneath furniture or into corners. The Saros 20 can also return to areas previously blocked by people or pets.?

Performance

• Superb suction
• Excellent stain removal

The Saros 20 delivers a claimed 36,000Pa of suction, making it one of the most powerful robot vacuums that I have tested.

That power translated into excellent results. After two passes at maximum power with carpet boost enabled, it removed all of the flour from my test rug. The result was comparable to cleaning with a regular handheld vacuum.

It was equally effective on hard flooring, collecting the dust placed in the middle of the room without trouble.

Edge performance was good rather than perfect. The Saros 20 collected most of the dust but left a small amount farther from the wall. This was picked up during mopping, producing an excellent overall result.

With re-mopping and stain detection enabled, the robot adjusted its route and passed over marked areas several times. It can also raise its front wheel to increase pressure through the rear mop pads.

Coffee and red wine stains disappeared after a single mopping pass. Loose dirt was vacuumed from the mud test before the remaining mark was removed by the mop.

Ketchup proved more challenging. The first pass dramatically reduced the stain, while two additional runs removed almost all of what remained. One final pass finished the job, with just a bit of help by pre-soaking the stain with kitchen cleaner.

The Narwal Flow performed slightly better in this test, but its vacuuming and edge cleaning were not as strong.

Navigation was consistently excellent. The Saros 20 avoided cables, shoes and fake pet mess, while its lifting chassis helped it climb over the sled feet beneath desks without becoming stuck.

At 58dB, it is also quiet enough to run while you are sitting in the same room.

Battery life is rated at 200 minutes on the lowest setting. Even with stronger suction and repeated vacuuming and mopping passes, there was more than enough power for spot-cleaning jobs.

Final thoughts

The Saros 20 does not offer enough to justify upgrading from a Saros 10 or 10R. For anyone with an older or less capable robot, however, it is an exceptional all-rounder.

It vacuums brilliantly, tackles difficult stains and moves confidently across mixed flooring and awkward layouts. It is expensive, but few robot vacuum cleaners are this flexible or consistently capable, but you can find cheaper options in the guide to the best robot vacuum cleaners.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Robot cleaners usually live within an ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. And they are designed to offer a range of different cleaning options. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a robo cleaner for a week and deliver a verdict.

Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular smart cleaning machine compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our guide on how we test robot vacuum cleaners to learn more.

FAQs

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