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Test of the Roborock Saros 10, worthy successor to the S8 Maxv Ultra which evolves in continuity

Test of the Roborock Saros 10, worthy successor to the S8 Maxv Ultra which evolves in continuity

Sold at 1500 euros, the Saros 10 is a bit like the S8 MaxV Ultra of 2025. If we omit the future Saros Z70 with its robotic arm announced at CES which will be released later in the year (and should be much more expensive), the Saros 10 tops the new range. It benefits from several developments. It was designed to pass under a maximum of furniture; not only is it the thinnest in the catalog (less than 8 cm), but in addition, its LiDAR retracts into its chassis when approaching this type of obstacle. To wash floors, it uses a new generation vibrating mop, which it can leave in its station when dusting carpets or operating in vacuum-only mode. Finally, Roborock promises that the accuracy of the obstacle recognition system has been improved.

The Saros 10 comes in two versions: one equipped with a traditional multi-function station (which we tested), the other delivered with a station that connects to a water inlet and a drain so you no longer have to empty the dirty water collector and fill the clean water tank. The range also includes a Saros 10R, launched at the same price, which is distinguished by the use of two rotating pads instead of a mop and its different navigation system.

A maximum of technologies, old and new

The Saros 10 inherits the flagship technologies already found on recent models. These include the "AdaptiLift" lifting chassis, which allows it to navigate steps and thresholds of 3 to 4 cm, and the DuoDivide anti-tangle main brush, divided into two parts (the Qrevo Curv was equipped with this). Like the S8 MaxV Ultra, it has a FlexiArm side brush, which extends to better dust corners, and a mini rotating mop on the side of the chassis that complements its new generation vibrating mop.

The Saros 10's navigation system has evolved to allow it to pass under lower furniture. Unlike the Saros 10R, which dispenses with traditional LiDAR to use the new Starsight navigation system, the Saros 10 uses a retractable one. This technology, called RetractSense, was designed so that the robot is not blind when its LiDAR is retracted into the chassis. Better still: Roborock even promises that all the elements implemented (LiDAR, camera, front and side lights) allow the Saros 10 to gain in precision in its navigation and its apprehension of obstacles.

Return to a more traditional design

Exit the rounded lines of the Qrevo Curv. The multifunction station returns to a more classic rectangular design. This one is not particularly bulky for a multifunction model. As a reminder, it performs the now usual functions of automatically emptying dust into a bag, it manages the automatic mixing of water and detergent, the refilling of the robot with water, the washing of the mops with hot water and their drying. The two tanks are on top of the station, now hidden under a hatch. As for the dust bag and the detergent tank, they are placed behind a push-pull hatch, at the front. In addition to the alerts sent by the app, a discreet red light illuminates on the front if, for example, clean water needs to be added or dirty water needs to be emptied.

The entire perimeter of the station is matte black, matching the robot, while the front is glossy black. As is often the case, the station tends to attract dust and pet hair, which are clearly visible on the matte black; plan to dust it often.

Very simple implementation supported by practical smart tracking

As is often the case, setup is very quick. The base comes almost fully assembled; simply clip the platform onto it. Connecting the Saros 10 to the WiFi network is also quick and easy (either using a QR code to present in front of the robot's camera, or manually). Then, all that's left is to launch a quick mapping of the home via the app. During these first steps, Roborock guides the user and asks a few questions to set the basic parameters: presence of animals, multi-story house, carpets, do not disturb mode settings, etc. It took the Saros 10 barely 8 minutes to create a map of our entire home, with a rather relevant "pre-cut" of the rooms.

As soon as the mapping is complete, the app offers us the option to personalize the result by naming the map, modifying the rooms (names, divisions, etc.), adding prohibited zones, indicating the location of furniture and the type of flooring. This is very practical for novice users. After a first complete cycle, the Saros 10 has enriched the map; it has recognized a certain number of pieces of furniture and objects such as our sofa, our armchair, the table and chairs, the TV stand, etc. It also attempts to identify rooms based on the furniture identified, but not always in a relevant way this time (it identified our kitchen and our bathroom). In any case, we can easily refine the map in a few clicks, with the level of detail we desire. We can simply divide the rooms carefully, name them, and possibly place prohibited zones. In our opinion, this is a minimum and we highly recommend it to take advantage of the possibilities of customizing room-by-room cleaning. You can go further by indicating the type of floor, the position of the furniture, etc., but it's not mandatory. This is what we already appreciated during our test of the S8 MaxV Ultra: you can go very far in customizing the mapping and parameters, but you can also settle for the minimum and let the robot do the rest.

A wasp waist rather well used

To improve their robots, all manufacturers are working on the famous "pain points," including the inability to pass under certain pieces of furniture. This is why all brands have launched a race for thinness. In this case, with the Saros 10, Roborock has succeeded in its bet since the robot is only 7.98 cm thick. To achieve this, it uses a motorized LiDAR that retracts into the chassis when approaching low furniture. The robot is not plunged into darkness, however. The LiDAR continues to apprehend the environment with a 100° field of vision, supplemented by the elements through which it perceives obstacles, namely its camera, as well as a front and side "structured lighting" system. To prevent the robot from scratching surfaces or getting stuck, the upper part of the LiDAR is equipped with a contact sensor. This way, it can both measure the height of furniture and react if it passes under inclined areas (for example, under a staircase).

In practice, the RetractSense technology is triggered appropriately, for example, when approaching our bookcase, which allows the robot to pass perfectly underneath and come out without hindrance. Knowing that some models have difficulty assessing the height of this piece of furniture, try to pass under it and get stuck there. Passing under our coffee table or under our kitchen trolley is no problem either. It also retracts its LiDAR when approaching the lowest curtains, allowing it to clean edges without considering these curtains as obstacles. We notice that it also does this when coats placed on chair backs hang down to the floor. However, like almost all robots on the market, the Saros 10 still refuses to go under our sofa even though it would have the space. It ventures to the edges without entering them entirely. On the map, at the end of the cycles, the areas where the LiDAR has lowered are marked with purple hatching.

A little more precise in the perception of small objects

This model is equipped with the Reactive AI 3.0 obstacle recognition system. Roborock promises that obstacles are detected near and far, that the robot reacts more quickly (for example, if an animal passes by or an object falls in front of it), and that thanks to structured light, not only from the front but also from the sides, there are no more blind spots. This would allow the Saros 10 to clean, for example, along unfolded cables or irregularly shaped edges.

In complex areas where there are fixed objects—for example, under our living room table where there are the table legs and those of the four chairs to navigate around—it is still as efficient as its predecessors. It navigates around each leg carefully, quickly, without hesitation, and without missing any areas, something few robots manage to do. It has gained in precision, especially in grasping the smallest objects. For example, previous models had difficulty seeing our cats' thin bowls, while the Saros 10 sees them very well. Likewise, it sees some of our pets' toys that the others ignored. However, the smallest ones escape its vigilance, and it pushes or rolls over them, risking getting stuck, while some robots manage to see them (notably the Narwal Freo Z Ultra, which is especially adept at seeing tiny obstacles). Fabrics are well identified and avoided, even in the dark where the robot turns on its projector to navigate.

Overall, all objects seen by the Saros 10, whether identified or not, are avoided fairly closely, except for those that could pose a problem, for example, certain toys that it confuses with animal droppings. In this case, it takes a margin and leaves a large uncleaned area all around. Note that in the application, it is possible to adjust the robot's behavior ("less collision" tab) so that it is more or less gentle or insistent with crossed obstacles.

Finally, regarding cables, we were a little disappointed because the promise is not completely kept. It is true that the Saros 10 gets tangled up in them less, especially those along walls and which it approaches from the side, but the system is not infallible. When it "sees" the cables, it identifies them very well and avoids them. The problem is that it doesn't see them systematically. It depends on their color, how they are positioned and how it approaches them. If it misses our taupe cable on the gray parquet every time, it also missed a thick white cable on white tiles and several times a navy blue cable on a gray floor, which we can't explain. It then rolls over it and drags it behind it... Moreover, when it sees unrolled cables, contrary to what Roborock suggests, it doesn't always follow them; rather, it takes a margin of about twenty centimeters, as shown in some screenshots of the app. So for cable management, it's better but not yet perfect.

Quite good at identifying what it crosses on its path

As for object recognition, the same goes: it's quite effective without being infallible. If you allow it, in addition to tags corresponding to recognized objects that can be found on the map, the Saros 10 also takes photos. It has sometimes confused certain objects (often small toys that it takes for excrement). But overall, it turns out to be quite good, identifying shoes and cables very well when it sees them, as well as fabrics (dust cloths, socks, etc.); it also recognizes animals, even from a distance. Apart from the occasional cable tangle, the few identification glitches don't hinder the Saros 10's progress in the home (something we criticized the Qrevo Curv for).

We did, however, notice a few software oddities that could probably be fixed with updates. After a certain number of passes, it eventually identifies new objects like the animals' "bowls," their cat tree, or their litter box, which it enters on the map. We're a little surprised that, unlike furniture, they aren't saved and disappear during subsequent cycles. It's a shame, especially when you know that it's possible to activate a more thorough cleaning function around pet items. If you want to include them on the map, you have to use the furniture addition function...

Another point already made during our previous tests of the brand's robots: it's a bit of a shame that you can no longer view the photos or the details of the obstacles in the history, after the fact. You can only do this for the last cycle, but after that, you can't go back to it in detail. You only have access to the icons.

Vibrating mop: not completely silent but efficient

The Saros 10 can wash floors with water or with water and the brand's detergent. It mixes the mixture itself in the correct proportions. As always, even with its high-end robots, Roborock provides very few accessories, notably no detergent—which is always a shame at this price point (especially considering that, at the same price, its competitor, Dreame, is much more generous). With the Saros 10, you only get a spare dust bag. The Saros 10 features a large, new-generation vibrating module (Vibrarise 4.0). The vibration zone is said to be larger, and the new mop is more absorbent. As a backup, a mini rotating mop allows you to clean edges, like the one already fitted to the S8 MaxV Ultra. We prefer the vibrating mop over the rotating pads, as the latter sometimes leave visible marks against the light and the washed strips do not always overlap perfectly. No such problem here. Inside the rooms, the floors are washed quickly and without any missed areas.

On the other hand, the mini mop, which ensures efficient cleaning of edges or the contours of objects, is not attached to an extendable arm (perhaps on the next generation?); it therefore does not reach corners and nooks.

The dirty area rewash function also works very well (although it did not convince us during our test of the Qrevo Curv). The robot finds them, indicates them on the map and goes over them as often as necessary, for example until it removes dried ketchup stains. Note that this function must be activated in the application; it is not by default.

Although we find the results of the vibrating mop more convincing, we must point out that its operation is not completely silent. You can hear it vibrating on the floors, which produces a sort of constant buzzing (the higher the friction intensity, the more the noise increases), while washing floors with pads is almost completely silent. It is difficult to imagine washing with the Saros 10 at night or in a baby's room while they are napping, for example.

Powerful and efficient suction, respectful of carpets

The Saros 10 gains even more suction power, reaching 22,000 Pa. Suffice to say that it has no difficulty vacuuming dust, pet hair, or thick dirt like cat litter, for example. On hard floors, it makes short work of them. No problem with carpets either, where it can activate a boost mode. This function can be activated in the application, which also offers a number of them for carpets and rugs. From this point of view, it is increasingly complete.

The extendable side brush deploys wisely when the robot approaches corners and nooks, allowing it to collect the dust that often lodges there.

Among the interesting new features offered by the Saros 10, it can now separate from its mop module to leave it in its station when it is not needed – a function initiated by Dreame on its L20 Ultra. It does without it in vacuum-only mode and also when washing carpets if the option has been activated. In this case, the robot starts by vacuuming the carpets without its mop, which avoids getting them wet or dirty, while making it easier to overcome obstacles.

It should be noted that on this model, all the elements can be lifted depending on the dirt being vacuumed and the circumstances: the vibrating mop, the mini mop and the side brush (in the case of spilled liquid, the latter does not soak in it, in particular).

The Roborock app: ever more complete and quite intuitive overall

The application is extremely complete, allowing you to customize absolutely all the usage parameters, as well as the mapping. Overall, the app is quite ergonomic and easy to use, despite some translation errors which remain even if they are becoming increasingly rare. Most of the functions are accessible from the home page, especially the most frequently useful ones. The fact that the user is guided step by step during the first uses is a real plus.

We still regret the somewhat strange classification of certain functions. For example: the carpet cleaning options are not all very understandable or well organized. The option to unhook the mop before dusting the carpets is not easy to find, for example.

Similarly, as we've been complaining about for a while now, the "vacuum then mop" function sequence isn't available in the other modes, but rather in the uses (while you get better results by using the two functions separately). Furthermore, we didn't find this use tab very practical to use. You have to add recommended uses to your favorites, and then customize them if necessary. But for example, although we looked, we couldn't find how to start a washing task after vacuuming for a single room... Too bad.

Otherwise, the customization possibilities and functions are numerous, including video that can be activated remotely with two-way audio to see what's happening at home, with a patrol option among other things.

Pet owners are still given special features such as taking photos of pets when the robot passes them, recognizing hairballs to avoid jostling them or identifying their excrement... The video also offers a "search" function for pets.

Easy and reduced maintenance but far from non-existent

As always, the multifunction base manages a good part of the maintenance and upkeep operations, allowing them to be widely spaced (dust removal, water refilling, dirty water drainage, mop washing, etc.) but not do without it. In this case, the automatic mop wash (main and mini mop), followed by drying (the duration of which is adjustable from 2 hours to 4 hours), is very effective. The mops remain impeccable at the end of our tests, even after cleaning traces of dried ketchup. You can opt for intelligent washing, meaning that the quantity of water and the washing duration are adapted according to the degree of dirtiness of the mops - this is, in our opinion, the most effective. It is a shame that the water temperature setting (hot, warm or room temperature) is not as automated as on some robots; it is up to the user to choose this parameter.

As on the Qrevo Curv, there is an arc-shaped side brush as well as an anti-tangle main brush, in two twisted parts (DuoDivide). Nothing to report about the side brush except that it is screwed on, just like the mini mop. To clean them, you will need a screwdriver. As for the main brush, if the hair doesn't wrap itself around it, pet hair tends to get caught in its bristles. This is less practical than the all-rubber rollers of the S8 MaxV Ultra. As for the robot, you will also need to clean its filter and dust bin from time to time – good point, both are washable with water. You can rely on the app, which provides maintenance reminders for all parts of the robot and the base.

It's mainly the station that needs cleaning, especially the scrubbing board. The brush that scrubs the main mop is easily detachable for washing. It tends to retain hair, especially pet hair. As for the small space in which it is housed, which also needs to be cleaned, it is not very easy to access. You also need to wash the base filter often, which traps all the impurities, including a lot of hair and animal fur (at the bottom of the station, on the right), without forgetting to wipe under this filter, an area that gets dirty quickly. The spiked support used to scrape the mini mop is also detachable and washable, but it is less likely to get dirty. At this price point, we can hope for developments in future generations to reduce and facilitate the maintenance of the station.

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