Roborock · Smart Home · Reviewed by George Langabeer · Published 2026-05-18
Based on a review by George Langabeer (accessed 2026-05-18).
This page converts George Langabeer's review of the Roborock Roborock Saros 20 into structured evidence — timestamped claims, pros & cons, and buyer questions. It is not the original review and does not replace watching or reading the full source.
Product Evidence hub pending. This is currently the only analysed source for this product. A full evidence hub becomes available once a second qualifying source is processed.
Brand relationship disclosed as: gifted
The reviewer concluded that only about 50% of the original issues with the Roborock Saros 20 were fixed in the production model. He stated he "just can't endorse the S20 still" due to persistent problems with dog poop obstacle avoidance and inconsistent spill cleaning, expressing significant disappointment compared to his past positive experiences with Roborock products.
This video is a follow-up review of the Roborock Saros 20 robot vacuum and mop. The reviewer tests a production model with final firmware after an initial review of a pre-production unit resulted in numerous issues. The review focuses on whether previously identified problems, such as obstacle avoidance, navigation, and cleaning performance, have been resolved.
The Roborock Saros 20 robot vacuum and mop is disappointing despite efforts to fix initial issues, as it fails to address critical cleaning and obstacle avoidance problems. While the production unit significantly improved cable avoidance under furniture, preventing accidental unplugging, and fixed random navigation on carpets, key issues persist. It consistently fails the fake dog poop test by running over and smearing the mess, and its suction power struggles with heavier debris like peanuts, often leaving them behind or dragging them across the floor. If you prioritize reliable obstacle avoidance for solid messes and consistent suction for various debris, this model is not worth the investment. However, if your primary concern is systematic carpet cleaning and avoiding cables, it offers some improvement over its pre-production counterpart.
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hands_on_demopositivet=04:15–05:00
The second, production unit of the Roborock Saros 20 successfully navigated under tight spaces and recognized obstacles like cables, avoiding them. This was a significant improvement compared to the first unit, which would run right over them and cause issues.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
hands_on_demonegativet=05:00–06:10
The second vacuum consistently failed the fake dog poop test, running right over it or getting it stuck underneath and circling, which would have spread real dog poop everywhere. This issue remained unfixed from the first unit.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
hands_on_demopositivet=06:10–07:20
In carpet first mode, the production unit recognized spills in its path as obstacles and went around them, preventing spreading. This was a crucial fix, as the first unit would drive through spills and potentially ruin rugs.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
hands_on_demoneutralt=07:20–08:50
The second vacuum consistently avoided the specific area under the sink where an Aqara water leak sensor was located, never approaching it. This made it impossible to determine if it would have treated the sensor as an obstacle or pushed it around like the first unit did.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
hands_on_demopositivet=08:50–09:40
The second vacuum operated correctly in carpet mode, navigating in a systematic up-and-down pattern and cleaning edges nicely. This resolved the issue from the first unit, which would wander aimlessly and take too long to complete rooms.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
measurement_testmixedt=09:40–11:20
During the peanut test, the second vacuum would only pick up one or two peanuts at a time, eventually gathering most but not all, and often dragging them. The reviewer noted that vacuums with lower stated suction power performed better in this specific test.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
hands_on_demomixedt=11:20–12:50
For smaller spills, the second vacuum sometimes picked them up and eventually finished the job after cleaning its mop pads. However, it never cleaned them immediately upon detection.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
hands_on_demonegativet=12:50–13:20
In a specific bathroom spill test, the second vacuum completely avoided the spill, treating it as an obstacle and never returning to clean it, despite being set to detect and clean such spills. This was a critical failure of its mopping function.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
hands_on_demopositivet=13:20–14:40
The second vacuum successfully sucked up clumps of hair every time it went over them, and upon inspection, no hair was tangled in the brushes. This feature worked as advertised, unlike the inconsistent performance of the first unit.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
comparisonnegativet=14:50–15:40
The reviewer expressed deep disappointment with the Saros 20's performance, stating he "absolutely positively adore the Soro's 10R, the model before this." This highlights the Saros 20's perceived inferiority compared to previous Roborock models.
Source location: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNpP2xVK5AE
The production unit of the Roborock Saros 20 demonstrated improved ability to avoid general obstacles like cables in tight spaces, successfully navigating without contact. However, it repeatedly failed the fake dog poop test, running over the simulated waste, getting it stuck, and potentially spreading it, indicating a significant flaw in its obstacle avoidance for certain types of objects.
In carpet-first mode, the Saros 20 successfully recognized and avoided spills in its path, preventing them from being spread on carpets. However, its general spill cleaning performance was inconsistent: it might eventually clean smaller spills after cleaning its mop pads, but in a specific bathroom spill test, it completely avoided the spill, treating it as an obstacle and never cleaning it.
Despite boasting high suction power, the Roborock Saros 20 performed inconsistently in the peanut test. It would only pick up one or two peanuts at a time, often dragging them around, and took a long time to collect most. The reviewer noted that other robot vacuums with less powerful specifications achieved better results in the same test.
The production model of the Roborock Saros 20 successfully handled hair, consistently sucking up clumps without any tangling found on its brushes. This indicates that its specific hair detangling technology is effective and performs as intended.
75/100 source quality
In this follow-up review, the creator revisits the Roborock Saros 20 robot vacuum and mop, testing a production unit provided by Roborock. The initial pre-production unit suffered from numerous failures, which Roborock attributed to beta firmware. The reviewer re-evaluates key performance aspects including obstacle avoidance, carpet-first mode functionality, navigation, suction power, spill cleaning, and hair detangling through a month of daily tests. While some issues were resolved, significant problems remained, leading to a largely negative overall assessment of the production model.
Full transcript is not redistributed here to respect the original creator’s rights.