My job is one in which companies make big promises and rarely follow through. In that respect, it's remarkable that Roborock launched the Saros Z70 with OmniGrip at all. A robot vacuum with a retractable arm that can identify, pick up socks, and put them away seemed like such a big leap forward that I have to applaud Roborock for releasing it for consumer purchase at all. That said, the robot arm … doesn't really work. At least, it doesn't in my home, which is exactly the type of home that would call for a helpful robot arm. I've been testing it for two months now, and Roborock's machine learning hasn't helped it out yet.

The list of things that robot vacuums can do right now continues to grow. They can make an accurate map of your home so they don't bump into things. They can empty themselves and recharge themselves. They can reach under your couch to clean up crud. Many have dual mopping-vacuuming functionalities to wipe up your dog's muddy footprints.