Roborock Saros 20 vs Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 — Which premium robot vacuum is worth the money?

Recently, on my hunt for the best robot vacuums, I came across the Roborock Saros 20, the brand's new flagship model. One thing came to mind, “This looks a lot like my Shark robot vacuum at home.” And while the two share similarities, their performance and cleaning features are wildly different.

As with most things, the vacuum that’s right for you comes down to a matter of personal preference. So, let’s take a look at the differences in the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 ThermaCharged NeverTouch Pro and the Roborock Saros 20.

Roborock Saros 20 vs Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1: Specs

Roborock Saros 20 vs Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1: Price & availability

The Roborock Saros 20 is available at Amazon for $1,599 / £1,309. This is Roborock’s brand-new, premium flagship model, and it comes with all the bells and whistles to make your home cleaning as streamlined as possible. While the brand has some budget offerings like the Roborock Q10 S5+, the Saros 20 is for anyone ready to make an investment in home maintenance.

The Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 ThermaCharged NeverTouch is available at Amazon for $1,299 / £949, which is a little cheaper than the Roborock. Again, the Shark has all the bells and whistles, but the Roborock edges into the lead slightly with better obstacle avoidance skills, and with that technology comes an increased price tag.

That said, it all depends on how advanced you want your home tech to be. That extra bit of cash spent on the Roborock could make all the difference in your cleaning experience.

Winner: Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1

Roborock Saros 20 vs Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1: Design

Both of these robot vacuums are severely good looking, and there really isn’t that much separating them in size either; the dock of the Roborock is just an inch bigger in height, width and depth than the Shark.

The robots are the same diameter, at just under 14 inches, but the Roborock is slightly slimmer at 3.1 inches compared to the Shark’s 3.5 inches. This may not seem like much, but if you have some low-to-the-ground furniture you need to clean underneath, you have a better chance with the Roborock.

Both models have a clean-water and a dirty-water tank in their docks, but the cleaning solution needs to be manually added to the Shark; the Roborock adds it automatically as needed.

Both vacuums also have a small platform to help with ‘parking’ when returning to the dock. They both also have a slot for the mop to detach itself when not needed (which I’ll talk about more a little later).

The self-emptying bin is where these models start to differ. The Shark uses a bin that you remove and empty, but the Roborock uses a dust bag design. This comes down to personal preference, but you will need to replace the dustbags over time.

The Saros 20 wins me over because it has AdaptiLift Technology, which uses the wheels to easily lift itself over tougher terrain. And the FlexiArm design means that the side sweeping bristles actually extend out from the body of the vacuum cleaner. This gives better reach and coverage for areas that the vacuum can’t quite get to.

Winner: Roborock Saros 20

Roborock Saros 20 vs Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1: App & mapping

Both robot vacuums are compatible with a companion mobile app. This means you can control them right from your smartphone without moving from the sofa (which is my favorite thing about robot vacuums).

Both of the apps work in similar ways, with quick mapping, zone settings, and scheduling options. But the Saros 20 brings a bit more intelligence to the table.

It can identify obstacles like room thresholds and literally climb over them by deploying two small arms. The Saros 20 also uses mapping and sensor technology to identify specific obstacles. It will automatically name your sofa to give a better picture of the room in the app. Also, as you use the vacuum over time, the robot’s knowledge of the area will improve and better inform it.

The Roborock Saros 20 also has some of the best navigation I’ve seen. It was actually like watching a dance as it moved around the table legs and detected and transitioned from carpet to hard floor.

But enough of me gushing over its waltzing abilities — it didn’t bump into a single thing, and even avoided people walking right in its path. The Shark finds this kind of disturbance a little more confusing.

Winner: Roborock Saros 20

Roborock Saros 20 vs Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1: Vacuum & mop performance

It’s no secret that I love the Shark’s cleaning performance. It’s become the go-to in my home for tackling any spills or crumbs… but the Roborock Saros 20 does one heck of a good job too. While the suction power isn’t disclosed for the Shark vacuum, the Roborock has a suction power of 36,000Pa. That’s pretty powerful, and it’s not even that loud.

When the Saros 20 has the mop attached, it lifts itself off the carpet to avoid getting it wet. The Shark does this too. Both robots also leave the mops behind in the dock station. I love this feature in particular as it means I don’t have to fuss with removing the mop when it’s wet.

The Shark mops with a pad that moves from side to side. This is effective and gets my floors sparkling. But the Saros 20 uses two circular pads that rotate and add pressure in areas where stains are detected. The two pads can also move out from under the robot to get right up close to the edges of the room.

Winner: Roborock Saros 20

Roborock Saros 20 vs Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1: Maintenance

Luckily for me — someone who hates touching anything dirty — both of these vacuums are totally self-sufficient. I never want to have to think about how much bacteria could be on a mop pad. They look after themselves until the dust bin or bag is full, and then it’s just a case of emptying them into your bin and putting them back in the dock station.

The Shark vacuum uses 185ºF water to clean the mop pad in the dock. This kills bacteria, and then to stop any damp smells from happening, the dock uses 175ºF air to dry the mop pad.

The Roborock Saros 20 uses 212ºF hot water to clean the mop pads and then dries them with 131ºF air.

Winner: Tie

Roborock Saros 20 vs Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1: Which should you buy?

So as you can tell, there’s not that much in it. They both look pretty much the same and share very similar dimensions too. But the Roborock Saros 20 just beats out the Shark with its technical advancements, like the ability to climb over thresholds and identify specific obstacles.

The extra attention to detail with the extending mop pads and side sweeping brush also makes the Saros 20 an ideal choice for getting dust and debris from hard-to-reach spots. And for a navigation experience that is nothing short of majestic, the Saros is the obvious winner.

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