[Mania] Moba Z60 Ultra Roller: A "Companion Robot Vacuum" That Crosses 8cm Thresholds

Hands-On with the Moba Z60 Ultra Roller
A Robot Vacuum That Crosses Thresholds Up to 8cm
Automatically Detects Carpets and Lifts the Mop
Sensitive Obstacle Detection and Effective Corner Cleaning

Robot vacuum cleaners, now dubbed one of the "Five Essential Aunts," have become a must-have home appliance. As more Chinese companies enter the Korean market, domestic consumers are gaining a wider range of choices. Among these, the Chinese electronics company Moba is a newly launched brand in Korea as of last month. I personally tested Moba’s ambitious new robot vacuum cleaner, the 'Z60 Ultra Roller,' for three days.

The first impression of the Z60 Ultra Roller was its clean appearance, similar to other robot vacuum cleaner models. Available in both white and black, the base station that automatically washes the mop is also color-matched, so it did not disrupt the interior design. However, including the station, it requires a generous space of 42 cm in width and 43.5 cm in depth-about the size of a microwave oven.

Mobile robot vacuum cleaner 'Z60 Ultra Roller'. Photo by Park Jooni.

The first step was to download the company's own app, 'Mobahome,' and register the product by scanning the QR code attached to it. After registration, the app used GPS to map out the home's interior layout, furniture, and obstacles. Through the app, I could clearly see the actual path the robot vacuum took around the house, as well as which obstacles prevented it from cleaning certain areas. It was convenient to designate specific zones to clean first by looking at the house layout and setting the cleaning order accordingly.

A view of the interior structure of a house recognized through the 'Mobahome' app. The 'Z60 Ultra Roller' shows the cleaning trajectory in real time. Photo by Park Jooni.

Before starting to clean, the app allowed me to set various cleaning preferences. For example, I could choose to close the mop cover when cleaning carpets to prevent them from getting wet, or activate a function that automatically rotates the mop pad outward when cleaning along wall edges. In addition, detailed customization was possible for ▲cleaning mode ▲suction power ▲moisture level ▲path, and more.

The purified water tank inside the base station of the Moba robot vacuum cleaner 'Z60 Ultra Roller' and the container where wastewater is discharged after cleaning. Photo by Park Jooni.

After completing the settings, I filled the water tank inside the station. Then, turning on the main power button activated the base station’s automatic mop washing function. Inside the station, there are two 240ml water tanks-one for clean water and the other for collecting wastewater, which only needs to be emptied occasionally after cleaning. As the robot vacuum moved around the house, it could return to the station for automatic recharging and mop cleaning, making it very convenient.

The Z60 Ultra Roller is also equipped with voice recognition. When I called out “Hey, MOVA” toward the robot vacuum, it responded, “I’m here.” After that, I could directly instruct it to wash the mop or start cleaning. Language settings included Korean, Chinese, and English. However, in actual use, except for “Hey, MOVA,” it often misinterpreted commands to start cleaning as something else, which was disappointing.

At a press conference last month, Moba showcased the Z60 Ultra Roller’s 'StepMaster' function, which can cross thresholds up to 8 cm high, drawing significant attention. Among commercialized products, including those from the Chinese electronics company Dreame, this is the highest threshold-crossing capability. In practice, the Z60 Ultra Roller automatically recognized and easily crossed tall obstacles and carpets. After recognizing the height of an obstacle, a support that looked like a front leg would extend and adjust its angle, moving as if lifting its front leg to climb over.

The 'Z60 Ultra Roller' overcoming a tall object using the 'StepMaster' function. Photo by Park Jooni.

Besides tall obstacles, it also sensitively detected objects lying flat on the floor. Even if an object it had previously recognized was moved to a new location, it immediately detected the change. Its free movement and autonomous cleaning gave the impression of raising a “companion robot” at home. However, if there were too many obstacles, it could not enter that space, so it is recommended to clear some items from the floor before operating the robot vacuum for optimal cleaning.

In spaces with corners, the single-arm beam shaped like a claw would extend to clean. Most dust, hair, and small debris were thoroughly cleaned. Even debris under tables could be removed thanks to the long arm. Since it’s not always possible to remove all obstacles or furniture, there are limits to cleaning every corner with a robot vacuum. However, it seems highly effective for general cleaning to prevent dust and debris from accumulating on the floor.

The single-arm beam shaped like a claw of the 'Z60 Ultra Roller' is shown cleaning. Photo by Park Jooni.

When the robot vacuum moved onto a carpet, it recognized the carpet and the sound of suction increased. According to Moba, the 'Auto Shield' function detects carpets, lifts the mop, and deploys a barrier to block moisture.

The biggest advantage of using a robot vacuum cleaner is that it frequently handles the tedious task of mopping the floor. Once the cleaning zones and order were set, it would roam around, vacuuming and mopping the floor on its own. I even spilled thick yogurt on the floor, and the Z60 Ultra Roller went over the spot several times until it was completely cleaned.

The 'Z60 Ultra Roller' wiping off foreign substances spilled on the floor. Photo by Park Jooni.

Most notably, features targeting pet owners stood out. By selecting the presence of pets in the app settings, the robot could detect movement and avoid pets while cleaning. When the camera function attached to the device was turned on, it could be used as a home camera to monitor the house while away. At the bottom of the camera screen, there were buttons to recognize pets and to talk to them, enabling remote communication. Purchasing a dedicated cleaning solution for pet odor removal allowed the use of a special cleaning mode that eliminated both stains and odors.

However, as with other products equipped with cameras, there are concerns about potential security vulnerabilities. For users worried about security, selecting the “Do not agree to use” button before activating the camera function could offer some peace of mind. Still, this is a risk inherent to all robot vacuum cleaners, not just this product, and something users must accept when using such devices. For those comfortable with camera use, the app allows you to rotate or directly control the robot vacuum’s movement.

Turning on the camera function while cleaning the interior of the house through the Mobahome app. Photo by Park Jooni.

With various features such as threshold crossing, mopping, and GPS recognition, the price is not modest. The launch price is a hefty 1.78 million won. However, for consumers who have thresholds or obstacles at home and want to conveniently mop large floor areas, this premium product with its wide range of features may be worth trying.