At CES, where companies not only imagine but actually demonstrate concepts that define what our lives may look like in years to come, Chinese company Roborock offered a sneak peek at what could become one of the most practical breakthroughs in home robotics in years: an autonomous vacuum cleaner that doesn’t just avoid stairs, but actively climbs and cleans them.
Still in development, the company’s Saros Rover represents a true industry breakthrough.
“We’re really excited about this product,” said Katie Leonowitz, Roborock’s public relations manager for North America. “Not only does it climb stairs, but it also cleans the stairs as it goes, which is the first robot model in the market that can do so.”
“It’s really exciting stuff because obviously, as you clean your home and it goes between different floors, there are still those in-between area that the user has to handle themselves,” she said.
That distinction — cleaning while climbing — is what separates Roborock’s prototype from earlier stair-climbing concepts that focused more on mobility than utility. In most multilevel homes, robotic vacuums still stop short at the edge of a staircase, leaving users to manually tackle those in-between gaps.
While still in research and development, Roborock brought its Saros Rover working prototype to CES to demonstrate both its ambition and its progress.
“We have a pretty good prototype, so that’s why we wanted to show it at CES,” Leonowitz said. “We expect there are going to be slight improvements made throughout the next year or so. Hopefully in 2027 we can see a little bit more.”
That timeline underscores CES’ role as a showcase for forward-looking ideas in addition to finished consumer products.
Yet, Roborock’s presence wasn’t just about the future.
The company already holds a strong position in the robotic vacuum market, with a broad lineup of products currently in homes across the globe; the company is already escalating its product portfolio well beyond solely indoor cleaning.
“We’re expanding not just our indoor cleaning line but also outdoor cleaning,” she said. “Our yards are something that also take a lot of time for us to maintain and look all nice.”
Among those outdoor innovations are new robotic lawnmowers, with three different models designed for a range of yard sizes and complexities. According to Leonowitz, Roborock is combining satellite navigation with lidar to handle everything from wide-open lawns to more challenging, tree-filled environments.
“The satellite technology is good for larger yards, maybe yards that don’t have as much dense foliage,” she said. “Then lidar is good for more complicated terrain or yards and can tackle those trees, because it can communicate with the robot and make sure it’s navigating and getting every single square inch of your yard.”
Like the stair-climbing vacuum, these lawnmowers emphasize coverage and autonomy. They also feature four-wheel drive, enabling them to climb steep hills — another example of Roborock’s focus on areas that traditionally require manual effort.
While Roborock attracted huge crowds throughout CES, deploying such entertaining trade show tactics as dance routines and flash mob activations, several other companies — including Narwal, Dreame, Eufy, Eureka and others — presented their own takes on this burgeoning product line.
Ecovacs Robotics, for example, used CES 2026 to introduce its new DEEBOT X12 OmniCyclone and T90 Pro Omni robot vacuums, which feature such enhancements as stain pretreatment, longer mop rollers and a smart mop cover to better protect carpets.
Legacy brands Samsung and LG also stepped up their robot vacuum game.
Samsung’s Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra introduced advanced navigation and liquid sensing. LG brought a model featuring a built-in station designed to fit under kitchen counters — a clever, space-saving idea that garnered a CES Innovation Award for its steam mop and sterilization system.
Clearly, there is still not only a need, but also considerable room for extended product applications.
So, what’s the main difference?
When asked what sets Roborock apart from competitors already experimenting with stair mobility, Leonowitz quickly pointed to the company’s core philosophy.
“AI is the underpinning of all of our technology,” she said. “And that’s what makes it incredibly smart.”
When paired with lidar-based mapping, Roborock’s AI-driven machines perceive their environment in detail and adapt over time.
“We’re always trying to improve on that, even with our other models from our other series,” she added. “We just want to try and get the most advanced AI out there.”
So, will products such as the Saros Rover eliminate the need for hand vacuuming for good?
Well, that’s certainly up to the residents of each individual household. But one thing’s for certain, Roborock has given us a glimpse into a future where even the most inconvenient corners of home maintenance are handled quietly, autonomously and intelligently, one step — and now one stair — at a time.
