Have you ever wished your robot vacuum could tackle more than just a single floor? For years, the multi-story home owner has faced a dilemma: either manually move their trusty cleaning bot or accept that some areas will remain less pristine. At CES 2026, I saw two groundbreaking approaches to this very problem, and frankly, one of them felt like science fiction brought to life.
Roborock's Legged Wonder
The most astonishing innovation I encountered at CES 2026: I saw a robot vacuum that literally walks. Roborock unveiled the Saros Rover, a device that eschews traditional designs for something far more ambitious. This vacuum features two individually articulated legs, each equipped with wheels. When on flat surfaces, it functions like any high-end robot vacuum. But the magic happens when it encounters stairs.
The Saros Rover uses its legs to deliberately pull itself up and over each step. What's truly remarkable is that because the legs are independently controlled, it can even clean the stairs as it ascends. Imagine a single device handling your entire home's floor cleaning, from the lowest basement to the highest attic. This is a significant leap beyond current capabilities, which often require manual intervention for multi-level homes.
Beyond its primary function, Roborock hinted at programmable routines, allowing the Saros Rover to perform simple 'dances' or hops. While perhaps a novelty, it adds a touch of personality that many bipedal robots have lacked. Unlike purely conceptual robots, the Saros Rover aims for a concrete purpose: solving the multi-story cleaning challenge. However, a key consideration is that to gain this stair-climbing ability, you'll need this specific new model, unlike some competitor solutions that aim to upgrade existing vacuums.
While Roborock assured me the Saros Rover is not just a concept and is slated for market release, potentially this year, there's no firm pricing or exact launch date yet. This leaves potential buyers in a state of eager anticipation. For instance, consider a busy parent managing a split-level home; this could drastically reduce their daily chore load. Similarly, for individuals with mobility issues, this could be a life-changing addition to their smart home ecosystem.
Dreame's Docking Solution
Just a stone's throw from Roborock's booth, I also saw another attempt to solve the stair problem from competitor Dreame. This approach, showcased previously at IFA, offers a different philosophy. Instead of a vacuum with built-in legs, Dreame presented the Cyber X, a specialized dock designed to transport an existing robot vacuum up and down stairs.
The concept is straightforward: your current Dreame robot vacuum drives into the dock, and the dock itself acts as a stair-climbing transport. However, the Cyber X uses synchronized treads rather than articulated legs. This allows it to navigate stairs effectively, but it cannot clean the stairs themselves during transit, unlike the Roborock Saros Rover. I personally witnessed the Dreame dock successfully descend a flight of stairs, suggesting a potentially stable, albeit less versatile, solution.
The significant drawback is that the Dreame Cyber X is still firmly in the concept phase. While it demonstrates an interesting alternative, there's no guarantee it will ever reach consumers. This starkly contrasts with Roborock's stated intention to bring their Saros Rover to market. For example, if Dreame's dock were to become available, it might appeal to users who have already invested in their current vacuum line and want an add-on solution. But given its conceptual status, it remains a distant possibility compared to the tangible progress shown by Roborock.
