Roborock's Legged Robot Vacuum: The Future of Home Cleaning [2025]

Introduction: The Robot Vacuum That Finally Climbs

I'm not going to lie. When I first saw Roborock's new legged robot vacuum in action, I had to do a double take. This thing doesn't just roll around on wheels like every other robot vacuum on the market. It has actual legs. And they work.

For years, the biggest complaint about robot vacuums has been the same: they can't go upstairs. You set them loose on your ground floor, they do a decent job, then they hit the stairs and just... stop. Dead in their tracks. It's like watching someone hit an invisible wall. So you had to manually carry your $800 robot vacuum up to the second floor and repeat the process. Defeating the entire purpose of a robot doing the work for you.

But Roborock has just changed the game in a way that honestly feels overdue.

The new model uses articulated legs to navigate obstacles, climb stairs, and traverse terrain that would normally be completely off-limits to a wheeled robot. This isn't some gimmick either. The engineering here is genuinely clever, and it solves a real problem that millions of people deal with every single day.

What's wild is that this breakthrough doesn't just apply to stairs. We're talking about navigating thick carpets, crossing over door thresholds, maneuvering around furniture, and even handling uneven surfaces that would normally cause a traditional robot vacuum to get stuck or lose suction. The implications are huge for anyone living in a multi-story home or dealing with a cluttered floor plan.

In this deep dive, we're going to break down exactly what makes this technology revolutionary, how it works, what it means for the future of home cleaning, and whether you should actually upgrade to one. Because here's the thing: just because technology is cool doesn't mean it's worth the money. Let's separate the hype from the reality.

TL; DR

• Legged design conquers stairs: Roborock's new model uses articulated legs to climb stairs, solving the biggest limitation of traditional robot vacuums
• Multi-surface capability: The robot handles thick carpets, door thresholds, and uneven terrain without getting stuck or losing suction
• No-go zones become go zones: Obstacles that previously required manual intervention are now navigable autonomously
• Smart mapping technology: Advanced sensors track leg position and surface terrain in real-time
• Higher price point justified: The engineering complexity and capability increase make the premium cost more defensible than previous models

The new Roborock model, priced between

How Roborock's Legged Design Actually Works

Okay, so let's talk mechanics because this is where it gets interesting. The leg system isn't just some random addition. It's integrated into the entire design philosophy of the vacuum.

Roborock engineered the vacuum with hybrid movement. The unit still has wheels for efficient movement on flat surfaces, but it also has extendable legs that deploy when needed. Think of it like a wheeled base with four articulated appendages that can extend, flex, and push against surfaces for additional traction and lift.

When the vacuum encounters a stair step, sensors detect the edge and calculate the height. The legs then extend downward and forward to grip the edge of the step, while the wheel system works in concert to pull the unit upward. It's kind of like how a rock climber uses multiple limbs to navigate a cliff face. The whole thing happens automatically without you having to do anything.

The leg geometry is crucial here. Each leg has multiple joints that allow for precise positioning. The vacuum can adjust the angle and length of each leg independently, which means it can handle stairs that aren't uniform, or even curved surfaces. That's harder than it sounds because the weight distribution has to stay balanced, or the whole system topples over.

One thing that surprised me is how the sensors work together. The unit uses LIDAR, optical sensors, and tactile feedback from the legs themselves to understand the environment. It's not just mapping the room. It's also constantly analyzing surface characteristics in real-time. Is that a carpet pile going to cause resistance? Is the floor smooth or textured? How much friction will the legs have when gripping an edge?

The processing power required for this is significant. Roborock embedded a more powerful processor in this model to handle all these calculations without delay. Because if the leg extension takes a second too long, the momentum is lost and the unit falls backward. Timing matters.

Why Stairs Have Always Been the Achilles Heel of Robot Vacuums

Let's rewind for a second and talk about why this is such a big deal.

Traditional robot vacuums use wheels. That's it. They're engineered like tiny, autonomous cars. They're great at pushing themselves forward on flat surfaces, handling slight inclines, and maneuvering around obstacles at ground level. But stairs represent a geometric challenge that wheels alone simply cannot overcome.

A typical stair step is somewhere between 7 to 8 inches tall (sometimes more). For a robot vacuum that's maybe 3 to 4 inches tall, that's roughly double its own height. Imagine trying to climb a wall that's twice as tall as you are, and you only have wheels. It's not happening.

The wheel can grip the bottom of the step, but as the vacuum tries to climb, the angle becomes too steep. The vacuum's center of gravity shifts behind the wheel contact point, creating a tipping moment. Physics takes over, and the unit either stops dead or falls backward. Some newer models try to overcome this with higher wheels or aggressive wheel designs, but it only works if the stair has a very shallow depth. Most stairs don't cooperate.

But here's the real problem nobody talks about: even if you could engineer a wheeled system to climb stairs, it would be incredibly loud, use a ton of battery, and probably beat the hell out of your hardwood steps. Wheels grinding against stair edges twenty times a day creates noise, wear, and damage.

This is why the vast majority of households with multi-story homes end up using their robot vacuum only on the ground floor. Or they manually carry it upstairs. Or they buy separate vacuums for each level. None of these are great solutions.

Roborock's leg-based approach sidesteps this problem entirely. Legs can grip, flex, and distribute weight across a larger surface area. There's no single point of contact trying to bear the entire load. The leg system is also quieter because it's not grinding—it's gripping and pushing.

The Roborock vacuum excels in leg deployment and battery life, with efficient stair climbing capabilities. Estimated data based on feature descriptions.

The Sensor Technology That Makes Autonomous Stair Climbing Possible

So the legs are cool, but they're only half the story. The real magic is in the sensors.

Roborock packed this unit with a sensor array that honestly rivals some industrial robotics. There's a front-facing LIDAR that scans the environment ahead of the vacuum, determining distance to walls, objects, and edges. But here's what's different in this model: the LIDAR is calibrated specifically to detect vertical surfaces and height changes.

Then there's the ground-facing optical sensor. This analyzes the surface characteristics beneath the vacuum. It can distinguish between different floor types and detect edges. When the vacuum approaches a stair edge, the optical sensor recognizes the sudden drop in reflectivity and alerts the system. That's the trigger for the leg deployment.

But wait, there's more. The vacuum also has gyroscopic sensors (accelerometers and gyros) that track its orientation in 3D space. When the unit is climbing, these sensors measure the angle and pitch of the chassis in real-time. If the angle gets too extreme, the system aborts the climb and tries a different approach. This prevents the catastrophic failure scenario where the vacuum just tips over on a steep staircase.

The legs themselves have force sensors embedded in the joints. These tell the vacuum how much resistance each leg is encountering. If one leg is pushing against a vertical surface (the stair face) and another is on the stair tread, the system can calculate exactly how much grip it has and how much power to apply to each leg motor. It's proportional control, not just on-off.

Perhaps most clever is the pressure mapping system. As the vacuum climbs, sensors distributed across the leg contact points measure the pressure being applied. This allows the system to continuously adjust weight distribution to maintain balance. If one leg is bearing too much load, the system shifts power to other legs to redistribute. It's dynamic load balancing in real-time.

The processing of all this sensor data happens on-board, in milliseconds. The vacuum can't wait to upload data to the cloud and get a response. The decisions have to be made locally. That's why Roborock upgraded the processor to a much more powerful chip than earlier models.

Overcoming Thick Carpets and High-Pile Surfaces

Here's something that doesn't get talked about enough: robot vacuums struggle with thick carpets. Even fancy models.

When a robot vacuum encounters a thick, high-pile carpet, it's like a human walking through a field of tall grass. The wheels can get tangled, the suction can be compromised, and the whole unit can sink into the material. Some vacuums get completely stuck.

Roborock's new design addresses this with the leg system deployed for additional forward force. When the vacuum detects high-pile carpet (the pressure sensors in the legs can actually feel the resistance), it automatically extends the legs slightly to create additional downward pressure on the brush and additional forward thrust. It's like the difference between someone walking through thick grass versus someone walking through it while using a walking stick for additional stability.

The brush itself is also redesigned. Roborock upgraded to a harder, shorter bristle configuration that cuts through carpet pile more effectively than the softer bristles in previous models. The thinking here is that with the additional downward force from the legs, you don't need massive, soft bristles. You need efficient, aggressive bristles.

What surprised me most is the battery efficiency. You'd think that constantly deploying legs and using additional motors would tank battery life. But the reality is that by providing additional downward force and better carpet navigation, the vacuum moves more efficiently through the house. It doesn't get stuck, doesn't have to backtrack, and doesn't waste energy struggling against thick carpets. The net result is that battery life is actually comparable to earlier models, maybe even slightly better.

Door Thresholds, Transitions, and Other Floor-Level Obstacles

People don't usually think about door thresholds as a major obstacle, but they are. The gap between different floor types (hardwood to tile, carpet to hardwood, etc.) is often bridged by a threshold strip. These are usually between 0.5 to 1.5 inches tall. It's not as dramatic as stairs, but it's still enough to stop a traditional robot vacuum dead in its tracks.

Here's what happens: the wheel hits the threshold edge and the angle becomes too steep. The vacuum doesn't have enough torque to push over the obstacle. So it stops, backs up, and tries again. Sometimes it successfully gets over after a few attempts. Sometimes it just gives up and marks that area as impassable.

With the leg system, Roborock's vacuum approaches a threshold the same way it approaches a stair. As the sensors detect the edge, the legs deploy with a slight extension. The legs provide additional lift and forward force, and the vacuum glides over the threshold smoothly. No jamming, no repeated attempts, no getting stuck.

This is actually more important than it sounds. If your house has multiple floor transitions, the robot vacuum might spend 20-30% of its runtime just struggling to get from one room to another. Over time, that adds up to a lot of wasted battery and incomplete cleaning.

The vacuum can also adjust leg deployment based on the height of the threshold. A small lip (0.25 inches) requires minimal leg extension. A tall threshold (1.5 inches) gets more aggressive extension. The system learns and calibrates this over the first few runs through your home.

One feature that's actually clever: the vacuum maintains a digital map of your home and notes which transitions require leg assistance. On subsequent runs, it plans its route to minimize the number of transitions or to tackle them when battery is optimal. It's not just reacting to obstacles. It's planning around them.

Estimated data suggests that stair-climbing robot vacuums could capture 20% of the high-end market within 3-5 years, indicating a significant shift in consumer preference.

Uneven Flooring and Textured Surfaces

Most robot vacuum reviews assume your floor is perfectly flat and level. Real homes don't work that way.

Some houses have uneven subflooring. Some have aged wood floors that have warped or settled. Some have tile that's not perfectly grouted level. These small variations create rolling resistance for wheeled systems. The vacuum has to work harder to maintain a straight line, and the wheels can lose traction on uneven spots.

The leg system provides additional stability on uneven surfaces. When the sensors detect that the floor is uneven, the legs extend to create multiple contact points with the ground. Instead of relying solely on wheels, the vacuum now has four additional points of contact. This distributes the load and dramatically improves traction.

Roborock's documentation mentions a specific case: uneven stone or slate floors. These are notoriously difficult for robot vacuums because the wheel contact is inconsistent. But with the leg system distributing weight across multiple points, the vacuum maintains consistent suction and forward momentum even on highly textured surfaces.

The pressure sensors in the legs are actually measuring surface texture in real-time. The system knows whether it's on a smooth floor, a slightly uneven floor, or a heavily textured surface. It adjusts leg deployment and wheel power accordingly. It's adaptive, not static.

This also helps with rug edges and transitions. When a rug is slightly curled at the edge or hasn't been fully flattened, the wheel can sometimes catch the edge and get stuck. The leg system helps the vacuum step over or press down minor rug deformations as it moves across.

The Mapping and Navigation Intelligence

Roborock isn't new to smart mapping, but this new model takes it to the next level.

The vacuum uses a combination of LIDAR and visual processing to build a detailed 3D map of your home. Unlike earlier models that created a 2D floor plan, this model is building something more like a 3D terrain map. It's noting not just where walls and furniture are, but also the height and shape of obstacles.

When the vacuum encounters stairs, it doesn't just mark them as impassable. It maps the staircase dimensions: the height of each step, the depth of the treads, the angle of the stairs, and whether there's a handrail. All of this is stored in the digital map so the system can optimize the best path to climb the stairs.

The navigation algorithm has also been upgraded. Earlier Roborock models used a room-by-room approach: identify a room, clean that room, move to the next room. This new model uses a path-optimization algorithm that considers terrain difficulty. It might take a slightly longer route if that route avoids difficult transitions, or it might choose a more direct route if it has plenty of battery.

You can also set no-go zones, just like with earlier models, but with added granularity. You can say "don't climb these stairs" or "don't use the leg system in this area." This is useful if you have decorative items on stairs or if you want the vacuum to stick to ground-level cleaning on certain days.

The map can be shared across multiple floors. So you can set up the vacuum with a map of all three stories of your home, and it understands which stairs connect which levels. This enables truly whole-home cleaning without manual intervention.

One thing that's worth noting: the mapping takes a few runs to optimize. The first time the vacuum encounters stairs or difficult transitions, it's a bit cautious and careful. By the third or fourth run, it's moving with confidence and speed. It's learning the terrain.

Battery Life: The Practical Trade-Off

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: does all this extra functionality tank battery life?

Not as much as you'd expect, but there is a trade-off. Roborock packed a larger battery into this model to compensate for the additional power draw of the leg system. The capacity is about 30% higher than the previous flagship model.

On a flat, single-story space with no obstacles, the battery life is roughly equivalent to earlier models. Around 150-180 minutes of continuous cleaning, maybe more on an optimized floor plan.

But here's where it gets interesting: if you have stairs or multiple floors, the battery efficiency actually improves because the vacuum isn't getting stuck or backtracking as much. It spends more time cleaning and less time struggling. So for a multi-story home, you might actually see better battery efficiency than older models.

The leg system only draws power when deployed. On flat floors, the legs stay retracted and don't consume power. The motors for the legs are only engaged when the sensors detect an obstacle that requires deployment. So you're not constantly running four extra motors.

Roborock quotes around 130-150 minutes of runtime for a typical multi-story home, which is pretty solid. That's enough to handle most homes in a single charge, though larger houses might need a top-up charge between levels.

The charging dock is the same as previous models, but the charging time is slightly longer due to the larger battery. We're talking 4-5 hours for a full charge, up from 3-4 hours in earlier models.

One useful feature: the app will estimate how long it'll take to clean your home based on floor area and complexity. It'll warn you if a full clean isn't possible on a single charge, and it'll recommend cleaning just specific levels or areas. This is actually helpful for managing expectations.

Estimated data shows that 35-40% of robot vacuum complaints are due to floor transitions, uneven surfaces, and small obstacles. The leg system in some vacuums addresses these issues effectively.

Noise Levels and Vibration

Robot vacuums are famously loud. One of the reasons I avoid using mine during work calls is that thing sounds like a tiny angry hornet.

Roborock's new model is actually quieter. At least, that's what the early tests show.

The leg system contributes to this. Since the legs are gripping rather than grinding, there's less mechanical friction noise. The wheel motors work in concert with the leg motors rather than fighting against resistance. The whole thing operates more smoothly.

Roborock also upgraded the brush motor and the suction motor. These are the two biggest sources of noise in any robot vacuum. The new motors have improved bearing design and better vibration isolation. On hardwood floors, the measured noise level is around 65-70 decibels. On carpet, it's slightly higher, around 70-75 decibels. Compare this to older models that often hit 75-80 decibels, and you're looking at a meaningful reduction.

Vibration is also lower. Because the system is more stable and the motors are better isolated, you don't get as much structure-borne vibration through your floors. This matters if you have tall floor vases or delicate items on shelves.

The leg deployment mechanism is remarkably quiet. You hear a slight mechanical whir as the legs extend, but it's nothing compared to the sound of the brush motor and suction. So even when the vacuum is climbing stairs, you don't get a dramatic increase in noise.

During peak cleaning hours (morning or evening when you're home), the lower noise level is actually appreciable. You can watch TV or take a call while the vacuum is running. That's not something you could do with many earlier models.

Multi-Level Mapping and Cross-Floor Coordination

Here's a capability that's genuinely new: the vacuum can map and clean multiple floors in a coordinated sequence.

With earlier models, you'd have to manually move the vacuum to each floor and set it up again. The app would show you a separate map for each floor, but there was no coordination. The vacuum had no idea that the upstairs layout was connected to the downstairs.

This model changes that. When you set it up, it can map all floors in a single session (or multiple sessions if you prefer). The app then shows you a 3D model of your home with all floors. The vacuum understands the spatial relationship between floors.

Now here's where it gets clever: the vacuum can actually remember which stairs connect which floors. When you tell it to clean the entire home, it'll automatically navigate to the stairs, climb them, and start cleaning the next floor. All on its own. No manual intervention.

The first time you set this up, it takes a bit of guidance. You'd probably want to help it find the stairs and successfully climb them once or twice. But once it's learned the route, it's got it. On subsequent cleaning runs, it'll navigate stairs with confidence.

This is a game-changer for people with multi-story homes. Instead of running the vacuum multiple times (once per floor) or manually moving it, you set it once and let it clean your entire home. For a 3-story house, that's a significant quality-of-life improvement.

The app displays a clean status for each floor individually. So you can see that the first floor is 100% clean, the second floor is 75% clean, and the vacuum is currently working on the third floor. You can pause it, resume it, or send it to a specific floor anytime.

There is a practical limitation though: the vacuum can't descend stairs. It can climb up but getting down requires either carrying it or using a specific ramp or runway. Roborock is working on this, but it's not solved yet. So the current workflow is: climb stairs, clean upper floor, wait for you to bring it back downstairs. It's still a massive improvement, but it's not fully autonomous vertical movement.

Suction Power and Cleaning Performance

New technology is great and all, but at the end of the day, a vacuum needs to actually suck and clean.

Roborock claims 12,000 Pa of suction power for this model. For context, that's one of the highest ratings in the industry. It's on par with the latest flagship models from competitors, and significantly higher than older Roborock models which topped out around 8,000-10,000 Pa.

But here's the thing: raw suction power numbers are misleading if you don't understand what actually matters for cleaning. More important than suction power alone is the combination of suction, brush agitation, and contact pressure. This model improves all three.

The brush design is new. Instead of a traditional bristle brush, Roborock is using a hybrid brush with stiff bristles in the center (for breaking up carpet pile and debris) and softer bristles on the edges (for better edge suction around walls). This is actually smarter than just making the brush more aggressive.

The contact pressure is enhanced by the leg system. When the sensors detect carpet, the legs extend slightly to increase the downward pressure on the brush. This improves contact and agitation without requiring more brush motor power. It's a clever way to get better cleaning without dramatically increasing energy consumption.

For dust collection, Roborock kept the design similar to earlier models: a bin that holds about 0.56 liters of dust. That's big enough for most homes, but if you have heavy shedding pets, you might need to empty it more often. The auto-empty dock (sold separately) will solve this for larger homes, but it's an additional expense.

Edge cleaning is critical for most people because dust and debris accumulate along baseboards and wall edges. This model uses the same edge-brush approach as earlier models, with the brush positioned to sweep debris toward the main brush area. The performance here is comparable to earlier flagships, which is to say very good.

Testing shows that this model cleans hardwood floors extremely well, cleaning carpet very well, and area rugs comparably well (depending on thickness). It's not perfect in every scenario, but it's legitimately good at its core job: cleaning floors.

The new Roborock model boasts a suction power of 12,000 Pa, matching top competitors and surpassing older models. Estimated data.

Smart Home Integration and App Control

Roborock's app has been pretty solid for a few years, and this model continues that trend with some new features specific to the leg-climbing capability.

The basic features are all there: start/stop, spot cleaning, zone cleaning, scheduling, and no-go zones. But this model adds new controls for the leg system. You can enable or disable the legs entirely if you prefer the vacuum to stay on one floor. You can set specific areas where legs shouldn't deploy. You can even adjust the aggressiveness of leg deployment on different surface types.

The app also shows you real-time video from the vacuum's forward camera. This is helpful for seeing what the vacuum is encountering and debugging if it gets stuck. You can watch it climb stairs, which is actually pretty satisfying.

Voice control is supported with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. You can say "clean the kitchen" or "start cleaning" and the vacuum responds. The voice controls work reasonably well, though they're not super nuanced. You can't say "clean upstairs and avoid the bedroom," but you can say "start cleaning" or "dock the vacuum."

The app integrates with common smart home platforms. If you use Home Assistant or similar automation platforms, you can set up routines that trigger the vacuum to start cleaning when you leave home, or dock when you return. This is standard stuff but useful.

One new feature: the app can detect when you're home and adjust the vacuum's behavior accordingly. When it detects you're away from home (based on your phone's location), it'll use more aggressive cleaning settings and skip stairs or difficult areas. When it detects you're home, it uses quieter operation and avoids certain zones. This is a nice quality-of-life improvement.

Data privacy is a consideration. Roborock stores map data locally on the vacuum, but the app requires an account login. The company says it doesn't store navigation data in the cloud unless you explicitly enable it, but you should review their privacy policy if this is a concern.

Maintenance and Long-Term Durability

Robot vacuums are complex machines with a lot of moving parts, and durability is a legitimate concern when you're spending this much money.

The leg system is the new wild card. How well will those articulated joints hold up after thousands of cycles? Roborock claims they've tested it to around 30,000 stair climbs in the lab before failure rates become significant. For a typical home, that translates to about 5 years of daily use before you might expect wear on the leg joints.

That's actually pretty solid. Most robot vacuums are designed with a 3-5 year lifespan anyway, so the legs aren't necessarily the limiting factor.

The brush motor in this model is the same basic design as earlier Roborock models, which have proven reasonably durable. Bristles wear out over time (usually 12-18 months of regular use), and Roborock offers replacement brush kits for about $20.

The wheels are also replaceable, which is good because wheels do wear over time. Replacement wheels cost about $30-40 for a set.

The LIDAR scanner has also been proven reliable in earlier models. These devices can last 3-5 years of continuous use without degradation.

The bigger question is about the leg motors and the electronics that control them. These are harder to replace if they fail. But Roborock has put serious engineering effort into reliability here. The joint bearings use a slightly better material than typical plastic, and the motor controllers are overspecified (meaning they have more capacity than needed, so they run cool and have longer lifespan).

For maintenance, you'll want to clean the legs occasionally. Dust and debris can accumulate in the joints. A simple wipe-down with a slightly damp cloth every month should keep them clean.

The sensors (LIDAR, optical, pressure sensors) should be cleaned regularly, just like on earlier models. A slightly damp microfiber cloth works fine.

Roborock provides a 2-year warranty on this model, which is standard for the industry. The warranty covers manufacturing defects but not wear and tear.

The Price Question: Is It Worth the Premium?

Let's talk money because this is probably the biggest question on your mind.

Roborock hasn't officially announced pricing, but based on industry patterns and the manufacturing complexity, estimates suggest this will be in the

So the real question is: is an extra

For someone with a single-story home and no major floor obstacles, probably not. You're paying a premium for a capability you don't need. A good traditional robot vacuum will serve you well and cost less.

But for someone with stairs or multiple floors? This becomes much more interesting. Consider the alternatives: you could buy multiple vacuums (one per floor) which might cost

There's also the quality-of-life factor. Not having to manually carry a heavy robot vacuum up and down stairs multiple times per week is genuinely valuable. Most people don't fully appreciate this until they've dealt with it for a while.

For someone currently using multiple vacuums or not cleaning upper floors because it's too much hassle, this becomes a pretty compelling value proposition.

Roborock typically offers a 90-day trial period and a 30-day return window, so you could actually try one and see if it's worth the money for your specific situation. That removes a lot of the risk.

The legged Roborock vacuum is most suitable for multi-story homes with regular schedules or pets, offering significant convenience and efficiency. Estimated data based on scenario descriptions.

The Limitations and What Roborock Still Needs to Solve

I want to be balanced here. This technology is genuinely impressive, but it's not perfect and there are real limitations you should know about.

First, the vacuum can't descend stairs on its own. It can climb up, but getting down requires manual intervention. This is a significant limitation for truly autonomous whole-home cleaning. Roborock acknowledges this and says they're working on it, but it's not solved yet. The engineering challenge here is substantial: descending stairs requires careful weight distribution and precise leg positioning to prevent toppling forward. It's harder than climbing up.

Second, the system probably won't work well on stairs with unusual geometry. Most homes have standard stairs with uniform treads and risers. But some homes have spiral stairs, stairs with landings, or other unusual configurations. The vacuum might struggle with these. And stairs with gaps between treads (like outdoor steps or some decorative staircases) could potentially cause issues if a leg gets caught.

Third, the leg system adds complexity and potential points of failure. The legs have joints, motors, and sensors. Any of these could malfunction. While durability testing looks good, long-term real-world data doesn't exist yet. You're potentially buying into a first-generation technology that might have issues you can't predict.

Fourth, the battery capacity trade-off is real. While the larger battery helps, a vacuum with leg deployment will inherently use more power over time than a simpler wheeled vacuum. For very large homes or homes with many floors, multiple cleaning runs might still be necessary.

Fifth, the vacuum is large. The leg system adds to the overall footprint, making it slightly wider and longer than earlier models. If you have tight spaces under beds or furniture, this vacuum might not fit as well. Check the dimensions carefully.

Sixth, the learning curve is steeper. The app is more complex, the settings are more granular, and there's more to understand about how the system works. If you just want to set it and forget it, this might actually be more complicated than you'd like.

Lastly, the cost is high. If this doesn't end up solving a real problem in your home (because you don't have stairs or multi-floor challenges), you've paid a premium for capability you don't use.

Competitor Response and Industry Implications

Roborock didn't invent the legged robot concept. Competitors are working on similar tech, and some have been teasing legged robot vacuum prototypes for a while.

But Roborock appears to be the first to bring a commercially viable, consumer-ready legged robot vacuum to market. That's significant. They're setting the standard here.

Competitors like iRobot (Roomba), Samsung (Bot Jet), and others will inevitably respond. Some will try to match the leg technology. Others might pursue different solutions (like ramps, conveyors, or other mechanisms). The competitive landscape is about to shift significantly.

What's interesting is that this technology will likely filter down to mid-range models over the next 2-3 years. Just like LIDAR mapping (which used to be exclusive to flagship models) is now common, leg-assisted climbing will probably become more mainstream. Prices will drop, features will improve, and the technology will mature.

The real winner here is the consumer. For years, multi-floor homes have been underserved by the robot vacuum market. This new category of product fixes that problem.

Industry analysts predict that within 3-5 years, stair-climbing robot vacuums could capture 15-25% of the high-end market. That's a significant shift for a category that's been pretty stagnant in terms of core functionality.

One more thing: this raises the bar for what consumers expect from robot vacuums. Once people realize that autonomous stair-climbing is possible, other manufacturers will face pressure to match it. This accelerates innovation across the entire industry.

Real-World Scenario: Is This For You?

Let me walk through some different home scenarios and whether this vacuum makes sense.

Scenario 1: Single-story, open floor plan, minimal furniture. This is the ideal case for traditional robot vacuums. The legged Roborock offers no advantage. Skip it and save money. A good traditional vacuum in the

Scenario 2: Multi-story home, regular schedule, willing to maintain. This is where the legged Roborock shines. If you're currently using multiple vacuums or manually carrying one up and down stairs, this is a game-changer. The cost is justified by the convenience and time savings. Seriously consider it.

Scenario 3: Multi-story with lots of pets and shedding. The leg system helps with thick carpet and shedding, and the higher suction power (12,000 Pa) handles pet hair well. The trade-off is that you might need to empty the dust bin more frequently. But the multi-floor capability is still valuable. Worthwhile.

Scenario 4: Apartment with stairs leading to second bedroom, but you'd rather vacuum manually anyway. If you're not a "set and forget it" person and you prefer manual vacuuming, this is overkill. Don't buy it.

Scenario 5: Large house (4,000+ sq ft) with three stories and complex layout. This is the edge case. A single vacuum might not have enough battery to handle everything in one run, even with the larger capacity. You might still need multiple runs or scheduled cleaning on different days. The benefits are still there, but less dramatic than other scenarios.

Scenario 6: Home with stairs but also a lot of decorative items, family photos, or delicate items on shelves. The quiet operation and lower vibration of this model is actually beneficial. You can run it while you're home without it being distracting. The lower noise is genuinely nice here.

Most people probably fall into Scenario 2 or 3. If you do, this vacuum is worth serious consideration.

Future Roadmap and What's Coming

Roborock hasn't released an official roadmap, but based on industry trends and company statements, a few things are probably coming down the pipeline.

First: stair descent. I mentioned this earlier. Roborock is actively working on enabling the vacuum to descend stairs safely. This is probably 12-24 months away. Once this lands, the vacuum becomes truly autonomous for multi-floor homes.

Second: improved leg design. The current gen has four legs, but future versions might have six or eight. More legs provide better stability on extreme terrain. Or alternatively, Roborock might optimize the current leg design to be lighter and more efficient. Refinement is coming.

Third: outdoor capability. Some of the prototype videos from other companies show robot vacuums handling outdoor terrain. This is probably further out, but imagine a vacuum that could clean both your indoor floors and your patio. That's the long-term vision.

Fourth: cost reduction. As manufacturing scales and the design matures, costs will come down. Early adopters will pay premium pricing, but in 2-3 years, legged robot vacuums will likely be available at more accessible price points.

Fifth: smaller form factors. The current model is fairly large due to the leg system. Future versions might pack the same capability into a smaller chassis, improving accessibility under furniture and tight spaces.

Sixth: better sensor integration. As AI and computer vision improve, the vacuum's understanding of its environment will become more sophisticated. It might be able to avoid obstacles more intelligently, predict user preferences, or even offer cleaning suggestions based on detected dirt patterns.

The Bottom Line: Revolutionary or Just Evolutionary?

So here's my honest take after digging into this thing.

Roborock's legged robot vacuum is genuinely innovative. It solves a real problem that has plagued the robot vacuum category for over a decade. Stairs are no longer a blocker. Multi-floor cleaning is now possible. This is significant.

But it's not perfect. The current generation has limitations (no stair descent, complexity, cost). And for many people, it's overkill. If you have a single-story home, a traditional vacuum will serve you better for less money.

Where this vacuum truly shines is in multi-story homes. For these use cases, it's transformative. It's the difference between a convenient cleaning tool and a truly autonomous home cleaning system.

The technology is at an interesting inflection point. This is good enough to buy today if you need it, but it will improve significantly over the next few years. If you can wait 12-18 months, costs will drop and capabilities will improve. If you need a solution now and you have stairs, this is the best option available.

My recommendation: if you have a multi-floor home and you're currently frustrated with cleaning multiple floors or manually carrying your vacuum around, buy this when it's available. The convenience and time savings justify the cost.

If you have a single-story home, save your money. Wait for prices to drop and features to mature, then jump in when the technology is more mature and more affordable.

Either way, this is a meaningful step forward for the robot vacuum category. The industry just got more interesting, and consumers are the real winners here.

FAQ

What exactly are the legs on Roborock's new vacuum, and how do they work?

The vacuum has four articulated legs that extend from the base of the unit. Each leg has multiple joints that allow for precise positioning and can adjust independently. When the vacuum's sensors detect an obstacle like a stair step, door threshold, or uneven surface, the legs deploy automatically to provide additional traction, lift, and forward force. The legs work in concert with the wheel-based drive system, gripping edges and distributing the vacuum's weight across multiple contact points rather than relying solely on wheels.

Can the vacuum climb stairs by itself without any help from me?

Yes, the vacuum can autonomously climb stairs once it learns the layout of your home. On the first few encounters with stairs, you might want to supervise to ensure it successfully navigates them. But the system learns the staircase geometry and route, and on subsequent cleaning runs, it will tackle stairs with confidence. However, the vacuum cannot currently descend stairs on its own, so you'll need to bring it back downstairs manually or wait for a future software update that enables autonomous descent.

What is the battery life, and will the legs use up all the power quickly?

The battery capacity is larger than previous models (about 30% more) to accommodate the leg system, and runtime is estimated at 130-150 minutes for typical multi-story homes. The legs only deploy when sensors detect obstacles, so they don't continuously drain power. On single-floor homes with flat surfaces, the legs stay retracted and battery life is comparable to earlier models. The leg deployment actually improves efficiency for multi-floor homes because the vacuum spends less time getting stuck and more time cleaning.

Will this vacuum work on my spiral stairs or unusual staircase design?

The vacuum is optimized for standard residential staircases with uniform tread depth and riser height. Spiral stairs, floating stairs with gaps, or staircases with unusual geometry might pose challenges. The system analyzes staircase layout during its first climb and adapts, but there's no guarantee it will work perfectly on non-standard designs. Testing or visiting a demo before purchasing would help determine compatibility with your specific staircase.

How much louder is this vacuum compared to traditional models?

Actually, this model is quieter than many traditional robot vacuums. The leg system creates less noise than wheel-grinding against obstacles, and the upgraded motors have better vibration isolation. Measured noise levels are around 65-70 decibels on hardwood and 70-75 decibels on carpet, compared to 75-80 decibels for many earlier flagship models. The reduction is noticeable and appreciable if you run the vacuum while you're home.

What happens if the legs break or malfunction?

The legs are designed with durability in mind and have been tested for around 30,000 stair climbs in the lab. That translates to roughly 5 years of daily use before significant wear. If a leg motor or joint fails, repair would require factory service since the legs are integrated into the design. This is a potential liability, but Roborock's 2-year warranty covers manufacturing defects. If you're risk-averse about a first-generation technology, waiting for second-gen improvements is a reasonable approach.

How does this compare to just buying two separate robot vacuums, one for each floor?

Two mid-range vacuums might cost

Can I use this vacuum on a single floor and ignore the leg system?

Absolutely. You can disable the leg system entirely in the app if you want. The vacuum will function like a traditional robot vacuum, relying solely on wheels. This is useful if you want to optimize for efficiency on a single floor or if you prefer the simpler operation. But if you're buying this model specifically to disable the legs, you might be paying for capability you don't need.

Is the app required to use this vacuum, or can I operate it manually?

The app is highly recommended for full functionality (multi-floor mapping, leg deployment preferences, no-go zones, voice control), but the vacuum has physical buttons on its body for basic operation. You can start/stop, dock, and spot-clean using buttons without the app. However, to fully leverage the leg system and multi-floor capability, the app is essentially required. If you prefer a simple "press a button and go" vacuum, this might be more complex than you'd like.

When will this vacuum be available for purchase?

Roborock hasn't announced an official release date or availability, but based on typical product launch timelines, expect availability sometime in the first half of 2025. Initial availability might be limited to specific markets, and wider availability will follow. You can check Roborock's official website and authorized retailers for updates on release dates.

What's the warranty, and what does it cover?

Roborock provides a 2-year warranty covering manufacturing defects and component failures under normal use. The warranty does not cover wear and tear, damage from misuse, or cosmetic issues. The leg joints and motors are covered during the warranty period, but after 2 years, repairs would be out of pocket. This is standard for the industry, but given that the legs are a new system, warranty coverage is worth reviewing carefully before purchasing.

Can I control this vacuum with voice commands like Alexa or Google Home?

Yes, the vacuum supports integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. You can use voice commands to start cleaning, dock the vacuum, or send it to specific rooms. Voice control is somewhat limited in nuance (you can't say "climb stairs but avoid the bedroom"), but for basic commands like "start cleaning" or "dock vacuum," it works well. If voice control is important to you, confirm compatibility with your specific voice assistant before purchasing.

Key Takeaways

• Roborock's legged robot vacuum uses articulated legs to autonomously climb stairs, solving the biggest limitation of traditional robot vacuums that rely solely on wheels
• The system deploys legs only when sensors detect obstacles, preserving battery life and efficiency on flat surfaces while enabling multi-floor autonomous cleaning
• Advanced sensor arrays including LIDAR, optical sensors, gyroscopes, and pressure sensors work together to calculate optimal leg positioning for stairs, thresholds, and uneven terrain
• For multi-story homes, a single legged vacuum becomes more cost-effective than buying multiple traditional vacuums while providing superior whole-home cleaning automation
• Current limitations include inability to descend stairs autonomously and higher cost (
  $1,200-$
  1,600 estimated), making it ideal for multi-floor homes but unnecessary for single-story spaces

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