According to a new report from the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of home cleaning robots reached approximately 11.205 million units in the second quarter of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 21.5%. The data, cited by Chinese tech outlet IThome, shows that robot vacuums accounted for 7.885 million units, while the market's structural divergence deepened: the top three vacuum brands solidified their dominance, robotic mowers continued their high growth, and pool robots entered their traditional peak season.
Robot vacuum market: concentration rises, Europe leads
In Q2 2026, global robot vacuum shipments hit 7.885 million units, with sales revenue reaching $3.89 billion (approximately 26.124 billion yuan). Market concentration increased notably, with the top five manufacturers holding a combined 75% of shipment share and 82.0% of revenue share. Europe continued to lead growth, with shipments up 64% year-on-year. Premium models priced above $800 (approximately 5,372 yuan, excluding tax) accounted for 16.6% of European shipments. During the spring promotional period, leading brands stocked large volumes in local warehouses, while low-cost brands faced cost pressures and were increasingly squeezed out. Terminal prices in Europe saw promotional cuts, accelerating the volume of flagship models.
Other categories: mowers and window cleaners surge, pool robots dip
Robotic mowers maintained strong momentum, with shipments of 939,000 units in Q2 2026, up 59.7% year-on-year. Window-cleaning robots shipped approximately 847,000 units, up 59.8%. Pool robots, in their traditional peak season, shipped about 1.533 million units, a decline of 6.3% year-on-year.
The report highlights that leading brands are no longer competing solely in the robot vacuum segment. Instead, they are expanding into multiple categories—vacuuming, mowing, window cleaning, and pool cleaning—to capture a larger share of the overall home cleaning market. This shift is driving three fundamental changes in competitive dynamics: moving from selling hardware to selling experiences, from product export to localized operations, and from single-product hits to multi-category synergy. In short, home cleaning robots are evolving from "single-product hits" to "full-scenario ecosystems," rewriting the rules of competition.
