The surging popularity of robot vacuum cleaners was partly aided by the COVID-19 pandemic and people’s preoccupation with cleaning their home environment.
That’s one of the fascinating findings in a report by Grand View Research which found that the robotic vacuum cleaner market is going from strength to strength. It estimates the industry will grow at an annual compound rate of 23.4 percent through to 2030. It says the global robotic vacuum cleaner market was worth $US4.48 billion in 2021.
The report covers both robotic floor and pool vacuum cleaners.
“The technology saves significant time and energy which is one of the primary factors driving demand for robotic vacuum cleaners,” Grand View Research says. “The shifting lifestyle, high disposable income, rising population of working consumers, increasing purchasing power, and ease of usage are the major factors acting as a catalyst for the growth of the market worldwide.”
Robotic vacuum cleaners found their niche during the pandemic because they could clean areas without exposing users to the risk of infection from people nearby. “It (the pandemic) increased the demand for cleaning workers and also gave rise to the increased usage of robotic vacuum cleaners,” the report said. “This technology proved ideal for disinfection and thorough cleaning.”
The success came despite initial issues around manufacture during the pandemic.
“Initially, the production of robotic vacuum cleaners decreased; however, overall healthy growth has been observed in the robotic vacuum cleaner market.”
Their ability to work without human intervention, newer features such as returning to their charging station to recharge and continue cleaning, the ease of setting virtual boundaries to define cleaning areas, voice assistance and artificial intelligence had propelled market growth.
“The increased concerns regarding hygiene and cleanliness are further anticipated to drive the adoption of robotic vacuum cleaners in the coming years,” Grand View Research says.
There are downsides. “The short battery life along with the high charge time required for robotic vacuum cleaners make it difficult to complete the process of cleaning. In addition, robotic vacuum cleaner consumes more time for cleaning than traditional which are some factors expected to restrain the market growth over the forecast period.
“Furthermore, the maintenance of robotic vacuum cleaners can be a relatively costly affair.”
Robotic floor vacuum cleaners dominated the market with a share of 60.7 percent in 2021 but the automated pool variety were becoming more popular. “These clean the pool in a quick and comparatively efficient manner. In addition, robotic pool vacuum cleaners are being used widely as they come with an independent filtration system that can be emptied once full and does not require connection to the filtration system of the pool.”
Credit: Ecovacs
Asia Pacific (including Australia) dominated the market with a share of 40.8 percent in 2021 due to “the low cost of the product, the high purchasing power of consumers, and the strong presence of key players in the region,” says the report.
“The growth of the market in the region is also due to the rising trend of buying products via e-commerce channels or internet retailing. Asia Pacific is the largest hub for the manufacturing of electronic devices thus propelling market growth in the region.”
North America emerged as the second-largest regional market, the report says.
