RoboVacDecision · Data Report
We tracked 341 models launched between 2011 and 2026. Charts below show how suction power, dustbin size, and core features changed year over year, drawn straight from our own specs database.
Median suction power
up from 1,300 Pa in 2016
Self-emptying dock
up from 0% in 2016
Wet mopping
up from 29% in 2016
Models tracked
2011 to 2026, discontinued included
Cleaning power
Suction power has climbed steadily across the catalog, from a median of 1,300 Pa in 2016 to 30,000 Pa in 2026. The gap between the weakest and strongest models each year has widened too, since the market now spans budget vacuums and flagship models built for very different suction targets.
The shaded band below shows the spread from the weakest to the strongest model tracked each year.
Median, with the full min-to-max range shaded. Pascals (Pa).
| Year | Models (n) | Median | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 | 1,300 | 300 | 2,000 |
| 2017 | 17 | 1,000 | 500 | 2,000 |
| 2018 | 26 | 1,500 | 600 | 2,000 |
| 2019 | 29 | 2,000 | 850 | 2,500 |
| 2020 | 17 | 2,100 | 1,500 | 2,650 |
| 2021 | 13 | 2,600 | 1,700 | 7,000 |
| 2022 | 25 | 4,000 | 2,500 | 18,000 |
| 2023 | 29 | 6,000 | 2,000 | 10,000 |
| 2024 | 53 | 8,000 | 4,000 | 19,500 |
| 2025 | 50 | 10,500 | 1,400 | 30,000 |
| 2026 | 11 | 30,000 | 10,000 | 42,000 |
Onboard storage
Onboard dustbin capacity has moved in the opposite direction from suction, from a median of 600 ml in 2016 to 250 ml in 2026. That is not a step backward: as self-emptying docks became standard, manufacturers stopped needing a large bin on the robot itself, since the dock's base station holds the dust instead.
Median onboard capacity. Milliliters (ml).
| Year | Models (n) | Median capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 | 600 |
| 2017 | 28 | 405 |
| 2018 | 27 | 600 |
| 2019 | 37 | 520 |
| 2020 | 19 | 510 |
| 2021 | 18 | 440 |
| 2022 | 33 | 420 |
| 2023 | 32 | 350 |
| 2024 | 58 | 350 |
| 2025 | 47 | 300 |
| 2026 | 6 | 250 |
Feature adoption
Self-emptying docks went from a niche extra (0% of 2016 models) to a near-standard feature (100% by 2026). Wet mopping followed a similar path, moving from 29% of 2016 models to 100% by 2026.
Obstacle-avoidance cameras and multi-floor mapping followed a slower, quieter curve. We show them here in gray for context: they moved up too, just without the sharp inflection point the dock and mop had.
Percent of models that year with known spec data for the feature. Drag the slider (or use arrow keys) to see any year's exact values.
| Year | Self-Emptying Dock | Wet Mopping | Obstacle Camera | Multi-Floor Maps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0% (n=7) | 29% (n=7) | 0% (n=4) | 17% (n=6) |
| 2017 | 4% (n=28) | 29% (n=28) | 0% (n=9) | 13% (n=15) |
| 2018 | 4% (n=28) | 39% (n=28) | 0% (n=16) | 35% (n=20) |
| 2019 | 5% (n=38) | 50% (n=38) | 0% (n=24) | 38% (n=29) |
| 2020 | 25% (n=20) | 90% (n=20) | 26% (n=19) | 67% (n=15) |
| 2021 | 39% (n=18) | 94% (n=17) | 61% (n=18) | 100% (n=12) |
| 2022 | 71% (n=34) | 97% (n=34) | 40% (n=20) | 97% (n=29) |
| 2023 | 76% (n=33) | 100% (n=33) | 79% (n=33) | 100% (n=29) |
| 2024 | 80% (n=59) | 98% (n=59) | 80% (n=59) | 100% (n=53) |
| 2025 | 74% (n=50) | 96% (n=50) | 70% (n=50) | 100% (n=41) |
| 2026 | 100% (n=11) | 100% (n=11) | 82% (n=11) | 100% (n=11) |
Launch volume
Every catalogued robot vacuum, grouped by launch year. Models that may no longer be sold remain in the count and charts above, since they are still part of the historical record.
Methodology
These charts are built from 341 robot vacuums in our catalog with a known launch date (2011-2026), including models that are no longer sold. Discontinuing a model does not remove its historical data point. Trend charts start in 2016 because 2015 and earlier years have too few catalogued models (single-digit sample sizes, often a single brand) to support a meaningful year-over-year comparison; those earlier launches are still listed in the "What Launched When" section above. Battery capacity and noise level are not charted here because recent additions to the catalog do not consistently report those two fields, and a chart that goes quiet in its most recent years would be misleading. "May no longer be sold" reflects our catalog's own status field, which is not re-verified on a fixed schedule; it can lag a model's actual availability.