Dreame and Roborock: New robot hoovers finally climb over thresholds

In my robot hoover tests, the question often comes up in the comments: Can the vehicle climb over thresholds? And I always have to answer: Two centimetres is usually the limit. That is now changing.

At IFA in Berlin, two manufacturers presented robotic vacuum cleaners that can climb over thresholds or steps four to five centimetres high. The two models each use different technology. The Dreame is slightly higher, but is only a prototype. The Roborock will be available in the coming weeks.

Dreame: Two auxiliary wheels push over the threshold

The Dreame prototype makes its rounds on the stand. Heel up, turn, back down to the base station. Over and over again. Dreame solves the threshold problem with two additional wheels that extend and lift the front of the robot. As soon as the additional wheels are at the threshold, they slide backwards and are retracted again.

At the same time, the robot also raises the sensor tower with the LIDAR scanner so that it can look over the raised edge of the housing and see exactly where the threshold or landing is.

The Dreame clears obstacles four to five centimetres high using this method. Incidentally, the step in the demo area is slightly larger than with Roborock - and there is no intermediate step. However, the Dreame is somewhat slower and more careful when climbing.

The first model with the new technology will be announced at the CES tech fair in Las Vegas and will be launched on the market sometime in 2025. Incidentally, it will also feature a second, completely new technology, which was also shown at IFA.

Two counter-rotating brushes prevent long hairs from wrapping around the roller, which you then have to laboriously cut out again. In the demo, the hair was first wound up briefly, but then transported into the dust container without getting tangled. If it works like this, it will be very useful for all households with people or animals with long hair.

Dreame has already announced further new products before the trade fair:

Roborock: All three wheels can be extended

The Qrevo Curv takes its name from the docking station, which this time is not an angular cube but rather a round igloo. However, another feature of the new Roborock model is much more unusual - namely its climbing ability.

The new model can climb around four centimetres - with a different concept to Dreame. This is because all three wheels can be extended individually. This means the two large main drive wheels at the side and the support wheel at the front in the centre. If there is a threshold, this small wheel at the front is lifted and the Roborock takes a running jump over the obstacle.

This looks less elegant than Dreame, but is significantly faster. At the IFA stand, however, the Qrevo Curv has less height to climb and also has a small intermediate step. The test will have to show how good the climbing capabilities really are.

The system has one advantage: it is not only used on thresholds or steps, but also on a high carpet, for example. Here, the robot is lifted on all three wheels, giving it more ground clearance overall. If the Roborock is stuck on a chair leg, such as a cantilever chair, then only one wheel can be lifted to free it.

The greatest strength is that Roborock is not showing a prototype at IFA, but a finished model. The Qrevo Curv will be launched on the market in the next few weeks for 1300 euros. The exact Swiss launch date and price have not yet been finalised.

The other features of the Qrevo Curv: a split suction roller to prevent hair from getting tangled. The side brush and mop can be extended to clean edges and corners. And the robot is cleaned in the station with water heated to 75 degrees and then dried with warm air. <p