Expanding to a 10-billion-scale over two years, the era of dominance by a single floor scrubber manufacturer is coming to an end.

Expanding to a 10-billion-scale over two years, the dominance of single-player floor scrubbers comes to an end.

China National Radio Network

After the sudden surge in popularity of floor-cleaning robots in 2020, the market quickly heated up, and by 2022, it was expected to reach a scale of 10.5 billion yuan. This rapid growth has been accompanied by dramatic shifts in the market. Tineco’s early-mover advantage has gradually eroded, while an increasing number of innovative brands are vying for a share of the market.

Relevant data show that there are nearly 200 floor scrubber brands on the market today, with at least 24 new models launched every month. In the fiercely competitive floor scrubber market, product iteration speed, breadth of channel coverage, intensity of marketing and promotion, and financial strength are all indispensable. Industry insiders predict that the competitive landscape of floor scrubbers will soon shift from a “1+N” model to an “X+N” model.

The brand landscape is undergoing a major shift.

As a trend-setting, blockbuster product that’s transforming the cleaning appliance industry ecosystem and reshaping market shares, floor scrubbers have rapidly become the best-selling category in the cleaning appliance sector. According to data from AVC, from January to September this year, the floor scrubber category continued to post strong growth, with cumulative sales across all channels reaching 5.89 billion yuan—a year-on-year increase of 76.4%. Sales volume totaled 1.982 million units, up 85.5% year-on-year.

In fact, floor scrubbers began to be sold in the Chinese market as early as 2016, but it wasn't until 2020 that they officially entered a period of rapid growth. In 2019, total sales across all channels for floor scrubbers were only 70 million yuan. However, driven by the surge in demand for home cleaning in 2020, total sales across all channels reached 1.29 billion yuan. By 2021, floor scrubbers experienced a dramatic boom, with sales soaring to 5.78 billion yuan—a year-on-year increase of 348% compared to 2020. This year, the floor scrubber market continues to maintain rapid growth, and it is virtually certain that sales will exceed 10 billion yuan. According to data calculated by AVC, the scale of the floor scrubber industry in 2022 reached 10.5 billion yuan, representing an 81% year-on-year increase.

Floor scrubbers have quickly become one of the fastest-growing niche products in the cleaning appliance industry, and as a result, the number of floor scrubber brands has expanded rapidly. In just over two years, the total number of floor scrubber brands across the industry has reached 163. From the perspective of brand types, today’s active floor scrubber brands can be categorized into four main groups: The first group comprises specialized cleaning appliance brands, such as Tineco and Dreame Technology; the second group consists of comprehensive home appliance brands, like Midea and Haier; the third group includes internet-based brands, such as Xiaomi, Yunmi, and 360; and the fourth group features cross-industry brands, including Mibro, Supor, and Joyoung.

Under last year’s rapid growth, the floor scrubber brands have already gone through the first round of elimination, resulting in dramatic changes in the top 10 brand rankings. Currently, the floor scrubber market is entering its second round of elimination, with highly intense brand competition. In terms of sales share, from January to September 2022, Tineco, Dreame Technology, and Haier ranked among the top three brands. Among them, Dreame Technology showed particularly remarkable growth, with its market share multiplying several times over. In less than a year, it has joined the ranks of leading floor scrubber brands.

The rise of Dreame Technology is inseparable from its deep penetration into various distribution channels. From January to September 2022, total sales of floor-cleaning robots across all channels reached 5.89 billion yuan, with online channels accounting for 4.97 billion yuan, representing 84.3% of total channel sales. Among online channels, Douyin E-commerce accounted for 21.7%, making it one of the key channels that floor-cleaning robot brands are focusing on developing.

From a category perspective, trendy home appliances constitute an important part of Douyin’s best-selling appliance categories. Take floor-washing machines as an example: this new category boasts innovative features that most consumers have never heard of. Thanks to the vivid demonstrations provided through live streams and short videos, these products can quickly capture consumers’ attention and spark impulse buying. On Douyin, Dreame Technology has ranked first in market share for three consecutive months.

Industry insiders predict that in the domestic market, Tineco will be the first to popularize the floor-cleaning robot category. However, as new brands continue to enter the market, competition is intensifying. Compared to the beginning of the year, Tineco’s current advantages are gradually eroding, and the competitive landscape for floor-cleaning robot brands is set to shift from a “1+N” model to an “X+N” model. During this transition, brands seeking to establish a solid foothold will inevitably face increasingly challenging obstacles. Key factors will include the speed of product iteration, the strength of marketing capabilities, and the breadth of channel coverage. It will also be crucial to assess whether sufficient funding can support both R&D and marketing efforts.

Refinement of consumer demand

Over the past two years, driven by diverse consumer groups and complex usage scenarios, the washing machine market has seen increasingly distinct product segmentation. There’s a price range below 2,000 yuan—a segment characterized by widespread adoption; a price range between 2,500 and 3,500 yuan—a cluster where products are concentrated; and a price range above 4,000 yuan—a premium segment for higher-end models. Each price bracket caters to its own specific target audience.

Looking at the pricing distribution of newly launched products, we see a growth trend at both ends of the spectrum. Since the beginning of 2022, there has been a noticeable downward shift in new-product prices: 45.7% of new products now have an average price below 2,000 yuan, an increase of 16.3% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, high-end products priced at 4,000 yuan or above saw a slight increase of 1.7% over the same period. However, when it comes to the price preferences of core users of floor scrubbers—those who have already purchased or are considering purchasing such products—48.9% of the user group is focused on the price range of 3,000 to 3,999 yuan, while the proportion of consumers willing to spend 4,000 yuan or more on high-end products stands at 27.4%.

“Looking ahead at product development, Dreame Technology plans to further expand its presence in the mid-to-high price segment. By achieving technological breakthroughs within the industry and highlighting differentiated selling points, we aim to drive overall product quality improvements—providing users with smarter, more cutting-edge, more thoughtful, and higher-quality cleaning experiences and services,” said a representative from Dreame Technology.

According to data from Oviyun Network, from January to September of this year, a total of 219 new models were launched. Among the top 20 best-selling models, Dreame Technology’s new products performed exceptionally well in the market, with three new models—H12, M12, and M13—making the list.

From the perspective of product innovation, floor scrubbers have now entered the 3.0 era, with successive generations of products evolving from corded floor scrubbers to cordless floor scrubbers and then to cordless steam floor scrubbers. As one of the leading brands in the cleaning appliance industry, Dreame Technology has taken the lead in achieving technological breakthroughs, becoming one of the first brands in the industry to launch a cordless steam floor scrubber. The company has made significant industry advancements in areas such as cordless steam technology, real-time dual sterilization/stain-removal technology using steam, and a dual-water-path switching system for both hot and cold water. These innovations have brought users a smarter and higher-quality product experience in terms of cleaning performance.

Compared to wired steam floor cleaners available on the market, cordless steam floor cleaners address the drawbacks of cumbersome power cords and difficult operation, making them much more convenient to use. Moreover, cordless steam floor cleaners also demonstrate even more significant advantages in terms of cleaning performance. The Dreame T12 cordless steam floor cleaner features four cleaning modes: standard, water-absorbing, hot water, and steam. Among these, its signature steam and hot-water cleaning functions deliver exceptionally outstanding results. In steam mode, the roller brush emits high-temperature steam above 100°C, effectively removing stubborn stains while simultaneously providing real-time disinfection.

A representative from Dreame Technology stated that they hope to continuously push the boundaries of the industry by leveraging their advanced R&D capabilities and unwavering passion for consumers, thereby delivering even higher-quality cleaning experiences and services. They also look forward to using the T12 cordless steam floor cleaner as a catalyst to redefine the form factor of floor cleaners and usher in a new era of transformation in this category.

According to industry insiders, floor scrubbers will remain the fastest-growing category in the cleaning appliance market over the next three to five years. With its innovative and differentiated wireless steam floor scrubbers, continuous product innovation and iteration capabilities, an extensive sales network covering all channels, substantial R&D investment and technological innovation in the industry, as well as strong capital support, Midea Technology is poised to make further strides in the floor scrubber segment by year-end.