Roborock to Officially Launch Two Washer-Dryer Models in Korea by End of Month
Reduced Capacity Enhances Price Competitiveness
Targeting 1-2 Person Households Preferring Compact Size
Roborock, a Chinese company that has led the domestic all-in-one robot vacuum cleaner market, is now entering the all-in-one washer-dryer market. This is the first official challenge by a third party in the new market formed by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. Roborock plans to expand its presence in the Korean market by leveraging its washer-dryer products that have already gained popularity in the Chinese domestic market. This is the first time Roborock is introducing home appliances other than vacuum cleaners in Korea, and it is expected to accelerate the entry of Chinese home appliance brands into the domestic market.
According to industry sources on the 19th, Roborock is scheduled to officially launch two all-in-one washer-dryer models at the end of this month. The main products are the all-in-one washer-dryer 'Zeo' series and the compact all-in-one washer-dryer 'M1 Pure,' which were unveiled at the IFA 2024, the German home appliance exhibition held last September.
These products have already been released in the Chinese domestic market, and it appears that the decision to launch them domestically was made to expand influence in the Korean home appliance market.
The all-in-one washer-dryer has been praised as an 'innovative appliance' because it eliminates the need to stack a washer and dryer vertically, thus maximizing space utilization, and removes the hassle of transferring laundry from the washer to the dryer. Above all, it attracted attention by applying an inverter heat pump method specialized in fabric protection, solving the problem of fabric damage during the drying process. According to the industry, the annual sales volume of new washing machines is around 1.5 million units.
Roborock is expected to adopt a strategy similar to Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics products but with some differences. While adopting AI technology and fabric damage minimization approaches promoted by domestic companies, Roborock plans to reduce capacity and offer relatively affordable products compared to domestic large-capacity models priced around 4 million KRW.
In fact, the Zeo series has a washing capacity of 10 kg and drying capacity of 6 kg. Compared to Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics’ integrated washer-dryers (washing 25 kg, drying 15 kg), the capacity is about half, targeting one- to two-person households who prefer compact appliances. The ‘M1 Pure’ has a washing capacity of 1 kg and drying capacity of 500 g, suitable for daily washing of underwear, socks, baby clothes, and sportswear. The highest-priced Zeo series was sold at 5,999 yuan (approximately 1.1 million KRW), and the lowest-priced M series was sold at 1,999 yuan (approximately 390,000 KRW).
Roborock’s washer-dryer is equipped with a mid-temperature drying technology called the 'Zeo-cycle.' Unlike conventional dryers, it is controlled by AI and smart sensors to dry clothes at precise temperatures. Roborock’s washer-dryer, exhibited as 'Zeo One,' won an innovation award at CES 2024 held in January this year for this technology.
If Roborock’s washer-dryer creates a stir in the domestic market, the competitive landscape between Korean and Chinese home appliance companies is expected to expand further. An industry insider said, "Unlike the all-in-one robot vacuum cleaner market, where domestic companies hesitated, it is uncertain how much Chinese companies can establish themselves in the all-in-one washer-dryer market," but added, "Recently, Chinese companies have been focusing on performance rather than price competitiveness, so there is a possibility of attracting consumers with new technologies."
Meanwhile, Roborock continues its efforts to maintain its market-leading position by launching the budget robot vacuum cleaner 'Roborock Q Revo Curve' just the day before. This product is the first in the industry to feature a 'chassis lift system' that lifts the main body up to 10 mm and controls the wheels individually, enabling easy cleaning of various floors and obstacles. In particular, the front wheels can rise up to 4 cm, allowing it to overcome double thresholds of 4 cm and standard thresholds of 3 cm. Compared to Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics products that can overcome thresholds of 1.5 to 2 cm, this feature can be highly attractive to consumers living in detached houses.
According to a market research firm, Roborock recorded sales of 142 billion KRW in the first half of this year and maintained the number one position in the domestic robot vacuum cleaner market with a 46.5% market share. However, as of August, its market share dropped to the high 30% range, with Samsung Electronics closely following with a mid-30% market share, indicating fierce competition.
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