At IFA 2025 in Berlin, three brands — Eufy, Dreame, and MOVA — demonstrated stair-climbing modules for robot vacuums, marking a significant step forward for the category. Each concept used a separate robotic unit to transport a vacuum between levels, offering a potential solution to the challenge of multi-floor coverage without adding bulk to the robots themselves. While not yet available to consumers, the demonstrations offered an exciting glimpse of what may be coming next.
While robotics engineers have built stair-climbing machines for decades, those designs tend to be bulky and impractical for home cleaning robots. Vacuums need to stay compact to slip under couches and maneuver between furniture, making stair climbing a challenge that we haven’t seen a proposed solution for since the unrealized Migo Ascender, a crowdfunded project that stalled in 2024 before reaching consumers.
Eufy MarsWalker
Eufy introduced the MarsWalker, a platform that acts like a stairlift for robot vacuums. Using four adaptive arms and a track-drive system, it grips steps and climbs them quickly. It can handle straight, L-shaped, and U-shaped staircases and builds a 3D map of the home to plan movements. Once on the new floor, the MarsWalker module releases the vacuum to continue cleaning.
The MarsWalker also includes its own charging dock. Eufy expects to launch it in the first half of 2026, though pricing has not been announced.
The MarsWalker is designed to work with Eufy’s upcoming Omni S2 flagship robot vacuum, a model planned to launch in January 2026 with 30,000Pa suction, advanced 3D navigation, mop lifting, and its own fully automated base station.
Our Take on the Eufy MarsWalker
The MarsWalker’s track system is similar to Dreame’s (see below), but in a smaller, more consumer-friendly package. Together with the Omni S2, Eufy’s setup seems to us like it may offer a balanced option between speed, size, and practicality.
See the MarsWalker in Action
Dreame CyberX
CyberX: Heavy-Duty Stair Climber
Dreame revealed the CyberX at IFA 2025, their own stair-climbing module designed to transport Dreame robot vacuums. Using treaded wheels and a triple braking system, Dreame says it can climb steps up to 25 cm (9.8 inches).
A Smart 3D Adapt visual system scans stairs before climbing to avoid unsafe attempts. It has its own 6,400 mAh battery, and Dreame says the CyberX can support cleaning as many as five floors.
Throughout 2025, Dreame has steadily increased its climbing capabilities — from 6 cm thresholds, to 8 cm, and now to full stairs. The CyberX represents the latest stage in that progression.
Our Take on the Dreame CyberX
The CyberX appears to be the fastest and most powerful of the three, but it is also the largest, which could be a drawback for some.
See the CyberX in Action
MOVA Zeus 60: Elevator-Lift Style
The MOVA Zeus 60 takes a different approach. Unlike Eufy and Dreame, which both use rolling track systems, the Zeus 60’s step-by-step “elevator” motion is unique. It appears to emphasize stability and compactness over speed.
The smaller footprint could make it more appealing in homes with narrow staircases or limited space around landings, even if it moves more slowly.
MOVA has not announced a release date or price.
Our Take on the MOVA Zeus 60
The Zeus 60 trades speed for a compact size, offering a noticeably smaller footprint than the other two brands but at the cost of slower operation.
See the MOVA Zeus 60 in Action
Comparing the Three Approaches
All three brands arrived at the same basic idea: a module that carries the vacuum, rather than trying to build stair climbing into the vacuum itself.
- Eufy MarsWalker → track-based, mid-sized, paired with the Omni S2; balanced design.
- Dreame CyberX → track-based, likely the fastest, but it has the larger size of the three.
- MOVA Zeus 60 → elevator-style, compact and space-efficient, but noticeably slower.
But What About Vacuuming the Stairs?
Recalling the Migo Ascender — a short-lived crowdfunded project that attempted to vacuum the stairs as it climbed them — raises an important question: who will clean the stairs themselves? The latest solutions from Eufy, Dreame, and MOVA concentrate on transporting robot vacuums between levels, not on addressing dirt that accumulates on the steps. Their designs vary in size, speed, and approach, but none attempt to vacuum the stairs directly. For now, it remains a limitation of the current technology and an area where future development could bring meaningful progress.
What Stair-Climbing Means for the Future
Multi-level homes have long been the unsolved problem in robot vacuums. With these modules, manufacturers are taking the first real step toward whole-home autonomy.
The accessory approach could also signal a shift toward modular ecosystems — companion devices that handle specific mobility or cleaning challenges. Future modules might tackle stair cleaning directly, or expand into other areas of the home.
Big questions remain: How reliable will these modules be in everyday use? Will consumers accept the extra cost and size? And which design — faster, smaller, or balanced — will prove most practical?
For the latest announcements and product launches from Berlin, explore our complete IFA 2025 coverage.
