Laundry-Folding Robot Steals The Spotlight With Groundbreaking CES Debut

If you're among the vast majority of people who hate doing laundry, the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) may have just the droids you've been looking for. Multiple laundry-folding robots were unveiled at the annual technology trade show in Las Vegas, including mech maids like Switchbot's Onero H1 and LG's CLOiD. Designed as humanoid household robots, both aim to reduce (or even eliminate) the time it takes to do common chores both inside and outside the laundry room. Although the speed and efficiency of these robot maids didn't entirely convince CES attendees, companies like LG are clearly leaning into AI-enabled home robotic systems as part of a broader trend toward life-changing smart home solutions.

"The LG CLOiD home robot is designed to naturally engage with and understand the humans it serves, providing an optimized level of household help," said Steve Baek, president of the LG Home Appliance Solution Company in a press release announcing the groundbreaking CES debut. "We will continue our relentless efforts to achieve our Zero Labor Home vision, making housework a thing of the past," he added. Whether you dread doing the laundry or there are other home maintenance tasks you hate even more, the idea of a "Zero Labor Home" may seem unlikely. But LG isn't the only major appliance brand to try it. And, as CNET's Editor at Large Bridget Carney told CBS News 24/7 after watching the CLOiD demonstration at CES, "I think we have to have a little patience, but I like to see that we're getting closer at making this a reality for folks who need a little assistance at home."

Patience was the name of the game as LG debuted the CLOiD. Waving as it rolled onto the CES stage in front of a curious audience, the humanoid robot used autonomous driving technology pulled from LG's robot vacuums and Q9 to make its way toward the company's VP of Sales. When handed a damp towel, CLOiD slowly reached out, grasped the fabric, and announced it would start a load of laundry. Despite a unhurried pace, the robot had a wide range of motion from the shoulder, wrist, and fingers. An LG press release claims that "Each arm has seven degrees of freedom, matching the mobility of a human arm." It then wheeled itself toward a front-loading machine, reaching forward with the towel to put it inside. Later, at the LG Booth, crowds watched as CLOiD slowly but surely folded a basket of white towels.

Inside its glossy white body, CLOiD is equipped with a display, speaker, cameras, sensors, and voice-based generative AI. According to LG, those systems allow it to communicate naturally with users and control various connected home appliances. Beyond laundry, the robot also demonstrated fetching items from the refrigerator and placing meals in an oven, although these tasks unfolded at the same deliberate pace. Viewers following along online remained skeptical. "I don't understand why companies continue to present themselves as market-ready in this area when it's clear we're years away from having one of these in our homes," wrote one YouTube commenter reacting to the demo. While Switchbot is reportedly pre-selling its home robot for under $10,000 in 2026, LG has yet to announce pricing or a release date for CLOiD. For now, hiring a house cleaner may still be the faster option.