iRobot unveiled its most advanced and expensive robot vacuum yet on Tuesday. The (deep breath) Roomba Combo 10 Max Robot + AutoWash Dock automatically washes and dries the mopping pad, something you had to do manually on all its previous combo vacs. But at $1,399, many customers will want to wait several generations for the feature to trickle down to models that don’t cost nearly the equivalent of a MacBook Pro.
Cleaning robots exist to automate tasks that are a pain for us, and the Roomba Combo 10 Max Robot expands on that. iRobot says the dock, which contains “premium antimicrobial materials,” can empty its dirt into an enclosed bag, refill the mopping solution tank and clean itself after each pad wash. You can manually run self-cleaning, and its companion app will remind you when it’s time for standard maintenance or a deeper cleaning.
The robot can store dirt and debris for up to 60 days before emptying, and the mopping pad and self-cleaning tank hold up to seven days of water. At least in theory, the Combo 10 Max leaves less work for the user than any other Roomba before it.
iRobot says the new Roomba can seamlessly transition from vacuuming carpet to mopping floors, automatically boosting its suction power when it detects carpets. It can then move back and forth with consistent pressure and deeper scrubbing when it senses that it’s time to mop.
The combo vacuum is designed to retract its entire mopping system when it reaches carpet, “lifting its mop pad to the top of the robot to keep even high-pile carpets fresh and dry.” Meanwhile, it can vacuum and mop simultaneously on hard floors.
While other Roomba models have been able to sense particularly messy areas, the Combo 10 Max adds a camera to “visually pinpoint dirt on the floor.” The company claims this allows it to recognize the dirtiest spots up to eight times more frequently, making multiple passes on those areas more efficiently.
Like other models, the robot cleaner can map your home, but iRobot says it can do so seven times faster than other models while automatically labeling each room type. Its software can even use past cleaning information to predict each room’s cleanliness, proceeding accordingly.
The robot works with Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, and iRobot expects it to be Matter-enabled by the end of 2024. That should cover just about every type of smart home. Of course, it includes the company’s memorably branded Pet Owner Official Promise (P.O.O.P.). It provides a free device replacement if the robot accidentally plows through pet waste and ruins your day.
The Roomba Combo 10 Max is available for pre-order today on iRobot’s website in the US and Canada. (It’s also available to reserve in Europe and will launch there in “the coming months.”) However, as marvelous as the technological cleaning wonders sound, its $1,399 cost of admission prices it out of everything but the most well-heeled homes.