iRobot is overhauling its entire robovac range, and for the first time in years I’m excited about a new Roomba
- iRobot scraps all its robot vacuums apart from the Combo 10 Max, replacing them with 5 new models
- The new vacs have LiDAR, rotating mop pads, and introduce a cool new design language
- They’re available for pre-sale from March 18 in North America and some European countries
iRobot started out as the go-to robot vacuum brand – if you were looking for a robovac, you wanted a Roomba. But over the years other brands started to overtake it, and the gap kept widening, with Roombas slipping further and further down our best robot vacuum ranking and threatening to disappear from them entirely. Until now…
iRobot has pulled out the big guns for 2025, scrapping almost its entire Roomba fleet and replacing it with five new models that look like they could actually trouble the likes of Roborock and Ecovacs.
The biggest update is the introduction of LiDAR, and it’s remarkable that it’s taken iRobot this long to get on board with the tech – LiDAR is almost universally considered the best, most reliable form of robot vacuum navigation, and is more or less standard across the rest of the market. The new Roombas should, as a result, offer faster, more accurate navigation, and they’ll be able to find their way around in the dark, too.
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iRobot is calling its LiDAR navigation ‘ClearView’, and it features across all new models. That includes – interestingly – one that doesn’t have the usual central, raised LiDAR puck. (iRobot assures us that this won’t compromise navigation accuracy, but it’s definitely something we’d like to test out for ourselves.)
Perhaps overdue, too, is the introduction of rotating discs, which can lift and in one case, kick out for edge mopping. These tend to deliver a more efficient wet clean than the static pads favored by Roomba thus far. They’re paired, in the case of the Roomba Plus 405 Combo and 505 Combo, with more advanced ‘AutoWash’ docks that can clean and dry the mop pads, in one case with hot air.
One decision that helps mark this out as a new start for iRobot is the introduction of a new design language, dubbed GRID (for Geometric, Rational, Iconic and Dynamic). The new bots have a kind of Mondrian-style geometric grid on top, and introduce matte textures for a friendlier, and more style-forward look than most of the competition. It’s also distinctive to the brand, and will help Roomba stand out in a sea of rather generic-looking competitor products.
The most interesting introduction to the lineup, for me, is the Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo robot. Designed for those who don’t have space for a giant auto-empty dock in their home (raised hand), this bot does the next best thing and compacts the dust in the small onboard bin, making it capable of holding far larger quantities and removing the need for you to constantly empty it. As an aside, this is the same bot without the LiDAR puck, which I guess fits with the space-saving, streamlined vibe.
What’s in a name?
The fact that the names have been revamped to a clearer system of Roomba (good), Roomba Plus (better), Roomba Max (best), should be a big help to consumers looking to make sense of the lineup and their options. The only sad thing about this is that the Max category is currently made up of the Roomba Combo 10 Max on its own. That’s the only model not to be scrapped – and given that it only came out in 2024, I can kind of see why. However, it didn’t receive the best response, and doesn’t make for a great range-topper. In fact, it looks positively decrepit compared to the sleek, capable new fleet, and notably lacking important updates like LiDAR. I hope a better ‘best’ model is on the cards soon.
Another boon for consumers is iRobot’s decision to once again share suction specs. The brand had stopped doing this, arguing that cleaning power wasn’t all about suction. While that’s true, it’s a useful indicator of what the performance might be, and helpful when comparing different models (both from within iRobot’s range and outside). The new Roombas all have 7,000Pa of suction, which is less than most premium bots, but is still a decent amount, especially when combined with an efficient design.
iRobot scraps all its robot vacuums apart from the Combo 10 Max, replacing them with 5 new models The new vacs have LiDAR, rotating mop pads, and introduce a cool new design language They’re available for pre-sale from March 18 in North America and some European countries iRobot started out…
