iRobot

Who iRobot is

iRobot is the company behind the Roomba. Its Swiss site tells the story: Colin Angle, Helen Greiner and Rodney Brooks, "all with backgrounds in MIT's Artificial Intelligence Lab," founded iRobot "with the goal of making practical robots a reality." Its early work included the Ariel mine-clearing robot in 1996. The Roomba followed in 2002, "an autonomous robot vacuum cleaner that could clean floors independently," which the page says "made iRobot famous worldwide." Scooba, a floor-washing robot, came in 2005; the Roomba 980 brought Wi-Fi and smartphone control through the iRobot Home App in 2015; the Braava jet robot mop arrived in 2016; and the Roomba Combo series of vacuum-and-mop robots started in 2022.

The Swiss store puts two numbers on that history: "Over 50 million robots sold worldwide" and "Over 30 years of experience." The US Roomba page says its line-up is "backed by over 30 years of expertise." The US site is signed by iRobot Corporation.

The Roomba range today

The US store sorts its robots into vacuums, vacuum and mop combos, and a disinfecting floor cleaner, with a "Help me choose" quiz, a compare tool and a page of "Robots that fit any budget." Prices below are what the US Roomba page showed; several carried limited-time reductions.

Roomba 105 and 205, the entry point. The Roomba 105 Vac Robot + AutoEmpty™ Dock was listed at $279.99 (reduced from $449.99) and the Roomba 105 Combo Robot + AutoEmpty™ Dock at $299.99 (from $469.99), so even the cheapest Roomba on the page comes with a self-emptying dock. The Roomba 205 DustCompactor™ Combo Robot, at $469.99, takes a different route: iRobot groups it under "Holds more so you do less," with "improved navigation, strong suction, and customizable features."

Roomba Plus, the combos with AutoWash. The Plus family pairs a vacuum-and-mop robot with an AutoWash™ dock. The page describes the Plus Combo as "featuring advanced spinning DualClean™ Mop Pads and a high-powered docking station," a 2-in-1 robot that "takes more work off your to-do list with bin emptying, pad washing, and self-cleaning cycles." Listed prices ran from the Plus 415 Combo at $499.99 (from $599.99) and the Plus 515 Combo at $599.99 (from $699.99) to the Plus 575 Combo at $699.99 (from $799.99) and the Plus 678 Combo at $899.99.

Roomba Max, the flagships. The Max line is sold on "More cleaning power. Smarter performance. More hands-free convenience." The Roomba Max 715 Vac Robot + AutoEmpty™ Dock was $699.99, the Roomba Max 775 Combo Robot + AutoWash™ Dock $999.99, and the Roomba Max 875 Combo robot + AutoWash™ dock $1,199.99. The page credits the Max combos with a PowerSpin™ Roller Mop and the Max vacuum with Dual Rubber Brushes for "extreme suction." The Roomba Combo 10 Max robot + AutoWash™ dock also remained listed, at $1,399.99.

Roomba Mini, the small one. The Roomba Mini Combo is iRobot's compact robot. The Swiss store says "small can also be really powerful": it reaches under furniture and into places larger robots cannot, vacuums or mops with a disposable cloth, navigates with ClearView™ LiDAR, avoids carpets when mopping, and its AutoEmpty™ Dock empties into an AllergenLock™ bag for "up to 90 days of cleaning without manual intervention." The Swiss price was CHF 179.00 against CHF 229.00. Japan has its own compact line: the Japanese site lists a Roomba billed as "ルンバ史上最小サイズ" (the smallest size in Roomba history) at 49,800 円 including tax.

Roomba Electro Plus. The newest addition sits in its own US category, "Disinfecting Floor Cleaner."

The steps are easy to follow. The 105 buys a Roomba with a self-emptying dock at the lowest price; the Plus line adds pad washing and self-cleaning through AutoWash; the Max line adds the roller mop and what iRobot calls "extreme suction."

The app, parts and ownership

The Roomba Home App lets owners "set schedules, check your robot's health, tailor your SmartMap, and more," and is on the App Store and Google Play. For upkeep, the US store sells parts and accessories by type (accessory bundles, dirt disposal bags, filters, brushes, cleaning pads and hard floor cleaner) and reminds owners that "Regular maintenance with genuine iRobot® Accessories keeps your robot healthy and cleaning in top condition." The support menu adds an owner's guide, returns and warranties, a protection plan, price match and a where-to-buy list.

The trade-in program is spelled out in steps: get an estimate, buy a new Roomba or Braava, send the old robot in, and receive credit back to the original payment method once the model is confirmed. The page offers "up to $150" in credit. Eligible models are sorted into tiers, from older Roomba 400-600 and e series robots up to the newest combos. Only iRobot-branded products qualify, and the page points owners of other brands to recycling and donation options.

Paying is flexible too. Affirm financing carries rates the page gives as "between 0%-36% APR," and there are discounts for military, first responders and nurses, a refer-and-earn scheme, eGift cards and 10% off a first order for new e-mail subscribers.

Warranty and service by country

Warranty terms are set by each regional store, and they differ. The Swiss store, run by what it calls iRobot Switzerland, "an established and market-oriented general distributor," offers a "2-year limited warranty," a "14-day money-back guarantee" and free shipping from CHF 150.00. The Polish store promises door-to-door service and "24 miesiące gwarancji" (a 24-month warranty) with every robot. The official Japanese store offers a free 2-year warranty (1 year from the maker plus 1 year extended) or a paid 5-year warranty, and it also rents Roombas. The iRobot site lists country versions for the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal, with further stores in Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Brazil and Japan.

Who iRobot suits

iRobot suits a buyer who wants the Roomba name and a clear price ladder. The Roomba 105 suits a first robot on a budget and still empties itself; the Plus combos suit homes with hard floors that want washed pads without a premium price; the Max 775 and 875 suit larger homes that want the roller mop and the most automation. The Mini suits small apartments in the markets where it is sold. Owners upgrading from an older Roomba get the most from the trade-in credit, and the long run of accessories means parts are easy to buy.