You’ve probably seen the headlines lately. iRobot, the Massachusetts-based pioneer that basically invented the home robotics category, has had a rough couple of years. Between the messy, failed Amazon merger in 2024 and the late 2025 Chapter 11 filing, things look a bit chaotic from the outside. But here's the thing: everyone acts like the iRobot Roomba robot vacuum is a relic of the past.
It isn't.
Actually, the company is right in the middle of a massive pivot under its new ownership by Picea Robotics. If you walk into a store today, you're not looking at a dying brand; you're looking at a brand trying to claw its way back to the top of a market it used to own.
The Reality of Owning a Roomba in 2026
If you’re shopping for a vacuum, you’ve likely been bombarded with specs from brands like Roborock or Dreame. They boast about 30,000 Pa suction and lasers that can map your house in four seconds. It’s impressive.
Roombas don't play that game.
They’ve always been about "cleaning intelligence" rather than raw power. Take the Roomba Combo 10 Max, for instance. While competitors are engaged in a suction power arms race, iRobot leaned into the AutoWash dock. It’s a beastly station that washes the mop and dries it with heat. It sounds standard now, but iRobot’s implementation feels… different. It's more "set and forget" and less "tinker with the app every five minutes."
Honestly, the biggest hurdle for iRobot right now isn't the hardware. It's the trust. When a company goes through a "pre-packaged" bankruptcy, people panic. They worry their $1,400 robot will turn into a brick. But iRobot has been very vocal about the fact that their cloud services and app support aren't going anywhere. In fact, they recently rolled out Matter support for the Combo 10 Max and the newer Max 700 series, which is a huge deal for smart home nerds.
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Why Suction Isn't Everything
Most people think more Pa (Pascals) means a cleaner floor. That's a myth.
- Agitation matters more: iRobot still holds the patents on those dual multi-surface rubber brushes.
- The "tangle" factor: Most single-brush robots get choked by long hair.
- Mechanical Advantage: The way the two brushes counter-rotate allows them to pull debris out of deep carpet fibers in a way a single high-suction brush just can't.
If you have high-pile rugs and three shedding dogs, a Roomba is still the gold standard. A Roborock might have more "pull," but it lacks the "scrub" that iRobot’s mechanical design provides.
The Competitive Mess: Roomba vs. The World
The market is crowded. It's a sea of white and black plastic pucks.
Eufy is winning the budget game with the 11S Max and the newer X10 Pro Omni. They offer incredible value. Then you have the high-end players like the Roborock Saros 10R, which is currently the darling of tech reviewers. It has a retractable side brush that gets into corners better than almost anything iRobot has ever made.
So why even look at an iRobot Roomba robot vacuum?
Reliability is a mixed bag, to be fair. If you look at Trustpilot or Reddit lately, you’ll see people screaming about "Error 31" or charging pins that melt. It’s not all sunshine. The 2025 manufacturing batches had some quality control hiccups that the company is still trying to rectify. But—and this is a big but—iRobot’s object avoidance (PrecisionVision AI) is still arguably the most "polite." It doesn't just avoid poop; it avoids charging cables and socks without acting like a scared kitten.
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The Software Shift
iRobot OS is basically the "Apple" of the vacuum world. It’s simple.
You don't have to be a software engineer to set up a "no-go zone." The robot suggests them to you. It sees a tangled mess of wires under your desk and asks, "Hey, want me to stay away from here?" That kind of proactive UX is what keeps people in the ecosystem.
What’s Actually Happening with the Bankruptcy?
Let's clear this up. iRobot filed for Chapter 11 to wipe away debt and let Picea Robotics take the wheel. This isn't a "going out of business" sale. It’s a "we spent too much money fighting the FTC and now we need to reset" move.
The restructuring is expected to be finished by February 2026. For the average user, this means:
- Warranty continuity: They are still honoring existing warranties.
- App support: The servers are staying on.
- New Tech: They've already teased a "next era" of robots for later this year.
Making the Right Choice: Which Model?
If you're going to buy one right now, don't just grab the cheapest one at Costco.
The Roomba j9+ is currently the "sweet spot." It’s powerful, it has the auto-fill feature for the mop, and it doesn't have the bulk of the Combo 10 Max. If you're on a budget, the Roomba 105 is the new entry-level king. It’s basically a stripped-down version of their better tech, focusing purely on vacuuming without the fancy mopping gimmicks.
Actionable Tips for Potential Buyers
- Check your floor types: If you have 100% hardwood, you’re overpaying for a Roomba. Get a Dreame or a Roborock with a better mopping system. If you have 50% or more carpet, the Roomba's dual brushes are non-negotiable.
- Wait for the sales: iRobot is aggressive with pricing right now to regain market share. Never pay MSRP.
- Maintenance is key: Most "broken" Roombas just have dirty sensors. Buy a pack of generic filters and brushes on Amazon for $20 and swap them every three months. It'll double the life of the machine.
- Check the App Version: Ensure you’re running the latest iRobot Home app (version 7.16 or higher for the flagship models) to get the most out of the new mapping updates.
The iRobot Roomba robot vacuum isn't the undisputed king anymore, but it's far from dead. It's the "old reliable" that’s currently hitting the gym for a comeback. If you value carpet cleaning and a dead-simple interface over flashy specs, it's still the one to beat.
To get the most out of your current or future robot, start by mapping your house during the day with all the lights on. This gives the VSLAM (Vision-based Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) sensors the best chance to create a "Gold Master" map, which reduces navigation errors by up to 30% in the long run.