It finally happened. For years, iRobot—the company that basically invented the robot vacuum category—was kind of getting its lunch eaten by brands like Roborock and Dreame. Those competitors were throwing every possible feature at the wall: high-speed spinning mops, massive suction numbers, and base stations that looked like they belonged in a sci-fi movie. iRobot stayed conservative. They stuck to their guns with those iconic dual rubber brushes and a "reliable but slow" approach to innovation. But the Roomba Combo 10 Max changes that narrative. It’s the first time in a long time where it feels like iRobot stopped playing defense and actually built something that handles the grossest parts of floor care without needing a human to babysit it every twenty minutes.
Let’s be real for a second. Most "combo" robots are just vacuums with a wet rag stapled to the bottom. They drag a dirty cloth across your expensive rugs, leaving a trail of gray streaks. The Roomba Combo 10 Max uses that clever "Auto-Retracting" mop arm we first saw on the J7+, which literally lifts the pad to the top of the robot when it senses carpet. It’s a mechanical flex that actually works. No more damp patches on the Persian rug. Honestly, it’s one of those design choices that makes you wonder why everyone else is still trying to just lift the mop a few millimeters. A few millimeters isn't enough for a high-pile carpet. You need the mop gone.
The AutoWash Dock Is the Real Hero Here
Most of the hype around this model centers on the AutoWash Dock. This is iRobot’s first real foray into a fully multi-function station that handles the mop cleaning for you. If you’ve ever owned an older mop-bot, you know the "Standard Mop Routine." The robot finishes, you forget about it, and three days later your laundry room smells like a swamp because a damp, dirty microfiber pad has been festering in the dark.
The Combo 10 Max fixes this by washing the mop pad with actual water and then drying it with warm air. It sounds like a luxury, but if you have dogs or kids, it’s a necessity. The dock also handles the dirt disposal, which we’ve had for years, but now it manages the water tanks too. You fill up the clean tank, and the dock refills the robot. It’s a closed-loop system that actually holds enough water to handle a decent-sized home without you needing to intervene every single morning.
One thing people often overlook is the Dirt Detective software. This isn't just a marketing buzzword. It’s basically the robot’s "brain" prioritizing which rooms are the filthiest. It tracks which areas it’s cleaned recently and which ones always seem to have crumbs (looking at you, kitchen) and adjusts its suction and scrubbing power accordingly. It’s smart. It’s efficient. It saves battery life.
Why the Dual Rubber Brushes Still Win
Suction numbers are a bit of a scam in the vacuum world. You’ll see brands claiming 10,000Pa or some other astronomical figure. But if the brush roll is just a bunch of hair-tangled bristles, that suction doesn't matter. The Roomba Combo 10 Max sticks with the dual multi-surface rubber brushes.
They don't tangle.
Well, that’s a slight exaggeration—if you have a Long-Haired Syrian Cat or something, you might find a stray strand—but compared to traditional bristles, they are a godsend. One brush loosens the dirt, the other pulls it in. It works on hardwood just as well as it does on deep-pile carpet. It’s a mechanical advantage that iRobot has patented the heck out of, and it remains the primary reason to buy a Roomba over the Chinese-made competitors that often struggle with hair wrap.
Avoiding the "Poop-pocalypse" with PrecisionVision
We have to talk about the cameras. The Combo 10 Max uses a front-facing camera system called PrecisionVision. This is the tech that allows it to identify objects in real-time. It knows what a power cord looks like. It knows what a stray shoe looks like. And most importantly for pet owners, it knows what "pet waste" looks like.
📖 Related: Why Your Wireless In Ear Earpiece Probably Sounds Like Trash (And How to Fix It)
iRobot is so confident in this that they offer the P.O.O.P. (Pet Owner Official Promise). If the robot runs over solid pet waste within the first year, they replace it for free. That is a level of confidence you just don’t see elsewhere. Most robots use LiDAR (lasers) on top to map. While LiDAR is great for walls, it’s not great at seeing a thin charging cable on the floor. The Combo 10 Max uses a hybrid approach, and the camera is the star of the show when it comes to not getting stuck on a stray sock.
The Matter Support and Smart Home Integration
The tech world is currently obsessed with "Matter," the new universal smart home standard. The Roomba Combo 10 Max is designed to be Matter-compatible. This means in the near future, it won't matter if you use Apple Home, Google Home, or Amazon Alexa. The robot should theoretically talk to all of them seamlessly. Right now, the integration is mostly through the iRobot Home App, which is arguably the most polished app in the industry. It doesn't feel like a beta product. It’s fast, the maps are accurate, and setting up "Keep Out Zones" is actually intuitive.
The Reality of Maintenance
Don't let the marketing fool you: "Self-Cleaning" does not mean "Never-Cleaning." You still have to do some work.
- The Dirty Water Tank: You have to empty this. And you should do it often. Even with the drying cycle, if you leave dirty floor water sitting in a sealed plastic tank for two weeks, it's going to get gross.
- The Base Station Filter: There’s a small filter in the dock where the mop gets washed. Every few weeks, you need to pull that out and rinse it under the sink. If you don't, the drainage will slow down and you'll get a "Dock Error."
- The Brushes: Every month, pop the rubber brushes out and just check the ends. Hair tends to migrate to the axles. It takes thirty seconds to clear, but if you ignore it for six months, it can damage the motor.
It's a lot less work than manual vacuuming, but it's not zero. The Roomba Combo 10 Max reduces the frequency of chores, it doesn't delete them from your life entirely.
Comparing the 10 Max to the Combo J9+
A lot of people ask if they should just save some money and get the J9+. It’s a fair question. The J9+ is a beast of a machine. It has the same retracting mop and great suction. But the J9+ dock doesn't wash the mop pad. It only refills the water and empties the bin.
If you have a lot of hard floors—like 70% tile or wood—the Combo 10 Max is worth the upgrade. The ability for the robot to wash its own pad mid-clean means it isn't just spreading mud around your house. It goes back to the dock, gets a fresh start, and continues. If you mostly have carpet and just a small kitchen to mop, the J9+ is probably plenty. But for the "set it and forget it" lifestyle, the 10 Max is the clear winner.
Understanding the Limitations
Nothing is perfect. The Roomba Combo 10 Max is a large machine. The dock is substantial. You need a dedicated spot for it with a bit of clearance on either side. If you live in a tiny studio apartment, this thing might feel like an intruder.
Also, it's loud when it's emptying. For about 15 seconds, it sounds like a jet engine taking off in your living room as it sucks the debris out of the robot and into the bag. It’s a necessary evil of the "Auto-Empty" feature, but it’s something to keep in mind if you like to run your vacuum at 3:00 AM while you’re sleeping.
The navigation is also a bit more "deliberate" than some LiDAR-heavy competitors. It doesn't zip around the room at high speeds. It takes its time. It maps. It double-checks. It’s thorough, but it isn't fast. If you want a robot that can clean a 2,000-square-foot house in 45 minutes, this isn't it. This is the robot for the person who wants it done right, even if it takes an hour and a half.
Actionable Insights for New Owners
If you've decided to pull the trigger on a Roomba Combo 10 Max, do yourself a favor and follow these steps to get the most out of it:
- The "Mapping Run" is Mandatory: When you first get it, don't try to vacuum and mop immediately. Run a "Mapping Run." The robot will zip through the house without the brushes or suction on, just learning the layout. It’s faster and makes the initial map much more accurate.
- Use the Right Cleaning Solution: Do not put Pine-Sol or bleach in the clean water tank. It will ruin the seals and the internal pump. Use the iRobot-branded solution or just plain water.
- Place the Dock on Hard Flooring: Even though the robot dries the mop, it's always better to have the base station on a hard surface rather than carpet, just in case of a minor drip or spill during the tank refilling process.
- Set Up "Mop-Only" Zones: If you have an area with delicate wood floors that you only want cleaned with minimal water, use the app to customize the water flow for that specific room.
- Check Your Wi-Fi: These robots rely heavily on a stable 2.4GHz or 5GHz connection. If your dock is in a "dead zone" in the corner of the house, the app features will be sluggish.
The Roomba Combo 10 Max represents a shift in how iRobot views the modern home. It’s no longer just about picking up dust; it’s about managing the entire ecosystem of floor cleanliness. By integrating mop washing and advanced object recognition, it finally closes the gap with its high-tech rivals while maintaining the superior mechanical cleaning that made Roomba a household name in the first place. This is a "buy once, cry once" kind of appliance—it’s an investment, but for the person who truly hates floor chores, it's a game changer.