The Roomba 600 series is loved for its sub-$300 price point, but the budget robot vacuum’s random bounce pattern doesn’t lead to the most efficient clean. The latest budget vac from iRobot, however,vacuums and mopsin orderly rows.Announced on April 4, the Roomba Combo Essential has 18 times the suction of the earlier affordable series yet still sits at a $275 price point. Homes with only carpets can save $25 by picking up the vacuum-only Roomba Vac Essential, also announced today.
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The iRobot Roomba Combo Essential is equipped with four different cleaning tools: adjustable suction, a v-shaped brush, an edge brush, and a microfiber mop pad. While homes will need to splurge on Roomba’s pricier models for autofill and auto-empty features, the mop pad is still pump-fed to stay moist without human interference.
Outside of upgrading the suction power, iRobot’s cheapest cleaners now clean a bit smarter. The company says the robovacs can now work in neat rows while still navigating around furniture and avoiding stairs. It’s also compatible with Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant for working with voice commands. A feature called Clean Map will display where the vac cleaned and for how long, the company says. Like some earlier models, it can also use geofencing to automatically start cleaning when it detects that the owner’s smartphone is no longer at home.
The iRobot app allows users to choose between different cleaning modes to prioritize quiet or power. Its equipped with three different suction levels; the mop can also be customized with three different water levels for different types of hard floors.
A vacuum-only model is also available
The iRobot Roomba Essential (without the Combo in the name) carries similar smarts and specifications, but leaves out the mopping capabilities.
iRobots previous budget line, the 600 series with models like the Roomba 694, were popular for the sub-$300 price point. However, the lower suction levels and lack of room mapping didn’t show budget buyers all the possibilities the technology could offer. The lack of a self-emptying station will still sway some homes to opt for a pricier model, but the option to pick up a bot that doesn’t randomly bumble about without spending more than a few hundred dollars will undoubtedly hold some appeal. Since most robovacs are a maintenance clean rather than a replacement for a good manual cleaning, budget vacs remain a popular option.
The combo is available beginning April 4 in the US for $275, with the vac-only Essential following on April 7 for $250. Customers in the US can also get a $50 discount if they trade in a Roomba 600 series for the new model. Both will be available in Canada beginning April 12. For Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, availability also begins at launch, while the vac will roll out to the Asia Pacific region later this month.
iRobot Roomba Combo Essential
