iRobot’s budget-friendly Roombas add a self-emptying option

The new Roomba Combo 2 Essential and Roomba Vac 2 Essential include a dock for self-emptying their dirt bins — a feature missing from the budget-friendly Essential robovacs that iRobot introduced six months ago. The 2-in-1 Combo 2 features both vacuuming and mopping capabilities for $424.99 and is slightly more expensive than the Vac 2, which only sucks up dust and dirt for $399.99.

The Combo 2 is now the most expensive option in iRobot’s Essential line and slightly pricier than the $400 DreameBot D10 Plus, our current choice for the best budget robot vacuum and mop. The Vac 2 is available via “select retailers” in North America (including Target and Best Buy, so far) and has the same features as the Combo except for the mopping capabilities, which contributes to its lower price.

Both vacuums have a self-emptying dock, up to 120 minutes of battery life, and the ability to perform cleaning routines that can run automatically or start manually from a button on the robot, in the mobile app, or by voice command to Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant-capable smart device.

When a cleaning routine is complete (or when its battery is close to dying), the Combo 2 will automatically return to its included AutoEmpty dock, where the contents of its dust bin will be sucked into a bag that iRobot says is large enough to hold 60 days’ worth of dirt. The bag is also self-sealing, making the process of replacing and throwing it away a little cleaner.

The Combo 2’s mopping capabilities require a little more maintenance. The charging dock can’t automatically refill the tank used to moisten the robovac’s reusable microfiber mop pad, and rugs will need to be manually moved out of the way during a cleaning routine that involves water, as the Combo 2 can’t retract its mop pad when transitioning from hard floors to carpeting.

iRobot says the new Combo 2 features “100 percent stronger suction compared to the Roomba Combo Essential” while cleaning for up to 120 minutes on a single charge. But the company doesn’t specify which of the four levels of suction power will yield a two hour runtime. At maximum power, you can potentially expect a cleaning routine to last less than two hours.

Also, the Combo 2’s navigation isn’t as advanced as what you’ll find on more expensive Roomba models. This robovac relies on “specialized sensors” and an “enhanced bumper” to avoid obstacles as it simply crisscrosses a room. Although it can display a visual representation of where it’s traveled through the iRobot app, the Combo 2 can’t generate 3D maps of a room to know where it has and hasn’t cleaned.