T3’s iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum cleaner review in a sentence: A capable robovac that seems overpriced unless you can get a deal on it, which you will.
I’ve recently reviewed the likes of the Ultenic T10 Lite robot vacuum cleaner and the Switchbot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ Pro. Both were most notable for their size, or lack of it. This iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, is just the opposite of those dinky appliances. The iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max is, as the name suggests, the top of the current iRobot product line-up and it’s a whopper of a thing.
The iRobot brand has made regular appearances on T3, both with individual reviews of the likes of the Roomba Combo J7+ and more recently, the Roomba Combo J9+. On top of that, iRobot models have been a regular staple of the best robot vacuum guide, so safe to say they get the thumbs up from the folks here. What to do though, if you need something bigger, more substantial and better able to get to grips with beefier cleaning needs?
Well, the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum cleaner fits the bill on that front. In the promotional video for this product the docking station was shown with ornaments on top of it, which gives an idea of the bulkiness. Prior to testing, I was also asked to get an overview of the appliance from iRobot spokespeople, which left me feeling a little bit unsure about just how good it would be.
The iRobot folks would also be sensible to stay mindful of the competition (as I'm sure they are) because there’s plenty from the likes of Roborock, Dreame and Eufy to name but three rivals. And, of course, if you’re not after such a sizeable appliance, iRobot has their smaller product portfolio to consider. So then, here’s how the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum cleaner stacks up…
iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max review: Price and availability
When I first heard about the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum cleaner I expected it to come with an inflated price tag. I wasn’t wrong either, with the RRP of $1,399 / £1,499 unsurprising seeing as it sits at the top of the current iRobot range. However, the good news is that it is already possible to purchase the appliance from the likes of Amazon for $999.99 and £799 from Amazon in the UK, which is much more palatable. However, it’s up against something like the Dreame X40 that can be had for similar money and, clearly, iRobot knows this.
iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max review: Is it any good?
If I’m paying top dollar (or even discount) for any kind of appliance, I like to have an idea of the specification. On this point, iRobot falls shorts as I can’t find any facts figures or data pertaining to a core function like suction. Maybe I’ve missed it, or maybe iRobot doesn’t want to tell me, but either way it makes me a little nervous.
Aside from that, everything appears to be here and comes inside an enormous box, which contains both the base docking station along with the robovac unit itself plus accessories. And, as I mentioned, this machine is a bit of a monster with the dock measuring 19.7 x 15.7 x 17.3" / 50 x 40 x 44cm, with the robot dimensions being 13.3 L x 13.3 W x 3.4” / 33.9 x 33.8cm.
The weight is 11 pounds / 5 kilos give or take. Therefore, it needs to have space, especially for the large black plastic box that must be placed next to a power point and which contains the three containers for water, dirty water and dust.
Thankfully, for all that outlay there are mops times two, a filter and dirt bag included inside the box along with a decent manual and assorted paperwork. Functions-wise, the Combo 10 Max offers simultaneous vacuuming and mopping, a dirt detection sensor, edge cleaning, self-refilling, auto-docking, self-cleaning, intelligent mop lifting, multi-floor mapping, auto mop washing plus the likes of pet hair pick up, obstacle avoidance, room-by-room navigation and self-emptying. Nothing show-stopping then, but it ticks all the right boxes.
iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max review: Performance
I was told by the iRobot team to connect to my Wi-Fi and then also the Cloud so that the appliance could carry out an update. My initial mapping process got off to an okay start, although the robovac unit didn’t quite seem to sense its surroundings too well and there was some repetition of manoeuvres. I wondered if I needed to reposition the docking station, but this didn’t really make much difference.
Curiously, the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum cleaner doesn’t use LiDAR in order to get its cleaning chores done. Considering this is the go-to method for many other rival machines, it seems like a bit of a miss to me. This is borne out in the way the appliance performs. Mapping did take a while all told, although there is the option of customising routes, rooms and so on. That I liked.
Similarly, vacuuming was acceptable enough with a reasonably liveable audio backdrop as the machine went about its business. My hard floors looked fine after a once over, although I was less convinced about the suction capabilities on my downstairs rugs. With no specification stats though, it’s hard to gauge what I was supposed to be expecting.
Meanwhile, mopping works by lifting the recessed mopped down onto hard floors and this then returns when the job is done. It seems a little bit clunky to me and was also susceptible to being a bit messy. The mopping functionality works okay, albeit in a rather rudimentary way and this doesn’t feel quite as impressive or capable as robovacs that use circular or spinning mops. In other words; fine for light duties but that’s about it I think.
When the iRobot product team briefed me on operating the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum cleaner I asked about the mop, and how having something so damp would fair when it was docked back in the charging station. As expected, this doesn’t seem to dry out in my house, which is around 17 degrees on average during the winter months. I fear it may end up smelling fusty and musty as a result, which is a disappointment.
However, being so paranoid about my wood floors, which are susceptible to moisture, I wasn’t a big fan of the levels of water dispensed by this model either. I think it vacuums okay, but I can’t say I’m going to be getting optimal use from the mopping side of things. During their presentation, the iRobot team mentioned that it could be used for mud rooms, but I’ve been left feeling a little unsure about that.
iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max review: Verdict
While I love robot vacuums and can certainly see the appeal, there’s still the need for owning a conventional vacuum cleaner or stick model as well, for deeper cleaning purposes. Which is why I’m left feeling a little unconvinced by the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max. It’s very big and bulky while offering performance that, for me, is matched by many lesser (not to mention smaller) robovacs.
Considering that, the high price tag could well go against it even though there are always deals to be had. Get it for the right price and it’s worth a punt, but there is plenty out there that can do as good a job but for a lot less money. Personally, I think I’d make do for a slightly less sizable but just as capable smaller variant because as far as I’m concerned, a robovac is only very going to supplement my standard upright and stick appliances.
iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max review: Alternatives to consider
It feels to me like iRobot is competing with itself because anything further down the range line-up is as good, if not better, than this model. However, the Ultenic T10 is an obvious place to start if something larger is required but there’s also the Hoover HG4 Hydro Pro too because it ticks all the boxes on the robovac front.
Staying with other big names and there’s the likes of the Shark Matrix Plus Robot Vacuum with its vac and mop functionality. Similarly, the Roborock Qrevo Master robot vacuum is good and both of these models are full-size appliances. The same goes for the aforementioned iRobot Roomba Combo J9+, which does a little bit of everything but for less money, as does the eufy Clean X8 Pro machine. Elsewhere, have a look at the eufy X9 Pro as well as the keenly priced and just as good iRobot Roomba j7+.
