iRobot just released its new Roomba Combo 2 Essential robot vacuum and mop. This budget-centric $425 hybrid bot adds a new AutoEmpty dock and doubles the suction power of the original Combo Essential, which was released earlier this year. This combination could make it a strong competitor to some of the best robot vacuums we've tested, especially at this price.
This 2-in-1 robot has a 4-stage cleaning system that combines a Multi-Surface Bristle Brush, an Edge-Sweeping Brush, 100% stronger power-lifting suction (compared to the original Combo Essential), and a reusable textured microfiber mop pad.
While the Roomba Combo Essential doesn't automatically equip or clean its mop pad like the pricier Roomba S9+, it can be removed to run the Essential in a vacuum-only mode across floor types. You can even ditch the mopping capabilities entirely to save some cash with the also-announced Roomba Vac 2 Essential for $399.
The Roomba Combo 2 Essential robot relies on an enhanced bumper and specialized sensors to navigate in precise rows. The robot will clean for up to 120 minutes on a single charge, and when its battery is low, will automatically return to the AutoEmpty dock to recharge, resume and complete the cleaning task. It works with Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant-enabled devices.
The robot vacuum generates a Smart Clean Map and wet-dry vac logs in the iRobot app to show you how long it took the bot to clean an area and what parts of the room were covered. It also includes smart features, such as suggesting schedules to automatically clean when you leave the house, creating detailed visual cleaning reports, and prioritized room cleanings — all things I appreciated from the $1,400 Roomba J9+ Combo I reviewed earlier this year.
The Roomba Combo 2 Essential robot ($424.99, iRobot) is available in the U.S. now on iRobot.com and will soon be available on select retailer sites like Amazon. The vacuum-only Roomba Vac 2 Essential is also available for just $399.99 if you don't need the mopping portion.
