iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max review: Nearly perfect

Introduction

‘Automatic’ describes just about every one of the Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vac’s key skills. Not only is it iRobot’s first with an AutoWash dock, which washes and drys its mop pad without you having to break out the marigolds, but it also offers automatic refills, automatic debris emptying, and automatic self-cleaning.

Automatic dirt detection also lets it spot larger concentrations of dirt and clean those areas more thoroughly, just like a human would. That means stronger suction on carpets when its needed, and back-and-forth mopping with consistent pressure on hard floors to get rid of stubborn grime.

Does that make it the ultimate in feet-up floorcare? At $1399/£1499 (but reduced to $999 / £799 at the time of writing) I was expecting a spotless performance.

Features: Clean dream

The AutoWash Dock is a neat looking unit, with a door hiding the enclosed bag it automatically empties the robot’s dirt and debris into. There’s a mopping solution tank here too, and a wash/dry system that cleans the mop pad after every wash, to prevent gunk building up. You can also run a manual self-clean cycle, and the iRobot Home app reminds you when deeper cleaning or maintenance is needed. I found iRobot’s claim of 7 days of water supply and 60 days of dirt storage to be spot on.

The vacuum itself employs a four stage cleaning system: an edge-sweeping brush, dual rubber brushes that adjust to different floor types, power-lifting suction and deep-clean mopping. D.R.I (Dry Rug Intelligence) sees the vac lifting its mop pad to the top of the robot to keep carpets dry. 

The Roomba Combo 10 Max navigates under and around furniture well, avoiding obstacles like stairs, cords, socks, shoes and even Lego bricks. This results in you having to clear up less before your robot gets to work – ideal for busy households who are running automated cleaning schedules. iRobot’s Pet Owner Official Promise (P.O.O.P.) guarantee returns, too, showing the firm’s confidence in its navigation and object detection skills. The Roomba will steer clear of any pet accidents, or iRobot will replace it for free.

Performance: Nearly perfect

The AutoWash Dock’s hands-free approach (at least for a week at a time, anyway) impressed me. Adding fresh water and cleaning out the dirty stuff was easy enough, and mess-free.

I also really like that the dock has the right proportions and a flat surface to pop a nice big house plant on, which I felt made it blend into my home more easily. I didn’t find myself worrying about any cross contamination either – I told the Roomba to clean its mop pad after cleaning my downstairs loo and then forgot about it – ideal.

Setting routines is easy: either via the app or via your voice using Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant-enabled devices. This is also iRobot’s first model with Matter and Apple Home support.

However, it’s not all good news. The Roomba Combo 10 Max failed to get over the high pile rug I have in my living room, which the Roborock Qrevo Master made easy work of. When I repositioned it onto the rug it gave an excellent deep clean, ridding it of my dog’s hair with ease, although this lift and place technique doesn’t align with automated cleaning at all. 

In terms of the clean it provided, I found the Roomba Combo 10 Max did an excellent job, on both carpets and hard floors. On carpets it excels at getting pet hair up and hard floors, which it vacuums and mops at the same time, are left clean and shiny. It also did a sterling job on corners. Object detection is also on point – I have a young son and I don’t believe it ate any of his toys, despite them featuring on most floors.  

iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max verdict

Had the Roomba Combo 10 Max not struggled with getting onto my high pile rug I would have given it five stars. The new AutoWash Dock is a complete game changer for keeping things clean and making life easier. The clean the vac gives is excellent, as is the navigation and user-experience, and it looks good too. 

iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max technical specifications