For the first time, iRobot has brought its self-emptying dock technology into more affordable products with the Roomba Combo 2 Essential ($424.99) and Roomba Vac 2 Essential ($399.99). But that's not all the models have to offer. In addition to the dock, these second-gen models are more powerful cleaners and draw on the company's best-in-class mapping technology and easy-to-use app to deliver a premium experience.
Auto-Emptying Dock
The AutoEmpty dock on both the Roomba Combo 2 Essential and Roomba Vac 2 Essential automatically empties the dustbin after each cleaning. The dock’s sealed bag holds up to 60 days’ worth of dirt and captures particles as small as 0.7 microns. When it’s full, the bag seals itself for easy, mess-free disposal.
Read more: Roomba Combo 10 Max: The Ultimate Mop Vac with a Self-Washing Dock?
Powerful suction for vacuuming
iRobot has doubled the cleaning power compared to the original Essential models, according to iRobot, with four levels of suction to handle dirt on both carpets and hard floors. (iRobot doesn't publish suction power ratings.) These robots can run for up to 120 minutes on a single charge, and when the battery runs low, they return to the dock, recharge, and resume cleaning where they left off.
Mopping for light cleaning (Roomba Combo 2 Essential only)
The Roomba Combo 2 Essential goes beyond vacuuming by adding a mopping function. The mop is a microfiber pad that you apply whenever you want to mop your floors. It stays on the robot the entire time it is cleaning, so you will have to program separate runs to avoid carpeting. You’ll also want to wash the pad between cleanings.
When you mop, you can customize the saturation level of the pad to suit your floors. It's not meant to pick up spills, like ketchup or other substances that would smear and leave a trail; you're just wiping down your floors.
Smart mapping and automation
One area where iRobot's Roomba products always shine is mapping and app integration. Both models feature intelligent navigation, cleaning in neat rows while avoiding obstacles like furniture. Through the iRobot Home app, you can customize cleaning schedules, create room-specific routines, and even start a job with a voice command through Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri.
The robot also learns from previous cleaning sessions, suggesting the best times to clean based on your schedule and providing detailed reports on where it cleaned and how long it took.
Read more: Arlo Customers Get a Less Expensive Option for a Floodlight Camera
Value for money
The Roomba Combo 2 Essential and Vac 2 Essential's combination of iRobot’s best-in-class mapping, powerful cleaning, and premium features like the AutoEmpty dock make them a solid choice. You're paying more for the Roomba brand, but you're also getting a well-built product with a long history of product upgrades as features migrate down from more expensive models.
You can purchase the Roomba Combo 2 Essential ($424.99) and Vac 2 Essential ($399.99) on iRobot.com. With these second-gen models on the market, the original Essential line is 40% off, with the Roomba Combo Essential on sale for under $170 and the Roomba Vac Essential for under $150. So, if you don't need the self-emptying dock, one of these may be a better bargain.
[Image credit: iRobot]
For the past 20+ years, Techlicious founder Suzanne Kantra has been exploring and writing about the world’s most exciting and important science and technology issues. Prior to Techlicious, Suzanne was the Technology Editor for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and the Senior Technology Editor for Popular Science. Suzanne has been featured on CNN, CBS, and NBC.
