Roomba Combo Important: two-minute overview
The Roomba Combo Important is a fundamental, finances robotic vacuum that is designed to be efficient, but easy to make use of. iRobot payments it as a sensible choice for current graduates, new householders, or anybody unfamiliar with the world of robotic cleaners, whereas additionally being a worthy substitute for the Roomba 600 Collection – an ultra-popular finances vary that launched in 2012 and which is now not that can be purchased. I put it the Combo Important to the take a look at, and whereas I’ve discovered that it will possibly’t start to compete with the easiest robotic vacuums available on the market, it compares fairly effectively to at present’s greatest low-cost robovacs.
It arrives with a listing worth of simply $274.99 / £269 / AU$499, however the present Black Friday offers imply it may be picked up for a lot much less. Regardless, even for its listed worth, the Roomba Combo feels effectively made and good high quality, and for cleansing efficiency it is stable, too. The bot tackled mild vacuum cleansing with out difficulty, and when bumped as much as Max suction mode it cleared each small and enormous particles checks fairly successfully. Much more spectacular was the mopping facility – which proved extra environment friendly than different, far pricier robovacs I’ve examined.
Relating to customization choices, you are restricted: basically, you’ll be able to decide from three suction ranges and three water ranges; select both a vacuum-only or mixture vac-mop run; and go for both a spot clear or a whole-home clear. Extra superior alternate options will allow you to clear a room or space, and auto-adjust suction when shifting from onerous ground to carpet, for instance. The shortage of No-Go Zone possibility means you may additionally must manually block off any delicate flooring areas when working a mixture vac-mop run, otherwise you higher imagine it is going to try and mop these carpets for you.
Mapping, too, is fundamental – I might politely describe the overall habits as “erratic”. You are additionally restricted in what you’ll be able to obtain remotely. You’ll be able to pause or resume cleansing; however the app does not supply a return to dock possibility, for instance, within the even the bot finally ends up doing one thing that it should not throughout a cleansing run – and based mostly on my expertise, this might occur. This does imply that it is in all probability greatest to keep away from setting the Roomba Combo off on a clear unsupervised, which is just a little annoying since most folks are prone to desire to have their robovac full duties whereas they’re out of the home, for minimal disruption.
Most Roomba robovacs have the choice so as to add an auto-empty dock (the Roomba Combo 10 Max even has a dock that may clear its mop pads), however that is not the case with the Combo Important. That can lead to an irritating quantity of handbook emptying you probably have pets or a big, high-traffic family. Nevertheless, for small houses, emptying is completely manageable and the tiny, charge-only dock is definitely a profit. (Word: the newer, related Roomba Combo 2 Important does have an auto-empty dock).
Regardless of having had a considerably irritating time testing this spirited little robovac, I might nonetheless truly advocate it to some individuals. In case you have a small dwelling and simply wish to do whole-home cleans a few times every week, the Roomba Combo is perhaps simply high quality. The small dock will not get in your means, and for those who’re glad to manually empty it each couple of weeks, then it may very well be a significant time- and effort-saver for little or no outlay.
In case you’re questioning the way it compares to the opposite Roombas and if it is price upgrading to a pricier possibility, head to our Roomba vary information for a fast run-down. Alternatively, learn on for my full Roomba Combo Important overview.
Roomba Combo Important overview: worth & availability
- Listing worth: $274.99 / £269 / AU$499
- Launch date: April 2024
- Obtainable: US / UK
The Roomba Combo Important robotic is broadly accessible all over the world. It comes with a listing worth of $274.99 within the US, £269 within the UK and AU$499 in Australia, however I’ve already seen it discounted closely – at time of writing, the Black Friday robotic vacuum gross sales are in full swing, bringing the value down nearer to $150 / £150.
Even on the listing worth it is within the finances bracket, and efficiency is roughly what I might count on at that worth. You aren’t getting the in depth options and hands-off dock performance of pricier bots, however construct high quality is nice, and there are some considerate design options. As a fundamental mannequin it presents first rate worth for cash, particularly for those who can snag a reduction.
- Worth for cash rating: 4 out of 5
Roomba Combo Important specs
Max suction: | Info unavailable |
Robotic diameter: | 12.7in / 32.3cm |
Robotic top: | 3.1in / 8cm |
Dock dimensions (W x D x H): | 5.8 x 5 x 3.5in / 14.8 x 12.7 x 9cm |
Mud bin quantity (onboard): | Info requested |
Mud bin quantity (base): | None |
Water tank quantity (robotic): | Info requested |
Base sort: | Cost solely |
Suction modes: | 3 |
Water modes: | 3 |
Max runtime: | 120 minutes |
Roomba Combo Important overview: design
- Mixture vacuum and mop with a low-profile design
- Primary cost dock; no self-empty options
- Single bristle curler slightly than iRobot’s standard twin rubber rollers
The Combo Important is a mixture mannequin, which it presents vacuuming and mopping capabilities. Many (pricier) robovacs have a raised central puck to accommodate a digital camera; as a result of the Combo Important comes with out, it has a comparatively shallow profile, enabling it to scrub beneath low furnishings with out difficulty.
There are three bodily buttons on the bot itself: a Clear button (with energy icon) to start out, pause and resume cleansing duties; a House button to ship the Roomba Combo again to its dock; and a Spot Clear button for tackling small, focused mess. On different robovacs I’ve examined, these have been superfluous; however on the Roomba Combo Important, I did discover myself having to make use of them pretty often (extra on that within the Efficiency part).
Flip the bot over, and you will find a V-shaped bristle brush. It is described as “multi-surface”, so presumably constructed to be used on each onerous flooring and carpet. That is the one Roomba to not function iRobot’s patented twin rubber rollers. These rubbery rollers are glorious at pulling hair and particles from carpets, so I used to be to see how this different design in contrast. There’s the same old triple-pronged edge brush, designed for tackling dust on the edges of rooms.
Annoyingly, iRobot refuses to launch its suction stats, arguing that different design components additionally play a component within the total effectiveness of a robovac’s dust pick-up. Whereas that’s true, a determine in Pa does present a straightforward level of comparability when sussing out your numerous choices.
What I do know the Roomba Combo presents the identical “normal” cleansing provided by the vast majority of different Roombas (bar these proper on the top quality), and that it has 18x extra suction energy than the Roomba 600, which maybe is not shocking provided that sequence launched in 2012. You’ll be able to choose from three totally different suction ranges within the app.
Housed behind the robotic is a detachable part that features each the mud cup with filter and the water reservoir. That is very effectively designed, with a brush/slicer software clipped in, for clearing any caught particles from the bin, and eradicating tangled hair from the brushroll. The inlet for the water reservoir is discovered beneath the rubber stopper bearing a water droplet icon.
The mop is a D-shaped microfiber pad. These are fairly frequent (even on far pricier fashions), though I have a tendency to search out twin, spinning mop pads do a greater job of scrubbing. Some finances fashions merely drag a moist wipe throughout the ground, so the Roomba Combo’s providing is not less than a giant step up from that strategy. In actual fact, I used to be fairly impressed with this mannequin’s mopping capabilities, however I will get into that in additional element under.
The mop pad is fed from the small onboard water tank, and there are three water stage choices, which you set manually. This robotic can vacuum and mop concurrently, thus caring for your onerous ground cleansing in a single move, though I in all probability would not advocate doing this.
Some extra reasonably priced Roombas, such because the Combo j5, require you to manually swap over the entire again plate whenever you wish to change from vacuuming to mopping. Right here, the tank stays in place; however if you wish to ship the bot on a vacuum-only run (or keep away from damp carpets), you may must take away the mop pad. It clips on simply, on prime of the place the bin and water tank sit.
The dock is a minimalist unit that merely expenses the bot. In actual fact, it is teeny-tiny in comparison with different robovacs I’ve come throughout. Most pricier Roombas have the choice of including a extra superior base (bought as “Plus / +” variations) – the best of those simply empties the bot’s small mud cup into a bigger one within the dock, whereas essentially the most superior choices can even refill the water tank and wash/dry the mop pads.
There aren’t any different dock choices right here, so you may should care for all that upkeep manually. For individuals like me who’ve a small dwelling, that is a worthwhile compromise to not have a cumbersome dock cluttering up the area. Nevertheless, you probably have a big dwelling with plenty of individuals site visitors, or pets, it is in all probability price selecting an possibility that can be utilized with a self-empty dock, to save lots of you the trouble of fixed handbook emptying.
One minor grievance is that I discovered the cable just a little brief (41in / 105cm lengthy). That, along with the requirement that the dock sit on a tough ground and have half a meter of clear area both facet and 1.2 meters in entrance (that is fairly regular for a robovac dock) meant I needed to get an extension lead out. There’s a cable tidy behind the dock to stop the bot turning into tangled in any spare cable on its travels.
Setup was simple, merely involving removing from the packaging, snapping on the facet brush and mop pad, plugging within the dock and charging. There are clear directions in a booklet, plus a QR code to obtain the app, and an extra one to hyperlink the bot to your app. This app then walks you thru the ultimate levels of on the brink of clear, earlier than (in my case) launching a software program replace.
Because the Combo Important works on a 2.4GHz community, the official recommendation is that you’re going to want to verify each the bot and your cellphone are additionally on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi throughout setup. After that, you’ll be able to change again to 5GHz, you probably have it. Nevertheless, I believed I might strive establishing my bot with out altering the settings on my Wi-Fi and it managed simply high quality.
This can be a extra fundamental mannequin, so do not count on an extended listing of sensible options. It is powered by iRobot OS, guarantees as much as two hours of cleansing on a single cost. It may be managed by way of the iRobot House app or together with your voice, supplied you’ve got an Alexa-, Siri-, or Google Assistant-enabled gadget.
Roomba Combo Important overview: efficiency
- First rate vacuuming, surprisingly good mopping
- Erratic habits
- Requires extra handbook involvement than most
Having arrange and charged the Roomba Combo Important, I set it off on a whole-home vacuum of my one-bedroom flat. This didn’t go very easily. On the primary run, the bot bumped its means round a bit earlier than lastly turning into caught in a cycle cleansing backwards and forwards in entrance of my hearth (there have been zero obstacles stopping it from leaving the realm).
After round 25 minutes or so finishing this identical brief route, I made a decision to ship it again to dock to strive once more. There was no choice to ship it again to the dock by way of the app, so I needed to press the button on the machine itself. On its strategy to the dock, it took a detour into my toilet for the primary time, and easily stopped there – once more, for no obvious purpose. A second try at a full-flat clear yielded barely higher outcomes, however nonetheless removed from good.
After the preliminary mapping course of was as full as I might hope for, I began with our normal vacuuming checks: a sprinkling of oats and (individually) blitzed up biscuit crumbs, sprinkled on the ground, to see how the robotic would deal with high quality and chunky particles.
I began on carpet, utilizing the Spot Clear perform and the medium vacuuming setting. The Roomba Combo Important flicked round a good bit of particles, however sucked up many of the spillage on the primary go. I then bumped up the settings to most suction, and ran the take a look at once more, after which there have been only some remnants remaining.
On onerous flooring the bot’s efficiency was just a little higher. Nonetheless a good bit of flicking fiddle, however medium mode was sufficient to tug up many of the particles on the primary move.
In actual fact, the problem on onerous ground wasn’t a lot with suction however navigation. On carpet, the Roomba Combo made its means out from the place I had positioned it in a neat outward spiral form, thus gathering many of the particles on its travels. Nevertheless, on my lino ground, for seemingly no purpose, it determined to undertake an arc-based route. Because of this, it was difficult to get it to even move over the particles.
Since there is no auto-empty, you may must manually empty the onboard dustbin. This mechanism is simple, and feels effectively designed, with chunky clips to detach the bin. In case you’re cleansing a comparatively small dwelling (and haven’t got pets), this is not an excessive amount of problem.
If you wish to mop, you may want to connect the mop plate onto the bot. That is merely a case of clicking it into place. iRobot suggests dampening the mop pad earlier than attaching it, for greatest mopping outcomes. You will additionally must replenish the onboard water tank earlier than you launch any “combo” job. In case you attempt to launch a vacuum-only job, it is going to helpfully inform you that the mop pad is connected.
iRobot suggests eradicating rugs earlier than launching a combo run, and you will additionally must bodily block off any areas the place you do not need the bot to enterprise with its mop. I haven’t got a door between my (lino) kitchen and (carpeted) lounge, so I needed to create a bodily barrier earlier than every combo run.
I had low expectations for the Roomba Combo Important’s mopping expertise, however I used to be pleasantly shocked. Once more, navigation was erratic, however I might see from the damp stripes on my ground that it was doing an environment friendly job – in truth, higher than some far pricier robotic vacuums I’ve examined.
My solely actual grievance was that it actually tried onerous to flee into my carpeted lounge – if you do not have doorways you’ll be able to shut, you may should be ready to place some sturdy obstacles in place.
I additionally examined to see how effectively the Roomba Combo Important coped with sticky mess (tomato ketchup) and liquid mess (apple juice). It sucked up the juice with no points, and smeared the ketchup a few bit; however finally, after a few passes, the robotic vacuum had cleared it.
Having stated that, I would not truly advocate utilizing a robovac on spillages reminiscent of ketchup, as a result of the condiment will get on the wheels and observe round the home. Right here, it ended up on the tracker wheel, which is not detachable and thus proved a ache to scrub.
This robovac vacuums and mops on the identical time, however I might truly advocate working over surfaces in vacuum-only mode first. I did my combo run whereas there have been nonetheless remnants of the vacuuming take a look at on the ground, and it ended up in a disgusting gunk within the mud bin.
Generally, it is price stating that no robotic vacuum will do pretty much as good a job of mopping as a handbook mop possibility. They’re actually only for mild cleansing, and for this, I discovered the Roomba Combo Important greater than satisfactory.
After every combo run, you are suggested to empty the water tank of any unused water, whereas additionally rinsing the mop pad and leaving it to dry. Since there is no spare pad included, you may must be sure to have time to do that (spares are that can be purchased by way of iRobot, alongside different substitute elements). It is machine-washable for infrequent deeper cleansing.
- Efficiency rating: 3.5 out of 5
Roomba Combo Important overview: app
- Nicely designed, however restricted choices
- Cannot do some basic items remotely
- Suitable with common voice assistants
iRobot’s companion app is effectively designed and intuitive. It presents solely fundamental customization / management choices: basically, you’ll be able to select from three vacuum and three mopping modes, and you may select to vacuum-only or combo vac-and-mop. Pricier fashions supply way more management over what they clear and the way they do it.
After a job is full, the app will present a time abstract of lately accomplished duties and an overview of its journey. You will want to determine the place the bot has and hasn’t been from only a form – there is no labelling of rooms right here. That is anticipated at this worth level, however I do wrestle to grasp why iRobot has opted an nearly inconceivable to see yellow/inexperienced colour for stated maps.
There are limits to what you’ll be able to obtain remotely. You can begin and pause cleansing, however there is no return to dock button. As such, if it’s essential reduce a job brief for no matter purpose, you may want to search out the bot and press the button on prime. For spot cleans, you may must manually decide up the bot and take it to the bit that wants cleansing, then press the Spot Clear button.
You’ll be able to’t instruct the bot to scrub only one room, and since no-go zones aren’t an possibility, if you wish to cease it from going someplace, you may must bodily restrain in (utilizing doorways).
There’s a Clear Whereas I’m Away automation possibility, the place the bot will mechanically begin cleansing whenever you go away the home – though, personally, I would not go away this bot to scrub unsupervised. Lastly, the app presents advised schedules based mostly on earlier jobs.
Roomba Combo Important overview: alternate options
Inside the “low-cost Roomba” remit, there are a number of choices. If you wish to see what you possibly can get for those who shelled out just a little extra, my Roomba vary information ought to assist.
Roomba Vac Important
In some international locations, together with North America, there is a vacuum-only mannequin known as the Roomba Vac Important. That is similar to the Combo Important, however with none of the mopping capabilities. Nevertheless, it is not accessible direct from iRobot and may be onerous to search out elsewhere now, too.
Combo 2 Important
In October 2024, iRobot added the Roomba Combo 2 Important robotic + AutoEmpty dock. The large distinction in comparison with the unique Important is that it has an auto-empty dock, which might be a giant profit for these coping with excessive ranges of dust or hair. It additionally apparently has “2x the cleansing energy of the unique Important sequence”. No specifics are given on this, however notice that it isn’t “twice the suction energy”, so I am considering in all probability design tweaks. It additionally has an improved bumper design, and the power to recharge and resume throughout cleansing missions. In brief, a more sensible choice for larger houses and better dust ranges.
Must you purchase the iRobot Roomba Combo Important?
Attribute | Notes | Score |
---|---|---|
Worth | Funds worth bracket and often discounted additional. Nicely constructed and good worth. | 4/5 |
Design | Combo vac-mop mannequin with fundamental cost dock. Mop pad should be eliminated manually, and there is a single bristle curler slightly the (simpler) twin rubber rollers. | 3.5/5 |
Efficiency | First rate vacuuming, even higher mopping, however erratic habits and requires extra handbook involvement than most robovacs. | 3.5/5 |
App | Nicely designed, however very restricted for personalisation choices and data. | 3/5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
How I examined the Romba Combo Important
- I used it for every week as my common vacuum
- I ran particular vacuuming and mopping checks
- I examined the app and any particular options
For this Roomba Combo Important overview, I used this mannequin as my principal vacuum for every week. I ran the usual TechRadar suction and mopping checks, seeing how effectively it coped with high quality particles (cookie crumbs), bigger particles (oats), moist spillages (juice) and sticky spillages (dried tomato ketchup). I additionally famous how effectively it coped with my collarbone-length hair on its travels. I examined the spot clear perform, mapping, and common usability.
Learn extra about how we take a look at robotic vacuum cleaners.
First reviewed November 2024