iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max+ AutoWash dock overview

Again when iRobot launched its Roomba Combo J7+, it launched a retractable mopping arm that’s turn out to be a staple of its 2-in-1 robotic vacuums. By routinely retracting to its resting place on prime of the Roomba when the robotic detects carpet, the arm solves a reasonably widespread drawback: the potential unfold of water and micro organism from laborious flooring to carpeting.

Notably, although, the corporate didn’t embody a pad-washing characteristic within the Clear Base of the J7+ or its successors. On the time, iRobot reps informed me they needed to keep away from the sort or odors and different “ick” components that steadily afflict self-cleaning docks, in addition to the additional cleansing the water tanks usually demand. So Roomba Combo customers merely needed to merely toss their soiled mop pads within the laundry after every job.

The corporate appears to have rethought that concept. Its Roomba Combo 10 Max+ robotic and its AutoWash dock can routinely clear its personal mop pad, the primary within the Combo line to take action. Whereas this introduces worthwhile comfort, the vacuum’s core cleansing efficiency doesn’t fairly surpass earlier fashions, making its $1,399.99 worth tougher to justify.

Design and options

The Roomba Combo 10 Max robotic + AutoWash dock (we’ll simply name it the Combo 10 Max+ shifting ahead) obtained a modest beauty replace along with its different enhancements. Whereas older fashions of the Roomba sported bronze and silver accents on their black exteriors, right here it options an all-black end, giving it a sleeker however easier look.

The robotic is slim sufficient to slip beneath most furnishings, measuring 13.3 inches in diameter and simply 3.4 inches tall. On the entrance of the robotic is a digicam outfitted with a headlight, surrounded by a bumper for collision detection. The again homes a detachable compartment that mixes the dustbin and water reservoir into one handy unit.

This overview is a part of TechHive’s in-depth protection of the perfect robotic vacuums.

The brand new mannequin additionally introduces enhancements to its cleansing expertise. Its up to date Dust Detect characteristic prompts eight occasions extra typically than on the j9+, guaranteeing dirtier areas get further consideration. iRobot has additionally added the choice for mop-only cleansing runs, along with the vacuum-only and mixed vacuum-and-mop modes already out there. Navigation has been upgraded as nicely, permitting the robotic to map a house as much as seven occasions quicker than its predecessor, in response to iRobot.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Past these upgrades, the Combo 10 Max+ retains a number of hallmark options from earlier fashions. Its Dust Detective system (separate from Dust Detect) permits it to determine rooms that require deeper cleansing and prioritize them accordingly. The robotic can also be outfitted with obstacle-avoidance capabilities to avoid objects like toys or pet waste. For pet house owners, the Combo 10 Max + contains the Pet House owners Official Promise that has been in place for the reason that Combo j7+ mannequin: If the robotic smears pet waste throughout the first 12 months of possession, iRobot will substitute it without charge.

The Auto-Wash Dock measures 17.6 x 20.1 x 15.8 inches (HxWxD). It strikes away from the wood-accented design of the Combo j9+ and returns to the all-black look seen within the Combo j7+ collection. It retains the beveled exterior and front-opening door from the earlier technology, permitting you to position objects on prime with out having to maneuver them to entry the dock’s inside.

Indicator lights on the highest of the dock present useful standing updates. They sign when the robotic is charging and when it’s time to switch the mud bag, refill the clear water tank, or empty the soiled water bin.

Opening the dock’s entrance door with the brown leather-based pull tab reveals a 3-liter clean-water reservoir alongside a 2.5-liter dirty-water bin. For comparability, the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni provides barely bigger capacities with 4 liters of unpolluted water and three.5 liters of soiled water.

Beneath the water tanks is a compartment for the mud bag, which might maintain as much as 60 days’ price of particles beneath regular use. The dock comes with one spare mud bag, and extra three-packs can be found for $19.99 every.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

However the largest change to the dock is the brand new auto-wash characteristic, which cleans and dries the Combo 10 Max+’s mop pad utilizing cool water and compelled air, whereas additionally scrubbing and squeegeeing its inside elements.

Setup

The Roomba Combo 10 Max+ Auto-Wash Dock package deal contains every little thing it’s worthwhile to get began: the robotic itself with a mop pad already hooked up, an additional mop pad, the bottom station with preinstalled water tanks and a mud bag, an extra mud bag, a spare filter, the facet brush, the ramp for the bottom station, the rubber mop-washing brush and drainage enclosure for the bottom, instruction manuals, and the facility wire.

Establishing the machine requires a number of extra steps than the earlier technology, primarily as a result of it’s worthwhile to set up the mop-washing brush and drainage enclosure within the base station. Thankfully, the method is simple and fast.

As soon as docked, the robotic emits an audible tone to sign it’s powered on, and the indicator gentle begins spinning. From right here, you’ll must set it up within the iRobot app. For those who don’t have already got an account, you’ll must create one earlier than including the machine. The app ought to detect the robotic routinely after a number of moments. Subsequent, you’ll enter your Wi-Fi particulars and press the button on the robotic to finalize the connection.

Room mapping

The app then prompts you to call your robotic and guides you thru its options, finally resulting in a mapping run throughout which it scans the structure of your own home with out cleansing. As a result of I’ve used a number of Roombas earlier than, I already had a map saved; it loaded as quickly as I logged into the app.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

After the Combo 10 Max+ completes mapping your own home, you’ll be able to unlock a variety of handy options within the iRobot app. The app makes an attempt to routinely label rooms and outline boundaries on the map. If it’s worthwhile to, you’ll be able to alter dividers and rename areas manually.

You can even customise the map with keep-out zones, no-mop zones, or clear zones. Clear zones can help you direct the robotic to focus further consideration on particular areas. A useful characteristic carried over from the Roomba j7+ collection is the flexibility to overview footage of obstacles the robotic encountered throughout cleansing. The app will ask whether or not these obstacles are non permanent or in case you’d prefer to create a keep-out zone in that space, so there’s no stress to excellent the map throughout the preliminary setup—the Combo 10 Max+ is sensible sufficient to adapt because it learns your own home. I didn’t must set any no-mop zones, because the robotic precisely distinguished between laborious and carpeted flooring throughout mapping and averted wetting rugs altogether.

The app’s predominant web page supplies easy accessibility to the map, permitting you to regulate later if wanted. It additionally shows the robotic’s standing, equivalent to “able to vacuum and mop,” together with visible indicators for the battery degree and the liquid ranges within the robotic, in addition to the clear and soiled water tanks within the base.

The app additionally enables you to begin or schedule cleanings, overview the robotic’s cleansing historical past, and alter settings. You’ll be able to customise every cleansing job by selecting the mode (vacuum, mop, or each), suction energy, water utilization, and the variety of passes, with an choice to allow Good Scrub for tackling sticky messes. For added comfort, it can save you favourite cleansing configurations to shortly apply them later.

For voice management, the Combo 10 Max+ provides integrations for Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, permitting you to start out or cease cleansing with easy instructions.

Efficiency

I used the Combo 10 Max+ for day by day upkeep in my residence to guage its efficiency. It usually carried out easily, completeing its cleansing duties with out getting caught. Like different high-end fashions, the Combo 10 Max+ learns its atmosphere over time, bettering navigation with every go. In impediment avoidance assessments, it acknowledged and averted widespread small objects, equivalent to pet meals dishes and sneakers. Sometimes, it ran over or nudged some merchandise objects like a material cat toy, however its avoidance was higher than most rivals.

On carpets, the Combo 10 Max+ carried out nicely in our pickup assessments, gathering about 95 % of the half-cup of rice I unfold on my space rug. It struggled on hardwood, selecting up solely about 75 % of an analogous quantity of rice, typically scattering some out of its path. It handles pet hair exceptionally nicely, although, clearing fur from my three cats with out leaving any clumps or getting tangled.

Mopping efficiency was good however not flawless. The robotic simply eliminated floor grime and restored some gleam to the flooring. However in our jelly take a look at, the Combo 10 Max+ spent vital time scrubbing the teaspoon of jam I unfold on the ground, and whereas it efficiently eliminated the seen gunk, it left the ground noticeably sticky.

The mop-cleaning course of is environment friendly, although drying takes hours, and whereas the dustbin-emptying mechanism is fast, it typically left behind heavier particles like cat litter.

Specs

• Robotic dimensions: 13.3 x 3.4 inches (WxH)
• Base dimensions: 17.6 x 20.1 x 15.8 inches (HxWxD) 
• Clear water tank capability: 3 liters 
• Soiled water tank capability: 2.5 liters 
• Cleansing modes: Vacuum solely, mop solely, vacuum and mop concurrently
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 
• Good residence integrations: Alexa and Google Assistant 

Must you purchase the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash dock?

The brand new Auto-Wash sock is a worthwhile addition to iRobot’s hybrid robotic cleaner lineup. It reduces the quantity of repairs required, although it doesn’t carry out as successfully because the comparable programs on merchandise by Roborock and Ecovacs. And like earlier iRobot fashions, the Combo 10 Max+ excels at impediment avoidance, and its retractable mop reliably retains carpets dry.

Nevertheless, the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash dock’s vacuuming and mopping capabilities lagged behind earlier Roomba Combos I’ve examined, which is disappointing given its premium worth. It can save you your self a bit of change by choosing the Roomba Combo j9+, which stays our choose for finest robotic vacuum/mop combo.