iRobot Roomba Combo Essential robot vacuum review

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iRobot Roomba Combo Essential ****** vacuum review

Roomba Combo Essential: two-minute review

The Roomba Combo Essential is a basic, budget ****** vacuum that’s designed to be effective, yet simple to use. iRobot bills it as a good choice for recent graduates, new homeowners, or anyone unfamiliar with the world of ****** cleaners, while also being a worthy replacement for the Roomba 600 Series – an ultra-popular budget range that launched in 2012 and which is no longer available to buy. I put it the Combo Essential to the test, and while I’ve found that it can’t begin to compete with the very best ****** vacuums on the market, it compares pretty well to today’s best cheap robovacs.

It arrives with a list price of just $274.99 / £269 / AU$499, but the current ****** Friday deals mean it can be picked up for much less. Regardless, even for its listed price, the Roomba Combo feels well made and good quality, and for cleaning performance it’s solid, too. The **** tackled light vacuum cleaning without issue, and when bumped up to Max suction mode it cleared both small and large debris tests pretty effectively. Even more impressive was the mopping facility – which proved more efficient than other, far pricier robovacs I’ve tested.

When it comes to customization options, you’re limited: essentially, you can pick from three suction levels and three water levels; choose either a vacuum-only or combination vac-mop run; and opt for either a spot clean or a whole-home clean. More advanced alternatives will let you clean a room or area, and auto-adjust suction when moving from hard floor to carpet, for example. The lack of No-Go Zone option means you’ll also need to manually block off any soft flooring areas when running a combination vac-mop run, or you better believe it will attempt to mop those carpets for you.

Mapping, too, is basic – I’d politely describe the general behavior as “erratic”. You’re also limited in what you can achieve remotely. You can pause or resume cleaning; but the app doesn’t offer a return to dock option, for example, in the even the **** ends up doing something that it shouldn’t during a cleaning run – and based on my experience, this could happen. This does mean that it’s probably best to avoid setting the Roomba Combo off on a clean unsupervised, which is a little annoying since most folk are likely to prefer to have their robovac complete duties while they’re out of the house, for minimal disruption.

Note, too, that there’s no option to add an auto-empty dock, which will result in an irritating amount of manual emptying if you have pets or a large, high-traffic household. However, for small homes, emptying is perfectly manageable and the tiny, charge-only dock is actually a benefit. (Note: the newer, similar Roomba Combo 2 Essential does have an auto-empty dock).

Despite having had a somewhat frustrating time testing this spirited little robovac, I’d still actually recommend it to some people. If you have a small home and just want to do whole-home cleans once or twice a week, the Roomba Combo will perform just fine. The small dock won’t get in your way, and if you’re happy to manually empty it every couple of weeks, then it could be a major time- and effort-saver for very little outlay. That’s the short version; read on for my full Roomba Combo Essential review.

(Image credit: Future)

Roomba Combo Essential review: price & availability

• List price: $274.99 / £269 / AU$499
• Launch date: April 2024
• Available: US / ***

The Roomba Combo Essential ****** is widely available around the world. It comes with a list price of $274.99 in the US, £269 in the *** and AU$499 in Australia, but I’ve already seen it discounted heavily – at time of writing, the ****** Friday ****** vacuum sales are in full swing, bringing the price down closer to $150 / £150.

Even at the list price it’s in the budget bracket, and performance is roughly what I’d expect at that price. You don’t get the extensive features and hands-off dock functionality of pricier bots, but build quality is good, and there are some thoughtful design features. As a basic model it offers decent value for money, especially if you can snag a discount.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Roomba Combo Essential specs

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Max suction:	Information unavailable
****** diameter:	12.7in / 32.3cm
****** height:	3.1in / 8cm
Dock dimensions (W x D x H):	5.8 x 5 x 3.5in / 14.8 x 12.7 x 9cm
Dust bin volume (onboard):	Information requested
Dust bin volume (base):	None
Water tank volume (******):	Information requested
Base type:	Charge only
Suction modes:	3
Water modes:	3
Max runtime:	120 minutes

Roomba Combo Essential review: design

• Combination vacuum and mop with a low-profile design
• Basic charge dock; no self-empty features
• Single bristle roller rather than iRobot’s usual dual rubber rollers

The Combo Essential is a combination model, which it offers vacuuming and mopping capabilities. Many (pricier) robovacs have a raised central puck to house a camera; because the Combo Essential comes without, it has a relatively shallow profile, enabling it to clean under low furniture without issue.

There are three physical buttons on the **** itself: a Clean button (with power icon) to start, pause and resume cleaning tasks; a Home button to send the Roomba Combo back to its dock; and a Spot Clean button for tackling small, targeted mess. On other robovacs I’ve tested, these have been superfluous; but on the Roomba Combo Essential, I did find myself having to use them fairly regularly (more on that in the Performance section).

Flip the **** over, and you’ll find a V-shaped bristle brush. It’s described as “multi-surface”, so presumably built for use on both hard floors and carpet. This is the only Roomba to not feature iRobot’s patented dual rubber rollers. These rubbery rollers are excellent at pulling hair and debris from carpets, so I was interested to see how this alternative design compared. There’s the usual triple-pronged edge brush, designed for tackling dirt at the edges of rooms.

This is the only Roomba to have a single bristle brushroll rather than two rubbery ones (Image credit: Future)

Annoyingly, iRobot refuses to release its suction stats, arguing that other design elements also play a part in the overall effectiveness of a robovac’s dirt pick-up. While that is true, a figure in Pa does provide an easy point of comparison when sussing out your various options.

What I do know the Roomba Combo offers the same “standard” cleaning offered by the majority of other Roombas (bar those right at the top of the range), and that it has 18x more suction power than the Roomba 600, which perhaps isn’t surprising given that series launched in 2012. You can select from three different suction levels in the app.

This section houses the filter, dust bin and water tank, plus a handy cleaning brush and hair-cutting tool (Image credit: Future)

Housed at the back of the ****** is a removable section that includes both the dust cup with filter and the water reservoir. This is very well designed, with a brush/slicer tool clipped in, for clearing any stuck debris from the bin, and removing tangled hair from the brushroll. The inlet for the water reservoir is found beneath the rubber stopper bearing a water droplet icon.

The D-shaped mop pad clips on and off (Image credit: Future)

The mop is a D-shaped microfiber pad. These are pretty common (even on far pricier models), although I tend to find dual, spinning mop pads do a better job of scrubbing. Some budget models simply drag a wet wipe across the floor, so the Roomba Combo’s offering is at least a big step up from that approach. In fact, I was pretty impressed with this model’s mopping capabilities, but I’ll get into that in more detail below.

The mop pad is fed from the small onboard water tank, and there are three water level options, which you set manually. This ****** can vacuum and mop simultaneously, thus taking care of your hard floor cleaning in a single pass, although I probably wouldn’t recommend doing this.

Some more affordable Roombas, such as the Combo j5, require you to manually swap over the whole back plate when you want to change from vacuuming to mopping. Here, the tank stays in place; but if you want to send the **** on a vacuum-only run (or avoid damp carpets), you’ll need to remove the mop pad. It clips on easily, on top of where the bin and water tank sit.

The dock is very compact (Image credit: Future)

The dock is a minimalist unit that simply charges the ****. In fact, it’s teeny-tiny compared to other robovacs I’ve come across. Most pricier Roombas have the option of adding a more advanced base (sold as “Plus / +” versions) – the simplest of these just empties the ****’s small dust cup into a larger one in the dock, while the most advanced options can also refill the water tank and wash/dry the mop pads.

There are no alternative dock options here, so you’ll have to take care of all that maintenance manually. For people like me who have a small home, that’s a worthwhile compromise not to have a bulky dock cluttering up the space. However, if you have a large home with lots of people traffic, or pets, it’s probably worth choosing an option that can be used with a self-empty dock, to save you the hassle of constant manual emptying.

One minor complaint is that I found the cable a little short (41in / 105cm long). That, together with the requirement that the dock sit on a hard floor and have half a meter of clear space either side and 1.2 meters in front (this is pretty normal for a robovac dock) meant I had to get an extension lead out. There is a cable tidy at the back of the dock to prevent the **** becoming tangled in any spare cable on its travels.

The Combo Essential came with clear setup instructions (Image credit: Future)

Setup was straightforward, simply involving removal from the packaging, snapping on the side brush and mop pad, plugging in the dock and charging. There are clear instructions in a booklet, plus a QR code to download the app, and a further one to link the **** to your app. This app then walks you through the final stages of getting ready to clean, before (in my case) launching a software update.

Since the Combo Essential works on a 2.4GHz network, the official advice is that you’ll need to make sure both the **** and your phone are also on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi during setup. After that, you can switch back to 5GHz, if you have it. However, I thought I’d try setting up my **** without changing the settings on my Wi-Fi and it managed just fine.

This is a more basic model, so don’t expect a long list of smart features. It’s powered by iRobot OS, promises up to two hours of cleaning on a single charge. It can be controlled via the iRobot Home app or with your voice, provided you have an Alexa-, Siri-, or

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Assistant-enabled device.

Roomba Combo Essential review: performance

• Decent vacuuming, surprisingly good mopping
• Erratic behavior
• Requires more manual involvement than most

Having set up and charged the Roomba Combo Essential, I set it off on a whole-home vacuum of my one-bedroom flat. This did not go very smoothly. On the first run, the **** bumped its way around a bit before finally becoming stuck in a cycle cleaning back and forth in front of my fireplace (there were zero obstacles preventing it from leaving the area).

After around 25 minutes or so completing this same short route, I decided to send it back to dock to try again. There was no option to send it back to the dock via the app, so I had to press the button on the machine itself. On its way to the dock, it took a detour into my bathroom for the first time, and simply stopped there – again, for no apparent reason. A second attempt at a full-flat clean yielded slightly better results, but still far from perfect.

The ****’s first (center) and second (right) attempts at mapping my apartment (Image credit: iRobot / Future)

After the initial mapping process was as complete as I could hope for, I started with our standard vacuuming tests: a sprinkling of oats and (separately) blitzed up biscuit crumbs, sprinkled on the floor, to see how the robotic would cope with fine and chunky debris.

I started on carpet, using the Spot Clean function and the medium vacuuming setting. The Roomba Combo Essential flicked around a fair bit of debris, but sucked up most of the spillage on the first go. I then bumped up the settings to maximum suction, and ran the test again, after which there were only a few remnants remaining.

Image 1 of 4

Before embarking on the vacuuming test on carpet(Image credit: Future)

During the first pass(Image credit: Future)

Results after the first pass, on medium suction(Image credit: Future)

After a second spot clean pass, in maximum suction mode (note the spiral pattern in the carpet)(Image credit: Future)

On hard floors the ****’s performance was a little better. Still a fair bit of flicking mess around, but medium mode was enough to pull up most of the debris on the first pass.

Image 1 of 2

Before the suction test on hard floor(Image credit: Future)

After a single pass on hard floor, medium suction mode(Image credit: Future)

In fact, the issue on hard floor wasn’t so much with suction but navigation. On carpet, the Roomba Combo made its way out from where I had placed it in a neat outward spiral shape, thus gathering most of the debris on its travels. However, on my lino floor, for seemingly no reason, it decided to adopt an arc-based route. As a result, it was tricky to get it to even pass over the debris.

Since there’s no auto-empty, you’ll need to manually empty the onboard dustbin. This mechanism is straightforward, and feels well designed, with chunky clips to detach the bin. If you’re cleaning a relatively small home (and don’t have pets), this isn’t too much hassle.

When you want to mop, you’ll need to attach the mop plate onto the ****. This is simply a case of clicking it into place. iRobot suggests dampening the mop pad before attaching it, for best mopping results. You’ll also need to fill up the onboard water tank before you launch any “combo” job. If you try to launch a vacuum-only task, it will helpfully inform you that the mop pad is attached.

iRobot suggests removing rugs before launching a combo run, and you’ll also need to physically block off any areas where you don’t want the **** to venture with its mop. I don’t have a door between my (lino) kitchen and (carpeted) lounge, so I had to create a physical barrier before each combo run.

(Image credit: Future)

I had low expectations for the Roomba Combo Essential’s mopping skills, but I was pleasantly surprised. Again, navigation was erratic, but I could see from the damp stripes on my floor that it was doing an efficient job – in fact, better than some far pricier ****** vacuums I’ve tested.

My only real complaint was that it really tried hard to escape into my carpeted lounge – if you don’t have doors you can close, you’ll need to be prepared to put some sturdy barriers in place.

I also tested to see how well the Roomba Combo Essential coped with sticky mess (tomato ketchup) and liquid mess (apple juice). It sucked up the juice with no issues, and smeared the ketchup about a bit; but ultimately, after a couple of passes, the ****** vacuum had cleared it.

Having said that, I wouldn’t actually recommend using a robovac on spillages such as ketchup, because the condiment will get on the wheels and track around the house. Here, it ended up on the tracker wheel, which isn’t removable and thus proved a pain to clean.

Image 1 of 3

Spillages before the test(Image credit: Future)

During the mopping test(Image credit: Future)

After a single pass(Image credit: Future)

This robovac vacuums and mops at the same time, but I’d actually recommend running over surfaces in vacuum-only mode first. I did my combo run while there were still remnants of the vacuuming test on the floor, and it ended up in a disgusting gunk in the dust bin.

In general, it’s worth stating that no ****** vacuum will do as good a job of mopping as a manual mop option. They’re really just for light cleaning, and for this, I found the Roomba Combo Essential more than adequate.

After each combo run, you’re advised to empty the water tank of any unused water, while also rinsing the mop pad and leaving it to dry. Since there’s no spare pad included, you’ll need to make sure you have time to do this (spares are available to buy via iRobot, alongside other replacement parts). It’s machine-washable for occasional deeper cleaning.

• Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Roomba Combo Essential review: app

• Well designed, but limited options
• Can’t do some basic things remotely
• Compatible with popular voice assistants

iRobot’s companion app is well designed and intuitive. It offers only basic customization / control options: essentially, you can choose from three vacuum and three mopping modes, and you can choose to vacuum-only or combo vac-and-mop. Pricier models offer far more control over what they clean and how they do it.

After a task is complete, the app will provide a time summary of recently completed tasks and an outline of its journey. You’ll need to figure out where the **** has and hasn’t been from just a shape – there’s no labelling of rooms here. That’s expected at this price point, but I do struggle to understand why iRobot has opted an almost impossible to see yellow/green ****** for said maps.

(Image credit: iRobot / Future)

There are limits to what you can achieve remotely. You can start and pause cleaning, but there’s no return to dock button. As such, if you need to cut a job short for whatever reason, you’ll need to find the **** and press the button on top. For spot cleans, you’ll need to manually pick up the **** and take it to the bit that needs cleaning, then press the Spot Clean button.

You can’t instruct the **** to clean just one room, and because no-go zones aren’t an option, if you want to stop it from going somewhere, you’ll need to physically restrain in (using doors).

(Image credit: iRobot / Future)

There is a Clean While I’m Away automation option, where the **** will automatically start cleaning when you leave the house – although, personally, I wouldn’t leave this **** to clean unsupervised. Finally, the app offers suggested schedules based on previous jobs.

Roomba Combo Essential review: alternatives

Within the “cheap Roomba” remit, there are a few options. If you want to see what you could get if you shelled out a little more, my Roomba range guide should help.

Roomba Vac Essential

In some countries, including North America, there’s a vacuum-only model called the Roomba Vac Essential. This is very similar to the Combo Essential, but without any of the mopping capabilities. However, it isn’t available direct from iRobot and can be hard to find elsewhere now, too.

Combo 2 Essential

In October 2024, iRobot added the Roomba Combo 2 Essential ****** + AutoEmpty dock. The big difference compared to the original Essential is that it has an auto-empty dock, which will be a big benefit for those dealing with high levels of dirt or hair. It also apparently has “2x the cleaning power of the original Essential series”. No specifics are given on this, but note that it’s not “twice the suction power”, so I’m thinking probably design tweaks. It also has an improved bumper design, and the ability to recharge and resume during cleaning missions. In short, a better choice for ******* homes and higher dirt levels.

Should you buy the iRobot Roomba Combo Essential?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Price	Budget price bracket and regularly discounted further. Well built and good value.	4/5
Design	Combo vac-mop model with basic charge dock. Mop pad must be removed manually, and there’s a single bristle roller rather the (more effective) dual rubber rollers.	3.5/5
Performance	Decent vacuuming, even better mopping, but erratic behavior and requires more manual involvement than most robovacs.	3.5/5
App	Well designed, but very limited for customization options and information.	3/5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

How I tested the Romba Combo Essential

• I used it for a week as my regular vacuum
• I ran specific vacuuming and mopping tests
• I tested the app and any special features

For this Roomba Combo Essential review, I used this model as my main vacuum for a week. I ran the standard TechRadar suction and mopping tests, seeing how well it coped with fine debris (cookie crumbs), larger debris (oats), wet spillages (juice) and sticky spillages (dried tomato ketchup). I also noted how well it coped with my collarbone-length hair on its travels. I tested the spot clean function, mapping, and general usability.

Read more about how we test ****** vacuum cleaners.

First reviewed November 2024

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