TL;DR: iRobot introduced the $1,199 Roomba Max 875 Combo and $899 Roomba Plus 678 Combo on September 2, 2026, with SealForce carpet-sealing vacuuming and heated roller mopping, available now at irobot.com.

What iRobot announced

iRobot Corp. introduced the Roomba Max 875 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock as its most advanced Roomba to date alongside the Roomba Plus 678 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock, according to the iRobot press release published from Bedford, Massachusetts, on September 2, 2026. The company described the Max 875 Combo as delivering its best floor cleaning performance to date. The launch pairs vacuuming and mopping in both models with an AutoWash Dock. The announcement was made ahead of showcase plans at IFA in Berlin that week, according to reporting by The Verge. The Verge reported that the showcase would be the company’s first big tech trade show in years. Engadget also reported that iRobot launched the two Roombas at IFA 2026 in Berlin and called the Max 875 Combo its most powerful robot ever.

Prices and availability

The Roomba Max 875 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock carries an MSRP of $1,199, according to the iRobot press release. The Roomba Plus 678 Combo is priced at $899, according to The Verge. Both models were listed as available now at irobot.com on September 2, 2026, according to The Verge. Engadget reported that both models were available on iRobot’s website with shipping slated to begin in two weeks. Engadget also reported that the robots would be available from retail stores across North America later in September 2026. The Max 875 Combo is positioned as the new top-of-the-line robot vacuum and mop, while the Plus 678 Combo is positioned as a midrange alternative, according to The Verge.

SealForce vacuuming technology

Both new robots introduce proprietary active SealForce Vacuuming Technology, according to the iRobot press release. The system lowers a skirt from the chassis to form a tight seal against carpet fibers, according to the iRobot press release. The seal concentrates vacuuming power where debris is embedded rather than allowing airflow to escape around the edges, according to the iRobot press release. The Verge reported that the system works by lowering a skirt around the cleaning head when carpet is detected. The Verge reported that the tighter seal directs airflow deeper into carpet. Engadget reported that the skirt is hidden inside the chassis and forms a tight seal against carpet fibers. iRobot said SealForce changes how suction is applied to carpet, not only how much suction is produced, according to the iRobot press release.

Suction, airflow and carpet-cleaning claims

The Max 875 Combo produces 20 L/s of tornado-like airflow and 35,000 Pa suction, according to the iRobot press release. The company said that combination with SealForce delivers three times deeper carpet cleaning and its best pickup performance to date, according to the iRobot press release. The Verge reported that the new vane-type blower motor moves 20 liters of air per second. The Verge reported that SealForce helps the Roomba 875 deliver three times deeper carpet cleaning than without the feature. The 35,000 Pa figure is the highest suction power iRobot has ever published, according to The Verge. The Verge noted that iRobot had for years refused to publish detailed suction-power specifications. Engadget reported that 35,000 Pascals is iRobot’s highest suction output yet. The Plus 678 Combo also uses SealForce and is rated for three times deeper carpet cleaning, according to the iRobot press release.

Why iRobot changed the brush system

The Max 875 uses a single rubber brush rather than iRobot’s signature dual rollers, according to The Verge. Chief Engineer Adam Pope said the single-brush layout accommodates the tighter seal against carpet, according to The Verge. Pope said the company increased overall suction and changed how suction reaches the carpet, according to the iRobot press release. Pope said airflow has the greatest impact on pickup performance when it has a sealed path instead of escaping around the edges, according to the iRobot press release. The Verge quoted Pope as describing the result as taking vacuuming to a level beyond what had previously been possible. The change preserves concentrated airflow through the cleaning head while maintaining contact with carpet fibers, according to the iRobot press release and The Verge.

ThermaMist heated mopping on the flagship

The Max 875 Combo uses ultrasonic ThermaMist Technology that sprays heated mist continuously while mopping, according to the iRobot press release. The heated mist softens and loosens dried-on spills so stains lift in a single cleaning routine without manual scrubbing, according to the iRobot press release. iRobot said ThermaMist delivers two times better stain removal, according to the iRobot press release. The Verge reported that ThermaMist sprays ahead of the mop to pretreat stains. Engadget reported that ThermaMist sprays heated mist continuously to soften dried stains and dirt during mopping. The Verge described the flagship as a mopping robot with a self-cleaning roller system that applies more downward pressure than the Roomba 775. The dock automatically washes the mop with hot water and dries it with hot air, according to The Verge.

PowerSpin Max roller and scrubbing force

The Max 875 Combo uses a continuously self-cleaning PowerSpin Max Roller Mop described by iRobot as the industry’s largest, according to the iRobot press release. The roller scrubs with heated water at 300 RPM and 18 Newtons of downward pressure, according to the iRobot press release. iRobot said the system delivers 3.75 times deeper scrubbing and 1.2 times wider coverage per pass, according to the iRobot press release. Engadget likewise reported a 300 RPM roller speed and 18 Newtons of downward pressure using heated water. The Verge reported that the roller mop can extend to the side to clean edges. The product also includes PerfectEdge cleaning that extends the roller up to 45 mm along walls and baseboards with an outward-expanding edge-sweeping side brush, according to the iRobot press release. The flagship also uses a hair-cutting anti-tangle main brush and an anti-tangle side brush, according to The Verge.

DriLift carpet protection while mopping

The Max 875 Combo includes patented AI-powered DriLift Technology, according to the iRobot press release. The system automatically detects carpet, raises the mop and lowers a protective shield to keep rugs and carpets dry, according to the iRobot press release. The Verge described the mechanism as a retractable mop cover that extends during vacuuming to protect carpets. Engadget reported that the model can automatically detect carpet, raise its mop and lower a protective shield to keep rugs dry. The Verge reported that the mop cover can also extend to reach along edges. iRobot identified deep carpet cleaning, dried-on mess removal and rug protection while mopping as the three consumer demands addressed in the Max 875, according to the iRobot press release. The approach is intended to allow a combined vacuum-and-mop routine without stopping to remove rugs, according to the iRobot press release and The Verge.

Navigation, obstacle detection and design

The Max 875 uses lidar and camera-based vision to navigate and detect obstacles, according to The Verge. The robot has a slimmer footprint than the Roomba 775, according to The Verge. It can climb thresholds up to 3.5 cm high, according to The Verge. The 875 includes a new hair-cutting anti-tangle brush configuration, according to The Verge. Jennifer Lichtenheim, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Americas at iRobot, said the company had shipped more than 50 million robots since pioneering the category more than two decades ago, according to the iRobot press release. Lichtenheim said the Max 875 Combo was developed to address pain points consumers had reported, according to the iRobot press release. iRobot said the Max 875 applies more than 35 years of robotics engineering to floor care, according to the iRobot press release.

What the Plus 678 Combo keeps and drops

The Roomba Plus 678 Combo also uses active SealForce Vacuuming Technology for three times deeper carpet cleaning, according to the iRobot press release. The midrange model produces 30,000 Pa suction and 18 L/s of airflow, according to The Verge. It does not include ThermaMist or the flagship’s mop cover, according to The Verge. Instead, the 678 uses SprayForce AI pretreatment with a two-step heated mopping system, according to the iRobot press release. The SprayForce system delivers a concentrated 40,000 Pa burst of high-pressure spray to break down residue before the self-cleaning PowerSpin roller mop scrubs with heated water, according to the iRobot press release. The roller in the 678 applies 15 Newtons of downward pressure and improves mopping efficiency by up to 40%, according to the iRobot press release. The 678 lifts its mop 10 mm when carpet is detected, according to The Verge.

Smart-home compatibility and stain routine

Both new models work with Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Siri Shortcuts, according to The Verge. Both models were going through Matter certification at the time of the announcement, according to Pope as reported by The Verge. The 678 sprays cleaning fluid on stains to presoak them and returns later to mop them, according to The Verge. The Max 875 continuously applies heated mist and scrubs dried-on messes in the same routine, according to the iRobot press release. The Plus 678’s two-step sequence separates pretreatment and removal, according to the iRobot press release and The Verge. iRobot described the Plus 678 as a hands-free two-step heated mopping system, according to the iRobot press release. The AutoWash Dock supports the hands-free positioning for both models, according to the iRobot press release.

IFA showcase and company ownership

iRobot planned to showcase the new flagship at IFA in Berlin during that week, according to The Verge. The company was exhibiting under new owner Picea Robotics, according to The Verge. The Verge reported that Picea Robotics, a contract manufacturer, purchased the American robotics company out of bankruptcy in January. The September launch therefore marked the company’s first major flagship introduction under that ownership at a large trade show in years, according to The Verge. Engadget framed the Berlin event as the launch venue for both the Max 875 Combo and Plus 678 Combo. The iRobot announcement was issued from Bedford, Massachusetts, on September 2, 2026, according to the iRobot press release.

How SealForce compares with rivals

SealForce is new to iRobot but not to robot vacuums, according to The Verge. The Verge reported that Narwal and Dreame offer variations on sealing systems in their latest flagships, the Narwal Flow 2 and Dreame X60 Max Ultra. The Verge described sealing technology as novel in the category and noted that upright-vacuum makers have worked on similar sealing approaches for decades. The combination of SealForce, ThermaMist, a hair-cutting anti-tangle main brush and an anti-tangle side brush moves iRobot closer to competitors than its prior relaunch did, according to The Verge. Engadget identified SealForce as the launching ground shared by both new Roomba models. The Verge said a vacuum with improved carpet cleaning is less flashy than robots with legs and arms but more practical for carpeted homes.

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