Robot vacuum cleaners are handy little devices that can help people save a ton of time and energy. However, some of the more well-known options are a bit pricey, especially when a wipe feature is thrown into the mix. As it is, iRobot has revealed a relatively budget-friendly 2-in-1 robot vacuum cleaner and sweeper. It says $275 Roomba The Combo Essential actually outperforms the Roomba 600 Series thanks to the addition of 20x more suction power, a mop and smart navigation.
According to iRobot, this model offers 25 percent better performance in picking up dirt from hard floors than the Roomba 600 Series. It is said to have smart settings such as up to 120 minutes longer battery life, the ability to clean in neat rows, customizable suction and liquid settings, Clean Map reports and suggested cleaning schedules.
While you can set up cleanings in advance, you can start cleaning at any time with an Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant voice command. Alternatively, you can press the Clean button or tap a button in the iRobot Home app to start the device immediately.
The device features a four-stage cleaning system with adjustable suction and liquid settings, a v-shaped multi-surface brush, an edge sweep brush and a pump-fed microfiber sweep pad. For vacuum-only operation (i.e., if you want to remove dirt from the carpet), you must first remove the mop pad. This adds some friction to using this model. Another trade-off is that this isn’t a self-emptying Roomba—you’ll have to manually empty the dirt container more often.
Still, it looks like a solid Roomba at an eye-watering price. It’s currently available in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and iRobot will start selling it on April 7 in the US and April 12 in Canada. The Roomba Combo Essential will arrive in Asia Pacific markets later this month. People in the US can do it trade Roomba 600 Series for $50 credit toward Roomba Combo Essential
Additionally, iRobot is introducing a model called the Roomba Vac Essential in North America. It has the same smart features and other similar features as the Combo Essential, but no mop. This robot vacuum cleaner will cost $250 and will be available on April 7th in the US and April 12th in Canada.
Meanwhile, iRobot said it has reached a new milestone. Since Roomba debuted in 2002, the company has sold more than 50 million robots.
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