iRobot Roomba Max 875 uses SealForce carpet
iRobot's new flagship Roomba Max 875 Combo uses a sealing system to drive dirt from deep within carpets. The $1,199 vacuum-and-mop robot features a new heated mist for stains and an auto-cleaning dock.
IRobot has announced its new flagship robot vacuum, the Roomba Max 875 Combo, for $1,199. The company will present the device at the IFA trade show in Berlin this week, its first major appearance since being purchased out of bankruptcy by contract manufacturer Picea Robotics in January.
The key innovation is a system called SealForce. IRobot chief engineer Adam Pope stated this technology takes vacuuming "to a level beyond what's previously been possible." It works by lowering a skirt around the cleaning head when carpet is detected, creating a tighter seal to direct airflow deeper into the pile.
This is paired with a new vane-type blower motor that moves 20 liters of air per second. IRobot claims SealForce enables the Roomba 875 to clean three times deeper into carpets than it could without the feature. The vacuum offers 35,000 Pa of suction power, the highest specification iRobot has ever published for a product.
New design and navigation
To accommodate the sealing skirt, the 875 uses a single rubber brush instead of iRobot's traditional dual rollers. The robot employs lidar and camera-based vision for navigation and obstacle detection. It has a slimmer body than the previous Roomba 775 model and can climb over thresholds up to 3.5 centimeters high.
The device is also a mopping robot. Its self-cleaning roller mop system applies more downward pressure than the older model. A new feature called ThermaMist sprays a heated mist ahead of the mop to pretreat stains. A retractable mop cover extends during vacuuming to keep carpets dry.
Dock and competing technology
The Roomba Max 875 Combo comes with an auto-empty and wash dock. This dock automatically washes the mop with hot water and then dries it with hot air. SealForce technology is new for iRobot but not for the industry. Competitors Narwal and Dreame have similar systems on their latest flagship models, the Narwal Flow 2 and Dreame X60 Max Ultra.
Specifications and features
IRobot is also releasing a more affordable model, the Roomba Plus 678 Combo, for $899. This mid-range version includes the SealForce system and a roller mop but with reduced specifications.
| Model | Price | Suction Power | Airflow | Key Mopping Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roomba Max 875 Combo | $1,199 | 35,000 Pa | 20 L/s | ThermaMist (heated mist) |
| Roomba Plus 678 Combo | $899 | 30,000 Pa | 18 L/s | SprayForce (sprays fluid) |
The 678 Combo drops to 30,000 Pa suction power and 18 L/s of airflow. It lacks the ThermaMist and retractable mop cover. Instead, it uses a system called SprayForce which sprays cleaning fluid on stains to presoak them before mopping. It lifts its mop 10 millimeters when it detects carpet.
Both new models are compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Siri Shortcuts. According to Pope, they are currently undergoing Matter certification for smart home interoperability. The 875 also includes a new hair-cutting anti-tangle main brush and an anti-tangle side brush.
The focus on improved vacuuming through sealing technology is a practical shift. Several manufacturers are now adopting this approach, which upright vacuum makers have tried to perfect for decades. The effectiveness of Roomba's implementation for deep carpet cleaning will be determined with testing.
