iRobot arrived at IFA 2026 with something more consequential than another specification bump. The new Roomba Max 875 Combo is the company’s most ambitious robot vacuum and mop in years, and it is also one of the clearest signs yet of how iRobot is repositioning itself after emerging from Chapter 11 under new owner Picea.
The headline numbers are substantial: iRobot lists 35,000 Pa of suction, 20 L/s of airflow, heated stain pretreatment, a continuously self-cleaning roller mop and an AutoWash dock. But the more interesting story is not the number printed next to suction. It is the way iRobot is changing the mechanics around airflow, carpet contact and wet cleaning.
The biggest change is SealForce, not 35,000 Pa
Robot-vacuum marketing has become increasingly dominated by suction figures. iRobot is still participating in that race, but the Max 875 adds a mechanical idea called SealForce. According to the company, the robot lowers a skirt against carpet fibers so that airflow is concentrated through the cleaning path rather than escaping around the chassis.
That distinction matters. In practical vacuum design, suction pressure alone does not describe how effectively debris is transported into the dust path. Airflow, brush contact, sealing and floor geometry all influence pickup. iRobot says SealForce works together with 20 L/s airflow and the new suction system to improve deep-carpet cleaning. Those performance figures remain manufacturer claims until independently tested, but the engineering direction is more interesting than a simple motor-power increase.
Wet cleaning is becoming a full mechanical system
The Max 875 also moves iRobot further away from the simple damp-pad approach associated with earlier robot mops. Its ThermaMist system applies heated mist to dried-on stains before the PowerSpin Max roller mop passes over them. iRobot says the roller spins at up to 300 RPM and applies 18 N of downward pressure.
The robot also uses DriLift, which raises the wet-cleaning assembly and adds a protective shield when carpet is detected. The idea is to solve one of the persistent compromises in combination robots: a machine that can wash hard floors aggressively without turning rugs into a wet obstacle course.
At the dock, the maintenance cycle becomes more automated. iRobot says the AutoWash station washes the roller with hot water, dries it with heated air, dispenses cleaning solution and empties the robot’s dustbin. That means the dock is no longer just a charger or dust collector; it is an active cleaning appliance with pumps, heaters, valves, sensors and consumables of its own.
Max 875 vs Plus 678: where the flagship premium goes
| Feature | Roomba Max 875 Combo | Roomba Plus 678 Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Advertised suction | 35,000 Pa | 30,000 Pa |
| Advertised airflow | 20 L/s | 18 L/s |
| Carpet system | SealForce | SealForce |
| Stain pretreatment | ThermaMist heated mist | SprayForce AI high-pressure spray |
| Roller mop pressure | 18 N | 15 N |
| Carpet protection | DriLift lift + roller shield | 10 mm mop lift |
| US MSRP at launch | $1,199 | $899 |
The comparison shows that the 678 is not simply a stripped-down conventional Roomba. It shares the new SealForce concept and roller-mop architecture, while the 875 concentrates the more elaborate stain treatment, carpet protection and higher-output cleaning hardware at the top of the range.
Why the timing matters: iRobot after Picea
The product launch also has a corporate backdrop that is hard to ignore. In January 2026, iRobot completed a court-supervised transaction in which Picea acquired 100% of the company’s equity interests. iRobot emerged from its pre-packaged Chapter 11 process and remained a Boston-based consumer robotics business, while Picea — already a key manufacturing partner and secured lender — became its owner.
IFA 2026 is therefore an early look at what a post-restructuring iRobot intends to compete with. The Max 875 is notable because it adopts several ideas that have become central to newer premium competitors: high-output docks, continuous roller cleaning, stronger obstacle recognition and more aggressive wet-cleaning hardware. At the same time, iRobot is trying to differentiate through carpet airflow management rather than only matching the industry’s suction-number escalation.
Maintenance and replacement parts could become more important, not less
Greater automation reduces daily chores, but it also creates more serviceable systems. A traditional robot vacuum might rely mainly on a fan, brushes, wheels, battery and charging contacts. A modern wash-and-dry platform adds water pumps, heating elements, mop-drive components, dock plumbing, detergent delivery, wastewater handling and more sensors.
For owners, that makes long-term parts availability worth watching. Filters, debris bags, side brushes and main brushes are predictable consumables. The newer question is how readily iRobot will support the roller-mop system, dock internals and other wet-cleaning components after the first years of ownership.
Goods Scene note: performance figures in this article are manufacturer specifications unless stated otherwise. We will treat long-term reliability, real-world cleaning performance and parts compatibility as separate questions as service information becomes available.
Bottom line
The Roomba Max 875 Combo matters because it shows iRobot trying to re-enter the premium robot-vacuum conversation with a more complete mechanical rethink. SealForce is the part to watch: if concentrating airflow against carpet produces meaningful independent results, it could be more consequential than another increase in advertised suction.
Just as important, the launch gives the first strong product signal of iRobot’s Picea era. The company is not retreating to a simpler Roomba formula. It is moving directly toward the complex, highly automated dock-and-roller systems now defining the premium end of the market.
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