IFA 2026: iRobot’s new Roomba seals itself to carpets and costs nearly US$1,200

iRobot’s Roomba Max 875 Combo is going after the messes that robot vacuums traditionally fear: deep carpet dirt, dried spills and the awkward strip of floor along the skirting board.

Listed at US$1,199.99, the new robot combines SealForce suction technology with heated mopping, carpet protection and an AutoWash dock. The price is premium; the performance claims are still iRobot’s claims until independent testing says otherwise.

What's actually going on

iRobot says SealForce combines a closer carpet seal, tornado-like airflow and five times more suction to pull dust, pet hair and crumbs from carpet fibres. The product page does not turn that marketing figure into an independent test result.

For hard floors, the Max 875 uses ultrasonic ThermaMist and a PowerSpin Max roller mop. iRobot lists 140°F water, a 300 RPM roller speed and 18N of downward pressure, claiming two times better stain removal in its testing.

The robot also has PerfectEdge cleaning, a side brush for corners, AI-powered ClearView Pro and PrecisionVision navigation, and DriLift protection that raises the mop when it detects carpet.

The AutoWash dock is designed to provide up to 90 days of hands-free maintenance. iRobot’s US product page lists the Max 875 at US$1,199.99 and says it will ship in approximately two weeks. UK and European pricing and availability were not confirmed.

Why you should care

Robot vacuums have become very good at routine maintenance. The premium models are now competing over the annoying jobs people still end up doing themselves: scrubbing stains, chasing pet hair and rescuing carpets from damp mop pads.

A carpet-sealing system could make a meaningful difference if it works across different pile heights and household messes. Heated water and automated washing also sound useful, although they add complexity to a machine whose main selling point used to be “drive around and collect dust”.

Our opinion

The Roomba Max 875 is aimed at the jobs robot vacuums still leave for humans: embedded carpet dirt, dried spills and the suspicious debris beneath the sofa. That makes SealForce and the heated roller mop genuinely relevant, especially in homes with pets and mixed flooring. The catch is its US$1,199.99 price, alongside performance figures that remain iRobot’s own claims. We would wait for independent tests across carpet types, stains and mop safety, as well as confirmed UK pricing. If those results hold up, this could be a serious deep-cleaning upgrade; until then, it is a premium promise with wheels.