iRobot Returns to IFA with New Flagship Roomba Max 875

The centerpiece of the new hardware is the SealForce technology, which lowers a mechanical skirt around the cleaning head to concentrate suction directly into carpet fibers. Chief engineer Adam Pope claims this system, supported by a 20 L/s blower motor, allows the vacuum to achieve three times the cleaning depth of previous models. The 875 boasts a record-setting 35,000 Pa of suction power, marking a shift for a company that historically avoided publishing such specifications. To accommodate this seal, iRobot moved from its traditional dual-roller design to a single rubber brush, integrated with an anti-tangle system.

The 875 also expands into advanced mopping, featuring the ThermaMist system that sprays heated mist to pretreat stains. Its accompanying dock handles automated mop washing and hot-air drying, while the mop itself extends to reach edges. Alongside this flagship, the company launched the $899 Roomba Plus 678 Combo, which swaps the heated mist for a SprayForce fluid-application system. Both models navigate using a combination of lidar and camera-based vision, and they are currently undergoing Matter certification to ensure broad smart-home compatibility. By adopting features long utilized by rivals like Narwal and Dreame, iRobot is attempting a pragmatic technical reboot after emerging from bankruptcy earlier this year.