iRobot's New Roomba Seals Against Carpet for Deeper Cleaning

iRobot has unveiled its latest flagship robot vacuum, the Roomba Max 875 Combo, at this week's IFA trade show in Berlin. The debut marks one of the first major product launches since Picea Robotics acquired iRobot from bankruptcy earlier this year. The company is also rolling out a mid-tier alternative, the Roomba Plus 678 Combo.

The SealForce Innovation#

At the heart of the new Roomba is SealForce, a sealing mechanism that iRobot claims represents a major step forward in carpet cleaning. The technology deploys a flexible skirt that wraps around the cleaning head whenever the robot detects carpet, creating a tighter seal that channels suction deeper into carpet fibers. Paired with a redesigned blower motor pushing 20 liters of air per second, SealForce enables the Roomba 875 to deliver three times deeper cleaning compared to vacuuming without the feature.

The flagship model boasts 35,000 Pa of suction power—the highest figure iRobot has publicly disclosed to date. To accommodate the improved seal, the 875 switches from iRobot's traditional dual-roller brush to a single rubber design. The robot uses lidar and camera vision for navigation and obstacle detection, features a streamlined profile relative to older models, and can handle thresholds up to 3.5 centimeters.

Mopping and Smart Features#

As a combo unit, the Max 875 also handles mopping with a self-cleaning roller system and a new ThermaMist feature that sprays heated mist to pretreat stains before the mop passes. A retractable mop cover extends during vacuuming to protect carpets from moisture and can stretch to clean along edges. The included auto-empty dock washes the mop with hot water and dries it with hot air between cycles.

The 678 Combo version shares the SealForce technology but at lower specs: 30,000 Pa suction and 18 L/s airflow. It substitutes ThermaMist with SprayForce, a system that pre-sprays cleaning fluid to soak stains, and lifts its mop 10 millimeters when it detects carpet. Both models offer integration with Alexa, Google Home, and Siri Shortcuts, with Matter certification currently in progress.

Pricing and Market Position#

The Max 875 Combo retails for $1,199, while the Plus 678 Combo costs $899. Both are available now at irobot.com.

Though SealForce is new to iRobot, competitors including Narwal and Dreame have already rolled out similar sealing approaches on their flagship models. iRobot's addition of heat-treated misting and improved brush anti-tangle design signals the company is tightening its gap with rivals—a notable shift from its last overhaul.