At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
– Washes its own mop pad
– Improved “Dirt Detect” functionality
– Upgraded navigation
– Performs mop-only runs
Cons
– So-so mopping performance
– Self-emptying bin sometimes left heavier debris behind
Our Verdict
While the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash base boasts a variety of welcome improvements, including the ability to wash its own mop pad, its vacuuming and mopping performance doesn’t match those of its predecessors.
Price When Reviewed
$1,399.99 (AutoWash dock package)
Best Prices Today
Amazon: $250.46 (price listing shown on site)
Overview
iRobot’s Roomba Combo line added a retractable mopping arm with the J7+, preventing the spread of water from hard floors to carpets. The Combo 10 Max+ is the first of the line to include an AutoWash dock that cleans and dries the mop pad, a convenience missing from earlier models. That added convenience, however, doesn’t fully make up for vacuum and mop performance that didn’t exceed previous Roomba combos, making its premium price harder to justify.
Design and features
The Combo 10 Max+ updates the look with an all-black finish. It measures 13.3 inches in diameter and 3.4 inches tall, slim enough to clear most furniture. A front camera with a headlight and a bumper for collision detection sit on the robot; the rear houses a removable combined dustbin and water reservoir.
iRobot enhanced Dirt Detect so it activates far more often than on the j9+, and added a mop-only cleaning mode alongside vacuum-only and combined modes. Navigation is also faster—iRobot says mapping can be up to seven times quicker than the previous generation.
The robot retains Dirt Detective room-priority features and obstacle avoidance, plus the Pet Owners Official Promise: if it smears pet waste within the first year, iRobot will replace it.
The AutoWash Dock (17.6 x 20.1 x 15.8 inches) returns to an all-black design and keeps a front-opening door so you can place items on top. Indicator lights show charging status and when to replace the dust bag or refill water. Inside are a 3-liter clean-water reservoir and a 2.5-liter dirty-water bin; the dock also holds a dust bag rated for about 60 days of debris under normal use. The dock’s major change is its auto-wash: it cleans and dries the mop pad using cool water and forced air while scrubbing internal components.
Setup
The AutoWash package includes the robot with a mop pad attached, an extra pad, the base with tanks and a dust bag, one spare dust bag, a spare filter, a side brush, the base’s ramp, the rubber mop-washing brush and drainage enclosure, manuals, and the power cord. Setup takes a few extra steps to install the mop-washing brush and drainage enclosure, but the process is straightforward.
After powering on the robot and installing the iRobot Home app, the robot should be detected automatically. Enter Wi‑Fi details and finalize the connection by pressing the robot’s setup button.
Room mapping
The app walks you through a mapping run that scans your home without cleaning. If you’ve used other Roombas, saved maps can load automatically. The app attempts to label rooms and lets you adjust dividers and names. You can set keep-out zones, no-mop zones, and clean zones; clean zones direct extra attention to specific areas. The app also shows pictures of obstacles the robot encountered and asks whether they’re temporary or should become keep-out zones.
The Combo 10 Max+ accurately distinguished hard floors from carpets and avoided wetting rugs during mapping. The main app screen shows the map, robot status, battery and liquid levels in both the robot and dock tanks, and lets you start or schedule cleanings, review history, and customize jobs by mode, suction power, water usage, number of passes, and Smart Scrub for sticky messes. Favorite cleaning configurations can be saved. Voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant is supported.
Performance
In daily use the Combo 10 Max+ usually completed tasks without getting stuck, and navigation improved over repeated runs. Its obstacle avoidance worked well for small items like pet food dishes and shoes, and was better than many competitors, though it sometimes nudged or ran over soft objects like cloth toys.
Pickup tests showed strong carpet performance—about 95 percent of a half-cup of rice was collected from an area rug. On hardwood, it picked up about 75 percent of the same rice spread, sometimes scattering bits. It handled pet hair very well, clearing fur without leaving clumps or tangles.
Mopping cleaned surface dirt and restored some shine but was imperfect. In a jelly test (teaspoon of jam), the robot spent considerable time scrubbing and removed visible residue but left a sticky feel. The AutoWash pad-cleaning process is efficient at rinsing and drying the pad, though drying can take hours. The dock’s self-emptying dustbin is quick but occasionally leaves heavier debris, like cat litter, behind.
Specifications
– Robot dimensions: 13.3 x 3.4 inches (W x H)
– Base dimensions: 17.6 x 20.1 x 15.8 inches (H x W x D)
– Clean water tank capacity: 3 liters
– Dirty water tank capacity: 2.5 liters
– Cleaning modes: Vacuum only, mop only, vacuum and mop simultaneously
– Connectivity: Wi‑Fi
– Smart home integrations: Alexa and Google Assistant
Should you buy the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash dock?
The AutoWash feature is a useful addition that reduces maintenance, but iRobot’s hybrid system still trails some competitors like Roborock and Ecovacs in outright mopping effectiveness. The Combo 10 Max+ continues to excel at obstacle avoidance and keeps carpets dry with its retractable mop. Given its premium price and somewhat diminished cleaning performance compared with some previous Roomba Combos, buyers may prefer the Roomba Combo j9+, which remains TechHive’s pick for best robot vacuum/mop combo.
Author: Michael Ansaldo, Contributor
Michael Ansaldo is a veteran consumer and business technology journalist who has covered robot vacuums, home security cameras, and other smart devices for TechHive and other publications.
