iRobot Is Back — With a Leaner, More Affordable Roomba Lineup
iRobot has just dropped its biggest product refresh in years, announcing eight new Roomba robot vacuums that build on last year's debut lidar-based lineup. The new models are smaller, more powerful, and — most notably — significantly cheaper, with some coming in up to £200 (roughly $270 CAD) less than their equivalents.
It's a bold move for a company that's had a turbulent 12 months.
From Bankruptcy to Reboot
For those who missed the drama: iRobot, the Massachusetts-based robotics company behind the iconic Roomba brand, filed for bankruptcy late last year after its planned acquisition by Amazon fell apart under regulatory scrutiny. The company went through a painful restructuring and emerged under new ownership — Shenzhen Picea Robotics, a Chinese original design manufacturer that specializes in robotic vacuums.
It's a significant shift for a brand that built its reputation as a scrappy American tech innovator. But with Picea's manufacturing muscle behind it, iRobot appears to be betting on efficiency and value to win back consumers.
What's New in the Lineup
The eight new models span a range of price points and feature sets, but share several key upgrades:
- Smaller footprint — The new Roombas are up to 25 percent smaller than previous models, allowing them to squeeze under furniture and into tight corners more effectively.
- Higher suction power — iRobot has bumped the cleaning performance across the lineup, which should translate to better results on carpets and pet hair.
- More mop-equipped models — Several new SKUs come with roller mops built in, expanding the combo vacuum-mop segment that's become increasingly popular.
- Hot spot mopping — This is the headline new feature: Roombas can now identify and focus extra mopping attention on areas that tend to get dirtier faster, like in front of the stove or near the dog's water bowl.
All models retain the lidar-based navigation iRobot introduced last year, which gives them a meaningful edge in mapping accuracy over older camera or bump-sensor models.
The Price Drop Is the Real Story
Robot vacuums have gotten fiercely competitive. Chinese brands like Roborock, Dreame, and Ecovacs have been undercutting Western players on specs and price for years, and consumers have noticed. iRobot's answer — at least in part — is to stop trying to hold a price premium it can no longer justify.
Coming in at lower price points while adding features like hot spot mopping and better navigation is a smart play, and it signals that the new ownership is willing to fight on the terms the market has set.
Should You Upgrade?
If you're running an older bump-navigation Roomba, the jump to lidar is genuinely noticeable — these robots build real floor maps and clean more methodically. Whether the new models are available in Canada and at what exact price points hasn't been fully confirmed, but the UK pricing suggests the Canadian dollar equivalents should be meaningfully more accessible than before.
For anyone shopping for a robot vacuum this year, the new Roomba lineup is worth a close look — especially if brand familiarity and app ecosystem matter to you.
Source: The Verge
