Roomba Review 2026: The Line-up, the Bankruptcy and Whether to Buy

Here is the short version, with dates and sources.

1. August 2022: Amazon agreed to buy iRobot for about $1.7 billion.
2. January 2024: the deal was abandoned. Amazon paid iRobot a $94 million break-up fee and iRobot cut about 31% of its staff, according to Wikipedia's summary of contemporary reporting. Gary Cohen became chief executive in May 2024 after co-founder Colin Angle left.
3. 2025: iRobot's quarterly filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission warned of substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern (in plain terms, that it might not survive the next 12 months).
4. 14 December 2025: iRobot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware. It was a pre-packaged deal, meaning the buyer was agreed in advance. That buyer was Shenzhen PICEA Robotics, the Chinese company that already manufactured Roombas and was also iRobot's secured lender.
5. 22 to 23 January 2026: the court confirmed the plan and iRobot emerged from bankruptcy as a private company wholly owned by Picea. Old shares were cancelled. Forkast reports that Picea converted roughly $254 million of debt into full ownership.

iRobot kept its headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts, and its US engineering and product teams. It also created a US subsidiary called iRobot Safe, with an American-led board, to keep US and global customer data separate from the new non-US owner.

Yes, for future models sold in the United States. On 28 July 2026 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC, the US regulator for devices that use radio and Wi-Fi) added foreign-produced advanced robotic devices to its Covered List, according to law firm Wiley's summary. A device counts if it moves on its own, weighs more than 4.4 lb including its dock, and has sensors, network connectivity and autonomy software. Most robot vacuums fit that description.

• Existing Roombas keep working. Models the FCC had already authorised can still be made, imported and sold.
• Software updates continue. An FCC waiver allows security and firmware updates for already-authorised robots until at least 1 January 2029.
• New models are the problem. New foreign-produced robots cannot get FCC authorisation unless the maker wins a Conditional Approval, which requires a plan to expand US manufacturing.

This rule applies to almost every brand, not just iRobot, because nearly all robot vacuums are built in Asia. As of mid-October 2026, Vacuum Wars reported that no robot vacuum brand had received a Conditional Approval. The rule is US only. Buyers in the UK, Europe and elsewhere are not affected.

• Existing Roomba owners who like the app and want to stay in one ecosystem.
• Buyers who value a long warranty. iRobot's UK product page lists a 2-year limited warranty on the Max 775 Combo.
• Carpet-heavy homes on the 700 and 800 series, where iRobot's dual rubber brushes have historically done well. Check independent results first, though, because Tom's Guide found weak carpet pickup on the Max 775 Combo.

A Roomba suits you less if you want the most features per pound or dollar. Independent reviewers consistently find Roborock, Dreame and Eufy offer higher suction, hotter mop washing and better obstacle avoidance at similar prices. See our Roborock review and best robot vacuum and mop guide.

New Roombas use the Roomba Home app for maps, room-by-room cleaning, schedules and voice control through Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, according to iRobot's 2026 launch materials. Reviewers at Tom's Guide found setup easy and maps quick to edit.

On privacy, the important change is ownership. iRobot is now owned by a Chinese company. Its stated safeguard is the iRobot Safe subsidiary, which has an independent American-led board and its own data security leadership. If data location matters to you, read the privacy policy in the app before you connect a camera-equipped robot to Wi-Fi, and keep firmware updated.

When it filed for bankruptcy, iRobot said it expected no disruption to app functionality, product support or supply chain relationships, as reported by Tom's Guide. Because Picea already built the robots, parts supply was not broken by the sale.

• Warranty: the UK Max 775 Combo page lists a 2-year limited warranty. Terms can differ by country and model, so check the product page before buying.
• Older models: classic models such as the i7+ and j7+ still appear at resellers. Buy older stock only at a deep discount, and confirm it is new with a valid warranty.
• Long-term software: in the US, the FCC waiver protects updates for authorised devices until at least 1 January 2029.

We did not test these robots ourselves. We compared iRobot's published specifications, independent reviews (Tom's Guide, RTINGS, Reviewed and Vacuum Wars), Google Shopping review patterns and current retail prices. Where a figure is iRobot's own claim, we say so. We left out any spec we could not confirm.

iRobot is in better shape than many feared. It has a new owner, its debts were cleared and its 2026 models finally use LiDAR mapping and self-washing docks across the range. The Max 875 Combo and Plus 678 Combo look competitive on paper. But early independent reviews of the Max 775 Combo show iRobot still trails Roborock on cleaning per dollar, and US buyers should note that the FCC rule may slow future launches for every brand.

Our view: buy a Roomba if you find a strong discount on a 2026 model or you value the brand and warranty. Otherwise compare it with the Roborock and Dreame equivalents first.