iRobot Roomba Max 875 Combo Review: A Quiet, Strong Roomba With a Dock That Does the Chores
The iRobot Roomba Max 875 Combo is a flagship robot vacuum and mop with an AutoWash dock that owners describe as a big step up from older Roombas and from rival robots: quieter, strong on pet hair and carpet crumbs, and a mop that cleans rather than just wipes. Setup and mapping are easy, the dock handles emptying, mop washing and drying, and a single charge covers a large floor in most reports. The drawbacks are minor but real: the body is tall enough that it cannot reach under some cabinet toe-kicks, the cycle can run long, small rugs get pushed around, and a new app replaces the one older Roombas use. It suits busy homes with pets and mixed floors.
- Busy homes with pets and kids
- Mixed hard floors and rugs
- Hands-off mopping and low maintenance
- Alexa and Google Home households
Pros
- Noticeably quieter than older Roombas, including during dock emptying
- Easy app setup and mapping, with no-go zones and simple scheduling
- Strong pet hair, dust and crumb pickup on hard floors and rugs
- Heated mist and roller mop that lifts dried-on messes
- AutoWash dock empties the bin, washes and dries the mop and dispenses cleaning solution
- Mop lifts automatically over carpet
- One charge covers a large floor, with automatic recharge and resume
- Works with Alexa and Google Home voice control
Cons
- Tall body that cannot reach under some cabinet toe-kicks, and the mop does not extend into that gap
- Long cleaning cycles; scheduling it for the end of the day works around it
- Small rugs can get pushed around
- A new app is needed, separate from the one older Roombas use
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only, no 5 GHz support
- Apple Home, SmartThings, Home Assistant and Matter are pending a future update
- Reviews are all from the first weeks, so long-term reliability is not yet proven
Who is the iRobot Roomba Max 875 Combo for?
This is iRobot's top-end vacuum and mop, and the owners who rate it highest are upgrading from an older Roomba or a cheaper robot. They run it on a schedule while they are out, in homes with large dogs, several cats and children, and on floors that are mostly hardwood or tile with a few rugs. It is a strong match for people who want to stop mopping by hand. It is a weaker one for a condo or kitchen with low toe-kicks, or for anyone who wants an Apple Home or Home Assistant setup today.
What owners love
The praise is consistent. Owners call it noticeably quieter than their earlier Roomba, including the dock when it empties the bin, and describe setup, pairing and the first mapping run as quick, one of them finishing in about fifteen minutes. Suction gets high marks on pet hair, dust in floor seams and crumbs caked into high-pile rugs, and several say the heated mist and roller mop lift dried-on messes and paw prints that used to need two passes by hand. The dock washes the roller with hot water and dries it, empties the bin, and the robot recharges and resumes mid-job. Some owners say one charge covers a whole floor of a large home, and it avoids toys, and it handles table and chair legs better than older models. The spec sheet agrees: LiDAR mapping with no-go zones, automatic mop lifting for carpet, an auto-dispensed cleaning solution and a self-emptying dock.
What to know before you buy
The robot is tall enough that one owner could not reach the cabinet toe-kicks in a condo, and the mop does not extend into that gap, so the strip along the cabinet base stays untouched. Another says the cycle runs long, so scheduling it for the end of the day works better, and small rugs get moved around while larger ones are handled well. Anyone coming from an older Roomba must install a different app, and one owner finds juggling two apps inconvenient. One owner reports that starting a mop run only from the app in a room away from the dock ended as a vacuum-only run. Connectivity is 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only, and Apple Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant are expected through Matter once the pending certification update ships; Alexa and Google Home work today.
Is the iRobot Roomba Max 875 Combo worth it?
Owners who have used earlier Roombas and other brands almost uniformly call the upgrade worth the premium price, mainly for the quiet running, the strong cleaning and the hands-off dock. The reviews are all recent, so long-term reliability is not yet shown. If your home has low cabinet toe-kicks, a lot of small rugs or you need Apple Home or Home Assistant right away, check those points first; otherwise it is among the easiest robots to live with.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Roomba Max 875 Combo wash and dry its own mop?
Yes. The AutoWash dock empties the robot, washes the mop roller with hot water, dries it and dispenses cleaning solution, so mop upkeep is largely hands-off.
Is the Roomba Max 875 Combo quiet?
Owners describe it as noticeably quieter than older Roombas, and some say even the dock emptying cycle is quieter.
Does it work with Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home?
Alexa and Google Home voice control work today. Apple Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant are expected through Matter once the pending update ships, and Siri works through Siri Shortcuts in the meantime.
Is it safe for carpets and rugs?
Yes. It lifts the mop automatically when it detects carpet and handles larger rugs well, although owners say it can push small rugs around.
Will it fit under my cabinets?
It is a tall body at about 100 mm, and one owner could not reach the toe-kicks of their cabinets with it, so measure the clearance under low furniture and cabinet bases first.
Does it need a different app than my old Roomba?
Yes. Owners coming from earlier Roombas report having to install a new app for this model, separate from the one used for their older robots.
