iRobot Roomba Plus 678 Combo Review: SealForce Suction With a Two-Step Heated Roller Mop
The Roomba Plus 678 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock is iRobot's midrange vacuum and mop, pairing SealForce suction rated at 30,000Pa with a 2-step mopping system: SprayForce AI pre-treats stains with a pressurized spray, then a PowerSpin roller mop scrubs with heated water. The AutoWash dock washes, heat-dries and refills the mopping system and self-empties the bin into a sealed bag for up to 90 days of hands-free upkeep. It fits mixed hard floor and carpet homes that want near-zero maintenance without the flagship price, with the caveat that Apple Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant arrive only once the robot completes Matter certification.
- Mixed hard floor and carpet homes
- Pet owners and long-hair households
- Alexa and Google Home households
- Hands-off maintenance seekers
Pros
- SealForce suction rated at 30,000Pa with 18 L/s of airflow for deeper carpet pickup
- 2-step mopping: SprayForce AI pretreats stains with a 40,000Pa spray before the PowerSpin roller scrubs with heated water
- AutoWash dock hot-washes the roller at 176F, heat-dries it at 131F, self-empties the bin into a sealed bag and dispenses solution for up to 90 days
- PowerSpin roller mop scrubs with 15 Newtons of pressure, extends up to 45mm to edges and lifts 10mm on carpet
- ClearView Pro LiDAR maps up to three levels and PrecisionVision AI helps it avoid obstacles
- Hair-cutting main brush and anti-tangle edge-sweeping brush for pet hair and long hair
- Works with Alexa, Google Home and Siri Shortcuts today
Cons
- Matter certification is still in progress, so Apple Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant arrive only after a future update
- No heated-mist pre-treatment and no retractable mop cover, and a 10mm mop lift instead of the flagship's enclosed shield
- No published runtime, dustbin or water tank capacity, or noise rating for this model
- Available direct from iRobot first, with broader North American retail to follow
Who is the iRobot Roomba Plus 678 Combo for?
This is iRobot's lower-priced premium vacuum and mop, aimed at households that want the automated dock experience of the flagship Max 875 without paying flagship money. It combines the brand's SealForce carpet sealing, rated at 30,000Pa of suction with 18 L/s of airflow, with a heated roller mopping system that pretreats stains before it scrubs. Homes that mix carpet and hard floors, shed pet hair or long hair, and want to set a schedule and empty the bin every few months are the clearest fit, as are Alexa and Google Home households.
What the Roomba Plus 678 Combo offers
SealForce lowers a skirt against carpet fibers so the airflow is concentrated where dirt sits instead of escaping around the chassis, and iRobot rates the result at 3x deeper carpet cleaning than vacuuming without the seal. A hair-cutting multi-surface main brush and an anti-tangle edge-sweeping brush keep long hair out of the works. Navigation uses ClearView Pro Dual-Line LiDAR to build up to three 3D maps, including on multiple levels, plus PrecisionVision AI for obstacle avoidance and Dirt Detect sensors that adjust the pass to wet and dry messes. Mopping is a 2-step system: SprayForce AI fires a concentrated 40,000Pa burst of pressurized spray to break down dried residue, then the self-cleaning PowerSpin roller mop scrubs with heated water and 15 Newtons of downward pressure, extends up to 45mm along edges, and lifts 10mm when carpet is detected. The AutoWash dock washes the roller with a 176F hot-water soak, dries it with 131F air, dispenses StayClean concentrate on its own and self-empties dry debris into a sealed bag rated for up to 90 days. The robot pairs over Wi-Fi with Bluetooth for setup and works with Alexa, Google Home and Siri Shortcuts today.
What to know before you buy
Matter support is the main open item: iRobot says the Plus 678 Combo is going through Matter certification, so Apple Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant reach it only after that firmware ships, and Siri works today through Siri Shortcuts rather than the Home app. It is not the flagship, so it drops the Max 875's heated-mist ThermaMist pre-treatment and its retractable mop cover, and it uses a conventional 10mm mop lift instead of the enclosed DriLift shield. iRobot also does not publish a runtime, an onboard or dock dustbin capacity, a water tank capacity or a noise rating for this model, so several comparison rows stay unknown for now. It is sold direct from iRobot first, with broader North American retail availability to follow.
Is the iRobot Roomba Plus 678 Combo worth it?
For a household that wants iRobot's carpet-focused SealForce system together with a heated, self-washing roller mop and a dock that runs itself for months, the Plus 678 targets that combination at a friendlier point than the Max 875. The trade-offs are the missing ThermaMist mist and mop cover, the several unpublished capacity and runtime figures, and smart-home integrations that are still catching up through Matter certification. Buyers who mainly want Alexa or Google Home control and a dock that empties and washes on its own are the best fit; those who need Apple Home or Home Assistant today may prefer to wait for the certification firmware.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Roomba Plus 678 Combo work with Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home?
Alexa, Google Home and Siri Shortcuts work today. Apple Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant are not available yet: iRobot says the robot is going through Matter certification, so those platforms arrive once that firmware ships.
How does the mopping system work?
It is a 2-step system. SprayForce AI detects and pretreats stains with a concentrated 40,000Pa burst of pressurized spray, then the PowerSpin roller mop scrubs with heated water and 15 Newtons of downward pressure and SmartScrub passes. The roller extends up to 45mm to reach edges, and the mop lifts 10mm when carpet is detected.
What does the AutoWash Dock do?
The dock self-empties the robot's dry debris into a sealed bag, washes the roller with a 176F hot-water soak, heat-dries it at 131F, mixes and dispenses StayClean cleaning concentrate, and runs self-cleaning cycles, which iRobot says allows up to 90 days of hands-free maintenance.
How long does the Roomba Plus 678 Combo run on a charge?
iRobot has not published a runtime figure for this model. It uses a 6000mAh LFP battery and recharges and resumes on its own when needed.
What is in the box and what is the warranty?
The box includes the Roomba Plus 678 Combo robot, the AutoWash dock, an extra AutoEmpty bag, an extra filter, an extra side brush and a cleaning solution. It carries iRobot's standard 1-year limited warranty.
Does it vacuum and mop at the same time?
Yes. It offers four cleaning modes: vacuum only, mop only, both at once, or vacuum first and then mop. It detects rugs and lifts the mop roller to keep them dry while vacuuming.
