iRobot Roomba 115 Combo

The 115 Combo is the entry-level model in the Roomba lineup: it vacuums and mops in a single pass, paired with a dock that only recharges it. A LiDAR turret on the lid measures distances and builds up to 3 maps of the home, even across different floors, which the Roomba Home app organises by room. A flexible bristle brush and an edge-extending side brush pick up dirt along walls and in corners. In vacuum+mop or mop-only mode the robot automatically avoids carpets on its own, so there is no need to mark them by hand.

Mopping is handled by a microfibre pad fixed under the water tank: the pad does not spin or vibrate, so it dampens the floor more than it scrubs it, and it can be reused for up to 30 washes. Without a self-emptying dock, the dust bin is emptied by hand after every run and the pad is washed separately. The filter is cleaned dry, by tapping it against a bin or brushing it: it is not meant to be rinsed with water. The robot connects only to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, required for both the app and day-to-day operation.

It suits someone who wants a first mapping robot with laser navigation and is willing to handle the bin and pad by hand; anyone after automatic emptying should look at the AutoEmpty dock version instead.