iRobot has unveiled its new robot vacuum – the Roomba Combo 10 Max – and with it, the news that Matter support is finally on its way. Which means that the Combo 10 Max will be compatible with the Apple Home ecosystem.
Other upgrades include a self-cleaning dock for a more hands-off experience and enhanced dirt detection abilities. iRobot has a reputation for making some of the best robot vacuums around, and we’re looking forward to getting our hands on this model to see how it matches up.
Previous Roombas have been compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, but the Combo 10 Max will be the first with Matter integration, the universal communication standard designed to improve interoperability between the various smart home ecosystems (that is, to make your smart devices play nicely together). iRobot says it has been working with prominent smart home players to define and implement the Matter robovac cleaner standard, and we’re about to see the results of its efforts.
Practically, Matter integration means that the new Roomba will work with any smart home device that also supports Matter, most notably Apple Home – which previously was only available for Roomba via a Siri shortcut integration for voice control.
It’s a welcome and long-awaited upgrade, but that wait isn’t quite over yet. Although the robovac itself is arriving imminently – presale has already opened at irobot.com in the US, Canada, and Europe – Matter support isn’t slated to arrive until Q4 (so sometime from October 2024) via a firmware update.
According to the Verge, iRobot is planning to roll out Matter support across more products in 2025, but we don’t know anything more specific than that.
Hands-off cleaning
So what about the Combo 10 Max itself? The big upgrade is the dock, which not only takes care of robovac maintenance (emptying the dust cup, refilling the mopping solution, cleaning and drying the mop pad) but also cleans itself to prevent dirt and grime from building up.
These kinds of self-cleaning dock features are increasingly appearing in premium robovacs. Of course, none are entirely hands-off, but the effort levels required are getting lower and lower.
There are also improvements geared towards helping the Roomba Combo 10 Max clean more like a human would – so the onboard camera can now spot dirt, and the robovac will now go over the muckiest areas multiple times. It can also learn which rooms need more cleaning and prioritize those areas, and identify and avoid objects like stray socks and rogue cables. To reduce the initial setup pain, iRobot promises super-speedy smart mapping and automatic room labeling.
Elsewhere, you’ll find the same features that make other premium Roombas so popular – dual rubber brushes that adjust based on floor type and discourage hair tangles (we count the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus as one of the best robot vacuums for pet hair), powerful suction, and rigorous mopping.
Price and availability
In the US and Canada, the Roomba Combo 10 Max is already available on pre-sale at irobot.com, for delivery in August. More retailers will open up their pre-sales in August. Prices start at $1,399.
In Europe, pre-sale is also open at irobot.com, with prices starting at £1,499. iRobot says it will arrive in other international markets in ‘the coming months.’
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ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com (Ruth Hamilton)
