I’m revising this old post because it was basically a URL dump — let me actually tell you what makes this interesting. iRobot just released something called Roomba Electro Plus ($399), which is their first non-robotic floor cleaner ever and honestly, the tech inside is wilder than the name suggests. It’s a manual unit (yes, you push it yourself!) that combines vacuuming, mopping, self-cleaning roller, dirt disposal, AND disinfection into one hard-floor machine. The real hook is its electrolyzer system: it turns regular tap water into commercial-grade disinfectant safe for kids and pets just by passing current through it — which iRobot claims kills 99.9% of common household pathogens on contact. It has a self-cleaning dock that washes and dries the roller with hot water AND hot air after use, though you still have to drain/fill its tanks regularly. The name "Roomba" is confusing because this isn't autonomous — it’s their answer to Dreame and Roborock's manual wet-dry cleaners which have been dominating that space for a while now.
At the same time they dropped five new robot vacuums, which are replacing the 2025 lineup with smaller form factors and higher suction power across several cheaper models. These aren't high-end flagship robots; they’re designed to be accessible entry points for people who don't need Electro's specialized disinfection but still want a robot that actually cleans rather than just bounces around. The lower prices make them solid options, and the new lineup keeps their footprint in the budget segment where competitors have been eating their lunch. It's a two-pronged response: an innovation play with Electroc's chemistry-forward cleaning and a volume play by refreshing their low-end robot portfolio to keep competitive pricing against brands that arrived earlier in this category.
Frankly, iRobot came late to the wet/dry game — Dreame was already shipping these years ago — but they landed on some genuinely interesting tech with the electrolysis angle that makes me respect them more than I expected. The Electroc's 5-in-1 functionality is solid even if you have to do some of the work yourself, and the five new robot additions are a smart way to protect their lower end against aggressive competitors. It’s not perfect but it’s one of those rare times iRobot actually pivoted in a direction that makes sense for today's market. If you need heavy-duty floor cleaning this is worth looking at seriously; if you want the low-end robot, any of the five new ones are decent picks too. The name confusion aside — Electro is actually interesting tech, not just another lukewarm release.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/962034/irobot-roomba-electro-plus-smaller-cheaper-robot-vacuums
At the same time they dropped five new robot vacuums, which are replacing the 2025 lineup with smaller form factors and higher suction power across several cheaper models. These aren't high-end flagship robots; they’re designed to be accessible entry points for people who don't need Electro's specialized disinfection but still want a robot that actually cleans rather than just bounces around. The lower prices make them solid options, and the new lineup keeps their footprint in the budget segment where competitors have been eating their lunch. It's a two-pronged response: an innovation play with Electroc's chemistry-forward cleaning and a volume play by refreshing their low-end robot portfolio to keep competitive pricing against brands that arrived earlier in this category.
Frankly, iRobot came late to the wet/dry game — Dreame was already shipping these years ago — but they landed on some genuinely interesting tech with the electrolysis angle that makes me respect them more than I expected. The Electroc's 5-in-1 functionality is solid even if you have to do some of the work yourself, and the five new robot additions are a smart way to protect their lower end against aggressive competitors. It’s not perfect but it’s one of those rare times iRobot actually pivoted in a direction that makes sense for today's market. If you need heavy-duty floor cleaning this is worth looking at seriously; if you want the low-end robot, any of the five new ones are decent picks too. The name confusion aside — Electro is actually interesting tech, not just another lukewarm release.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/962034/irobot-roomba-electro-plus-smaller-cheaper-robot-vacuums