Six months ago, iRobot was writing its own obituary. The company that basically invented the robot vacuum — the one whose name became a verb (“go Roomba the living room”) — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2025, buried under debt, tariffs, and a wall of cheaper Chinese competitors. It looked like the end. And then, in true American underdog fashion, Roomba got back up, dusted itself off (literally, that’s its whole job), and came out swinging.
On May 12, 2026, a reorganized iRobot unveiled eight new Roombas at once — its biggest product drop ever — headlined by a brand-new “Max” line built around 30,000Pa suction, self-washing docks, and even hot-water mop pre-treatment. So the question every skeptical American with a house full of dog hair is asking: is Roomba actually back, or is this just nostalgia wearing a new dock? I dug through iRobot’s launch specs and the early review coverage to give you a straight answer.
Want the Roomba you can actually buy today? Here are the ready-to-ship picks
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TL;DR — Is Roomba Back?
- The comeback is real: After a December 2025 bankruptcy, a privately-owned iRobot launched eight new Roombas on May 12, 2026, led by the Max line. This is not a company quietly winding down — it’s a full-on relaunch.
- Buy right now: The Roomba Max 705 (LiDAR nav, AutoEmpty dock, ~$900 at launch) is shipping today. So are the trusty Roomba Combo j9+ and j7+.
- Coming soon (mid-2026): The Max 715 Vac (vacuum-only, up to 30,000Pa) and the flagship Max 775 Combo (30,000Pa, AutoWash dock, pressurized hot-spray mop pre-treat). US pricing wasn’t confirmed at announcement — UK pricing tops out around £799 for the 775.
- The honest catch: Early reviews of the Max 705 praise its mapping and pet-hair pickup but flag merely-okay carpet performance. Roomba is back — but it’s re-entering a race where rivals didn’t stop running.
The Comeback Story: From Chapter 11 to Eight New Roombas
Let’s set the scene, because context matters here. iRobot didn’t have a rough quarter — it had a near-death experience. After regulators blocked Amazon’s proposed $1.7 billion acquisition in 2024, the company bled cash, got hammered by import tariffs, and watched budget competitors eat its lunch from below. On December 14, 2025, it filed for Chapter 11. For a brand that had been synonymous with “robot vacuum” for two decades, it was a genuinely grim moment.
Then came the restructuring. iRobot reemerged as a privately-held company (its contract manufacturer, Picea, acquired it through the court-supervised process), and instead of playing it safe with a single cautious product, it did the boldest thing imaginable: it dumped eight new models onto the market at once in May 2026. Slimmer bodies — some up to 25% smaller than the previous generation — smarter navigation, and a new premium “Max” tier designed to prove Roomba can still hang with the flagship crowd. That’s not the move of a company hedging its bets. That’s a company betting the house. (A very clean house.)
What’s Actually New in the Max Line
Here’s where iRobot is trying to answer the criticism that Roombas fell behind on raw specs. Based on iRobot’s launch materials, three things stand out on the new Max models:
- Up to 30,000Pa suction: The new Max 715 and Max 775 push suction to a claimed 30,000Pa — iRobot says that roughly doubles the predecessor’s ~16,000Pa. That’s a headline number squarely aimed at the Dreame and Roborock flagships that have been out-speccing Roomba for years.
- AutoWash dock: On the Combo models, the dock doesn’t just empty the bin — it washes the roller mop and dries it with hot air, so you’re not peeling a crusty, funky mop pad off the robot every week. This is table-stakes for premium mopping robots now, and Roomba finally has it.
- Pressurized hot-spray pre-treatment (Max 775): The flagship 775 sprays warm water to loosen dried-on gunk before the roller mop passes over it, plus a “hotspot” mopping feature for high-traffic messes. Think of it as pre-soaking a lasagna pan instead of scrubbing it dry. In theory, it means genuinely better mopping on stuck-on spills.
Add self-emptying docks (debris trapped down to 0.7 microns, dust-free for up to ~75 days on the AutoEmpty models), dual rubber anti-tangle brushes that are a godsend if you have long-haired humans or pets, and LiDAR-based mapping, and the pitch is clear: Roomba wants back in the flagship conversation.
Which Roomba Is for Whom — Buy Now vs. Wait
This is the part that actually saves you money, so pay attention. Not every new Max is something you can add to cart today, and iRobot has been a little coy about which is which.
Buyable right now: Roomba Max 705
The Roomba Max 705 is the one shipping today, and it’s the star of the comeback that you can actually own. It pairs ClearView Pro LiDAR mapping with PrecisionVision AI obstacle avoidance (yes, it dodges cords and — importantly — pet accidents), an AutoEmpty dock, and iRobot’s “extreme power-lifting” suction, which the company rates at up to 180× the old 600 series. Launch pricing was around $900 for the Vac + AutoEmpty configuration, with a Combo + AutoWash version available for more. Early hands-on reviews praised its fast, accurate mapping and dual-roller pet-hair pickup. Best for: pet owners and hard-floor-heavy homes who want a proven, in-stock Roomba today.
Coming soon (mid-2026): Max 715 Vac & Max 775 Combo
The Max 715 (a vacuum-only powerhouse) and the Max 775 Combo (the 30,000Pa, AutoWash, hot-spray flagship) were announced in the May 12 wave but are phasing into North American availability through mid-2026, and iRobot hadn’t confirmed final US pricing at announcement. UK pricing put the 775 at the top of the range (around £799), which — with the usual currency and tariff caveats — hints at a US flagship price somewhere in the four-figure neighborhood. If you want the absolute best mopping Roomba, these are worth waiting for. If you just need a robot vacuum this weekend, keep reading.
The safe, in-stock alternatives: Roomba Combo j9+ and j7+
Not sold on a first-run product from a company that was in bankruptcy court two quarters ago? Totally fair. The Roomba Combo j9+ (with an Auto-Fill dock that both empties debris for up to 60 days and refills the mop’s water tank) and the more affordable Roomba Combo j7+ are mature, well-reviewed, widely-in-stock 2-in-1 vacuum-and-mops. They don’t have the flashy 30,000Pa number, but they’ve had years to iron out the bugs. See how the j-series holds up against the competition in our Roomba j7 vs. Roborock S8 showdown.
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Roomba Max 705 · Roomba Combo j9+ · Roomba j7+
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Roomba Max 705 vs. Max 775 vs. Combo j9+ — The Comparison
Here’s how the buyable-now Max 705, the coming-soon flagship Max 775, and the safe-bet Combo j9+ stack up, based on iRobot’s specs and launch coverage:
| Spec | Roomba Max 705 | Roomba Max 775 Combo | Roomba Combo j9+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (US) | ~$900 at launch | Not confirmed (UK ~£799) | Check current price |
| Suction | iRobot “extreme power-lifting” (up to 180× 600 series) | Up to 30,000Pa | Strong (j-series) |
| Mopping | Vac + AutoEmpty (Combo version available) | Roller mop + hot-spray pre-treat | Retractable pad + auto-fill water |
| Dock | AutoEmpty (0.7µm, ~75 days) | AutoWash (empties, washes & hot-air dries mop) | Clean Base Auto-Fill (60-day empty, 30-day refill) |
| Navigation | ClearView Pro LiDAR + PrecisionVision AI | LiDAR | PrecisionVision AI (camera) |
| Buyable now? | Yes ✅ | No — mid-2026 ⏳ | Yes ✅ |
Prefer to browse every current model side by side? Our constantly-updated 2026 robot vacuum database has the full field.
The Honest Verdict: Back, But Not Bulletproof
So — is Roomba back? Yes, genuinely. Launching eight models right out of bankruptcy, with a new flagship line that finally matches rivals on the spec sheet, is a real comeback, not a nostalgia victory lap. Credit where it’s due: iRobot could have limped along, and instead it swung for the fences.
But I’m not going to blow smoke. Two things keep this from being a slam-dunk. First, early Max 705 reviews are mixed on carpet — independent hands-on reviews (RTINGS, Consumer Reports) praised its mapping and hard-floor mopping but flagged that raw suction and thick-pile carpet pickup trail similarly-priced competitors. Second, this is a freshly-reorganized company’s first big product wave, and buying gen-one hardware always carries a little risk on software polish and long-term support.
My take: if you love the Roomba ecosystem, have pets, and mostly have hard floors, the Max 705 is a legitimately good buy today. If you want the best mopping, wait for the Max 775 and its hot-spray dock. And if you just want a dependable robot that’s been proven over years, the Combo j9+ or j7+ remain smart, safe picks. On a tighter budget? Don’t force a flagship — see our best robot vacuums under $200 instead.
Roomba 2026 Comeback FAQ
Did iRobot really go bankrupt?
Yes. iRobot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 14, 2025, after tariffs, debt, and competition took their toll. It reemerged as a privately-owned company in early 2026 and launched its new lineup in May 2026.
Can I buy the new Roomba Max 705 right now?
Yes — the Roomba Max 705 (LiDAR navigation, AutoEmpty dock) is shipping and available at major retailers, priced around $900 at launch for the Vac + AutoEmpty configuration. A Combo + AutoWash version is also offered.
What about the Max 715 and Max 775?
The Max 715 Vac and the flagship Max 775 Combo were announced in iRobot’s May 12, 2026 launch and are phasing into North American availability through mid-2026. Both offer up to 30,000Pa suction, and the 775 adds a pressurized hot-spray mop pre-treatment and an AutoWash dock. iRobot had not confirmed final US pricing at announcement.
Should I wait for the new Max models or buy a Roomba now?
If you need a robot today, the in-stock Max 705, Combo j9+, or j7+ are all solid. If you specifically want the best mopping and the newest 30,000Pa suction, the Max 775 is worth waiting for once US pricing and availability are confirmed.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, The Home Picker earns from qualifying purchases. This article is based on iRobot’s official launch announcements and specs and early third-party review coverage — we have not conducted our own hands-on testing of the new Roomba Max 705, Max 715, or Max 775 units. Model availability and pricing were accurate at the time of writing and may change; the Max 715 and Max 775 were still phasing into US availability, and iRobot had not confirmed final US pricing for those models at announcement.