[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The iRobot Roomba 105 Combo Robot with AutoEmpty Dock is an excellent smart cleaning assistant. The robot itself has a solid, well-built feel and comes with a wide range of features. The Auto-Empty Dock is an excellent addition, allowing the unit to clean multiple times without needing manual emptying. Setting up the initial base map is critical —be prepared to do a few test runs and remap if needed. Once the layout is accurate, taking some time to go through the customization options really makes a difference. You can split or combine rooms, set “no-go” zones, designate areas for vacuuming only or mopping, and create custom cleaning zones.
The vacuum function is impressively capable. It navigates around walls, corners, and under furniture with minimal issues, and the cleaning lines on our carpet looked consistent and neat. Suction strength can be adjusted, and even on standard settings, it picks up dirt, dust, and crumbs effectively. The dustbin holds enough to get through a regular cleaning cycle, and being able to schedule cleanings or trigger them through the app adds a lot of flexibility. The robot does a solid job around our table and chairs and easily handles transitions from hardwood to rugs. That said, it did struggle with stairs—while the cliff sensors kept it from falling, it repeatedly tried to move toward the steps, leaving rubber marks on our carpet after spinning in place. The peculiarities of the mapping app prevented setting a no-go zone along the edge, so I had to make the top of the stairs a separate “room” that acts as a passthrough but never gets cleaned.
The mopping feature is convenient and works best on hard floors without heavy dirt buildup. The robot dispenses cleaning solution from its onboard reservoir and runs a washable mop pad across the floor. It leaves a nice shine and handles light daily grime well, though it doesn't re-collect the dispensed water. You can control the amount of liquid used, which helps balance performance and drying time. The mopping function is particularly handy for quick cleanups in high-traffic areas like the kitchen, especially with kids in the house.
There are some areas where the experience could be improved. The app, while feature-rich, can be unintuitive at times. I sometimes had trouble getting map edits to save and couldn’t figure out how to set default cleaning methods for specific rooms, which would be really useful. The Auto-Empty Dock, while effective, is extremely loud during its cycle—so much so that I avoid scheduling runs overnight. I wish there was a way to silence or delay the emptying feature during certain hours, but I wasn’t able to find that option in the app. Occasionally the robot got stuck and needed assistance, especially if it encountered tight spaces or unexpected objects.
Despite a few quirks, the Roomba 105 Combo Robot has made daily floor maintenance a lot easier. It doesn’t replace a full manual deep clean, but for keeping up with everyday messes, it’s a strong performer. With a bit of setup and map customization, it can reliably handle both vacuuming and mopping duties across different rooms. If iRobot continues to refine the app experience and adds more scheduling and customization features, this could become a near-perfect solution for hands-off floor care.
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