iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop, Clean by Room with Smart Mapping, Empties Itself for Up to 60 Days, Works with Alexa, Personalized Cleaning OS
- Meet the Roomba Combo i5+ with 4-stage cleaning, dual rubber brushes and self-emptying base that holds 60 days of debris—schedule room-by-room cleaning and conquer pet hair effortlessly.
- Switch effortlessly between vacuuming and mopping with a snap-in Combo Bin. Imprint Smart Mapping lets you target any room on demand, while patented Dirt Detect zooms in on high-traffic messes.
- Combines vacuuming and mopping with a self-emptying base, though noise and reliability can vary by home layout.
- Strong pickup performance praised, but some users report mapping glitches and persistent Error 15 interruptions.
- Imprint Smart Map enables precise room scheduling after an often lengthy initial mapping phase.
- Customer service experiences range from quick hardware replacements to frustrating delays, especially around refunds.
- Best suited for busy pet owners on hard floors; caution advised for thick carpets or very large, multi-level residences.
- Key features: 4-Stage Cleaning System and self-emptying bin.
- Designed for dual vacuum & mop performance in one machine.
Product Overview
The iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ merges powerful suction and wet mopping in a single device, targeting both debris and light spills. Its hallmark is the 4-Stage Cleaning System, featuring dual multi-surface rubber brushes that flex to carpet and hard floors while resisting pet hair tangles. Beneath the chassis, a high-efficiency filter and edge-sweeping brush tackle fine dust and corner dirt.
Central to hands-off maintenance is the self-emptying bin housed in the Clean Base station. Up to 60 days of debris vacuum into an enclosed bag, reducing the chore of daily bin dumps. When ready, a quick press in the app or on the base prompts an automatic draw that can startle but ensures the robot’s bin is clear for the next run.
In mop mode, the Combo Bin swaps in seconds for a water tank and microfiber pad. Users can choose plain water or iRobot-approved cleaning solutions to freshen sealed hard floors. The Imprint Smart Mapping system learns home layouts, remembers up to 10 floor plans, and offers “Go to Room” commands via the iRobot Home app or Alexa/Google Assistant integration.
Connectivity extends to customizable schedules, no-go zones, and status alerts on mobile devices. For many households, this blend of hardware and software promises a comprehensive cleaning routine—though real-world results may depend on home size, floor plan complexity, and network setup.
- User feedback shows strong suction balanced by occasional app and mapping errors.
- Maintenance ease offset by periodic hardware resets or bin-clearing alerts.
iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ Review: Honest Findings
Aggregating dozens of Amazon reviews reveals a pattern: where performance is solid on average, select scenarios expose limitations. Many users praise rapid debris pickup, especially on hardwoods, citing pet hair as no challenge to the dual rubber brushes. At the same time, connectivity hiccups—requiring a stable 2.4 GHz network—and misaligned firmware updates occasionally result in forced reboots, error codes, and remapping.
The notorious Error 15—a generic reboot notification—appears frequently in negative feedback. Some owners endured up to three failed wheel module replacements or full unit swaps before mapping stabilized. For larger homes (2,500 sq ft+), initial mapping runs sometimes ended prematurely, losing progress unless confined to day-length sessions or segmented zones.
On the positive side, owners laud the self-emptying Clean Base as a genuine time-saver—provided the base reliably initiates the empty cycle. Others report intermittent failures where the app fails to issue the empty command or the suction port clogs with small debris, requiring a manual dust-bag replacement sooner than the advertised 60 days.
In daily use, the Roomba Combo i5+ comfortably handles scheduled spot cleans, defined “clean zones,” and room-by-room commands. Yet these routines may stall if the robot encounters untracked obstacles—transfixed cables, area-rug fringes, or low overhangs. Overall, the i5+ offers a capable cleaning companion but requires occasional troubleshooting from its human counterpart.
- Owners applaud smart mapping, pet hair handling, and dual cleaning modes.
- Highlights include the self-emptying base and specialized microfiber mop pad.
Positive Feedback & Highlights
Positive reviews consistently emphasize the Combo i5+’s ability to maintain floors with minimal manual intervention. The Imprint Smart Map feature stands out for its room-specific scheduling and labeling, allowing users to direct the robot to clean only high-traffic areas—kitchens or pet zones—on demand or per a preset routine.
Pet owners, in particular, note the brushes’ resilience against tangled fur. The transition from low-pile carpet to tile or hardwood involves no manual adjustments, while the mop mode’s microfiber pad effectively tackles dog paw prints and dust traces after vacuuming.
Convenience extends to the Clean Base, which most reviewers confirm empties the robot’s dust bin automatically. Although loud, the suction cycle frees homeowners from frequent emptying tasks, and the included bag supply often lasts several months.
Integration with voice assistants and a user-friendly app rounds out the positive experience, with clear error messages and tutorial links helping first-time robot owners clear jams or clean sensors. When functioning optimally, many users describe a near “set-and-forget” routine that keeps floors guest-ready daily.
- Serious complaints revolve around Error 15 interruptions and lengthy mapping failures.
- No major safety recalls, but ongoing self-empty glitches and cloud‐access concerns.
Negative Reviews & Rumor Analysis
While the Combo i5+ garners praise, negative reviews expose persistent pain points. Many owners report the Error 15 that stops mid-cycle and forces a manual reboot or sensor cleaning. In several cases, wheel module replacements or entire robot swaps did not fully resolve this error, leading to frustration and aborted cleaning sessions.
Initial setup can challenge non-technical users: the requirement for a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network and repeated prompts for cloud access sometimes clash with home router defaults or network isolation settings. A handful of users describe app connectivity drops, leaving the robot in limbo or failing to trigger the Clean Base.
Mapping issues rank high among serious complaints. In homes exceeding 2,000 sq ft or with irregular layouts, the i5+ may only map half the floor in a single charge, erasing progress at day’s end. Workarounds—segmented cleaning zones or multi-day mapping cycles—extend the setup process to hours or days.
Rumors of firmware “bricking” events circulated after a firmware update reportedly required multiple factory resets before the robot would reconnect. However, these reports remain anecdotal and not widespread enough to prompt an official recall. No safety hazards or fire risks have been documented, but some skepticism lingers around forced cloud access and potential privacy implications.
- Recommended for pet households and busy professionals on hard floors.
- Not ideal for thick carpets, complex multi-level layouts, or 5 GHz-only networks.
Who Should Consider iRobot Roomba Combo i5+?
The Combo i5+ excels in homes with hard surfaces and moderate square footage where regular maintenance cleaning outpaces deep-care needs. Pet owners battling daily hair and dander will appreciate the dual brushes and frequent automated bin emptying—so long as they can tolerate the temporary noise surge during the suction cycle.
Households with multiple area rugs, especially shag or thick-pile varieties, may experience snagging or navigation hiccups. Users seeking a fully zero-touch experience should note the occasional need to clear small sensors, wipe the front wheel, or troubleshoot app connectivity.
Tech-savvy individuals or busy families able to invest a few hours into initial mapping will unlock the robot’s full potential. Conversely, owners of sprawling estates with multi-level mapping needs or those unwilling to wrestle with network settings may find the setup process too time-intensive.
- Excels at daily maintenance cleaning and pet hair pickup on hard floors.
- Value hinges on tolerance for noise spikes and minor tech troubleshooting.
Conclusion: Final Verdict
The iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ delivers an attractive blend of vacuuming and mopping with automated bin management—an appealing proposition for busy pet owners and hard-floor dwellers. Its mapping intelligence and dual-mode cleaning set it apart from budget robots, while the self-empty Clean Base can dramatically cut down on routine chores.
Yet serious complaints around Error 15, mapping stability, and intermittent self-empty failures underscore that this is not a purely set-and-forget appliance. A commitment to network configuration, sensor maintenance, and occasional tech support calls is essential for a smooth experience.
For those willing to invest initial setup time and accept sporadic troubleshooting, the Combo i5+ offers a robust daily cleaning solution. Prospective buyers with thick carpets, sprawling multi-level homes, or minimal patience for tech quirks may want to consider simpler models or dedicated vacuums instead.
iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop, Clean by Room with Smart Mapping, Empties Itself for Up to 60 Days, Works with Alexa, Personalized Cleaning OS
- Meet the Roomba Combo i5+ with 4-stage cleaning, dual rubber brushes and self-emptying base that holds 60 days of debris—schedule room-by-room cleaning and conquer pet hair effortlessly.
- Switch effortlessly between vacuuming and mopping with a snap-in Combo Bin. Imprint Smart Mapping lets you target any room on demand, while patented Dirt Detect zooms in on high-traffic messes.
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