iRobot has unveiled its new robot vacuum – the Roomba Combo 10 Max – and with it, the news that Matter support is finally on the way. That means the Combo 10 Max will be compatible with the Apple Home ecosystem.
Other upgrades include a self-cleaning dock for a hands-off experience and improved dirt detection capabilities. iRobot is known for making some of the best robot vacuums on the market, and we’re excited to get our hands on this model to see how it measures up.
Previous Roombas have been compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, but the Combo 10 Max is the first to feature Matter integration, the universal communications standard designed to improve interoperability across smart home ecosystems (i.e., make your smart devices work well together). iRobot says it worked with leading smart home players to define and implement the Matter standard for robot vacuums, and we’re about to see the results of their efforts.
In practice, Matter integration means the new Roomba will work with any smart home device that also supports Matter, most notably Apple Home – which was previously only available to Roomba via a Siri Shortcut integration for voice control.
It’s a welcome and long-awaited upgrade, but the wait isn’t quite over yet. While the robovac itself is coming soon – pre-sales are already open on irobot.com in the US, Canada, and Europe – Matter support is not expected to be available until Q4 (so sometime starting in October 2024) via a firmware update.
According to the edgeiRobot plans to roll out Matter support to more products in 2025, but more specific information is not yet available.
Hands-off cleaning
And what about the Combo 10 Max itself? The big upgrade is the dock, which not only handles the robovac’s maintenance (emptying the dust bin, refilling the mopping solution, cleaning and drying the mop pad) but also cleans itself to prevent dirt and grime from building up.
These types of self-cleaning dock features are starting to appear more and more in premium robovacs. Of course, there are no whole hands-off, but the effort required for this is decreasing.
There are also improvements aimed at helping the Roomba Combo 10 Max clean like a human would – its built-in camera can now sniff out dirt, for example, and the robot can now go over the dirtiest spots multiple times. It can also learn which rooms need more cleaning and prioritize those areas, identifying and avoiding objects like loose socks and dangling cables. To help reduce the initial pain of setup, iRobot promises lightning-fast 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 to floor type and combat tangles in hair (we rate the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus among the best robot vacuums for pet hair), powerful suction and thorough mopping.
Price and availability
In the US and Canada, the Roomba Combo 10 Max is already available at pre-sale on irobot.comfor delivery in August. More retailers will open pre-sales in August. Prices start at $1,399.
Pre-sales are also open in Europe at irobot.com, with prices starting at £1,499. iRobot says the device will be available in other international markets “in the next few months”.