iRobot has unveiled a new flagship robot vacuum, the Roomba Max 875 Combo, alongside a midrange sibling, the Roomba Plus 678 Combo, marking the company's first appearance at a major trade show in years since being bought out of bankruptcy by contract manufacturer Picea Robotics in January. The headline feature is a new sealing system called SealForce, which lowers a skirt around the cleaning head on carpet to improve airflow and suction, addressing a common complaint about robot vacuums' carpet performance. The launch signals iRobot is trying to close the gap with rivals such as Narwal and Dreame, who already offer similar sealing technology.

The $1,199 Roomba Max 875 Combo offers 35,000 Pa of suction, the highest iRobot has ever disclosed, along with lidar and camera navigation, a single rubber brush, threshold climbing up to 3.5cm, and a self-cleaning mop with a new heated "ThermaMist" pretreatment spray and an auto-empty, self-washing dock. The cheaper $899 Roomba Plus 678 Combo shares the SealForce technology and roller mop but has reduced suction of 30,000 Pa, no ThermaMist, and no retractable mop cover. Both models are available now via irobot.com.