iRobot adds a coveted high-end feature to its budget vacuum line

iRobot’s latest budget vacuums have picked up a key ability: the ability to empty their own dustbins. 

Just announced by iRobot and on sale now, the vacuum-and-mop Roomba Combo 2 Essential and vac-only Roomba Vac 2 Essential arrive just six months after their predecessors, the Roomba Combo Essential and Vac Essential.  

The original Essential bots were notable for offering such high-end features as smart navigation, Clean Map reports, and intelligent automations (such as “Clean while I’m away”) for south of $300.

This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robot vacuums.

Now, the Roomba Combo 2 Essential and Roomba Vac 2 Essential are upping the ante by adding self-emptying base stations while still keeping a lid on their price tags. The Combo 2 Essential costs just $424.99, while the Vac 2 Essential goes for $399.99. 

As with the original Essential modes, the Combo 2 Essential and Vac 2 Essential boast four levels of suction power, “specialized” sensors that allow the robots to clean in neat, orderly patterns rather than ping-ponging from one wall to another, while “Clean Map” reports show where and for how long the vacuums cleaned. 

The Combo 2 Essential also shares its predecessor’s reusable microfiber mop pad plus three levels of mopping water. 

But the new Essential robots come with some key improvements, starting with twice the suction power of the original Essential models.

More importantly, the latest Essential bots now come with self-emptying base stations that offer up to 60 days of hands-free cleaning. Up until now, self-emptying functionality was exclusive to Roomba models in the $500-plus price range. 

The bag in the self-emptying base can hold particles as small as 0.7 microns, iRobot says, and when it’s ready to be replaced, the bag seals itself as you remove it. 

We’ll have full reviews of the Roomba Combo 2 Essential and Vac 2 Essential once we get them in for testing.