iRobot Launches Roomba Electro Plus, a Non-Robotic Floor Cleaner
En resumen
- iRobot has introduced the Roomba Electro Plus, its first non-robotic floor cleaner.
- This cordless device combines vacuuming, mopping, and disinfecting using electrolyzed tap water, killing 99.99% of germs.
- It offers 35 minutes of cordless use and costs $400.
Resumen generado por IA
Por qué importa
iRobot, a company known for its robotic vacuums, has launched its first non-robotic floor cleaner, the Roomba Electro Plus, which uses electrolyzed water for cleaning and disinfecting. This launch comes after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
iRobot has announced a new floor cleaner that looks a lot like one of the very traditional vacuum cleaners its robots were supposed to replace. The Roomba Electro Plus is the company's first non-robotic floor cleaner, so rather than automation, the headline feature here is a 5-in-1 cleaning solution that combines vacuuming, mopping and disinfecting in a single device.
Designed to be used on hard floors, the human-operated cordless Electro Plus transforms regular tap water into a commercial-grade disinfectant that, according to iRobot, kills 99.99 percent of bacteria, fungi, viruses and germs. If you're wondering how this is possible, iRobot's chief engineer and vice president, Adam Pope, told CNET that it takes the naturally occurring chlorine in the water from your tap and creates hypochlorous acid with it using an electrical current.
Because it eschews chemicals and toxins of any kind in favor of its electrolyzed water tech, iRobot says its new floor cleaner is completely safe for kids and pets. The Electro Plus is designed to clean and disinfect floors in a single pass, and the ThermaClean dock automatically washes, dries and sanitizes the mop. The Electro Plus uses the same self-cleaning PowerSpin Roller Mop found on iRobot's robot vacuums, while also borrowing their DirtDetect system, which cranks up the roller flow and water speed when an area of the floor requires deeper cleaning.
The Electro Plus promises up to 35 minutes of cordless performance, enough to clean up to 1,292 square feet per charge. It can also lay completely flat when you're cleaning hard-to-reach areas of your home. It's available to buy today for $400.
Alongside the Electro Plus, iRobot — no doubt hoping for a turnaround in its fortunes after filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy at the end of 2025 — has also unveiled a host of new robot floor cleaners that are a lot more in its regular wheelhouse. The most advanced is the $1,000 Roomba Max 775 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock, which features LiDAR, 3D mapping and AI-powered obstacle recognition, as well as the same self-cleaning mop as the Electro Plus. The Roomba Max 715 Vacuum Robot + AutoEmpty Dock ($700) is similarly powerful and intelligent, but is strictly a vacuum cleaner with no mopping capabilities.
The other new models are the Roomba Plus 575 Combo Robot ($800), the Roomba Plus 515 Combo Robot ($700) and Roomba Plus 415 Combo Robot ($600), which mainly differ based on their suction power and cleaning ability. All three models use LiDAR for mapping and navigation, and they all come with the self-emptying AutoWash dock. They're also available to buy now.
Preguntas abiertas
- Will the new products help iRobot recover from bankruptcy?
- How effective is the electrolyzed water technology long-term?
- What is the long-term strategy for iRobot's product lines?
