iRobot Roomba 105 Combo (robot vacuum cleaner Robot mop with LiDAR navigation): our review

A rug beside the sofa can change how useful a combined cleaning run will be. The iRobot Roomba 105 Combo vacuums and mops, but carpets are avoided during combined vacuuming and mopping. For a home dominated by hard flooring, that makes sense as a way to keep damp cleaning away from textiles. For rooms connected by generous stretches of carpet, the fit is less convincing.

That distinction matters more than an impressive sounding specification. Want the kitchen floor damp wiped while you are out at work? This is a plausible use for the Combo. Expecting the same combined run to include the living room rug needs a rethink. We place it well overall in our scores, with its clearest appeal in homes where hard flooring carries most of the daily traffic. Floor layout comes first.

LiDAR navigation, multi-floor mapping and no-go zones give this robot a useful set of tools for organising cleaning. Think of a house with bedrooms upstairs and busy shared rooms below: support for maps across floors is relevant here. Mapping several floors does not mean travelling between them; carrying the robot remains your job.

No-go zones let you mark areas to leave out of a cleaning route. That could help keep a particular corner outside the routine without reorganising the entire room. Boundaries are useful. Tidying still matters.

Before a run, follow manufacturers’ preparation advice by lifting charging cables, socks and small objects from the floor. The sock population can rebuild its empire afterwards. LiDAR gives the robot a way to navigate mapped rooms; clearing the floor remains part of getting the house ready for cleaning.

With advertised battery life of 120 min, the Roomba 105 Combo offers a decent cleaning run before returning to recharge. That figure belongs to the gentlest setting: stronger suction or mopping shortens the available cleaning time. It cannot tell you how much of your flat will be finished before the battery needs replenishing.

Recharge and resume is the useful companion feature, allowing cleaning to continue after charging. The recharge itself takes 5 h, so a daily routine makes more sense than expecting repeated runs close together. Set aside time for the whole job, including the pause, if you want floors ready when you return from work.

DJI Romo A is better suited if you want to cover the whole home in a single run, thanks to higher battery life. DJI Romo A also has a lower charging time. Those are meaningful advantages when interruptions to cleaning are your main frustration.

Advertised suction of 7000 Pa sits around the current average. That gives the Roomba 105 Combo a familiar specification for everyday dust and crumbs, rather than grounds for promising spotless carpet. Manufacturers measure suction pressure differently, so pascals help position a robot without settling how thoroughly it will lift dirt from a particular floor.

After an after-school snack, the useful ambition is straightforward: fewer biscuit fragments spreading from the table towards the hallway. Mopping adds damp floor care to that routine. We would treat it as upkeep between proper floor washes, without expecting dried kitchen marks to surrender simply because a robot has passed over them.

For unfinished, waxed or poorly sealed wooden flooring, manufacturers advise checking moisture tolerance before using a mop. That check matters more than convenience. A floor that needs careful treatment should dictate the cleaning routine, even when the kitchen tiles are ready for a wipe.

Crumbs collected on a cleaning run go into a 400 mL onboard bin, which puts its capacity in typical robot vacuum cleaner territory. Regular emptying still belongs in the household routine. A quick bin check fits naturally before leaving the house, particularly when yesterday’s crumbs have acquired company.

Connectivity is specified as Wi‑Fi 2,4 GHz, so check that your home network offers the matching connection. Google Assistant support is also included, giving households already using that assistant another way to request cleaning. We like that practical touch: with your coat on and your hands full, asking for a clean is a useful shortcut before heading out.

Before ordering, confirm which dock is included and whether it provides emptying, mop washing or drying. That determines how much of the routine stays with you. The onboard bin still deserves attention, and a mop pad needs care between cleaning runs. These are small household jobs, but they belong in your expectations alongside the prospect of less vacuuming.