iRobot’s Roomba range has long been synonymous with robot vacuums, and the new Roomba Max 705 positions itself as the company’s most powerful vacuum and mop robot to date. Aimed squarely at busy households and pet owners, it pairs dramatically increased suction with intelligent navigation and a self-emptying dock designed to deliver weeks of hands-free cleaning. It features a dock that holds both clean and dirty water in separate tanks, as well as an auto wash dock that allows for the rollers and mop to be thoroughly cleaned and dried.
On paper, the Max 705 Combo promises a premium, largely autonomous experience. In practice, it delivers impressive cleaning performance, though a few usability quirks keep it from being a flawless flagship.
Design
The Roomba Max 705 Combo sticks closely to the classic Roomba design language, retaining the circular profile that has defined the brand for years. The matte black finish gives it a more premium, understated look, while physical Home and Power buttons offer simple manual control when needed.
The accompanying auto-empty dock is compact and well designed, with a clean footprint that won’t dominate a laundry or hallway. I set mine up in my lounge room due to space, and it fits in perfectly. iRobot has also added thoughtful touches, including easily removable bumper guards and a protected LiDAR housing to reduce accidental damage. At just over four inches tall, the Max 705 comfortably fits in most spaces.
There are a couple of aesthetic differences added to this model. A stylish brown wood panel that helps the dock look the part in any modern home or apartment. On the robot itself, in the top right-hand corner, is a fabric design similar to the dock. It’s stylish and sleek and stops the traditional iRobot from being a black, unimpressive sphere. It’s fair to say that iRobot have really stepped up its game here, design-wise.
Navigation & Cleaning Performance
This is where the Max 705 truly earns its name. Using ClearView™ Pro LiDAR combined with PrecisionVision™ AI, the robot mapped my apartment quickly and accurately, identifying rooms and pathways with minimal manual adjustment required.
Obstacle detection was particularly strong. Extension Cords, pet toys and dog beds were consistently recognised and avoided, with the robot intelligently adjusting its side brush behaviour to prevent tangling.
iRobot claims suction power up to 180 times stronger than the Roomba 600 series, and in everyday use, that increase is noticeable. I have a shedding dog with long pet hair that is easily cleaned up on the first pass through the machine. While general coverage was excellent, edge cleaning was less consistent and occasionally required a second run to fully capture debris along skirting boards and heavy-duty areas like the kitchen and bathroom.
Battery Life & Automation
Battery performance is solid here. The Max 705 comfortably handled a full-floor clean on a single charge, then returned to its dock to recharge and automatically emptied its bin into a disposable bag. iRobot estimates up to 75 days of hands-free operation, depending on household size and debris levels. You can have it vacuum to pick up dust and debris, then mop. The time it takes depends on the mode you choose and on how long the machine and the battery take. You can also change the level of suction and the intensity of the clean if you are running a pass-through every day.
The Roomba Home app remains central to the experience. Users can customise schedules, define clean zones, name rooms, and activate the “Smart” cleaning mode, which dynamically adjusts suction based on detected dirt and room traffic. That said, firmware updates can be slow, sometimes taking up to half an hour, and failures may require a manual reboot of the entire robot (this happened to me twice so far).
User Experience
Initial setup is largely app-driven, with no printed manual included. While the Roomba Home app provides clear onboarding guidance, I encountered a few early frustrations, including a non-functional QR code and a stalled firmware update that required a couple of resets. It is worth noting that I received an early release model, and several firmware updates have come through since then.
Once operational, however, the app is intuitive and well laid out. Room editing, keep-out zones, and targeted cleans are easy to configure, though some advanced settings are buried deeper in menus than expected. I would definitely recommend spending time going through, customising, and setting everything up to your liking.
Verdict & Value
The Roomba Max 705 is a capable, high-performance robot vacuum and mop that excels in homes with pets. Its powerful suction, accurate mapping, and effective obstacle avoidance make day-to-day cleaning largely effortless, especially when paired with the auto-empty dock. Having an actual mop roller to clean your floors is a massive upgrade over previous models that used a spray-and-washpad method. The cleanliness and shine here are particularly noticeable and a great addition that justifies the price if you are looking to upgrade.
That said, a small onboard bin, occasional firmware hiccups, and inconsistent edge cleaning prevent it from reaching true “set and forget” perfection. For users comfortable with an app-centric setup, and especially pet owners looking to minimise manual vacuuming, the Max 705 Combo + Autowash Dock is the best option on the market right now, especially for automated cleaning.
The Roomba Max 705 Combo is iRobot’s most innovative and exciting product to date, truly cementing the company as the leader in robot cleaning.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Easy to set up; Set and forget routine cleaning, Separate roller mop
Lowlights: Small onboard bin; Autowash dock issues
Manufacturer: iRobot
Price: Options starting at A$2499
Available: Now available at all leading hardware retailers, including the official iRobot website
Review based on unit provided by iRobot
Featured header image provided by iRobot.
