Looking for an affordable Roomba that's better than basic? Check out iRobot's new Essential robot vacuums

The Roomba brand has become synonymous with a great robot vacuum. However, the big expense can be intimidating for a new robot vacuum user looking for their first model. Now, Roomba-maker iRobot has announced a new version of its affordable Essential line featuring hands-free cleaning capabilities and twice the cleaning power. 

The redesigned Roomba Combo 2 Essential and Roomba Vac 2 Essential each feature iRobot’s AutoEmpty dock and a new bumper design to navigate your floors more seamlessly. 

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“Since introducing the first Roomba Essential series earlier this year, customers have praised the robots’ ease of use and ability to keep their floors clean at a great price,” said Barry Schliesmann, iRobot chief product officer. “With more power and the ability to save customers even more time by emptying its own debris, the Roomba Combo 2 Essential and Roomba Vac 2 Essential provide an unmatched combination of cleaning efficacy, reliability, simplicity, and value.”

The iRobot Roomba Combo 2 Essential features an easy setup with precise navigation in rows to cover cleaning areas completely. It has a four-stage cleaning system: a bristle brush, an edge-sweeping brush, a reusable microfiber mop pad, and twice the suction power of the previous generation.

Like more expensive Roomba models, the Roomba Essential line uses iRobot OS intelligence to give you recommendations on the best cleaning times or to set up the robot to automatically clean while you’re gone.  

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The AutoEmpty dock can hold dust and debris for up to two months. The robot vacuum finishes each job and empties itself in the dock when it goes to charge, relieving you of the hassle of emptying the dustbin after each cleaning. 

The difference between the Roomba Combo 2 Essential, available for sale at $425, and the Roomba 2 Vac Essential, available at $400 (though currently $350 on Amazon), is the mopping feature. The Roomba 2 Essential robot vacuums let you control them with the iRobot Home app or voice integrations with compatible assistants, like Google, Amazon Alexa, or Siri Shortcuts.