iRobot’s new Roomba Max 875 Combo is $1,199 — worth it with two shedding dogs?
My j7+ is limping (battery is shot, side brush cracked) and I keep seeing the Max 875 Combo — $1,199 with the AutoWash dock, ThermaMist heated mop, 35,000 Pa suction. We have two huskies and mixed hardwood plus low rugs. The Plus 678 is $899 and looks almost the same on paper. Is anyone actually running the Max 875 yet, or is the smart move to wait for the first holiday sale?
2 answers
- Buy the Plus 678, or just wait
The $1,199 price is launch-month tax. Same AutoWash dock, 30,000 Pa vs 35,000 — you are paying $300 extra for a bigger mop roller and heated mist you could replicate with a kettle and 20 seconds of your time. iRobot discounts these 20-30% by Black Friday every single year. Your j7+ survived this long; it can survive two more months.
- The SealForce numbers are real, but wait for independent tests
The interesting part is SealForce — the skirt seal is a genuine mechanical change, and 35,000 Pa is the highest suction iRobot has shipped to date. But launch-spec claims need verification from RTINGS or Consumer Reports before you treat them as fact. If your floors are mostly hard with some low rugs, the $899 model gets you about 90% of the system. The Max only wins if deep carpet is your main problem.