3 Months of Real Use — Across the 104/105 Family
The Roomba 104 and 105 are essentially the same robot in different configurations. iRobot is selling this lineup under multiple model numbers with no visible spec differences beyond two dimensions: whether you get the mop attachment, and whether you get the AutoEmpty Dock. The Roomba 104 is an Amazon Exclusive variant that appears identical to the 105 with mop — same battery, same dust bin, same dock, same brush, same app. I tested the family as a unit.
This specific SKU is the combo (vacuum + mop) version with the AutoEmpty Dock. The verdict came in at a 4.8 out of 10 and a Skip It across all four SKUs, with the same root cause: pricing that doesn't match the spec set.
Why This Review Covers Four SKUs
iRobot sells the 105 family in four configurations: combo with AutoEmpty, combo with basic charging dock, vacuum-only with AutoEmpty, and vacuum-only with basic charging dock. The robot itself is the same across all four — same chassis, same LiDAR, same single brush roller, same single side brush, same app. The only differences are whether the mop hardware is attached and which dock ships in the box. From a buying perspective, treat these as one robot family. Any commentary in this review applies to all four configurations unless explicitly noted.
What Works
LiDAR Navigation
Spinning LiDAR under the dome. Maps the studio quickly and accurately. Once mapped, vacuums in tight straight lines. Can clean at night because it doesn't rely on a camera. This is the foundation that lets the rest of the experience be reasonable. It's also the part of the spec sheet that Roomba has actually caught up on — for years the brand fell behind LiDAR-equipped competitors, and this 105 family closes that gap.
The Roomba Home App
Same observation across the new Roomba lineup: the redesigned Roomba Home app is meaningfully better than the legacy iRobot app. Voice prompts are clear, the room editor works (split, name, keep-out zones, no-mop zones), clean zones support is good. The automation focus is interesting — less about manual settings, more about routines and triggers. That may be where the category is heading.
Mop Combo Got a More Positive Reaction Than Expected
On the corner test the mop combo pulled the muddy paw prints up "pretty shocking" well. It identified the carpet and tried to avoid it. The water pump kept the pad wet. For everyday light mopping it's actually serviceable. For a big mess it struggles — the drag-only design hits its limit fast.
Carpet Sensor on Mop Versions
The mop versions of the 105 family have a carpet sensor; the vacuum-only versions do not. On the mop versions, the robot will detect carpet and avoid it when the mop pad is attached. It cannot lift the pad — it just stays away from the carpet entirely. That's a partial solution: the floors stay protected, but the carpets don't get vacuumed during a mop-mode run.
Auto-Empty Worked on the Combo Configuration
Unlike the Plus 405 (which shipped with a broken dust-bag light on my unit) and the Max 705 (which failed auto-empty after the carpet test), the 105 Combo + AutoEmpty's auto-empty worked cleanly on the muddy paw print test. That's actually a positive for this configuration — the family's most-featured SKU passed the auto-empty test that some pricier Roombas failed.
Physical Buttons on Top
Two dedicated physical buttons — home and start — on top of the robot. Preference, but I always prefer this over the single multi-press button some competitors use.
What Doesn't Work
Pricing Is the Dealbreaker
This is the headline problem across the entire family. At MSRP these robots are not competitive — the Mova S10 Plus is frequently on sale and is a better robot in nearly every category (better mop, better carpet handling, raise/lower mop pad). The Roborock Qrevo S at typical sale pricing is meaningfully more capable. The Roomba 105 Combo becomes interesting only when it drops to deep-discount territory — at that price it's an "okay budget option with limitations."
Obstacle Avoidance Is Effectively Absent
Same problem as the Plus 405. The front sensor is for docking, not obstacles. If an item is taller than about 3 inches the LiDAR may register it; if it's heavy enough to trigger the bumper, the robot will turn. Cables, small toys, low items get run over. Pick up the floor before running. This is a 1.5/10 obstacle score, the second-lowest in the project.
Mop Pad Cannot Lift
The mop pad is dragged across the floor — no lift, no down-pressure, no scrubbing motion. The water pump keeps the pad wet, but that's the extent of the active mopping behavior. Robots in the same and lower price tiers routinely lift their pads now. This is the spec gap that pulls the mop performance score down to 5.5.
Single Brush, No Comb
Standard Roomba hair wrap at the ends after a long-hair test. There's a little cleaning tool in the dock with a cutter, but it's not anti-tangle hardware. Split-brush designs on Roborock and tri-cut designs on Dreame and Mova handle long hair meaningfully better.
Small Dust Bin, Small Filter
The dust bin is on the small side — clearly sized to share the chassis with the mop water tank on the combo versions. The filter is paper and small; the manual says to clean it every two weeks. Going to clog faster than competitor robots at the same price.
Setup Friction
Mandatory firmware update at first setup can take 20-30 minutes. The 105 vacuum-only unit I set up had the update stall repeatedly — I had to remove the device from the app and start over twice before it would complete. The app shows progress in two places that don't always agree. Some users will hit this same issue and need to reset Wi-Fi to recover.
Docking Is Loose
Same dock issue I've seen on the Roomba Max 705 — the charging contacts barely touch when the robot finishes docking. The robot doesn't compress the spring contacts the way other brands do. Functional but not confidence-inspiring. The dock should only be on a hard surface or the robot will miss it.
No Tray Under the Mop Versions
The dock for the mop versions has prongs that look like they're meant to accept a drip tray — but no tray is included in the box. The mop pad will be wet when the robot returns to dock, so plan to keep this on hardwood and not on carpet or rugs near the dock area.
Limited App Settings
Wetness level cannot be set on the mop versions. No room sequencing. Suction profiles (light/normal/deep/smart) are not well documented — the app doesn't explain what each one does. The automations are interesting but they're not a substitute for missing direct controls.
Roomba 105 vs the Competition
Roomba 105 vs Mova S10 Plus
The Mova S10 Plus is my #1 alternative for this price tier. Frequently on sale below the Roomba 105 family's MSRP and a better robot in nearly every category — better mop (with lift), better carpet handling, raise-and-lower mop pad. For most buyers shopping the budget tier, the S10 Plus is the smarter spend.
Roomba 105 vs Roborock Qrevo S
At typical sale pricing, the Qrevo S sits below the Roomba 105 family's MSRP and delivers a meaningfully more capable feature set: real obstacle avoidance, split-brush hair design, and a more capable app. Better than the 105 family on the dimensions that matter most for daily ownership.
Roomba 105 vs Mova P10 Pro
Once you start looking at the P10 Pro you've moved up a price tier — but the gap in features is wide enough that the upgrade math works for most buyers. Flagship features at budget-tier pricing once you catch a sale.