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 vacuum-only 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.
Auto-Empty Was Less Reliable on the Vacuum-Only Configuration
The vacuum-only version's auto-empty was less reliable than the combo's — didn't always auto-empty when expected. Same dock, same dust bag, different chassis behavior. I can't fully explain it from the documentation, but the testing pattern was consistent: combo auto-empty cleaner, vacuum-only auto-empty inconsistent.
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.
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 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.
Limited App Settings
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 Vac + AutoEmpty vs the Competition
Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty 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 Vac + AutoEmpty 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 Vac + AutoEmpty 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.