If you own a robot vacuum, you already know the thing robot vacuum companies like to keep under wraps: you still own a regular vacuum. Mine’s in my kitchen closet, waiting for the stairs and the imminent cereal spill. So when iRobot announced the Roomba Electro Plus, its first cordless, push-it-yourself floor cleaner, I read it as iRobot finally admitting what we all know. And that’s what me decide to write this iRobot Roomba Electro Plus review.
The Roomba Electro Plus Doesn’t Want to Replace Your Robot
Ok, so this isn’t a $399.99 admission of defeat—but it is a companion tool. The Electro Plus is a 5-in-1 hard-floor cleaner that vacuums, mops, sanitizes, and then washes and dries its own mop head, according to iRobot’s official press release. As an upright vacuum, it does a lot.
But the most interesting feature is its electrolyzed tech. Basically, it turns plain tap water into a disinfectant strong enough to kill 99.99% of bacteria and viruses—no chemicals added.
That’s the kind of work a scheduled robot was never built to handle. Sure, your Roomba tackle the living room every other day. But grab the Electro Plus when the kitchen floor needs a real cleaning, right now.
Why iRobot Waited So Long to Build a Cordless Floor Cleaner
iRobot is actually kinda late to the upright vacuum party. Roborock, Dreame, and Tineco have been selling cordless wet-dry floor washers for years. iRobot never developed one because it’s always been a robot first company. Admitting that a plain, human-pushed machine might clean a kitchen floor better felt off-brand.
That identity got shaken loose this year. iRobot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was acquired by Picea, its longtime manufacturing partner. Picea also happens to be the source of the electrolyzed water tech inside the Electro Plus. New ownership, apparently, meant permission to build outside the robot box.
My Take: This Is the Smartest iRobot Launch in Years
Coming out of a bankruptcy, the easy move is to double down on what made you famous: chase more sensors, more mapping, more autonomy, and call it innovation. Instead, iRobot built the thing its own customers were already buying from competitors. iRobot chief engineer Adam Pope told Forbes Vetted, “We really listened to consumers. It’s exciting to see these products coming to life here, solving real problems and adding new benefits for our customers across the lineup.”
I don’t know yet how the Electro Plus performs against a Roborock Dyad or a Tineco Floor One in your actual kitchen. I’m not going to pretend I do. What I do know is that I like this strategy. iRobot spent a decade insisting the robot was the whole answer. Changing course might be the healthiest thing this company has done in years.
Lauren has been writing and editing since 2008. She loves working with text and helping writers find their voice. When she’s not typing away at her computer, she cooks and travels with her husband and two kids.