The fall from grace is now legally binding: iRobot has finally filed for bankruptcy after years of tanking revenue. Current Roomba owners, who once thought that they owned the pinnacle of robot vacuum, probably have one unanimous follow-up question: Will my Roomba still work?
The short answer is yes, but I'd tack "for now" onto the end of that.
Usability of the app, future bug fixes, and customer service were all concerns I had in the fall, when it was revealed that Roomba's parent company was in danger due to the lack of buyout interest. An acquisition was pretty desperately needed for iRobot to avoid going under — but instead, iRobot's only option was to surrender ownership to Picea, the company that currently manufactures Roombas. But in its Dec. 15 press release, iRobot assured that it does not expect the company's restructuring to disrupt app functionality, customer programs, or ongoing product support.
Still, I'm not yet convinced that there's no unplanned obsolescence afoot for the current wave of Roombas.
Are they going to stop selling Roombas?
No, bankruptcy for iRobot doesn't mean that Roombas will stop being made. iRobot just isn't the sole governor of Roomba manufacturing anymore. "iRobot expects to be better positioned to execute on its long-term innovation strategy under Picea's ownership," the press release says. It's all business as usual on iRobot's website, where the whole Roomba lineup is severely discounted for the holiday sale.
While you will still be able to buy a Roomba, that doesn't mean that you should. The newest Roombas haven't been selling well since they were released in March 2025, when iRobot overhauled the entire lineup in an (unspoken) attempt to get people excited about Roombas again. I tested several of them and didn't have any major complaints — there are just better robot vacuums out there at better prices. (For instance, I'd tell anyone to buy the budget 3i G10+ robot vacuum over any cheap Roomba. 3i happens to be owned by Picea as well.)
This steep competition is exactly why I advised to think twice before buying a Roomba on Black Friday, and why you probably shouldn't gift anyone a Roomba this year.
But iRobot is apparently still planning to "innovate" under Picea, so it's possible that we could see more worthwhile iRobot vacuums released down the line. For a Roomba revival to stick, iRobot and Picea would need to really focus on pricing. For years, Roombas have been way too expensive for the features they offer — competing robot vacuum brands like Roborock and Eufy were undercutting iRobot left and right, and recent U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods definitely didn't help matters. But until we see what new offerings Picea and iRobot may have, Roombas aren't worth it.
