iRobot Roomba 105 Review: AutoEmpty, 75‑Day Hands‑Free Cleaning
Overview: The Roomba 105 Vac Robot with AutoEmpty dock gives U.S. homes powerful, hands-free floor cleaning—ideal for busy households that want fewer chores. Its AutoEmpty system supports up to 75 days of automatic dirt disposal, cutting down on emptying and keeping allergens contained.
Key Features & Benefits:
- Get 70X more suction for deeper cleaning versus 600-series models.
- Empty cleanly: sealed AutoEmpty bags trap 99% of allergens down to 0.7 microns.
- Lift embedded dirt using the Multi-Surface and Edge-Sweeping brushes.
- Navigate precisely with ClearView LiDAR mapping and obstacle-avoidance sensors.
- Schedule targeted room cleans and customize passes and suction levels.
- Control easily by voice, app, or onboard buttons for instant starts.
- Target messy spots with spot mode that cleans repeatedly for up to five minutes.
Original price was: $449.99.$299.00Current price is: $299.00.
Intro
The Roomba 105 is a midrange robot designed to keep floors tidy with minimal hands-on care. It combines automated emptying, a multi-stage cleaning system, and LiDAR-based mapping so the robot can cover rooms methodically rather than wandering at random.
If you live in a busy household with regular dirt, pet hair, or allergy concerns and you want fewer daily chores, this Roomba model aims to reduce how often you deal with dust and run the vacuum yourself. Quick verdict: the Roomba 105 delivers long stretches of autonomous cleaning and strong suction for general floor care, with a focus on low-maintenance operation.
What’s in the Box
- Robot vacuum (model: Roomba 105) — Not specified
- AutoEmpty base with disposable bag — Not specified
- Disposable AutoEmpty bag(s) — Not specified
- Charging cord/dock components — Not specified
- Quick start guide / manual — Not specified
(Exact component details beyond the high-level items above were not listed in the provided product information.)
Design & Build
The Roomba 105 is described as having a sleek, modern appearance that’s meant to blend with home décor. The listing highlights finishes and textures meant to make the robot unobtrusive when parked. Specifics such as exact materials, weight, and dimensions are not specified in the listing.
Ergonomics lean toward simplicity: the robot can be controlled via physical buttons on the unit, via the mobile app, or by voice assistant — so you don’t need to bend down to start routine cleans. The AutoEmpty base uses disposable bags that simplify dirt disposal, eliminating the need to manually empty the dust bin each time you clean (source: listing, checked 2025).
Because exact size and clearance numbers aren’t listed, check door thresholds and under-furniture height in your home before buying if you have very low-clearance furniture.
Key Features
Up to 75 Days Hands-Free Cleaning with AutoEmpty bagged base
The included AutoEmpty base is intended to hold dirt collected by the robot, funneling it into a disposable bag that the manufacturer says can last up to 75 days before replacement is needed (source: listing, checked 2025). That means less frequent encounters with dust when compared with robots you must empty daily.
Where it helps: busy households, allergy-sensitive homes, or anyone who dislikes touching dust. The bag also traps small particles so you don’t create a dust cloud when you remove it.
99% Allergen Capture down to 0.7 Microns
The AutoEmpty bag is reported to trap 99% of allergens as small as 0.7 microns (source: listing, checked 2025). That’s a practical benefit if you’re managing seasonal allergies or pet dander and want deposits removed from the home environment during disposal.
Where it helps: allergy-prone occupants, or anyone who wants to limit airborne dust during maintenance tasks.
70X More Power-Lifting Suction (3-Stage Cleaning)
Roomba 105 uses a 3-stage cleaning system and claims 70X more power-lifting suction compared with the older Roomba 600 series (source: listing, checked 2025). The system pairs suction with a Multi-Surface brush and an Edge-Sweeping brush to agitate and gather dirt from floors and edges.
Where it helps: thicker dirt clusters, crumb-heavy kitchens, and homes with pets that shed. The combination of brushes plus stronger suction improves pickup on both bare floors and low- to medium-pile carpets.
ClearView LiDAR Mapping and Navigation
This Roomba uses ClearView LiDAR to quickly create maps of your home, plan efficient routes, and avoid obstacles. The mapping is designed to maximize floor coverage while steering smoothly around furniture and other items. Cliff and specialized sensors prevent falls down stairs (source: listing, checked 2025).
Where it helps: multi-room cleaning, avoiding repeated passes over the same area, and protecting the robot from drops on stairs.
Fully Custom & Targeted Cleaning
You can schedule room-by-room cleans, set targeted cleaning for specific areas, and choose the number of passes and suction level for those areas. This level of control is useful when daily routines or different floor types need different attention.
Where it helps: households with mixed flooring (tile + carpet), or when you want heavier cleaning in high-traffic zones and lighter cleaning elsewhere.
Roomba Home App Controls and Keep-Out Zones
The Roomba Home app lets you start cleans, set schedules, check estimated run times, review filter life, and create keep-out zones to prevent the robot from entering certain areas. The app is the central place to customize cleaning behavior without handling the robot directly (source: listing, checked 2025).
Where it helps: setting automatic daily routines, avoiding fragile areas (toys, pet bowls), and monitoring filter replacement needs.
Spot Clean for Extra-Dirty Areas
If a small area needs more attention, Spot Cleaning causes the robot to focus on a single zone for up to 5 minutes, repeatedly cleaning the same area to lift concentrated dirt (source: listing, checked 2025).
Where it helps: spill cleanups, beneath a chair where crumbs collect, or near pet food areas.
Three Ways to Control (Buttons, App, Voice Assistants)
You can start or stop cleaning by pressing buttons on the robot, tapping the Roomba Home app, or speaking to compatible voice assistants (Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant) (source: listing, checked 2025).
Where it helps: hands-free starts when you’re carrying items, remote starts from your phone, or voice-controlled cleaning as part of a smart-home routine.
Wi‑Fi Ready (2.4 GHz Operation)
The robot uses a 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi network for setup and operation; it remains on the 2.4 GHz band after initial setup while your phone can switch back to 5 GHz (source: listing, checked 2025).
Where it helps: homes with routers split across bands or where 2.4 GHz coverage is more reliable. Note: if your home uses only a 5 GHz-only network, you’ll need to enable 2.4 GHz for setup/operation.
Performance & Use
Setup
- Put the AutoEmpty base on a flat surface near a power outlet. The robot docks to the base for charging and automatic emptying. Use the Roomba Home app to add the robot to your Wi‑Fi network (2.4 GHz required) and follow the in-app steps to map your space (source: listing, checked 2025).
- Create keep-out zones in the app to prevent the robot from entering areas where you don’t want cleaning.
Daily use
- For routine cleaning, schedule room-by-room sessions that match your household traffic (e.g., kitchen after meals, living room in the evening). The LiDAR mapping helps the robot navigate efficiently rather than relying on a random path.
Spot cleaning
- When a concentrated mess appears, trigger Spot Clean and let the robot focus on one area for up to 5 minutes (source: listing, checked 2025).
Maintenance tips
- Replace the AutoEmpty bag when the app or base indicates it’s full. The listing estimates up to 75 days between bag changes under typical use, but actual frequency depends on household conditions (source: listing, checked 2025).
- Check the Multi-Surface and Edge-Sweeping brushes for hair wrap and debris periodically. While the listing doesn’t provide a specific maintenance schedule, basic brush and sensor cleaning is standard for any robot vacuum.
- Monitor filter condition in the app to know when replacements are needed (source: listing, checked 2025).
Practical considerations
- The AutoEmpty setup significantly reduces how often you must handle the robot’s dust cup, which is useful for people who dislike dust exposure or have allergies.
- Because the product remains on a 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi band, make sure your home router supports that frequency for smooth operation. If your home network management defaults devices to 5 GHz only, you may need to adjust settings.
Pros vs Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Long hands-free cleaning interval — AutoEmpty bag can last up to 75 days (source: listing, checked 2025). | Exact robot dimensions, weight, and battery life are not listed (Not specified). |
| High claimed suction and 3-stage cleaning for better pickup (70X vs Roomba 600 series) (source: listing, checked 2025). | Uses 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi only — may require router changes in 5 GHz-only setups (source: listing, checked 2025). |
| AutoEmpty bag traps 99% of allergens down to 0.7 microns — less dust exposure at disposal (source: listing, checked 2025). | Ongoing cost of replacement AutoEmpty bags; frequency depends on household and is not precisely defined in the listing. |
| ClearView LiDAR mapping for methodical coverage and cliff sensors for fall prevention (source: listing, checked 2025). | Some detailed specs (materials, weight, runtime) are not provided in the listing (Not specified). |
| Multiple control options — app, voice assistants, and onboard buttons (source: listing, checked 2025). | Spot cleaning is limited to a 5-minute intensive cycle — may require manual spot treatment for very large spills (source: listing, checked 2025). |
Who Should Buy
- Households that want low-maintenance cleaning and fewer interactions with dust and debris disposal.
- People with allergy concerns who benefit from a bagged AutoEmpty system that traps small allergen particles.
- Busy families or pet owners who need stronger suction and consistent room-to-room coverage without daily attention.
- Anyone who prefers app and voice control for convenience and scheduling.
Who Shouldn’t Buy
- Buyers who need exact hardware specs (weight, dimensions, battery runtime) in advance — the listing does not provide those details.
- Homes that run exclusively on a 5 GHz Wi‑Fi network without the ability to enable 2.4 GHz for device setup and operation.
- Those who want a bagless robot vacuum or wish to avoid the recurring cost of disposable AutoEmpty bags.
- Users who need high-clearance navigation specs confirmed (e.g., very low furniture) — verify clearances before purchase since exact robot height is not listed.
Specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Model | Roomba 105 (named in listing) |
| AutoEmpty bag life | Up to 75 days (source: listing, checked 2025) |
| Allergen capture | Traps 99% of allergens down to 0.7 microns (source: listing, checked 2025) |
| Suction claim | 70X more power-lifting suction vs Roomba 600 series (source: listing, checked 2025) |
| Cleaning system | 3-Stage Cleaning with Multi-Surface brush and Edge-Sweeping brush (source: listing, checked 2025) |
| Mapping/navigation | ClearView LiDAR (source: listing, checked 2025) |
| Spot clean duration | Up to 5 minutes (source: listing, checked 2025) |
| Voice assistants | Works with Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant (source: listing, checked 2025) |
| Wi‑Fi | 2.4 GHz for setup and operation (source: listing, checked 2025) |
| Battery runtime | Not listed |
| Weight / Dimensions | Not listed |
| Included accessories | Not listed (AutoEmpty base and bag mentioned; full contents not specified) |
Closing CTA
If you want a low-touch robot that keeps floors clean for weeks with minimal intervention, the Roomba 105 is worth considering — especially for allergy-conscious homes and busy households. Check current pricing and replacement bag availability before you buy to estimate ongoing costs.
Specification: iRobot Roomba 105 Review: AutoEmpty, 75‑Day Hands‑Free Cleaning
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409 reviews for iRobot Roomba 105 Review: AutoEmpty, 75‑Day Hands‑Free Cleaning
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Jon Hopkins –
The product didn’t include a manual, but it works great once you get one — I would buy it again.
aaron –
I’ve been using the Roomba 105 Combo Robot for a few weeks and it’s been a real time-saver. Setup was straightforward, and it began mapping and cleaning my home within minutes. The LiDAR navigation is impressively accurate—it steers around furniture, avoids obstacles, and doesn’t wander. I appreciate the app’s no-go zones for keeping it away from pet areas and fragile rugs. It vacuums carpets and hard floors well, easily picking up dust, crumbs, and hair, and the mop with SmartScrub gives a nice polish to high-traffic spots. The AutoEmpty dock is a standout—no daily bin emptying is needed and it’s quieter than I expected. Overall, it offers smart features and reliable cleaning at a solid price; if you want a low-maintenance vacuum-and-mop combo, this is a great pick.
Don K. Riess –
I’m 73 and stubborn, but I finally bought one — best purchase in years! It cleans more thoroughly than I ever could. The spot-clean and room-select features are incredibly convenient, and it easily covers our approximately 1,000 sq. ft. apartment. Very happy.
Ron Smith –
Highly convenient.
Amanda W –
I have to gush about my latest obsession: the iRobot Roomba 105 + Auto Empty Base. This little machine has been a total game-changer for our home. It picks up every crumb, hair, dust mote — even dried Play-Doh — and the floors stay clean all day, despite having multiple kids and busy foot traffic. 🙌
It’s surprisingly quiet — whisper-quiet, really — so I can schedule it to run at night without waking anyone. It gently slows before bumping into furniture and doors, which is such a thoughtful touch when you don’t want clattering around the house. Setup was effortless; it mapped the rooms itself within minutes, and the app makes it simple to create custom cleaning schedules for each room.
I love being able to clean my daughter’s room during the day and the rest of the house at night, and the auto-empty feature is pure convenience. This vacuum has removed one of the most annoying daily chores for me — I don’t think I’ll ever go back. A must-have for busy parents, anyone tired of crumbs underfoot, or anyone who wants a cleaner home with zero hassle. 🧼✨
Roomba105 #CleanHomeHack #GameChanger #iRobotLove #EffortlessCleaning
Amanda W –
Setup with the Auto Empty base was quick and easy. The only thing to watch for is that it only works with 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi. Aside from that, detection and connection take just a few minutes, then a charge before the first run.
Mapping my 1,400 sq ft home only took a few minutes and it was ready to start its first vacuum job. The app is straightforward — you can rename rooms and merge adjacent rooms if you want to schedule them together.
The robot is fairly quiet unless you’re in the same room. The loudest moment is when it docks and the Auto Empty activates, but that noise comes from powerful suction needed to clear the small dustbin. If you haven’t had an Auto Empty before, it’s a game changer — it holds a lot before you need to empty it.
Overall it works very well with no major issues. My only gripe is the battery feels a bit small: it had to dock and recharge several times to finish jobs in my 1,400 sq ft home. It’s not a big problem if you schedule runs while you’re away, so you don’t see it starting and stopping.
Akash Kasuladev –
This was our first robot vacuum and we were generally very impressed with its performance. If you have pet hair, though, opt for the pet-hair model — even occasional visitor dogs shed enough to clog a standard unit. Fortunately the design makes it easy to clean.
DaveH –
When it arrived it took four days to charge, and when it did run it kept cleaning the same areas over and over. After some back-and-forth emails with iRobot they sent me a replacement, and it works great now.
aaron –
I was an early iRobot customer — I bought their first model and loved it. This current unit is a big disappointment. It does okay on flat floors, but the app is awful: clunky, hard to use, and nearly impossible to control the robot from. I can’t edit the map, can’t easily perform actions, and turning on pet protection made the experience worse. The robot keeps trying to cross a barrier I placed between rooms and repeatedly gets stuck in the same spots it shouldn’t even be in. The voice prompts are too quiet and mumbled — volume at 100% and I still can’t understand them. After more use I dropped my rating from 3 stars to 1. Compared to my old Shark and a Roborock, this unit is embarrassing. It’s frustrating, unreliable, and I’m replacing it. I wouldn’t even give it away and I won’t buy from this company again, which is sad since my first was an iRobot.