Is the iRobot Roomba Plus 505 Combo Worth It?
Based on tests by Tom's Guide (Oct 2025). How we score
Depends. Buy the Roomba Plus 505 Combo.
Amazon currently sells the Roomba Plus 505 Combo through Flashing Deals, not iRobot or Amazon. Warranties can require an authorized seller, so check the seller before you buy.
Amazon prices as of Sep 30, 8:53 AM EDT (details)
Why
Tom's Guide rated the Roomba Plus 505 Combo 4.5 out of 5 after weeks in a home with a toddler and a shedding pug: "to say it replaced my stick vacuum would be an understatement." It "Reaches into corners well," scrubs floors with two spinning pads, lifts them over rugs, and its dock empties the bin, fills and drains water and washes and dries the pads. The catches: the app was sometimes glitchy, spot cleaning pushed a pile of oats around instead of picking it up, the dock is loud when it empties, and mopping won't shift dried-on stains. Tom's Guide also rated the Roborock Q7 M5 4 stars ("a great cleaner for the price"), which costs a fraction, but its dock only charges and its basic pad drags a damp cloth. Splurge if you want a robot that also scrubs your floors and cleans up after itself; save if you mostly need vacuuming.
Cheaper alternatives, scored against the Roomba Plus 505 Combo
Q7 M5 Robot Vacuum and Mop
From 1 tester: Tom's Guide
From 1 tester: Tom's Guide
Tom's Guide rated it 4 out of 5, half a star below the Roomba: "This is a great cleaner for the price," with "Deep carpet cleaning" and good edge detection. The differences are the mop and the dock. Its fixed pad just drags a damp cloth (Tom's Guide: "Mop only good for light cleaning") and doesn't lift over rugs, and this version's dock only charges, so you empty the bin and refill the tank yourself. Tom's Guide also found it "can sometimes miss debris in the corners of the room."
Sources: Tom's Guide: Roborock Q7 M5 review (Oct. 16, 2025), TechRadar: Roborock Q7 M5 review (July 20, 2025)
Common questions
Does the Roomba Plus 505 Combo mop well?
For everyday grime, yes. Tom's Guide found the spinning pads visibly scrub the floor and never left it "too wet or dry," but calls it "a surface clean": dried-on food still needed scrubbing by hand.
Can you use any floor cleaner in the Roomba Plus 505 Combo?
No. Tom's Guide notes it's "Only compatible with certain floor cleaners": iRobot says to use certified solutions to stay within the warranty.
Sources: Tom's Guide: Roomba Plus 505 Combo review (Oct. 1, 2025), Tom's Guide: Roborock Q7 M5 review (Oct. 16, 2025), Manufacturer specs via Amazon listing
