iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after 35 years of manufacturing robot vacuum cleaners and mops.
iRobot has been bought by Picea Robotics and there should be no immediate disruption for Roomba owners.
After 35 years of being in the robot vacuum cleaner business, iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Despite this, iRobot is going private as it’s been bought by Picea Robotics – so what does this mean for Roomba owners?
It seems the main reasons iRobot is filing for bankruptcy is due to increased U.S. tariffs and other competition within the robot vacuum industry. This competition with cheaper rivals caused the brand to drop its prices before moving on to the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.
As mentioned, iRobot is being purchased by Picea Robotics who has assumed the company’s loans. Picea Robotics makes household appliances and its own robot vacuum, so while plans haven’t been announced – although the bankruptcy process is expected to be complete by February 2026 – we’d like to assume that Picea Robotics could continue iRobot’s line of robot vacuum cleaners.
Despite this bankruptcy and other competition, iRobot has been a successful robot vacuum and mop manufacturer for years. We’ve tried our fair share of iRobot Roomba vacuums – including the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max – and they’ve always been well received by customers so this news is disappointing.
But what does it mean for existing iRobot Roomba users? Reports have stated that during the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, iRobot will continue to operate as normal – which is why you can still access and buy products from the iRobot website which is currently running a Christmas sale.
Furthermore, iRobot has stated that there’s “no anticipated disruption to its app functionality, customer programs, global partners, supply chain relationships or ongoing product support”. Essentially, nothing should change during this process for existing Roomba users which is a positive.
Plans for the future of iRobot haven't been announced, confirmed or denied, so we really don’t know what to expect once the bankruptcy is completed next year. We’ll just have to wait and see if Picea Robotics will revive the company or not.
