The Roomba Max 705 Combo, a robot vacuum that strolls into your lounge like a prop forward in polished shoes, confident, broad shouldered, and very pleased with itself. It promises the full routine, proper mapping, serious suction, a rolling mop that actually scrubs, a pit lane dock that empties the bin, washes the roller, and breathes hot air at it until dry. It is also heavy, the sort of heavy that makes you check your knees before lifting the box, which in this case contains a dock the size of a bedside table and a robot that feels carved from a bowling ball. At $2,399 AUD it is not asking for small change, it is asking to be crowned household champion. If it delivers the shine it hints at, the floors will look like a freshly detailed bonnet. If it does not, you will be staring at a very expensive sulk parked by the skirting board. Either way, you know you are in for a proper contest.

Design And Build, Big Unit, Big Ambition

The Roomba Max 705 Combo looks and feels like it has been designed by someone who got tired of flimsy, toy-like robot vacuums. This thing is solid, properly built, and unapologetically big. Pick it up and you’ll find yourself checking whether it’s filled with lead shot. The whole body has a dense, premium feel to it, finished in deep grey plastics with glossy accents that give it a bit of showroom presence.

• Twin counter-rotating brush bars underneath for better debris pickup
• Hidden lidar navigation tucked neatly into the front housing
• Rolling mop cylinder that scrubs instead of smearing

From the top, it keeps things minimal: just two physical buttons, one for power and one for home. No gimmicky touch panels or flashing light shows, just old-fashioned tactile controls that work. Around the front sits a sensor suite that looks like the robot’s face, camera, proximity sensors, and a bumper strip that reacts instantly to obstacles.

It’s a big unit, measuring around 37 cm across and roughly 10 cm tall, meaning it will glide under coffee tables but not under low-slung sofas. The trade-off is worth it though, because that size hides a serious cleaning system underneath.

• Wide stance improves stability on transitions between rugs and tiles
• Strong, rubberised wheels for traction over thresholds and uneven floors

The mop itself is the star of the design. Instead of the usual pair of damp discs, this one runs a long roller that’s constantly rinsed, scraped, and re-wetted as it spins. It’s more industrial floor scrubber than delicate domestic gadget, which makes it far more satisfying to watch and to hear when it’s chewing through the day’s grime.

The Dock, A Carwash For A Robot

Calling it a dock feels like an understatement. This thing is more like a miniature carwash that happens to live in your hallway. It doesn’t just charge the robot; it refuels, rinses, vacuums, and blow-dries it like a pit crew after a long race. The sheer size of the setup makes it look ready for duty at a detailing shop rather than a lounge room corner.

• Clean water tank for rinsing and refilling the robot’s mop system
• Dirty water tank that slurps away the sludge after each wash
• Auto-empty dust bag that collects everything the vacuum drags in

Every compartment feels engineered for purpose. Pop the lid and you’ll find neatly arranged tanks, filters, and a cleaning tool stored up top for when you feel like playing technician. The water tanks click in with a satisfying firmness, while the dust bag hides behind a sealed hatch that keeps fine dust trapped instead of puffing back into the room.

It even has cord storage built into the rear so you can tuck the cable away like a proper adult. Plug it in, and the whole thing hums quietly with authority, ready to handle whatever the robot drags home.

• Built-in warm air drying system to prevent mouldy mop smells
• Self-cleaning roller rinse system keeps the mop ready for the next run

The first time you see it in action, it’s weirdly entertaining. The robot docks, the mop roller spins, water gushes, the fan kicks on, and you realise you’re basically watching a spa day for a vacuum cleaner. It’s oddly satisfying and, if we’re honest, probably the most fun you’ll ever have watching something clean itself.

App Setup And Mapping, The Ritual

Setting up a Roomba has become its own little ceremony over the years. You unbox, plug in the dock, connect to Wi-Fi, and fire up the Roomba Home app. Then comes the moment of truth: pairing. The Max 705 Combo connects quickly enough, although it insists on introducing itself like a bureaucrat at a council meeting before it will do anything useful.

That’s when the fun began. I ran into the problem of having to update both the dock and the vacuum upon first start. The app said the process could take up to an hour. I pressed “Do Not Update,” hoping to skip ahead and get to cleaning, but it completely ignored me and started updating anyway. Typical.

• Mandatory firmware update on both dock and vacuum before first use
• Takes anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on Wi-Fi speed
• Skipping it is impossible, no matter what the button says

A bit of research later revealed why Roomba insists on this marathon update. Early batches of the dock reportedly had a fault where water could leak during the mop rinse cycle. The update is designed to fix that issue. So as annoying as the wait may be, it’s essential to do it before you let the robot loose on your floors.

Once the software ordeal was over, the rest of the setup was smooth sailing. The robot mapped the house efficiently, creating sharp room divisions, clear boundaries, and sensible paths. You can name rooms, draw keep-out zones, and even set no-mop areas for rugs. The app looks neat and behaves predictably, and once everything is synced, you finally get that glorious moment where the Roomba glides off the dock, spins around, and starts earning its keep.

Vacuuming, Dual Brushes With Bite

When it finally gets down to business, the Roomba Max 705 Combo proves it isn’t just a show pony. The dual brush setup underneath is the real hero here, a pair of counter-rotating rollers that grab at dust, crumbs, and pet hair like they owe it money. It’s the same clever design Roomba has perfected over the years, and on this model, it feels sharper, tighter, and more confident.

• Dual brush bars handle both hard floors and carpet transitions smoothly
• Carpet sensor automatically adjusts suction when it hits thicker pile
• Dust pickup is strong and even right to the roller edges

On tiles and hardwood, it leaves a clean trail in a single pass, swallowing debris without scattering it across the room. The moment it moves to carpet, you can hear the suction ramp up and feel it bite in harder. It’s methodical, moving in straight, evenly spaced lines like it’s mowing the lawn.

Corners and edges still remain the Achilles heel of almost every robot vacuum, and this one is no exception. It gets close but not perfect. That said, the overall coverage is impressive, and the clean patterns it leaves behind are the sort of thing that would make an obsessive neat freak sigh with relief.

The auto-empty routine is short and sharp. The robot docks, the dock makes a quick roar, and then it’s done. It’s loud for a few seconds, but it’s the satisfying kind of loud, the kind that tells you the job’s properly finished. After that, the bin’s empty, the floor’s spotless, and you’re left wondering how you ever put up with pushing a vacuum yourself.

Mopping, Rolling The Grime Away

This is where the Roomba Max 705 Combo separates itself from the herd. Most robot mops drag around two damp pads that shuffle dirt from one place to another. This one brings out a rolling mop cylinder that behaves like a miniature street sweeper, constantly rinsed, scraped, and re-wetted as it goes. It’s the difference between a quick wipe and a proper scrub.

• Continuous roller mop that stays wet and clean throughout the cycle
• Smart Scrub pattern adds back-and-forth motion for deeper cleaning
• Adjustable water flow and hot water option for stubborn messes

On hard floors, the result is brilliant. It doesn’t just glide over the dust; it rolls through it, lifting and washing the grime away in one confident sweep. Muddy paw prints, coffee drips, and the morning’s toast crumbs all vanish like they were never there. Watching it work is oddly satisfying, as the roller glistens and the floor dries streak-free within minutes.

You can also select how much water it uses, from a gentle misting to a full-on soak for sticky spills. The dock even lets you choose the rinse water temperature, warm or hot, and then finishes the job by blow-drying the roller so it doesn’t sit around damp and smelling like a swamp.

There’s real substance here. The mop roller actually cleans, not just polishes. The difference shows when you run your hand over the floor afterwards; it feels smooth, not tacky. It’s the first time in years I’ve seen a robot mop that might make your old bucket and stick genuinely nervous.

Obstacle Avoidance And Navigation

If there’s one thing that separates a good robot vacuum from an expensive bumper car, it’s how well it can think on its wheels. The Roomba Max 705 Combo does a surprisingly decent job of keeping itself out of trouble. Thanks to its hidden front-mounted lidar and an array of sensors, it moves with the calm assurance of something that actually knows where it’s going.

• Lidar navigation maps your home in straight, efficient lines
• Front and side sensors detect cables, toys, and table legs with precision
• Bumper sensors kick in only when absolutely necessary

It doesn’t waste time spinning in circles or aimlessly bumping around like cheaper models. Instead, it glides through doorways, hugs the skirting boards, and splits rooms into neat segments. Watching it work feels more like observing a professional detailer than a confused appliance.

The obstacle avoidance deserves praise too. It recognised power cables, toys, and even a pair of shoes I had “accidentally” left on the floor. It slowed down, adjusted, and carried on without tangling itself up or dragging anything halfway across the room.

Corners and under-furniture clearance remain a limitation of geometry rather than software, but that’s forgivable. The robot’s low lidar dome means it can slip under coffee tables and sideboards with ease, though not under low lounges.

In short, navigation is deliberate, clean, and confident. It moves like it’s memorised your floor plan rather than guessing, and that’s exactly what you want from something that costs more than a decent weekend getaway.

Noise, Speed, And Day-To-Day Manners

Once it’s up and running, the Roomba Max 705 Combo behaves like the sort of house guest you don’t mind keeping around. It gets on with the job quietly, efficiently, and without demanding too much attention. On its standard settings, it hums more than it roars, producing a steady background whirr that blends into the general noise of life. You can still watch TV or hold a conversation while it works, which is all anyone really wants from a robot that moves through your living room uninvited.

• Moderate noise level, roughly on par with a microwave or quiet kettle
• Auto-empty cycle is brief but noticeably louder for a few seconds
• Mop cleaning and drying sounds are low, more of a gentle gurgle and whoosh

Speed is another strength. It moves with purpose, covering open areas swiftly and rarely hesitating unless it encounters a tricky corner or dense furniture cluster. The mapping system helps it keep a brisk pace without the chaotic zigzagging you see in cheaper models.

Day-to-day, it feels surprisingly refined. It doesn’t slam into furniture, doesn’t drag its mop across rugs, and doesn’t stop mid-job to sulk. The transitions between vacuuming and mopping are seamless, and when it heads back to base, it does so like a seasoned valet parking itself.

• Intelligent pathing keeps it efficient, avoiding needless overlaps
• Warm air mop drying keeps the roller fresh and odour-free between runs

It’s not whisper quiet, but it’s well-mannered. The kind of machine you can send out for a clean before bed and trust it won’t sound like it’s dismantling the house. In a world where many robot vacuums are all bark and no polish, the Max 705 Combo shows that power doesn’t have to come at the cost of peace and quiet.

Consumables And Care

Owning the Roomba Max 705 Combo isn’t just about letting it do all the work; it’s about keeping it in fighting shape so it can keep showing off. Like any good piece of kit, it needs a bit of maintenance and the right consumables to stay on form. The good news is, most of it is simple, and the design makes cleaning surprisingly straightforward.

• Dust bags typically last between one and three months, depending on floor size and pet hair
• Filters are washable but benefit from a quick brush every fortnight
• Mop roller should be checked weekly for tangled hair or debris

The dock’s dust bag seals itself when removed, meaning you won’t get a face full of dust every time you empty it. The filters clip out easily and rinse clean under running water, then dry overnight. The mop roller, meanwhile, is durable and designed for long-term use, but a quick inspection now and then keeps it from smelling like wet socks.

Roomba’s cleaning solution is another story. The included concentrate is the only officially approved option, and the brand warns against freelancing with off-the-shelf cleaners. They say it’s to prevent residue and corrosion in the pumps, which makes sense, though it feels a bit like being told you can only buy petrol from one station. Still, the concentrate lasts ages, and it keeps the warranty intact, so it’s worth sticking with it.

• Avoid mixing your own cleaning solutions – Roomba’s concentrate prevents sudsing and sensor faults
• Keep the clean and dirty tanks rinsed after every few runs
• Replace the mop roller and filters roughly every 6–12 months for best results

A few minutes of care every week keeps everything ticking over nicely. Ignore it, and you’ll eventually find yourself ankle-deep in dirty water wondering where it all went wrong. Treat it well, though, and the 705 Combo will reward you with floors so spotless you’ll start questioning your own hygiene standards.

Value For Money In Australia

At $2,399 AUD, the Roomba Max 705 Combo plants itself firmly in the “premium” end of the robot vacuum spectrum. That’s serious money, the sort of money that could buy you a half-decent holiday or a used car with working air-conditioning. So it has to earn every cent, not just impress with a fancy dock and a long list of buzzwords.

• Retail price: $2,399 AUD from the official Roomba store
• Competes with flagship rivals from Ecovacs, Dreame, and Roborock
• Premium materials and intelligent design partially justify the cost

When it’s running well, you can see where the investment goes. The cleaning system is properly engineered, the dock is more like a maintenance bay than an accessory, and the mopping performance genuinely outshines most competitors. The hot-water mop washing, self-drying roller, and automatic dust disposal are features that make daily upkeep practically effortless.

But value isn’t just about what it can do, it’s about how reliably it does it. The reliability hiccups I experienced make the high price a tougher pill to swallow. At this level, a robot shouldn’t need coaxing or resets to behave. If you’re spending over two grand, you want the sort of trust you’d have in a dishwasher, not a moody teenager.

• Offers luxury convenience but demands patience during setup and updates
• Early software and hardware issues may improve through future firmware fixes

If Roomba can iron out the gremlins, the Max 705 Combo would easily justify its premium tag. It’s capable, powerful, and built like it actually wants to clean for a living. Right now though, the value depends entirely on whether you get a good unit or a fussy one. In other words, it’s a bit like buying an exotic sports car, breathtaking when it works, but you’ll want to keep the warranty paperwork close by.

Verdict – Surprisingly Good, Ridiculously Priced

When it’s firing on all cylinders, the Roomba Max 705 Combo is the closest thing you’ll get to hiring a personal cleaner who never complains, never takes breaks, and actually enjoys the job. It vacuums with force, mops with conviction, and returns to its dock looking smug after a hard day’s work. The clever dock setup, hot-water washing, and self-drying roller make it feel like a proper next-generation machine rather than another gimmick in a shiny box.

• Excellent cleaning performance when everything works as intended
• Premium materials and clever engineering throughout
• Still plagued by occasional reliability hiccups that shouldn’t exist at this price

But that price. At $2,399 AUD, it’s hard not to wince a little. It’s beautifully built and impressively capable, yet the occasional tantrum during dock cycles or software updates can make you question whether it’s worth the premium. Cheaper rivals now deliver similar cleaning results for less, even if they lack some of the flair.

Still, when it’s on song, it’s brilliant. The suction is fierce, the mop genuinely cleans, and the dock feels like it belongs in a science lab. You’ll find yourself quietly admiring it as it rolls past, humming to itself while leaving spotless floors in its wake.

Would We Buy It?

If it were a few hundred dollars cheaper, absolutely. The Roomba Max 705 Combo has the makings of a superstar. It vacuums like a beast, mops like it’s angry at dirt, and parks itself at the end of the job with the sort of confidence only Roomba can pull off. It’s engineered well, looks sharp, and when it behaves, it’s nothing short of brilliant.

But at $2,399 AUD, it’s a tough sell. For that money, you expect perfection, not the occasional tantrum or hour-long software ritual before it will even clean your house. The reliability gremlins and the forced updates take some of the shine off what is otherwise a seriously capable machine.

• Incredible cleaning power and mopping quality
• Premium materials and design
• Too expensive to forgive its quirks

So, would we buy it? Probably not, at least not at full price. Wait for a decent discount or a confirmed hardware revision that sorts out the dock’s early issues. Then it’s a different story. At around $1,799 or lower, it becomes one of the best all-in-one cleaning systems money can buy.

Until then, it’s a brilliant machine with champagne performance and a bit too much caviar pricing.

Zachary Skinner

Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.