iRobot Bankruptcy: What Roomba Owners and Buyers Should Know

iRobot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on December 14, 2025, and the sale of the company to its supplier and lender, Picea, was completed in January 2026, so iRobot still exists and is now privately owned. If you own a Roomba, iRobot said it expected no disruption to the app or to product support; if you are thinking of buying one, the open questions are warranty terms and how long the app will be supported, and no source we opened settles either.

This page sticks to what the company, its court and SEC filings and the news outlets said, and each fact is attributed. Where sources are silent, we say so instead of guessing. Product details come from the maker's listings, and we do not run robots ourselves. For how the Roomba range compares as products, read our iRobot Roomba reviews; this page is about the company, not the models.

What Happened to iRobot

The short version is a company that ran out of room to finance itself. The longer version is a sequence of dated events, which we lay out below with the source for each. Where outlets disagree or leave something out, we note it.

The Timeline

• 2022: Amazon agreed to buy iRobot for about 1.7 billion dollars. According to Retail Dive, that deal fell through more than a year later over antitrust concerns in the U.S. and abroad. Engadget describes the same collapse as following a threatened veto from European regulators.
• Late 2024: Retail Dive reports that iRobot cut about 40% of its workforce.
• March 2025: Engadget reports that iRobot told investors it had substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.
• December 14, 2025: iRobot announced a restructuring support agreement with Picea, its secured lender and primary contract manufacturer, and filed a prepackaged Chapter 11 case in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
• December 15, 2025: Engadget and Notebookcheck published the first wave of coverage.
• January 22 and 23, 2026: The court confirmed the plan on January 22, and it became effective on January 23, according to iRobot's SEC filing.
• February 25, 2026: An Order and Final Decree closing the Chapter 11 cases was entered, according to the case administrator's site.

iRobot had said in December that it expected to finish the process by February 2026. The sources agree on that: the plan took effect earlier, in January, and the formal closing of the cases followed in February.

Why It Happened

No single source gives one cause, so here are the causes as each outlet reported them. Retail Dive says the company's problems began in 2021, when inflation and higher interest rates made financing harder, and that the collapse of the Amazon deal removed the exit iRobot had counted on. It quotes iRobot telling the court that uncertainty about long-term tariff rates undermined its ability to forecast. Engadget reports a tariff of 46% on goods from Vietnam, where iRobot made products for the U.S. market, and says rivals such as Roborock and Dreame took market share while the overall market shrank. It adds that new models launched in 2025, including the Roomba 105 Vac, did not lift sales enough.

Notice what is not on that list: a defect in the robots. Nothing we opened ties the bankruptcy to product quality. It is a story about financing, tariffs and competition.

What Shareholders Got

Nothing. iRobot said in its announcement that existing equity would be cancelled and that common stockholders would not receive recovery on their investment. The SEC filing confirms the existing common stock was cancelled on the effective date and that the company intended to deregister its securities. If you are here about the shares and not the robot, that is the end of that story.

Who Owns iRobot Now

iRobot is privately held and wholly owned by Shenzhen Picea Robotics Co., according to The Robot Report's coverage of the January 2026 completion. Picea was already deeply tied to iRobot. iRobot's own announcement describes it as the secured lender and primary contract manufacturer, and Notebookcheck notes that Picea builds vacuum and mopping robots for other brands as well. The Robot Report reports Picea's own description of itself: research and manufacturing sites in China and Vietnam, more than 20 million robot vacuums made, sold and serviced, and more than 7,000 employees. Those are Picea's figures, not ours.

The Debt Side

Retail Dive reports that Picea agreed to cancel 180 million dollars in first lien claims and 74 million dollars in supply agreement claims as part of the deal. The same article says about 84 million dollars in supply claims remained owed according to court documents. We did not find a published price for the company, so we do not state one.

What iRobot Says Stays the Same

The Robot Report says iRobot remains based in Bedford, Massachusetts, with engineering, product development and marketing functions across the U.S. Gary Cohen is named as CEO. The company says it stays committed to producing and supporting its fleet of robot vacuums.

Chinese ownership of a device that maps your home raises an obvious privacy question, and iRobot addressed it directly. According to The Robot Report, it created a U.S.-based subsidiary, iRobot Safe Corp., responsible for protecting U.S. consumer data. The stated aim is a clear separation between the Chinese owner and U.S. and other global consumer data. iRobot Safe is to have its own CEO, an independent U.S.-based data security officer and an independent board of U.S. citizens. iRobot calls these structural, legal and governance safeguards. Those are the company's claims; we have no independent audit of them to point to.

Does the Roomba App Still Work?

As far as the sources show, yes. iRobot's December 14 announcement said that during the Chapter 11 process it expected no disruption to its app functionality, customer programs, global partners, supply chain relationships or ongoing product support. Notebookcheck summarized the message for owners as no expected restrictions on the iRobot app or on Roomba and Braava Jet functionality. After the sale closed, The Robot Report reported the company's statement that it remains committed to supporting its robots.

That is a promise about now. None of the sources we opened gives a date until which the app will be supported, and iRobot has not, in anything we read, spelled out how long older models will keep working with it. We would not read the silence as a warning, but we would not call it a guarantee either.

What Works Without the App

It helps to know what depends on the app and what does not. The Roomba 105 Vac listing says you can control the robot three ways: by voice assistant, in the Roomba Home app, or by pressing the robot's buttons. So starting a clean from the robot is described as possible. Everything that makes a mapped robot feel smart is described with the app: setting a custom clean, getting time estimates, checking filter life, targeting rooms and creating keep-out zones. If the app ever changed, those are the features that would be affected first, and the basic clean-and-dock cycle is the part least likely to be.

Sensible Habits for Owners

• Note your model number, which is printed on the underside of the robot, and keep the purchase receipt.
• Make sure your Roomba account is in your name with an email you still use.
• Check iRobot's own support pages for your specific model, because they are the authority on what your robot supports.

Warranty, Support and Replacement Parts

These are the questions owners ask most, and the honest answer is that the sources are thinner here than on the app.

Support

iRobot's announcement named ongoing product support among the things it expected to run without disruption. The case administrator's site repeats that day-to-day operations were expected to continue, including product, app and customer support, though it also says that site is no longer maintained. After the sale, The Robot Report quotes the same commitment to supporting the installed fleet.

Warranty

Neither iRobot's December announcement nor the coverage we opened mentions warranty terms, and one outlet said so explicitly. So we cannot tell you what happens to a warranty on a robot bought before the sale. What we can read is the current listings: the Roomba 105 Vac and the Roomba Max 875 each state a 1 year manufacturer warranty. If you bought one recently, the receipt and the listing are your evidence; keep both.

Replacement Parts

Engadget reported that, as it understood iRobot's statement, your Roomba should continue to clean normally and you should be able to get consumables and replacement parts. That is a news outlet's reading, not a quoted promise from the company, so treat it as likely, not guaranteed. There is a practical point in favor of parts: authentic kits for current models are still listed. For the Roomba 105 series, the iRobot Authentic Replacement Parts Replenishment Kit lists 3 filters, 3 edge-sweeping brushes and 1 multi-surface bristle brush, and says genuine parts are made to iRobot's own specifications.

That listing says a dirty filter weakens suction and worn brushes do not grab debris as well, so a kit is a sensible thing to keep for a robot you plan to run for years. If your robot has stopped charging or will not start, work through our Roomba not charging guide before concluding anything about the company.

Best for keeping a 105 running

iRobot Roomba 105 Combo and Vac Replenishment Kit

A maintenance kit for the Roomba 105 Combo and Vac, and an easy way to extend an existing robot's life whatever happens to the company.

• $ Budget

Check price on Amazon

Buy it if

You own a Roomba 105 series robot and want fresh filters and brushes on hand.

Skip it if

You own a different Roomba model, because this kit is listed for the 105 series only.

iRobot lists the kit as everything needed for regular maintenance on the Roomba 105 series: 3 filters, 3 edge-sweeping brushes and 1 multi-surface bristle brush. The listing explains that a dirty filter weakens suction and worn brushes do not grab debris as well. It also states that genuine parts are built to iRobot's exact specifications. The kit has no warranty field on its listing.

What stands out

• Covers filters and both brush types
• Made for the 105 series by the maker
• Small and light to store

Trade-offs

• Listed for 105 series robots only
• No warranty stated
• Only useful if you already own the robot

Should You Still Buy a Roomba?

It depends on what you want from the purchase. The bankruptcy did not end the brand, and the sources we opened describe a company that carried on trading and kept its products on sale under new ownership. But the buyer is a different kind of owner from the one that built the brand, and some of what you would normally rely on, such as years of app updates, is not promised in writing in anything we found.

A fair way to frame it is by how long you expect to keep the robot and how much of its value comes from the app. If you want a robot for two or three years and are happy with basic scheduled cleaning, the risk is small. If you want a mapped, app-driven robot for the next decade, you are relying on a company that has just changed hands, and a brand with a long, public support record may make you more comfortable.

Best for a simple Roomba at the lowest tier

iRobot Roomba 105 Vac

The simplest way into a current Roomba: it maps with LiDAR, cleans in rows, recharges and resumes, and can be started from its own buttons.

• $ Budget

Check price on Amazon

Buy it if

You want a mapped Roomba at the $ tier and accept emptying the bin yourself.

Skip it if

You want a mop or a dock that empties the bin, neither of which the listing mentions.

iRobot lists ClearView LiDAR, 3-Stage Cleaning with a multi-surface brush and an edge-sweeping brush, scheduling, room targeting and keep-out zones in the Roomba Home app, and control by voice, app or the robot's buttons. It uses a 2.4 GHz network. The listing states a 1 year manufacturer warranty. It gives no bin size, runtime or mop. This is the model iRobot launched in 2025, according to Engadget, which also says the launch did not lift sales enough to prevent the filing. That is a comment on the company's finances, not on the robot.

What stands out

• LiDAR mapping and neat rows
• Can be started from the robot's buttons
• 1 year manufacturer warranty stated

Trade-offs

• No mop
• Bin emptied by hand
• App support length not stated

Best for a Roomba that mops and empties itself

iRobot Roomba Max 875

The most capable Roomba in this guide, with a washing and self-emptying dock, but at the $$$ tier it also asks the most trust in the app.

• $$$ Premium

Check price on Amazon

Buy it if

You want one robot to vacuum and mop and you want the dock to do the upkeep.

Skip it if

You are wary of a premium purchase until the new owner's support record is clearer.

iRobot lists 40,000 Pa suction in the title, a hot-water roller mop with ThermaMist, ClearView Pro Dual Line LiDAR and PrecisionVision AI that it says recognizes and avoids more than 300 common objects. The AutoWash Dock washes the roller with 176°F hot water, dries it with 131°F heated air and self-empties into a debris bag for up to 90 days, per iRobot. The listing states a 1 year manufacturer warranty and a hot-water mop that lifts over carpet. Cleaning plans are personalized in the Roomba Home app, which is the reason this is the model most exposed to any change in app support.

What stands out

• Roller mop with hot water, plus a washing dock
• Self-empties for up to 90 days, per iRobot
• Recognizes 300+ objects, per iRobot

Trade-offs

• Premium tier
• Personalized plans rely on the app
• Large dock needs floor space

Roomba Alternatives

If the ownership change makes you want a second opinion, three robots from other makers cover the same ground at different tiers. We chose them for what the listings state, not as a ranking. For a head-to-head, see Roomba vs Roborock, Shark vs Roomba or eufy vs Roomba. If you are weighing a single model, our Roomba 105 page goes deeper.

One caution applies to every alternative: switching brands does not remove app risk. Every robot with an app depends on its maker keeping the service running. The difference is that the three companies below have not just gone through bankruptcy.

Best Roomba alternative with a self-emptying dock

Roborock Q7 M5+

A mid-range Roomba alternative that adds a mop and a self-emptying dock to LiDAR mapping.

• $$ Mid-range

Check price on Amazon

Buy it if

You want a mapped robot with a mop and a dock that handles the bin.

Skip it if

You want a hot-water mop dock, which this listing does not describe.

Roborock lists 10,000 Pa suction, PreciSense LiDAR navigation, a 2.7 L sealed dust bag in the RockDock Plus that it says lasts up to 7 to 9 weeks, and three adjustable water flow settings for mopping. The Roborock app handles schedules, spot cleaning and no-go zones, and supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only. No warranty is stated on the listing.

What stands out

• Self-emptying dock, up to 7 to 9 weeks per the maker
• LiDAR mapping with no-go zones
• Vacuums and mops in one go

Trade-offs

• Warranty not stated
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
• Dock is bigger than a plain charging base

Best Roomba alternative for a washing station

eufy C28

A premium Roomba alternative with a self-cleaning roller mop and a station that empties, washes and dries.

• $$$ Premium

Check price on Amazon

Buy it if

You want a hands-free mopping robot and prefer LiDAR to cameras.

Skip it if

You have limited space, because the station is the largest thing on this page.

eufy lists a 28 cm HydroJet roller mop that spins at 270 RPM, 15,000 Pa suction, and an all-in-one station that empties into a 3 L bag, washes the mop, dries it with 50°C hot air and collects wastewater, handling maintenance for up to 75 days. It navigates by LiDAR without cameras and lifts the mop 10.8 mm over short carpets. The warranty field on the listing reads 12 with no unit, so we mark it as not stated.

What stands out

• Self-cleaning roller mop
• Station empties, washes and dries
• LiDAR navigation without cameras

Trade-offs

• Premium tier
• Warranty unit not stated
• Large, heavy station

Best Roomba alternative at the lowest tier

Shark Navigator AV2120

A direct rival to the Roomba 105 that adds a self-emptying base to LiDAR mapping.

• $$ Mid-range

Check price on Amazon

Buy it if

You want a low-tier mapped robot where the base empties the bin.

Skip it if

You want a mop, which the listing does not mention.

Shark lists SmartPath Navigation using spot LiDAR to clean in rows, object detection and avoidance, a self-cleaning brushroll that is anti-hair wrap, and a 60-day self-emptying base. It offers recharge and resume, voice control and app control. Suction in Pa is not stated, only a claim of up to 50% more suction than a competitor robot. No warranty is stated on the listing.

What stands out

• 60-day self-emptying base
• LiDAR mapping in rows
• Recharges and resumes

Trade-offs

• No mop
• Suction in Pa not stated
• Warranty not stated

iRobot Bankruptcy FAQ