# iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock vs SwitchBot S20

As of Oct 31, 2026, the iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock costs $470 and the SwitchBot S20 costs $800, so the iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock is $330 cheaper. The SwitchBot S20 scores higher in our ranking (7.0 vs 5.6 out of 10). Pick the iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock for simple daily upkeep in small homes. Pick the SwitchBot S20 for hard floor homes that want roller mopping on a budget.

Prices checked Oct 31, 2026. HTML version: https://robotsforthat.com/vs/irobot-roomba-105-combo-autoempty-vs-switchbot-s20/

## Side by side

| | iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock | SwitchBot S20 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $470 | $800 |
| 3 year cost | $470 | $1,100 |
| Our score | 5.6/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Rank in Floors | #40 | #22 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | n/a | 1 year (SwitchBot store) |
| Suction | iRobot claims 70X the Roomba 600 series with 4 suction levels; Tek.no lists 7,000 Pa and found it lower than rivals | 10,000 Pa with four levels (SwitchBot, Expert Reviews) |
| Navigation | ClearView LiDAR, cleans in rows, up to 3 maps, about 10 min per 1,000 sq ft (iRobot); Tek.no saw it get stuck and take a long time | dToF LiDAR plus AI camera (SwitchBot); Expert Reviews found mapping fast, while TechRadar saw some erratic routes and frequent failed docking |
| Obstacle avoidance | LiDAR only, no camera (iRobot) | AI camera, front infrared and side PSD sensors (SwitchBot); TechRadar saw it avoid a cable and a shoe but push a tissue box across the room |
| Mopping | Yes, microfiber pad with a micro pump, 3 water levels and SmartScrub; avoids carpet in mop modes (iRobot); Tek.no called it essentially a wet cloth | RevoRoll roller mop with 1 kg of pressure, 300 scrubs per minute and a 4 step rinse while mopping (SwitchBot); no mop only mode (Expert Reviews, HomeKit News) |
| Self empty | Yes, bagged AutoEmpty dock rated for up to 75 days (iRobot) | Yes, the station stores dust for up to 90 days (SwitchBot); TechRadar lists a 4 L dock bin |
| Dock features | Auto empty and charging only; no pad washing (iRobot) | Auto empty, auto water refill, mop washing and 50 C hot air drying (SwitchBot); 2.5 L clean and 2.5 L dirty tanks (TechRadar, Expert Reviews), while SwitchBot's launch notice listed 2.7 L clean; an Auto-Fill and Drain version connects to home plumbing |
| Runtime | Tek.no lists 120 min; iRobot lists a 3,000 mAh LFP battery but no runtime | Not stated by SwitchBot; 4,000 mAh battery and under 4 hours to charge (SwitchBot) |
| Dustbin | Not published by iRobot | n/a |
| Height | 4.09 in (iRobot) | 115 mm (4.5 in) tall, 365 mm (14.4 in) wide (SwitchBot, TechRadar) |
| App | Roomba Home app with schedules, keep out zones, suction and water settings; 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only (iRobot); Tek.no found the map view weaker than rivals | SwitchBot app, Alexa, Google Assistant and Matter 1.4; HomeKit News found rooms show in Apple Home, but the SwitchBot app is still needed for setup and maps |
| Weight | 6.45 lb robot (iRobot) | n/a |
| Pet hair | n/a | Expert Reviews measured 5 of 5 g pet hair on hard floor and 3.8 of 5 g on carpet |
| Threshold | n/a | Crosses obstacles up to 20 mm (SwitchBot) |
| Noise | n/a | Expert Reviews measured 65 dBA at 1 m; TechRadar called it louder than average in every mode with a very loud auto empty |
| Best for | simple daily upkeep in small homes | hard floor homes that want roller mopping on a budget |
| Skip if | you want real scrubbing or obstacle recognition | you want quiet cleaning or have low furniture |

## What reviewers found

### iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock

- Tek.no (Norway): Rated it mediocre. Vacuums well and LiDAR improved navigation over older Roombas, but it got stuck, took a long time, has lower suction than rivals and a basic wet cloth mop. [Source](https://www.tek.no/produkter/41949/irobot-roomba-105-combo-autoempty)
- Just A Dad Approved (4.6/10): After about three months of home use it scored 5.5 of 10 for mopping, 6 for carpet, 5 for hair tangle and 1.5 for obstacle avoidance, running over items under about 3 inches. Only 2 of 6 marketing claims passed. The reviewer advised skipping it at full price. The page prints 4.6/10 in one place and 4.8 out of 10 in another. [Source](https://justadadapproved.com/product/irobot-roomba-105-combo-robot-vacuum-mop-autoempty/)
- Vacuum Chef: Hands on test with the AutoEmpty dock. Measured 395 FPM airflow on carpet against a 420 FPM category average, the best it has recorded for an entry level iRobot. Mapping was much faster than older non LiDAR Roombas. The mop only drags and does not lift, hair tangles on the roller and the firmware update took nearly an hour. [Source](https://vacuumchef.com/irobot-roomba-105-combo-review-7000-pa-power-smart-mapping-real-world-test-results/?amp=1)

### SwitchBot S20

- TechRadar: Effective roller mop and strong obstacle avoidance, but louder than average in every mode, regular docking failures and some erratic navigation. Subscores: Value 3.5/5, Design 4/5, Performance 3/5, App 3.5/5. [Source](https://www.techradar.com/home/robot-vacuums/switchbot-s20-review)
- Expert Reviews: Picked up 50 of 50 g rice and 5 of 5 g pet hair on hard floor, 29.4 of 50 g flour on carpet, and removed dried mud in two passes and ketchup in three. Measured 65 dBA at 1 m. [Source](https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/home-garden/vacuums-cleaning/switchbot-s20-robot-vacuum-review)
- HomeKit News (8/10): Solid obstacle avoidance that was sometimes overcautious; Matter 1.4 rooms work in Apple Home, but there is no mop only option and cleaning fluid must be added by hand. [Source](https://homekitnews.com/2025/09/28/switchbot-floor-cleaning-robot-s20-w-matter-review/)

## Questions buyers ask

### Which is better, the iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock or the SwitchBot S20?

The SwitchBot S20 scores higher in our ranking (7.0 vs 5.6 out of 10). Pick the iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock for simple daily upkeep in small homes. Pick the SwitchBot S20 for hard floor homes that want roller mopping on a budget.

### Which is cheaper?

The iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock at $470, versus $800 for the SwitchBot S20, checked Oct 31, 2026. Over 3 years with running costs: $470 vs $1,100.

### What is the difference between the Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock and the S20?

Suction: iRobot claims 70X the Roomba 600 series with 4 suction levels; Tek.no lists 7,000 Pa and… on the Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock, 10,000 Pa with four levels (SwitchBot, Expert Reviews) on the S20. Navigation: ClearView LiDAR, cleans in rows, up to 3 maps, about 10 min per 1,000 sq ft (iRobot)… on the Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock, dToF LiDAR plus AI camera (SwitchBot); Expert Reviews found mapping fast, while… on the S20. Obstacle avoidance: LiDAR only, no camera (iRobot) on the Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock, AI camera, front infrared and side PSD sensors (SwitchBot); TechRadar saw it avoid a… on the S20.

Full reviews: [iRobot Roomba 105 Combo + AutoEmpty Dock](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/irobot-roomba-105-combo-autoempty/index.md), [SwitchBot S20](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/switchbot-s20/index.md)