# iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock vs iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo

As of Oct 26, 2026, the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock costs $450 and the iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo costs $470, so the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock is $20 cheaper. The iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo has a published review score and ranks #23 in our robot vacuums ranking; the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock is not scored yet. Pick the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock for Roomba fans with hard floors and no pets. Pick the iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo for small spaces with no room for a dock.

Prices checked Oct 26, 2026. HTML version: https://robotsforthat.com/vs/irobot-roomba-105-vac-autoempty-vs-irobot-roomba-205-dustcompactor-combo/

## Side by side

| | iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock | iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $450 | $470 |
| 3 year cost | $550 | $470 |
| Our score | Not scored yet | 5.6/10 |
| Rank in Floors | #28 | #23 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | 1 year limited (Amazon listing) | n/a |
| Suction | 7,000 Pa claimed (iRobot via GearBrain); Vacuum Wars measured 2.16 kPa sealed suction against a 0.83 kPa average but 12 CFM airflow, below average | iRobot claims 70x the suction of Roomba 600 series, 4 levels; no Pa figure published |
| Navigation | ClearView LiDAR with multi level maps, no go zones and room sequences (iRobot, Vacuum Wars) | ClearView LiDAR, up to 3 maps (iRobot) |
| Obstacle avoidance | None for small objects; Vacuum Wars and RTINGS both say to clear cables and clutter first | Basic; TechRadar saw it push toys and drag a cable, Tech Advisor saw it suck up a glove and get stuck |
| Mopping | No, vacuum only; the separate Roomba 105 Combo adds a mop | Reusable microfiber pad with Carpet Detect to avoid rugs (iRobot); Tech Advisor found it mostly spread mess |
| Self empty | Yes, AutoEmpty dock with a bag that holds up to 75 days of debris (iRobot) | No dock emptying; compacts debris onboard, claimed up to 60 days (iRobot); TechRadar needed to empty it after 8 days |
| Dock features | Auto empty and charging only | Small charging base only (Tech Advisor) |
| Runtime | Up to 200 min (iRobot Amazon listing); Vacuum Wars estimated only about 630 sq ft per charge against a 1,015 sq ft average | Not published; iRobot says it covers up to 1,000 sq ft |
| Dustbin | Not published | About 1.5 L compacting bin (TechRadar, Tech Advisor) |
| Height | 4.1 in (Vacuum Wars) | 3.98 in (robot 14.1 x 14.09 x 3.98 in, iRobot) |
| Pet hair | Vacuum Wars measured 29% flattened pet hair pickup against an 81% average, and 79% of long hair wrapped the brush | No measured pet hair result published in the reviews we read |
| App | iRobot Home app with maps, no go zones, room settings and schedules; works with Alexa and Google Assistant (Vacuum Wars) | Roomba Home app; works with Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant (iRobot) |
| Threshold | Not published | Not published |
| Noise | n/a | TechRadar measured an average of 78 dB from five feet |
| Best for | Roomba fans with hard floors and no pets | small spaces with no room for a dock |
| Skip if | you have shedding pets or long hair in the house | you want real mopping or good obstacle avoidance |

## What reviewers found

### iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock

- Vacuum Wars (1.41 Vacuum Wars stars): Removed 82% of embedded sand, above the 75% average, but picked up only 29% of flattened pet hair and 79% of long hair wrapped the brush. Coverage was about 630 sq ft per charge and it has no obstacle avoidance. [Source](https://vacuumwars.com/roomba-105-vac-review-irobots-cheapest-self-emptying-robot-vacuum-in-2025/)
- RTINGS: Named the Roomba 105 its best cheap robot vacuum for smart navigation, long battery life and an optional self empty dock, but called vacuuming only adequate and obstacle avoidance weak. [Source](https://www.rtings.com/robot-vacuum/reviews/best/budget)

### iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo

- TechRadar (Performance 2.5/5): Measured an average of 78 dB from five feet. The roughly 1.5 L bin needed emptying after eight days. It pushed aside toys and dragged a phone cable. Called a crushing disappointment. [Source](https://www.techradar.com/home/robot-vacuums/irobot-roomba-205-dustcompactor-combo-review)
- Tech Advisor: Good carpet cleaning and LiDAR navigation, but mopping mostly spread mess and it got stuck on furniture bases and thin table legs. [Source](https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2837405/roomba-205-dust-compactor-combo-robot-vacuum-review.html)

## Questions buyers ask

### Which is better, the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock or the iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo?

The iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo has a published review score and ranks #23 in our robot vacuums ranking; the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock is not scored yet. Pick the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock for Roomba fans with hard floors and no pets. Pick the iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo for small spaces with no room for a dock.

### Which is cheaper?

The iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock at $450, versus $470 for the iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo, checked Oct 26, 2026. Over 3 years with running costs: $550 vs $470.

### What is the difference between the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock and the Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo?

Suction: 7,000 Pa claimed (iRobot via GearBrain); Vacuum Wars measured 2.16 kPa sealed suction… on the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock, iRobot claims 70x the suction of Roomba 600 series, 4 levels; no Pa figure published on the Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo. Navigation: ClearView LiDAR with multi level maps, no go zones and room sequences (iRobot, Vacuum… on the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock, ClearView LiDAR, up to 3 maps (iRobot) on the Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo. Obstacle avoidance: None for small objects; Vacuum Wars and RTINGS both say to clear cables and clutter first on the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock, Basic; TechRadar saw it push toys and drag a cable, Tech Advisor saw it suck up a glove… on the Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo.

Full reviews: [iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/irobot-roomba-105-vac-autoempty/index.md), [iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo](https://robotsforthat.com/robot/irobot-roomba-205-dustcompactor-combo/index.md)