iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock vs Narwal Freo X Ultra
Researched by Riley Hart · prices checked Oct 26, 2026
As of Oct 26, 2026, the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock costs $450 and the Narwal Freo X Ultra costs $450. The Narwal Freo X Ultra has a published review score and ranks #5 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 Narwal Freo X Ultra for hard floor mopping at a reduced price.
- Suction
- 7,000 Pa claimed
- Navigation
- ClearView LiDAR
- Mopping
- No
- Runtime
- Up to 200 min
The cheapest way into a LiDAR Roomba with an auto empty dock, and RTINGS picked the Roomba 105 as its best cheap robot vacuum. Vacuum Wars found good carpet deep cleaning but very weak pet hair pickup and heavy hair wrap. Pet owners should look at the Dreame D20 Plus or Roborock Q7 M5+ instead.
Full iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock review →- Suction
- 8,200 Pa
- Navigation
- LiDAR with 3D multi
- Mopping
- Dual triangular
- Runtime
- 210 min claimed
A mop first robot with firm pressure and hot air drying, now far below its launch price. nextpit measured 96% sand pickup on carpet, but Vacuum Wars scored its obstacle avoidance poorly. There is no dock emptying, so you change a small bag in the robot.
Full Narwal Freo X Ultra review →Side by side
| iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock | Narwal Freo X Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $450 | $450 |
| 3 year cost | $550 | $450 |
| Our score | Not scored yet | 8.6/10 |
| Rank in Floors | #28 | #5 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | 1 year limited (Amazon listing) | 1 year (Vacuum Wars spec table) |
| 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 | 8,200 Pa (Narwal); Vacuum Wars measured 1.86 kPa bench suction and 16 CFM airflow |
| Navigation | ClearView LiDAR with multi level maps, no go zones and room sequences (iRobot, Vacuum Wars) | LiDAR with 3D multi level maps for up to 4 floors (Narwal) |
| Obstacle avoidance | None for small objects; Vacuum Wars and RTINGS both say to clear cables and clutter first | Tri laser structured light, infrared and ultrasonic sensors (Narwal); Vacuum Wars scored obstacle avoidance 1.22 stars |
| Mopping | No, vacuum only; the separate Roomba 105 Combo adds a mop | Dual triangular spinning pads at 180 rpm, 12 N pressure on tile, 12 mm lift on carpet (Narwal, nextpit) |
| Self empty | Yes, AutoEmpty dock with a bag that holds up to 75 days of debris (iRobot) | No dock emptying; the robot compresses dust into a 1 L bag, claimed up to 7 weeks (Narwal, TechRadar) |
| Dock features | Auto empty and charging only | Mop washing, auto detergent, 40 C hot air drying (Narwal) |
| 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 | 210 min claimed (Narwal); nextpit saw about 2 hours before it returned at 20% |
| Dustbin | Not published | 1 L onboard bag (Narwal, TechRadar); Vacuum Wars lists 480 ml |
| Height | 4.1 in (Vacuum Wars) | 4.2 in (Vacuum Wars spec table) |
| Pet hair | Vacuum Wars measured 29% flattened pet hair pickup against an 81% average, and 79% of long hair wrapped the brush | Vacuum Wars measured 76% pet hair pickup; TUV and SGS certified for zero tangling (Narwal) |
| App | iRobot Home app with maps, no go zones, room settings and schedules; works with Alexa and Google Assistant (Vacuum Wars) | Narwal app with no go zones; works with Siri (Narwal) |
| Threshold | Not published | 20 mm (Vacuum Wars spec table) |
| Noise | n/a | TechRadar measured 53 dB; nextpit found it loud at max suction |
| Best for | Roomba fans with hard floors and no pets | hard floor mopping at a reduced price |
| Skip if | you have shedding pets or long hair in the house | you want a dock that empties dust for you |
Specs are maker claims unless a reviewer is named. Prices from the stores we link, checked daily.
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
- 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
Narwal Freo X Ultra
- Vacuum Wars (2.26 Vacuum Wars stars): Measured 1.86 kPa suction, 16 CFM airflow and 76% pet hair pickup. Estimated 1,103 sq ft per charge. Obstacle avoidance scored 1.22 stars. Source
- TechRadar (Performance 4.5/5): Measured 53 dB. Picked up Cheerios in one pass and handled a soy sauce spill in about two. The app could not split an open plan floor into rooms. Source
- nextpit: Picked up 99% of oat flakes and 98% of sand on tile and 96% of sand on carpet. Ran about 2 hours before returning at 20%. A dust bag burst after six hours of use. Source
Pros and cons
iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock
Pros
- Low price for LiDAR plus auto empty
- Bags hold up to 75 days
- Good embedded dirt pickup on carpet
- Familiar iRobot Home app
- Sold direct by iRobot and Amazon
Cons
- 29% pet hair pickup in Vacuum Wars test
- Long hair wraps the brush
- Low coverage per charge
- No obstacle avoidance or mop
- Owner went through Chapter 11 in 2025
Narwal Freo X Ultra
Pros
- 96% sand pickup on carpet in nextpit testing
- Firm 12 N mop pressure on tile
- Hot air drying and auto detergent
- Mop lifts 12 mm on carpet
- Quiet at 53 dB per TechRadar
Cons
- No dock dust emptying
- Weak obstacle avoidance in Vacuum Wars testing
- Room splitting tool struggles with open plans
- Bag burst during nextpit testing
- Struggles with thin cables and table legs
Questions buyers ask
Which is better, the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock or the Narwal Freo X Ultra?
The Narwal Freo X Ultra has a published review score and ranks #5 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 Narwal Freo X Ultra for hard floor mopping at a reduced price.
What is the difference between the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock and the Freo X Ultra?
Suction: 7,000 Pa claimed (iRobot via GearBrain); Vacuum Wars measured 2.16 kPa sealed suction… on the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock, 8,200 Pa (Narwal); Vacuum Wars measured 1.86 kPa bench suction and 16 CFM airflow on the Freo X Ultra. Navigation: ClearView LiDAR with multi level maps, no go zones and room sequences (iRobot, Vacuum… on the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock, LiDAR with 3D multi level maps for up to 4 floors (Narwal) on the Freo X Ultra. 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, Tri laser structured light, infrared and ultrasonic sensors (Narwal); Vacuum Wars scored… on the Freo X Ultra.
Also consider
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All robot vacuums, ranked
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