iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock vs SwitchBot K11+
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 SwitchBot K11+ costs $400, so the SwitchBot K11+ is $50 cheaper. Pick the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock for Roomba fans with hard floors and no pets. Pick the SwitchBot K11+ for small apartments with tight gaps under furniture.
- 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
- 6,000 Pa
- Navigation
- LiDAR
- Mopping
- No
Built for small apartments and rooms packed with furniture, since it is only about 25 cm across and its dock is smaller than a sheet of A4. Reviewers like the speedy cleaning and big 4 L dock bag, but treat it as a vacuum only, because the wipe mop is weak. Skip it for larger homes, cluttered floors or heavy pet hair, and wait for a sale since it often drops well below $400.
Full SwitchBot K11+ review →Side by side
| iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock | SwitchBot K11+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $450 | $400 |
| 3 year cost | $550 | $595 |
| Our score | Not scored yet | Not scored yet |
| Rank in Floors | #28 | #27 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | 1 year limited (Amazon listing) | 1 year |
| 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 | 6,000 Pa with Quiet, Standard, Strong and Max modes (SwitchBot) |
| Navigation | ClearView LiDAR with multi level maps, no go zones and room sequences (iRobot, Vacuum Wars) | LDS LiDAR with SLAM mapping (SwitchBot); TechRadar found it fast and accurate, Tom's Guide needed about four mapping attempts |
| Obstacle avoidance | None for small objects; Vacuum Wars and RTINGS both say to clear cables and clutter first | Infrared and PSD sensors, no camera; TechRadar and Expert Reviews saw it run over cables and socks |
| Mopping | No, vacuum only; the separate Roomba 105 Combo adds a mop | No, no water tank; a disposable wet wipe attachment only, which reviewers found weak (TechRadar) |
| Self empty | Yes, AutoEmpty dock with a bag that holds up to 75 days of debris (iRobot) | Yes, 4 L antibacterial bag, up to 90 days (SwitchBot) |
| Dock features | Auto empty and charging only | Auto empty and charging only; dock 24 x 18 x 25 cm (TechRadar) |
| 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; 3,200 mAh battery with under 5 h charging (SwitchBot); Tom's Guide cites over two hours in quiet mode |
| Dustbin | Not published | Robot bin size not published; 4 L dock bag (SwitchBot) |
| Height | 4.1 in (Vacuum Wars) | 98.5 mm, 248 mm wide (SwitchBot) |
| Pet hair | Vacuum Wars measured 29% flattened pet hair pickup against an 81% average, and 79% of long hair wrapped the brush | Expert Reviews collected 3.1 g of pet hair per surface, at the low end of its tests; Tom's Guide pet hair 70% hardwood, 65% carpet |
| App | iRobot Home app with maps, no go zones, room settings and schedules; works with Alexa and Google Assistant (Vacuum Wars) | SwitchBot app plus Matter for Apple Home, Alexa and Google Home; TechRadar noted quirks such as an 8 character room name limit |
| Threshold | Not published | Climbs up to 1.7 cm (SwitchBot) |
| Best for | Roomba fans with hard floors and no pets | small apartments with tight gaps under furniture |
| Skip if | you have shedding pets or long hair in the house | you need real mopping or have a large home |
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
SwitchBot K11+
- TechRadar: Charming, capable vacuum for cramped homes with fast, accurate navigation and a large dock bag; the wipe mop is not worth using, auto empty is noisy and it hit a shoe and sucked up a cable. TechRadar gave a Performance 3.5/5 subscore but no overall rating. Source
- Tom's Guide: Picked up all kitty litter but struggled with Cheerios; mapping needed about four attempts and the reviewer preferred the cheaper K10+ Pro unless battery life or noise matter most. Source
- Expert Reviews: Near perfect rice pickup on carpet and laminate, but weaker on flour and pet hair; it ran over socks and cables and did not detect a fake dog mess. 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
SwitchBot K11+
Pros
- Very compact robot and dock
- Large 4 L bag, up to 90 days
- Fast, accurate navigation in TechRadar tests
- Matter support for Apple Home, Alexa and Google
- Often discounted on Amazon
Cons
- Mop is a basic wet wipe
- Poor obstacle avoidance
- Weak pet hair pickup in Expert Reviews tests
- Noisy when auto emptying
- Full price is high for its class
Questions buyers ask
Which is better, the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock or the SwitchBot K11+?
Pick the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock for Roomba fans with hard floors and no pets. Pick the SwitchBot K11+ for small apartments with tight gaps under furniture.
Which is cheaper?
The SwitchBot K11+ at $400, versus $450 for the iRobot Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock, checked Oct 26, 2026. Over 3 years with running costs: $550 vs $595.
What is the difference between the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock and the K11+?
Suction: 7,000 Pa claimed (iRobot via GearBrain); Vacuum Wars measured 2.16 kPa sealed suction… on the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock, 6,000 Pa with Quiet, Standard, Strong and Max modes (SwitchBot) on the K11+. Navigation: ClearView LiDAR with multi level maps, no go zones and room sequences (iRobot, Vacuum… on the Roomba 105 Vac + AutoEmpty Dock, LDS LiDAR with SLAM mapping (SwitchBot); TechRadar found it fast and accurate, Tom's… on the K11+. 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, Infrared and PSD sensors, no camera; TechRadar and Expert Reviews saw it run over cables… on the K11+.
Also consider
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