Entertainment
Best Roombas, explained: The guide to deciding which Roomba to buy in 2025
It would come as a surprise to more people than you think that “roomba” isn’t the universal term for a robot vacuum. It is, in fact, a capital “R” that denotes Roomba as a proper noun rather than a generic trademark — Roombas are just robot vacuums made by iRobot, and looking for the best Roombas is a much more specific search than looking for the best robot vacuums in general, regardless of brand. However, Roomba’s Band-Aid or Kleenex level interchangeability really does exemplify just how iconic iRobot has become in the world of automated floor cleaners.
That can be attributed to the fact that iRobot has consistently delivered some of the most reliable robot vacuum models for two decades. More than 20 Roombas have come out since the first one hit homes in 2002, but keeping track of the best Roombas isn’t so chaotic when you consider that only a handful of those models are actually relevant at the time of your shopping.
How to tell the difference between the Roomba models
The arbitrary numbers and letters of the Roomba family tree are confusing at face value, but nothing that can’t be told apart after learning a few super general classification themes.
That can be attributed to the fact that iRobot has consistently delivered some of the most reliable robot vacuum models for two decades. More than 20 Roombas have come out since the first one hit homes in 2002, but tracking the best Roombas isn’t so chaotic when you consider that only a handful of those models are actually relevant at the time of your shopping.
How to tell the difference between the Roomba models
The arbitrary numbers and letters of the Roomba family tree are confusing at face value, but nothing that can’t be told apart after learning a few super general classification themes.
When shopping for a Roomba, you’ll really only be choosing from what I call iRobot’s core lineup: the group of three to five Roomba series that are actively sold on iRobot’s website. Any Roomba whose title includes a letter and a number (like j9+ or i5) or the word Max is more advanced than a Roomba with just numbers in the title (like 692) or just words (like Roomba Vac or Essential).
As of early winter 2025, the five main Roomba collections up for grabs are as follows, from most advanced to least advanced: Max, j series, s series (though nearly obsolete), i series, and Essential series.
A plus sign (like j9+) denotes that the model comes with a self-emptying dock, and Roombas that mop will have “Combo” in the title. Note that there are several Roombas that can be purchased with or without mopping capabilities or self-emptying docks. “Max” is a new layer of Roomba typology that was introduced with the drop of the Roomba Combo 10 Max — it refers to the ability of a mopping Roomba to wash and dry its own mopping pad within the self-empty dock. On the other end of the spectrum, “Essential” means “most basic” in the Roomba family, and that means no smart mapping.
To pinpoint which Roombas have smart mapping, pay close attention to how navigation is discussed in the title or in the list. If you don’t literally see the words “Smart Mapping” anywhere, that Roomba cannot map your home and clean specific rooms on command. No, “Smart Navigation” or anything about cleaning in “neat rows” does not count.
When is a new Roomba coming out?
We probably won’t see a new Roomba at least until spring 2025, but that probably won’t even be the new flagship Roomba. If, in your eyes, a question about “the new Roomba” refers to the next Roomba that’ll be a big deal, you’ll likely be waiting until August or September 2025.
iRobot is on a different release schedule than most other big robot vacuum brands, who typically debut their new flagship models for the year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. Alternatively, iRobot tends to debut its flagship model for the year in late summer — the past two flagship Roombas (the 2023 Combo j9+ and 2024 Combo 10 Max) were announced in September and July, respectively, both with releases slated for later that fall.
Aside from The Big One, iRobot does drop other Roombas throughout the year, like an updated version of a base-tier Roomba.
Plus, fun stuff happens to the Roombas that are already out all the time. Roombas go on sale pretty frequently, even if it’s not the Black Friday, holiday, or Prime Day season. So it’s possible that at any point in time you’re reading this, the particular Roomba you’re eyeing is $100 or $200 off. I list the MSRP for each by default, but will mention the most common sale price that each Roomba drops to in “The Good” section below.)
Not sure which Roomba would be the most worth it in your household? I’ve tested nearly every Roomba series released since 2019 in my own home, and have composed a running Roomba model comparison guide to all of the best iRobot options at any point in the year.
Not every single Roomba model in existence will be listed in this guide, and not every “main” Roomba on iRobot’s website will be recommended as one of the best. Rather, I’ve pulled Roombas from multiple price points that I think offer the best value in various categories that people care about, whether that’s mopping, smart mapping, small obstacle detection, the cheapest possible path to all of those features, or budget alone. Each Roomba’s battery life and automatic emptying capabilities will be noted, along with my reasoning for choosing the highlighted model over other Roombas with similar prices.
Here’s your easy breakdown of all of the best Roomba vacuums at the start of 2025:
Entertainment
This robotic pool vacuum is basically a Roomba that can swim, and it’s $449 off today
SAVE 35%: As of May 6, you can get the Beatbot AquaSense 2 for $849 at Amazon, down from $1,298. That’s a 35% discount or $449 savings.
$849
at Amazon
$1,298
Save $449
I don’t have a pool (well, not a personal one, anyway; I live in an apartment complex), but I do have a robot vacuum, and I know the joy of watching a little machine clean my floors while I do other things. If you apply that same logic to pool maintenance (which I imagine is a lot more annoying than keeping your floors clean), then investing in a robo pool cleaner makes a lot of sense.
Mashable Trend Report
And, right now, you can get one of Amazon’s top-rated models for a fraction of the price. As of May 6, you can get the Beatbot AquaSense 2 for $849 at Amazon, down from $1,298. That’s a 35% discount or $449 savings. It’s also the lowest price we’ve seen this model go for. The only problem? Amazon marked this as a “limited-time deal,” and the countdown clock shows it ends in about 16 hours.
This thing works just like an indoor robot vacuum; it maps out its cleaning path and then uses an onboard 4-core CPU and 16 sensors to navigate using an S-path for the pool floor and an N-path to scrub the walls and waterline. It also has a “Double-Pass Scrubbing” feature for the waterline, so it’ll get the grimiest spots twice per pass. Bonus: When it’s done cleaning (or when the battery runs low), it automatically parks itself at the surface of the water so you don’t have to go diving to retrieve it.
Entertainment
Grandma Anne’s Secret Jell-O
I love making food that people appreciate — the kind of meal that makes the whole table go quiet at the first bite. But you know what I kind of love more? Making food that makes the whole table shriek like kids chasing the ice-cream truck.
So, when I happened upon a “secret Jell-O” recipe in chef Hillary Sterling’s new cookbook, Ammazza! — titled for the Roman slang term, which roughly translates to “wowee!” — I knew I had to share.
“This was the defining treat of my childhood,” explains Hillary. Growing up, her Grandma Anne always kept a bowl of Jell-O in the fridge. “She added halved grapes, and they’d hover in the middle while it ‘jellified.’ It tasted so cool, refreshing, and delicious.” As adults, Hillary and her sister tried to replicate it, but never managed to get the taste just right. That’s when their grandpa clued them in to Grandma Anne’s secret ingredient: sweet liqueur. “Turns out, our favorite childhood dessert was one part Grandma, one part frat party.”
Hillary’s own adaptation is a little more cocktail-party than frat, but just as festive: a ruby-red confection, studded with plums and served in a champagne coupe. Plus, it’s incredibly simple, with less than 10 minutes of active cooking time. And while I’ll give Grandma Anne the benefit of the doubt, and say she probably wasn’t trying to inebriate her grandchildren, this recipe has almost a shot’s worth of brandy per serving (wowee, indeed!). So, let’s maybe keep it at the grown-ups table.
Grandma Anne’s Secret Jell-O
from Ammazza! by Hillary Sterling
Serves 4
1/2 cup (115 g) prunes*
3/4 cup (180 ml) brandy
1 85-gram package cherry gelatin
*It’s true, prunes are dried plums. Here, they’re essentially rehydrated in the cooking process.
In a small pot, combine the prunes and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the brandy. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat low, and cook until the prunes absorb all the liquid (about 5 minutes). Set aside. In a separate small saucepan, bring 1 cup (240 ml) of water to a boil. Place the gelatin in a heatproof bowl, then pour the hot water over it, whisking until fully dissolved (about 2 minutes). Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) of brandy and 1 cup (240 ml) of cold water.
Divide half of the gelatin mixture evenly among four glasses, filling them about halfway. (“This is the time to break out your heirloom wine glasses or champagne coupes,” says Hillary. “Style and presentation meant everything to my grandmother.”) Arrange the glasses on a small sheet pan for stability. Refrigerate, uncovered, until just set (about 1 hour).
Finally, divide the steeped prunes evenly among the glasses, gently placing them on top of the set layer. Top each glass with the remaining gelatin — the fruit will “float” as it sets. Cover and refrigerate until firm but still jiggly (about 1 hour more). Serve, and enjoy!
Thank you so much, Hillary! And congratulations on your beautiful cookbook.
P.S. More fun party recipes, including a chaotic pavlova and a pasta cake.
(Photos by Kelly Puleio. Excerpted with permission from Ammazza!, on sale now from Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Copyright © 2026 by Hillary Sterling)
Entertainment
The Bradley Cooper Horror Movie That Will Break Your Brain
By Sean Thiessen
| Published
What do you get when you cross Bradley Cooper with a Clive Barker horror story? The answer: 2008’s gory cult classic The Midnight Meat Train. Though a slashed theatrical release buried the film, this disturbing bloodbath has finally been unearthed on Tubi.
Riding The Rails Has Never Been More Dangerous
Bradley Cooper leads The Midnight Meat Train as Leon Kaufman, a photographer keen on capturing the grit of city life. After his portfolio is rejected by a high-profile gallery owner for being too safe, Leon ventures out in search of danger. Spoiler alert: he finds it.
Leon captures a brutal act of violence on a subway and becomes obsessed with tracking down a serial killer who has been enacting carnage on the late-night train for years. Leon spirals down a tunnel of mystery that slowly unravels a conspiracy that goes all the way to the bottom. He struggles to gain the support of the police and even his own girlfriend, portrayed by actress Leslie Bibb. The Midnight Meat Train speeds toward a sinister conclusion that is a must-see for horror fans.
This Bradley Cooper film is unlike any other. The Midnight Meat Train was adapted from Barker’s short story by Pet Sematary (2019) screenwriter Jeff Buhler and directed by Japanese filmmaker Ryûhei Kitamura. The result is a dark, tense, and revolting horror mystery, complete with the hyper-stylized sensibilities of 2008.
The film was originally set as the feature directorial debut of Patrick Tatopoulos, a special effects wizard and production designer who cut his teeth on movies like Independence Day, I, Robot, and Underworld. It was scheduled to shoot in New York City in 2005.
Tatopoulos was replaced by Kitamura and, in an effort to cut costs, Bradley Cooper and the rest of the gang shot The Midnight Meat Train in the Los Angeles metro system. Production finally began in the spring of 2007.
Lionsgate distributed the film but only opened the movie in the secondary theatrical market, limiting the release to about 100 screens. It was then quickly released on DVD, much to the filmmakers’ dismay. Clive Barker openly criticized Lionsgate’s Joe Drake for burying other films in order to venerate The Strangers, for which Drake was a producer.
Critics twho saw The Midnight Meat Train generally liked it, praising the acting from Bradley Cooper, Leslie Bibb, Vinnie Jones, and the rest of the cast. The film carries a 70 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes on the consensus that it delivers the thrills, scares, and gore its target audience seeks.
Bradley Cooper’s Career Took Off After Midnight Meat Train
Bradley Cooper jumped from Midnight Meat Train into the following year’s breakout hit The Hangover. That film launched Cooper from a solid supporting actor to a bankable leading man. The Hangover spawned a lucrative trilogy of comedies that provided a steady stream for Cooper as he expanded to dramatic horizons.
Cooper has since led an exciting and successful career as an actor, director, and producer. His performance in 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook earned the actor his first Oscar nomination, which he followed up with nominations for his work in American Hustle, American Sniper, and A Star is Born. As a producer, his films Joker, A Star is Born, American Sniper, and Nightmare Alley were nominated for Best Picture.
Bradley Cooper’s horror background with Midnight Meat Train paired with the gnarly sensibilities of director James Gunn to bring about Rocket Raccoon in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. The character may be Cooper’s most iconic, but it is easy to forget that such a high-profile actor lurks beneath the CGI surface of the lovable a-hole.
The evolution of Cooper’s career is a fascinating one, and The Midnight Meat Train is an important piece of the puzzle. It stands out among his list of comedies, dramas, and action films, and the film’s troubled release leaves it begging for rediscovery.
Now, nearly 20 years after its release, fans of Bradley Cooper can head on over to Tubi and ride The Midnight Meat Train all the way to the end of the bloody line.
Struggling Cavs might be without Sam Merrill (hamstring) for Game 2 vs. Pistons
With new CBA, WNBA may be entering its golden era
