The iRobotroomba 105 Vac (pictured) is part of the company’s redesigned lineup.
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ZDNET Highlights
- iRobot is in danger of closure.
- This raises questions about the future of Roomba vacuums.
- Black Friday shoppers should proceed with caution.
After announcing a product redesign earlier this year, iRobot is once again in the news for risking bankruptcy – and Its latest financial filing Eye opening. The company announced a reinvention of its entire product line last March as a Hail Mary move to regain its once-dominant share of the robot vacuum market.
Unfortunately, the latest SEC filings indicate that iRobot is hanging on by a thread, making this effort futile.
Also: My picks for the best robot vacuums for pet hair: Roomba, Eufy, Ecovacs, and more
Last spring, iRobot’s SEC filing The next 12 months depict a gloomy financial outlook for the company. Now, the company is at risk of being declared bankrupt in a matter of weeks. iRobot, maker of Roomba robot vacuums, is facing serious financial challenges, including substantial debt, credit difficulties, market struggles, and declining revenues.
According to the latest filing, if iRobot is unable to secure new funding before December 1, 2025, it could be forced to “significantly cut back operations or close and seek bankruptcy protection.”
The company laid off 40% of its workforce in 2024, reduced hiring, closed offices, subleased part of its headquarters and cut marketing costs. These measures saved iRobot $126.4 million at the time, but they were not enough to stabilize the company. As early as 2025, iRobot was counting on the launch of an entirely new product line to re-establish its place in the robot market, which has been weakened by strong competition from Roborock, Dreami and Ecovacs.
Part of its redesign included adopting some features that had long been offered in these competitors’ robot vacuums, such as dual rotating mop pads and a transparent marketing strategy on its devices. However, the new SEC filing states that capital declined from $134 million at the end of 2024 to just $25 million in September 2025.
Also: Why one of the best robot vacuums for pets is from a brand you’ve never heard of
iRobot was also exploring other strategies, such as selling to or merging with another company or securing new financing to support itself, but the potential buyer dropped out after negotiations failed. While the board continues to explore options for the company’s liquidation, the filing indicates that no deal is possible outside of bankruptcy.
Should you buy a Roomba this Black Friday?
Black Friday deals on Roombas will certainly be tempting, but there may be risks for consumers. iRobot faces possible bankruptcy within weeks unless it secures emergency funding or a buyer. This means Roombas face an uncertain future, with a lack of support, a potential shortage of replacement parts, and no long-term software updates.
Also: Best Early Black Friday Robot Vacuum Deals 2025: 20+ Deals I’d Buy Right Now
This isn’t a guarantee, but if iRobot files for bankruptcy or, worse, shuts down, users may find cloud features stop working, like mapping updates and app access. iRobot has also cut R&D and operating cash, which could affect how — or if — software bugs and integration issues will be addressed.
What happens to your Roomba if iRobot shuts down?
If iRobot is shut down, existing Roomba models will continue to operate, but they will be offline and operate in a limited manner. iRobot will stop offering customer support, software updates and support for certain smart home integrations that rely on cloud servers. This means you’ll likely be able to launch your Roomba from the iRobot app or via the robot’s buttons, but you’ll likely encounter more bugs that won’t be fixed and be unable to use Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control.
Also: I tested a robot vacuum with 19,000Pa of suction power, and it left my Roomba in dust
Without updates to the iRobot app or your Roomba, your robot vacuum will also be vulnerable to potential exploits by malicious actors if it remains connected to the Internet.
Replacement parts will also be very difficult to come by. You’ll have to rely on third-party vendors and independent manufacturers for filters, brushes, dust bags, and other parts. These may not work as intended or may be incompatible with the robot’s systems.
Why is iRobot struggling financially?
iRobot is currently burdened with a heavy debt burden which has become unmanageable as the market has changed and competitors have taken over the top spots in the robot vacuum market. In 2023, the company secured a $200 million loan from The Carlyle Group, with the intention of supporting its operations during the Amazon merger review. Amazon’s acquisition failedAnd the company has been stuck with loans ever since.
Despite cost-cutting measures in 2024, iRobot’s revenue is down 23.4% to $681.8 million by year’s end compared to 2023. As of September 27, 2025, total revenues had declined by 26.5% year-on-year.
Also: I test robot vacuums for a living, and this one has the most useful cleaning feature I’ve yet seen
iRobot amended the loan with The Carlyle Group to obtain a temporary waiver on certain financial obligations, which resulted in the company paying a $3.6 million fee and requiring it to issue 6% of its stock warrants to the lender. At present, iRobot has no new capital sources remaining and has drawn down the last $5 million of restricted cash as of September 30.
The company attributes its current financial outlook to several factors, including market share losses to aggressive Chinese competitors like Roborock, low consumer demand and macroeconomic factors.
