The best-known manufacturer of autonomous vacuums declared bankruptcy this week, and no one should be surprised. The home-vacuum robot began, like most things, with war. In August 1990, the same month and year Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, three MIT roboticists incorporated the company that would eventually become iRobot, the maker of the Roomba. In its first decade, iRobot began to assemble a small-droid A-team for the theater of combat. The Ariel defused mines; the PackBot handled bomb disposal.

Nobody is immune to knock-offs, bad decision making and tariffs. The company which popularized robot vacuum cleaners around the world has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . The company plans to sell its assets to its primary supplier, China's Picea Robotics, in the hope of maintaining its business. Everyone's got a strident opinion as to why iRobot fell from grace. The rugged individualists blame limp regulators on both sides of the pond (and their hatred for big tech) for blocking Amazon's attempted purchase in 2023.

After Amazon's acquisition fell apart, it ran out of options. It plans to sell all assets to its primary supplier, the Chinese company Picea Robotics. Investors "will experience a total loss and not receive recovery on their investment" if the deal is approved, iRobot said. The company didn't discuss how the move might affect its employees in the US or elsewhere. Amazon dropped its $1.7 billion acquisition of the company last year after a veto threat from European regulators, leaving the Roomba maker with no other option.

The Roomba maker is considering handing over control to its main Chinese supplier.

After Amazon's acquisition of the Roomba-maker fell apart, it ran out of options. The Massachusetts-based company plans to sell all assets to its primary supplier, a Chinese company known as Picea Robotics. If approved by a bankruptcy court, the move would allow iRobot to continue operating in the ordinary course, pursue its product development roadmap, and maintain its global footprint, iRobot wrote in a press release. The company expects the deal to close in February 2026, but says it will continue to operate with no anticipated disruption to its app functionality, customer programs, global partners, supply chain relationships or ongoing product support. That means your Roomba should continue to clean normally and you'll be able to get consumables and replacement parts.

The US firm behind the Roomba smart vacuum cleaner, iRobot, has filed for bankruptcy protection after facing competition from Chinese rivals and being hit by tariffs. Under the so-called pre-packaged Chapter 11 process, the main manufacturer of its devices, Shenzhen-based Picea Robotics, will take ownership of the firm. The tough commercial landscape had forced iRobot to cut its prices and make major investments in new technology, according to documents filed on Sunday. US import duties of 46% on goods from Vietnam, where most of iRobot's devices for the American market are made, increased its costs by $23m (£17.2m) this year, the firm said. The loss-making company was valued at $3.56bn in 2021 after the pandemic helped to drive strong demand for its products.

The high-end iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max Autowash Dock hybrid robot vacuum/mop is on sale for 741 right now via Woot. Just enter the discount code "ENGADGET47" at checkout. This is a discount of 47 percent, which is more than 650 off the regular price of 1,400. The Roomba Combo 10 Max is the company's most premium model and filled to the brim with high-tech advancements. This is a hybrid unit, so it vacuums and mops. However, the model goes even further and can actually wash and dry the mopping pad.

Amazon's Big Spring Sale has finally reached its last day. Like last year, the deals are focused less on tech and gadgets and more on home, cleaning and fashion discounts. That's not Engadget's area of expertise -- except when it comes to robot vacuums, where home cleaning and hi-tech neatly intersect. We've tested dozens of these handy automatic floor cleaners and put the results in two buying guides one for budget models and one covering the best of the best. We've also tried out a few cordless vacs, which make good spot-cleaners to supplement automated cleaning. Right now, a number of our picks and related models are on sale and we've rounded up the best deals on vacuums Amazon's latest sale has to offer.

This year's Amazon Spring Sale is nearly over, but there's still time to grab a bunch of household, fashion and outdoor gear for record-low prices. Tech isn't a huge focus for this sale, but there are a decent number of devices on sale right now for some of the best prices we've seen all year. The selection may not be as good as that of Amazon Prime Day in July, but it still provides a good opportunity to save on things like headphones, robot vacuums, air purifiers and more. We've collected the best Amazon Spring Sale deals on tech gear here so you don't have to go searching for them. Our top pick for the best budget streaming device can play content at 1080p/60fps and now its remote can also control your TV's power and volume.

One notable trend at CES earlier this year was the quirky robot vacuum. It seemed every third booth had a new model that could climb stairs, pick up socks, serve drinks and, oh yeah, suck up dirt from your floor. Now that Amazon's Spring Sale is here, we're seeing lots of discounts -- not on those wacky prototypes, but on robo vacs that make keeping your floors clean easier and automated. Engadget has two guides to these handy home gadgets, based on years of testing and reviewing products from brands like iRobot, Shark, Dyson, Eufy and more. Here are the best deals on robot vacuums and cordless stick vacs we could find for the Big Spring Sale. This "essential" Roomba is relatively no-frills, but it has the added benefit of being a mopping robot in addition to a vacuum.