Matic, the company behind my favorite robot vacuum, is launching its first new model since its 2023 debut: the Matic Serene. The new robotic floor cleaner has one key upgrade: noise reduction. With a promised output of just 52 decibels at its highest suction level, the Serene claims to be about as quiet as a running refrigerator. It costs $1,695, $200 more than the original Matic’s current price, and is available now. The good news is the company is offering an upgrade path for existing Matic owners.
The Serene targets people “who are extremely noise sensitive,” cofounder and president Mehul Nariyawala tells The Verge. But beyond noise levels, it’s “exactly the same Matic.” The upgrade comes via a new hardware stack, and existing Matic owners can request a Serene hardware upgrade for their current model in early 2027.
Loud robot vacuums often get shut off by annoyed owners, meaning they don’t finish their job and frustrate owners even more. (This happens a lot in my household.) That is why many bots have the option of a quiet mode, but these modes generally mean lower suction and less effective cleaning. The Matic Serene will clean on max power at just 52 decibels. “It’s very quiet on carpets, on hard surfaces; you mostly hear brush roll now,” says Nariyawala. The original Matic, which costs $1,495 and will continue to be sold, operates at 55 decibels.
Matic takes a new approach to robot vacuums, with a form factor and navigation system different from most lidar-based disc robots sold by brands like iRobot, Roborock, Dreame, and others. Nariyawala told me that when the company developed Matic, they designed it to address the “seven deadly sins of robot vacuums,” with noise high on that list, along with getting stuck and dying under the couch.
Many of today’s robot vacuums have a quiet mode that runs around 55 to 60 decibels, but they achieve this reduction by lowering suction power. In high-power mode, most are closer to 70 decibels. Matic launched with a claim of 55 decibels on its highest level and is now dropping by 3 more decibels, which could be a big deal for people who like to run their vacuums while at home. I’ve found I can use the Matic while working from home, but I sometimes need to shut it off if I am on a phone call. At 3 decibels quieter, I might not need to interrupt its work.
Existing owners can upgrade their Matic for the difference between their original purchase price and Serene’s price of $1,695. Matic has seen several price increases since it launched. The current model costs $1,495. However, someone may have purchased it for $1,095 when it first launched, meaning the upgrade could cost $600. That’s probably a tough sell. But if you gave up on robot vacuums because of noise, the Serene could be the solution you’ve been waiting for. I’ll be testing it soon and will have a full review.