Accrued Expenses (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 27, 2014	Dec. 28, 2013
Accounts Payable, Current [Abstract]
Accrued warranty	$ 7,925	$ 6,497
Accrued Sales Tax	623	831
Accrued rent	708	726
Accrued direct fulfillment costs	779	1,362
Accrued sales commissions	356	539
Accrued accounting fees	401	181
Accrued contractors, current	103	509
Accrued other	6,936	4,235
Accrued expenses	17,831	14,880
Employee-related Liabilities, Current	$ 11,770	$ 19,606

Accrued contractors, current

No definition available.

Name:	irbt_Accruedcontractorscurrent
Namespace Prefix:	irbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Accrued direct fulfillment costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	irbt_AccruedDirectFulfillmentCosts
Namespace Prefix:	irbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Accrued Sales Tax

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	irbt_AccruedSalesTax
Namespace Prefix:	irbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrentAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Examples include taxes, interest, rent and utilities. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for professional fees, such as for legal and accounting services received. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Current Liabilities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6509677

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6935-107765

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6911-107765

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedProfessionalFeesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for contractual rent under lease arrangements. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedRentCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for sales commissions. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedSalesCommissionCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for obligations related to services received from employees, such as accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable arising from transactions not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount as of the balance sheet date of the aggregate standard product warranty liability that is expected to be paid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Does not include the balance for the extended product warranty liability.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrualCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant