TL;DR: On Sept. 11, iRobot introduced the second half of its 2023 lineup, totaling 5 new Roombas ranging in worth from $349.99 to $1,399.99. Highlights embrace a brand new flagship Combo Roomba with iRobot’s most superior suction, scrubbing, and computerized dock thus far. All are available for purchase or preorder now.
The recognizability of “Roomba” is palpable each time somebody refers to a robotic vacuum from any model as a Roomba. However iRobot’s 2023 product drop appears to take purpose at these whose expertise with Roomba ends at identify recognition, notably stretching mopping capabilities — a characteristic beforehand reserved for its most costly vacuum — to a surprisingly varietal worth vary of $349.99 to $1,399.99.
The discharge of the fleet of 5 new Roombas was really damaged up into two elements. The tip of August noticed a considerably quiet launch of the upgraded variations of the prevailing i5 sequence, whereas Sept. 11 marked the launch of two new sequence: the j5 and the brand new flagship j9. This is the complete lineup:
New Roombas that mop
New Roomba that does not mop
(To inform Roomba titles aside at a look, keep in mind that the plus signal signifies computerized emptying, and the phrase “combo” signifies the retractable mopping pad.)
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Whereas the 2023 line does appear to deal with higher balancing superior cleansing options with decrease prices, the j9 sequence is a deal with for seasoned iRobot converts who can pay for probably the most souped-up cleansing expertise.
Earlier than breaking down the main points differentiating the 2023 Roombas from one another and their predecessors, let’s elaborate on iRobot’s deal with mopping that we talked about earlier. After a yr of the $1,099.99 Roomba Combo j7+ being the one true 2-in-1 Roomba, iRobot now has a number of choices with a water tank and mopping pad.
There are two varieties of hybrid Roombas now
The Roomba Combo tank holds sufficient water for a month’s value of on-demand mopping.
Credit score: iRobot
Roomba Swap and Mop vacs will return to scrub rugs as soon as the water tank is eliminated.
Credit score: iRobot
It is the place the tank and pad reside when not in use that units the brand new vacs aside. The Combo’s declare to fame is a retractable mopping pad that absolutely lifts above the physique of the vacuum when it isn’t mopping fairly than letting a soggy pad riskily hover over carpet and rugs. The Roomba Combo j9+ and the Roomba Combo j5+ use the Combo mechanism.
The brand new Swap and Mop is a less-advanced however less-expensive design by which you may bodily swap a full-sized mud bin for a water tank relying on the kind of flooring being tackled. The 2 new i5 fashions characteristic the Swap and Mop design.
To maintain prices low, the Swap and Mop system omits the retractable mopping pad and as a substitute makes use of a extra fundamental two-tank system. Switching to mopping mode does require you to be residence, but it surely’s simple: Simply click on the full-sized mud bin or the water tank into place relying on the cleansing session being run. Although Swap and Mop Roombas do carry out some dry vacuuming whereas mopping, you possibly can designate carpeted areas to keep away from within the app, then swap the bins to have the Roomba take a legit carpet lap.
The Combo j9+ has iRobot’s most superior every little thing
A mere yr after launching its very first true 2-in-1 robotic vacuum and mop (the Roomba Combo j7+), iRobot is already constructing considerably on almost each side of that design with the brand new Roomba Combo j9+.
Credit score: iRobot
Earlier than the Combo j9+, your high-end Roomba choices have been the Combo j7+ and the s9+. The Combo j7+ was the one alternative for mopping and detection of small obstacles like cords and pet waste, whereas the s9+ was the selection for deep carpet cleansing, deploying 40 occasions the suction of the older 600 Collection Roombas (the j7 solely provided 10 occasions higher suction). Every excelled on one flooring kind or the opposite, however not each.
The mastery of each flooring varieties is not mutually unique with the Combo j9+. On comfortable flooring, iRobot’s strongest suction energy but works with twin rubber brushes and an computerized suction enhance to dig into thick carpet fibers and seize hair, fur, or crumbs. On laborious flooring, iRobot’s new SmartScrub method sends the mopping pad forwards and backwards (full with some precise elbow grease) over sticky spills and cussed footprints for scrubbing two occasions deeper than the Combo j7+. The Combo j9+ tank can also be appropriate with a protracted listing of cleansing options fairly than simply water.
Up to date expertise inside the brand new Roombas additionally helps them apply these extra highly effective cleansing methods to the rooms that want it most. With iRobot’s new Dust Detective expertise, your Combo j9+ cleans the dirtiest rooms first on any common cleansing run.
The opposite standout tech characteristic carried over from the j7+ is the group of a front-facing digital camera and front-facing LED mild that type iRobot’s PrecisionVision tech. This illuminates and detects small obstacles that journey different robotic vacuums up, like cords, socks, and pet waste.
The Combo j9+ has gold-tinted metallic accents and a flat prime with a contemporary wooden end.
Credit score: iRobot
The brand new self-emptying dock itself deserves equal hype. Its newfound capacity to refill the vac’s water tank for 30 days relieves the one main recurring downfall seen when evaluating the Combo j7+ to different 2-in-1 robotic vacuums. The dock is considerably larger than iRobot’s earlier docks, however can also be considerably extra stylish and doubles as a full-time facet desk.
Be aware: The unique mopping Roomba, the trusty, beloved Combo j7+, has acquired a everlasting worth drop to $999.99.
Lastly, mopping Roombas that aren’t $1,000
Up till now, anybody who was set on proudly owning a Roomba — not simply any robotic vacuum — principally had to decide on between spending quite a bit and securing superior options like deep carpet cleansing, small impediment avoidance, and even mopping, or spending approach much less however settling for simply first rate cleansing and first rate navigation. iRobot made positive to deal with this hole with the 2023 growth.
The 2 new mid-range Roomba fashions, the j5 sequence and upgraded i5 sequence, really launched first, quietly going stay on iRobot’s web site on the finish of August 2023. This is what they provide:
Credit score: iRobot
The j5 is the brand new j7 by way of appears and worth level, with one trick up its sleeve that Roombas at this worth have not seen earlier than. There are two iterations right here: the $799.99 Combo j5+, a robotic vacuum and mop with an computerized dust disposal dock, and the $599.99 Combo j5, the identical precise factor minus the automated emptying. These worth tags are $50 cheaper than the debut costs of the j7+ and the j7 after they got here out in fall 2021.
However the gag is that, regardless of being costlier, the unique j7 fashions did not mop. The primary Roomba to supply mopping ever was the Roomba Combo j7+, launched in Sept. 2022 at $1,099.99. With the Combo s9+ now carrying the crown for most costly Roomba, iRobot shifted to create two mid-range mopping Roombas, each of which can be found with a self-emptying dock or as standalone vacs.
Selecting between the j sequence and that i sequence comes down as to if or not you’re feeling like cleansing up the ground earlier than sending your Roomba out. The j sequence makes use of iRobot’s most superior digital camera system to keep away from small objects like pet waste, cords, and socks (and from our expertise, is definitely fairly good at it). The j5+ is now the most affordable Roomba with small impediment avoidance tech.
The i5 sequence fills out the low finish of the worth spectrum for the mopping Roombas. At $549.99 for the self-emptying model or $349.99 for the standalone vac, the most affordable Roomba mops greater than halves the $1,399.99 price ticket of the Combo j9+.
In fact, the worth reduce comes with characteristic cuts. The i5 sequence are one other Swap and Mop mannequin that will not choose up on these pesky small obstacles talked about earlier. It does, nevertheless, acknowledge partitions and furnishings properly sufficient to recollect the format of your house and clear particular rooms on demand. (A 2022 firmware replace unlocked Imprint sensible mapping capabilities for all Roomba i sequence vacuums, other than the i1 and i2).
In the event you’re upgrading to any of the 2023 Roombas from one other Roomba that already created a map of your home, you possibly can skip the cleansing run and switch the outdated Roomba’s map to the brand new vac within the iRobot app.
