The chokehold that iRobot has had on the robotic vacuum market for the reason that early 2000s at all times makes it arduous for me to consider {that a} Roomba that additionally mops was nonetheless nonexistent 20 years later.
It is not that iRobot had by no means dabbled in robotic mopping in any respect. There have been a handful of iterations of the Braava Jet(opens in a brand new tab), iRobot’s devoted robotic mop. However whereas the Braava Jet was able to extraordinarily mild dry sweeping, it isn’t an precise robotic vacuum — therefore not getting the Roomba title. (iRobot confirms the separation by bundling the Braava Jet m6 with precise robotic vacuums just like the Roomba i3, s9, and j7.)
And also you have been most likely right this moment years outdated whenever you realized that the alleged first mainstream robotic mop ever(opens in a new tab), the Scooba “flooring washer,” was additionally a member of the iRobot fam.
But it surely wasn’t till 2022 — years after opponents like Roborock, Eufy, and Shark had launched a number of hybrid robotic vacuum mops — that iRobot dropped its first true 2-in-1 robotic vacuum and mop. iRobot actually let this one marinate, so what is the tea? Was the Roomba Combo j7+(opens in a brand new tab) well worth the wait?
The neatest Roomba to this point, now with a mop
The Roomba Combo j7+(opens in a brand new tab) is the mopping model of iRobot’s latest and smartest vacuum assortment but, the j sequence. Its declare to fame is PrecisionVision: the power to detect and keep away from small obstacles which can be sometimes blind spots, like pet waste, socks, and cords or chargers.
As a refresher, the “+” tacked on the top of any Roomba signifies computerized emptying. There isn’t any distinction in cleansing functionality between the j7 and j7+ vacuums themselves, and the one distinction with the Combo is that it has a retractable mop. The Clear Base (self-emptying dock) that comes with the j7+ and Combo j7+ is shorter than the older ones included with the i7+ and s9+, however the official 60-day capability hasn’t modified. Come to consider it, I’ve solely needed to swap the luggage in my Clear Base as soon as previously six months, so it is much more hands-off than marketed.
The j7+ dock is not bagless, sadly, however the baggage are tremendous simple to swap.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
Accessing the water tank does not require flipping the bot over.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
iRobot moved the digital camera that historically sits atop robotic vacuums (that may’t see gadgets under their three-ish-inch lid) to the entrance of the vacuum, increasing the viewing angle. This vigilant eye can also be assisted by a front-facing LED mild that illuminates the trail in entrance of the j7 that helps it higher understand the ground in entrance of it. If the j7 scoots as much as an object it senses as a problem-causer, it’s going to go round it.
The sunshine is sort of creepy at instances, however we’ll ignore that.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
Impediment avoidance is a non-negotiable for me now
Individuals have been having fun with automated cleansing through robotic vacuums for years earlier than small object avoidance was a factor. They simply merely accepted the pre-cleaning ritual of clearing cords, socks, pet toys, and such off the ground earlier than sending the vacuum out. It is not that huge of a deal, proper?
False. I should not have to scrub earlier than the factor I purchased particularly to scrub cleans.
The comfort of a robotic vacuum actually begins to dwindle whenever you really feel like you possibly can’t belief it to cowl the entire house with out consuming one thing or getting caught on a shower mat, which is particularly annoying whenever you’re not house to set it free. The clutchness of the j7+’s impediment avoidance significantly set itself aside after I started concurrently testing a robotic vacuum missing that expertise — and felt my nervousness skyrocket when forcing myself to offer the less-advanced vacuum a shot. For those who’ve ever needed to pry a valuable cellphone charger from the jaws of a bumbling robotic vacuum, you perceive.
After being positive the ground was clear whereas the j7 mapped my condominium with impediment avoidance off, I will admit that ignoring the urge to pre-clean to check the true competence of PrecisionVision made me nervous. I settle for that there must be some room for error with any perceptive tech function of this nature — however I used to be going to be pissed if my quick charging cable was eaten.
I am proud to report that, within the six months I’ve spent with the Combo j7+, that it has by no means as soon as not appropriately recognized a charger or the HDMI wire that is at all times mendacity in the lounge. I am equally proud to current you with my very first video-turned-GIF, which exhibits the j7 gently approaching and turning away from a charger in its path on my bed room flooring.
Although PrecisionVision is spectacular as hell, it isn’t good. It is nonetheless essential to handle expectations and do not forget that even a front-facing digital camera bodily cannot choose up on gadgets that mainly lie flat on the ground. After doing my nails whereas watching TV, I utterly forgot that I left my metallic nail file on the lounge flooring. The j7+ tried its damndest to choose it up earlier than I heard the clatter and rescued it.
Whereas a lot of my cat, Sansa’s, toys (like her mini stuffed mouse) bought a cross, extra ambiguous small obstacles like pretend snow from our vacation decor and feathery wand toys have been wolfed up. Truly, the primary time I noticed the ring mild on prime of the j7 mild up crimson was because of a blockage between the on-board dustbin and dock dustbin brought on by — watch for it — a rattling feather. The app pinpointed the issue and a Youtube video confirmed me the way to repair it, however Sansa says iRobot might be listening to from her lawyer.
Tub mats are additionally a perpetual downside for robotic vacs, and even the j7 is not utterly immune. Whereas it normally was in a position to efficiently scale and clear my bathtub mats whereas solely leaving a nook overturned, there was one occasion the place the j7 scrambled my bathtub mat to the purpose of getting utterly caught.
I would not need the j7 to keep away from cleansing my bathtub mats utterly, however I really feel just like the wheels may have executed extra.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
It really tried so arduous to get off the mat that it shredded the grippy rubber facet beneath.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
Mapping is correct and flooring protection is (fairly) thorough
PrecisionVision builds on iRobot’s already-great broad navigation talents and sensible mapping of rooms and particular areas of your private home. Just like the Roomba s sequence, the j sequence makes use of vSlam (optical-based navigation) to create a map of your private home. You may label it and tweak the map to your liking, together with drawing particular zones inside a room that the Roomba can both go on to or keep out of utterly.
Of the robotic vacs with sensible mapping that I’ve examined, I believe this Roomba produced the fullest and most correct map on the primary run. Barring just a few tweaks to dividers for bedrooms, the j7+ was principally in a position to regurgitate the final setup of partitions in my 1,500-ish-square-foot condominium after its first journey round, together with noting giant items of furnishings just like the island. It even marked the place our lounge rug and kitchen runner sit as a be aware to extend suction on these areas.
In fact, I nonetheless needed to tweak the map to maneuver dividers round and label the rooms, in addition to create zones. The iRobot OS app is tremendous simple to make use of, although, so enhancing the map is not a ache.
The house beneath my mattress is so filled with stuff that the j7 thought it was a wall.
Credit score: Screenshot: iRobot OS
Like impediment avoidance, iRobot’s sensible mapping was tremendous dependable the entire time. The j7 made it to the proper room or zone upon command (and again to its dock) and by no means bought misplaced. Perhaps this may be attributed to the quantity of pausing and pondering it stops to do mid-sweeping. As soon as, it stopped in entrance of the the massive floor-length mirror in our lounge — going through ahead — and I believe I witnessed an existential disaster. The vacuum resumed its job afterward, although.
The j7’s cleansing is not intolerably loud by any means, and is definitely quieter on rugs than on arduous flooring. However I nonetheless discover myself profiting from zone cleansing reasonably than hitting “clear all over the place” simply to maintain the incessant hum shorter. I would argue that sensible mapping and digital boundaries (that really work) are additionally must-have options since there are a number of spots that I really feel want extra frequent consideration, like the realm close to the entrance door the place all the sneakers step and in my toilet the place the litter field is.
The kitchen is an apparent staple zone, too, and never simply to choose up after consuming a crumby meal or tidying after some meals prep remnants made their approach to the ground. I additionally found the genius hack that’s cleansing the countertop by merely pushing the crumbs or shredded cheese onto the ground and calling the j7 over to hoover by the counter. The j7’s arduous flooring cleansing is kind of profitable on particles starting from spilled parsley flakes to kibble, and the facet brush does a reasonably good job of pushing peripheral particles into the cleansing path.
The j7 wove round these desk legs to swipe (most of) the catnip that Sansa spilled.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
The j7 detailed the spherical border of the espresso desk and was by no means tripped up by the ornamental blanket tassels.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
Furnishings-wise, the j7 is kind of good at getting proper up in opposition to the perimeters of huge obstacles with out really working into them. Our espresso desk is a spherical half sphere (it is giving acorn) and the j7 was in a position to delicately element the perimeter by backing up and making small changes to go across the bend. It additionally wasn’t afraid to go between kitchen desk chair legs and the legs of a desk within the hallway, and was in a position to information itself out with out getting caught.
I did discover the j7 randomly skipping just a few ft of flooring on the occasional zone cleansing that I know it lined the final time it cleaned that space. Annoying, however simple to stop by opting to double up on passes within the app. (This additionally helped to make sure any particles that was missed the primary time was grabbed.)
The mop does not present a lot elbow grease, nevertheless it’s higher than nothing
A robotic vacuum that mops is essential for anybody whose eye twitches when a visitor forgets to take off their sneakers on the door. And after the Dyson V12 Detect Slim’s laser confirmed me simply how dusty my flooring get even after each day vacuuming, I used to be much more bought on the premise of a moist mop to wipe my flooring of what a vacuum does not at all times choose up.
The mopping pads on these hybrid fashions just about fall below considered one of two classes: They both scrub or they do not. Usually known as “sonic mopping,” the scrubbing ones use some form of forceful mechanism to push the mopping pad into the ground and vibrate to go after harder, dried-on stains and footprints. The vacs with out that mechanism simply drag a moist pad throughout the ground, principally tackling moist spills or unfastened surface-level gunk.
I used to be stunned to be taught that the Combo j7+ was solely in between these after seeing the worth tag. (It exerts drive between the pad within the flooring, however does not vibrate backwards and forwards like different hybrids.) iRobot’s entire factor with the Combo j7+ is flexing the retractable mopping pad as “the world’s solely 2-in-1 robotic vacuum and mop that senses carpet then totally retracts to the highest of the robotic.” The retractable mop is not not cool, however to me, this assertion sort of implies that the Combo j7+ is the one robotic vac that senses carpet and lifts the mop — and that is not the case. I examined the Roborock S7 over a 12 months in the past and it additionally lifted the mop on comfortable flooring, simply not utterly on prime of the vacuum physique just like the j7. (And FWIW, I by no means skilled soggy rugs with that strategy.)
So I do want that iRobot would have lined some form of sonic scrubbing factor in its premium debut 2-in-1. That apart, the mop’s efficiency was passable for each day brown sock prevention. I discovered it significantly useful for normal repairs of the realm close to the entrance door and in my toilet, which made me really feel higher about stepping out of the bathe in naked ft onto the identical tile that my cat steps on after exiting the litter field. The pad additionally lapped up assorted dried stains within the kitchen and did an OK job of constructing the hardwood close to the door look much less grey with shoe prints. At any charge, the j7 does seal the deal after dry cleansing, and I like that it is a uncommon hybrid possibility that may clear with water or considered one of iRobot’s Bona arduous floor cleansing options.
These unidentified dried droplets confirmed up on the kitchen flooring close to the trash can.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
The j7’s pad, although stationary, was in a position to wipe virtually each drop up in a single cross.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
Downsides: Carpet cleansing ought to most likely be extra thorough at this value
FWIW, iRobot does not declare that the j7 is a deep carpet cleaner just like the s9. The listings on iRobot’s web site formally state that the j sequence delivers 10 instances the power-lifting suction of the baseline 600 sequence Roombas whereas the s sequence delivers 40 instances that. So I am not saying it is deceptive advertising and marketing, however I nonetheless sort of anticipated the j7+ to be harder on carpet and rugs.
Needing multiple cross to place the ending touches on a carpet or rug job is comprehensible. Carpet fibers can act like velcro for particles, particularly something with tough edges that might latch on (like crunchy meals crumbs) or pet hair that is been stepped on and matted into the ground. However on a number of events, even after the 2 passes that the app permits you to schedule directly, I discovered myself beginning a totally new job for a 3rd (or fourth) cross as a result of the j7 nonetheless hadn’t fairly completed the job.
I smashed up some stale chips to see how the j7+ would deal with the mess.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
Even after two or three passes, the j7+ nonetheless left just a few crumbs behind.
Credit score: Leah Stodart / Mashable
The j7+’s computerized emptying noise is brief however so, so removed from candy
My audiologist mates would spiral in the event that they knew that folks stand close to this factor mid-emptying and haven’t got earplugs in. I assumed I used to be being dramatic till the Decibel X sound meter app clocked the height of the Clear Base’s cycle at round 85 db, which the CDC(opens in a new tab) says is equal to metropolis site visitors (contained in the automotive) or a leaf blower. (The j7’s precise cleansing sometimes stayed below 60 db, which is like regular dialog or an air conditioner.)
You realize it is unhealthy when you end up opting to do the job your self with a stick vacuum over working the Roomba simply to keep away from enduring the automated emptying noise on the finish. The very particular sound of the j7+ locking in on its dock and pulling in to cost sends shivers down my backbone as a result of I do know the longest 5 seconds of my life are coming. Plugging my ears and warning my roommates of the approaching airplane takeover are unconscious reflexes at this level.
However no, the sound of the Clear Base (or any loud self-emptying dock) is not unhealthy sufficient for me to think about going with out computerized emptying. That is simply one other a kind of robotic vacuum options that, as soon as you reside with it, you will not be capable of dwell with out it. Not having to empty the botvac’s mud bin and probably contact that gross grey ball of filth after each few cleansing runs severely ups the benefit of automated cleansing.
I will simply say that the j7 being so self-sufficient saved me when it got here to this noise challenge. As a result of if you are going to financial institution on a robotic vacuum cleansing whenever you’re not house to keep away from the noise, that is the robotic vacuum with built-in babysitting to do it with.
In contrast to LG’s All-In-One cordless stick vacuum, which could be set to solely empty the vacuum into the dock whenever you inform it to, the iRobot app does not have an possibility to change computerized self-emptying off. That leads me to my final bone to choose.
The iRobot app is so intuitive aside from one factor
iRobot OS might be the smoothest expertise I’ve had with a robotic vacuum app. From WiFi setup and room labeling to each day scheduling and tweaking of particular cleansing runs, every little thing is simple — to the purpose the place it would not even be a ache for somebody who hates messing with apps to make use of. I actually like the choice to bump to 2 passes as a substitute of 1, to regulate the water degree for harder messes, or to decide out of mopping all collectively.
So the truth that the app does not enable a queue of jobs as soon as one job is in progress — such a non-intuitive hill to die on — is wild to me. If I ship the j7 out to scrub the kitchen and suppose “really, let’s do the entry method whereas we’re at it,” I’ve to let the j7 end the kitchen, return to the dock, empty and damage my ears, after which drive again to the zone one foot over from the place it was initially cleansing. Be aware which you could line up an inventory of a number of rooms or zones to be cleaned in row, however after one job has began, you are screwed.
Talking of zones, you must create one any time you need to spot clear, which is an actual buzzkill whenever you simply need to shortly assign a random spot. I would love to have the ability to draw a tiny goal on a whim and have the bot go there with out having to call the spot that’ll by no means most likely by no means should be particularly cleaned once more.
The competitors
First, it is apparent to pit the Combo j7+ in opposition to iRobot’s devoted robotic mop, the Braava Jet M6. However contemplating the Braava Jet M6 does not have impediment avoidance and is so not an precise vacuum that it usually comes bundled with Roombas just like the i3+ and s9+, there is no query in regards to the Combo j7+ being the winner there.
Amazon’s acquisition of iRobot may imply cheaper Roombas, however we’ve some considerations
Fiercer competitors comes from Roborock and Ecovacs. Roborock lately one-upped its personal spectacular S7 MaxV Extremely with the S8 Professional Extremely(opens in a brand new tab) — each of which have phenomenal suction, sonic mopping, small impediment avoidance, computerized emptying, and auto-washing mopping pads. The S8 Professional Extremely additionally dries the clear mopping pads to keep away from that soggy washer scent — one function iRobot skipped when designing the Combo j7+. The Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni(opens in a brand new tab) additionally does every little thing that the S8 Professional Extremely does, however is an efficient reminder that abilities and a premium value level on paper do not at all times translate to a superb expertise. (Keep in mind when the X1 Omni dragged my hair straightener all the way in which to the dock?) Each of those go for $1,599.99 at full value, whereas the X1 Omni goes on sale for as little as $999.99.
For $649.40 or $449.40 on sale, Shark’s latest AI Extremely mannequin(opens in a brand new tab) omits small impediment avoidance however nonetheless empties itself and scrubs. For simply over $600 on sale, the slightly-older Samsung Jet Bot AI+(opens in a brand new tab) omits mopping however has first rate small object recognition and, just like the X1 Omni, additionally acts as a dwell pet digital camera.
Is the Roomba Combo j7+ price it?
As the costliest Roomba and one of the vital costly self-emptying hybrids, the Combo j7+(opens in a brand new tab) may seem like overkill upon first look. However after evaluating the options it packs to the worth of fashions that provide probably the most comparable function lineup, the Combo j7+ is definitely a stable buy. The one factor it lacks is the power to clean its personal mopping pads — nevertheless it’s additionally just a few hundred {dollars} cheaper than the fashions that try this, even after they’re all on sale.
The factor in regards to the Combo j7+ is that it isn’t a stellar sweeper or a stellar mopper, nevertheless it all comes collectively to make a reasonably stellar general cleaner. When each moist and dry elements of cleansing efficiency are nonetheless passable and supplemented by such dependable impediment avoidance and residential navigation, iRobot strikes a critical hands-off ranking that finally is the entire level of getting a robotic vacuum within the first place.
