One minute review
The Roomba Combo J7 Plus (stylized as the Roomba Combo j7+) is a revelation. It's hands down one of the best robot vacuums (opens in a new tab) on the market right now, thanks to the great features we've come to expect from iRobot and the fact that it can clean, too. The first of its kind, it features a new retractable mop pad mechanism that marks a significant improvement over the bottom-mounted mop pads we're used to seeing on robovacs, with which there was a risk of wetting the carpets.
Otherwise, it resembles the vacuum-only iRobot Roomba J7 Plus in almost every way, which isn't a bad thing, considering we were impressed with its smarts, suction power, and design details like the two rubber brushes that prevent the hair tangles. . the brush bar. The mapping is excellent, and as the robot learns more about your home, it will suggest areas that might need more attention.
As one of the pioneers in the robot vacuum market, it's no surprise to see the high quality of iRobot. While this model isn't quite as superior as the Roomba S9 Plus in terms of suction power, the J7 Plus still holds its own, picking up dust and debris from hard floors and carpets with relative ease.
It's an incredibly smart machine, armed with a full range of exciting smart features, including object and dirt detection. These are powered by a built-in AI that can detect the most common objects that clutter up your home and pets, cleaning up around them without incident. Plus, it can pick up particles as small as 0,7 microns and can detect and avoid pet droppings, making it perfect for pet owners. Please note that iRobot regularly updates its operating system, so you can expect to see new features added to your bot in the future.
As with other iRobot models, the "Plus" suffix refers to the inclusion of a larger base station that aids in automatic dirt removal. After each cleaning, or whenever the internal 14oz/0,4L dustbin is full, the vacuum will empty into a 57oz/1,7L bag in its original base, which can hold up to 60 days of dirt, depending on how often you clean your floors. However, using this feature means you'll have to consider the long-term cost of replacing the bags.
All of these features make the iRobot Roomba J7 Plus one of the most complicated hands-free robot vacuums we've tested, and during our use we also noticed a reduction in time spent cleaning – a real boon when life gets involved. However, this robot vacuum is very expensive at $1,099.99 / £999 / AU$2,199, so you're definitely paying for the privilege of low-maintenance cleaning.
iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus price and availability
- List price: € 1,099.99 / € 999 / AU € 2,199
The iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus Robot Vacuum and Mop is currently available online and can be purchased direct from the iRobot Store and Amazon for $1,099.99 / £999.99 / AU$2,199. In addition to the self-emptying base, the Plus model comes with two AllergenLock bags, an extra filter, and a spare side brush. If you want to get on base, the standard Roomba Combo J7 will set you back $799 / AU$1,699; at the time of writing, only the Plus package is available in the US.
There's no denying that this cleaner is expensive, and if you don't like the many bells and whistles on this fancy robot vacuum, it certainly won't be money well spent. However, especially when compared to budget vacuums, this cleaner's smarts and low-maintenance nature make it well worth it for those with busy lifestyles or an aversion to cleaning. Plus, the cleaning feature only adds $200 / £100 / AU$400 to the price of the standard J7.
Of course, there are ongoing costs to consider as well. You'll need to replace the self-emptying base station vacuum bags if you intend to use this feature regularly and want a thorough clean with your mop pad instead of water, you'll want to pick up a few from the iRobot. - Approved cleaning solution too.
Value: 4 / 5
iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus Design
- Automatic emptying bin
- Retractable Mop Mat
- 14 oz / 0,4 liter waste bin
In many ways, the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus is a mirror of its regular vacuum-only sibling, the Roomba J7 Plus. It's an all-black beauty with a matte black case and a bronze disc on its flush top. This is also where you'll find its very minimalist control system: a button you can press to pause and start the vacuum or hold for five seconds to send it home. Measuring 13,3 x 13,3 x 3,4 inches / 33,8 x 33,8 x 8,6 cm (H x W x D), it has relatively good clearance but will struggle with some low furniture.
Of course, the big difference is the retractable mop, which sits on top of the vacuum at the rear. When called upon, the mop pad lifts up and folds under the device in one smooth and incredibly satisfying motion - it's a true feat of design. You can easily attach the mop pads to your arm by sliding and clicking the snap fasteners.
The front half of the vacuum is surrounded by a plastic bumper, which has a window through which the robovac's sensors can detect its surroundings and obstacles. At its bottom are two bi-directional wheels and one caster wheel, a three-arm side brush for cleaning debris out of corners and away from walls, and two rubber brush bars. These bars are designed to be flexible, working on all types of floors without damaging them and preventing hair from tangling.
In the rear half, there's the 14 oz / 0.4 liter dust container, which can be ejected by pressing the touchpad next to it. This is also where you'll find the fluid chamber, and unlike other robot vacuums and mops, the Roomba Combo J7 Plus is cleaning solution compatible and comes with a sample iRobot cleaning solution that won't harm your device. iRobot's help section (opens in a new tab) suggests that Bona Hardwood/Hard Surface Cleaner is also safe to use.
As with previous models, the Combo J7 Plus comes packed with many neat features designed to make your life easier. Instead of manually controlling the suction, the smart robovac can detect the dirtiest areas and increase power if needed, which works as a great battery conserving feature if you want a deep clean but can't monitor the vacuum to adjust. your suction setup. in the dirtiest rooms. The built-in camera helps the robot navigate intelligently, but also detects obstacles and hazards, from socks to stairs. And of course, this model comes with the official iRobot Pet Ownership Promise, also known as POOP, to detect and avoid pet messes, thus avoiding unpleasant cleanup jobs.
This model features iRobot's clean base with automatic dirt removal. Unfortunately, you can't clean your mop pads or fill the water reservoir, but since it does pretty much everything else, we'll let that slide. The base itself measures 12,55 x 13,39 x 15,35 pouces / 31,9 x 34 x 39 cm and requires a 1,5 ft / 0,5 m cutout of chaque côté and 4 ft / 1,2 m ahead. Like the vacuum, the base is completely black with textured details, and a brown leather tag allows for easy access to the trash can.
Beneath the base cover are a pre-installed and a spare cleaning bag in a tidy little compartment that reduces the need for additional external storage space, although extra space to house a spare mop and side brush would have been welcome. The vacuum bags can hold up to 60 days of dirt, according to iRobot, and the LED indicator on the front of the canister turns red when the dust bag is full.
Design: 5 / 5
Performance iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus
- Fantastic pickup on carpets and hard floors
- Object detection works great
- The mop works fine once soaked.
As we noted earlier in this review, the iRobot Combo J7 Plus vacuums meet the same high standards as the no-clean J7 Plus model. It works well on hard floors, picking up both fine debris and larger crumbs, though with larger spills in particular, the side brush often makes dragging debris across the floor a chore, extending cleaning time.
The robot will track large spills of fine powders like those in our flour and biscuit test across the floor, and when inundated with such debris, the vacuum dumps some of it back onto the floor as it walks to the charging station to unload. . When she returned to the ground to finish the job, she mostly picked up the scraps; however, she missed some of the oatmeal that had been thrown away. Of course, the frequency with which your robot vacuum will pick up large amounts of concentrated debris is pretty minimal. During regular cleaning, the vacuum cleaner is very systematic and manages to suck up standard household dirt; we have never seen him create a mess.
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The iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus systematically cleaned up the mess... (Image credit: Future)...until it gets too full, then it comes back home and does more damage... (Image credit: Future)However, considering the size and density of the clutter, the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus did a good job of clearing most of it. (Image credit: Future)As noted above, there is no manual suction power control option on the Combo J7 Plus. Instead, it intelligently detects the level of dirt on the floor and adjusts accordingly. The bot will maintain a winding path around your home as it cleans, but if it detects a messier space, it will stop to walk through it before continuing on its way. Similarly, when you find yourself...