iRobot Vacuum and Mop Combo Review

irobot roomba deals's new Combo j7+ robot is the first combinator vacuum and mop. It's similar to a Roomba and comes with similar rug-avoiding smarts, but the mop is self-filling and compatible with more cleaning solutions.

A small robot arm emerges from the base when you command it to mop via the iRobot Home app or voice assistant. The robot only releases mop arms when it senses the presence of a hard surface. They are not able to drag over rugs and carpet.

Features

A robot vacuum mop combo is a great tool to keep floors clean and free of clutter, without relying on a broom or Swiffer. It removes sticky messes and helps keep dirt at bay, meaning you don't have to worry about the mess that can build up in areas that are heavily used, such as kitchens or mudrooms. It can also do a better job cleaning hard floors using a vacuum than a vacuum by itself.

The majority of irobot vacuum/mop combinations can be used on carpet and hard floors, so they are a great choice if your home has multiple flooring types. The top models come with features that let you determine how often and how powerfully the robot cleans. Some models also have automatic emptying and can be controlled with a voice.

The J7 Combo+ is iRobot’s most popular robot mop and vacuum combination. It can be converted into fully-featured robot cleaner simply by pressing only one button. It has the same advanced obstacle-avoidance system as the j7, and a brand an acoustic sensor on board to determine the type of floor. In mop mode the mop only activates when it senses hard flooring such as wood or tile and never over carpeting or area rugs. I tried to trick the J7 Combo+ repeatedly into deploying over a carpet, but it always went back and started where it left off.

It's not as fast at picking dust particles that a vacuum may be unable to, but it's perfect for removing dried milk stains. It also has a convenient mopping pad that's simple to refill.

The j7 Combo+ is a little less expensive than other robot vacuum and mop combos, but it's still expensive for a basic machine. It's limited in terms of battery capacity and life which means it has to return to the dock to recharge between cleaning sessions. It is also necessary to manually move the machine to a different room for each cleaning session. Its small size and the absence of the ability to schedule cleaning sessions means that it can only clean up 200 square feet.

Design

The app allows you to plan and track cleaning tasks, as well as create "clean zones" and "keep out zones". You can control robots through the app or via voice activation using the smart speaker of your choice. Many of them have multiple options for power and can detect obstacles to assist in navigation.

In contrast to other vacuum and mop combos that aren't able to do both jobs well, the Combo j9+ can do an impressive job of both, picking up embedded crumbs, fur, and dirt. It also makes use of SmartScrub which scrubs floors with constant pressure and back and forth motions to get rid of stubborn messes like coffee and dirt. Dirt Detective is which is a feature that learns from previous cleaning efforts will prioritize rooms with the most dirt to make sure they are cleaned thoroughly.

The Combo J7+ comes with a mopping system that lifts the pad once it hits carpet or area rug. This makes it less likely to get the rug wet and facilitates faster cleanup. It is also the first combo robot that is able to mop and vacuum all floor types which makes it a great option for those with a mix of soft and hard floors.

The Combo J7+ is similar to the regular Roomba J7 robot vacuum, with a a sleek black plastic body and a brushed aluminum circular top piece bearing the iRobot logo. The reservoir for water is located in the back and the mop pad is tacked to the bottom of the unit. The app informs you when the tank requires to be emptied or filled.

The Combo j9+ is connected to the Wi-Fi network in your home and features onboard sensors to help navigate and avoid obstacles. It tracks usage data, such as how often it moves around the house, as well as mapping and image data, but does not make use of this data to sell or share it with third-party companies without your permission. The company's Privacy Principles are available on its website.

Cleaning Performance

A robot vacuum and mop combination can help you save time by keeping your floors clean all the time. You'll still need to take out a traditional mop when you have difficult stains or spots that are extremely dirty however this is much less often than you'd otherwise need to do with a single vacuum cleaner or a standard bucket of water and a brush. It's a great solution for areas that are prone to traffic or have a lot of mess such as bathrooms, kitchens, and the mudrooms.

Consider a mopping robot for an even more sophisticated cleaning. They use a microfiber, a reservoir that is only clean water and a scrubby motion to eliminate dirt. They are more effective than vacuums. Some of these, like our pick for the best upgrade the Braava Jet m6, even spray detergent onto the pad for a more thorough clean.

The biggest drawback to a mop-only robot is that it can't perform any work on carpet or area rug. If a robot comes across these surfaces in vacuum and mop mode it will lower the pad to avoid getting they wet. This also means that it is unable to navigate around them, in the event that you have not set up 'clean zones ' and zones to keep out of the application.

Combination robots are superior at this. Our top choice is the iRobot J7+ combo. It is similar to a regular j7, but it has a wet mop built in that it employs when it detects hard floors. It's a bit more aggressive than other combo robots in crossing thresholds and rugs however, it backs up when it encounters them, rather than trying to mop them.

If you're really looking to take your hands off of cleaning, you'll require an automated vacuum that can understand the layout of your floor and move between rooms without assistance (our upgrade option is the irobot vacuum and mop braava jet M6) or a combination model that has a lidar navigation system (like the Roborock S5 Max). It is possible to set up a 'clean zone and a 'keep-out zone' in the app so that it can determine where the furniture is.

Cost

A robot vacuum that can also function as a mop can be a great way to clean your floors. However it's more expensive than a standalone vacuum cleaner or a dedicated mop robot. The cost will vary based on whether you'd like a high-end model with mapping technology that allows it to understand the layout of your home and then clean the space without running out of battery power. This feature is a must-have for those who have rugs and carpets in your home, and the latest Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni or Roborock S8 Pro Ultra are the best buy irobot models that come with this feature.

Another thing to take into consideration is the size of your floors and the amount of rooms you'll must vacuum and mop. Smaller rooms will require smaller robots. You might be able make do with a device that can vacuum or mop, but not both. iRobot Combo J7+, for example is a great option that includes a separate robot mop with its most praised roomba irobot and costs a fraction of what a standalone mop such as the Braava jet M6 would cost.

The Combo j7 Plus includes iRobot’s Clean Station which automatically empties the mop-water that is dirty from the cleaning tank once it's full. The base isn't included in the standard model of the j7 and has to be purchased separately. This is one reason why the combo robot costs $1,099 as it's not included with the standard model.

The design of the j7+ is sleek and modern, and it looks almost like the fad Roomba i7 vacuum, which is what makes it such an attractive choice for vacuum-mop hybrids. However, it is missing a few key features that other mop-only bots do. For instance, it doesn't have the same powerful suction of 8,300Pa that iRobot's vacuums offer. Also, it doesn't have a feature that automatically washes its mop pads, which is becoming more commonplace on the top mop robots. You can purchase an add-on that will wash the mop pad after it is not in use. This will prevent the pads from drying out and causing a mess. The j7+ is a excellent value and is among our top robots for cleaning your floors.