Ask anyone. iRobot still dominates the robot vacuum conversation with their tough and sleek Roomba models. Are there better models out there? Yes and no. However, they are the leading robotic vacuum company worldwide, and there’s no sign of them slowing down anytime soon. My first Roomba was simply one I could afford at the time. These suckers aren’t cheap, but they sure have gotten better. The Roomba Combo J7+ is no exception. It mops and vacuums in style, and it does both without hassle.
When I say it mops and vacuums – I mean it. The combo J7+ isn’t just advertising that it CAN mop as well as vacuum. It mops my hardwood floor then lifts and stores the mop in order to vacuum my rugs and carpet. No more dealing with swapping out mop tanks or pads in order to accomplish both. No more dealing with two separate devices to accomplish tasks. Couple that with the brilliant object recognition the J7+ boasts, and it seems you have the perfect device. Or do you?
Setting the device up is a breeze, and the combo J7+ certainly shows off its capabilities early. If you can’t connect a smart device to your network by now, it’s time to crawl out from under your rock. Connecting to the app is equally simple, and I have my vacuum running in no time. I lovingly name the new vac “Esmerelda”. Initially, she cruises around and maps out my floor plan. iRobot truly makes it easy and efficient to get things up and running. Once the map is complete, I get a digital render of my house. Now, I can name each room, set virtual walls, and define keep-out zones.
I can also set up my vac with Alexa or Google’s voice assistant. I love being able to say “Alexa, ask the Roomba to start cleaning” and see “Esmerelda” take off and work. Maybe I just love that I don’t have to do the work. Either way, having a voice assistant work in tandem with my Roomba is glorious.
How well does it vacuum and mop? Noticeably well. I have a rug that takes up about ⅓ to ½ of my office floor and it sets right in the middle. I tell her to start cleaning, and Esmerelda dives right in. She chooses to get her vacuuming done first. She rolls over the rug and picks up small visible debris using the new dual rubber brush bars. These are so much better and less easily entangled compared to the old-school bars.
She then uses her retractable mop to go around the rug and wipe down all hard floor surfaces. I program her to do everything twice, and when I come back to my office after lunch it is visibly better. It should also be noted that this particular model allows you to use a cleaning solution in its tank. Other robot mops advise against this as it can wear down parts. Either Roomba has a better design, or I can expect to replace it sooner. I expect the former to be true.
A few notes – the Roomba misses a few very minor pieces on my rug. I notice very fine particles from a red blanket (my cat loves to sharpen her claws on said blanket) get skipped. When I pick them up they aren’t dug into the rug or anything. They are just super light and small. Secondarily, Esmerelda does not like to pick up cat litter. She does like to send it flying in all directions with her side brush, and while she can get some of it, most of it ends up spread across various parts of the floor. The issue may be the floor type the litter is on (a very polished tile) – but the reality is the job is still my own if the cats choose to be messy.
Once she finishes with a job, I often receive an alert on my phone letting me know areas that may need more attention. I also get images of areas she avoided just in case a pet decides to drop brown bombs that shouldn’t be spread across my kitchen floor. The Roomba hasn’t made a major mistake when it comes to vacuuming cords or things I don’t want it to (though I haven’t had a pet use my floor as their personal restroom), but that isn’t to say it won’t vacuum up certain items.
My kids left a board game out on the floor. The game has lots of small cards involved (side note – Lord of the Rings – Journey’s in Middle Earth – great game). The Roomba did not recognize the cards as I’m guessing they are just too low of a profile against the floor. Needless to say, I was pulling bent cards out of the device and had to console some upset children. Lesson learned. The cards were actually pretty easily recovered and outside of a few bends they survived.
Ultimately, life is easier with the iRobot Roomba Combo J7+. Much easier. If you don’t have a robot vacuum yet – the time to get one is now. The tech has grown by leaps and bounds, and I suspect the trend will continue as our lives stay busy. I have great peace of mind that my home will be clean when I start the machine. She avoids (most) things we leave out on the floor, and now she mops at the same time without the hassle of changing out parts. What an amazing device. There are some great options out there, but few are as nice as the J7+.
Interested in some other options? Check out these models:
Yeedi Vac 2 Pro review: A robot that actually scrubs your floors – GEARADICAL
Narwal Freo review: This vacuum doesn’t just clean your floors, it cleans itself – GEARADICAL
Roborock Q5+ review: Best battery life in a stellar vacuum – GEARADICAL
Note: Our reviews are always 100% independent, but Gearadical receives a small affiliate amount if you purchase the product on Amazon.