- Vacuum dimensions: 34 x 24 x 9cm
- Dirt container capacity: 300ml
- Run time between charges: 90 minutes
Many people looking for a robot vacuum cleaner simply google ‘Roomba’, since they started the whole thing. Makers iRobot have sixty percent market share and work hard to keep it. Their J models are the most powerful yet – and now they’ve been around for a year or so, the price has come down to something more reasonable.
As it cleans rooms, the J7+ creates a virtual map. The iRobot app serves as its control hub and offers customisation options like the creation of no-go zones. The vacuum can work out the dirty areas for itself and give them extra attention, or you can mark those for it (for example, around the bins).
Its AI is supposed to recognise potential hazards and, if it comes across something it’s not sure about, it can send you a picture. This “PrecisionVision Navigation” can be somewhat inconsistent in practice, however – as I found out when chopping vegetables to find the vacuum repeatedly driving into my ankles. I didn’t find the app very user-friendly, either.
The “Combo” part of the name refers to its ability to mop. The unit recognises the difference between carpet and hard floors and lifts the mop attachment well clear of carpets, which not all combo vacs do. You won’t end up with soggy Persian rugs, but don’t expect your floor tiles to end up sparkling. It’s more of a gentle wipe.
When it comes to handling dog hair, the J7+ manages well. Its dual rubber brushes and robust suction power effectively tackle fur. The handbook also promises the automatic detection and avoidance of dog poo. Not a feature I’ve been able to test so far…thank goodness!
There is a cheaper J7 (£639) that you empty manually, but the J7+ automatically empties itself into a bag in the base station with a satisfying whoosh. The bin is small, though and my dog seems to constantly moult, which often results in the vacuum whizzing off to its base station to empty its bin midway through a job.
Previously unaffordable, with a discount in place this range-topping Roomba is now the one to get. Inconsistencies in obstacle avoidance and cleaning patterns do raise concerns, but that’s a problem common to all robot vacs and iRobot are leading the way in the research. The J7+ auto-updates its software over wi-fi, so won’t be obsolete for a good while yet.