Flagship Roomba adds Smart Scrub mopping feature to the mix
iRobot has taken the covers off its latest flagship cleaner – the Roomba Combo j9+, which takes everything we loved (and didn’t) from the Combo j7+ and adds a couple of nifty features to the mix, which should make mopping both easier and better.
Like the j7+, the Roomba Combo j9+ is distinguishable to its rivals thanks to its Auto-Retract Mopping System arm that allows it to keep your carpets dry.
Verdict: iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ review
High-end rivals such as the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra lift their mopping units a few millimetres up in order to keep a distance from your carpets and rugs but the Combo j9+ goes full Robot Wars in its quest to maintain carpet dryness.
The result is a simplified cleaning cycle – one that doesn’t involve you manually separating the vacuuming and mopping portions.
And there’s more good news on the simplification of mopping with the new Combo j9+ as it is the first Roomba model to ship with the new Clean Base auto-empty dock that refills the mop’s water tank.
However, unlike the Roborock mentioned, and devices from the likes of Yeedi and Ecovacs, there’s no dirty water tank so you’re still going to need to clean the mop pad yourself… which is a shame.
Sticking with mopping and there should be an improvement on that front compared to last year’s j7+, as the j9+ introduces SmartScrub and Dirt Detective features.
SmartScrub is a new physical feature whereby the machine actually moves back and forth to mimic ‘old fashioned’ mopping techniques and Dirt Detective is a new app feature that allows you to focus on key areas that need extra cleaning; think kitchen floors, around pet bowls, back door entryways and under dining tables.
Alongside the Combo, there is also a j9+ non-Combo model that doesn’t have any mopping features (pictured below).
Both models feature the just-launched iRobot OS 7.0, which is capable of recognizing more than 80 objects including cat litter boxes, toilet bowls, dishwashers, cables, clothes, shoes, backpacks, pet bowls and pet toys. Backed by iRobot’s P.O.O.P promise, the Roomba j9+ duo also avoids pet poop.
Both machines are compatible with the holy trinity of voice assistants: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple’s Siri.
The Roomba Combo j9+ and Roomba j9+ are available to pre-order in the US and in Europe now, direct from irobot.com.
Pricing is as follows:
- Roomba Combo j9+ – $1,399 / £1,249
- Roomba j9+ – $899 / £999
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for the Amazon owned(ish) brand with the mid-range Roomba j5+ and i5+ models going live earlier this month.
I say ‘ish’ with regards to the ownership as iRobot’s acquisition from Bezos and the boys is still subject to regulatory approval in various regions.
