iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum Cleaner Review: A bit expensive with premium features
The iRobot Roomba j7+ is priced at Rs 74,900 and is the most expensive and advanced product in the company’s Roomba range. The sales package comes with a Clean Base automatic dirt disposal system that empties the device’s dustbin after cleaning. In this model, the company has further improved navigation, search and ignore capabilities. Is this the best vacuum cleaner you can buy? Let’s find out in this review.
Design of iRobot Roomba j7+
Many brands of robot cleaners combine vacuum cleaning and mopping functions in one device but this is not the case with the Roomba j7+. The Roomba range of products only come with vacuum cleaning functions while the Braava range comes with functions like wet mopping, so it is only a vacuum cleaning robot and comes with a Clean Base docking station. If you have a Braava device then both can work through the same app.
Its automatic dirt disposal system is similar to the iRobot Roomba i3+, but the docking station is smaller. However, it does the same thing. The robot vacuum can collect and automatically dispose of litter in its dirt bag for up to 60 days before it’s time to replace the dirt bag.
The only major difference between the Roomba j7+ and the j7 model (which is not currently available in India) is that the Roomba j7+ comes with an Automatic Dirt Disposal Clean Base Dock while the j7 comes with a standard charging dock. It is similar in size to other similar cleaners but looks a bit longer than brands like Xiaomi, Milagrow and 360.
There is a single button on the top of the device that controls the device manually, while more basic controls can be accessed via the iRobot Home app by connecting to Wi-Fi. Other devices have an openable top lid, but the Roomba J7 has a removable dust bin on the side instead. There is a flexible bumper on the front so that it can absorb shock in case of a collision. Apart from this, the front has the primary camera and light which is used for Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) navigation.
The iRobot j7+ is available in a single black colour and has 3 wheels at the bottom for movement, two of which are motorised and one is provided at the front side as a free stabilizer. It has a single sweeper brush at the bottom and a double roller brush mechanism that helps in pulling the litter etc. into the suction area. The package comes with a replacement sweeper brush, a HEPA replacement filter for the dust bin and a cable to connect the dock station to a power outlet.
iRobot Roomba j7+ Navigation and Mapping
iRobot Roomba j7+ uses camera-based VSLAM navigation, with a front-facing camera acting as its eyes. It also has a headlight that guides the device while it is working. This helps it to work with accuracy and does not cause any problem even in the dark.
With a front facing camera, the device is able to navigate better than other cleaners. It works at par with lidar based navigation and can easily clean even between dining tables and chairs.
Due to the high resolution and visibility of the camera, it gets to know the surrounding area well and cleans accordingly. So whether it is going from one room to another or cleaning the carpet in a room, it does it easily. The device took several test runs to create the layout of my house. It measured the room divisions well so that it could navigate inside the room easily.
In simple words, navigation has improved a lot, it is much better than other vacuum devices. It ignores chairs, table legs etc. which reduces collisions. It did not go to another room even if the door of another room was left open by mistake. Many times it did not go to another room even after being instructed. It first fixed its path and then went to the room.
One of its special features is that it ignores obstructions and even ignores any pet poop on the floor in the house. I couldn’t test it for pet poop but it easily ignored cables, towels and clothes lying on the floor.
On several occasions it photographed and reviewed such objects, I instructed the device to skip the area or clean it once the object was removed. The device was able to distinguish between a temporary blockage and a permanent one.
iRobot Roomba j7+ app
All the devices of the brand can be controlled through the iRobot Home app. The app is easy and works smoothly with the Roomba J7. It also provides mapping, cleaning, battery life and other visual representations. When connected to the home’s Wi-Fi, it can be controlled from any corner of the house.
You can also set your favorite cleaning task such as the whole house or a room. Apart from this, you can also empty the robot’s dust bin, change the map to set room boundaries, create no-go zones, clean zones, create cleaning schedules as well as control the basic settings of the device.
One drawback is that the map does not show its location and cleaning status while it is working. Later it only updates the cleaned area, which is the only drawback of this device. The app calculated the time taken to clean the room quite well.
Cleaning the iRobot Roomba j7+
While other brands of vacuum cleaners specifically mention the suction power and you can even modify it, the Roomba j7+ does the opposite. It automatically calculates and decides how much suction power is needed to clean an area. For this, it moves slowly and carefully.
The user just has to instruct it which room to clean, after which the device starts cleaning from there. The lidar-based 360 S7 took 35-40 minutes to clean my whole house, but the Roomba took an hour. This happened because it cleaned more deeply and better.
I found the device was able to increase suction power on more stubborn spots, but the noise wasn’t that loud. It was only making noise for a short while. It cleans carpets really well and can move on them easily, unlike many other robot cleaners. Its HEPA filter can capture particles as small as 0.1 microns, so it also offers some protection against allergy-causing dust mites.
Its connectivity was stable. It cleaned easily even in rooms where the Wi-Fi signal was weak. This means that even though I did not give it any instructions through the app, it still returned to its dock station after cleaning. It also gave cleaning details of areas where my home Wi-Fi did not have coverage.
Its Clean Base automatic dirt disposal system is a great improvement over the previous model. It is not only small and attractive but also does the job well. It works more reliably on the j7+ than on the i3+. The robot’s dust bin is kept very clean, which does not even require human intervention.
Its dust disposal system uses vacuum suction to empty the robot’s dustbin, during which it makes a lot of noise for a few seconds. However, it takes only a few seconds to do this. The garbage gets collected in a disposable dirt bag which is attached to the Clean Base docking station. According to the company, it lasts for 60 days. When the bag is full, the app will inform you about it and you can remove the bag and empty it. An extra bag is also provided with the device. Apart from this, a pack of 3 bags can also be purchased for Rs 1,660. Due to this, it becomes expensive in long term use.
Charging and battery life of the iRobot Roomba j7+
According to the company, the device can run for 75 minutes on a single charge in which it can clean 1800 square feet. This also depends on the layout of the house and access to the rooms. I can also assume that the time mentioned as 75 minutes is correct. But it cleans 1200 square feet on a single charge which is slightly less than the company’s claim. Its 2,210mAh battery is quite ordinary as per the price.
There is no way to check the battery level of the device as it gives a graphical estimate of the remaining battery during operation. It was able to clean my house on a single charge and still save some battery. For a larger area, it might need to be charged again.
Like other devices of this kind, it finds its way to the docking station and keeps itself charged. Charging takes a little time but that is normal for vacuum cleaners. After cleaning my entire house, it took around two hours to fully charge.
Our verdict
Many devices in this segment come with cleaning and mopping, so the iRobot Roomba j7+ seems a bit expensive at Rs 74,900. You can get a Braava Jet M6 for mopping. But then the combined cost of both of them becomes Rs 1,25,000 and two devices also take up more space in the house.
Its automatic dirt disposal system impresses a lot and also proves it to be premium. Considering its ease of use and better cleaning, it can be bought. If you have the budget then you can look at it. If you are looking for an affordable option then you can look at Milagrow iMap 10.0 and 360 S7.
Price: Rs. 74,990
Rating: 8/10
Properties:
Great for vacuum cleaning
Automatic dirt disposal system works well
Careful, precise navigation
Very easy to use
Disadvantages:
Expensive to buy and operate
Mapping could be a little better
Average Battery Life
