Ever since I first binged Parks and Rec many years ago, I knew I had to get my hands on a robot vacuum.
For those not as familiar with the show I’ve watched start to finish three times (yes, all 126 episodes), this may not be a reference you’ll immediately understand. The gadget is an unsung hero and recurrent feature throughout the series, known as DJ Roomba. Aziz Ansari’s Tom Haverford attaches a speaker to the device created by iRobot, innovatively giving the vacuum a multitasking joy-bringing twist.
Slight tangent aside, the appeal of this coveted item is instant. A dirt-sucking, grime-removing, dust-trapping device that requires not a sliver of effort from you to work its magic. It’s a godsend for lazy houseproud folk.
In the years since it first entered my consciousness on the sitcom, the technology has come a long way. iRobot is leading the way, one-upping itself with new feature-packed iterations. The latest and most advanced in the collection is the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ that I have been taking for a spin over the last couple of weeks.
Here’s what I thought.
Specs for iRobot Roomba Combo j7+
- Battery life: Dependent on mode
- Dimensions: 33.8 x 33.9 x 8.7 cm
- Weight: 950g
- Cleaning modes: 2 - vacuum or vacuum and mop
- What’s included: 1x Extra AllergenLock Bag, 1x Extra Microfiber Mopping Pad, Hard Floor Cleaning Solution sample (118ml), 1x Extra Filter, 1x Extra Edge-Sweeping Brush, Line Cord
- Voice assistant compatible: Yes
Set-up
Perhaps the only effort you’ll make in your future vacuuming endeavours, the set-up of the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ requires some attention. The most difficult part for me was the very first step: finding a plug that has 1.5m on either side as well as in front. This proved impossible so I dug out an extension cable. Problem solved.
After that, getting the robot up and running was as simple as plugging in the charging base, downloading the app and following the instructions to pair bot with said app. Not a challenge at all, especially if your phone is already connected to your WiFi. It’s satisfying too when the Roomba - who I named after P&R’s DJ Roomba (although I implore you to get more creative) - has linked up and a celebratory “da daa” rings out.
You need about an hour or so from this step to charge until you can get the robot going. When it’s all juiced up and any updates have been finished, it gets on its way on a mapping run. This feels a touch disorderly and is sure to scare any furry friends you have running around but it’s the robot vacuum’s way of learning and commiting the space to memory.
Features
The Roomba Combo j7+ breaks away from its predecessors with an advanced vacuum and mop function. No longer confined to simply scooping up the dirt on carpet and rugs, it can also make hard floors spotless - all in one clean-up job. You may think that switching between the cleaning modes will require your attention, defeating the purpose of a self-guided robot - but fear not.
The device can detect floor types and distinguish when to switch between functions seamlessly. The mop pad is fully retractable and self-lifting when it gets to piled surfaces.
The robot vacuum operates in systematic rows, snaking from wall to wall and then touches up the edges. There is a camera and an LED light too that helps it avoid obstacles - from the likes of pet waste, to smaller cables. But there’s a fair bit of bumping around, especially as it learns its way around and if you have a furniture-packed space like myself, and I wonder if the gadget would be better off with a rubber bumper like exterior. The more you use it, the better it gets at avoiding them.
It avoids tumbling down stairs but travels with no problem over thresholds, which makes it ideal for anyone living in a flat or bungalow. It struggled slightly with floor coverings (even though the rug was thin) and it was touch and go for a moment, but in the battle of robot vs rug, robot prevailed in the end.
The best part is the slimline design that allows the Roomba Combo j7+ to travel under low-set furniture like the sofa and under the bed that few other vacuums can reach. There’s also Dirt Detect technology where it can recognise a particularly mucky area and retraces its steps. When the clean is conplete, the dirt is sucked with a cartoonish-like sound into the charging base for emptying later (a red light appears on the top of the base when it’s full). Called the Clean BaseAutomatic Dirt Disposal system, it collects in a bag that you’ll recognise from traditional vacuums that will require changing around every 60 days.
You can also pair up the robot with your voice and issue commands. The Roomba can respond to 600 different prompts so cleaning your home can be as simply as asking Alexa or Siri. You can set schedules on the app, choose the cleaning mode as well as customise the amount of liquid needed and cleaning passes (how many times it will go over the same area).
Word of warning, this is not a fast cleaning process. What is possible to achieve in a 5 min quick vacuum does take around 30 mins but if you believe your time is better spent sitting on the sofa, watching Netflix or devouring Deliveroo, you’ll find your home spick and span with no elbow grease required.
User friendliness
This is as user friendly as a gadget can get. You can make your cleaning process as detailed as you’d like or just simply press the play button to get the robot vacuum going. It calls for help (with a notification) when it’s stuck but if you’re anything like me and you’re already following it around the house marvelling at the impressive technology, you’re likely to already know this information.
Design
At the base of the Roomba Combo j7+, there are multi surface brushes that provide the thorough cleaning process, cliff and floor sensors and wheels that give the device the ability to move around your space. It has a sleek black exterior and slimline construction.
Verdict
I am already incredibly attached to this robot vacuum. It has become a cherished member of the household.
This is state-of-the-art technology that makes vacuuming a joy to watch and it’ll settle arguments over whose turn it is to do the chores. The suction power is far more effective than you’d imagine from a gadget of this size and the Roomba was able to reach areas that are awkward or tricky to clean because of heavy and low-set furniture. There are challenges but for most part, it’s able to overcome them - although help it out by tucking away cables and wires that could stumble its route around your house.
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Roomba Combo® j7+ Robot Vacuum and Mop
Buy now £849.00, Amazon
