iRobot That Vacuums and Mops in Your Home

Many robots that vacuum and mop struggle to navigate homes with a lot of rugs and thresholds. The iRobot Combo j7 is a excellent choice for homes with a lot of carpet due to its mapping and navigation system with the latest features.

The smart 2-in-1 is able to take on different messes and it uses an auto-retract system that prevents carpet messes. It also comes with a clean, automated base that automatically empty the cleaning solution and removes debris.

iRobot J7/J7+

The iRobot J7/J7+ is a robotic vacuum that also doubles as mop, meaning it can take care of your entire cleaning routine. It has excellent cleaning performance in our tests, removing 9.35 grams of debris per hour, which is more than the average amount picked up from a full-sized robot vacuum. And it's compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, letting you control the vacuum and mop with your voice rather than using the app.

It has a smart design with a small footprint and a neat base. The mop comes with a small reservoir of water and a robotic arm that raises and lowers it, and an indicator on the bottom lets you know when the mop is low. The robot is able to navigate smoothly and move around your home without hitting any obstacles. It isn't a great fit for certain types of carpeting, though and could cease to function when it notices carpet in its path.

iRobot vSlam Navigation isn't as accurate as the other robot vacuums that we have examined. During our tests, the robot zigzagged randomly before generating an outline. This wasn't a problem for real-world use but was frustrating when trying to make an exact cleaning path.

Another interesting feature is iRobot's ability of identifying objects in its path. It makes use of a camera and PrecisionVision to detect things like shoes, cords and toys, as well as pet waste to avoid them or around them while mopping. It worked well in our tests and we were awestruck by the amount of pet waste it eluded.

When the iRobot has finished mopping or vacuuming, it returns to its dock. It then emptys its dirt compartment inside an internal trash bag, which iRobot says won't need to be changed for a long time. The iRobot then returns its dock and begins the job it was doing before returning. We did have some issues with the iRobot's bin-full sensors however, which could cause it to return to its dock even when the bin isn't fully filled.

Smart Navigation

iRobot has been in the robot business for 30 years now and has brought us FDA-approved remote presence robots for use in hospitals, pioneered practical home robots like Roomba and paved the way for the first mop / vacuum in a robot. The iRobot Combo j7+ is an intelligent robot that takes the Roomba V7 and includes a movable arm to lift and lower a water tank as well as a mopping mat. It can mop or vacuum at the same time or conduct an additional vacuuming session.

The iRobot app allows you to label rooms and create cleaning zones to inform the robot what areas to focus on and which areas it should avoid. It also allows you to automatically create and save floorplan maps that help you better understand the layout of your home. iRobot robots can avoid common objects such as toys, charging cables and pet waste using the Imprint Smart Mapping function. It can even stay clear of carpets if you've made an area that is rug-free.

It doesn't have the LIDAR system (Light Detection and Ranging) that other vacuums and mops utilize however, the iRobot vSlam technology is still remarkablely accurate for a robot that relies on cameras and optical sensors to create its map. It can remove dried milk and other spills too fine for many vacuum cleaners, and also pick up dust that's not picked up by the finer brushes of most robot vacuums.

It doesn't clean as thoroughly as the mopping robots with dedicated mopping capabilities, but it comes pretty close. Plus, you can start an entire cleaning session anytime using the app, and it will pick up exactly where it left off.

The Combo J7+ is easy to refill and use unlike other robots that have trouble keeping their water tanks filled. The combo vacuum / mop has a tiny combined dust bin and water tank that can be clipped off the back of the base. It can hold two Bona cleaning products or their own version. It fills up from a tap on the bottom. You can program the bot to alert you when it's low on water.

iRobot Mobile App

The iRobot Mobile App gives you the tools you need to get the most value out of your robot. With enhanced maps with advanced navigation capabilities, as well as smart home integration* the app allows you to unlock a cleaning experience tailored to your home.

The free iRobot mobile app lets you to customize the settings for your robot vacuum, Roomba Combo or Braava jet robot mop to fit your lifestyle and home. Create schedules, save your preferred settings and then change them as needed, plus receive personalized suggestions to help you stay ahead of the mess you create.

The iRobot App comes with an integrated pet locking system and customized cleaning zones to ensure your home is safe for pets and children. The iRobot Mobile App will also help safeguard your furniture and surfaces from scratches by allowing you to draw off areas with virtual walls. This feature is great for dogs and small children who get lost in their usual places.

You can also program your iRobot J7 and J7+ to start cleaning at specific times when you need it most, like when your guests come over or the kids are back from school. You can even control your iRobot when you're away from home by connecting it to a smart door lock, thermostat, or any other device1 and setting up geofencing. The iRobot App can send you alerts when you need to replace filters or other components. This makes maintenance easy and allows you to get back to cleaning faster.

The iRobot Mobile App lets you remotely monitor and control the robot's performance so that it never misses any spot. You can also access the full report following each cleaning session to view exactly what your iRobot has cleaned and the areas it did not cover. The iRobot Mobile App also provides you with tips and tutorials to assist you in making the most of your cleaning experience. iRobot Mobile App allows you to use beta features, which can give you a sneak peek at future enhancements. You can also assist shape the development of their app.

Smart Cleaning

The iRobot J7 robot is one of the most intelligent 2-in-1 vacuums and mop robots that are available. It comes with an auto-emptying Clean Base that automatically transfers debris into the dirt bag each time it docks and refills with water to mop. It's also iRobot Roomba 675: Smart Vacuum with Alexa's first robot to feature Imprint Link, which lets it begin mopping hard floors such as hardwood and laminate automatically after vacuuming. You can connect it to voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Home in order to control the j7 from your smartphone.

Unlike many robots, the iRobot detects obstacles and avoids them when vacuuming. It can identify cords, furniture legs and charging cables that become caught in the brush roller. It can also tell the distinction between obstacles and pet's mess making sure to clean up dog or cat food that may be scattered about. It will take photos of any obstacles it encounters and prompt you to look them up in the app. You can tell it whether it's a temporary obstacle, something you want to avoid permanently, or not at all.

To mop for mopping, the iRobot J7 can identify smudges and spills on carpets, and also detect hard floors and rugs which is more useful than other robots that see carpeting as a rug. It then can create a customized cleaning plan for every floor type. It comes with a specific scrub mode for grout and tile.

The iRobot App provides a variety of ways to improve the performance of your robot. These include manual controls and cleaning schedules as well as a mapping. The iRobot App allows you to create Clean Zones that will guide your robot to certain rooms or areas within your home. The mobile app allows you to adjust your robot's settings, such as its maximum speed and the level of noise.

Vacuums are a small part of the connected devices that are part of our lives. Companies like iRobot are pursuing ambitious goals that extend beyond automated floor cleaning. But as consumers, we need to know how these devices collect data and what they do with it prior deciding whether to buy or not.