Irobot Combo: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

iRobot Combo Essential Cleaner Review

While iRobot has rolled out plenty of innovations over the past few years, the Combo Essential is the first robot in its lineup that focuses on cleaning basics. It is sleek, intelligent design and a mop that performs well.

iRobot OS lets you start, stop, and schedule cleanings from the app, while also giving you personalized suggestions and map/obstacle avoidance images (opt-in). The Clean Base autofill dock charges the batteries, cleans the trash bin, and refills water tanks.

What is the Roomba Combo essential?

Filled with cleaning supplies and powered by iRobot OS, this 2-in-1 robot self-charging vacuum and mop lets users take two chores off their lists with one handy device. It features intelligent navigation, three levels of suction that are powerful, and up to 120 minutes of battery life. With its sleek, low-profile design and Edge-Sweeping Brush design, dirt cannot hide around corners or underneath furniture.

The 4-Stage System utilizes an all-surface V-shaped brush, a microfiber pad that is powered by a pump and adjustable liquid settings to clean multiple floors in just one stroke. It also has 18x more suction power2 as well as a smart Edge-Sweeping Brush that helps eliminate dust and dirt around the edges of rooms as well as under furniture. It also comes with iRobot Home App control, cleaning schedules, and detailed Clean Map reports.

With the free iRobot application, users can choose from a variety of cleaning modes, including spot clean, automatic, and mop only. The app lets users set start and stop times, as well as to pause the cleaning. The Combo Essential also supports voice control integration with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant which means you can start cleaning sessions by simply speaking.

When the Combo Essential is done cleaning it will return to the docking station automatically and empty the trash bin into the dirt bin. Based on the amount of dust that Combo has accumulated it might be necessary to empty it regularly. The app also allows users to track and manage the cleaner's battery status and a change of mop pad reminder, and other details.

GearBrain will test the new Roomba Combo Essential in the next few weeks, but for now we can say it's an excellent upgrade to the 600 Series. We're amazed that it's packed with advanced features and provides a clean and powerful performance even with a less expensive cost.

Combo Essential is available for $275. Visit the iRobot website for more details and a full list of specifications.

What is the Roomba Combo j9+?

iRobot has established itself as a leader in the smart vacuum/mopping space and its newest model, the Combo J9+, builds on that legacy. It boasts a top-rated dirt and dust collection performance and comes with an intelligent mopping system that is powered by the brand new iRobot OS. The latest software gives the robot "smart cleaning preferences" and lets it automatically clean your rooms based on needs -- for example it could give your kitchen floors more attention, apply more pressure to the floor scrubber in entranceways or boost suction power in carpeted areas.

The j9+ is the perfect choice for homes with a variety of flooring types, since it can be used to clean dirt and debris from flooring that is carpeted or bare. Its navigation system was sturdy and it was able to avoid obstacles in our tests. It has a feature which lets you see images of objects that it encounters during its run. This aids in creating better maps and prevents these hazards in the future.

The mops are easily replaced and the large water tank is expected to last for about a week between refills. The dustbin onboard is large and has a swinging lid that allows you to empty. While it is capable of self-emptying, you'll still have to manually empty the filter from time to time to prevent the clogging.

Another great feature is its Clean Base Auto-Fill dock, which will automatically empty the robot's trash bin and refill its water tank. This is a feature that most of its competitors don't have and is a great way to reduce the amount of maintenance you have to complete.

The iRobot app is easy and easy to use, but it's not perfect. It doesn't have a live coverage map view or remote control function however it can be difficult to use. It is also prone for losing connections and frequently leaves you hanging. This isn't the best irobot roomba experience. Also, it doesn't allow you to set a certain time when the robot will complete the cleaning task.

What is the Roomba Combo J7+?

The Combo j7+ is a true 2-in-1 robot mop and vacuum. It has a 3.8-star rating on Amazon and is among the smartest mopping robots out available (though it's not the only one, as competitors such as the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni and the Roborock Q5+ are better in removing messes). Its strengths lie in its reliable obstacle avoidance and home navigation which allows it to maintain the same level of tidiness between more thorough cleaning runs.

It also does a great job of keeping floors clean, even in carpets with high pile. PrecisionVision Navigation lets the robot avoid obstacles like cords and shoes. It also eliminates pet waste and toys. In addition, its Dirt Detect Technology recognizes dirtier areas and begins to clean them more thoroughly. Place the pad over the mops and the machine will begin cleaning.

The Combo J7+ offers the option of sweeping the floor without using the mops. You can schedule an appointment for cleaning prior to time however we found that it was better to go with the default auto-cleaning setting.

Another benefit is the automatic updates that allow you to keep your Roomba running smoothly. It can be manually updated as well, if you're willing to go through the process of connecting to Wi-Fi and downloading the most recent software, which can take a couple of minutes.

As with other iRobot robots like the Combo j7+ needs some maintenance. The dust bin on the Combo j7+ needs to be emptied at least every two weeks. The liquid chamber can also be filled with cleaning solutions. It comes with a test bottle of the iRobot's cleaning solution, but irobot vacuum cleaner's help section suggests Bona Hardwood/Hard Surface Cleaner as a good alternative that won't damage the device. The front wheel can be removed for cleaning and its socket should once every week be cleared of hair and tangled debris.

The Combo J7+ can be used to clean up to 60 floors. However, the number of floors you can clean on a single charge will depend on your floor type and the frequency of cleaning. Battery life is up to 90 minutes. You can charge it with the included AC adapter. The docking base's sensors as well as charging contacts need to be cleaned free of dirt and dust every two weeks.

What is the Roomba Combo J6+?

The Combo J9+ robot cleaner is the newest version from iRobot. It may not have all the bells and whistles of iRobot’s newer (and more expensive -- they start at $1,800) models. Floor cleaners from robots are capable of delivering a thorough clean on carpets and hard floors. Its primary strengths are its dependable obstacle avoidance and navigation systems as well as its outstanding mopsweeping and vacuuming efficiency.

The j9+ mops come with self-retracting technology that helps keep messes from getting on your carpets and rug. SmartScrub mops are used in its cleaning system. They are able to move back and forth with constant pressure to thoroughly scrub even on the most difficult stains like coffee. It also features a powerful suction system that can be used to pull dirt from carpets and rugs.

Its navigation system is comprised of two precision cameras that aid the j9+ in navigating your home without getting stuck or bumping into things, as is sometimes the scenario with other Roomba models. The cameras are powered by iRobot PrecisionVision technology that allows your j9+ to avoid cords and other obstacles. It also can remember certain rooms and carpeted areas so that it is able to decide not to mop those areas. This feature, called Imprint smart mapping, is only available to the j9+ as well as other Roomba i7 series models.

The robot also has a large debris capacity, which is important because it does both jobs at the simultaneously. Its external dirt bin can hold 2.4L of debris, which is a bit less than iRobot's top-rated robot the Roomba i8+, but it's more than enough for most homes.

The mops are also simple to empty and recharge, which means that's one less thing you need to worry about when it comes time to refill or change them. This model also comes with a brand new attractive, visually appealing, and functional dock that features indicators to notify you when the Combo j9+ is charging, in need of a refill, or if it needs to be cleaned. It also has ample storage space for dust bags and additional mops. This is a major improvement over the previous version of j9+ which had a dated and ugly design.