iRobot says its new Roombas focus on your home’s dirtiest floors

iRobot has introduced its two smartest and most powerful robot vacuums: its flagship Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum/mop combo and its Roomba j9+ robot vacuum. The Roomba Combo j9+ comes with a new Clean Base Auto-Fill Dock that automatically empties debris and refills the robot with cleaning fluid.

iRobot also took the wraps off the latest version of its robot operating system, iRobot OS 7.0, which adds Dirt Detective intelligence to help both new robot vacuums quickly identify and prioritize cleaning the dirtiest areas of the home first. The new OS also includes SmartScrub, a feature that enables the Roomba Combo j9+ and its predecessor, the Roomba Combo j7+, to apply a back-and-forth scrubbing motion to better clean stains and sticky messes.

This news story is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best robot vacuums.

iRobot Roomba Combo j9+: A first look

The Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop employs a four-stage cleaning system, dual rubber roller brushes, and pressurized scrubbing motion to thoroughly clean dirt, pet fur, and debris from carpeted and hard-surface floors. Its unique auto-retract mopping system, which lifts the mop to the top of the robot when carpet is detected, and iRobot’s D.R.I. (Dry Rug Intelligence) spare users from wet messes.

Powered by improved iRobot OS technology, the Roomba Combo j9+ can create an accurate map of the user’s home seven times faster than iRobot’s earliuer mapping technology, and it can automatically identify and name rooms. A front-facing camera allows the robot to recognize and maneuver around clutter like shoes, wires, backpacks, clothes, pets, and even solid pet waste, and it automatically adapts to changes, such as new furniture, without having to remap the space.

iRobot

With Dirt Detective, the Roomba Combo j9+ assesses the cleanliness of the mapped rooms and then prioritizes cleaning the areas that need the most attention based on insights from past cleaning jobs. Unlike other vacuum-and-mop combo robots that merely drag their mop pads across the floor, SmartScrub adds elbow grease to the Roomba Combo j9+’s mop, so it can eradicate stubborn stains on hard floors.

The new Clean Base Auto-fill Dock empties debris for up to 60 days and can stores enough cleaning liquid to deliver up to 30 days of autonomous cleaning, returning to the base station as needed to recharge its battery. The base station also includes a place to store extra bags and mop pads, and the wood-like top can be used as a tabletop surface in users’ home décor.

An early look at the iRobot Roomba j9+

The Roomba j9+ uses a three-stage cleaning system with dual rubber brushes and can automatically detect floor type and adjust its cleaning power to sweep up dust, dirt, and pet hair. After completing a cleaning job, it returns to its Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal to automatically empty itself. The base can hold up to 60 days of debris.

As with the Roomba Combo j9+, Dirt Detective enables the Roomba j9+ to analyze past cleaning preferences, patterns, and timing, so it can automatically prioritize the dirtiest rooms and customize suction power and the number of cleaning passes on a room-by-room basis.

iRobot

The Roomba Combo j9+ ($1,399) and the Roomba j9+ ($899) are available for pre-order in the U.S. and Canada at iRobot.com starting today. They’ll be available for pre-order at select retailers beginning September 12. The Roomba j9+ will also be available as part of the iRobot Select membership program in Q3 2023. (You can read more about iRobot Select subscriptions at the preceding link.) iRobot says that OS 7.0 updates are currently rolling out to customers worldwide.

We’ll have an in-depth review of the Roomba Combo j9+ once it’s available.