iRobot Combo Essential Cleaner Review

IRobot's Combo Essential is its first robot that is focused on the fundamentals of cleaning. It is sleek, smart design and a mop that performs well.

iRobot OS lets you start and stop cleanings from the app, plus gives you personalized suggestions and obstacles and map avoidance images (opt-in). The Clean Base autofill dock charges the batteries, empties the dustbin, and fills water tanks.

What is the Roomba Combo essential?

Loaded with cleaning essentials and powered by iRobot OS, this 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop will help customers cross two chores off their list with one device. It features intelligent navigation with three levels of powerful suction, and a battery life of up to 120 minutes. With its sleek low-profile design and Edge-Sweeping Brush, dirt can't hide around corners or under furniture.

The 4-Stage Cleaning System utilizes adjustable suction and liquid settings and a V-shaped multi-surfacer, and an emulsified microfiber mop pad to scrub multiple floors in one step. It also has 18x more suction2 and an Edge-Sweeping Brush to help eliminate dust and dirt at the edges of rooms, and under furniture. It also has an easy-to-use iRobot Home App controls, suggested cleaning schedules, as well as detailed Clean Map reports.

With the iRobot free app, customers can choose from a range of cleaning modes, including spot-cleaning, automatic, or mop-only. The app lets users set the start and stop times and pause the cleaning. The Combo Essential supports voice control integration for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. You can begin a cleaning session by simply saying an order.

When the Combo Essential is done cleaning, it will return to the docking station automatically and empty the dustbin into the dirt bin. Based on the amount of dust the Combo has accumulated it will require regular emptying. The app also allows users to monitor and control the cleaner's battery, a mop pad change reminder, and other details.

GearBrain will be testing the new Roomba Combo Essential over the next few weeks, but for now we can say that it's an excellent upgrade to the 600 Series. We are awestruck by the fact that it's packed with innovative features and yet, it still provides powerful cleaning power, despite its reduced price.

We're excited to try the Combo Essential in our homes If you're looking to take your cleaning routine to the next level, it's available today for $275. For more information and a complete list of specs, go to the irobot vacuum and mop website.

What is the Roomba Combo j9+?

iRobot has established itself as a leader in the field of smart vacuums and mopping and its most recent model, the Combo J9+, builds on that legacy. It has a top-rated dirt/dust pick-up performance and uses mopping technology powered by the iRobot OS. This latest software provides robots with "smart cleaning preferences" and allows them to automatically clean rooms based on the needs of each room. For instance they might be more attentive to kitchen floors, increase pressure on the floor scrubber while in the entryway, or increase the suction power for carpeted areas.

The j9+ also makes the perfect choice for homes that have a mix of flooring surfaces, as it is able to pick up dirt and debris on both carpeted and bare floors. Its navigation system is reliable and it did a good job in avoiding obstacles during our tests. It also comes with the ability to see pictures of objects it encounters on an exercise, which helps it to better map out routes and prevent these hazards in the future.

Its mops can be easily replaced and the large water tank is expected to last for about a week between refills. The onboard dustbin is relatively large and it has a swinging door that makes it easy to empty. It's worth noting that while it is capable of self-emptying, you will still have to manually empty its filter from time time to prevent blocking.

Another excellent feature is the Clean Base Auto-Fill dock which can completely empty the robot's dustbin and fill up its water tank. This is a feature that many of its competitors do not have, and it's an excellent way to cut down on the amount of maintenance you have to do.

The iRobot app is easy and simple, but it's not perfect. It's difficult to use since it doesn't come with a live coverage view map or remote control capabilities. It is also susceptible to dropping connections and regularly signs you out and doesn't provide the best experience. Additionally, it doesn't permit you to set a specific time when the robot will finish the cleaning task.

What is the Roomba Combo j7+?

The Combo J7+ is a real 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop. It has a 3.8-star rating on Amazon and it's one of the smartest mopping robots out there (though it's not the only one, as competitors such as the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni and the Roborock Q5+ are superior in cleaning up mess). 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 sessions.

It also excels in keeping floors clean, even with high-pile carpeting. The robot's PrecisionVision Navigation system avoids obstacles like shoes, cords pet waste, toys. Likewise, its Dirt Detect Technology recognizes dirtier areas and then begins cleaning them more thoroughly. Place the pad on top of the mops and the robot will begin cleaning.

Apart from the standard robot vacuum and mop mode, the Combo J7+ can be set to run in sweep-only mode where it simply sweeps the floor without using mop. You can also schedule a cleaning time in advance, but we found it was best to use the default auto-cleaning settings.

Automatic Floor Cleaner updates are another bonus that keeps your Roomba running smoothly. It can be manually updated as well, if you're willing to endure the trouble of connecting it to Wi-Fi and downloading the latest software, which can take just a few minutes.

As with other iRobot robots like the Combo j7+ needs some maintenance. Its dust bin should be cleaned every two weeks, and its liquid chamber can be filled with cleaning solution. It arrives with a sample bottle of iRobot's cleaner solution, however, the help section suggests that Bona Hardwood/Hard Surface Cleaner is excellent alternative that doesn't harm the device. The caster wheel on the front is able to be removed for cleaning and its socket is recommended to be cleaned of hair tangles and debris once a week.

The Combo J7+ is rated for use on upto 60 floors, though the amount of floors you can clean per charge depends on the type of floor you have and frequency. The battery's lifespan is up to 90 minutes per charge and you can recharge it via the included AC adapter. The docking base's sensors and charging contacts should be wiped clear of dirt and dust every two weeks.

What is the Roomba Combo J6+?

The Combo J9+ is the latest combination robot cleaner from iRobot. While it's not equipped with the bells and whistles of the more advanced (and way more expensive -- they start at $1,800!) Robot floor cleaners are still capable of a thorough clean on hard and carpet floors. Its main strengths include its solid navigation and obstacle avoidance systems and its impressive mop-sweeping performance.

The j9+'s mops self-retracting and help to avoid the spread of mud on your carpets and rugs. SmartScrub Mops are employed in its cleaning system. They move back and forth with constant pressure to scrub thoroughly even on the most difficult stains like coffee. It is equipped with an effective suction system that can be used to clean dirt from carpets and rug.

The navigation system of the j9+ features two cameras that can aid in navigation around your home without getting snagged or bumping into objects as can sometimes be the case with other Roomba model. These cameras utilize the iRobot's PrecisionVision technology, which can help your j9+ recognize and avoid things such as cords. It can also keep track of certain rooms and carpeted areas so that it will be able to tell you not to mop these areas. This feature is known as Imprint smart map, and is only available to Roomba i7 models.

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

The mops can be easily emptied and recharged so you don't have to be concerned when it's time to replace or refill them. This model comes with a practical dock that is both aesthetically appealing and practical. It comes with indicators that inform you whether the Combo J9+ is required to be recharged, charged or cleaned. It also comes with plenty of easily accessible storage space for additional mops and dust bags. This is a major improvement over the previous version of the j9+, which was outdated and ugly design.