I have been testing robot vacuums for about a decade now. In that time, I’ve tried well over 100 different models. If you’ve read my Roomba s9+ review, you know it has been one of my favorite robot vacuums since I first tried it. So when I heard that this flagship Roomba model’s successor was about to launch, I couldn’t wait to try the Roomba Combo j9+.
Now that I have spent many months with the Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop, I can confirm that it’s a solid upgrade in many ways when compared to the s9+. And right now happens to be a great time to find out for yourself what makes it so great. The Roomba Combo j9+ is on sale right now for $999 instead of $1,399, which is within $15 of the all-time lowest price.
If you want to skip to the conclusion, the bottom line is that the Roomba Combo j9+ is the most impressive Roomba that iRobot has ever made. It takes almost everything I love about the Roomba s9+ and adds built-in mopping as well as even more intelligent features. Plus, it has a special auto-empty dock that refills the Combo j9+ with clean water each time it’s done mopping.
This model is from the Roomba Combo lineup, which is the designation that iRobot gives its robot mop and vacuum hybrid devices. In the past, iRobot users had to purchase a Roomba to vacuum and a Braava to mop.
If you’re curious, the “9” in this model’s name means it’s iRobot’s top-of-the-line Roomba. Then, the “+” means it comes with an auto-empty base station. As you can see in the images though, this auto-empty base station isn’t the same as the one that comes with other Roomba models.
The first thing you’ll notice is that the Roomba Combo j9+’s base station is much larger than other Roomba docks. There are a few reasons for that. This one has storage space inside for debris bags, which is a nice touch. But the dirty water and clean water tanks take up the bulk of the extra space inside.
Apart from the nifty new mopping features, the Roomba Combo j9+ has the strongest suction of any Roomba, ever. It’s even stronger than the s9+ that I love so much, but there is one downgrade that’s worth noting. The extra-wide rollers on the s9+ were terrific since they could pick up more dirt and pet hair in a single pass. Meanwhile, the Combo j9+ has regular rollers like the ones you would find on similar Roomba models.
The Roomba Combo j9+ holds up to 60 days of debris in the dock. It can also store enough water for up to 30 days of regular mopping. That means it’ll empty the dirty water and get refilled with clean water every time it mops. That way, you don’t have to worry about emptying it and refilling it yourself each time it runs.
That’s great, but it’s worth noting that this model doesn’t have the auto-wash and auto-dry feature that comparable premium robot vacuum and mop hybrids have these days. Check our Roborock S8 Pro Ultra review for an example of a model that cleans and dries its own mop pads.
With a price tag of $1,399, it’s more than a little disappointing that the Roomba Combo j9+ is missing the ability to wash and dry its mopping pad. It’s an awesome convenience feature, and it’s now trickling down to robot models that cost so much less than the Combo j9+. Unfortunately, it would be impossible on this Roomba model because of the way the mop is designed.
Other robot vacuum and mop combo models have mopping pads on the bottom of the robot near the back. This way, the mopping pads are in the perfect position to be washed when the robot is docked in its base station. On the Roomba Combo j9+, however, the mop is on top of the robot, and it’s lowered by arms when in use. This design is great for keeping drops of water off of your rugs, but it makes auto-washing impossible. It also means that the Combo j9+ doesn’t have dual spinning mops, which you’ll find on most other high-end robots.
In addition to everything else I’ve covered, the Roomba Combo j9+ has all the best features from every other high-end Roomba. Examples include smart obstacle avoidance, intelligent mopping that lifts the mop pads on carpets, and four-stage cleaning.
As you might expect, the biggest downside of the Roomba Combo j9+ is the sky-high price tag. At $1,399, this model is one of the most expensive robot vacuums you can get.
This week, however, iRobot is offering this model with a deal that drops it close to the lowest price ever. Thanks to a $400 discount, the Roomba Combo j9+ is currently on sale for $999.
Or, if you don’t need the mopping features, you can get the Roomba j9+ with a huge discount.
The regular J9+ doesn’t have a built-in mop like the Combo version, of course. But not everyone wants a mop. Some people still prefer to use a manual mop because they don’t trust autonomous mops yet. And truth be told, models like the Roomba Combo j9+ aren’t a replacement for a regular mop. Instead, they’re great for extending the amount of time in between mopping jobs that you do with your traditional mop or your wet/dry vacuum.
Anyone who isn’t interested in paying a premium for something like that should definitely check out the Roomba j9+ instead. You’ll save $400 compared to the Combo version since the regular j9+ is currently on sale for $599.
