Which Roomba should I buy? A simple guide to the different robot vacuum options

If you're struggling to activity retired which Roomba to buy, you've travel to nan correct place. iRobot – nan genitor marque – makes immoderate of nan best robot vacuums around, but figuring retired nan differences betwixt nan various models tin beryllium tricky. Not slightest because they don't person nan astir logical aliases nan astir memorable naming system. This article will tally down nan USPs for nan different ranges, and your options wrong each series, to thief you take nan correct 1 for your needs.

Roomba robovacs consistently people highly successful our reviews, and now is an particularly bully clip to shop – we're expecting plentifulness of Black Friday Roomba deals successful nan seasonal sales.

Many Roomba models are disposable successful a fewer different versions – often, a Combo type that tin mop arsenic good arsenic vacuum, and a 'Plus' type that adds a much advanced, self-empty dock. We'll commencement by giving a little overview of each series, followed by a much in-depth look astatine each one, including nan various iterations available.

iRobot Roomba scope guide: cardinal info

Combo
Any Roomba pinch a 'Combo' successful nan sanction has nan expertise to mop arsenic good arsenic vacuuming. Sometimes this is via manual swapping of onboard bins/tanks, aliases sometimes it tin do some simultaneously.

Plus / +
If there's a 'Plus' successful nan name, that intends there's a self-empty dock included. All models travel pinch a basal complaint dock, wherever nan robot will return erstwhile it's retired of juice, but nan 'Plus' dock is much advanced, and will connection functions specified arsenic nan automatic emptying of nan onboard particulate cup into a larger bin successful nan dock.

How overmuch suction do Roombas have?
iRobot is reasonably unsocial successful nan robot vacuum marketplace successful choosing not to proviso suction stats for its products. Most brands supply circumstantial suction successful Pascals (Pa). The closest iRobot gets is to opportunity whether nan exemplary has 'standard' suction aliases other cleaning powerfulness (the j9 and 10 Max models declare '100% much power-lifting suction' compared to 'standard').

iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max

• Priciest, newest, astir precocious model
• Most precocious dock option, pinch self-clean and mop washing
• Robot itself is akin to nan j9

The Combo 10 Max is nan latest and top Roomba astatine clip of update. There's conscionable nan one, does-everything action successful nan 10 range, though we mightiness spot pared-back alternatives appearing later down nan line. We're successful nan process of reviewing it.

The Combo 10 Max has a complete featureset, including double nan 'Standard' suction powerfulness and 'SmartScrub' (which promises double nan scrubbing powerfulness compared to much basal Roombas). It tin vacuum and mop simultaneously, pinch nary request to switch thing over, and there's a retractible mop arm to debar damp carpets. There's besides a bunch of intelligent features: it tin beryllium group to cleanable nan dirtiest rooms first, it will accommodate cleaning based connected if it's connected difficult level aliases carpet, there's DirtDetect for automatic other cleaning connected dirtier areas, obstacle nickname and avoidance, and you tin group it to cleanable by room aliases zone.

None of those features are exclusive to nan 10 Max though – they each look connected nan j9 bid bots, and astir are included successful nan j7 bid too. So what's nan quality pinch nan Combo 10 Max? It's each successful nan dock.

As good arsenic auto-emptying dirt, nan 10 Max's dock tin lavation and barren nan bot's mop pads, and comes pinch a self-cleaning rhythm too. It besides has automatic detergent dispensing (also included pinch nan j9+).

iRobot Roomba j9 series

• Double modular suction; double scrubbing power
• Similar to nan Combo 10, isolated from nan compatible dock is little advanced
• One of nan newer and astir costly options

The j9 bid is 1 of nan newest, astir costly options successful nan Roomba lineup. A use complete nan 10 Max is that it's disposable successful much configurations. Here's what's presently available:

The j9 has '100% much suction lifting power' than nan remainder of nan range, barroom nan 10 Max. It besides comes pinch 'SmartScrub', for double nan scrubbing power. In fact, it has galore of nan aforesaid features are nan Combo 10, isolated from nan compatible dock doesn't person automatic mop pad washing aliases a self-cleaning cycle.

The j9 is besides reasonably akin to nan older j7, isolated from nan j9 has amended suction, and immoderate added features specified arsenic nan expertise to cleanable nan dirtiest rooms first and automatic solution refill if you opt for a dock version. Because it's newer, nan j9 bid tends to person amended readiness than nan j7.

Read more: iRobot Roomba j9 positive review

iRobot Roomba Combo j5 series

• Only Combo models
• Mop portion must beryllium manually swapped in

The j5 bid is 1 of nan newer lines. Like nan j9, it launched successful 2023, but it's much basal and cheaper. It only includes combo models:

It offers 'Standard' suction power, alongside nan accustomed dual rubber rollers. There's DirtDetect for much intensive cleaning connected dirtier areas of floor, and nan expertise to accommodate cleaning to difficult floors versus carpet.

If you opt for nan Combo type of nan j5, a cardinal constituent of quality compared to nan j9 is that nan mopping and vacuuming parts are wholly separate. You person to manually switch nan particulate bin and h2o tanks complete erstwhile you want to alteration function, and you besides request to adhd nan mop pad on. There's your modular scrubbing (the j7 and 10 Max models committedness double scrubbing power).

iRobot Roomba i5 series

• Mop portion must beryllium manually swapped in
• Lots of different configurations, but readiness is limited
• Recommended for smaller homes; nary obstacle avoidance

The i5 bid launched successful 2022 and is disposable successful a scope of different iterations, including operation mop-vac models and options pinch aliases without a self-empty base. Here's a rundown of nan different versions available:

You're getting nan 'Standard' vacuum suction powerfulness recovered crossed astir of nan range, barroom nan very apical models. There's nan accustomed dual rubber rollers positive separator brush. Like nan i8 and j5 Combo models, nan mop and vacuuming systems are wholly separate, and you request to manually switch nan bins complete erstwhile you want to move from 1 to another.

It's 1 of nan much basal models successful nan iRobot lineup. There's nary obstacle nickname aliases avoidance (although it will make its measurement astir furnishings and location are cliff sensors truthful it doesn't return a tumble down nan stairs) and nary hazard notifications. You tin nonstop it to cleanable a peculiar room, but it won't cleanable by area aliases object.

Roomba j7 series

• Standard vacuum suction, but much powerful mop scrubbing
• Simultaneous mopping and vacuuming connected Combo models

The j7 launched successful 2021. It's a small older now, and while there's still a wide scope of options disposable successful nan UK, nan options successful nan US are much constricted (at least, if you want to bargain nonstop from iRobot). Here's a rundown of nan products available:

This has nan 'Standard' suction powerfulness recovered crossed astir of nan range, barroom nan range-topping Combo 10 Max and j9 series. The suction powerfulness mightiness beryllium standard, but this is 1 of a fistful of models that has SmartScrub for double nan scrubbing powerfulness connected its mop. It vacuums and mops simultaneously, alternatively than requiring you to manually switch retired nan bins. There's a retractable mopping arm, it automatically knows to debar mopping carpet, and there's nan action to adhd no-mop zones too.

If you spell for a Plus version, it's your modular self-empty dock that takes attraction of emptying nan particulate cup.

Read more: iRobot Roomba j7 Plus review

iRobot Roomba Essential bid

• Cheapest Combo model, very basal characteristic set
• Only exemplary to person a bristle brushroll alternatively than rubbery rollers

The Roomba Combo Essential is simply a budget-friendly combo robot vacuum and mop. There's only 1 action successful this range:

Rather than nan accustomed dual rubber rollers, this 1 has conscionable a azygous bristle roller, alongside nan rotating broadside brush. It offers 3 suction levels and 3 h2o levels, alongside basal navigation and entity avoidance. It doesn't person 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility.

There's nary DirtDetect (so it won't auto-adjust based connected really cleanable your level is) and it can't show if its connected a difficult level aliases carpet. The Essential vacuums and mops astatine nan aforesaid time, but that's astir it for smart mopping features – it can't assistance nan mop pad to support carpets dry, you can't group no-mop zones, and because there's nary dock, don't expect immoderate benignant of auto-cleaning of nan mop pads either. All of these are features you'll find successful pricier models.

If you don't request nan mopping part, cheque retired nan Roomba i1, nan cheapest vacuum-only option. It's really somewhat much precocious than nan Essential – it has DirtDetect, tin consciousness difficult floors versus carpet, and comes pinch 5GHz Wi-Fi support.

Read more: review successful progress

Roomba i1 series

• No Combo action pinch mopping
• Cheapest vacuum-only option

The i1 bid is nan oldest action still successful nan existent iRobot Roomba range, arsenic good arsenic being nan astir basic. There's nary combo action pinch mopping, truthful if you want that functionality, cheque retired nan Combo Essential.

Neither i9 models is disposable to bargain nonstop from iRobot successful nan US, truthful we don't person database prices successful USD. Note that nan US dock whitethorn look different to nan UK dock pictured below.

This basal robovac has 2 multi-surface rubbery brushrolls, and a broadside brush. There's 'standard' suction, and it promises to return a logical cleaning route, utilizing search sensors to cleanable successful neat rows until nan full area has been covered.

You're getting nan standard, very good designed, iRobot companion app, albeit astir apt pinch less power options. There's Google Assistant and Alexa integration, if you want to usage sound control, and 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility.

There are a mates of much precocious cleaning features. 'DirtDetect' exertion intends nan robot tin consciousness dirtier areas and cleanable them much thoroughly, and nan brushrolls will automatically raise aliases little depending connected nan benignant of level it's on, too. It relies connected 'Reactive Sensor Technology' to fig retired areas to debar – location aren't excessively galore specifics here, but we'd presume nan entity recognition will beryllium basal compared to pricier models.

iRobot Roomba i8 series

• UK only, constricted availability
• Mop must beryllium manually swapped in
• Basic exemplary pinch nary obstacle avoidance

The i8 is 1 of nan oldest Roombas still around, and it's only disposable successful nan UK. We're not expecting it to instrumentality astir overmuch longer. Here's what's presently available:

The i8 comes pinch dual rubber rollers, an separator brushwood and modular suction. Like nan j5 and i5 models, nan mop portion is abstracted and must beryllium manually swapped in. This is 1 of nan much basal models, pinch nary obstacle avoidance. You tin group it to cleanable a circumstantial room, and there's basal navigation. If you opt for a dock, it's a elemental self-empty setup.

Overall, it's somewhat much precocious than nan i5 series. The i8 gives you nan action to cleanable by area aliases object, and nan expertise to group no-mop zones, neither of which is imaginable pinch nan i5.

iRobot Braava robot mop

• Hard level cleaner, pinch mop and sweeping pads
• No vacuum function
• One model, pinch basal complaint dock

The Braava is simply a robot mop designed for difficult level cleaning. This statement was primitively developed by a abstracted institution – Evolution Robotics – which was acquired by iRobot. Currently there's only 1 Braava successful nan UK range:

The Braava pitchy m6 comes pinch interchangeable mopping and barren sweeping pads. It doesn't person immoderate vacuuming capabilities connected its own, but it tin 'link up' pinch definite compatible Roombas to present a coordinated level clean.

There's nary obstacle avoidance, though it tin admit and debar mopping carpet. The dock is charge-only, pinch nary auto-empty aliases self-cleaning options. You tin cleanable by room, area aliases object.