Nice review, does it still bump into baseboards and furniture legs? I know it avoids cables and such but concerned it may still bump coffee tables and couch legs
@@Boodieman72 Oh, I thought you needed vacuum and mop. If all you need is a mop go with the Narwal - moderncastle.com/narwal-t10-review/ It's easily the best dedicated mop we've tested.
j7+ is my overall favorite Cleaning was it's a little less high performance compared to the S9+, however, it adds obstacle avoidance...which in my view is far more important. Nothing is worse than a robot that's constantly getting stuck and you're always having to go find and save. While the j7+ isn't flawless in this respect, it's better than everything else in iRobot's lineup. As a result, I think it's the best overall currently.
@@melissa4455 j7+ is still an amazing robot and one I recommend. However, the Combo j7+ just launched a couple of weeks ago. We haven't tested it yet, but it's one we're working on getting a sample for testing ASAP. Combo j7+ is basically a j7+ but also includes a mop the raises / lowers. Very cool concept. Expecting great things from it. Check it out below www.amazon.com/iRobot%C2%AE-Roomba-ComboTM-Self-Emptying-Vacuum/dp/B0BCH3J9RD?th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mc_1001-20&linkId=8591fa5695efaf8fa045a82737425854&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
Maybe this is a stupid question, but is it only pet poop that it avoids? Or does it also avoid pet pee or vomit? Our cat's sometimes leave a hairball or vomit around the livingroom... and if we aren't home it would be handy that the roomba would avoid this!
It SHOULD avoid various types of pet "leavings", but I know they put the most work into making sure it sees and voids pet poop. The system is designed to be improved over time. So I have a reasonable expectation that it would avoid all of those items and more.
This is a great review. What's the best cleaning robot? We have a shedding beagle dog and a messy toddler so often toys around etc. Luckily we only have hardfloors. Vacuuming is more important to me but if there's one that mops well too that'd be cool (I understand moping performance to be poor). Thank you!
Since you have a dog that sheds I'd go with the Roomba j7+ or S9+ i7+ amzn.to/3LJtHRN S9+ amzn.to/3vHRhIT Among all of the robots vacuums we've tested over the years the Roomba models within the last several years are the best when it comes to raw vacuuming performance.
@@ModernCastle thanks for the quick reply! I was thinking the j7+ or the roborock. I wasn't sure if the s7 would work in our house if it's a bit dark? One review I read said the lights had to be turned on? Are they both ok in a 300sqm house? What about the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra? I don't think it's out yet but it seems like it might have the artificial intelligence of the j7 combined with the lidar mapping system - the best of both worlds? Also can you use aftermarket bags? I can't justify $20 per bag. Thanks again !
@@biancar2412 1) Yes, you'll generally need some ambient light in the room. However, in my experience, it can be fairly dark and the j7 / Roborock S7 will still work fine. S7 MaxV has a light on the front, so that's a good option if you're concerned. 2) Any of these models will be fine in a 300 sqm house 3) S7 MaxV Ultra is the best robot I've ever tested. If you don't mind the $1,400 price tag then absolutely, get that. It should be out soon. 4) I've not gone looking for aftermarket bags, but I don't see any reason why they won't be widely available and work well
Great videos! I just bought the J7+. Is there a way to disable the auto bin emptying? It's a bit loud for my liking and don't want to listen to it every day, but other than that I am really happy with it.
@@elle8365 I just double check on my app and it looks like I was wrong. Perhaps I was thinking of a different brand. There doesn't seem to be any way to turn off the clean base. Sorry :(
Any theories why the j7 dropped ~8% in the low-pile test compared to other models? Did they change the pickup hardware between the i7 and the j7? I'm interested in this model for the AI, but it's disappointing that there seems to be a performance tradeoff.
No theories that seem to hold water. Based on what I have observed in the hardware between the i and j models, and what Roomba's marketing team have told me directly, the j7 and i7 have the exact same cleaning hardware. The different is just the navigational abilities and obstacle detection. I really don't have a good reason for why we saw such a drop in the j7's cleaning performance relative to other flagship Roomba models.
It is Costco just gets specially named models / SKUs so they can sell them at a cheaper price. But it's the same basic robot, some accessories might be different.
You can. You just need to connect the j7+ to your wifi and then you can control it from anywhere you have access to a smart phone (or other smart device).
Yikes! I have been waiting for a J7+ sale but right now the i7 plus is on sale for $499! Prime Day. I am crazy trying to decide. Any quick advice? I like the obstacle feature but the only thing that comes near to the i7 price is the J7 Refurb. Otherwise it is about $300 or so difference.
@@ModernCastle Thank you so much. Tech is always a challenge to justify price/performance for me. I know such only if I have direct experience. I ordered an i7.
Thank you - Excellent analytical review! We have 2 double-coated dogs that shed a LOT! Not sure your long strand human hair test is comparable to the pet fur tumbleweeds that we get. Any thoughts on how effective the j7+ would be on a low pile carpet with lots of dog fur?
Thanks! In general, robot vacuums do tend to struggle more with super thick dog fur...so I guess the question is how thick is it? And how much is their per load? When the hair is really voluminous it can quickly cap out of the 0.3 L dust bin, which can also cause difficulties when emptying the bin. I don't think it's really a j7+ problem as much as it is a robot vacuum in general problem. As far as the j7+ is compared to the world of other robot vacuums...I'd say it's far better than most when it comes to pet hair, but it's also not a miracle worker. Hope that helps!
I can say I too have two dogs that shed a ton. Before buying this Roomba I always had a handheld that's wasn't getting all of the hairs up especially from those hard to reach places. But when I first got it I set it to go over each and every spot twice. And it picks up sooo much dog hair. It's awesome, but it does fill the bin quickly. But that doesn't bother me much, it just goes to empty it out (if you have the base that empties itself) I'll also say, never have I ever seen any pet hair get caught in the spinning motor or the green reels. But I have seen human hair caught there before. I usually just remove it with my pocket knife though. Never usually a big issue. But I will say again pet hair has never been an issue for me though.
Without question enough. After testing 70+ different robot vacuums I can tell you robots have zero issues on hard surface flooring. Most clean 95% by debris weight or better, with a large percentage cover 98%+.
@@ModernCastle Thank you very much. I currently own a Deebot u2 and it hardly picks up small debris like coffe, hairs etc from little cracks on hard floor. I had the same issue with the Roomba 600 and I think it might be due to their lower suction power. Thank you for reassuring me. The J7+ costs a lot but I will eventually come around and just pull the trigger. It seems worth it.
@@ModernCastle any chance you tested it consistently sending it to specific rooms? By far my biggest gripe with current Shark, only goes to specified room 50% of the times/takes 10 mins to find out where it is before going to specified room after months of mapping
@@rootshirt No, we didn't test that specifically. But I've done with other Roomba models without issue. We had so many problems with the Shark IQ that the mapping never worked at all. iRobot doesn't seem to have these same issues.
Questions? Ask in the comments! We try to answer within 24 hours or less.
Want to buy a j7+? Grab the link here - amzn.to/3tOb2Me
Thank God! Now I can finally poop on my floor without having to worry about it getting stuck in my Roomba!
Finally! :P
Nice review, does it still bump into baseboards and furniture legs? I know it avoids cables and such but concerned it may still bump coffee tables and couch legs
Yes, it still bumps into stuff.
Hi. Can it function on a dark coloured hard floor?
Yes
When will you do the j9+?
We don't have any immediate plans, but it is on my list to get as soon as we can.
Can you check out the Hobot Legee-688
We tested it here - moderncastle.com/best-mop/hobot-legee-668-review/
Short review - it was a massive disappointment and I would not recommend it
@@ModernCastle What is your current pick for the best mopping robot that uses reusable pads? Mix of carpets and hard floors.
@@Boodieman72 Roborock S7 - amzn.to/3wdEUD3
@@ModernCastle Still the best option when I just need the mopping part?
@@Boodieman72 Oh, I thought you needed vacuum and mop. If all you need is a mop go with the Narwal - moderncastle.com/narwal-t10-review/
It's easily the best dedicated mop we've tested.
which roomba would you recommend overall? We have two Labradors and two babies.
j7+ is my overall favorite
Cleaning was it's a little less high performance compared to the S9+, however, it adds obstacle avoidance...which in my view is far more important.
Nothing is worse than a robot that's constantly getting stuck and you're always having to go find and save. While the j7+ isn't flawless in this respect, it's better than everything else in iRobot's lineup. As a result, I think it's the best overall currently.
@@ModernCastle Do you still recommend the j7 plus? Is there anything new that you like better? I have a mix of carpet and tile. Thanks.
@@melissa4455 j7+ is still an amazing robot and one I recommend.
However, the Combo j7+ just launched a couple of weeks ago. We haven't tested it yet, but it's one we're working on getting a sample for testing ASAP.
Combo j7+ is basically a j7+ but also includes a mop the raises / lowers. Very cool concept. Expecting great things from it.
Check it out below
www.amazon.com/iRobot%C2%AE-Roomba-ComboTM-Self-Emptying-Vacuum/dp/B0BCH3J9RD?th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mc_1001-20&linkId=8591fa5695efaf8fa045a82737425854&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
Maybe this is a stupid question, but is it only pet poop that it avoids? Or does it also avoid pet pee or vomit? Our cat's sometimes leave a hairball or vomit around the livingroom... and if we aren't home it would be handy that the roomba would avoid this!
It SHOULD avoid various types of pet "leavings", but I know they put the most work into making sure it sees and voids pet poop.
The system is designed to be improved over time. So I have a reasonable expectation that it would avoid all of those items and more.
I hope they add 'cat barf detection and avoidance' soon.
That would be smart
This is a great review. What's the best cleaning robot? We have a shedding beagle dog and a messy toddler so often toys around etc. Luckily we only have hardfloors.
Vacuuming is more important to me but if there's one that mops well too that'd be cool (I understand moping performance to be poor).
Thank you!
Since you have a dog that sheds I'd go with the Roomba j7+ or S9+
i7+ amzn.to/3LJtHRN
S9+ amzn.to/3vHRhIT
Among all of the robots vacuums we've tested over the years the Roomba models within the last several years are the best when it comes to raw vacuuming performance.
@@ModernCastle thanks for the quick reply!
I was thinking the j7+ or the roborock. I wasn't sure if the s7 would work in our house if it's a bit dark? One review I read said the lights had to be turned on?
Are they both ok in a 300sqm house?
What about the Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra? I don't think it's out yet but it seems like it might have the artificial intelligence of the j7 combined with the lidar mapping system - the best of both worlds?
Also can you use aftermarket bags? I can't justify $20 per bag.
Thanks again !
@@biancar2412 1) Yes, you'll generally need some ambient light in the room. However, in my experience, it can be fairly dark and the j7 / Roborock S7 will still work fine. S7 MaxV has a light on the front, so that's a good option if you're concerned.
2) Any of these models will be fine in a 300 sqm house
3) S7 MaxV Ultra is the best robot I've ever tested. If you don't mind the $1,400 price tag then absolutely, get that. It should be out soon.
4) I've not gone looking for aftermarket bags, but I don't see any reason why they won't be widely available and work well
Great videos! I just bought the J7+. Is there a way to disable the auto bin emptying? It's a bit loud for my liking and don't want to listen to it every day, but other than that I am really happy with it.
Thank you!
There's an option in the app that says to auto empty dust bin. Just click that button to turn it off.
@@ModernCastle Interesting, I can't find anything like that on my app, I only have 'empty bin' and when I press it, the bin empties: (
@@elle8365 I just double check on my app and it looks like I was wrong. Perhaps I was thinking of a different brand.
There doesn't seem to be any way to turn off the clean base.
Sorry :(
@@ModernCastle I just called the roomba support line, they said there is no option to disable it : ( Thanks for your replies: )
@@elle8365 You're welcome!
Any theories why the j7 dropped ~8% in the low-pile test compared to other models? Did they change the pickup hardware between the i7 and the j7? I'm interested in this model for the AI, but it's disappointing that there seems to be a performance tradeoff.
No theories that seem to hold water. Based on what I have observed in the hardware between the i and j models, and what Roomba's marketing team have told me directly, the j7 and i7 have the exact same cleaning hardware. The different is just the navigational abilities and obstacle detection.
I really don't have a good reason for why we saw such a drop in the j7's cleaning performance relative to other flagship Roomba models.
This looks like the J8+ I've seen at Costco. Is it the same? I'm considering purchasing it. Thank you.
It is
Costco just gets specially named models / SKUs so they can sell them at a cheaper price. But it's the same basic robot, some accessories might be different.
@@ModernCastle I thought so, thank you !
@@markc3666 You're welcome!
Can I control my j7+ when I'm away? Or do I need to be near it?
You can. You just need to connect the j7+ to your wifi and then you can control it from anywhere you have access to a smart phone (or other smart device).
@@ModernCastle Wonderful. Thank you.
@@ricksomething You're welcome
Roomba J7+ or Deebot N8 Pro+ for better/deep carpet cleaning?
J7+
It performed notably better when it came to cleaning carpet overall, but especially thick / high pile carpets.
@@ModernCastle Thanks!
@@TheDanGoldstein You're welcome!
Yikes! I have been waiting for a J7+ sale but right now the i7 plus is on sale for $499! Prime Day. I am crazy trying to decide. Any quick advice? I like the obstacle feature but the only thing that comes near to the i7 price is the J7 Refurb. Otherwise it is about $300 or so difference.
i7 for $499 feels like a no brainer to me.
I don't think $300 extra for the J7 makes sense
@@ModernCastle Thank you so much. Tech is always a challenge to justify price/performance for me. I know such only if I have direct experience. I ordered an i7.
@@rodneylw10 You're welcome!
This is a great video!
Thank you! I'm glad you found it helpful.
I just got one of these and it’s amazing compared to a eufy 30. We have a 4k square foot house and it works amazing
Nice! Glad to hear it's working well.
Thank you - Excellent analytical review! We have 2 double-coated dogs that shed a LOT! Not sure your long strand human hair test is comparable to the pet fur tumbleweeds that we get. Any thoughts on how effective the j7+ would be on a low pile carpet with lots of dog fur?
Thanks!
In general, robot vacuums do tend to struggle more with super thick dog fur...so I guess the question is how thick is it? And how much is their per load?
When the hair is really voluminous it can quickly cap out of the 0.3 L dust bin, which can also cause difficulties when emptying the bin.
I don't think it's really a j7+ problem as much as it is a robot vacuum in general problem. As far as the j7+ is compared to the world of other robot vacuums...I'd say it's far better than most when it comes to pet hair, but it's also not a miracle worker.
Hope that helps!
I can say I too have two dogs that shed a ton. Before buying this Roomba I always had a handheld that's wasn't getting all of the hairs up especially from those hard to reach places. But when I first got it I set it to go over each and every spot twice. And it picks up sooo much dog hair. It's awesome, but it does fill the bin quickly. But that doesn't bother me much, it just goes to empty it out (if you have the base that empties itself) I'll also say, never have I ever seen any pet hair get caught in the spinning motor or the green reels. But I have seen human hair caught there before. I usually just remove it with my pocket knife though. Never usually a big issue. But I will say again pet hair has never been an issue for me though.
@@ponch817 Thanks for sharing your experience, Edward!
Do you think its suction power is enough to clean well hard floors? Thank you for this thorough review!
Without question enough.
After testing 70+ different robot vacuums I can tell you robots have zero issues on hard surface flooring. Most clean 95% by debris weight or better, with a large percentage cover 98%+.
Did you not watch the video 😂 answered like 40 times lol
@@ModernCastle Thank you very much. I currently own a Deebot u2 and it hardly picks up small debris like coffe, hairs etc from little cracks on hard floor. I had the same issue with the Roomba 600 and I think it might be due to their lower suction power.
Thank you for reassuring me. The J7+ costs a lot but I will eventually come around and just pull the trigger. It seems worth it.
@@FM-fh3zt You're very welcome. Happy to help!
Will it avoid cat puke?
It should.
Awesome vid, gave me important info I wasn’t even thinking of. Going with this to replace my Shark self empty
Thank you! Glad it was helful.
@@ModernCastle any chance you tested it consistently sending it to specific rooms? By far my biggest gripe with current Shark, only goes to specified room 50% of the times/takes 10 mins to find out where it is before going to specified room after months of mapping
@@rootshirt No, we didn't test that specifically. But I've done with other Roomba models without issue.
We had so many problems with the Shark IQ that the mapping never worked at all.
iRobot doesn't seem to have these same issues.
@@ModernCastle cool, appreciate the response
@@rootshirt You're welcome
It doesn’t avoid the bars of the chair and is permanently stuck
Pretty common among basically 100% of robot vacuums.
Just setup a no go zone for that area. That's the best option.
Dog hair always gets tangled in mine, cant even go a day without cleaning it
I have 30 roombas, big house 🏠
That is a lot!
Is that a human head . 😂
Where?
Geez how many of you dont have trained dogs that poop is a problem? gross.
All it takes is one accident for a disaster
This is BS.. mine tracked all the dog pooped everywhere. Wish I could post pics in the comment section.
Your j7+ specifically? Or a different model?