Technology

The 4 most advanced Roombas are at their lowest prices ever

Roomba robot vacuum cleaning rug with self-empty dock, dog, person, and furniture in background

SAVE UP TO 44%: As of April 23, several j Series Roombas have dropped to record low pricing at Amazon:

Best Roomba deals this week

Most advanced Roomba
iRobot Roomba Combo j9+

$ 999 at Amazon (save $ 400.99)

Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum with mop lifted, self-empty dock, and smartphone with iRobot logo on screen


Next best mopping Roomba
iRobot Roomba Combo j7+

$ 699 at Amazon ($ 400.99)

Roomba Combo j7+ robot vacuum with mop lifted, self-empty dock, and smartphone with iRobot logo on screen


Most powerful Roomba under $ 600
iRobot Roomba j9+

$ 599 at Amazon ($ 300.99)

iRobot Roomba j9+ on dock and smartphone with iRobot logo on screen


Cheapest mopping Roomba with obstacle avoidance
iRobot Roomba Combo j5+

$ 449 at Amazon (save $ 350.99)

iRobot Roomba j5+ robot vacuum on dock, external water tank, and smartphone with iRobot logo on screen

Many robot vacuum deniers are of the mindset that you shouldn’t have to babysit your robot vacuum. And we don’t blame them — the need to tidy up any rogue personal items before sending your robot vacuum out to clean is definitely a case for going the cordless vacuum route altogether.

Amazon’s current Roomba deals are your answer to that problem. As of April 23, four j Series Roombas with obstacle avoidance technology have dropped down to record-low pricing — one of them hitting this low for the first time ever. (This is all according to Amazon price tracker Camelcamelcamel.)

All of your options are less than $ 1,000, with the most affordable robovac dipping below $ 450. If you’re on the fence about which one to buy, we’re unpacking the differences between the Roomba Combo j9+, Roomba Combo j7+, Roomba j9+, or Roomba Combo j5+ below:

Most advanced Roomba

iRobot Roomba Combo j9+

$ 999.00 at Amazon
$ 1,399.99 Save $ 400.99

Why is it such a big deal to be able to score the best Roomba under $ 1,000? Let’s unpack. While the Combo j9+ keeps the best parts of the older Roomba Combo j7+ that we loved during hands-on testing, like the retractable mopping pad that never needs to be removed or the ability to avoid small, pesky obstacles like cords and socks, the Combo j9+ also solves several gripes that we had with the Combo j7+.

First, it’s simply better at cleaning: its new four-stage cleaning system delivers 100% stronger suction than the i Series Roombas, while its mopping pad scrubs back and forth with pressure to eat away at stubborn stains. Besides stellar cleaning, we’d also be remiss not to mention the dock — it’s a chic end table on the outside and a home for self-emptying rubbish and a self-refilling water tank on the inside. It’s got function and style.

Next-best mopping Roomba

iRobot Roomba Combo j7+

$ 699.00 at Amazon
$ 1,099.99 Save $ 400.99

If you’d rather save yourself an extra $ 300, the Combo j7+ will still be a solid addition to most homes, especially ones that don’t have a ton of carpeting that needs to be deep cleaned. With the OG true hybrid Roomba, you’re still securing iRobot’s two best features: the mop that knows to levitate when it senses carpet and the technology that knows to steer clear when it senses small obstacles that it would get stuck on.

(Admittedly, the record-low pricing on the Combo j7+ is $ 698.99, so feel free to wait until Black Friday if you want to save an extra cent.)

Most powerful Roomba under $ 600

iRobot Roomba j9+

$ 599.00 at Amazon
$ 899.99 Save $ 300.99

Or maybe your home does have more carpeting than hard floors that would need to be mopped. In that case, your best bet is the Roomba j9+. Like the Combo j9+, this one vacuums with iRobot’s strongest suction power yet — unlike the Combo j9+, it skips the water tank and mopping pad system completely to save you several hundred dollars.

Cheapest mopping Roomba with obstacle avoidance

iRobot Roomba Combo j5+

$ 449.00 at Amazon
$ 799.99 Save $ 350.99

The most affordable j Series Roomba in our list also happens to be the one at a price we’ve never seen before. For the first time, you can bring home iRobot’s obstacle avoidance and mopping for less than $ 450.

The main differences between the Combo j5+ and the other mopping Roombas we just mentioned are that the Combo j5+ is a Swap and Mop model that requires you to manually click a water tank on and off to differentiate between mopping mode and regular vacuuming mode. The obstacle avoidance technology here is also slightly less meticulous, though the big pests (cords and pet waste) are still in the clear.

Mashable