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The Best Roomba Vacuums You Can Buy: Expert Tested
A robot vacuum is a worthwhile investment, but it can still be a lot of money to spend on a household product. Luckily, iRobot has been around the block for a while and has many reputable robot vacuums that have proven their worth. Here at ZDNET, we've spent a lot of time testing the best Roomba and other manufacturers to help you make the right purchase.
Whether you're looking for the best Roomba for pet hair, like the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max, or the best Roomba for hardwood floors with mopping capabilities like the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, you can't go wrong with an iRobot vacuum, especially when they're on sale.
What is the best Roomba vacuum right now?We've done hands-on testing with and reviewed several Roomba vacuums, evaluating each for design, mapping, self-emptying capabilities, pet waste avoidance skills, smart technology, and cost to help you find the best iRobot vacuum for your home. Based on our testing, the iRobot Roomba j7+ is our pick for the best iRobot vacuum overall, thanks to its smart navigation, self-emptying features, and great price. Read on for the rest of our picks for the best Roomba vacuums.
Also: iRobot's latest flagship Roomba is on sale
The best iRobot Roomba robot vacuums of 2025Show less
The iRobot Roomba j7+ is our pick for the best overall iRobot vacuum. With PrecisionVision Navigation, the j7+ beautifully navigates your home without vacuuming cords, shoes, and other common household objects. Its three-stage cleaning system is suitable for a dirty home, successfully cleaning up pet hair and everyday dirt and grime.
Review: iRobot Roomba j7+
The unsung hero of the j7+ is the Clean Base. The vacuum knows when its dustbin is full, pausing in the middle of a job to go self-empty into the Clean Base as often as it takes to get your house clean. Amazon customers also love this feature, maybe even as much as we do. One customer said in a review, "The self-emptying feature is revolutionary; it [also] demonstrates cutting-edge technology by detecting and avoiding obstructions such as cords and pet waste."
The j7+ is one of the few robot vacuums you can trust to clean your home while away. It won't get stuck, will self-empty as needed, and will do a great job overall.
iRobot Roomba j7+ features: Price: $350P.O.O.P - pet accident-avoidance guaranteePrecisionVision Navigation3-stage cleaning systemClean Base automatic dirt disposal
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The iRobot Roomba Combo Essential is our pick for the best budget vacuum, thanks to its lower price and smart technology. Despite the $220 price tag, the Roomba Combo Essential intelligently maps your home and cleans in neat, organized rows like high-end robot vacuums. It also has a removable microfiber mop pad to mop your floors as it cleans.
Also: The best robot vacuum deals right now: Save on iRobot, Roborock, and more
It's hard to emphasize how helpful a quality robot vacuum is. If you run it frequently enough, it will keep your floors clean and help eliminate some of the dust that scatters throughout your home.
One Amazon customer raved about how beneficial the Roomba Combo Essential has been in their home, saying, "It's a compelling option for those seeking an affordable, efficient, and versatile robot vacuum and mop. Its combination of advanced cleaning technology, smart home integration, and user-friendly features make it a worthy consideration for simplification of a cleaning routine."
iRobot Roomba Combo Essential features: Price: $160 (limited-time deal)Cleans in rowsV-shaped brush rollerUp to 120 minutes runtimeGoogle Assistant and Alexa capable
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The Roomba s9+ is iRobot's most powerful robot vacuum. It has the highest suction power of all iRobot units and, thanks to its D-shaped design, is made to fit easily into tight corners. The design is one of my favorite features because it easily removes dust bunnies and dog hair clumps from their hiding places.
Also: The best robot vacuums for 2024: Expert tested and reviewed
The Clean Base on the s9+ is smaller than the one on the j7+, featuring a skinny and tall design that can fit into your home well. The three-stage cleaning system navigates easily from tile to carpet without skipping a beat. As iRobot's most powerful robot vacuum, you can rest assured it will successfully tackle any mess you throw its way.
Amazon customers appreciate how much time the s9+ saves them, with one saying, "All in all, we are very happy with ours and have had no issues after six months. It's saved us hours of vacuuming time and keeps the house naturally clean. In fact, we are considering a second one dedicated to the [second] floor."
iRobot Roomba s9+ features: Price: $935D-shaped designiRobot's most-powerful robot vacuum3-stage cleaning systemClean Base automatic dirt disposal
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The iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ is a two-in-one vacuum and mop with a retractable mop head. It will vacuum and mop until it reaches a carpet or rug. At that point, it will lift its retractable mop head to sit on top of the robot and only vacuum on carpeted surfaces. Once it reaches a flooring surface that needs mopping, it'll drop its mop head back down behind it and begin the two-in-one cleaning once again.
As the name implies, the Combo j9+ uses the same technology as the j9+, so you can rest assured you're getting an intelligent and capable robot. The retractable arm technology is impressive -- we ran this in the dark, during the day, in weird shadows, and all kinds of other scenarios, and it never mopped over carpet or rugs. It's truly an intelligent machine.
Review: iRobot Roomba Combo j9+
The improvements made to the Combo j9+ from its predecessor were major ones and ones that make this such a desirable robot. My absolute favorite feature is how quiet it is self-emptying. To date, it may be the quietest self-emptying robot we've tested. The next best feature is also related to Clean Base: the robot's ability to automatically refill the cleaning solution. These features make this Combo machine attractive if you need a reliable two-in-one robot vacuum from iRobot.
A reliable, quality two-in-one machine will change your life, and the Combo j9+ falls into that category. One Amazon customer said, "This Roomba Combo has improved my life. I'm a happier, less stressed person because I have a Roomba Angel who whisks away dirt, dust, and paw prints so I can focus on other things."
iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ features: Price: $1,200Vacuums and mops simultaneouslyGuarantees to avoid pet accidentsAuto-Retract mopping system4-stage cleaning system
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Users and I love the Roomba j7+ -- and for good reason. It's intelligent, capable, and perhaps most importantly, self-emptying. What good is a robot vacuum if it doesn't understand when its dust bin is full in the middle of a job? No matter how much there is, I need a robot vacuum to suction up all of my dirt and debris. Several other iRobots have a self-emptying base as well.
Best iRobot vacuum Cost Clean Base iRobot Roomba j7+ $430 Yes iRobot Roomba s9+ $935 Yes iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ $1,200 Yes iRobot Roomba Combo Essential $160 No Show moreEven the best iRobot vacuums begin to blend together after a while. These are our expert recommendations to help you find the best vacuum for your needs.
Choose this best iRobot vacuum...
If you need...
iRobot Roomba j7+
iRobot's most intelligent robot vacuum on the market. It's perfect for people who have pets and don't always have time to pick up their home before they vacuum.
iRobot Roomba s9+
A premium iRobot vacuum that tackles pet hair. It also features automatic emptying so you never have to worry about the vacuum unit getting clogged.
iRobot Roomba Combo j9+
A combination robot vacuum and mop. This 2-in-1 model is capable of cleaning up just about any mess from just about any surface.
iRobot Roomba Combo Essential
A budget-friendly iRobot vacuum. It retails under $300 and still offers great features like Alexa voice controls and cleaning schedules.
Show moreWhile trying to determine the best Roomba vacuum, we kept several factors at the forefront of our testing and research that can also aid in your search:
ZDNET has several robot vacuum reviewers who have tested over 50 units thus far. We conduct tests in real homes with real challenges, and in a controlled lab environment for comparison.
Also: How we test robot vacuums at ZDNET in 2024
Here's what we consider when testing robot vacuums and mops at ZDNET:
To top it all off, we gauge the device's longevity and long-term performance by using it over the course of a few months. Our review timelines vary, but we typically test robot vacuums for about a month before reviewing and keep our reviews updated while the device is available.
Show moreiRobot vacuums vary in runtime, ranging anywhere from 90 minutes to 120 minutes on a single charge. IRobot vacuums are some of the few on the market that can recognize their dust bins are full in the middle of a job, pause, self-empty, and then return to their job without you ever having to lift a finger. All of this to say, I fully excuse the lack of runtime capabilities some of the iRobots offer thanks to this incredible feature.
Show moreYes, especially for those busier households. IRobot vacuums require an upfront investment, but they are cost-effective machines that can save you a ton of labor and stress. These are self-sufficient machines you can turn on and forget about, greatly simplifying life and reducing cleaning costs. The return on investment (ROI) I've gained from having extra time with my family is worth the cost of even the priciest Roomba.
Show moreiRobot Roombas can range from a few hundred dollars to more than a thousand. The best iRobot Roombas run between $200 and $1,400 depending on your chosen model.
Show more Other iRobot vacuums worth consideringBest budget alternative iRobot Roomba Vac Essential
The Roomba Vac Essential is a robot vacuum alternative without the mop feature, and it retails for $200.
View at Amazon
Best self-emptying alternative iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO
This is the perfect self-emptying robot vacuum for carpeted homes, including those with pets.
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Best alternative for pet hair iRobot Roomba j7
This robot vacuum works well on both carpeted and hard floors. With Dirt Detect Technology, the j7 can focus on the dirtier areas around your home to give you a thorough cleaning.
View at Amazon
Robot Vacuums Reviewed & Compared
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After a full day of work, plus the time it takes to run errand, cook dinner, and take care of the kids, when is anyone supposed to actually get around to cleaning their house? It's not crazy if you fall behind on vacuuming when you're doing it yourself, so just stop doing it yourself. Why not delegate that work to a robot who knows nothing but vacuuming? Well, vacuuming and mopping. The iRobot Roomba combination robot vacuum and mop does exactly that and right now it's 43% off as part of a limited time deal. You can get it for just $199.
See at Amazon
Ideal for Pet Hair, Carpet and Hard FloorsKeeping your house or apartment clean isn't an easy thing to do when your schedule is filled to the brim. A Roomba can take the load off for you with its complete four-stage cleaning system. It will vacuum and mop in just one pass, using a special brush to get in those tight corners so dust won't gather. It's small height let's it easily get under couches and coffee tables for a more thorough cleaning of your home.
With the help of a smart navigation system, the Roomba robot vacuum learns your home layout so it can optimally do its job. It'll clean in neat rows and sensors help it find it's way through and around furniture. It can sense when it's approaching stairs so you'll always come home to a clean home and not an upside down robot at the base of your steps.
Set and forget thanks to the iRobot Home app which allows you to have your Roomba clean while you're away from the house. The app can suggest cleaning schedules and provide a clean map report so you can see exactly how well it covered every exposed surface on the floor of your home. In need of a cleaning off-schedule? Just ask Alexa, Siri, or you Google Assistant to send the Roomba on its way.
The specialized microfiber mop pad can take care of footprints, dirt, and dust like no other. Add a compatible cleaning solution instead of water for an even more robust mopping of your floors, leaving them fresh and clean.
Don't stress anymore when you get home about having to mop and vacuum. You should enjoy a clean home when you get back from a long day of work, and the iRobot Roomba combination mop and vacuum can make that happen for just $199—a 43% discount.
See at Amazon
IRobot Reveals Gigantic Lineup Of Affordable Roomba Robot Vacuums
iRobot
iRobot is one of the most popular manufacturers of robot vacuums, and its lineup is about to grow much more enticing. Several new models will be up for presale on March 18 — all of which feature prices under $1,000. That makes them affordable alternatives to expensive options like the Roomba Combo 10 Max or Roborock Saros 10R, both of which carry hefty price tags of around $1,500. This is the largest product launch in the history of iRobot (featuring eight products), and it's designed to offer a solution for every budget.
The most expensive of the bunch is the Roomba Plus 505 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock. Designed with dual rotating mop pads that can swing outward, 70 times more suction than the older Roomba 600 series, and a LiDAR system that should deftly maneuver your home day or night, it looks like a well-equipped robot for $999.
It should be highly automated, too, thanks to a dock capacity rated for up to 75 days of auto-emptying and four weeks of mop pad cleaning. Coupled with the ability to automatically pick the right settings for the dirt levels in your home, it's built to be incredibly hands-off. It doesn't appear to do anything revolutionary, but it's hoping to provide shoppers with excellent performance at a price point below the competition.
iRobot is also introducing the Roomba Plus 405 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock. It carries an $800 price tag, though it ditches the swinging mopping pad and loses a few other niceties in the process. But if you're looking to save a few bucks while still getting a powerful robot capable of both vacuuming and mopping, it's certainly worth a closer look.
The other products in the lineup clock in with prices below $500 and are aimed at budget-conscious shoppers who don't need the firepower offered by the 505 and 405. Here's a full look at the lineup and their prices.
These upcoming robot vacuum and mop combos weren't the only big reveals from iRobot, as the company also announced that changes are coming to the iRobot Home companion app. It'll now be easier to control your devices or create cleaning schedules. You can also monitor devices in real time.
Presale for all these Roomba products will be available on March 18 on the iRobot website. Be sure to cross shop with our list of the best robot vacuum and mop combos, which covers products of various price points.
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