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I Put The Best Roombas Of 2025 Head To Head To Find The Ones Worth Buying
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It might come as a surprise that "roomba" isn't the universal term for a robot vacuum. It is, in fact, a capital "R" that denotes Roomba as a proper noun rather than a generic trademark. Roombas are just robot vacuums made by iRobot, and looking for the best Roombas is a much more specific task than looking for the best robot vacuums in general. However, Roomba's Band-Aid or Kleenex level fame really does prove just how iconic iRobot has become in the world of automated floor cleaners.
There's a good reason for that: Not only was iRobot first to the robot vacuum party, but the company has consistently delivered some of the most reliable robot vacuum models for two decades. More than 20 Roombas have come out since the first one hit homes in 2002, but if you're looking for the best Roomba today, there are only a handful of models you need to know in 2025.
iRobot randomly released a ton of new Roombas this springiRobot released four new Roomba series in March 2025, deviating from its (unofficial) summer release schedule. I think iRobot had two reasons to hurry: the spring release of the top robot vacuums from CES and the company's rocky financial situation. As someone who tests robot vacuums for a living, I'll be the first to tell you that Roombas were flopping in a sea of smarter, more fairly-priced robot vacs from the likes of Roborock and Shark.
SEE ALSO: Shark vs. Roomba: Comparing top-rated robot vacuum lineups
The new Roomba 105, Roomba 205, Roomba Plus 405, and Roomba Plus 505 series are further broken down into eight total models, many with completely different physical designs that don't scream "classic Roomba."
iRobot is playing catch-up with its competition, and for the first time, you can buy Roombas that use LiDAR for smart mapping, Roombas with dual spinning mopping pads, and a Roomba that compacts its own dust rather than self-emptying. Despite such innovations, the new 2025 Roombas are surprisingly affordable, especially compared to debut prices of past Roombas.
Most of the new Roombas (and some of the old ones, too) are already on sale for Prime Day, which will officially run from July 8 through 11 in 2025. Despite last year's failed acquisition attempt between Amazon and iRobot, Roomba deals make up a solid portion of Prime Day robot vacuum deals.
With all of these new Roombas thickening the plot, the same old question remains: "Which Roomba is the best?" I've tested nearly every Roomba released since 2019, and I'm regularly updating this guide as I test the 2025 models at home. After comparing suction, pet hair pickup, mopping, smart mapping, small obstacle detection, and price, I chose the Roombas that offer the best value for different types of households.
How to tell the difference between the Roomba modelsThe iRobot Roomba 105. The Roomba Combo i5+. The Roomba Combo j7+ (not to be confused with the Roomba j7). The arbitrary numbers and letters of the Roomba family tree are confusing at face value, but we can teach you.
When shopping for a Roomba, you'll choose from what I call iRobot's core lineup: the group of three to five Roomba series sold on iRobot's website. Any Roomba whose title includes a letter and a number (like j9+ or i5) or the word Max is more advanced than a Roomba with just numbers in the title (like 105, 205, or 692) or just words (like Roomba Vac or Essential).
A plus sign (like j9+) denotes that the model comes with a self-emptying dock, and Roombas that mop will have "Combo" in the title. "Max" is a new Roomba term introduced with the Roomba Combo 10 Max — it refers to the ability of a hybrid Roomba to wash and dry its own mopping pad within the self-empty dock. On the other end of the spectrum, "Essential" means "most basic" in the Roomba family, meaning no smart mapping.
Other Roombas I've testedI've tested several Roombas that are no longer main players in the Roomba guide for 2025. The Roomba Combo j9+ doesn't wash or dry its mopping pad, and is simply too expensive to be worth buying over its siblings like the Roomba Combo 10 Max, Roomba Plus 505. Or Roomba Max 705. Plus, the j9's increasing obsoleteness has pretty much halted its ability to get a noteworthy discount nowadays.
I have also removed any 600 series Roombas from this guide for a similar reason: They just can't compete with the newer cheap Roombas that have stronger suction and smart mapping. When I tested the Roomba 694, it pissed me off more than it impressed. The Roomba 694 and Roomba 692 are hard to find in stock, anyway, and it's rarely for less than the Roomba 105 (my new top pick for the best cheap Roomba).
IRobot Roomba Combo J9+ Review: A Commendable Hybrid Robot Vac With Swappable Mops
Welcome to T3's review of the new iRobot Roomba Combo J9+, a robot vacuum cleaner that also mops the floor using replaceable mops fitted to an auto-retracting mopping mechanism that raises whenever the robot's camera and sensors detect carpet or rugs.
It's all been a bit quiet on the iRobot front recently so it's good to see the US-based company back with another sterling autonomous floor-cleaning bot... Even if there isn't a massive difference between the new Roomba Combo J9+ we're looking at here and its stablemate, the cheaper Roomba Combo J7+.
The Roomba J9+ is available in three configurations: this 2-in-1 Combo version with self-emptying Clean Base and onboard water reservoir for automatic refilling of the robot's mop reservoir; the non-mopping J9+ with standard self-emptying Clean Base; and the basic J9 comprising just the robot vacuum and no mopping or automatic bin emptying function.
I should add at this juncture that having a self-emptying dock is always a good thing for pet owners because it means you won't have to empty the bot's tiny onboard dustbin yourself every 10 minutes or so. Instead it will trundle back to its Clean Base docking station where all detritus in the robot's titchy bin will be sucked into the dock's much larger dust bin that's already fitted with a disposable bag. All you have to do is periodically – say once a month – interject by throwing away the dock's full bag and replacing it with a new one. All very hands-free, in other words.
So let's get down to the nitty gritty and see how well the Roomba Combo J9+ performs at both vacuuming and mopping, and whether it should soar to to the top of our guide to the best robot mops money can buy.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: price and availabilityAs of writing, the iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ is available in the UK direct from the iRobot store, priced at a knockdown £899. However you can also expect it to hit amazon.Co.Uk pretty soon.
If you're shopping Stateside for the Roomba Combo J9+, consider iRobot's US store where it retails at $1,399.99 or Amazon US where you can snap it up for 99 cents less.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: designiRobot Roomba Combo J9+ on white background
The new Roomba Combo J9+ is as elegantly styled as any of its predecessors and comes with just one button on top to start, pause or resume a cleaning session. Nevertheless, pretty much everything to do with the J9 bot is controlled via the accompanying iRobot app which I will discuss further below.
The robot itself is 32.5cm in diameter though the two centrally-mounted ribbed rubber rollers are only 17cm in length and that means only 17cm of floor space is vacuumed at any one time. Like the majority of robot vacs, the J9 is also equipped with a spinning side brush on the right which should normally fling dust and debris along skirting boards into the path of its suction portal. However, its circular shape means that some dust will inevitably remain in most corners of a room – par for the course with all circular robot vacs.
At 40.5cm in height, 41cm in width and 31cm in depth, the Combo J9+'s Clean Base is quite a bit bigger than its predecessor, the J7+, and I'm not so sure about the design of the thing. For a start, the ribbed cladding isn't as attractive as that on the standard vac-only J9+. It just looks more incongruous in situ and it isn't helped by the plastic faux wooden top which feels cheap. If iRobot's designers were aiming to turn the Clean Base into some kind of side table, I don't think it's worked out particularly well. Also, the shiny black section of plastic just in front of the fake wooden plinth tends to attract dust like a magnet.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: vacuum featuresiRobot Roomba Combo J9+ on carpet
The new Roomba Combo J9+ comes with a smorgasbord of features, including three levels of suction power and automatic Carpet Boost mode. IRobot fails to list how many Pascals of power the J9 robot has, preferring instead to say that it has '100% more suction power'. I expect it to be in the region of 5,000 to 5,500Pa – the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is rated at 6,000Pa – which is easily powerful enough for the majority of real-world cleaning scenarios.
Rather cleverly, the J9 also features Dirt Detective, a self-learning software add-on that remembers where the dirtiest parts of the home are. The idea is that it will clean the dirtiest rooms first while adjusting suction power and mop scrubbing motions in the process. It seemed to work very well in my tests.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: mop featuresiRobot Roomba Combo J9+ in kitchen
Like most hybrid robot vacs, the Combo J9+ is fitted with a static, rear-mounted wet mopping pad that drags along the floor while picking up dust and even tackling both wet and dried stains. However, the majority of cheaper vac mops are not able to discern the difference between hard floors and carpet and those that can will simply avoid carpet altogether.
Roborock was one of the first manufacturers to feature a vibrating rear mop that raises a few centimetres whenever the robot's sensors detect carpet. It works remarkably well in most instances. Conversely, iRobot prefers are more dependable method for raising its mop whenever the vac-bot is on carpet. Consequently, its whole mopping plate retracts outwards and upwards so it comes to rest on top of the unit. This means it is impossible for the mop to dampen even the deepest of carpets.
However, unlike the the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra and several other contenders which feature a fully hands-off mop-cleaning docking base with reservoirs for both clean and dirty water, the Roomba Combo J9+'s mop attachment requires manual cleaning by removing it and either rinsing it under a tap or popping it into the washing machine.
As an owner of the excellent Roborock S8 pro Ultra and its predecessor, the S7 MaxV Ultra, I never mind getting down on my knees with a damp cloth to clean their filters, mop cleaning mechanisms and trays, especially since I only do it every couple of months or so. I also never mind having to empty the smelly contents of their dirty water containers into the loo every couple of weeks, followed by a rinse under the tap.
If the thought of handling mucky parts covered in pet hair and a stinky water tank gives you the heebie jeebies, then the iRobot system would likely be your best bet. There is no mess involved with this system, especially if you just lob the dirty mop into the washing machine. Simply remove the dirty mop and fit the second one that comes in the box.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: navigationiRobot Roomba Combo J9+ app maps
iRobot prefers to use a front camera and sensor system for navigation instead of LiDAR. The downside to this is that it takes much longer for an iRobot vac to initially map a home than, say, a Roborock which uses LiDAR for near instantaneous room mapping. On the plus side, a non LiDAR model like the J9 will happily punch through a bed or sofa valance and clean underneath while most LiDAR-navigated robots will see the valance as an impenetrable wall.
After turning on the J9 and syncing it to my home wi-fi – a doddlesome process – I tapped the 'clean everywhere' option on the app and off it trundled. Now, my downstairs area is entirely open-planned so I expected the J9 to have no problems in navigating and mapping the whole living space. What I didn't anticipate was the time it took to perform the task.
For some reason the J9's first run completely omitted the kitchen and hallway. In fact, it stayed in the lounge and dining areas without going through the hall doorway or even the wide space into the kitchen. On day two it did much the same thing, though it did venture into three feet of the hallway before retreating again. I checked the map on the app and, sure enough, it had only mapped the lounge-cum-dining area.
Day three was cause for celebration because the bot finally ventured into both the hall and the kitchen and when I checked the map, there they were and all I had to do was move or delete some automatically generated boundaries so I could name each room individually.
Once full mapping had been completed, I commanded the J9 to clean the entire ground floor and it performed one of the longest and most extensive cleaning regimes I've ever come across. Very impressed. Mind, I should add that the J9 does bump into walls and obstacles a lot though it does do it gently – but not gently enough to avoid light scuffing on the robot's outer casing.
One of the J9's best navigation facets is its ability to avoid obstacles like wires, toys and even dog poo and not run slipshod over them. Its Genius Home Intelligence software plays a big part in this because there's a bank of images like wires, socks and several styles of doggy poo in its database so it can easily recognise different objects as it approaches.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: Clean BaseiRobot Roomba Combo J9+ on white background
In addition to automatically emptying the contents of the robot's onboard dustbin into the dock's bigger bagged bin, this model's Clean Base is also equipped with a large water reservoir that automatically tops up the robot's own tiny water container that sits just above its internal bin. This means you don't have to keep filling the robot's water tank which is the case with its cheaper sibling, the Combo S7+. However, as mentioned above, this charging dock doesn't come with any kind of mop cleaning mechanism so you will need to fit a fresh mop and clean the dirty one yourself.
It's not really a negative, but all robot vacs' self-emptying systems are really noisy and none can hold a candle to the J7+ for sheer ear-shattering volume. It's a relief to say that the Combo J9+'s Clean Base is about a thousand times quieter and far less high pitched. In fact, I'd say that it's the quietest self-emptying process of any robot vac I've ever reviewed. Well done to iRobot's designers – you clever little sausages.
According to iRobot, you should get at least a month's worth of muck and hair into the Clean Base's disposable bag and you won't need to hunt around for another one because the spare is stored neatly in an inside door compartment.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: vacuum performanceiRobot Roomba Combo J9+ on carpet
This robot vac is an exceptional performer. I'd say that it's among the very best for picking up both fine and oversized debris like breakfast cereals. I genuinely have zero qualms about its vacuuming behaviour and I'm equally impressed by how well it navigated my hard floor rugs – at no time has it tangled itself up in tassels.
Crucially, it has also ventured under the valance of my sofa and given everything a good sweep beneath. Yes, its navigation can be a bit erratic but that's the case with all robot vacs – you never know where they'll go next.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: mopping performanceiRobot Roomba Combo J9+ mopping hard floor
The first thing to note about all robot vac mops is that they can't clean up large spills like porridge and other large liquid messes. This is because they simply drag a wet pad around behind them. Yes, the J9 will definitely clean a dried stain or some muddy footprints by moving back and forth over it but it will likely smear larger spills across the floor. If you want a machine that cleans up most heavy spills effectively, buy a best hard floor cleaner like the superb Eufy MACH V1 Ultra which I rate very highly indeed.
In my various mopping tests the J9 performed remarkably well. I was particularly impressed by its back and forth motion which deftly eradicated the muddy paw prints left by my two Labradors. However, since I have engineered wood flooring, I set the amount of water administered to the mop to its lowest possible level. This is because the mop leaves a damp stripe behind it which may or may not cause long-term warping issues on wooden flooring, especially those of the laminated variety.
Conversely, if you have tiled, Linoleum or polished concrete floors, set the mopping in the app to medium or full wetness and rest safe in the knowledge that everything will look spick and span without having to reach for that oh-so-last-century option, the old-fashioned mop and bucket.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: iRobot appiRobot Roomba Combo J9+ app
iRobot's app interface is pretty easy to navigate though there are a few anomalies. Take mapping, for instance. Normally it's best to initially select a 'mapping' run when you first run the bot. This is so the robot can use all its battery energy to map the whole home in one go without any vacuuming or mopping. Although the 'mapping only' function is available in the app, it's buried in a submenu.
Also, as alluded to above, mapping in the iRobot app is generally much more basic than Roborock's system which allows the user to add furnishings like tables, cupboards and pet beds, and even create full 3D maps of the home that you can rotate to see from any angle. Roborock's maps are also much more detailed, with defined edges of a room and all obstacles clearly identified. By contrast, the iRobot app's map is less comprehensive though sufficient enough for users to customise with room boundaries and 'keep out' zones, etc.
iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review: verdictiRobot Roomba Combo J9+ on white background
iRobot has adopted a different method to the norm with this new 2-in-1 model. Yes, it still automatically empties the contents of the robot's onboard dustbin, but instead of washing the mop after every cleaning session you simply pop the dirty mop in the washing machine and instal a fresh one instead. This method avoids having to empty stinky dirty water containers and getting down on hands and knees to scrub the dock's mop cleaning system.
I personally don't mind a bit of grubby hands-on cleaning but if you're after a more sanitary method of autonomous mopping as well as efficient vacuuming, the iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ is an excellent place start.
Roomba Vs Shark: Which All-in-One Robot Vacuum Cleans Better?
This last test is a little unfair as the Shark does not claim to have an obstacle avoidance feature. But the Roomba does, and since it costs $300 more than the Shark, I wanted to see how much better it actually is. So I set up a minor obstacle course in my kitchen consisting of a backpack, a USB charger and — to simulate a pet accident — part of a slightly smushed, overripe banana … all objects the Roomba's software is supposed to be able to identify and avoid.
The Roomba tackled the course first and, true to its word, managed to avoid all obstacles. This is due to the fact that it has a camera, which the Shark lacks, and I could see it thinking each time it spotted an obstacle as it would stop, its light would change colors and then it would change course.
The Shark, as expected, failed the test spectacularly, plowing through all three obstacles as if they weren't there. Good thing I just used a banana.
Brad Trone A version of this story first appeared in Gear Patrol Magazine. Learn More.
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