The iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ is currently available for $799, down from $1,399, making it a great option if you’re looking for a smart hybrid vacuum that adapts to your home. It’s designed to make cleaning easier by identifying the areas in your home that collect the most dirt and prioritizing those areas during its cleaning runs. The auto-fill dock and base station of this vacuum are major time-savers as well. The dock reportedly holds up to 30 days' worth of water or cleaning solution, keeping the vacuum’s internal tank topped up without much effort on your part. Meanwhile, the base station handles the dustbin for you by automatically emptying it into a replaceable bag that can hold up to 60 days of dirt, depending on how often you use it.
Setting up the Combo j9+ is pretty straightforward—just plug it in, slide the vacuum into place, boot it up, download the iRobot app, and follow the instructions. Just a heads up though: It's said to be slightly inconvenient to press the prompted button while simultaneously checking the vacuum's indicator lights during setup (since they’re hidden when docked). Once you’re all set up, you can run the mapping process, which takes about 40 minutes for a two-bedroom apartment. The obstacle-avoidance tech on the Combo j9+ works well—if it bumps into something during its first run, it figures out what went wrong and prompts you to create a keep-out zone in the app.
The app lets you schedule cleanings, check status updates, and adjust settings like mopping water levels and floor passes. It also integrates with smart home features like geofencing, and it works with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri for easy voice commands and cleaning routines.
The Combo j9+ can vacuum and mop at the same time, or you can set it to just vacuum if that’s all you need. While vacuuming, it automatically boosts suction when it detects dirtier areas; in hybrid mode, it knows the difference between carpet and hard floors, extending and retracting the mop arm whenever needed. You can fill the mopping liquid reservoir with water or compatible cleaning solutions like those from iRobot or Bona.
For pet owners, the Pet Owners Official Promise is a big plus—iRobot guarantees a replacement if the vacuum runs over pet waste, which is a lifesaver considering how older models have struggled with that issue. It also has a pretty solid battery life, running for about 115 minutes in auto mode, according to this PCMag review.