Test of the iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ vacuum cleaner robot: a beautiful robot, rather efficient, autonomous but not perfect

Specialist in robot vacuum cleaners, the iRobot brand offers the Roomba Combo J9+ model which represents the top of the range for the manufacturer. It is an autonomous device which is composed of a round robot equipped with a navigation system using a camera, with a retractable mop, a brush and brush heads as well as a docking station which allows you to recover dirty water, charge clean water and collect dust.
It promises automatic, effortless cleaning in complete autonomy, controllable and programmable from an application for smartphones running Android or iOS. Offered at a relatively affordable price, we were able to test it for a while and here are our impressions.

The care of

The iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ vacuum cleaner and mop robot has a design similar to the Roomba Combo J7+ model. We are treated to a round robot, classic for this type of device, with a black color and a golden part in the center. This gives a certain class to the robot while many manufacturers opt for a white color.

The assembly quality is quite satisfactory with pleasant finishes. The Roomba Combo J9+ benefits from a certain finesse but is not the thinnest on the market. Compared to other models tested, including the Yeedi Floor 3 Station or the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, the Roomba Combo J9+ managed to get stuck under certain furniture in our test area… Allow for a height of 8.7 cm. Conversely, the device is relatively compact which allows it to fit between the legs of a standard chair.
The camera is placed in an integrated manner so as not to provide additional thickness, which can be a good and effective choice for navigation.
On top of the robot, there is the mop which is called retractable. It deploys when the device needs it to be “dragged” at the rear. Motorized arms help with its extraction and storage. For comparison, other models equipped with a fixed or two rotating mop use a system that raises them when the robot encounters a carpet so as not to wet it.

The mop is associated with a 200 ml water tank which is automatically filled from the main tank (3 liters) located in the docking station. This filling system is a first for the brand. This announces approximately 30 days of use (for average frequency) with such a capacity.

The dust bag, installed in the docking station, promises up to 60 days of battery life, according to iRobot.

The docking station benefits from the most beautiful design on the market, in our opinion. It is black with a plastic plate on the imitation wood top. It clips and unclips if necessary. It can support other objects placed on it, unlike Roborock models which use a tank removal system from above.
Here, it is a door placed on the upper part of the docking station which provides access to the water tank as well as the dust bag which fills automatically. A small storage rack allows you to store a spare dust bag at door level. This space is also used to store other items such as spare parts. Practical.

Note that unlike the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra or the Yeedi Floor 3 Station, this model does not offer automatic cleaning of the mop. The brand wants to favor a healthier side for the resort. However, this implies more maintenance for the user who must remove the mop, held in place with a hook and loop, to put it in the machine, if necessary.
Underneath the robot, there are two wheels framing two brushes with a silicone coating. We also see a pivoting wheel at the front as well as a rotating brush head, slightly to the side which is responsible for bringing the dust towards the central brushes.

L’application

The iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ is interfaced and configured via an application available for Google and iOS platforms. Installation is also possible on Huawei smartphones via an .apk file.
The configuration is quite simple although we must admit that we had some difficulty finding the home Wi-Fi network. After several attempts, the connection was successful.
Practical, you can consult the water level in the station’s water tank and that of the robot. The energy level can also be viewed.

First, the device quickly maps the location. Then, you can customize the room names and define areas to avoid.

The application allows you to choose the suction level (3 available). You can also opt for two cleaning modes: suction only or suction and washing. The amount of water is also manageable: low, medium or high. In addition, the mop can vibrate to help loosen certain items on the floor, if applicable. Finally, you can choose between 1 or 2 passages. Practical, the cleaning time is given as an indication.

The maps created by the robot are quite accurate. Too bad, it is not possible to follow the progress of the robot during its task. It’s only at the end that we can see where the robot went and where it didn’t.
Saving cleaning parameters as favorites is possible, which is a good thing, via programming that can then be launched.
Note that we were surprised to discover the application in English sometimes even though the language configuration was well selected in French.

In use

We have already mentioned the maintenance of the docking station which is easy to carry out and, thanks to the large tanks, allows for good autonomy (30 days for water and double that for dust, depending on the brand). Remember that you must remove the mop each time you use it to put it in the washing machine. Fortunately, the operation is not complicated with the motorized arm system which allows its quick and easy extraction.
The cleaning carried out by the robot is very satisfactory. Despite precise mapping, we were surprised to see the device return (several times) to the same place as if it had forgotten something, giving the impression that it was a little lost. The robot has always found its docking station. Note that the device hits walls, even furniture and can sometimes force its way a little when possible. Other brands prefer to move at a certain proximity, without clashing. The robot remains relatively far from the cables to avoid getting the brushes tangled in them.
We appreciate that it goes over carpets, even relatively thick ones, and offers very satisfactory suction power. It is the most powerful of the brand and is average for other models. Automatically, on a carpet, it triggers maximum power.

Washing is also a satisfaction with this model. We appreciate the SmartScrub mode which will automatically trigger back and forth movements with lateral movements of the mop if stains are detected. Some of them still stayed. Finally, note that we expected the robot to offer greater anchorage. In fact, the quantity of water is not extraordinary because the mop is barely wet.
In the event of a lack of autonomy, the robot automatically returns to the station to recharge.

In terms of noise pollution, we found that it was not particularly discreet. Expect noise almost as loud as a canister vacuum cleaner. If it is possible to stay in the room he is cleaning, we are very happy that he finishes his task as quickly as possible. In addition, as he taps the walls, if we are not in the same room, we can sometimes be shocked and come to see if everything is in place.