closeSelect your country for the best website experience
check best price
"Advanced cleaning with smart technology integration."

iRobot Roomba J7 Review

Discover the cutting-edge features of the iRobot Roomba J7 in this review. From its sleek design to advanced cleaning tech, find out if it's worth the hype.

check best price
iRobot Roomba J7 top side
iRobot Roomba J7 with chargers and cable
iRobot Roomba J7 bottom side
iRobot Roomba J7 with charger
iRobot Roomba J7 top view
iRobot Roomba J7 on hardwood floor
iRobot Roomba J7 kitchen
iRobot Roomba J7 dog poop
iRobot Roomba J7 control through app on mobile
iRobot Roomba J7 on light colored rug
iRobot Roomba J7 charging in living room
iRobot Roomba J7 charging in hallway
iRobot Roomba J7 top left
iRobot Roomba J7 leaning next to plants
iRobot Roomba J7 the app
iRobot Roomba J7 stairs
iRobot Roomba J7 family with baby
iRobot Roomba J7 google alexa integration
iRobot Roomba J7 on rug near bed
iRobot Roomba J7 cleaning filth near kitchen table
iRobot Roomba J7 floor pattern
iRobot Roomba J7 top side
iRobot Roomba J7 with chargers and cable
iRobot Roomba J7 bottom side
iRobot Roomba J7 with charger
iRobot Roomba J7 top view
iRobot Roomba J7 on hardwood floor
iRobot Roomba J7 kitchen
iRobot Roomba J7 dog poop
iRobot Roomba J7 control through app on mobile
iRobot Roomba J7 on light colored rug
iRobot Roomba J7 charging in living room
iRobot Roomba J7 charging in hallway
iRobot Roomba J7 top left
iRobot Roomba J7 leaning next to plants
iRobot Roomba J7 the app
iRobot Roomba J7 stairs
iRobot Roomba J7 family with baby
iRobot Roomba J7 google alexa integration
iRobot Roomba J7 on rug near bed
iRobot Roomba J7 cleaning filth near kitchen table
iRobot Roomba J7 floor pattern

Summary / TL;DR

Unveiling the iRobot Roomba J7, a top-tier robot vacuum cleaner with advanced design and smart features. This sleek device offers a PrecisionVision Navigation System, 3-stage cleaning system, and automatic dirt disposal, making it a versatile cleaning companion for modern homes. The Roomba J7 excels in cleaning performance, especially on carpets and hard floors, with a focus on pet hair removal and deep cleaning. Its navigation technology combines vSLAM and Imprint Smart Mapping for efficient home cleaning. The robot's battery life and charging capabilities are impressive, ensuring uninterrupted cleaning sessions. Smart connectivity via the iRobot Home App allows for remote control and scheduling, while compatibility with voice assistants adds convenience. Although slightly noisy, the Roomba J7 offers a seamless cleaning experience, making it a valuable addition to any household.


If you like this review, you might also like our review on the iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ or iRobot Roomba Combo i8+ or iRobot Roomba Combo j9+.

Introduction

There's an air of enthusiasm that surrounds the unveiling of a new robot vacuum cleaner, especially when it's from a prominent brand such as iRobot. The iRobot Roomba J7 is not just another addition to the company's already impressive lineup, but a significant step forward in terms of design, functionality, and tech integrations. In this review, we'll dissect this futuristic home appliance and see if it lives up to the hype.

The Roomba J7 hails from iRobot's top-tier series, promising advancements in cleaning performance, navigation technologies, and a plethora of smart features. It’s a device that has the potential to transform your daily cleaning routine. However, just as any other piece of tech, it does come with its set of pros and cons which we'll delve into in the following sections.

It's paramount to note that a robot vacuum cleaner's effectiveness isn’t solely defined by its cleaning capabilities. Aspects such as noise level, battery life, ease of maintenance, and smart connectivity also play crucial roles. Thankfully, the Roomba J7 seems to excel in these areas as well, but we'll leave the final verdict to our detailed analysis in the subsequent sections.

So, whether you are an existing user of robot vacuums looking to upgrade or a newbie in this sphere, our in-depth review of the iRobot Roomba J7 might help you make an informed decision. In the end, the question remains, does it offer a fair value proposition and is it worth your consideration? Let's find out.

Logo Amazon.comBest offers of the iRobot Roomba J7 at Amazon.com Check price

Design and Features

iRobot Roomba J7 boasts of a sleek and compact design, making it a perfect fit for modern homes. The robot vacuum cleaner features a dual-tone finish, with a glossy black top and matte gray base. The aesthetics of the device are pleasing and its body measures 13.34 inches in diameter and 3.63 inches in height, enabling it to fit under most furniture with ease.

At the center of the top panel, the vacuum has three functional buttons: Clean, Home, and Spot Clean. These buttons allow for quick manual control. However, the cleaner's full potential can be unlocked through its smart connectivity, which we'll touch upon in a later section.

The J7 is equipped with a newly-introduced feature, the PrecisionVision Navigation System with an integrated camera. This allows the vacuum to recognize and avoid objects as small as pet waste, a feature previously unseen in the Roomba lineup.

When it comes to cleaning, this model boasts a 3-stage cleaning system with multi-surface brushes and a specialized edge-sweeping brush. The cleaning system is capable of capturing 99% of pollen, mold, dust mites, and cat and dog allergens. It also has a Dirt Detect sensor that identifies high-traffic areas and focuses more on those sections for a thorough clean.

The iRobot Roomba J7 takes user convenience to the next level with its automatic dirt disposal feature. The robot seamlessly empties the dirt into a Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal unit, which doubles as its charging dock. This unit has the capacity to hold up to 60 days' worth of dirt and debris, reducing the frequency of manual intervention.

The vacuum also has rubberised bumpers to prevent damage to furniture and walls during cleaning sessions. It's a small but thoughtful feature that highlights the company's attention to detail.

Overall, the iRobot Roomba J7 demonstrates a blend of dynamic design and versatile features, positioning it as a formidable contender in the world of robot vacuum cleaners. However, a comprehensive understanding of its performance can only be gained by diving into its cleaning effectiveness and navigation technology, which we will discuss in the following sections.

iRobot Roomba J7 bottom side

Cleaning Performance

Stepping into the limelight of our review, the iRobot Roomba J7 flexes its cleaning abilities with great aplomb. At the heart of this machine's cleaning prowess lies its patented AeroForce Cleaning System. This technology makes use of a combination of three-stage cleaning and multi-surface brushes to ensure that dust, pet hair, and dirt are effectively picked up.

More than just a surface cleaner, the Roomba J7 provides an impressive deep clean, proving to be equally effective on both carpet and hard floors. Thanks to its unique Dirt Detect Technology, the vacuum cleaner can recognize high-traffic areas and areas with more dirt, focusing extra cleaning effort on these spots.

Another commendable aspect is the Precision Jet Spray, which aids in tackling sticky messes and kitchen grease. However, it's important to note that this feature doesn't make the Roomba J7 suitable for wet mopping. For that, you might want to check out iRobot's Braava series, as covered in our "Other iRobot Models" section.

Moreover, the Roomba J7's cleaning performance excels in dealing with pet hair. This is largely thanks to the High-Efficiency Filter, which traps 99% of cat and dog allergens. Considering this, it's highly recommended for pet owners.

In comparison to other models, the Roomba J7 has a lower profile, enabling it to easily clean under furniture. It also has a clever side brush that comes in handy for cleaning corners and edges. This is something we'll be shedding more light on in the "Design and Features" section.

On a slightly disappointing note, the Roomba J7 can sometimes struggle with larger debris like cereal chunks, but this is a minor drawback, considering its overall cleaning capabilities. To conclude, the cleaning performance of the Roomba J7 is exemplary, making it a notable player in the robot vacuum market.

iRobot Roomba J7 with charger

The iRobot Roomba J7 uses a dual approach in its navigation and mapping technology, combining vSLAM technology with iRobot's proprietary Imprint Smart Mapping. The result is a robot vacuum cleaner that can navigate your home intelligently and efficiently.

The vSLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology utilizes a high-resolution camera to take in the surroundings of the Roomba J7. This allows it to create a virtual map of your home, simultaneously tracking its position in real-time. However, the camera can struggle a bit in low-light conditions.

Imprint Smart Mapping, on the other hand, enables the Roomba J7 to learn the layout of your home over time. This means the more it cleans, the better it understands your space. It can remember up to 10 different floor plans, which makes it perfect for multi-level homes. Despite this, the mapping process can be time-consuming, especially for larger homes.

A unique feature of the Roomba J7’s navigation is its PrecisionVision Navigation system. This technology allows the robot to identify and avoid common obstacles, including cables and pet waste, which is a significant improvement over previous models. Additionally, the Roomba J7 can sense ledges and stairs, preventing falls and damage.

Another note-worthy feature is the Keep Out Zones feature. Through the iRobot HOME App, you can set prohibited zones that the Roomba J7 should avoid, like children's play areas or pet feeding stations. This provides a customized cleaning experience and ensures the Roomba doesn’t wander into areas it’s not supposed to.

In summary, the Roomba J7's navigation and mapping technology are a step up from previous models. The combination of vSLAM and Imprint Smart Mapping allows for efficient and intelligent cleaning. However, the time taken to map larger homes and the camera's low light performance could see some improvement.

Battery Life and Charging

The iRobot Roomba J7 is powered by a long-lasting lithium-ion battery. It gives this robot vacuum cleaner a cleaning run time of around 90 minutes before it requires recharging. This duration is ideal for most houses or apartments, or even large rooms with heavy traffic. If more cleaning time is required, the Roomba J7's intelligent technology ensures it returns automatically to its home base for charging.

Charging time for the Roomba J7 is approximately 2 hours, which is quite impressive compared to other models in the market. Charging is fully automatic – once the battery is low, the Roomba J7 navigates itself back to the charging base. After reaching full charge, if a cleaning job was not completed, the Roomba J7 will resume cleaning where it left off. This feature, called the "Recharge and Resume", ensures a comprehensive cleaning without any manual interruption.

Additionally, there's the implementation of the adaptive battery life management system. This technology allows the Roomba J7 to calculate the amount of battery life needed to complete the cleaning task, based on the size and layout of your home. This ensures that the robot vacuum cleaner doesn't run out of power halfway through the cleaning process.

One slight downside could be if you own a very large house, where multiple recharges might be needed to complete the cleaning job. However, it's noteworthy to mention that the Roomba J7 is designed to tackle one room at a time, which should be more than enough for most users.

In conclusion, the iRobot Roomba J7 offers a substantial battery life and efficient charging mechanism, making it an ideal choice for households of varying sizes. The ability of the Roomba J7 to manage its battery life based on the cleaning task shows the advanced level of technology that has been incorporated into this model.

iRobot Roomba J7 top view

App and Smart Connectivity

The iRobot Roomba J7 couples its impressive features with an intuitive and user-friendly app, known as the iRobot Home App. This allows users to have maximum control over their Roomba, right from their smartphones.

The setup process is simple, involving the connection of the J7 to your home Wi-Fi network. This enables you to initiate, pause, or end cleaning cycles from anywhere. The app is designed such that it provides real-time progress tracking, showing the areas of your home that the Roomba has already cleaned.

The iRobot Home App is also where you can set up virtual barriers to prevent the robot from going into areas you don't want it to, like near pet food bowls or children's toys. This is made possible by the intelligent Imprint Smart Mapping technology.

One of the standout features in the app is the scheduling function. This enables users to program cleaning routines on specific days and at specific times, ensuring your home stays clean even if you're not there. This can be particularly useful for pet owners or those with busy schedules.

Moreover, the iRobot Roomba J7 offers smart home integration. It's compatible with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, offering hands-free operation. This means you can command your Roomba with your voice, enhancing the user experience.

Lastly, the app provides useful maintenance reminders, like when it's time to empty the dust bin or replace the filter. It also provides useful troubleshooting tips if there's any issue with the robot, ensuring that your Roomba is always ready to clean.

To sum it up, the iRobot Roomba J7 provides a seamless and convenient cleaning experience, supported by its smart connectivity features. The app is user-friendly and packed with useful features that ensure you stay in control of your home's cleanliness, even when you're not there.

Noise Level

Let's talk about a feature that's often overlooked - the noise level of the iRobot Roomba J7. It’s an important aspect to consider, especially if you plan to run the device while you're home.

Fortunately, the iRobot Roomba J7 performs relatively quietly compared to many of its competitors. It operates at around 68 decibels, which is roughly the same noise level as a normal conversation. So, while it's not silent, it's also not likely to disturb you if you're working, watching TV, or even napping in the next room.

It's worth noting that the noise level slightly increases when the robot is cleaning on carpets or tackling more stubborn dirt. The added power boosts the noise, but not to an unbearable degree. It’s a small compromise for the improved cleaning performance, which I discuss in more detail in the ‘Cleaning Performance’ section.

Moreover, the Roomba J7 features a 'Quiet Clean' mode. This mode minimizes noise output, which can come in handy when you need a quieter environment. Although it might slightly compromise the cleaning efficiency, it's a nice option to have for those moments when peace and quiet is required.

So, while the iRobot Roomba J7 is a bit noiser than a whisper, it's not as loud as a standard vacuum cleaner. I believe this is a reasonable trade-off considering its intelligent autonomous cleaning abilities.

iRobot Roomba J7 on hardwood floor

Maintenance and Cleaning

Proper maintenance and cleaning are vital for the long-term performance of any robot vacuum, and the iRobot Roomba J7 is no exception. This device boasts an easy-to-clean design, with user-friendly access to all necessary components.

The dustbin of the J7 is conveniently located at the back of the robot. A simple button press releases the bin, which can then be emptied and cleaned with ease. To keep the dustbin in top-notch shape, it is advisable to rinse it with warm water occasionally. However, do make sure the bin is thoroughly dry before reinserting it into the robot, to avoid potential damage.

In addition, the brush rolls, side brush, and wheels should be regularly checked for entangled hair or debris. The Roomba J7 features a unique brush design that minimizes hair tangle, making it much easier to maintain than some other models. Remember to replace these components every 6-12 months to maintain optimal cleaning performance.

The robot's front caster wheel and cliff sensors also require occasional cleaning. Using a dry cloth to wipe the sensors and removing the wheel to clear out any debris can prevent navigation issues and ensure your Roomba J7 keeps running smoothly. It's worth noting that the robot's sensors are quite sensitive, so careful handling is crucial during cleaning.

Lastly, the Roomba J7's charging contacts should be kept clean for efficient charging. Over time, dust and grime can accumulate on these contacts, potentially affecting charging efficiency. A simple wipe with a dry cloth should suffice in keeping them in optimal condition.

In summary, the Roomba J7 is relatively easy to maintain and clean, thanks to its thoughtful design and user-friendly features. Regular maintenance will ensure that this robot vacuum continues delivering excellent cleaning performance over a long period of time.

Video by: Consumer Analysis

What's in the Box

Unboxing a new gadget is always an exciting affair and with the iRobot Roomba J7, the experience is no different. The packaging is sturdy and thoughtfully prepared to ensure the device arrives in perfect condition. Once you open the box, you're presented with the main unit of the Roomba J7, which sports a sleek design and an intuitive interface.

Alongside the robotic vacuum, you'll find a cleaning tool that features a set of brushes to assist you in maintaining the machine’s cleanliness. This tool is particularly helpful for removing hair and other debris entangled in the brushes of the unit. Keeping the brushes clean is pivotal to the overall cleaning performance of the Roomba J7, a point we've discussed more in the 'Maintenance and Cleaning' section.

In addition to the Roomba J7 and its cleaning tool, the box contains a Home Base charging station. This station serves as the robot's dock where it charges and rests when not in use. A power cord is also provided to connect the charging station to your electrical outlet.

Moreover, there's a virtual wall barrier included in the box. This small device is quite powerful when it comes to creating boundaries for your Roomba. It can prevent the robot from entering specific areas of your home, like rooms with delicate items or your pet's play area. The practical application of this feature is discussed more in the 'Navigation and Mapping Technology' section.

Finally, the package arrives with a user manual. The manual is comprehensive, providing clear instructions on how to get your Roomba J7 up and running, as well as tips on maximizing the use of its features. We strongly recommend reading this manual to understand your new helper's capabilities better.

So, to sum up, the iRobot Roomba J7 box includes the Roomba J7 itself, a cleaning tool, a Home Base charging station with a power cord, a virtual wall barrier, and a user manual. By offering these items together, iRobot ensures that you have everything you need to start your hands-free cleaning journey.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the iRobot Roomba J7 impresses with its advanced features, solid cleaning performance, and sophisticated navigation capabilities. It’s a high-end robot vacuum cleaner that offers great value for its price.

This vacuum doesn't just clean - it learns, adapts and even communicates. Its main strength is its ability to handle a variety of cleaning tasks with relative ease. From carpets to hardwood floors, it does an excellent job at picking up dirt and debris, ensuring your floors are spotless.

The Roomba J7's intelligent navigation and mapping technology is a standout feature. It does an excellent job of finding its way around, even in complex environments. And with its object recognition capabilities, it expertly avoids obstacles, sparing your furniture from any unfortunate encounters.

While its battery life may not be the longest on the market, the automatic recharge and resume feature ensures that the cleaning process is never disrupted more than necessary. This way, the Roomba J7 can complete its cleaning task without requiring frequent human intervention.

The app and smart connectivity features make it easy to schedule cleaning sessions, set cleaning preferences, and monitor the vacuum's progress. Its compatibility with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant is a great convenience for those who prefer voice-activated controls.

If I had to nitpick, I would say that the noise level could be a bit lower. However, it's nothing that would disrupt your day-to-day activities. When it comes to maintenance, the Roomba J7 is fairly easy to clean and the fact that replacement parts are readily available is a big plus.

In essence, the iRobot Roomba J7 is more than just a vacuum cleaner. It's a time-saving, smart home device that will fit seamlessly into your daily routine, ensuring that you always come home to clean floors. So, if you're looking for a reliable, intelligent, and efficient robot vacuum cleaner, the Roomba J7 should be high on your list.


Pros & cons

Pros

  • PrecisionVision Navigation System
  • Automatic dirt disposal feature
  • App and smart connectivity features
  • Long-lasting lithium-ion battery
  • High-Efficiency Filter for pet hair

Cons

  • Struggles with larger debris
  • Camera struggles in low-light conditions
  • Time-consuming mapping for larger homes
  • Noise level could be lower

Technical specifications

Product Name iRobot Roomba J7
Dimensions 13.34 inches diameter, 3.63 inches height
Weight 7.28 lbs
Battery Life Up to 90 minutes
Navigation iAdapt 3.0 with vSLAM technology
Mapping Imprint Smart Mapping
Room Recognition AI-powered PrecisionVision
Cleaning Modes Auto, Edge, Spot, Custom
Filter Type High-Efficiency Filter
Connectivity Wi-Fi, Alexa, Google Assistant