iRobot Roomba i7+ vs j7+ Robot Vacuum Comparison

The time has come, ladies and gentlemen. Today, we’re going to pit two of iRobot’s top-performing Roombas in a head-to-head match to see which comes out the victor. Will it be the iRobot Roomba i7+ or the j7+? Both are spectacular robots, as any Roomba is, so the real winner is us, the people.

Anyway, let’s dive right into it.

In a Nutshell: Differences Between the i7+ and j7+

Roomba	i7+	j7+
Mapping Sensor Type	Camera, Odometry	Camera, Gyroscope
Objects Recognition (Front Camera)	No	Yes
Barrier-Cross Height	0.79 in	0.63 in
Battery Capacity	1800 mAh	2210 mAh
Carpet Boost	No	Yes

iRobot Roomba i7+

1800-Pa Suction + Carpet Boost

The Roomba i7+ “only” has a maximum suction power of 1800 Pa. Now, before you go to iRobot’s HQ with pitchfork and torches, please note that the i7+, as well as the j7+, both come with highly advanced carpet boost technology.

This means that as soon as either of these robots steps foot/wheel on carpeted surfaces, it’ll automatically crank the suction to the max, ensuring that every last bit of surface debris rests in its spacious dustbin.

Rubber-Paddle Roller

How do these robots ensure perfect carpet and bare floor cleanliness with such limited suction power? Simple—they both feature rubber paddles on their brush roller in place of traditional bristles.

Rubber paddles are much better at picking up dust and dirt particles, and pet and human hair don’t tend to wrap about the center of the roller and choke the robot. In addition, they don’t require frequent snipping to remove wads of hair, which is a major plus for both of these self-sufficient robots, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Imprint Map Technology

If you’ve used a Roomba before, then you probably know that iRobot stays on top of the game by installing high-tech navigation and mapping hardware in their bots, and the iRobot i7+ is no different.

This robot features Imprint Smart Mapping Technology, which doesn’t just memorize the layout of your home but also helps the robot identify which areas it can and cannot clean. Of course, you can also define no-go zones on the iRobot smartphone app by drawing virtual barriers that neither of these robots can pass.

Roomba i7+ Introduction Video

Dirt Detection

One of the most infuriating things about robots is that they follow a preprogrammed path that they don’t deviate from. This means that anytime there’s a new dirt pile in the vicinity unless the robot has yet to clean that area, it’ll have to wait until the next cleaning session. This isn’t the case with the iRobot i7+ and j7+.

Both of these robots feature Dirt Detection, which consists of sensors that continuously scan the area for concentrated piles of dirt. When it picks up a dirt pile away from its preprogrammed path, it’ll hop off the virtual rails and clean the spot until no speck of dirt is visible.

Self-Adapting to Your Habits

Both of these Roombas come with iRobot’s latest adaptive technology that automatically suggests cleaning cycles and scheduled cleaning based on a number of variables.

It firsts learns how often you commence the cleaning cycle and when, and then it’ll suggest an increase in cleaning during allergy season.

Clean Base for Auto-Dirt Disposal

Finally, let’s talk about iRobot’s latest device that increases convenience even further—the self-emptying base. Both the i7+ and the j7+ come with a Clean Base that suctions dirt out of the Roombas’ dustbins.

The Clean Base can store up to 60 days’ worth of debris at a time (your mileage may vary depending on how often you rub the robot). All you have to do is insert one of the filter-lined bags and let your Roomba run for up to two months undisturbed.

iRobot Roomba j7+

90-Minute Runtime

One of the first minor differences between the iRobot Roomba j7+ and the i7+ is their battery life. The j7+’s battery is rated to supply 90 minutes of power to the motor, whereas the i7+ is “only” designed to run for 75 minutes at max.

However, thanks to auto-recharge and resume, both of these robots will head to the Clean Base to recharge and empty their dustbins. After their batteries are full, they’ll resume their cleaning exactly where they left on based on the virtual map.

Smart Recharge

Or, instead of waiting for the battery to fill completely, both of these Roombas will rely on Smart Recharge, which only fills the battery to the right amount needed to finish its current cleaning cycle.

Instead of waiting two to three hours for your Roomba to recharge to 100%, the Roomba will only sit in the Clean Base for exactly how long it needs to finish its job before awaiting new orders.

Related Roomba Articles

Buying Guides
• Best Roomba Robot Vacuums

Info Guides
• What Does P.O.O.P. Stand For?

Pet Owner Official Promise (P.O.O.P.)

We’re not trying to be potty mouths here. We just want you to know what iRobot’s new promise for the j7+ is. Basically, this is the first robot of its kind that’s guaranteed to avoid dragging around pet waste, or iRobot replace your faulty robot free of charge.

The last thing pet owners need is to worry about their robots smearing their un-housebroken pet’s feces all over the place, and with the j7+, this is no longer an issue.

Roomba j7+ Introduction Video

Thanks to Genius 3.0 Home Intelligence and PreceisionVision Navigation, the iRobot Roomba j7+ will use onboard cameras to take snapshots of unidentifiable objects and upload them to the iRobot app.

There, the user can decide whether to clean over the area or avoid it completely and similar objects in subsequent vacuuming cycles.

Sure, it sounds like a pain in the butt, but that’s only for the first time the j7+ encounters such a mess. After that, since it remembers what kind of mess you tell it to clean or avoid, it’ll pretty much do most of the thinking on its own without troubling you with incessant notifications.

Related Post: Roomba j7+ Review

Verdict: Which of the Roombas Reigns Supreme?

As you can see, there aren’t very many differences between the Roomba i7+ and the j7+. Both are highly advanced robots that anyone would be proud to own, but if you’re a pet owner who’s fed up with dealing with poopy smears on their kitchen floors or carpets, we highly recommend you invest in the j7+.

The Roomba j7+ is the first of its kind that can actively avoid messes and obstacles based on what the user—i.e., you—tell it to do. While robots are becoming increasingly more intelligent, they still need a hint every now and then to know exactly how you want your floors cleaned, and the j7+ does exactly that.

If you have any questions or comments, please add them below in the comment section. Similarly, please let us know if you spot any mistakes or omissions. Thanks!

Last Update: 2023-03-23 | Affiliate links/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API