The Roomba combo j7+ is an all-in-one robot vacuum cleaner and mop, and it doesn’t need your help

The ability to detect different surfaces means no more swapping out attachments mid-run

The upgraded iRobot OS software can avoid pet-based hazards, such as litter trays, water bowls and poop (iStock/The Independent)

iRobot is launching a new robot vacuum cleaner called the Roomba combo j7+, which promises to fix one of the main problems our tiny robot friends have when it comes to cleaning our complicated floors.

The Roomba combo j7+ launches on 4 October for £999 and combines a vacuum cleaner and a mop in one autonomous helper. But unlike other combination robot mops that require you to flip the robot over and attached the mop pad by hand – potentially exhausting yourself – this new model can effortlessly drop into mop mode without human intervention.

The first hands-free, two-in-one robot vacuum and mop from iRobot, the new Roomba combo j7+ uses microphones (or ‘acoustic sensors’, as iRobot prefers to call them) to detect the type of floor it’s on before intelligently deploying its mopping pad at the right moments. The mop folds away into the top of the device when not in use, and is lowered down on a pair of metal arms, like a friendly little gentleman doffing his hat.

This means it can avoid accidentally soaking your carpets and rugs, while still being able to clean hard surfaces such as wooden floors and tiles, and all without your supervision – which is sort of the entire point of these things, after all.

The Roomba combo j7+ can also empty itself automatically, meaning you can pay even less attention to it. Like other robot vacuum cleaners in the range, the newest Roomba comes with iRobot’s Clean Base accessory, a bin-sized recharging dock that can remove and store 60 days of your Roomba’s doings.

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Roomba combo j7+: £999, iRobot.co.uk

(iRobot)

You’ll still have to top up the Roomba’s water tank and give it a fresh replaceable mop pad once in a while, but the iRobot app can keep you fully briefed on your robot friend’s urgent needs as it cleans.

Alongside the new Roomba combo j7+, the company is also launching the latest version of iRobot OS – the brains hehind the robot vacuum cleaner’s intelligent cleaning system. Roomba already has some of the best navigation, mapping and obstacle-avoidance of the robot vacuum cleaners we’ve tested.

The robot’s software can detect and avoid things that would otherwise ruin its day, such as loose charging cables, backpack straps, socks and shoelaces that would tangle around the cleaner’s rotating brushes. Roomba cleaners can also avoid running into things that would ruin everyone’s day, such as your dog’s poop.

Read more: Make even lighter work of your spring cleaning with these cordless vacuum cleaners

Since the first Roomba launched in 2002, these upgrades to iRobot’s software gradually make them more useful in real homes rather than idealised showrooms. The newest update is said to be able to recognise more everyday hazards, such as pet bowls and litter trays, while improved sensors on the Roomba combo j7+ can figure out which spots get dirtiest and suggest areas of the home where you might want the robot to clean more often, such as that bit of kitchen floor around the dishwasher.

We’ll bring you our verdict on the latest member of the Roomba family once we’ve had some hands-on time (or should that be hands-off time?) with the one-stop-shop robot.

Where can you buy the Roomba combo j7+?

The Roomba combo j7+ launches 4 October and is available to pre-order in the US for $999. The cleaner is listed as coming soon to the UK, where it will be available for £999. It can be bought without the Clean Base accessory, for £799.

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