Gerry Palmers Tech 09.27.2022 01:Sep AM EDT

New Roomba Robot can Vacuum, Mop Floors in Single Cleaning Job

Futuristic science fiction and even cartoon shows depict robot household helpers mopping and sweeping floors, and viewers have been struck through the years with this incredible possibility.

Now, this vision has seemed to become a reality with several robot floor cleaners around.

First-ever 'Vacuuming and Mopping' Robot

While other robot offerings have tried this, trying to vacuum and mop floors, they were far from satisfying users. Now iRobot has introduced its new Roomba Combo j7+, which it describes as the "first legitimate 2-in-1 vacuuming and mopping robot ever created."

This Roomba keeps the same sleek and endearing design as the Roomba j7+, with a major upgrade of the mop. The Roomba can vacuum and mop in a single cleaning job with the addition of a retractable mop pad that lifts itself to the top of the robot when it encounters carpets and rugs.

Instead of needing user input to make changes midway through a mission, such as adding a mop, the j7+ has a standard vacuum body up top. When it's finished vacuuming, a pair of recessed arms will pull down a mop pad from the top of the chassis down to the floor. From there, it will drag the mop pad along your hard floors before putting it back away when it crosses the carpet. All you need to do is change the bag and refill the water, which lasts up to 60 days at a time.

iRobot's plan was to guarantee that the mop would not come into contact with soft surfaces. And operating the device would not entail any micromanagement. Given that the unit works on the same footprint as iRobot's standard j7, the company devised innovative engineering to place all the nifty equipment into its relatively small frame, too.

More Features Available with New iRobot OS 5.0

iRobot likewise sought to flex the power of its brand-new iRobot OS 5.0, the latest version of its operating system, which offers better integration with home and phone assistants, such as Siri and Alexa, the capability to designate more clean zones for added work and attention, and enhanced hazard avoidance. Users can also change mission plans in an instant, taking your Roomba away from a room where you're going to take a Zoom call, for example. iRobot also affirmed its vow to protect user data and not to sell it to third parties, and that it secured a TÜV SÜD Cyber Security certification for its data management.

Pricing and Availability of Roomba Combo j7+

The Roomba Combo j7+ is currently available for pre-order and is set to cost $1,099 in the US, with shipments due to start on October 4. It will cost £999 in the UK, but you can also get a Roomba iteration without the Clean Base for £799, while other countries can expect its availability through the rest of Q4 2022.