Over the past two years, you have likely had to make some adjustments and learn new skills as a result of the pandemic. One of those areas where adjustments have needed to be made is cleaning of the home.
Where previously you may have had someone working full-time or made use of services like SweepSouth to keep the homestead clean, the past two years has made such an approach nigh untenable.
Added to this is working from home, resulting in spaces feeling a bit more cluttered or dirty than before.
As such, descaling a shower door or unclogging a drain is likely something you had to manage solo.
These are of course necessary skills to have, but a mundane task like vacuuming can prove soul destroying at, especially when trying to juggle videoconferencing, meal prep and all the other things you need to do in a day, let alone taking out some time to decompress.
This brings us to iRobot and its range of Roomba robot vacuum cleaners. Where these gadgets have proved difficult to get a hold of in the past, they are now readily available in South Africa.
There are also many more companies that have thrown their hat into the ring of smart home appliances and robot vacuum cleaners in particular, but much like Xerox or Hoover, iRobot and the Roomba are the first names you think of when it comes to this segment of consumer electronics.
Having never reviewed a robot vacuum cleaner before, we leapt at the chance to give the Roomba j7 a chance, which sits in the middle of the extensive iRobot lineup.
With two-plus weeks of use under our belts in two different homes, here are our thoughts on the Roomba j7 and whether it is indeed a worthwhile alternative to a traditional vacuum cleaner and elbow grease.
Smart Home Starter
Let’s start by taking a closer look at the Roomba j7. As mentioned it sits somewhere in the middle of the iRobot lineup, retailing for a recommended R12 999 and boasting 10 times the suction power of the Roomba 600 series, such as the Roomba 698 that goes for far less at R4 999.
As such, the j7 does not come cheap and while more Roomba products are available locally now than in previous years, these devices are still very much remain a luxury item, even the more affordably priced ones.
So what do you get for R13k? Well the j7 is 13.3″ wide and sits 3.4″ high, while tipping the scales at 3.39kg.
It is therefore not a small device, but luckily is not too hefty should you need to carry it on occasion, which we will get to shortly.
Our review unit is swathed in black plastic, with a silver metallic finish on top to add a bit more a premium look to the vacuum cleaner. There is also a light ring just above the iRobot logo, which is used to quickly illustrate what is happening to the vacuum, such as when it is charging, on standby or simply is not functional.
There is also an accompanying iRobot app, which is used to register the device to your phone, as well as check the settings of the Roomba, plot its cleaning course, create different cleaning maps and a few more handy features like setting cleaning times and the ability to operate the vacuum cleaner when not in the immediate vicinity of it.
The app is therefore an integral part of the experience, as is an internet connection during setup.
While the requirement for connectivity is unavoidable during the first usage of the device, we do like the fact that it can perform remotely if it has enough charge. It means that we can schedule cleaning sessions even when the power is out, as has been the case lately.
Speaking of charging, we find that Roomba can operate for a little over four hours continuously before it needs to return back to its charging station.
This need will of course differ depending on the type of room layout you have, the amount of objects it needs to negotiate, how much dirt is collected in the self contained housing and the different surfaces that need to be cleaned.
A clever piece of kit
As for the actual cleaning itself, the Roomba j7 is fairly solid. We primarily used this review unit in two locations – the ground floor of a two-story home with a fix of tile and loose carpets and 90 square metre apartment with wooden parquet flooring.
The performance here was mixed, with the Roomba j7 coping quite nicely with the different terrain it had to handle thanks to the slightly rugged wheels underneath the unit. It also seemed to suck up most debris it encountered regardless of surface.
The parquet flooring was a different prospect, however, as the rotating sweeping brushes not catching all the dirt and leaving a few sports in need of another pass over.
It also became evident that the slightly wide berth that the Roomba j7 gives skirting boards and other tight spaces, means you will likely have to use a conventional vacuum or broom/pan combination to clean up the remainder.
Given that this experience is meant to be fuss free and fully automated, it does not quite deliver on the promise.
That said we are quite impressed with the bevy of sensors on board this Roomba, with the primary camera in particular wowing us with its accuracy and ability to successfully avoid obstacles.
Added to this is the ability to stop when something suddenly gets in its path, like a dog, so you can let the Roomba j7 work safe in the knowledge that it will not knock over anything it should not or indeed prove a risk for children or feet/ankles.
Final verdict
The iRobot Rooma j7 is indeed a handy piece of smart home it, but at R12 999 (RRP) is still a bit too expensive for most people.
Added to this is the fact that it really makes sense in specific situations. If you have a large multi-story home for example, a traditional vacuum and elbow grease approach might simply be better, albeit proving a bit more of a chore.
Where this Roomba does make sense for example is in a smaller single floor apartment or indeed a smart office of small shop setup, where it can be programmed to clean at night or other convenient times.
Will the Roomba j7 replace your current “dumb” vacuum cleaner? No, but it is certainly one of the first items you should be considering for your smart home if your budget allows for it.
