Like many of us, iRobot has a long-standing love-hate relationship with mops. The first scuba system became widely available in 2010. But eventually, flushing and filling the tank with dirty water proved ineffective, and the line was eventually phased out. The new line eventually was Braava, which arrived as part of its 2012 acquisition of Evolution Robotics.
This system favors a flushing pad, which ultimately proves to be less hazardous than a tank system. Despite what the Standells might tell you, the citizens of iRobot’s hometown don’t actually like that dirty water.
One of the company’s long-time holy grails is the combination system. Convenience is crucial, as it combines mopping and vacuuming into one system. Around this time last year, the company announced the Roomba Combo j7+. The system uses a clever mechanical lever to move the pad out of the way, so you don’t accidentally sweep the carpet. iRobot expanded the line a couple of weeks ago with an improved j7+, along with the Roomba Combo i5+, bringing the price point down from $250 to $549.
Today the company is announcing another SKU. The Roomba j9+ is pretty steep, at $899 for the Roomba and $1,399 for the Roomba and dock.
“The Roomba Combo j9+ robotic vacuum and mop is first in its class and is designed to tackle dirt, pet fur and debris with unparalleled precision,” the company writes. The 4-stage cleaning system and unique dual rubber brushes provide 100% more suction power and compact cleaning. And unlike competing 2-in-1 robotic vacuums and mops that barely lift mop pads, iRobot’s DRI (Dry Carpet Intelligence) technology means that Customers can be confident that their Roomba Combo j9+ will keep high-pile carpets clean and dry.”
The last part is a straightforward search for companies like Roborock and Ecovac, which have carved out niches of their own undercutting iRobot’s premium prices.
However, ultimately, CEO Colin Angell says the software is the key thing. “I think the long-term winner in the robotics industry will be the company with the best software,” he said in an interview with TechCrunch. “iRobot continues to raise the bar. In 2021, we went all out and said iRobot will refund your money if you poop, which no one has done since. And we continue to honor that. Earlier this year, we started rating rooms automatically.
Both the j7+ and j9+ get iRobot OS 7.0. The centerpiece is what the company calls the “Dirt Detective.” “We keep a map of your home that’s resilient to disturbances,” says Angle. “Because we’re the only robot that actually looks to see if we’re picking up dirt while cleaning, we can judge how quickly a room gets dirty. We also know how long it’s been since you last cleaned A certain room, because we have this historical perspective.
Dirt Detective creates plans and prioritizes rooms based on need. Also on the list is SmartScrub, which gets there to perform a deep clean as needed, with double the wash, per iRobot.
The J9+ goes on pre-sale starting in Europe today. Canada and the United States follow suit tomorrow.