Roborock S7 vs Roomba J7 Comparison Review
Roborock S7
Roomba J7
Roborock S7
- Dimensions 19.45" x 15.67" x 6.14"
- Weight 15.71 pounds
- Suction Power 2500 Pa
- Navigation Precision LiDAR Navigation
- Multi-Floor Mapping yes (up to 4)
- Object Recognition Ultrasonic Carpet Recognition
- Camera no
- Filter washable E118 rated air HEPA-style filter
- Dustbin 470 ml
- Mopping yes
- Auto Dirt Disposal yes
- Runtime 180 minutes
- WiFi Connectivity yes
Roomba J7
- Dimensions 13.34" x 13.3" x 3.4"
- Weight 7.5 pounds
- Suction Power 1700 Pa
- Navigation brand new Genius Technology and PrecisionVision Navigation
- Camera yes
- Filter HEPA-style
- Dustbin 300 ml
- Mopping no
- Auto Dirt Disposal yes
- Runtime 100 minutes
- WiFi Connectivity yes
Roomba j7 vs Roborock s7 Face to Face Comparison
Roborock S7 and S7+ are also round-shaped robot vacuums. They also come in a low-profile design allowing them to go under low-profile furniture and other household fittings.
The duo measures 13.89-inches in diameter and is 3.77-inches thin. The weight is 8lbs. Regarding the finish, the S7 series robot vacuums are available in two color options; black and white.
The Roomba J7 and J7+ are round-shaped, unlike the S9 and S9+ that come with a D-shaped design dubbed PerfectEdge Technology. They have a 13.3-inch diameter and stand at 3.4-inches.
As for the weight, the robot itself, minus the docking station, is 7.49lbs. When it comes to the finish, the J7 and J7+ are black/silver.
The Roomba J7 is the best in terms of design. The low-profile design allows it to go under most low-profile furniture and between tight spaces.
On the other hand, the Roborock S7 is a 2-in-1 robot cleaner that can vacuum and mop simultaneously.
This is one of the main differences between the Roborock S7 vs. Roomba J7.
The Roomba J7 is a vacuum-only robotic cleaner. It doesn’t have the mopping function that many other robot vacuums come with.
Instead, it can sync with the Braava M6 for simultaneous vacuuming and mopping.
The Roomba S7 is the best deal as it can vacuum and mop simultaneously.
The Roborock S7 is the best choice if you have carpets. It comes with a multispeed motor that puts up a whopping 2,500pa when in Max mode.
There are three other power modes; Quiet, Balanced, and Turbo.
The Roomba J7 is not the best for carpets as it comes with average suction power. Under the hood, it is equipped with a single-speed 2nd Gen motor that puts up around 900Pa.
This is the same vacuum motor that the Roomba 800, i, and e Series come with.
Here again, the Roborock S7 is the best choice as it has higher suction and, importantly, a multispeed motor that allows users to adjust suction. It’s also the best for carpets.
The Roborock S7 features a 300ml electronic water tank and Sonic vibration technology. As the name suggests, Sonic vibration technology enables the robot to scrub up to 3,000 times per minute, ensuring all dirt and grime is scrubbed satisfactorily.
What’s more? There’s Ultrasonic Carpet Recognition that detects carpets and VibraRise that lifts the mop once carpets are detected. Also worth mentioning is the No Mop Zones, a feature that allows users to draw boundaries.
The Roomba J7 doesn’t have the mopping function. That said, you will have to spend more money on any of the available iRobot robot mops.
There’s the Braava 240, Braava 380t, or the M6.
The M6 is the latest model, and the good thing is that it can sync with the J7 for simultaneous vacuuming and mopping.
Definitely, it's the Roborock S7 that is the winner as it offers mopping.
The Roborock S7, on the other hand, uses PreciSense™ LiDAR Navigation that includes obstacle and cliff avoidances sensors only – there is no camera.
It also navigates intelligently in high-traffic rooms and homes with multiple rooms and multiple storeys.
The Roomba J7 uses iAdapt 3.0, a vSLAM navigation system that includes sensors and a real-time camera for better navigation.
The robot is ideal for high-traffic rooms and homes with stairs as it can avoid obstacles and won’t fall off the stairs.
As far as navigation goes, the Roomba J7's camera gives it the upper hand. But still the S7 does a great job.
Roborock S7 also comes with smart mapping dubbed Precision Mapping that enables the robot to create and store hyper-accurate maps of your home and clean in a methodical pattern guaranteeing entire level cleaning.
Roborock S7 also has digital boundaries known as No Go Zones. Other features include Zone Clean Up, Automatic Room Recognition, Selective Room Cleaning, and Real-Time Robot Location.
Roomba J7 comes with Imprint Smart Mapping, a feature that enables the robot to learn, map, and adapt to your home’s floor plan.
The robot can create and store maps enabling it to clean in a methodical pattern. It is also suitable for multistorey homes. Another feature worth mentioning is digital boundaries called Keep Out Zones.
Here, it's hard to call a winner as both models create hyper-accurate maps and clean in a methodical pattern so no spot will be missed. They also create and store maps. However, the S7 has extras - Real-Time Robot Location.
The Roborock S7 comes with washable E11 rated air filters that can filter up to 95% of allergens.
These, too, are not as efficient as true-HEPA filters, but they still get the job done.
When it comes to filtration, the J7 and J7+ use high-efficiency filters that capture up to 99% of allergens and other elements that can trigger allergies.
However, they are not as efficient as true-HEPA filters that can filter down to 0.3 microns.
While they both don't have the capability of true-HEPA filters, Roomba's high-efficiency filters do a better job than Roborock's washable E11 rated air filters.
The Roborock S7 and S7+ are also superb for homes with pets. The two come with an all-rubber main brush alongside a side sweeping brush.
It picks up all kinds of pet hair, from the short dog hair to the long pet hairs, without tangling or jamming the brush.
The Roomba J7 and J7+ are good robot vacuums for homes with pets.
They come with an AeroForce dual multi-surface brushroll that picks up all kinds of pet hair, be it the short cat hair or the long dog hairs of heavy shedding breeds.
Roomba is the clear-cut winner here, courtesy of its highly specialized AeroForce dual multi-surface brush roll - one for agitation and another for lifting dirt.
The Roborock S7 is also a self-emptying robot vacuum. It features a 0.48L bin but no full bin indicator like the Roomba.
As for the self-emptying technology, the base model, Roborock S7, doesn’t come with the Auto-Empty Dock, but it’s compatible with the automated self-emptying technology.
If you want automatic self-emptying, go for the Roborock S7+.
The Roomba J7 and J7+ come with a 0.3L bin with a full bin indicator. Besides the onboard bin, they support automatic self-emptying.
Unfortunately, the J7 doesn’t come with the CleanBase™ Automatic Dirt Disposal unit, but it’s compatible with the technology. On the other hand, the J7+ comes with the CleanBase™ Automatic Dirt Disposal unit.
Here, it's hard to call a winner as both vacuums support automatic self-emptying. But if you are going for the base models, the Roborock S7 is a better choice as it comes with a larger onboard bin. But still, Roomba's Full Bin Indicator is a feature to die for.
The Roborock S7 is also a smart robot vacuum that supports smartphone app operation (Roborock Home App).
It can also sync with voice assistants, including Alexa and Google Assistant.
The Roomba J7 is a smart home-ready robot vacuum compatible with 2.4GHz WiFi for smartphone app operation (iRobot Home App) and voice assistants such as Alexa. Moreover, the robot can be scheduled to clean automatically for seven days straight.
What’s more? It comes with iRobot Genius 3.0 that packs cool features such as Clean While I’m Away, Cleaning Time Estimates, Smart Map Coaching and Room Name Suggestions, and Quiet Drive.
As far as automation and smart features are concerned, iRobot's J7 is the winner, courtesy of iRobot Genius 3.0, a feature that enables your Roomba to work around your ever-changing schedule.
Roborock S7 comes with a large 5200mAh battery that lasts for a cool 180 minutes in Quiet mode. It also has auto-recharge and auto-resume functions plus a quick charge feature called Top Up Charging.
The full recharge time is 2-3 hours.
The Roomba J7 comes with a Roomba® i8 Denali 2210mAh battery that lasts for 90 minutes. It recharges and resumes cleaning automatically.
The recharge time is 2-3 hours, but there is no quick charge function.
The Roborock S7 is the ultimate deal as far as battery and runtime are concerned. It offers a longer runtime and has a quick charge function.
On the other hand, the Roborock S7 comes with:
- Roborock S7 vacuum
- Dirt compartment
- Water tank
- Roborock Auto-Empty Dock
- Charging cable with Velcro strap
- 1x HEPA filter
- Rubber brushroll
- Brushroll guard
- 1x mopping cloth with mop mount
- User guide
Please note, the Roborock S7 doesn’t come with the Roborock Auto-Empty Dock. Instead, it comes with the standard Roborock docking station for recharge only.
Roomba J7+ comes with:
- iRobot Roomba J7 robot vacuum
- Charging dock/bag emptying station
- Charging cable
- 2x HEPA filters
- 2x multi-surface rubber brushrolls
- 2x side brush (one already inside the vacuum)
- Dirt compartment
- 2x dirtbags
- User guide
Please note, the J7 doesn’t come with the Clean Base™ Automatic Dirt Disposal unit. Instead, it comes with the standard docking station for charging the robot vacuum.
As fast as what's in the box is concerned, the Roomba J7 is the best choice because it features two dirtbags. But then, it's hard to rule the mopping features that the S7 tags along with.
Which is the Best Model for Bare Floors?
Both the Roborock S7 and Roomba J7 are ideal for vacuuming all types of bare floors, from tile and laminate to vinyl, hardwood, and marble.
The S7 comes with an upgraded finned all-rubber floating brush and a side sweeping brush that reaches the deep corners and wall edges.
The Roomba J7 also comes with two brushes. There’s a primary unique multisurface dual rubber brush and a side sweeping brush.
We tested the two robot vacuums on a hardwood floor using the common household dirt. Below are the results we got.
- Saw Dust
- 99%
- 95%
- Flour
- 98%
- 94%
- Rice
- 99%
- 95%
- Cheerios
- 99%
- 95%
- Raw popcorns
- 99%
- 94%
- Kitty litter
- 99%
- 95%
- Pet hair
- 99%
- 95%
- Sand pebbles
- 99%
- 94%
Which is the Best Model for Carpets?
If you have carpets, it’s important to make sure that you buy the best robot vacuum for carpets. The main feature to look out for here is high suction power. So, which is the best deal between Roomba J7 vs. Roborock S7?
The Roomba J7 is not the best for carpets as it comes with average suction power. Under the hood, it is equipped with a single-speed 2nd Gen motor that puts up around 900Pa. This is the same motor that the Roomba 800, i, and e Series come with.
The Roborock S7 is the best choice if you have carpets. It comes with a multispeed motor that puts up a whopping 2500pa when in Max mode. There are three other power modes; Quiet, Balanced, and Turbo.
We tested the two robot vacuums on low and high pile carpets. Below are the results.
- Sugar
- 96%
- 91%
- Flour
- 95%
- 90%
- Rice
- 97%
- 91%
- Cheerios
- 98%
- 92%
- Raw popcorns
- 96%
- 91%
- Kitty litter
- 97%
- 91%
- Pet hair
- 96%
- 91%
- Sand pebbles
- 99%
- 90%
Which is the Best Model for Pet Hair Pickup?
The Roomba J7 and J7+ are good robot vacuums for homes with pets. It comes with a dual multisurface brushroll that picks up all kinds of pet hair, be it the short cat hair or the long dog hairs of heavy shedding breeds.
The Roborock S7 and S7+ are also superb for homes with pets. The two come with an all-rubber main brush alongside a side sweeping brush. It picks up all kinds of pet hair, from the short dog hair to the long pet hairs, without tangling or jamming the brush.
We also tested the two models using both short and long pet hair. Below are the results.
- Short pet hair
- 96%
- 95%
- Long dog hair
- 95%
- 94%
Which is the Best Model for Mopping Floors?
The Roomba J7 doesn’t have the mopping function. That said, you will have to spend more money on any of the available iRobot robot mops. There’s the Braava 240, Braava 380t, or the M6. The M6 is the latest model, and the good thing is that it can sync with the J7 for simultaneous vacuuming and mopping.
The Roborock S7 is the best choice if you want a robot vacuum with a mopping function. It features a 300ml electronic water tank and Sonic vibration technology, which takes mopping to the next level. As the name suggests, Sonic vibration technology enables the robot to scrub up to 3,000 times per minute, ensuring all dirt and grime is scrubbed satisfactorily. What’s more? There’s Ultrasonic Carpet Recognition that detects carpets and VibraRise that lifts the mop once carpets are detected. Also worth mentioning is the No Mop Zones, a feature that allows users to draw boundaries. All these are features that prevent the robot from wetting carpets.
We tested the Roborock S7’s mopping performance. Below are the results.
Maintenance
S7 Filters – Pop out the filters, remove excess dirt and dust, rinse with cold water and leave them to dry. Repeat the drill after two weeks to a month and replace filters after four months.
J7 Filters – Remove the filters, clear any stuck-on dirt, and rinse with cold flowing water and let them dry. Return the filters once dried. Repeat maintenance after two weeks and replace filters after three months.
S7 Main Brushroll – Flip the robot vacuum, and remove the back cover by pinching the two levers – the brush will pop up. Open the brush and remove any stuck-on dirt and tangled pet hairs. The main brush requires replacement after 8-12 months.
J7 Main Brushroll – Flip the robot vacuum, detach the main brushroll. Inspect it to see if it’s tangled or has any stuck-on dirt. Remove any hairs or stuck-on dirt. Replace brush after 8-12 months, depending on the condition of the bristles.
S7 – Lift the robot vacuum and check whether the brush is spinning freely. Remove any dirt and hair tangles if it’s not spinning. Replace it after 8-12 months.
J7 Side Brush – Lift the robot vacuum and inspect whether the brush is spinning freely. If not, remove stuck-on dirt and hair tangles. Replace brush after eight months.
S7 – For the S7 base model, remove and empty the dirt box after every cleaning session, empty the contents and wipe any dirt. For the S7+ clean the dirt box after a fortnight or so.
J7 Dirt Compartment – For the base model, empty it after each cleaning session and wipe any dirt using a damp cloth and let it dry before returning it. For the plus model, clean the dirt box at least once monthly.
S7 Dirtbag – Remove dirtbag and dispose of it after 30 days or when it’s full. Replace with a new bag.
J7 Dirtbag – Remove dirtbag and dispose of it after it’s full, in 30 or so days. Replace with a new bag.
S7 Wheels – Here again, turn the wheels and test for free spinning. If they are not spinning freely, check for hair tangles and other kinds of dirt that may be jamming the wheel(s).
J7 Wheels – Turn the robot vacuum and spin the wheels to see if they spin freely. If not, inspect further to find dirt and tangled hair that might be jamming the robot’s wheel(s).
S7 Sensors – Locate the sensors and wipe them using a soft dry cloth, removing any dirt that may cause obstructions.
J7 Sensors – Locate the sensors and wipe them using a soft dry cloth to prevent any obstructions that may cause the robot not to send signals.
S7 Mopping pads – Detach the mopping pads, check whether they are dirty, and rinse them if they are. Then, reattach them after drying.
J7: Water tank – Remove the water tank, add clean water without any cleaning solution before every mopping session or when the water is finished mid-way when mopping.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the Roomba J7 worth it?
2. Does Roborock S7 avoid poop?
3. Does the Roborock S7 have a camera?
Wrapping Up
There you have it, folks, a detailed comparison of Roomba J7 vs. Roborock S7. The two robot vacuums are quite different despite the fact that they are both self-emptying robot vacuums. The Roomba J7 has a much more advanced navigation system and intelligent features, but then the S7 is the ultimate winner as it comes with a mopping function and longer runtime.
Jim Morelli
Dark Rug Problems!
One critical question that I do not see in many reviews: Can it clean dark rugs, or rugs that have dark areas on them? I ended up buying 3 robots- a Shark IQ, and a Uoni V980Plus, and a Roomba J7. The Shark had problems with dark areas, but I did not understand it was the cliff sensors. It did “OK” but was slow because, as I would learn, it was being bounced around by dark rug areas. I bought the Uoni, thinking that the problem with the Shark was poor navigation hardware. The Uoni has Lidar, which I thought would help. Instead, it was much more sensitive to the dark areas, and got bounced all over the place trying to vacuum my rugs.
I did some research, and found that the Roomba J7 had more advanced cliff sensors. I bought it, and it works great! I just wish, as your review says, that it had more power. But this “dark rug” issue is hugely important, and it seems no one mentions it in reviews. I had to buy 2 robots before I even knew it was a problem!