iRobot Roomba j5+ Vacuum Cleaner with Self-Emptying Base: In-Depth Review and Customer Opinions

The iRobot Roomba j5+ is one of iRobot's latest vacuum robot models featuring advanced navigation and cleaning technology as well as a self-emptying base for minimal maintenance. This robotic vacuum aims to deliver a thorough clean throughout the home with minimal effort required.

The Roomba j5+ combines a powerful 3-stage cleaning system with intelligent navigation using vSLAM technology to learn your home and build personalized Smart Maps. This allows the robot to expertly navigate and clean in neat rows, while avoiding obstacles and remembering where it's already cleaned.

With the included Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal, the Roomba j5+ empties itself for up to 60 days so you don't have to think about vacuuming for months at a time. Overall, the Roomba j5+ is designed to take vacuuming off your hands completely with its self-emptying base, customized cleaning patterns and scheduling options.

Design and Features

The Roomba j5+ has a sleek, low-profile design with a height of just 3.5 inches, allowing it to clean under most furniture. It has a diameter of 13.4 inches giving it a nice compact footprint. The vacuum is offered in a single color option of black. The top surface has a matte finish that resists fingerprints and smudges. The silver Roomba logo is prominently positioned in the center.

There are two large rubber tread wheels that enable the vacuum to smoothly roll over various floor types. The two side spinning brushes help direct debris toward the middle for suction pickup. On the top you'll find just two buttons - a round clean button to start and pause cleaning cycles, and a home button that will send the Roomba back to its base. Keeping the interface minimal provides a clean look.

The Roomba j5+ comes with some great smart features powered by iRobot's Imprint Smart Mapping technology. It will map your home and you can label rooms and create custom cleaning schedules through the iRobot app. The vacuum can suggest extra cleanings during peak pollen and pet shedding seasons when more debris accumulates. You also get a history of past cleanings so you can see where the Roomba has covered.

One standout feature of the j5+ is that it empties itself after each cleaning job. The included Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal unit provides months of hassle-free cleaning before you need to empty the allergen-proof bag. This is a huge convenience factor that eliminates the dirty task of manually emptying the vacuum after every use. Other highlights include 10x the suction power of the Roomba 600 series, Edge-Sweep brushes to get into corners, cliff detect sensors to avoid stairs, and compatibility with Google Assistant and Alexa.

If you're looking for a similarly featured self-emptying robot vacuum, the ROIDMI EVE PLUS is a top competitor to consider. It has strong 2000Pa suction power, a large 0.7L dust bag, and high-precision LiDAR navigation. The EVE Plus can map multiple floors of your home for efficient cleaning. It also responds to voice commands when paired with Amazon Alexa or Google Home. The auto-empty dock provides 60 days of hands-free cleaning. Overall, the Eve Plus is comparable to the Roomba j5+ when it comes to self-emptying convenience and smart home integration.

Self-Emptying Base

The Roomba j5+ comes with a self-emptying base that allows the vacuum to empty itself for up to 60 days. The base has a sleek low-profile design with the dustbin integrated into the base itself.

The dustbin has a capacity of 0.4 liters so you don't have to empty it frequently. Once the dustbin reaches capacity, the vacuum will automatically empty itself into the base, depositing dust into an enclosed bag that locks away allergens. The enclosed bag holds 30 bin fills before it needs to be replaced, allowing you to go months before having to manually empty the vacuum.

The base does take up more space than a standard charging base, but the added convenience of not having to empty the bin yourself for months makes up for it. The modern design blends into room decor seamlessly. Overall, the self-emptying base is a worthwhile upgrade for anyone looking to save time and keep dust contained.

Cleaning Performance

The Roomba j5+ offers excellent cleaning performance powered by a 3-stage cleaning system. It has 10 times the suction power of Roomba 600/700 series vacuums for improved pick-up of dirt, dust and debris.

The vacuum comes with a self-adjusting 3-stage cleaning head. The multi-surface brushes work together to flex and adjust to different floor types, while the edge-sweeping brush takes care of corners and edges. This allows the j5+ to easily transition between carpets and hard floors.

There are 2 cleaning modes - Smart Clean and Direct Clean. Smart Clean mode allows the robot to intelligently navigate your home, while Direct Clean lets you target specific rooms or high traffic spots. So whether you need a whole home clean or a quick spot clean, the j5+ has got you covered.

With its advanced dirt detect sensors, the Roomba j5+ automatically increases suction power when it rolls over particularly dirty spots to provide a deeper clean. The spinning side brush also helps sweep debris from corners and along edges into the robot's path.

Overall, with smart navigation coupled with strong suction power, the j5+ delivers a thorough clean on both carpets and hard floors. Its adjustible brush system and dedicated edge brush also allow it to easily clean different surface types and reach corners.

The Shark AV2501AE AI is another great robotic vacuum option with a self-emptying base. Like the Roomba j5+, it has a bagless base that allows the robot to empty itself for up to 60 days. The dust bin capacity is a bit larger at 0.7 quarts. The Shark base has a front-facing bin access so you don't have to move the base to empty it. Overall, the Shark offers comparable convenience to the Roomba when it comes to the self-emptying functionality.

In terms of cleaning performance, the Shark AV2501AE AI has strong suction power and a multi-surface brushroll for carpets and hard floors. It has row-by-row cleaning so it methodically covers each area. The Shark has a run time of 120 minutes, allowing it to clean large spaces efficiently. It uses LiDAR and AI mapping to intelligently navigate and remember your home.

Some key differences are that the Shark has a front-facing camera that allows you to visually check in on cleaning jobs through the app. The Shark also comes with a handheld vacuum so you can do quick spot cleanups. However, the Roomba may have a bit of an edge when it comes to software smarts and advanced navigation. But the Shark offers excellent cleaning capabilities along with the convenience of a self-emptying base.

When it comes to robotic vacuums with self-emptying bases, both the iRobot Roomba j5+ and Shark AV2501AE AI are great options. The large dust bins and enclosed bag systems allow you to go months without having to manually empty your vacuum. This saves a lot of time and hassle. The Shark offers a few bonus features like a front-facing camera and handheld vacuum. But the Roomba has strengths in its smart navigation. Overall, both are excellent choices that will significantly reduce the chore of vacuuming with their self-emptying bases.

Navigation and Mapping

The iRobot Roomba j5+ uses multiple sensors to navigate and map your home. It has Cliff Detect Sensors to prevent falls, and Dirt Detect Sensors to identify concentrated areas of dirt.

The robotic vacuum creates Smart Maps of your home and uses vSLAM navigation technology. This allows the Roomba to keep track of where it's been and where it needs to clean. It navigates methodically in neat rows throughout the floor plan.

You can view and edit the Smart Map in the iRobot HOME app. The map shows which rooms have been cleaned and allows you to target specific areas or schedule whole home cleanings. Overall, the advanced navigation system allows the j5+ to efficiently clean your floors.

App Control

The iRobot Roomba j5+ can be controlled via the iRobot home app, available for both iOS and Android devices. The app allows you to schedule and monitor cleaning sessions, view cleaning history, and customize various settings.

One of the most useful features of the app is remote control. You can manually drive the Roomba j5+ via the app to target specific areas that need cleaning. The joystick controls are responsive, allowing you to seamlessly navigate the robot around furniture and tight spaces.

Additional remote features include starting and stopping cleaning cycles and sending the Roomba j5+ back to its charging base. The app also allows you to designate "Keep Out Zones" to prevent the robot from entering certain rooms or areas.

With the scheduling function, you can set up the Roomba j5+ to clean at specific times on selected days. Scheduling is flexible and can be easily adjusted as needed. The app provides notifications when cleaning cycles are completed or if any issues arise.

Overall, the iRobot home app offers intuitive and robust remote control capabilities for the Roomba j5+ robotic vacuum. The integration of app control with the self-emptying base makes fully automated cleaning possible.

Maintenance

The Roomba j5+ requires some regular maintenance to keep it running optimally. Here are the key maintenance tasks:

Filter

The Roomba j5+ has one filter that needs to be cleaned or replaced every couple of months. The filter traps dust and debris before it reaches the robot's internal components. It's easy to remove and rinse the filter with water to clean it. Replacement filters are readily available from iRobot.

Brushes

Like any vacuum, the brushes can get tangled with hair and debris. iRobot recommends cleaning the brushes every couple of weeks to remove any buildup. The brushes are accessible under the top cover and can be cleaned with scissors or a small brush.

Bin Emptying

The self-emptying base holds up to 60 days worth of debris, but the bag will need to be replaced periodically. iRobot provides replacement bags so you always have a fresh one on hand. The process of removing the full bag and inserting a new one is quick and clean.

Regular brush cleaning and filter maintenance is essential to keep the Roomba j5+ running at peak performance. The self-emptying base takes care of debris removal for months at a time. Overall, the maintenance requirements are reasonable.

Battery Life

The iRobot Roomba j5+ has an average battery life of around 75 minutes per charge. This is fairly typical for robot vacuums and allows the Roomba j5+ to clean an entire level of a home in one session before automatically returning to the base to recharge.

With the included battery, the Roomba j5+ can clean up to 2500 square feet on a single charge. For larger homes, you may need to manually move the base to another area to ensure full coverage. The battery is not designed to be user-replaceable. Over time, the running time will decrease as the battery capacity diminishes. Most users get 1-2 years before noticing a major drop off in cleaning time.

To maximize battery life, make sure to keep the brushes, filters, and dust bin clean so the vacuum doesn't have to work harder than necessary. Letting the robot fully charge between runs is also recommended. The base will initiate a recharge when the battery gets low.

Overall, the Roomba j5+ battery life is sufficient for regular whole home cleaning for average sized homes. Larger homes may require some ongoing management to get full coverage.

Price

The Roomba j5+ currently retails for $599 on Amazon and other major retailers. This is in the mid-range for robot vacuums with self-emptying bases, which generally cost between $400 to $1000 depending on features and brand.

The j5+ is competitively priced among similar self-emptying models like the Roborock S7+ at $750 and Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL at $600. It's priced a bit higher than entry-level self-emptying options like the Eufy RoboVac X8 at $500.

At this price point, the j5+ offers great value by including both the self-emptying base and advanced navigation like vSLAM technology found in more premium robots. The price is justified for busy households looking for consistent, hassle-free cleaning without frequent involvement.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent cleaning performance on carpets and hard floors
• Large dust bin in self-emptying base holds up to 60 days of debris
• Intelligent mapping learns home layout and creates efficient cleaning paths
• Conveniently schedules and controls cleanings via app or Alexa/Google Assistant
• Long battery life up to 75 minutes of cleaning per charge
• Automatically recharges and resumes cleaning until job is complete

Cons

• Expensive upfront cost
• Self-emptying base is loud when emptying
• Gets stuck occasionally under furniture with low clearance
• Difficult to clean long hair out of brushes