Roborock Q5+ vs Roomba J7+: Both are among the top-ends from each brand and come packed with many bells and whistles. But without beating around the bush, my heart leans towards the latter.
Regarding similarities, they both come with Clean Bases and can clean all types of floors effectively. They can quickly map your home and then you can use that map to set various cleaning parameters like scheduling, spot cleaning, and no-go zones.
The Roomba J7+ stands out for its exceptional obstacle avoidance feature, making it a particularly ideal option for pet owners. Besides, it can save up to 10 maps, has better anti-tangle capabilities and can be programmed to vacuum only when you’re away from home.
On the other hand, the Roborock Q5+’s laser-based navigation system performs admirably even in dimly lit environments. It also boasts an extended battery life, provides 3D mapping, and enables real-time location tracking.
Roborock Q5+ Vs Roomba J7+: Comparison Chart
Roborock Q5+ Vs Roomba J7+: Differences
The Roomba J7+ has a 3-2 win against the Roborock Q5+. The following is my detailed comparison between these two workhorses!
Cleaning Performance
Winner: Roborock Q5+
Hard Floor
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J7+ |
|---|---|
| ≈ 98% | ≈ 95% |
These robots didn’t pick up everything but they passed my tests with flying colors. I found the Q5+ has more airflow than its rival, enabling it to suck up a bit more debris on my hardwood floor at a high rate. Specifically, the Q5+ achieves an airflow of 9.82 CFM in Quiet mode and 16.84 CFM in Max mode, whereas the Roomba J7+ clocks in at 10.2 CFM.
Carpets
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J7+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Low-pile Carpet | ≈ 96% | ≈ 92% |
| High-pile Carpet | ≈ 95% | ≈ 96% |
Moving on to carpet cleaning tests, I tested their ability to clean low- and high-pile carpets and noticed the Q5+ was the better choice for the low-pile carpet. On my high-pile carpet, it didn’t collect debris as well as the J7+, but the difference was minimal.
Hair Pet
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J7+ | |
|---|---|---|
| 5-inch Strands | 76 % | ≈ 72% |
| 10-inch Strands | 42% | ≈ 56% |
In terms of hair removal, these machines both didn’t achieve great results, but they were still decent enough for daily vacuuming tasks. They were decent at cleaning short 5-inch strands but had difficulty with longer ones. They couldn’t ensure zero hair got caught in their rollers, but the J7+ proves that it resists tangles better thanks to the bristle-free design of its dual rollers.
Overall, tangled hair was only an issue when I tried to clean large quantities of long strands, and it was less of an issue for shorter hair. Their brush rollers can also be disassembled for untangling and deep cleaning. The Q5+ also comes with a special tool with a brush on one end and a hook blade on the other end to cut off tangled hair and stuck-on debris.
Design & Usability
Winner: Roomba J7+
Dimensions & Weight
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J7+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (W x H) | 13.78 x 3.78 inches | 13.3 x 3.4 inches |
| Weight | 7.05 lbs | 7.49 lbs |
Right off the bat, both have a familiar circular frame, with the Roomba J7+ having a lower configuration and being narrower than its rival. But these little housekeepers are essentially compact enough to easily squeeze through chair legs and slip under almost all low-clearance furniture, such as living room coffee tables, sofas, and couches.
The Roborock Q5+ is negligibly lighter. And, yes, it is admitted that they are high-tech robot vacuum cleaners, but the stair-climbing capability is still a distant dream. Hence, you’ll need to carry them to different floors for cleaning. They are quite lightweight, but a built-in handle like the one on the Roomba I7+ would make transporting them between floors even easier.
Well, they also come with Clean Bases for hands-free emptying, which are quite bulky and can take up a bit of space. You can absolutely save space and some money by investing in the Roborock Q5 or Roomba J7, the versions without the Clean Dock, provided you don’t mind the manual labour of dustbin emptying.
Extractor & Side Brush
The Roborock Q5+ opts for a traditional bristle brush roller, whereas the Roomba J7+ boasts dual green, rubberized brushes. The densely-packed bristles on the Q5+’s brushroll indeed provide better agitation and help it collect a lot of human/pet hair, but it is less adept at resisting tangles compared to the bristle-less rollers on the Roomba J7+. It’s worth noting that the Q5+ is compatible with the bristle-less roller, which can be found in new-generation Roborocks.
To direct the grime from the side of the robot into the cleaning path of the brushroll, the Q5+ has a five-pronged spinning brush on the left front quadrant, while the J7+ is fitted with a three-arm one. To my mind, the latter has a better design and rotates at a slower speed that effectively prevents debris scattering during operation.
Navigation
The Q5+ uses a laser turret on top called the PreciSense LiDAR navigation system to scan and thoroughly map your home. Meanwhile, the J7+ uses a front-facing camera and Imprint Smart Mapping technology to get the job done. The Q5+ indeed map out its coverage area faster than the camera-based mapping capabilities on the J7+. After they’ve learned your home’s layout, both will clean your floors in a methodical line. I strongly recommend opening all the doors you have during their first runs.
While the Q5+ can only save 4 maps, the J7+ proves itself to be more ideal for multi-story flats with the ability to remember 10 maps. In turn, the Q5+’s laser-based navigation system allows it to work well in dimly lit and dark areas, while the J7+ requires adequate lighting for optimal operation even when it is equipped with an LED light.
The J7+ can detect and avoid pet feces thanks to PrecisionVision Navigation – a feature backed by iRobot’s P.O.O.P., which states that they will replace your robot at no cost if it rolls over the mess your four-legged friend leaves behind. So you can feel confident that you can set this one on a cleaning trip, and it’ll take care of business without any attention from you. The feature is particularly invaluable for pet owners who know all too well that accidents with pet waste can not only be messy but also require thorough cleaning of the vacuum and, potentially, the floor.
During my test runs, I found the J7+ did a very good job of dodging fake socks, phone charging cables, USB-C cables, shoes, and dog poop without fault. It just cleaned right around these things. Even better, it will take photos of unclear obstacles and send them through the app so you can decide and leave your feedback (via the app, too). What an intelligent “creature”!
Battery Life
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J7+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Life | ≈ 92–194 mins | ≈ 98 mins |
| Charging Time | ≈ 156 mins | ≈ 120 mins |
The Q5+ and J7+ use 5200 and 2210 mAh Li-ion batteries, respectively. With a significantly larger battery, the Q5+ can operate for a long time, even when it is set to max mode. By the way, the Q5+ has four different suction powers (Quiet, Balanced, Turbo, and Max), whereas the J7+ is limited to just one setting.
Both feature auto-recharge and auto-resume capabilities. In layman’s terms, when these robots detect a low battery, they automatically navigate back to their Home Bases for a quick power-up before returning to the exact spot they left off to continue their cleaning tasks.
Control
Winner: Roborock Q5+
Manual Control
While these boys can be remotely and non-touch controlled, they come with one or two onboard buttons as a fail-safe. These are especially handy for situations where your phone’s battery might be drained or you encounter WiFi issues, though you will lose out on quite a bit of functionality.
The Q5+ has two buttons: power and home. The power button is used to turn the robot on and off, and it can also start a cleaning cycle by pressing and holding it. Meanwhile, the home button can be pressed briefly to guide the robot back to its Home Base or held down to launch a targeted spot-cleaning trip. The J7+ allows you to do them all with just one button.
App Connectivity
To control these mischievous boys remotely, you’ll need to download the respective apps—Roborock for the Q5+ and iRobot for the J7+. Both come equipped with a variety of shared functionalities, including spot cleaning, the ability to create Clean and No-go zones, scheduling vacuuming sessions, and keeping tabs on the robot’s health. What sweetens the deal is their seamless compatibility with major home assistant platforms like Google Home, Apple Siri, and Amazon Alexa, enabling you to direct them using just your voice.
After these savvy robots have committed the layout of your home to memory, they offer you precise virtual maps that let you label or merge rooms to your heart’s content. You can then send these robots to clean individual rooms. Is there some spilt coffee powder in your kitchen? Simply command them to go to the exact spot, and they’ll handle the mess before autonomously returning to their charging stations, all without disturbing other areas of your home.
And are there any zones where you want your robot to stay away? Such as the children’s playroom? These housekeepers have got you covered. Both allow you to set up virtual boxes to cordon off areas you want to remain untouched (no-go zones). The Q5+ is even ahead of the game with an advanced feature called “invisible walls,” allowing you to draw lines on the map to create boundaries they can’t cross.
Both robots offer spot cleaning, but they go about it in different ways. With the J7+, you can utilize colored virtual boxes within the app to pinpoint the exact spots that need cleaning. In contrast, the Q5+ doesn’t offer this functionality in its app. Rather, you have to press and hold the Home button, as mentioned above, and it will vacuum the 4.9-foot-square zone centered around its current location.
What’s more, you can schedule them to automatically vacuum daily on specific days, so you can forget about activating them. You can also keep tabs on the condition of various components, like the brush roller and filters, letting you know when a replacement is due. And if you’re curious, you can even review the robots’ cleaning history.
Now, there are some differences between them. The Q5+ offers 3D maps, giving you a dimensional view of your home layout without overwhelming you with intricate details. Additionally, its Real-Time Robot Location function lets you track the robot’s whereabouts right from the app. As for the J7+, it has a “Clean While Away” feature. Simply put, it will create an invisible fence around your house. Then, every time your phone leaves the house, this one will take care of cleaning.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Winner: Roomba J7+
You will find a washable 0.5-liter dustbin on the J7+ that is a bit larger than the Q5+’s 0.47-liter dustbin – the difference is hardly worth noting. But does the dustbin size matter, given that both robots come with self-cleaning bases? No, I don’t think so.
The “plus” word in their names signifies that their Home Bases double as Clean Stations. This means you can say goodbye to the chore of manual dustbin emptying, as their Home Bases can automatically suck out all collected contents and deposit them into single-use dust bags. While the bag for the Q5+ generally needs replacing every 5 to 7 weeks, the J7+’s bag can last for up to two months.
The thing is that while the J7+ can make an automatic trip back to its dock to trigger emptying, the Q5+ can’t. Unlike the J7+ and most robots, the Q5+ has no auto-empty sensor in its dustbin. Thus, if its dust tank fills up before it completes its cleaning tasks, you’ll need to send it back to the dock manually by pressing the Home button to initiate the emptying process. Well, this is indeed a major shortcoming!
When it comes to filtration, the Q5+ employs an E11-rated filter, while the J7+ features a HEPA-grade filter. Both are effective in capturing dust, pollen, and allergens from the air. However, the Q5+’s filter has the added advantage of being fully washable, whereas the J7+’s HEPA filter can be cleaned by giving it a gentle tap against the side of a trash can.
Other Features
Winner: Roomba J7+
Noise
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Life | ≈ 62 dB | ≈ 59 dB |
| Charging Time | ≈ 74 dB | ≈ 72 dB |
Both robots won’t interrupt your daily activities, considering they’re not particularly noisy – at least they’re quieter than many stick and upright vacuums I’ve tested. However, if you’re considering using them overnight, you might want to think twice. The self-emptying process of both robots is a notably louder affair, which could disrupt your sleep unless you’re a very sound sleeper.
Imprint Link
Another nice-to-have feature of the J7+ is its ability to work in tandem with the iRobot Braava M6 mop robot. Via the app, you can essentially set up a one-two punch for floor care: first, the J7+ goes to work vacuuming your floors, and once it’s finished, it can signal the Braava M6 to begin mopping. Of course, that means you’ll need to spend extra bucks on another device.
Quick Rundown Of Roomba J7+
- CLEANS WHEN AND WHERE YOU WANT– Only iRobot brings you Imprint Smart Mapping allowing you to control and schedule which rooms are cleaned and when, while storing multiple maps for easier cleaning on each level of your home.
- AVOIDS PET ACCIDENTS – WE GUARANTEE IT - IRobot brings you P.O.O.P. (Pet Owner Official Promise). You can rely on your Roomba j7+ to avoid pet waste, or we’ll replace it for free. Additional terms and conditions apply – see iRobot website for details.
- IT DOESN’T JUST LEARN YOUR HOME; IT REACTS TO IT IN REAL TIME. With PrecisionVision Navigation and a camera, your robot identifies and avoids obstacles of all sizes like pet waste, charging cords, socks and shoes to get the whole job done.
- MORE THOUGHTFUL THAN YOU THOUGHT - The Roomba j7+ takes vacuuming off your mind with personalized cleaning suggestions powered by the unique intelligence of IRobot OS. Learns your habits and your routines.
- POWERFUL PERFORMANCE. The 3-Stage Cleaning System packs 10x the Power-Lifting Suction, an Edge-Sweeping Brush gets along walls and corners, and Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes flex to adjust to different floor types. Compared to the Roomba 600 series.
Quick Rundown Of Roborock Q5+
- 7-Weeks of Hands-Free Cleaning: The Self-Empty Dock automatically empties the Q5’s dustbin after each cleanup, so you don’t have to do it manually or frequently. Its 2.5L dust bag can hold up to 7 weeks of dirt.
- Clean Smarter with PreciSense LiDAR Navigation: Extremely accurate LiDAR navigation creates precise maps that can even be viewed in 3D. You can also add furniture and floor materials to recreate your home virtually.
- Clean Harder with Powerful 2700 Pa Suction: With an incredible maximum suction power of 2700 Pa, the Q5 easily lifts debris and pet hair from floors and drags it out from deep inside carpets.
- Clean Better with the Multi-Plane Floating Main Brush: A multi-plane floating brush keeps the brush closer to the ground for deeper cleaning, even on uneven surfaces. It is strongly resistant to hair tangles and perfect for homes with pets.
- Keeps Going for Longer: Powered by high-capacity battery and a 470 ml dustbin, you get long lasting cleaning that can easily tackle most homes in one clean.
Product Videos
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References:
- Roomba J7+: https://www.irobot.com/en_US/roomba-j7plus-self-emptying-robot-vacuum/J755020.html
- Roborock Q5+: https://us.roborock.com/products/roborock-q5-plus
Richard B. Schmidt is a prominent figure in the vacuum cleaner industry, boasting over 15 years of expertise. Armed with a Robotics Engineering degree from Northeastern University and a Master’s in Consumer Science from Harvard, his unique blend of technical knowledge and consumer insights positions him as a sought-after authority in vacuum cleaner evaluation. Richard’s career began at Dyson, where he contributed to the development of innovative vacuum models. Transitioning to advocacy and reviews, he co-founded the first Vacuum-focused blog in 2008, offering comprehensive analysis and user guides for various vacuum cleaners. In 2020, he founded RoboMop.net, providing ongoing insights through columns and buyer’s guides.