If you are in the dilemma of choosing between the Roborock Q5+ vs Roomba J6+, this detailed comparison has you covered. They both are self-emptying robot vacuums in the mid-budget segment and share many smart features via the companion app, but I found some differences that would inform your decision.
The Roomba J6+ can save up to 10 maps and has a front-facing camera to detect and avoid obstacles, while its dual rubber rollers make it easier to clean. The Roborock Q5+ has a self-emptying feature, but it can’t automatically head back to the base when its bin is full.
Roborock Q5+ Vs Roomba J6+: Comparison Chart
Roborock Q5+ Vs Roomba J6+: Differences
The Roomba J6+ wins 3-2 against the Roborock Q5+. I’ll point out all the differences between them right here, so let’s keep reading.
Cleaning Performance
Winner: Tie
Suction Power
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J6+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Max Suction (Pa) | 2700 | N/A |
| Max Airflow (CFM) | ≈ 16.9 | ≈ 7.4 CFM |
Like many brands, iRobot doesn’t publish the Pa (Pascal) suction power of the J6+, so I used an anemometer to check airflow at its main roller and found it reached about 7.4 CFM. Meanwhile, the Q5+ more than doubles the airflow level of the J7 at 13.91 CFM when it is in its highest setting. There are many factors that need to be taken into account, but I’m pretty sure airflow is indeed among the most critical ones.
Hard Floor
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J6+ |
|---|---|
| ≈ 98% | ≈ 96% |
My hardwood floor test confirmed my hypothesis of a close correlation between airflow output and vacuuming performance. The Q5+ was better thanks to its superior airflow, despite the lack of the dirt detection feature that can be found on the J6+. By the way, the J6+ also achieved an impressive score.
Carpet
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J6+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Low-pile Carpet | ≈ 97% | ≈ 97% |
| High-pile Carpet | ≈ 94% | ≈ 91% |
Unexpectedly, the J6+ was on par with the Q5+ on the low-pile carpet and slightly inferior on the high-pile one. I thought its dual rollers compensated for its below-average airflow by providing better agitation, not to mention it has a dirt detection feature.
Hair
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J6+ | |
|---|---|---|
| 5-inch Strands | ≈ 78% | ≈83% |
| 10-inch Strands | ≈ 51% | ≈ 71% |
Both were decent on 5-inch hair and struggled more with 10-inch hair. The J6+ was better at collecting hair, and there was less hair wrapped on its rollers. What’s more, the absence of bristles makes its roller easier to clean than the combo roller on the Q5+.
Design & Usability
Winner: Roomba J6+
First Look & Dimensions
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J6+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (W x H) | 13.78 x 3.78 inches | 13.3 x 3.4 inches |
| Weight | 7.05 lbs | 7.49 lbs |
Both are round-shaped robots, with the J6+ being the lower-profile robot since it features a built-in camera for mapping and navigation instead of a laser tower like the Q5+. Despite the slight height difference, both can easily slide under most house fittings with low clearance. The J6+ is finished in black and silver, while the Q5+ opts for a sleek all-black design. For the build quality, I loved Roomba’s choice of high-quality materials, while the Roborock feels somewhat less premium.
It’s worth pointing out that both come with a self-cleaning base, so you can forget about emptying their bins for weeks or months. That is great, but this hands-free cleaning does come with the price of having to allocate space for a sizable tower.
Extractor & Side Brush
The Q5+ comes with a combo bristled roller and a cleaning tool used to dislodge tangled hair and clogged debris in the roller. Meanwhile, the J6+ comes with two counter-rotating rubber rollers, one for agitating dirt and the other for picking it up. The pair of rollers on the J6+ greatly prevent hair tangling and are easier to clean, given their lack of bristles.
Speaking of corner brushes designed to reach the wall edges and corners where the main roller can’t, the Q5+ has the advantage. The Q5+ features an all-rubber corner brush, which tends to be more durable than the bristled corner one found on the J6+.
Mapping & Navigation
Both are intelligent robot vacuums but use different navigation technologies for mapping and navigation. The J6+ uses vSLAM technology, whereas the Q5+ relies on a LiDAR navigation system to create hyper-accurate maps in shorter intervals. Another pro of the Q5+ is that it can work in low-light environments.
Both are suitable for multi-level homes, with the J6+ taking the lead since it can save up to ten different maps, while the Q5+ can keep a maximum of four maps in its memory. Both are also wise enough to know when they are brought to a new floor or new area and will begin creating a new map accordingly.
As for obstacle detection and evasion, the front camera on the J6+ features PrecisionVision Navigation technology and a tiny LED that are claimed to detect over 40 items. Well, I haven’t tested them all, but this one really did a good job of identifying and avoiding cords, pet waste, and some common household items. The Q5+ has no such camera or something like that, so you should clean your floors beforehand to prevent any accidents.
For unknown objects, the J6+ will take a snapshot of each and show you via the app. Then you can label it as a “permanent” or “temporary” obstacle, then set keep-out zones. I loved this function since it automates the process. Given that you have an area with lots of Lego blocks that your kids leave behind regularly, once the J6+ gets into this area, you can simply label it as a permanent obstacle, and voila! The app will automatically create a keep-out zone around it.
Battery Life
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J6+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Life | ≈ 98-164 mins | ≈ 79 mins |
| Charging Time | ≈ 172 mins | ≈ 127 mins |
The Q5+ and J6+ are cordless vacuums, meaning they operate on in-built batteries. The J6+ uses a 2200 mAh lithium-ion battery compared to the larger 5200 mAh battery on the Q5+. While the runtime of the J6+ is shorter, that is not a big problem as it has the “Smart Recharge & Resume” feature, and so does the Q5+. They can know when they need to charge and return the base to get some juice before resuming cleaning to get the job done.
Control
Winner: Tie
Manual Control
Unlike previous-generation Roomba’s, iRobot only equips the J6+ with a single button as an attempt to simplify the control panel. You can tap this button once to start the cleaner, once to stop it, and a long press to have it head back to the base station for recharging or emptying the bin. Meanwhile, the Q5+ has two buttons for those purposes. These are probably the controls you’ll use daily following the initial setup, and it’s great that you can just press buttons rather than fishing your cell phone out.
App Connectivity
It’s time to delve into the app features of the Roomba J7 and Roborock S7. They share most of the most important features, and there are distinct differences that set one apart from the other.
Only the Roborock app offers a live map feature, showing the Q5+’s real-time position on the map so you can easily locate it when something goes wrong. This app can also show the saved map in 3D beside the old-school 2D form.
Regarding map editing, both apps enable you to divide rooms and label them. Then, you can clean the rooms independently instead of activating a full cycle. For hand-free cleaning, you can use voice-based devices, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, or just schedule cleaning (you schedule multiple runs per day).
Both the Roborock and iRobot apps have no-go/keep-out zone features, blocking square or rectangular areas on the map. You also have the option to draw spot-cleaning zones on potential high-traffic areas, but only the iRobot app enables you to save them. On the iRobot app, you can set invisible walls instead of no-go zones to block diagonal areas.
Finally, you can review the past cleaning cycles and check the condition of consumables. And, once again, the iRobot app can even let you program the J6+ to automatically kick-start its cleaning every time you leave the house with your phone.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Winner: Roomba J6+
As always with all robot vacuum cleaners, the Q5+ and J6+ need regular TLC to function at their peak. The maintenance list includes untangling the primary brush, cleaning the side brush, wiping down the robot body, cleaning the filter, and swapping out the base’s bag when it’s full.
The Q5+ and J6+ are both “Plus” versions of themselves since they ship with self-cleaning bases. The home base of the J6+ is a bit wider and shorter since it has space for the spare dust bag. The dust bags used almost have the same capacity, so you won’t have to empty the Q5+’s disposal bag more often just because of the difference in size between their bases.
So they have a tie here? No, they don’t! The problem is that the Q5+ doesn’t automatically return to the home base when its bin is full. So, if this happens while it is in the cleaning process, you will need to manually send it to the home base by pressing the button on top of it or using the app. After all, this lack takes the shine off the convenience of its clean base.
Other Features
Winner: Tie
Noise
| Roborock Q5+ | Roomba J6+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Working | ≈ 59-64 dB | ≈ 59 dB |
| Self-Emptying | ≈ 74 dB | ≈ 76 dB |
There’s little difference between them in terms of noise. The Q5+ is noisier when functioning at its highest power setting, while the J6+ is noisier during the bin-emptying process. Anyway, vacuuming is not a late-night job, so this shouldn’t be a cause for concern
Mopping Ability
The Q5+ and J6+ excel in many areas, but mopping isn’t part of their repertoire. So, you will need to buy a mopping robot or just use a traditional stick mop and a bit of elbow grease to clean your floors.
Quick Rundown Of Roomba J6+
- MORE THOUGHTFUL THAN YOU THOUGHT - iRobot OS powers your Roomba j6 plus to clean the way you want it to. It avoids pet waste and cords and allows you to schedule multiple cleanings per day by continuously learning and adapting to your home.
- AVOIDS PET ACCIDENTS ON PURPOSE – WE GUARANTEE IT - Only iRobot brings you P.O.O.P. (Pet Owner Official Promise). You can rely on your Roomba j6plus to avoid pet waste, or we’ll replace it for free. Additional terms and conditions apply – see iRobot website for full details.
- CLEANS THE CRUMBS, AVOIDS THE CORDS - Cords stop most robots in their tracks but the Roomba j6 plus keeps cleaning*. The Roomba j6 plus robot vacuum uses iRobot OS Technology and PrecisionVision Navigation to recognize and avoid cords and pet waste.*Compared to robot vacuums with front facing cameras in August 2021, tested under standard lighting conditions
- ATTACKS MESSES USING OUR POWERFUL, PROPRIETARY CLEANING SYSTEM - Powerful 3-Stage Cleaning System packs 10x the Power-Lifting Suction, an Edge-Sweeping Brush gets along walls and corners, and patented Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes flex to adjust to different floor types and don’t get tangled with pet hair. Compared to the Roomba 600 series cleaning system.
- EMPTIES ITS VACUUM BIN, SO CLEANING IS OFF YOUR MIND - Cleans up after itself, emptying its Vacuum Bin into an enclosed bag that holds up to 60 days of debris, which means two whole months of not thinking about vacuuming.
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 J6+: https://www.irobot.com/en_US/roomba-j6plus-self-emptying-robot-vacuum/J655020.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.