Roborock S7+ and Roomba j7+ are some of the best premium robots on the market. Both are well-built and are good performers. Both have a number of smart features. Unlike the Roborock that is guided by Lidar, the Roomba has a built-in camera that helps to create a map and navigate around. Let's talk about the advantages of each as well as which one does the job better.
Roborock S7 vs Roomba j7+ specs comparison
| Features |  Roborock S7 |
 iRobot Roomba j7+ |
|---|---|---|
| Suction power (Pa) | 2,500 | N/A |
| Battery life (min) | 180 | 75 |
| Mapping | yes | yes |
| Map saving | up to 4 maps | up to 10 maps |
| Navigation System | LDS | LDS+stereo camera |
| Front camera & objects recognition | no | yes |
| Self-emptying base support | yes | yes |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | 5,200 | 2,210 |
| Dustbin capacity (ml) | 470 | 400 |
| Disposable dustbag capacity (ml) | 3,000 | 1,000 |
| Water tank capacity (ml) | 300 | - |
| Electronic water tank | yes | - |
| Height of the robot (in / cm) | 3.78 / 9.6 | 3.63 / 9.2 |
| Climbing ability (in / mm) | 0.79 / 20 | 0.79 / 20 |
| Noise level (dB) | 67 | 68 |
| Virtual boundaries / Blocked areas | yes | yes |
| No-mop zones | yes | yes |
| Zone cleaning | yes | yes |
| Room recognizing / Scheduling by room | yes | yes |
| Mopping scheduling | yes | - |
| Mopping | yes | no |
| Vibrating mopping pad | yes | - |
| Rising mopping pad | yes | - |
| Carpet identification | yes | yes |
| Filter type | washable HEPA E11 | HEPA(non-washable) |
| App | Mi Home / Roborock | iRobot Home |
| Scheduling | yes | yes |
| Cliff / obstacle sensors | yes | yes |
| Recharge & Resume cleaning | yes | yes |
| Amazon Alexa / Google Home support | yes | yes |
| Voice packs (English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese) |
yes | yes |
| Release date | Jan, 2021 | Sep, 2021 |
| Price | $649.99 Amazon $361.20 Aliexpress |
$599.0 Amazon |
| Video Review | Watch | Watch |
Roborock S7+
Roborock S7+
The most efficient mopping & vacuuming experience
Unlike the Roomba, Roborock is Lidar-guided which means it builds a map after one cleaning and can work in the dark. The downside tho is its height, the Roborock might not get under some furniture. It is has a rubber roller yet lacks object recognition compared to the Roomba.
The best feature of the Roborock S7 is the mopping pad lift. The robot recognizes carpet flooring as it vacuums and lifts up the mopping pad to vacuum carpet. Once it steps off carpet, the pad returns back to the mopping position. In this scenario the robot vacuums carpet and mops hard floor.
Another nice feature of the S7+ is the vibrating mopping pad. The pad vibrates creating pressure to the floor which causes better mopping performance.
The Roborock S7+ comes with a self-emptying base that holds dust for about 2 months depending on usage.
An advantage over the Roomba is the Roborock's real-time tracking. The Rooma is known for only showing its path in the cleaning history so you can't track its location as the robot works.
Roomba j7+
iRobot Roomba j7+
The best object recognition on the market
The Roomba j7+ is the latest iRobot robot that is guided by a camera and additionally has a front camera that helps recognize small objects and from what other reviewers say, this technology is the best so far. The downside of the camera is a few cleaning cycles the robot needs to make before the map is complete. Another thing is the j7+ is not precise in the dark. However, the robot supports all the smart features you can find in premium robot vacuums these days. The j7+ has two rubber rollers that do a good job at agitating dust and dirt off carpet.
The self-emptying system is the smallest on the market. A 1 L disposable bag is also on the smaller side which means, you would need to change it more often. But the system's smaller size is what you trade for a smaller bag capacity. The good news is that 2 additional bags are coming in the box so you don't have to buy another one for a few months.
The same as all other Roombas, the j7+ does not have a mopping feature so if you need it, you have to buy a Braava additionally.
Another thing to keep in mind is the robot's battery life. It only lasts up to 75 minutes and is not suitable for big homes. But if you are willing to wait about 2 hours until the Roomba charges up before continuing cleaning which means the whole cleaning process would take solid few hours, then this robot is for you. We would recommend it for smaller homes tho.
Cleaning performance
Object recognition. The Roomba gets a point for this feature the S7+ lacks. Additionally, it is one of or maybe even the best performance in this area.
As to cleaning performance let's divide it into mopping and sweeping. Since the Roomba does not have a mopping feature, the Roborock gets a point for it. Besides, it is one of the most efficient robots out there for a mixed surface.
Since I never tested the Roomba, my opinion on vacuuming performance is based on other reviewers' opinions.
From what have I seen, the Roborock does a better job at surface cleaning. Pick-up ability is a bit better than Roomba's. However, as always the j7+ wins at deep carpets clean.
As to dealing with hair, the Roborock does better picking up more hair but it ends up wrapping around the brushroll. The Roomba however, is able to pick up less but most of it tangles around the axels which is easier to clean.
The differences
- Object recognition. The Roborock S7 does not have one.
- Mopping. The Roomba lacks this feature.
- Battery life. The Roborock lasts twice as long.
- Mapping technology. The Lidar builds a more accurate app, allows tracking the robot in real-time, and completes the map after one cleaning cycle.
- The Roomba has a full dustbin sensor that allows it to return to the station to empty itself when the container is full.
- Dirt sensor. The Roomba senses high-traffic areas automatically cleaning those areas more efficiently.
- Robot's size. The Roomba is shorter and can get under most places.
To sum up
Taking to account everything which one to get and why?
The Roomba j7+ is a great robot for cluttered spaces as it has the best object recognition on the market so far. However, I do not recommend it for big homes. It is a great robot for carpets but is not the best at surface pick up tho I suppose on a day-to-day basis there is not a big difference between this and the Roborock. Also, it does not mop so if you need mopping, keep in mind that you would need to get a mopping robot separately.
The Roborock S7+ on the other hand does not have object recognition but is a bit better at surface pick up. It also lasts twice as long and is suitable for big homes. Besides, its unique mopping feature that allows the robot to mop hard floors and vacuum carpets in one cleaning cycle makes the robot very efficient for a mixed surface. So you get the best experience with this one if you need both functions.
For mostly carpeted surfaces get the Roomba j7+ if you live in a small home. For a mixed surface or mostly hard floors - the Roborock S7+ is a better value.