The Ultimate Robot Vacuum Showdown: Roborock S8 Pro Ultra vs iRobot Roomba j9+

It's the battle every smart home enthusiast has been waiting for. In one corner, the tech-savvy challenger: Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, boasting LiDAR navigation and dual rubber brushes. In the other, the household name veteran: iRobot Roomba j9+, with its decades of experience and familiar face. Both promise hands-free cleaning with their self-emptying stations, but which one truly earns its place in your home?

We've lived with both of these premium robots, putting them through their paces in real-world conditions. From pet hair to cereal crumbs, dark hardwood to plush carpets, here's our honest take on which robot might be your perfect cleaning companion.

First Impressions: Design and Setup

Unboxing both robots feels like unwrapping the future. The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra's dock is substantial—it's not just a charging station but a full-service cleaning hub that washes the mop, empties the dustbin, and refills the water tank automatically. Setup is straightforward through the Roborock app, with clear instructions for connecting to Wi-Fi.

The Roomba j9+ maintains iRobot's familiar circular design, but its Clean Base station has been refined. It's more compact than Roborock's behemoth but equally effective at sucking debris from the robot into a disposable bag. The iRobot HOME app walks you through the process seamlessly, though it does feel more conservative in its approach compared to Roborock's feature-rich interface.

Cleaning Performance: Two Different Philosophies

Where these two robots truly diverge is in their cleaning methodology.

The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is the precision engineer. Its dual rubber brushes are phenomenal at avoiding hair tangles while still providing deep carpet cleaning. The sonic mop vibrates 3,000 times per minute to scrub hard floors, and the lifting mechanism ensures your carpets stay dry. It's methodical, efficient, and leaves distinct cleaning lines on hard floors that show you exactly where it's been.

The Roomba j9+ is the adaptable workhorse. Its new D-shaped design lets it get closer to edges and corners than previous circular Roombas. The Power Fins rollers are excellent on both hard floors and carpets, and we found it particularly good at navigating under furniture with low clearance. It relies more on its intelligent navigation to make multiple passes over dirty areas rather than following a rigid pattern.

Navigation and Intelligence: Planned vs Adaptive

Watching these two robots clean is like watching two different students take a test.

The Roborock is the organized student with color-coded notes. Its LiDAR mapping is incredibly precise, creating a detailed map of your home on its first run. You can set no-go zones, specific room cleaning orders, and even tell it to avoid certain carpets when the mop is attached. The path is logical, efficient, and predictable.

The Roomba j9+ is the clever student who learns as they go. iRobot's PrecisionVision Navigation uses a camera to identify objects like pet waste, cords, and socks—and avoids them. It learns your home's layout over multiple cleaning sessions and gets more efficient with time. While it might not follow the perfectly straight lines of the Roborock, its obstacle avoidance is arguably more advanced in real-world conditions.

The Dock Showdown: Which Station Works Harder?

Both self-emptying stations are impressive, but they take different approaches.

Roborock's RockDock Ultra is the overachiever. In addition to emptying the 2.5L dust bag (which should last about 7 weeks), it automatically refills the robot's water tank, washes and dries the mop pad, and even has a built-in dustbag compartment for spares. It's essentially a robot butler for your robot.

The Roomba j9+ Clean Base is more focused but excels at its primary job. It empties the robot efficiently into a 2L bag (lasting roughly 2 months for most homes) and charges quickly. While it doesn't handle mopping functions, its simplicity is appealing—fewer moving parts mean fewer potential failure points.

The Value Question: Which Premium Robot Is Right for You?

Choosing between these two exceptional robots comes down to your priorities and home environment.

The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra shines if you want the ultimate in automation. The complete mop washing and drying, combined with superior hard floor cleaning and precise navigation, makes it ideal for homes with a mix of hard floors and carpets where you want truly hands-free maintenance.

The Roomba j9+ excels if obstacle avoidance is your top concern. Its ability to identify and avoid potential hazards makes it perfect for homes with pets, children, or general clutter. The reliable performance and simpler (but effective) dock might appeal to those who prefer proven technology over the latest bells and whistles.

While these flagship robots represent the pinnacle of automated cleaning, it's worth remembering that different cleaning needs call for different tools. Sometimes, a more focused approach can deliver outstanding results without the premium price tag.

For those who prefer direct control and versatility, the Vactidy Blitz V12 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (also known as Vexilar V12 in the EU Market) offers a compelling alternative. With 48 kPa of suction power, it delivers robust cleaning performance that can tackle everything from deep carpet dirt to hard surface debris. The 2-in-1 vacuuming and washing capability means you can switch from dry vacuuming to damp mopping seamlessly, while the 50-minute battery life provides ample time for whole-home cleaning.

The high-precision filtration system ensures that dust and allergens are effectively captured, and the multiple accessories allow you to address every cleaning scenario—from upholstery to tight corners. Sometimes, having direct control over your cleaning, complemented by smart features, can be just as satisfying as full automation.

Whether you choose the automated convenience of a robot or the hands-on power of a stick vacuum, the right choice depends on your lifestyle, home layout, and cleaning priorities.

Still deciding on your perfect cleaning companion?