iRobot Roomba j7+ vs. Dreame L20 Ultra: A Detailed Comparison

## iRobot Roomba j7+ vs. Dreame L20 Ultra: Detailed Comparison

Choosing the right robot vacuum cleaner can seem like a daunting task. Here, we will compare two rivals in the high-end robot vacuum cleaner market in detail: the iRobot Roomba j7+ and the Dreame L20 Ultra. Both promise to make your life easier, but approach cleaning in different ways.

Cleaning Performance

Roomba j7+ boasts excellent performance, especially on carpets, thanks to its patented dual brush roller design. It does a great job of sucking up pet hair, which is a big plus for owners of furry friends. However, on hard floors, it squashes coffee grounds rather than sweeping them up.

The Dreame L20 Ultra vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, provides excellent dust collection on both hard floors and carpets. It also shines with superior dusting ability, easily tackling dry stains like grape juice and coffee, and the L20 Ultra’s innovative mop extension technology also provides edge cleaning, something the Roomba j7+ lacks.

Mop System

Roomba j7+ features an innovative mop system with a metal lever and electric pump. The mop pad can be lifted to avoid hitting carpets, which is a nice touch. However, moisture can get into the brush roll housing, causing debris buildup and requiring more frequent maintenance.

The Dream L20 Ultra automatically lifts the mop head and can additionally remove the mop head from the base, which takes the cleaning experience up a notch. This ensures carpets are always dry and clean, and the L20 Ultra base station also automatically cleans and dries the mop mat for added convenience.

Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance

Roomba j7+ uses its front camera and artificial intelligence to avoid obstacles. It avoids wires and shoes well, but it can bump into furniture or get caught on strange objects. It can also move awkwardly in the early stages of mapping.

The Dream L20 Ultra uses advanced navigation with LiDAR and artificial intelligence to avoid obstacles. As a result, it can cover a larger area on a single charge, making cleaning more efficient. It also does a great job of avoiding obstacles, avoiding toys, shoes, and even fake dog poop; the L20 Ultra’s navigation is generally more methodical and efficient than the Roomba j7+.

Base Station and Maintenance

Rumba j7+ comes with an auto-emptying bin (clean base) that holds up to 60 days worth of waste. The base is compact and aesthetically pleasing and even holds a spare dust collection bag. However, it is quite noisy when emptied.

The Dream L20 Ultra features an automatic base station with automatic emptying, mop washing and drying, as well as water and solution refilling. This base station is innovative in terms of convenience, but it is large and may not fit in some rooms. In addition, the self-cleaning base station requires regular manual cleaning of the wash area.

User Experience and App

The Roomba j7+ app is user-friendly and allows you to set schedules, create restricted areas, and customize cleaning settings. It also supports voice commands. However, the app is not perfect and sometimes the robot gets stuck for no reason and won’t return to the dock.

The Dream L20 Ultra app is also easy to use, with options to customize virtual walls, clean rooms, and specific zones. It also allows you to view live video footage from the camera. Both apps offer similar features, but the L20 Ultra app seems a bit more robust.

Price and Value

The Roomba j7+ is priced at $399.0 USD, making it a more affordable option. However, it has limited features for cleaning and navigation; the Dreame L20 Ultra costs $1,299.99 and is a premium option. It is significantly more expensive but provides superior cleaning, advanced navigation, and a more powerful base station. The value proposition depends on your specific needs and budget.

Roomba j7+ Pros and Cons

• Pros:
  • Patented dual brush roller design provides excellent vacuuming performance on both hard floors and carpets.
  • The self-emptying trash container (clean base) is well designed and can hold up to 60 days of trash, reducing maintenance.
  • Advanced collision avoidance system with front camera and headlights, continuously updated software.
  • Innovative cleaning system with metal lever to raise the mop to avoid carpeting, and electric pump for cleaning fluid.
  • Comfortable navigation features such as no-go zones, room-specific cleaning schedules, and room-specific zone selection.
  • The robot is quieter than many competing products and is suitable for home use.
• Cons:
  • Hardware-based cleaning reduces navigation efficiency, resulting in longer cleaning times than competitors.
  • Water can get caught in the brush roll housing during cleaning, leading to debris buildup and requiring more frequent maintenance.
  • Robot mapping is clumsy and less satisfactory than other options.
  • The front camera is good for obstacle avoidance, but it sometimes prevents the robot from being intelligent while mapping.
  • Despite the improved obstacle avoidance, the robot can still get stuck on some strange objects.
  • The robot may not be able to return to base or complete cleaning tasks.

Dram L20 Ultra Pros and Cons

• Benefits:
  • Excellent performance on both hard floors and carpets.
  • Excellent mop capability that effectively cleans dry stains such as grape juice and coffee.
  • Innovative mop extension technology for better edge cleaning.
  • Automatic pad lift and pad removal with optional carpet cleaning base.
  • Automatic base station with automatic emptying, mop rinsing/drying and water/solution refilling.
  • Advanced navigation with LiDAR and artificial intelligence for obstacle avoidance, providing high coverage area on a single charge.
• Cons:
  • High price compared to other robot vacuums.
  • Few consumer reviews due to newness.
  • Average performance in crevice cleaning and deep cleaning tests despite high suction power.
  • Rubber brushes are not as effective as bristle brushes at removing fine hairs from carpets and rugs.
  • Base stations, while feature-rich, are large and may not fit in some rooms.
  • Self-cleaning base stations require regular manual cleaning of the wash area.