Looking for a robot vacuum or mop that won’t set you back a few hundred dollars? Right now, Verge readers can pick up the Roomba Combo i5 — the upgrade to our top budget pick, the Roomba i3 Evo — from Wellbots for a new low of $189 ($160 off) with offer VERGE160. The Roomba Combo j5, which is nearly identical to the i5, is also down $239 ($290 off) at Wellbots when you use promo code 210VERGE. Both deals run through the end of tomorrow, February 15th.
Like the aforementioned Roomba i3 Evo, both robot vacuums offer wide, dual rubber brushes that do a terrific job of sucking up dirt and debris from both hardwood and carpets. They’re also packed with features that speed up and simplify the cleaning process, even if they lack the optional auto-empty dock. For instance, both offer vSLAM mapping tech and room-specific cleaning, which lets you program them to clean specific rooms at specific times. You can also control them using either an app or your voice, thanks to their support for virtual assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. And, like all Roombas, they’re relatively easy to repair, so you don’t have to worry about buying a new model each time you run into an issue.
Additionally, both the Combo i5 and j5 offer basic mopping capabilities, though you’ll need to swap out the rear dustbin for one that includes a water tank and a reusable pad when it’s time to do so. The Combo j5 offers a few other enhancements — including AI-powered obstacle avoidance, which is typically reserved for higher-end Roombas like the Roomba Combo j9 Plus. The step-up model also allows for keep-out zones and no-mop zones, two features the i5 and i3 Evo lack.
