iRobot’s Roomba j7 Plus, our favorite robot vacuum, has hit an all-time low

iRobot’s Roomba j7 Plus, our favorite robot vacuum, has hit an all-time low

The Roomba j7 Plus offers everything you could want in a robovac, including an auto-empty dock. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

There’s a reason people still often refer to robot vacuums as “Roombas.” The company behind the well-known robovac series, iRobot, has spent decades iterating in the space, resulting in some of the best robot vacuums you can buy. The Roomba j7 Plus is a great example, one that’s on sale at Wellbots for Verge readers for $549 ($250 off) — its lowest price to date — with coupon code VERGE200.

While still pricey, the j7 Plus brings together a host of terrific features for under $550. Its dual rubber roller brush system is great at picking up dirt off your floor, while its intuitive AI obstacle avoidance ensures it will steer clear of cables, stray pairs of shoes, and even pet waste. It’s also known to receive new features — a recent update added Siri support, for instance, while another added the ability to use it as a security camera — which has only made it a better robovac since we first tested it last year.

Unlike the standard j7, the discounted “Plus” model on offer here comes with a slick auto-empty dock, which typically retailers for about $250 on its own and cuts down on unwanted maintenance. Wellbots is also heavily discounting the Roomba Combo j7 Plus using the same promo code, which drops the mop-equipped model down to $799 ($250 off).

While nothing has been confirmed (yet), Apple is widely expected to unveil its next set of smartwatches alongside the iPhone 15 next month — which is perhaps why we’re currently seeing some steep discounts on some last-gen models. Right now, for instance, you can pick up a 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 with LTE at Walmart for $299 ($100 off), one the best prices to date on the 41mm model with cellular connectivity.

As my colleague Victoria Song noted in her review of the Apple Watch Series 8, the latest model isn’t all that different from the last-gen Series 7. It touts Apple’s newer Crash Detection feature and temperature sensors for menstrual tracking, but, otherwise, the two are nearly identical. The Series 7 features roughly the same processing power, the same always-on display, and all of the same health-tracking features — not to mention forward compatibility with watchOS 10 when it launches in the fall.

In the end, you’re saving $130 by opting for the last-gen smartwatch over its newer counterpart, even with all the discounts the Series 8 is currently receiving at Amazon, Walmart, and other retailers.

Read our Apple Watch Series 7 review.

A few more deals for your Saturday

• Razer’s Stream Controller X, a customizable controller with 15 LCD buttons, is matching its all-time low of $125.90 (about $24 off) at Amazon. There’s no denying that it looks and functions a lot like Elgato’s Stream Deck MK.2 — a favorite amongst Verge staffers — but it runs on Loupedeck’s software as opposed to Elgato’s. Still, if you’re someone who wants an easy way to program various macros for controlling your smart lighting, operating your Twitch stream, or performing other tasks, it poses a nice alternative.
• Let’s face it, the time for scoffing at entry-level wireless earbuds has long since passed. There are now plenty of budget-friendly options to choose from — including Sony’s WF-C700N, which are on sale at Best Buy right now for $89.99 ($30 off). The comfortable earbuds make for a solid value, with reliable performance, terrific software features, and decent sound for the price. Best of all, they now offer multipoint support thanks to a recent firmware update, so you can connect them to two devices at once. Read our review.
• The original Theragun Mini, a portable massage gun we often spotlight in our gift guides, is down to $139.99 ($60 off) at Best Buy. The last-gen model is not quite as light or as quiet as the second-gen version, but it’s still a surprisingly powerful tool with three speeds for addressing knots and muscle aches on the go.
• Admittedly, I’ve always been an advocate of using less technology outdoors, not more. That said, I can’t help but recommend Anker’s Powerhouse 521, which is matching its all-time low of $186.99 ($33 off) at Amazon right now. The portable, 200W power station is great for charging your gadgets when you’re away from a power source, with a built-in floodlight, an LED readout, and plenty of ports (including two AC outlets and a lone USB-C port). Hell, it can even power small appliances in a pinch, should you need it.
• The launch lineup for the PSVR 2 was, to put it mildly, meh. That said, Horizon Call of the Mountain remains a fantastic glimpse into what Sony’s PC-grade virtual reality headset is capable of. And right now, Monoprice is selling the PSVR 2 with Call of the Mountain for $549.99 ($50 off), which is one of the first discounts we’ve seen on Sony’s new VR headset for the PS5. Read our review.