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Robovations
Robovations™
Robot Autonomy, Classified
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Comparison · 2 robots

iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ · Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum

All robot vacuums. Every measure below is plotted against the full class, so a difference can be read against how much the class itself varies.

  1. iRobot Roomba Combo j5+
  2. Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum
iRobot

iRobot Roomba Combo j5+

Autonomy
III Conditional Autonomy
Score
62/100 Capable
Readiness
Ready Now
Price
$358.99confirmed

Up to three

01 Classification

What each one does on its own.

The Autonomy Ladder is the same five rungs for every robot on the site. A rung describes the conditions a robot handles without you, not how good it is.

V
Generalized
Any task, any setting
IV
Environmental
Handles new obstacles without help
III
Conditional
Finishes familiar jobs on its own
iRobot Roomba Combo j5+Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum
II
Assisted
Runs preset routines, needs rescue
I
Manual
One action, on command
02 Assessment

Where they actually differ.

The Robovations Score is nine inputs across three pillars, each weighted as shown and each scored so that more is better. A robot can lead on one and trail on another, which is the point of showing them apart. Cost of ownership and data handling are reported on each robot's own page and are never averaged into the score.

Capability

Task completion16% of score
Does it finish the job it is sold to do, unattended
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+72
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum82
18median 72 across 354 scored robots100
Coverage and navigation10% of score
Does it work the whole area, and hold that between runs
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+75
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum55
15median 70 across 344 scored robots100
Edge-case recovery10% of score
Does it recover from the failures its category presents
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+43
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum25
18median 50 across 261 scored robots100
Operating envelope4% of score
How far conditions can vary before performance drops
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+75
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum25
25median 70 across 320 scored robots100

Dependability

Field failure rate16% of score
Documented hardware failures per owner-year
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+70
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum40
6median 70 across 344 scored robots100
Software stability14% of score
Whether updates fix more than they break
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+65
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum53
15median 65 across 275 scored robots100
Support longevity10% of score
Committed parts, service and updates, with dates
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+63
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum25
0median 63 across 354 scored robots100

Ownership burden

Routine maintenance12% of score
Hands-on time it asks for in normal operation
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+40
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum55
22median 68 across 355 scored robots100
Consumables8% of score
Parts that must be bought to keep it working
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+47
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum45
30median 69 across 354 scored robots100
03 Measured against the class

How far apart is a long way?

A number only means something next to the spread it sits in. Each track below is the real range across every classified robot in the class, with the median marked.

Price193 with a published figure
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+$358.99
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum$519
$129.99median $699.99$1,799
Suction (mode not stated)169 with a published figure
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+1,700 Pa
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum3,000 Pa
1,000 Pamedian 8,000 Pa36,000 Pa
Runtime168 with a published figure
  • iRobot Roomba Combo j5+75 min
  • Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum240 min
60 minmedian 180 min360 min

Not compared, because fewer than two of these robots carry a published figure: Charge time, Noise, Weight, Height.

04 Ownership

What the numbers leave out.

The trade-off

What each design gives up to be good at what it is good at.

iRobot Roomba Combo j5+

The Combo bin gives you both jobs in one pass, but self-emptying is disabled for as long as it is installed, so those runs end with a bin to empty by hand.

The bin sets the mode, which makes the behavior easy to predict, but the robot cannot decide to start a wet run on its own: whichever bin is fitted is what the next scheduled run does.

Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum

A self-emptying base reduces dust-bin handling to roughly every 60 days, but the mop still relies on a manually filled and emptied external water tank rather than a self-washing station.

The original design and price point were competitive for its class, but that original value is now weighed against a sold-out official US store and signs of a neglected product catalog.

Who each one is wrong for

Stated by the record itself. A robot being wrong for a household is a fact about fit, not a fault.

iRobot Roomba Combo j5+
Mixed-floor homes expecting carpet to be avoided automatically
With the mopping bin fitted, the j5+ has no automatic carpet avoidance. Rugs have to be excluded by the owner, either by drawing No Mop Zones in the app or by running only rooms without carpet. A home that needs that judgment made by the machine rather than by the owner is outside this model's design.
Carpet-primary homes needing intensive mopping
Mopping bin lacks water heating and pad-lift. Design assumes hard floors with light wet cleaning. Deep carpet cleaning and stubborn stains require manual intervention.
Owners seeking zero hands-on involvement with mopping
Bin swaps are required to switch modes. Water tank refill happens manually. Pads are hand-washed weekly. Mopping is not truly autonomous; it is scheduled autonomy.
Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum
Buyers wanting a currently purchasable new unit
As of this research, every model on Kyvol's official US store, including the S31, is listed as sold out.
Buyers who need confidence in ongoing parts or software support
The wider Kyvol catalog shows broken product pages and pricing inconsistencies consistent with reduced vendor upkeep.
Buyers wanting a self-washing mop system
The S31 mops from a manually filled external water tank rather than a self-cleaning pad station.

What stays your job

The upkeep ownership hands back to you, whatever the autonomy level says.

iRobot Roomba Combo j5+
  • Before a run: Fit the Combo bin for vacuum and mop, or the dry bin for vacuum only. The bin sets the mode.
  • Before each mopping run: Fill the Combo bin reservoir; empty it before the bin is set aside.
  • After every run with the Combo bin: Empty the bin by hand. Automatic Dirt Disposal is disabled while that bin is fitted, so the dock does not evacuate it.
  • Weekly: Wash the microfiber pad. iRobot rates the washable pad for about 30 machine washes before replacement.
  • Every 2 months: Replace the high-efficiency filter, which is iRobot’s stated interval. The genuine three-pack for Combo and i, e and j series lists at $36.99, about $12 per filter.
  • Seasonally: Inspect dock charging contacts, the front caster, wheels and the robot’s sensors.
Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum
  • Dust bin: Empties automatically into the base station, rated for up to 60 days between manual bag changes.
  • Mop tank: Fill, attach, and empty the external water tank by hand for each mopping run; no self-washing pad system.
  • Setup: Set no-go zones and scheduling in the Kyvol app.
05 Evidence

How much each of these is standing on.

Classifications rest on different depths of evidence. A pre-release assessment and a verified one are not the same kind of claim.

Evidence behind each classification
Robot Evidence status Sources reviewed Last assessed
iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ Verified 8 Aug 2026
Kyvol Cybovac S31 Smart Laser Robot Vacuum Discontinued 2 Aug 2026

Robovations classifies robots; it does not rank them. Nothing on this page is a recommendation, and no manufacturer influences a classification or its placement here.