Everyone is familiar with the Roomba. They are some of the best-selling, and most well-reviewed robot vacuums on the market, and people swear by them. Today, iRobot is the most well-known manufacturer of robotic vacuums.
However, finding a suitable Roomba model can be tricky because iRobot has manufactured quite a few different models of Roomba, and each one has its distinct differences and unique advantages and disadvantages.
In this short article, we’ll be looking at six different models of Roomba and taking note of the features they offer and what each model is best at doing.
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Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Roomba 960
Right away, you’ll notice that the iRobot Roomba 960 has a variety of excellent features regarding smartphone functionality. Regardless of whether you are at home or not, you can turn on the vacuum using your smartphone. You can also choose which spaces need to be cleaned, customize the cleaning modes used, and create individual schedules for specific days. It can also do this with Amazon Echo if you have it.
Using a technology known as “iAdapt 2.0 Navigation”, the Roomba 960 maps out the entire floor that it is working on, which does two things. First, it ensures that it won’t run into any obstacles and become stuck or damaged. Second, it gives you a moment-by-moment run-down of where the vacuum is and what it is cleaning.
You also have iRobots excellent 3-Stage Cleaning System and Power-Lifting Suction, which enables the vacuum to be effortlessly clean, with no shortage of thoroughness or efficiency. The unit will clean the entirety of a room, sucking up all the dirt and debris that other vacuums might miss or ignore.
With this vacuum, a High-Efficiency Filter has been shown to capture ninety-nine percent of all allergens, such as dust and pollen, among many others. If you have pets, then the Roomba 960 is an excellent choice.
Are you in need of a simple and easy-to-use robot vacuum cleaner that doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles but is more than sufficient for basic cleaning, then the Roomba 960 is an attractive choice?
The Roomba 980
Once again, you have access to the iRobot Home App, which gives you the same features and functionality as the Roomba 960. You also have Amazon Echo functionality, just as you do in the Roomba 960.
Many of the primary differences in the iRobot Roomba 980, in comparison to the Roomba 960, have to do with the overall power of the vacuum itself.
Using the exact 3-Stage Cleaning System and Power-Lifting Suction, but with the addition of tangle-free Multi-Surface Brushes, it’s quite a bit easier for this vacuum to suck up things like pet hair, dirt, and other kinds of debris. In fact, in comparison to other Roomba models, it offers up to ten times as much suction, mainly if you use the Power Boost mode.
iAdapt 2.0 technology is in full effect, and the sensors that serve as a part of this system are at the top of their game, enabling the Roomba 980 to avoid any obstacles. Using the iRobot Home App, you can always see where the Roomba 980 is and the specific space it is cleaning. The robot will map out the entirety of a floor with precise detail and exactitude.
Ultimately, this isn’t a massive upgrade from the Roomba 960, but it does offer more power, and if you need something with a bit of extra power, this might be a good choice for you, especially if your home tends to get especially dirty.
The Roomba E5
The iRobot Roomba E5 isn’t as popular as the Roomba 960 or 980, but it is a very good robot vacuum on its own, and it has a couple of really notable features that you may find invaluable.
Right off the bat, though, it must be said that there aren’t too many distinct differences between the Roomba E5 and the two previous vacuums. You still have the 3-Stage Cleaning System, Power-Lifting Suction, and the tangle-free Multi-Surface Brushes. You also have the high-efficiency filter and the fantastic smartphone functionality that is, once again, compatible with Amazon Echo.
Instead, the big difference you have is the inclusion of a tool known as the “Virtual Wall Barrier.” Now, the Virtual Wall Barrier is a device that you place around a specific area that you want the vacuum to avoid to stay within the designated space that you want it to clean. This device emits a signal that the Roomba E5 picks up, and this signal, essentially, tells the vacuum, “Do Not Cross.”
While this may not seem like a significant addition, it gives you a great deal of control over your vacuum and what exactly it cleans. And if you are someone who wants to be able to control the exact location that your vacuum is cleansing, then this is undoubtedly a great feature, and the Roomba E5 might be the right vacuum for you.
The Roomba E6
The iRobot Roomba E6 has all of the great features that the Roomba E5 has, along with a ninety-minute runtime, for a single charge – and when the battery runs out, it automatically goes back to the dock to recharge – as well as a dustbin that you can wash in the sink. Now, the previous Roomba models that we’ve covered don’t have this, which makes this feature very notable because it is far more convenient than putting together some kind of cleaning solution to adequately rinse out the dustbin.
Using Direct Detect Sensors, the Roomba E6 detects specific areas where there is more dirt and, as such, more power is needed. Then, it adjusts the cleaning mode to clean those specific areas adequately.
Finally, you have the excellent Virtual Wall Barriers, which enable you to control the specific spaces that the Roomba E6 cleans. You also have “Halo Mode,” which can be used to prevent the Roomba E6 from going towards particular items rather than just public spaces.
While this particular vacuum isn’t a massive upgrade from the Roomba E5, it does offer a few more features. Still, there isn’t a huge reason to upgrade from the Roomba E5 unless you want a bit more vacuuming power and a little more functionality.
The Roomba i7
It is a bit more potent than the previous models regarding power and suction, but not by a tremendous amount. The suction is the same, as are the power options. Instead, however, the significant differences have to do with the overall functionality of the vacuum and the features that it offers.
Using iAdapt 3.0, the Roomba i7 creates “visual landmarks” that enable it to navigate to the spaces it hasn’t cleaned yet because this technology is more precise and more efficient than all of the previous Roomba models on this list.
The Roomba i7 also uses a technology known as “Smart Mapping,” which enables it to map out every area of your home. Then from this map, you can choose the exact rooms and spaces you want to be cleaned without needing to set up any sort of “Virtual Barrier” device. You can also control when it cleans those rooms, which gives you the power to be very exact in your specifications. This is incredibly convenient, and it forfeits the need for any extra physical accessory, allowing you to do it all on your smartphone.
If you are looking for an exceptionally convenient and powerful robot vacuum that isn’t too expensive as the others, the Roomba i7 robot vacuum cleaner is a great choice.
The Roomba i7+
Finally, we come to the iRobot Roomba i7+, which has all of the features of the previous vacuums, and an extra part that is absolutely the peak of convenience and, all in all, what robot vacuums can offer.
When the dustbin is complete, instead of you having to come and empty the dustbin for the vacuum to resume cleaning, the Roomba i7+ does something that no other robot vacuum does: empties the dustbin on its own and then continues cleaning.
It does this using a device that comes with the vacuum, and this device has a much larger bag that can store up to thirty bins of dirt, dust, debris, etc. For weeks at a time, you won’t ever have to empty the dustbin, and the entire vacuuming process can be completely hands-off.
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Comparison Articles
Roomba i2 vs. i3 Evo
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Roomba J7 vs. J7+ vs Combo J7+
If you want the absolute peak of convenience and ease of use, then the Roomba i7+ is the robot vacuum.
Wrap-up
Well, that’s it for this iRobot Comparison. We hope you found it helpful!
If you’re still having trouble deciding the Robot Vacuum that’s best for you, see our complete guide on robot vacuums here.
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Last update on 2024-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API