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Which Roomba is best?
With a large, open home full of adults, kids and pets, it can be challenging to keep my household clean and running smoothly. It’s a rare day when all tasks are completed, with my least favorite chore, vacuuming, being neglected most often.
After searching for ways to lighten my load, I stumbled across iRobot and their many series of life-changing robotic vacuums. To figure out which Roomba vacuum was the best fit for my household, I tested three popular models, the Roomba s9+, Roomba i7 and Roomba i7+. Here’s what I found.
What is iRobot Roomba s9+?
With automatic dirt disposal clean base, PerfectEdge technology and intuitive navigation, the Roomba s9+ is one of the superior robotic vacuums on the market today. The brand claims it’s their most advanced and deepest clean, with 40 times the suction power of the 600 series.
Our experience with Roomba s9+
Everything was effortless, from opening the box to setting up the app to running my Roomba s9+ for the first time. You have complete control through the app, which is intuitive, including a simple way to set up multiple Roombas or schedule the area you want to be cleaned.
The Roomba s9+ cleans better than any Roomba I’ve owned, especially corners, due to its D-shaped body. It also has less trouble navigating between surfaces or around furniture and is probably one of the quietest Roomba models. Because of the cleaning base, the s9+ is completely hands-off, which makes the steep price worth it, in my opinion. Overall, the Roomba s9+ seems like a premium product.
Where to buy Roomba s9+
You can buy the iRobot Roomba s9+ for $899 at Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond or Home Depot.
What is iRobot Roomba i7?
The Roomba i7 features vSlam navigation to learn your house’s layout and build personal maps. It claims to have ten times more power-lifting suction than the Roomba 600 series.
Our experience with Roomba i7
Setting up the Roomba i7 was identical to both the i7+ and s9+. I’m most impressed with the rollers on the i7, which don’t get tangled with pet hair. It gets tripped up a little when going from the rug to the hard floor, especially since one of our rugs has tassels.
The biggest downside to the Roomba i7 is the lack of a cleaning base, which means you have to empty the bin after every use. Sometimes it gets filled up halfway through a session and can’t finish cleaning until it’s emptied. However, if you have a small space and are looking for an affordable robotic vacuum that you don’t mind emptying by hand, the Roomba i7 is an excellent choice.
Where to buy Roomba i7
The iRobot Roomba i7 retails for $540 at Amazon.
What is iRobot Roomba i7+?
The Roomba i7+ is identical to the i7, with the addition of a convenient cleaning base. It can be operated with your voice assistant and features a high-efficiency filter.
Our experience with Roomba i7+
Since it has the same setup as the s9+ and i7+, I immediately set it off cleaning to see how well it compared to my other Roomba models. Overall, I think it’s slightly slower and louder than the s9+, but still very powerful and can pick up cat or dog food and stray puzzle pieces. I love that it can empty itself with the charging base and recommend the i7+ to anyone with a medium-sized space.
Where to buy Roomba i7+
You can buy the iRobot Roomba i7+ for $530 at Amazon.
Other products worth considering
Roborock S6 Pure Robot Vacuum and Mop
With multiple floor mapping, including “No-Go” zones and Z-shape cleaning, you can easily control everywhere this robot vacuum cleans. It also features an adjustable water tank to mop and vacuum in one single clean. Sold by Amazon.
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Bre Richey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.