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When it comes to robot vacuums, iRobot is considered one of the best manufacturers. One will probably argue that iRobot’s line of Roombas might be the top robot vacuums you can find right now.
There is no doubt that the company puts a whole lot of research into its products. They are not afraid of using new technology to come up with a new model. From pioneering the robot vacuum space with a dumb device that aimlessly wandered around your room, the company’s products have definitely evolved a lot.
Over the years, Roomba has introduced quite a number of innovations. Right now, it has robots that can literally see and scan the room it is going to clean. The robot vacuum will then store digital maps of your floors and remember which room is which.
You can control a Roomba in different ways, including physically touching the Clean button, controlling it from your office or from halfway across the world using the mobile app, or simply asking it to start cleaning. The cleaning efficiency of the latest Roombas is nothing to sneeze at either.
The Roomba i7 and the Roomba s9 are two of the latest and most advanced robot vacuums from iRobot. How does one compare with the other?
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iRobot Roomba i7
The Roomba i7 continues iRobot’s legacy of round robots that can leave your floors immaculately clean. This model measures 13.34 inches in diameter and 3.63 inches high. It does not really look different from all the other earlier Roombas you have seen.
The Roomba i7, however, promises a much more efficient clean than its predecessors. What are the features that you can expect to see in this model?
Features of the Roomba i7
The Roomba i7 can give your floors up to ten times the vacuum power of the company’s old Series 600 models. That means that this robot is as powerful as the Roomba 980 with the carpet boost feature activated. It leaves your floor spic and span.
It uses the company’s iAdapt 3.0 navigation system combined with vSLAM technology. The Roomba i7 maps your floors with an onboard camera allowing it to see where it is and where it needs to go next. With this mapping technology, the robot will know where it has cleaned and also helps it clean an entire level of your home.
But more than that, the Roomba i7 also has a high-efficiency filter. Not only does it pick up a lot of pet hair, it also traps allergens inside the dustbin. You do not have to worry about dirt, dander, and allergens going back into the air that you breathe.
Three-stage cleaning system
Like all other Roomba models, the i7 uses a three-stage cleaning system to clean your floors. First, it has the dual multi-surface rubber brushes that break down debris while efficiently sweeping dirt and dust. These brushes adjust themselves to make sure that they are in contact with the surface that they are cleaning. This mechanism helps the Roomba i7 to clean more efficiently.
It also has a side brush that helps pick up the dirt gathered along the wall edges and in the corners. This side brush will be able to clean along edges without your robot vacuum bumping into walls and other obstacles.
Wi-Fi connected
The Roomba i7 connects to your Wi-Fi network. You can download a companion app to your mobile phone so you would be able to operate your robot vacuum from anywhere in the world. You can also use this mobile app to schedule cleanings with your robot vacuum.
This robot also works with Amazon Alexa or Google Home. You can use voice commands to tell the Roomba i7 to start cleaning.
Other features of the Roomba i7 that you should know:
Imprint Smart Mapping. As the Roomba i7 creates maps of your floors, it now has a ready floor plan of your entire home. You can choose to name each room so that you can schedule the cleaning by room. For instance, you can have it clean “baby’s nursery” automatically after lunch.
You can also use voice commands to ask the Roomba i7 to clean a particular room. For instance, you can send it to clean the masters’ bedroom just by saying it.
- Imprint Link
The Roomba i7 has the Imprint Link technology that allows it to work with the Braava jet m6. With this setup, the Roomba i7 will first vacuum your floor. The Braava jet m6 will follow it around and then mop and sweep after it. This way, you get cleaner floors without you having to do anything.
- Compatible with the Clean Base
The Roomba i7 works with the Clean Base, a device that automatically empties the robot’s dustbin so you won’t have to. The Clean Base can help you forget about vacuuming for about a month before you need to change the trash bag. This Clean Base compatibility makes the i7 one of only two Roomba robots that get its dustbin emptied out automatically.
- Roomba’s signature features
The Roomba i7 might be an advanced robot vacuum, but it retains a lot of the features you have come to expect and love from a Roomba. For instance, it has the dirt detect feature that allows it to identify the filthier areas of the room so that it can clean there longer. It also automatically recharges when the battery runs low and then resumes cleaning where it was interrupted.
This robot also works on all floor types and it can move from hardwood floors to carpeted areas with no problem.
What you would like about the Roomba i7
The Roomba i7 gets an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 5 from more than 250 reviewers on the company’s online store. Buyers love just how easy to use this robot vacuum is. You can schedule its cleaning sessions, use voice commands with Amazon Alexa, or just press the big CLEAN button that you see at the top part of the device.
They also like how it cleans rather well, even cleaning under the furniture without you having to lift anything. The hassle-free operation is also another reason why people like this device. Plus, it has a long runtime, thanks to its lithium-ion battery.
The Roomba i7 does not only work hard to keep your floors tidy, but it also offers a lot of features that add to your comfort and convenience. You will like how you can have it clean specific rooms and skip others on command.
What can be better
The Roomba i7 is not perfect, though. There are buyers who note that the robot does miss some spots. Others are complaining about the noise it makes while cleaning. Some people also warn interested buyers that the dustbin might be a little small, especially for those who have large houses.
Other buyers from the company’s online store also report that the Roomba i7 might clog easily and that it has a long charge time. Also, the Roomba i7 does not include the Clean Base in the package. This means that if you haven’t bought the Clean Base separately yet, would still need to empty out the i7’s dustbin after it finishes its run.
The biggest downside to the Roomba i7, however, is its price tag. Most people will probably be turned off by how much they need to pay for this robot.
The Roomba s9, i7, and Their Plus Versions
You can actually get the Roomba i7 with the Clean Base already included in the price. iRobot calls this package the Roomba i7+. This so-called bundle is a bit more affordable than buying the two devices separately, and
The same is true with the Roomba s9 and s9+. The Roomba s9+ is just the Roomba s9 “plus” the Clean Base.
Roomba s9
Less than a year from the time the Roomba i7 was launched, iRobot introduced the Roomba s9 (read my full review here!) to the market. How is this robot vacuum similar or different from the i7?
The differences between the Roomba s9 and Roomba i7
Unlike other reviews that we have done, we are going to talk about the differences between these two models. The most obvious difference between the Roomba s9 and the Roomba i7 is its shape.
With the s9, the manufacturer departed from the usual circular body style that we are used to seeing in the Roombas. The Roomba S9 has a D shape that makes it look more like a Neato Robotic device than a Roomba. This robot vacuum has dimensions of 12.25 inches at the sides and 3.5 inches in height.
The new D-shape of the Roomba s9 is what the company calls PerfectEdge technology. It means that the robot vacuum can easily get close to walls and edges with no problems. iRobot removed the side brushes and instead gave the Roomba s9 a corner brush.
The Roomba S9 also offers a power boost feature that you can use when it cleans on carpets. Indeed, the Roomba s9 delivers four times the vacuuming suction you see on the Roomba i7.
What the Roomba s9 and the Roomba i7 have in common
Their differences aside, these two robot vacuums are actually so much alike. Both of them use the company’s three-stage cleaning, dual multi-surface rubber brushes, and the same navigations technologies. They both have the capacity to self-clean, as they are both compatible with the Clean Base.
What you would like about the Roomba s9
The Roomba s9 is currently the most powerful robot vacuum from iRobot. It delivers up to 40 times the vacuuming power that the company’s own series 600 can make. This makes it the company’s most powerful model.
It has to be said that the PerfectEdge technology is something new. This is a welcome step in the right direction for the company. The flat edge allows the robot vacuum to get closer to the walls and edges, which means that it is able to clean more efficiently. Another improvement is that this new model will be able to get into more corners than the other Roombas.
What can be better
If you think that the Roomba i7 is expensive, then you should see the price tag on the Roomba s9. Even without the Clean Base, this robot vacuum will set you more than what you will pay for the Roomba i7.
On the company’s online store, some buyers were complaining about how noisy this device is. It also has a small debris bin.
A side-by-side comparison of the Roomba i7 and the Roomba s9
Here is a cheat sheet of the features that each of these devices has. See what features are missing from the Roomba i7 and decide for yourself if it’s worth the additional dollars you need to buy the Roomba s9.
| Model | Roomba i7 | Roomba s9 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Check the latest price here! | Check the latest price here! |
| Robot shape | Round | D-shape |
| Three-stage cleaning system | Yes | Yes |
| Dual multi-surface rubber brushes | Yes | Yes |
| Edge-sweeping brush | Yes | No |
| Corner brush | No | Yes |
| High-efficiency filter | Yes | Yes |
| Vacuuming power compared to series 600 Roombas | 10x | 40x |
| Cleans carpets and hard floors | Yes | Yes |
| Auto recharge | Yes | Yes |
| Auto resume | Yes | Yes |
| Dirt detect technology | Yes | Yes |
| vSLAM advanced navigation | Yes | Yes |
| Comes with a companion mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Entire level cleaning | Yes | Yes |
| Coverage maps | Yes | Yes |
| Imprint Smart Mapping | Yes | Yes |
| Imprint Link Technology | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible with Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal | Yes | Yes |
| Power Boost feature | No | Yes |
| PerfectEdge technology | No | Yes |
| Anti-Allergen System | No | Yes |
Should you buy a Roomba i7 or a Roomba s9?
It sounds like a trick question because, frankly, both of these devices work excellently to help you keep your house neat and tidy. However, if you have a lot of pets, or if your house is dirtier than you are comfortable with, consider buying the Roomba s9. It is four times as powerful as the i7 when it comes to suction power. The flat edges of this robot vacuum is also a welcome addition.
However, not everybody will be able to afford these robot vacuums. Roomba might have a reputation for coming up with great devices, but they are also known for pricing them prohibitively. If you really want one, you might want to wait until the prices go down a bit.
You can also wait for newer models that are aimed to give everyone a chance to own a Roomba without having to spend a lot. For instance, the Roomba 980 has the cheaper alternative, the Roomba 960, designed for those who won’t need the Carpet Boost features.
For the budget conscious, these robots might not even be part of the choices. But you can save more with the Roomba i7. If you need something really powerful, though, then go with the Roomba s9.
Consider buying the plus versions
On the other hand, for those who are extremely busy, you might as well invest in the Clean Base, which means that you can choose between the Roomba i7+ or the s9+. This way, you do not have to worry about emptying out dustbins until you get that notification on your mobile app telling you to replace the bag in the Clean Base. And that happens only after 30 or so days.
Nevertheless, you can’t go wrong with the Roomba s9 and the Roomba i7. Both of these can keep your floors clean and has the features that you have come to expect from high-end robots. You can go with the more affordable Roomba i7 or spend a little more to get the more powerful s9.
Further read:
Alvin has been reviewing different types of technology from QR codes to the latest smartphones and robot vacuums for over a decade. Outside of technology, he writes about a wide variety of topics, including buses, travel, bankruptcy, healthcare, and cannabis. He was once so addicted to online shopping that he was on a first-name basis with delivery guys and courier services — and he shares his passion with all of you!
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