It’s like the developers left in a bunch of code that makes it think it’s still round. We watched it stubbornly try to shove itself into spaces where it obviously couldn’t fit, roughing up some furniture in the process. This would be annoying in a $400 robot, but it’s especially frustrating in a robot that can sometimes cost more than our favorite dishwasher. Hooman Shahidi, bissell crosswave cordless iRobot’s vice president of product development, told Wirecutter that it’s more difficult to get a D-shaped robot like the Roomba s9 to navigate smoothly. IRobot representatives have also told us that they’ve been fixing navigation problems via software update since the robot launched, but recent user reviews suggest the s9’s performance is still inconsistent.
IRobot also has a new series of automated mops under the Braava name. Like a Roomba, a Braava mop will clean your floors for you, using a spray-and-wipe method that goes deeper than a simple vacuum. I haven’t had a chance to try any robot mops myself yet, but they’ve received some good reviews, despite being less popular than their vacuum cousins. bissell crosswave cordless The Roombas’ speed is also increased, which is possible in part because of the sensors to avoid bumping into obstacles too hard. Roomba budget models used a simplified interface (a single “Clean” button) and lacked some of the software-controlled flexibility of other versions. They were less expensive models intended for first-time purchasers.
On its strongest suction setting , the S4 Max has enough oomph to suck up almost anything from a bare floor, but even the Balanced suction setting is fine for common debris like crumbs or pet hair. Its single brush can pick up surface-level debris from most types of carpets, but it won’t dig up hair like a dual-brush Roomba can. Also consider the Eufy RoboVac 11S, which is so quiet and nimble that it blends into the background like no other robot . This basic, affordable bot sounds more like a desk fan than a vacuum—even if you’re home while it works, you’ll barely notice it running. It’s shorter than most bots, which lets it glide under more furniture, picking up plenty of hidden debris. The big downside is that the 11S don’t seem to be built to last for more than a couple of years on average, and we’ve heard about plenty of unrepairable breakdowns that happen even sooner.
Then there are the top-of-the-line Roomba s9 and self-emptying Roomba s9+, which we do not recommend. Instead of the classic puck shape, it has a D-shaped body and extra-wide brushes to improve its edge-cleaning and corner-cleaning abilities. It also has four times more raw suction than the already-strong Roomba i3 EVO, i7, or j7. That helps it consistently pick up larger debris like cat litter or yard waste better than most robots, though it still doesn’t come close to deep-cleaning dust from a rug like a traditional vacuum. We don’t like the s9 because it’s one of the clumsiest navigators we’ve tested.
After a couple of days the bin only needs emptying once or twice a week, depending on the floor type and size of the cleaning area. In a medium-sized two-bedroom flat, I ended up emptying the bin and cleaning the filters once a week. The bin, filter, full bin sensor, front caster wheel, rotating brush, sensors and battery can all easily be removed for cleaning and replacement when necessary. IRobot Brings Visual Mapping and Navigation to the Roomba 980 by Evan Ackerman and Erico Guizzo.