Robot vacuums eliminate pet hair, lint and dust from the floor before they can settle. They also can stay clear of stairs and other obstacles, including tippy furniture.Most robotic vacuums require maintenance, like emptying (and occasionally, rinsing) the bin and wiping cameras and sensors. Additionally, they must be connected to an electrical source. Many have smartphone apps for scheduling, setting and more.
iRobot Roomba 980
The iRobot Roomba 980, the most recent of a series of top-of the-line robot vacuums, is a staple for every modern home. This model is equipped with a HEPA filter that can assist those who suffer from allergies. It also comes with a large battery that can clean for two hours, and return to its dock automatically once the bin is full.
Smart mapping is a different feature that assists in identifying areas in your home that require attention and provides an easy path to get around them. This technology is very efficient in navigating toys left on the floor, or furniture legs sticking out from underneath objects. Roomba also has a sensor that will snap Roomba to reality if it begins to wander away from its original position.
iRobot has also added a new set of rollers under the Roomba's bottom that don't have bristles and, therefore, tend to resist tangles better than the previous models. These are also a little higher than the older rollers and are able to fit under low couches and beds and are designed to allow this model to move more easily across a variety of flooring kinds.
The Roomba 980 is distinguished from other models of high-end quality by its new dirt detection feature, which uses a camera in order to detect embedded dirt. This is a significant improvement over the previous model which relied on an algorithm that was driven by sensors to bounce around the room, and then clean everything three times at different angles.
In our tests of its performance it was found that the Roomba 980 did well on both hard flooring and carpets. It scored extremely well on carpets with a low pile, and on mid-pile. It did a decent job of removing pet hair, but it had a difficult time with very thick and long pet fur that was clumped together.
The Roomba 980 is still one of the top performing robots on our list, despite these minor limitations. It's also less expensive than other top-of-the-line models. It has a lot of features we would expect from a top model, but it doesn't have all the fancy apps or home integration you'd see in other top contenders.
The iRobot Roomba is easy to set up and get running right away. After removing the yellow bin insert and pull tab from the undercarriage, you just plug it into the wall socket or one of its Home Base docking stations, press the "Clean button" and let it do the work. It will return to the dock when it has run out of battery or is full of sand. There are also indicators on top that indicate the bin is empty, when it needs to recharge, or when it loses Wi-Fi.
