Need a robot vac? Read our guide before you buy
Pick the best Roomba based on your needs
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Reviewed / Jonathan Chan
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People love robot vacuums. Here at Reviewed, we get tons and tons of questions about them every week. Chief amongst those queries is which is the best Roomba to buy. The answer is trickier than you may think. There are a lot of variables involved, including your floorplans, if you have pets, and carpet types.
Luckily for you, we tested tons of robot vacuums and we have the answer to all your burning questions. So, let’s dive into which Roombas are best suited for you.
The best Roomba for those on a budget
The Roomba 692 is perfect for small homes or if you're on a budget.
The iRobot Roomba 692 is perfect for small homes with no pets. It’s one of the most affordable models that iRobot makes and we think it proves a great value.
During testing on our robot vacuum obstacle course, the 692 jammed its brushes into every nook and cranny. While that’s not great if you own fancy furniture, it’s perfect for eliminating dust bunnies in the corner. The test results show that the 692 picked up around 11 grams of dirt per run, which is on par with top-tier floor cleaners.
In exchange for the affordable price, the 692 lacks some of the special features of more expensive Roombas. For example, this model is incompatible with the self-emptying base.
Best Roomba for those who have a lot of clear floor space
The S9+ is the most powerful of the iRobot lineup.
If you live in a big home with plenty of carpet and hardwood floors, you need to consider the iRobot Roomba S9+. One of the most powerful of iRobot’s Roomba fleet, the S9+ dominates dirt and dust, when it has the room to operate.
Plus, it’s compatible with a self-emptying base. It’s a relatively new feature on the robot vacuum market, but it cuts down on how much you need to interact with your S9+ model. If the robot ever gets full, it can dock, empty itself, and continue cleaning wall-to-wall.
While its D-shape chassis allows it to get flush with walls, we observed during testing that this unit is rather timid. It does a great job avoiding hitting furniture, but this translates to fewer spots it cleans.
If you’re cleaning a lot of open floor space, the S9+ has the power to lend a hand.
Best Roomba for those who have pets and kids
The Roomba i3+ has a rugged exterior that can stand up to the rigors of cleaning up after pets and children.
We test robot vacuums that come in all shapes and sizes. One design choice that seems to transcend all brands is the shiny exterior. It looks nice out of the box, but after a week’s worth of cleaning up after kids and pets, the robot starts to look worse for wear.
The iRobot Roomba i3+ solves this problem by having a textured top. Aside from being a looker, we found that the i3+ is a good cleaner as well. On our robot obstacle course, the i3+ picked up 11 grams of dirt per run, which passes our cleaning test with flying colors.
The i3+ is also one of the most affordable Roombas that is compatible with the self-emptying base. This means after every cleaning cycle, the i3+ docks, then empties itself, and all the dirt, dust, and hair gets placed into a self-sealing bag. For weeks and weeks at a time, you don’t need to deal with your robot vacuum. And when it does come time to change bags, you won’t smell, see, or touch anything gross.
Best Roomba for those who want the best of everything
The i7+ is the pinnacle of what iRobot has to offer. It has great navigation and suction.
The iRobot Roomba i7+ represents the best of everything iRobot has to offer. It has the navigation, the features, and the cleaning power all rolled up into a neat package. In fact, it’s our highest scoring robot vacuum to date.
During testing, the i7+ showed an impressive balance between navigation and cleaning. It didn’t ram into furniture or shy away from it. When it was all said and done, we found it picked up 10 grams of dirt per run. The i7+ is also compatible with a self-emptying dock and comes with five extra self-sealing bags.
If you’re willing to shell out the extra dough, this is the Roomba to get.
Best Roomba for those who are waiting to get a deal on Prime Day or Black Friday
The i6+ is an Amazon-exclusive clone of the i7+
If you think that the i7+ is too expensive, but still want that excellent navigation and suction, we’d suggest checking out the iRobot Roomba i6+. This Amazon exclusive normally sells for a comparable price, but when sales holidays roll around, it drops in price dramatically.
It’s functionally the same as the i7+, but it comes with only one self-sealing bag. When it’s on sale, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars.
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.