Author: Maurice Savaryego, M.Sc.Eng. (Learn More)
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Compare Latest Top Level iRobot Roomba Vacuuming Robots: Roomba s9+ vs. s9 vs. i7+ vs. i7 vs. i3+ vs. i3 (with Comparison Chart)
If you've been considering getting an iRobot Roomba vacuuming robot, and you desire getting one of top level Roomba robots presently offered, you have come to the right place. iRobot makes a number of vacuuming robots from the most basic to the most sophisticated. Though the top level models are more expensive, they come with all the features you will ever need to facilitate your home's vacuuming needs and they are definitely worth the investment.
This article will compare in detail all the latest top level Roomba robots offered by iRobot, so you're able to choose the most suitable top level Roomba for your home. These robots belong to the "s" and "i" Roomba series, as opposed to the 600 series that are iRobot's entry level Roomba vacuuming robots. At the time of this writing, the top level Roomba vacuuming robots offered by iRobot were Roomba s9+, Roomba s9, Roomba i7+, Roomba i7, Roomba i3+ and Roomba i3. (Note: It you'd rather see a comparison of all presently offered iRobot Roomba robots ( "s" and "i" series as well as 600 series), please click here: Comparing All the Latest Roomba Robots Offered by iRobot.)
This article will compare the Roomba s9, s9+ i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 robots. |
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Comparing Roomba s9, s9+, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3
The following pictures show the six Roomba robots that will be compared below:
The following table compares the features of Roomba s9, s9+, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3.
The (Note #) notation used in the table refers to the clarification notes provided following the table (please read these notes carefully in order to understand better the features that come with each Roomba):
The following table compares the features of Roomba s9, s9+, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3.
The (Note #) notation used in the table refers to the clarification notes provided following the table (please read these notes carefully in order to understand better the features that come with each Roomba):
Explanation of Notes 1 to 21 from Comparison Table:
Note 1:
The following is brief explanation of iAdapt 2.0 and iAdapt 3.0:
Note 2:
All six Roomba robots considered here use a 3-stage vacuuming system:
Note 3:
600 series Roomba robots need to be restarted after they recharge themselves at their Home Base. But, Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7 , i3+ and i3 are able to resume automatically the cleaning job where it was interrupted before going to Home Base to recharge. They continue this way until the job is done and the entire level of your home is cleaned!
Note 4:
As mentioned in Note 1 above, iAdapt 3.0 navigation technology used by Roomba s9, s9+, i7 and i7+ comes with the new Imprint Smart Mapping feature which lets you control which rooms are cleaned and when: the robot can store up to 10 floor plans, and once the floor plans are stored, you can use the associated Home App to assign names to the various rooms associated with the floor plans and request to clean the rooms selectively by specifying their name! Imprint Smart Mapping enables the robot to learn, map and adapt to your home, allowing you to choose which rooms are cleaned and when. In addition, the creation of Keep Out Zones allows you to clean with added control, actively avoiding the areas you tell it not to go. Keep Out Zones are virtual boundaries that keep your robot cleaning where you want it to, and away from where you don’t.
You could even use Alexa or Google Assistant to vocally request your robot to clean specific rooms by calling their names.
Note 5:
All six Roomba robots considered here are compatible with Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers which are standalone battery run little devices used to prevent the robot from entering areas or rooms that are not supposed to be cleaned.
Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers are more effective than Virtual Walls used with the former Roomba robots. Not only can they be used to block off an open doorway, but they can also be used as Virtual Wall Halos to protect some restricted area within the room, like for instance the area where the dog food might be (see the picture below for illustration).
The following picture explains and illustrates how the Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier protects the off-limits areas:
Note 1:
The following is brief explanation of iAdapt 2.0 and iAdapt 3.0:
- Roomba i3 and i3+ were designed with iRobot's iAdapt 2.0 technology which makes use of the vSLAM technology to map out your home to ensure complete coverage. vSLAM navigation technology actively captures thousands of precise measurements each millisecond to optimize coverage. Enhanced sensors constantly scan ahead at a rate of 25 times per second to detect obstacles in the cleaning path. vSLAM allows the robot to seamlessly and efficiently navigate an entire level of your home and keep track of its location.
- Roomba s9, s9+, i7 and i7+ are designed with more processing power and memory, and they feature the more advanced iAdapt 3.0 navigation technology. iAdapt 3.0 also uses vSLAM technology which allows the robot to map its surroundings to seamlessly and efficiently clean an entire level of your home. The robot creates visual landmarks to keep track of where it's been and where it has yet to clean.
But, iAdapt 3.0 also features the new Imprint Smart Mapping feature which lets you control which rooms are cleaned and when: the robot can store up to 10 floor plans, and once the floor plans are stored, you can use the associated Home App to assign names to the various rooms associated with the floor plans and request to clean the rooms selectively by specifying their name! You could even use Alexa or Google Assistant to vocally request your robot to clean specific rooms by calling their names.
Once Roomba s9, s9+, i7 and i7+ have uploaded detailed maps of your room layouts, they will assume a much more efficient cleaning pattern of pacing across each room, in as straight lines as possible, which will save both energy and time.
Note 2:
All six Roomba robots considered here use a 3-stage vacuuming system:
- Counter rotating dual multi-surface brushes pick up dust, debris, dirt, pet hair from the floor.
- A spinning side brush or corner brush cleans along wall edges and corners.
- Finally, an efficient vacuum pulls dirt and hair off the brushes (or off the debris extractors) and directs it into the bin.
- Roomba s9, s9+, i7, i7+, i3+ and i3 use dual multi surface rubber brushes which are non-bristle brushes that are tangle free. So, they are better for picking up pet hair and debris as they instantly adjust and flex to stay in constant contact with carpets and hard floors.
- Note also that, as shown in the above table, the maximum suction power in Roomba i7+ and i7 as well as in Roomba i3+ and i3 is increased 10 times compared to the suction power in the Roomba 600 series robots, and the maximum suction power in Roomba s9+ and s9 is increased 40 times compared to the suction power in the 600 series robots.
Note 3:
600 series Roomba robots need to be restarted after they recharge themselves at their Home Base. But, Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7 , i3+ and i3 are able to resume automatically the cleaning job where it was interrupted before going to Home Base to recharge. They continue this way until the job is done and the entire level of your home is cleaned!
Note 4:
As mentioned in Note 1 above, iAdapt 3.0 navigation technology used by Roomba s9, s9+, i7 and i7+ comes with the new Imprint Smart Mapping feature which lets you control which rooms are cleaned and when: the robot can store up to 10 floor plans, and once the floor plans are stored, you can use the associated Home App to assign names to the various rooms associated with the floor plans and request to clean the rooms selectively by specifying their name! Imprint Smart Mapping enables the robot to learn, map and adapt to your home, allowing you to choose which rooms are cleaned and when. In addition, the creation of Keep Out Zones allows you to clean with added control, actively avoiding the areas you tell it not to go. Keep Out Zones are virtual boundaries that keep your robot cleaning where you want it to, and away from where you don’t.
You could even use Alexa or Google Assistant to vocally request your robot to clean specific rooms by calling their names.
Note 5:
All six Roomba robots considered here are compatible with Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers which are standalone battery run little devices used to prevent the robot from entering areas or rooms that are not supposed to be cleaned.
Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers are more effective than Virtual Walls used with the former Roomba robots. Not only can they be used to block off an open doorway, but they can also be used as Virtual Wall Halos to protect some restricted area within the room, like for instance the area where the dog food might be (see the picture below for illustration).
- Roomba i7 and i7+ each come with a Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier (if needed, additional Dual Mode Virtual Wall barriers can be purchased below in the Amazon products section).
- Roomba s9 and s9+ do not come with any Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers, but they are not really needed with s9 and s9+, because the Imprint Smart Mapping feature on these robots allows the creation of Keep Out Zones which are virtual boundaries that allow you to clean with added control that keeps your robot cleaning where you want it to, and away from where you don’t.
If needed, Dual Mode Virtual Wall barriers can be obtained separately (see the Amazon products section below). - Though Roomba i3+ and i3 do not come with a Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier, if needed, a Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier can be optionally obtained (see Amazon products section below)
The following picture explains and illustrates how the Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier protects the off-limits areas:
Note 6:
An important aspect of all these robots is Dirt Detection: Roomba s9, s9+, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 come with sophisticated dirt detection ability. They are equipped with both acoustic and optical sensors, and therefore they are very powerful and effective in finding dirtier areas.
Note 7:
The High Efficiency filters on Roomba s9, s9+, i7, i7+, i3+ and i3 do an excellent job capturing hair, pet fur, lint and carpet fuzz, and can capture 99% of allergens, pollen, and particles as small as 10 microns.
Note 8:
When batteries run low, all Roomba robots return to their Home Base to dock and recharge.
Note that Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 are able to resume automatically the cleaning job where it was interrupted before going to Home Base to recharge. They continue this way until the job is done and the whole level of your home is cleaned!
Note 9:
The dust bin that comes with Roomba s9+, i7+ and i3+ present some important enhancements: not only is it easier now to empty it manually, but it can also be emptied automatically without you being around! To enable automatic emptying of the dust bin, a new suction port has been added to the docking station:
The docking station of the robot, known in the past as the Home Base, is now replaced with a new docking station called the Clean Base which is used not just to recharge the robot, but also to empty the dust bin. So, when the robot is docked, it attaches to the new suction port in the docking station that sucks up rapidly the contents of the dust bin into the Clean Base. All dirt and debris are then automatically transferred into a disposable bag that can hold up to 30 bins’ worth of dirt and debris. Once the disposable bag is full, you will get an alert on your smartphone for replacing the bag.
Note 10:
When each of the robots considered here is connected via Wi-Fi to your smartphone, you can use the iRobot Home App for Android and iOS to invoke remotely operations (such as Cleaning, Scheduling, Sending to Home Base, etc.). When the App is used with Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3, you can also see the status of cleaning jobs, and you can customize your cleaning preferences.
Note: You may be asking the question: Can we use these Roomba robots without Wi-Fi?". The answer is "Yes!", you can use them, but if you don't have Wi-Fi, you will have to control them by using the control buttons on the robot or by purchasing a compatible remote-control device (see the Amazon products section below for compatible remote-control devices). Note however that certain operations on Roomba i3, i3+, i7, i7+, s9 and s9+ are only available from the App on the smartphone which needs Wi-Fi.
Note that all six Roomba vacuuming robots considered here are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant:
Note 11:
Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 can all be scheduled to run up to 7 times per week using the iRobot Home App.. The robot starts vacuuming as soon as the scheduled time is reached.
Note 12:
Imprint Link Technology represents the next generation of connected home automation: With Roomba s9, s9+, i7, i7+, i3 and i3+ when the robot finishes vacuuming your floors, the Braava jet®️ m6 mopping robot, if you have one, starts automatically mopping, without any effort from you, in perfect sequence. The Braava jet®️ m6 mopping robot is offerd below in the Amazon products section.
Note 13:
Note that s9 and s9+ are not completely round and have angled front design better suited for cleaning corners and come with the built-in iRobot's PerfectEdge technology that cleans more thoroughly corners and along wall edges.
The PerfectEdge Technology on these two robots comes with advanced sensors, and the specially designed corner brush with five arms to grab dirt and debris from deep in corners and along walls, directing it into the robot’s path to be vacuumed up.
Note 14:
Roomba s9+ will also include with its Clean Base two AllergenLock Dirt Disposal Bags that can capture and trap 99% of pollen and mold allergens. The s9+ picks up dust and debris, and when the Robot evacuates on the Clean Base, it locks the dirt and debris in a bag, that helps prevent it from escaping back into the air. Since the s9 does not have a Clean Base it does not have the Anti-Allergen System.
Though this feature does not exist on Roomba s9, it can be added when the auto-disposal feature with the Clean Base unit is optionally added.
Note 15:
All six Roomba robots considered here come with a Lithium-Ion battery.
Note that Lithium-Ion batteries are designed to provide longer cleaning sessions and last longer before needing to be replaced.
Note 16:
All six Roomba robots considered here can be remotely controlled from your smartphone or tablet using the iRobot Home App. No explicit remote-control device is provided. However, if needed, a remote-control device compatible with these robots can be separately purchased (see Amazon products section below). Note that these robots are also compatible with Amazon Alexa, including Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Amazon Tap.
Note 17:
The Custome Power feature on Roomba s9 and s9+ is the ability to set your Roomba at low, medium or max suction power. With this feature you decide what vacuuming power your Roomba should be using. It makes sense to use higher suction power on carpets or when there is lots of hair and debris on the floors.
Note 18:
Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 learn your cleaning habits to offer up personalized schedules and suggestions on iRobot Home App. They will even suggest an extra clean when your area’s pollen count is high or during pet shedding season.
Note 19:
The "d" in the dimensions refers to the diameter, and "h" to the height of the unit. All measurements are in inches.
Note 20:
The 1-year limited warranty is on the robot. There is also a 12-month warranty on the battery.
Note 21:
The following equipment comes with each of the six Roomba robots considered here:
Roomba s9+:
Roomba s9:
Roomba i7+:
Roomba i7:
Roomba i3+:
Roomba i3:
Note 6:
An important aspect of all these robots is Dirt Detection: Roomba s9, s9+, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 come with sophisticated dirt detection ability. They are equipped with both acoustic and optical sensors, and therefore they are very powerful and effective in finding dirtier areas.
Note 7:
The High Efficiency filters on Roomba s9, s9+, i7, i7+, i3+ and i3 do an excellent job capturing hair, pet fur, lint and carpet fuzz, and can capture 99% of allergens, pollen, and particles as small as 10 microns.
Note 8:
When batteries run low, all Roomba robots return to their Home Base to dock and recharge.
Note that Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 are able to resume automatically the cleaning job where it was interrupted before going to Home Base to recharge. They continue this way until the job is done and the whole level of your home is cleaned!
Note 9:
The dust bin that comes with Roomba s9+, i7+ and i3+ present some important enhancements: not only is it easier now to empty it manually, but it can also be emptied automatically without you being around! To enable automatic emptying of the dust bin, a new suction port has been added to the docking station:
The docking station of the robot, known in the past as the Home Base, is now replaced with a new docking station called the Clean Base which is used not just to recharge the robot, but also to empty the dust bin. So, when the robot is docked, it attaches to the new suction port in the docking station that sucks up rapidly the contents of the dust bin into the Clean Base. All dirt and debris are then automatically transferred into a disposable bag that can hold up to 30 bins’ worth of dirt and debris. Once the disposable bag is full, you will get an alert on your smartphone for replacing the bag.
Note 10:
When each of the robots considered here is connected via Wi-Fi to your smartphone, you can use the iRobot Home App for Android and iOS to invoke remotely operations (such as Cleaning, Scheduling, Sending to Home Base, etc.). When the App is used with Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3, you can also see the status of cleaning jobs, and you can customize your cleaning preferences.
Note: You may be asking the question: Can we use these Roomba robots without Wi-Fi?". The answer is "Yes!", you can use them, but if you don't have Wi-Fi, you will have to control them by using the control buttons on the robot or by purchasing a compatible remote-control device (see the Amazon products section below for compatible remote-control devices). Note however that certain operations on Roomba i3, i3+, i7, i7+, s9 and s9+ are only available from the App on the smartphone which needs Wi-Fi.
Note that all six Roomba vacuuming robots considered here are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant:
- Simply ask Alexa or the Google Assistant to start, stop, or dock your robot.
- With Roomba s9, s9+, i7 and i7+, you can even request to clean the rooms of your home selectively by simply calling their assigned names (see Note 4 above)!
Note 11:
Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 can all be scheduled to run up to 7 times per week using the iRobot Home App.. The robot starts vacuuming as soon as the scheduled time is reached.
Note 12:
Imprint Link Technology represents the next generation of connected home automation: With Roomba s9, s9+, i7, i7+, i3 and i3+ when the robot finishes vacuuming your floors, the Braava jet®️ m6 mopping robot, if you have one, starts automatically mopping, without any effort from you, in perfect sequence. The Braava jet®️ m6 mopping robot is offerd below in the Amazon products section.
Note 13:
Note that s9 and s9+ are not completely round and have angled front design better suited for cleaning corners and come with the built-in iRobot's PerfectEdge technology that cleans more thoroughly corners and along wall edges.
The PerfectEdge Technology on these two robots comes with advanced sensors, and the specially designed corner brush with five arms to grab dirt and debris from deep in corners and along walls, directing it into the robot’s path to be vacuumed up.
Note 14:
Roomba s9+ will also include with its Clean Base two AllergenLock Dirt Disposal Bags that can capture and trap 99% of pollen and mold allergens. The s9+ picks up dust and debris, and when the Robot evacuates on the Clean Base, it locks the dirt and debris in a bag, that helps prevent it from escaping back into the air. Since the s9 does not have a Clean Base it does not have the Anti-Allergen System.
Though this feature does not exist on Roomba s9, it can be added when the auto-disposal feature with the Clean Base unit is optionally added.
Note 15:
All six Roomba robots considered here come with a Lithium-Ion battery.
Note that Lithium-Ion batteries are designed to provide longer cleaning sessions and last longer before needing to be replaced.
Note 16:
All six Roomba robots considered here can be remotely controlled from your smartphone or tablet using the iRobot Home App. No explicit remote-control device is provided. However, if needed, a remote-control device compatible with these robots can be separately purchased (see Amazon products section below). Note that these robots are also compatible with Amazon Alexa, including Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Amazon Tap.
Note 17:
The Custome Power feature on Roomba s9 and s9+ is the ability to set your Roomba at low, medium or max suction power. With this feature you decide what vacuuming power your Roomba should be using. It makes sense to use higher suction power on carpets or when there is lots of hair and debris on the floors.
Note 18:
Roomba s9+, s9, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 learn your cleaning habits to offer up personalized schedules and suggestions on iRobot Home App. They will even suggest an extra clean when your area’s pollen count is high or during pet shedding season.
Note 19:
The "d" in the dimensions refers to the diameter, and "h" to the height of the unit. All measurements are in inches.
Note 20:
The 1-year limited warranty is on the robot. There is also a 12-month warranty on the battery.
Note 21:
The following equipment comes with each of the six Roomba robots considered here:
Roomba s9+:
- iRobot Roomba s9+ Robot Vacuum
- 1 Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal
- 2 Dirt Disposal Bags
- 1 North American Line Cord
- 1 Dual Mode Virtual Wall® Barrier
- 1 Extra High-Efficiency Filter
- 1 Extra Corner Brush
- Owner's Guide and Documentation Package
Roomba s9:
- iRobot Roomba s9 Robot Vacuum
- 1 North American Line Cord
- 1 Home Base Charging Station
- 1 Dual Mode Virtual Wall® Barrier
- 1 Extra High-Efficiency Filter
- 1 Extra Corner Brush
- Owner's Guide and Documentation Package
Roomba i7+:
- iRobot Roomba i7+ Robot Vacuum
- 1 Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal
- 2 Dirt Disposal Bags
- 1 North American Line Cord
- 1 Dual Mode Virtual Wall® Barrier
- 1 Extra High-Efficiency Filter
- 1 Extra Side Brush
- Owner's Guide and Documentation Package
Roomba i7:
- iRobot Roomba i7 Robot Vacuum
- 1 North American Line Cord
- 1 Home Base Charging Station
- 1 Dual Mode Virtual Wall® Barrier
- 1 Extra High-Efficiency Filter
- 1 Extra Side Brush
- Owner's Guide and Documentation Package
Roomba i3+:
- iRobot Roomba i3+ Robot Vacuum
- 1 Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal
- 2 Dirt Disposal Bags
- 1 North American Line Cord
- 1 Extra High-Efficiency Filter
- 1 Extra Side Brush
- Owner's Guide and Documentation Package
Roomba i3:
- iRobot Roomba i3 Robot Vacuum
- 1 North American Line Cord
- 1 Home Base Charging Station
- 1 Extra High-Efficiency Filter
- 1 Extra Side Brush
- Owner's Guide and Documentation Package
So which Roomba is best for your home?
As the above comparison table shows, different Roomba robots come with slightly different features. So, we suggest you carefully study the above table and clarification notes before you decide which Roomba will respond best to your needs. As underlined below, some of these robots come with important features not found in the others:
You will find in the following section Amazon links for all the Roomba robots compared above which you can click for exact price information or to purchase:
- If you want your robot to empty automatically the dust bin, you should consider either Roomba s9+, Roomba i7+ or Roomba i3+.
- If you want map-based coverage of your floors, so no part of the floor is missed, you may consider any of the six Roomba robots compared here.
- If you want your robot to restart automatically after charging itself at the docking station and resume the job where it was interrupted, you may consider any of the six Roomba robots compared here.
- If you want to be able to select which rooms are to be cleaned, then you should consider s9+, s9, i7+ or i7 which allow selective cleaning of rooms by naming them.
- If keeping the air completely free from allergens and dust is very important for you, you may consider any of the six Roomba robots compared here which use High Efficiency Filters. Note also that s9+ eliminates even more allergens with the Anti-Allergen System it comes with.
- If you want to be able to create virtual boundaries, so that your robot does not clean certain areas in a given room, without having to use Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers, then you should consider, s9, s9+, i7 and i7+. These robots allow the creation of Keep Out Zones using the iRobot Home App. But, if you will not be using the iRobot Home App, then you should be considering one of the robots that come with a Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers, if there are areas in your rooms where you don't want your robot to clean.
Though Roomba i3+ and i3 do not allow the creation of Keep Out Zones and do not come with a Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier, they are compatible with Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers. If needed, a Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier can be optionally obtained (see Amazon products section below) - If suction power is important for you, you should consider Roomba s9 and s9+ which can generate a suction power that is 40 times larger than the suction power generated by the 600 series Roomba robots, or Roomba i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 which can generate a suction power that is 10 times larger than the suction power generated by the 600 series Roomba robots.
You will find in the following section Amazon links for all the Roomba robots compared above which you can click for exact price information or to purchase:
Roomba s9, s9+, i7+, i7, i3+ and i3 on Amazon
Please click the Amazon US link image below for the Roomba vacuuming robot of your choice to see exact price information or to purchase.
Please Note: For non-US customers, when you click the links below, you will be provided with the Amazon links for your country (such as Canada or UK), if the product is available in your country.
Please Note: For non-US customers, when you click the links below, you will be provided with the Amazon links for your country (such as Canada or UK), if the product is available in your country.
Please Note: As mentioned in Note 12 of the above comparison table, thanks to the Imprint Link Technology on Roomba s9, s9+, i7 , i7+, i3 and i3+, when these robots finish vacuuming your floors, the Braava jet m6 mopping robot starts automatically mopping, without any effort from you, in perfect sequence.
For more information on the Braava Jet M6, please click below:
For more information on the Braava Jet M6, please click below: