This vacuum cleaner empties itself and responds to your voice. This is the new Roomba i7

A completely new Roomba i7 debuted on the Polish market. The flagship model of iRobota introduces many invisible innovations that completely change the comfort of using the device. Let's see how Roomba i7 differs from its predecessor - the 980 model.

Navigation and control

Roomba 980 used iAdapt 2.0 technology. It enabled creating a flat map and detecting objects next to the robot. The debuting Roomba i7 now supports the newer iAdapt 3.0 technology. The robot can additionally set orientation points, thanks to which it can generate an even better map. This, in turn, allows for more effective cleaning of the flat.

It may seem like nothing important. Finally, Roomba 980 could create a general map to check whether the robot visited all corners of the flat or house. Now similar solutions are available in increasingly cheaper competition devices, so iRobot has to go a step further.

On the first few passes Roomba i7 creates a map, which is later used. That's why, after buying, it's worth ... to clean up the flat, open the doors between the rooms and switch on the light. Thanks to this, the robot will create a better map of the flat, which it will then stick to. And this is actually visible, because the way of driving the i7 model is better than in 980.

The map can then be divided into sectors. Thanks to this, starting the robot from the application level, we will be able to choose whether to clean the entire apartment or only selected rooms.

In this way, you can also control Roomba i7 using the Google Assistant. At least in English, because iRobot has not yet announced the list of official voice commands in Polish, so I could only use simple commands like "Turn on the vacuum cleaner", "Turn off the vacuum cleaner" or "Vacuum cleaner, go back to the station". Commands like "Vacuum cleaner, clean the living room" were not available. But this is to change during the next update.

Battery

Roomba i7 has a smaller battery than Roomba 980 , which will clean 75 instead of 120 minutes under the same conditions (according to the specification, in practice this difference is much smaller). Shorter working hours are not an excessive problem, because both robots remember the place where they have been discharged.

After completing the energy shortages, they can freely finish cleaning without sweeping the previously cleared areas several times. This solution is useful especially in large apartments and houses, because both robots were able to effectively clean my 70-meter flat in one go. However, I must admit that thanks to a better navigation system the newer model did it faster.

After all, I have the impression that iRobot was looking for some savings. This conclusion can be reached after the Roomba i7 has been unleashed. The manufacturer has used a smaller battery, which is in the same slot as the one from the 980 model. This recycling of parts is, however, pretty good news, because soon there will be larger links on the market that will significantly increase the working time of the new model.

Cleaning system

In this respect, both robots are very similar to each other. We are dealing here with one side brush, which takes away the impurities of the rubber rollers. I noticed that the ones used in the Roomba i7 model have larger protrusions, which makes them more similar to those from the E5 model instead of the 980. Thanks to this, they get better dirt from hard to reach places, such as tile joints.

According to official information Roomba i7 has the same engine as Roomba 980, but you can have the impression that it does not use its full power. The robot is much quieter than its predecessor, although it is still very audible. The Carpet Boost function was also removed from it, at least in theory. In practice, it turns out that the suction power remains unchanged, and Roomba i7 still offers the same cleaning performance that Roomba 980 had when entering the carpets.

At the same time it is worth noting that the i7 model is easier to reach these carpets. I have in the apartment one rug with thick bristles, which all vacuum cleaners (including Roomba 980) treated as an impassable obstacle. The newer model runs into it without any problems, though it does not clean easily.

Container for impurities

Roomba i7 has a new container for dirt, which resembles the one known from the E5 model. Now it is easier to open it than before. In addition, it can finally be washed under running water, which was not allowed on robots from the 500-900 series.

Most important, however, is that the iRobot i7 is compatible with the completely new Clean Base docking station, which has a built-in vacuum cleaner and can suck dirt out of the robot container after each cleaning. It's a great gadget, thanks to which for the first time in history I can call a cleaning robot fully automatic.

So far, I have had to clean the container once and twice a week, and with pain I admit that I was doing it definitely worse than the machine. I was not able to get rid of all the rubbish, which caused some of them to stay in the container for long months.

However, it is not that the job does not have to be cleaned at all. In the Clean Base station there is a sack, which should be emptied after about 30-45 passes. The life span of a single bag can be drastically reduced if we have a household member or an animal losing large amounts of hair or fur.

Most people will exchange the bag once a month. The first two bags are added to the robot set, the next ones will need to be purchased. Their cost should not exceed several zlotys per piece. In addition, as it is a simple element, you can expect the appearance of its cheap replacements in the near future.

iRobot Roomba i7 vs Roomba 980 - what to choose?

This is a difficult question because the cleaning robot market is beginning to resemble the world of smartphones. Each subsequent generation is better than the previous one, but the changes introduced are smaller and smaller. And this is exactly the case with iRobota Roomba i7.

The most important advantage in relation to the Roomby 980 is an improved navigation system that allows you to create an accurate map of the apartment or house and cleaning only selected rooms. I am also happy that the Roomba i7 is quieter than its predecessor, even though it is still cleaning great.

The most interesting novelty is the Clean Base station, which makes using the robot truly trouble-free and automatic. A similar solution has already been used by a few producers, but it can only be adopted in its present form. This docking station really changes the way you use Roomby.

Unfortunately, the robot in the set with it costs PLN 5399. It is a high price, but fully justified. Roomba i7 + (this is the version with the Clean Base station) is probably the best vacuum cleaner on the market that pushes the entire industry forward. And since iRobot is an Apple of its product category, its flagship model in the best-equipped version can cost PLN 5,399, the same as a good iPhone.

Is it worth buying iRobot Roomba i7?

The Roomba i7 itself costs 4199 PLN and in my opinion it is worth buying in two cases. First of all, if we have a very complicated layout of the flat, which means we will use the full potential of the iAdapt 3.0 technology and the new mapping system. This feature will be especially useful especially after entering all voice commands in Polish. Roomba i7 will also be a good investment if we want to buy a Clean Base station for it, which completely changes the experience of using the robot.

It will be a solution for wealthy people, or enthusiasts of cleaning robots. I am perfectly aware, however, that a large proportion of people will consider the Roomba i7 price to be too high, even horrendous. Just as a large percentage of people think that smartphones from the top shelf are too expensive. Fortunately, you can buy cheaper robots that will meet your expectations. And in a few years, also more economical users will benefit from the novelties introduced by iRobot, because sooner or later they will go to devices from lower price levels.

This vacuum cleaner empties itself and responds to your voice. This is the new Roomba i7