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The new Roomba i7 comes with many of the innovative features that Roombas are known for.
It also boasts some new futuristic features that improve cleaning performance and ensure you do even less work.
If you are planning to buy your first robot vacuum or want to upgrade your current one, I highly recommend the new Roomba model, specifically the i7+.
It’s more expensive than most other robot vacuums, but it has the coolest features. Here are the best ones.
To learn more about it, read our Roomba i7+ review.
Automatic Dirt Disposal
The Roomba i7+ is the first robotic vacuum cleaner to incorporate automatic dirt disposal.
With all other robot vacs, you have to empty the bin after every cleaning manually.
It’s not a tedious task, but it’s still an inconvenience especially if you do not want to touch the dust, food crumbs and other debris collected in the bin.
The i7+ empties the bin automatically into the Clean Base, a debris-holding unit attached to the charging dock.
When the Roomba i7 docks, dirt is pulled into the Clean Base using suction.
The dirt is held in a disposable bag, meaning you never have to touch it even when emptying the Clean Base.
The bag can hold up to 30 bins of debris, allowing you to go for weeks without emptying it.No other robotic vacuum cleaner is as high-tech yet easy to maintain as the Roomba i7+.
vSLAM® Navigation Technology
The Roomba i7 cleans your home faster and more efficiently than any other robot vacuum thanks to the improved iAdapt® 3.0 navigational technology.
It uses vSLAM, which stands for visual simultaneous localization and mapping.
The technology uses a camera to keep track of the robot’s position in the room and map out the most efficient cleaning path.
Unlike cheaper robot vacuums that move randomly or in a rigid pattern, the Roomba i7 picks the most optimal path to reduce cleaning time without missing a spot.
Using vSLAM, the Roomba i7 easily vacuums multiple rooms on a single level without getting lost or trapped.
Interactive Map
One of the biggest gripes about the Roomba 980 and other top Roomba models was the lack of interactive maps.
Many other vacuums like the OZmo 930 and Neato Botvac D7 have that feature, which allows a homeowner to select specific rooms to be cleaned.
Now you can do that with the Roomba i7.
The iAdapt® 3.0 navigation system generates a detailed map of your home. You can then view the map on the app.
Unlike earlier Roombas, now you can label different rooms and select which ones you want the vacuum to clean.
If you are using Alexa or Google Assistant, you can command the Roomba to clean a particular room.
You can also specify which rooms it will vacuum on specific days when setting an auto-cleaning schedule.
Cleaning Performance Improvements
The other improvements in the Roomba i7 are more incremental than futuristic. But it’s still important to point them out.
The new Roomba comes with stronger suction compared to earlier Roomba models.
It can easily pick up pet hair, dust, food crumbs, and other debris easily on any type of surface. If you have a thick carpet, the Roomba i7 is one of the best robot vacuums to buy.
iRobot has also improved the design of the dual Multi-Surface rubber brushes to make it easier to pick pet hair on the floor and agitate dirt hiding deep in the carpet.
The Set and Forget Robot Vacuum
The Roomba i7 is more robot than other robot vacuums.
Other vacuums still require quite a bit of attention from you. You have to make sure it doesn’t trip, close door to keep it in or out of a room and empty the bin every day.
The Roomba i7 is a set it and forget it robot vacuum.
Once you’ve done the initial set up, there’s nothing for you to do. Just set a schedule, make sure your floor is clear of toys and other tripping hazards, and that’s it.
The Roomba will clean at the set time, efficiently moving in and out of rooms without missing any dirt. If you don’t want it to clean the specific rooms, use the app instead of closing the doors.
The best part is that you don’t have to bother with the debris for weeks. You never even have to touch it.
Once the Clean Base is full, you just lift the debris bag out and dispose of it together with the dirt inside.
We say the Roomba i7 is futuristic not because of all the high tech features, but rather the added convenience and ease of use those features bring about.
After all, isn’t convenience the main promise of futuristic robots?
