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When it comes to robotic vacuums there are many choices.
Sometimes, making a final decision between two models is tough. That’s where our Which Bots Win comparisons can come in handy.
In this head-to-head comparison, we’ll look at the differences between the Roomba 980 and the BobSweep Pet, two of the top selling robotic vacuums on the market.
BobSweep Pet
Price: $$
Warranty: 2 year
Dimensions: 13.8 x 13.8 x 3.9 inches
Weight: 7.7 pounds
Wireless Control: yes
Navigation: laser sensors
Scheduling Options: yes
Battery Time: 1.5 hours
Auto Recharge: yes
Resume after recharge: yes
Hepa filter: yes
Corner brush: yes
Side Brush: yes
Roomba 980
Price: $$$$
Warranty: 1 year
Dimensions: 13.9 x 13.9 x 3.6 inches
Weight: 12 pounds
Wireless Control: yes
Navigation: multi-room/lasers/sensors
Scheduling Options: yes
Battery Time: 2 hours
Auto Recharge: yes
Resume after recharge: yes
Hepa filter: yes
Corner brush: yes
Side Brush: yes
BobSweep Pet
When you receive your BobSweep pet you will find inside the box, the vacuum, a spare cleaning brush, a remote control, a bobi block, a spare side brush, a cleaning tool, 2 mop cloths, and an extra filter.
You will also get a screwdriver, extra screws, a wall adapter, and the charging station. Before you can use it, you’ll need to install the battery after taking the robotic vacuum out of the box.
The BobSweep battery takes 3 hours to charge and will last for 2 hours in eco mode and for 90 minutes in the turbo mode.
When the robot vacuum runs out of power it will return to its charging base. You can also press the juice button on the device to have it return home and power up.
The Bobi block is used to set boundaries across doorways and other areas to keep the Bobi Pet out.
It comes with a remote control that can be used to pilot the device.
Doing this will take practice, and one of the biggest complaints about the device is the lack of a smartphone app.
One issue with the Bobi Pet is that it can get snagged on different surfaces. When this happens the vacuum will beep and you will need to go move the vacuum and tap the remote to get it started again.
A unique feature of the Bobi Pet is that it includes a mopping feature. The device will vacuum the floors and then mop them at the same time. This makes it a good choice for homes that have a lot of hardwood floors or tiles.
Roomba 980
The Roomba 980 is the latest model of the Roomba series. Roombas are known for their great design and functionality.
The 980 is the top model and comes with 2 main rotating brushes as well as a side brush that also spins.
The removable dust bin has a decent capacity and can be easily removed and cleaned.
One of the newer features of the Roomba 980 is that the interface consists of 3 buttons.
- The clean button is used to start and to stop cleaning cycles.
- The spot mode button is used to have the vacuum focus on a particular area of the floor. You can direct the vacuum to clean a particularly dirty area using the spot button.
- The home button is used to send the robot back to its charging dock.
Some features that were once controlled by buttons on the body of the vacuum are now controlled with the iRobot home app.
This app s available on both Android and iOS.
Some of the features that can be controlled using the app include carpet boost, cleaning cycles, edge cleaning, and two cleaning passes.
The 980 is one of the best robotic vacuums on the market. We think it’s the best one selling right now.
The only big downfall of this device is that it comes with a high price tag.
The Differences
Cleaning Ability
The newer iRobot Roombas including the 980 use rotating extractors instead of brushes.
The reasoning behind this is that brush-style extractors require less maintenance than brushes.
In contrast, the BobSweep uses rotating bristled brushes and a squeegee type brush.
There are benefits to both types of cleaning, but overall the 980 is capable of picking up more debris as the suction is more powerful.
Which means the 980 wins on cleaning ability.
Navigation
The navigation system of the Roomba 980 is far superior to the Bobsweep, in all tests.
The 980 scans a room and comes up with a system to clean the room in the most efficient way possible.
The BobSweep navigation system is decent and gets the job done, but it is not nearly as efficient.
Automation & Scheduling
Both systems offer automation and scheduling features that are similar.
This category is a tie.
Maintenance
The maintenance of the Roomba 980 is easy since there are no brushes to clean.
However, the device still does need to be cleaned and to do this it has to be taken apart, which can be difficult.
The BobSweep Pet comes with a cleaning brush and cleaning the brushes of the machine is quite easy.
In this category, the BobSweep wins.
Unique Features
One unique feature of the BobSweep is the mop and sterilizer. The mop works well on a relatively clean tiled surface and helps keep hardwood floors clean.
The Winner
Overall, the winner of this robotic vacuum battle is the Roomba 980.
The new and improved navigational system, ability to clean multiple rooms, WiFi connectivity, and overall better cleaning performance are the reasons behind this decision. The biggest downfall of the Roomba 980 is the price.
The BobSweep offers a decent alternative at a lower cost.
In addition, it offers a mopping feature that can be great for keeping hardwood floors and tile floors clean as it will vacuum and mop all at once.
