Roomba i7 Plus Review iRobot Roomba i7 Robot Vacuum Cleaner

When Roomba introduced their first home robot in September of 2002, they revolutionized the way we vacuum our homes. In the first two years on the market, there were one million Roombas sold. That is a pretty big splash into a market.

Roomba continues to lead the way in research and development. In 2018, they introduced their latest model, the Roomba i7+. With brand new innovative technology, the Roomba i7+ takes robot vacuuming to a whole new level.

What’s New

It should be noted that the name of the actual robot is the Roomba i7, which can be bought by itself. The “+” denotes that it includes the advanced technology. This review will talk about both the robot itself and the addition.

Let us start with what makes the Roomba i7+ unique. Simply put, it has a self-emptying feature. That’s right, it can empty its own dustbin. This is currently the only robot vacuum system with this feature.

Anybody who has owned (or currently owns) a Roomba knows that they can be really great…except when it is time to empty them. Inevitably, you know you are going to get some dust on you, and you will probably end up having to sweep around your garbage can.

All of that hassle goes away with the Roomba i7+. The home base is actually a 19-inch tall “Clean Base,” which is both the charging dock and the depository for the vacuum. Whenever the Roomba i7+ returns to the dock, it automatically gets suctioned, and the debris gets deposited into a disposable bag. And yes, that does essentially make it a vacuum for your vacuum.

The makers of the Roomba i7+, iRobot, claim that the vacuum bag in the Clean Base is big enough to hold 30 full bins of debris. Therefore, the length between having to empty the bag itself would depend on what type of debris your Roomba is primarily vacuuming.

It is not uncommon for hair to make up a significant portion of what the Roomba picks up. So, if you have pets, you may end up having to replace the bag sooner than someone who does not have pets. Regardless, you still will not be constantly emptying the robot as with current models, so it still turns out to be a winning situation.

Small side note: there have been reports over the years that pet hair is the one thing that tends to clog a Roomba faster than almost anything else. You should not have the same issue with the i7+, however, because it empties itself anytime it is in the dock and senses that the bin is full. Not only does this robot empty itself, it thinks for itself too!

As mentioned, the self-emptying feature is what sets the Roomba i7+ apart. However, there are still a lot of amazing features on the i7 robot itself that deserve attention as well.

Features on the Roomba i7

Navigation

The user-friendly navigation system, used through the iRobot HOME App (both iOS and Android supported), earns top grades. Why? Because of a feature called “smart mapping.” Yes, a few other robots have the same ability, but none are as intuitive as the one on the Roomba i7.

With the Imprint Smart Mapping feature (as iRobot officially calls it), you can actually tell it which rooms you want it to clean, skipping ones that either do not need cleaning or would be too difficult for the Roomba to navigate.

This is actually an opt-in feature on the app. If you do choose it, the Roomba i7 spends the first few sessions (usually 3) in a new area essentially mapping out your house. It runs in a grid, and learns where boundaries like walls, furniture, and cabinets are.

There are sensors and embedded cameras that allow the robot to complete its mapping process. It is therefore best if the rooms are well-lit (either by natural sunlight or by turning the lights on) so the robot can “see” where everything is.

Also, the robot cannot map what it cannot get to. If you want a room included in the map, make sure that the door is open and the room is clean so it can be included in the floor plan. Even if it is a children’s play room that may be cleaned less frequently, it needs to be included in the initial mapping session.

Note: you can let it clean your floors while it is doing its mapping sessions, but that will drain the battery faster and take longer for the robot to complete the floor plan. To gain maximum benefits, it would be best to allow the robot to make the mapping runs without vacuuming at the same time.

Once the floor plan is complete, you can open the app and add the borders to the rooms. After you have done that, you simply name the rooms. Once everything is set up with borders and room names, there are two ways to send your Roomba out to work

First, you can do it by selecting the particular rooms from a checklist within the app. Simply put a check by the rooms that you want cleaned in that session and off it goes, using its smart maps to head in the right directions.

The other, and possibly cooler, way to tell your robot which rooms you want cleaned is to give it voice commands through Google Home or Alexa. This takes a little bit of extra maneuvering in the app, but once it is set up, you can simply say “Alexa, tell Roomba to clean Toby’s Room” and be done with it.

While this may seem like a somewhat superfluous feature, those who have had a Roomba before know that anxiety when the Roomba enters a room and you think “how many Legos are on the floor in there?” By telling your Roomba where you want it to go, you can either do a pass through first to verify the room is clear, or just start with rooms that you know are ready for vacuuming while you pick up the others.

Another excellent aspect of this navigation system is that you can start the i7 in any room of the house; you do not need to start it from the dock. Put it down in any room and it will figure out where it is. This makes it especially attractive for multi-story homes, because you can take it to where it needs to clean without having to have two separate docks.

The navigation system on the i7 can store up to 10 maps, which is pretty amazing! Use it on a three story house, take it with you to your vacation house, use it at a rental property…as long as you have a charge on the robot, it will just go do its thing.

Additionally intuitive, the Roomba i7 robot uses each pass through a room to learn the most efficient way to clean the room. Once it has been through a few additional times, you will find that it takes slightly less time to clean the room.

Cleaning System

Here is another area where the Roomba i7 robot outpaces the competition. Many other manufacturers use a fairly typical brush-and-blade design. The i7 uses two counter-rotating rollers that have rubber nubs on them.

Some of the older Roomba series had the same extractors, but the nubs on the i7 are longer. The extractors bend, adjust, and flex, which allows for the treads to stay in contact with a variety of flooring, from carpets to hardwood to tile.

iRobot claims that this, along with power-lifting suction that has 10 times the power of older models, will make it more effective for picking up bigger debris. It is certainly more effective at drawing hair out of carpets.

Speaking of, iRobot claims that the 3-Stage Cleaning System will lift, suction, and filter more effectively than competitors, getting deep down into carpets to vacuum dirt and pet hair that has been pushed down deeper into the pile.

In addition, iRobot also claims that the high-efficiency filter in the robot captures 99% of dog and cat allergens, dust mites, mold, and pollen. That is a pretty hefty boast, but reports from users do seem to show an improvement in this area.

This method of cleaning also allows for a quieter vacuum. This is not to say that you won’t hear the constant drone as it goes about its daily work. But it is a few decibels quieter than other high-end robots.

It’s Not Perfect

All of this sounds pretty amazing, but you just know that it can’t be without as least a few flaws. And you are right. There are a few downsides to the i7+ that must be mentioned.

Clean Base

Because of its size, the Clean Base needs more room than a regular docking station needs. The recommended allotment of space, according to iRobot, is at least 4 feet in front of the unit, and 1.5 feet on either side.

This obviously makes it more difficult to “hide it away” as you can do with other docking stations. This issue could also be compounded by needing to have the dock at an electrical outlet. A lot of times, electrical outlets are hidden away, and finding one that has the required space that isn’t in a bigger room could prove challenging, especially in an apartment or condo.

There have also been reports that although the Roomba i7+ itself is relatively quiet, the Clean Base is much louder when it suctions the dirt from the robot. This isn’t a deal-breaker, but it is something to be aware of when you set-up your Roomba.

Navigation

Although the smart-mapping navigation system has its benefits, as with any computer, the system is not infallible. With that many features, there are bound to be a few snags. Some of these could be bugs in the early system, and others could be solved with a little patience on your part.

One user reported that the Roomba i7+ started in a different direction from the room it had been told to clean, and he had to go and stop it. It is possible that the robot was looking for landmarks to orient itself and, had it been allowed to continue on its path, would have self-corrected to go to the proper room.

In addition, if it encounters an unmapped obstacle (i.e. a box, a blanket, a pet), it might go out of its expected path to find a way around the obstacle. Depending on how the room itself is oriented, this could lead to the robot cleaning an area that it was not told to clean.

iRobot representatives say that it is normal for the robot to drift beyond the border of a room in order to orient itself and turn around, which could lead to the same problem. For example, if you have an open floor plan kitchen/living room/family room, and you tell the robot to clean the kitchen only, it might venture into the family room.

Normally there would not be much danger in this occurring, but let us be honest. We have all seen the videos and pictures of robot vacuum poop-smearing that is funny when it happens to others, and near tragic when it happens to us. An ill-timed pet accident coinciding with the Roomba looking to turn around could spell disaster.

Fortunately, this would be easily fixed by adjusting the borders in the app. While inaccurate to a true floor plan, tightening the space that the robot has to maneuver in will allow for the room to be fully cleaned without the robot crossing into other spaces.

Even with the advanced mapping system, the Roomba i7+ still maps the same way it always has: by bumping into obstacles and turning itself around. Obviously, this is not an inconvenience per se, it is just that a more advanced detection system might be expected.

There were also reports from some users that they had trouble both connecting the i7 robot to the Roomba servers and to Google Assistant (there did not seem to be the same issues with connecting to Alexa). The issue connecting to the Roomba servers is particularly worrisome, because it means that the smart-mapping feature would be inoperable.

In addition, the auto-start scheduling feature will only work if the smartphone app is connected to Wi-Fi, not a cellular network. However, the smartphone does not need to be on the SAME Wi-Fi. So if your smartphone is connected to Wi-Fi at work (for example), or you are out shopping and connected to a public Wi-Fi at the time of the scheduling, the robot should still auto-start as scheduled.

All of this being said, most of the issues mentioned in this section appear to be simple software bugs that can be easily fixed. As with any computerized product, early versions often take a little time to settle and get the kinks out.

To Sum Up

The self-cleaning feature of the Roomba i7+ is what truly makes this unit stand out above the rest. Once it is all set up, it seems as if it would be difficult to find a vacuum system that would require less attention in the long run. So, to recap:

Pros

• The automatic dirt disposal is industry-leading technology.
• Advanced floor mapping allows for multi-floor, multi-house usage without needing extra docks.
• Single room cleaning and easier scheduling
• Improved cleaning performance
• Voice control options for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa

Cons

• The Clean Base needs extra room for positioning.
• Clean Base suction system is very loud
• Still has some of the same issues with power cords and other obstacles
• Connectivity problems
• Potential software bugs in smart-mapping feature

FAQ

Q: How much does the unit weigh?

A: The robot itself weighs 7.44 lbs.

Q: What are the dimensions?

A: The robot is 13.34” wide x 3.63” high. The Clean Base is 12.2” W x 15.1” D x 19” H. (Remember that the base needs an extra 4 feet in front and an extra 1.5 feet on each side.)

Q: What is the battery type?

A: Lithium Ion

Q: Will I need to charge it before its first use, or can I use it right out of the box?

A: iRobot recommends that the battery be charged for 3 hours before its initial run. After that, it should automatically return to its base when it needs charged.

Q: How long will the battery last?

A: Battery life is approximately 90 minutes.

Q: How long does it take to recharge?

A: It takes 90 minutes for an 80% charge, 3 hours for a 100% charge.

Q: How long will it take for the Roomba i7+ to clean a room?

A: It depends on the size of the room and the amount of dirt.

Q: Does the Clean Base work with older Roomba models?

A: No, it does not. Because of the specially designed dust bin, the Clean Base will only work with the i7 model.

Q: Once my floor plan is mapped, can I change the location of the base?

A: You can always move your base to where it is convenient. However, since the robot considers that “home” and the floor plan is built from that point, moving the base will require you to re-do your smart mapping for a new floor plan.

Q: Is the bin in the robot dishwasher safe?

A: No, it needs to be hand rinsed, using warm water. Before rinsing, the filter must be removed. Allow the bin to dry completely before reinstalling the filter and returning the bin to the robot unit.

Q: Does the Roomba i7+ come with a warranty?

A: Yes, it is currently protected by a one year warranty.

Q: How long will the unit last?

A: This is impossible to predict, as degree of usage is different for everyone. If you follow the company’s guidelines for care, especially when it comes to replacing the vacuum bags or cleaning/replacing other consumables, you should be able to enjoy some longevity with the Roomba i7+