Expert review of the iRobot Roomba i7 +
iRobot Roomba i7+
- Automatically empties itself in the emptying and charging dock
- Up to 10 times more suction power than the Roomba 600 series
- Controlled via iRobot app, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home
- Gets to know each room of your house.
- When the robot empties its dust cup, it makes a lot of noise for 10 seconds.
Ready
The light stops flashing after one hour, so I assume that the battery is charged and I start the robot. The Roomba i7+ moves through my house pretty smoothly and I can see it's scanning the space. After a few laps, it seems to know my living room well and it starts working systematically. I particularly like the sound. Nice, this means I can just keep watching TV without turning up the volume.
Empties automatically
-
Automatic emptying charging station
-
Automatic emptying charging station
-
Automatic emptying charging station
-
Automatic emptying charging station
Robot vacuums generally have a small dust collector. I have now tested several robotic vacuums, but I was very busy emptying and cleaning them. After about an hour, I send the robot back to its base station. An enormous noise follows, but after 10 seconds, the robot is silent again. I peek into the dust collector to see how clean it is. Wow! I'm seriously impressed. I can simply rinse the dust collector under the tap.
Imprint smart mapping
iRobot itself indicates that the 'imprint smart mapping' is a revolutionary part of the i7 series. This means that over time, the robot vacuum starts recognizing the rooms. Do you have voice control at home, such as Alexa or Google Home? If so, you can just ask if the robot wants to vacuum the bedroom.
Room recognition
I don't have voice control, but it also works via the app. After several laps through my house, I saw a map. The robot needed some time to learn this. Next, I gave names to the different spaces. When I indicated via the app that the bedroom had to be cleaned, the robot immediately took off. Of course, I followed it through the corridor, but it did his job well and knew exactly where it had to be.
High suction power and less exhaust air
Another common complaint from robot vacuum owners is that the exhaust air blows the dust from the floor through the room. Since this robot vacuum has 10 times more suction power than the 600 series, I also expected a strong exhaust air. But nothing is less true. Squatting behind my robot, I went through the room to feel the exhaust air, but I felt nothing. The only result was a questioning look from my friend.
Conclusion
I'm very impressed with this robot vacuum. Emptying the reservoir is especially handy. I do think the sound is very loud when it's emptying the collector. Because of this, I won't switch on the robot at night, but I don't particularly mind. It takes a few laps around the house, but afterward, the robot knows every room well. Because of this, it doesn't skip anything, and I can leave the regular vacuum in the cupboard.
