Suck it all up with a smart new vacuum
It’s almost 20 years since iRobot introduced their first robotic Roomba vacuum cleaner. These days, they also offer a mop version, models in three tiers of performance and price, and even a hobbyist version that you programme yourself. The latest mid-range Roomba i7 is a good upgrade if you have an older model.
Dimensions are important, however, and at 94mm high, it should fit under most couches, chairs and beds.
It’s 340mm across, so easy enough to stow, and it’s light enough to carry too at just less than 3.5kg.
You will want to make sure that the base station is not too close to steps or other hazards, as it seems to need a metre or so to sort of ‘wake-up’ as it starts to operate.
That base station comes with the robot in the box. As does a spare side-brush, a virtual barrier box with batteries and a spare filter.
The Roomba will need a good initial three-hour charge to get
A CAMERA IS USED FOR NAVIGATION AND MAPPING
it up to capacity. However, when it returns to its base station, it charges itself up again, so it should always be ready for work.
After registering Roomba on your WiFi network through the iRobot Home app, you then name the robot, and that’s important for when you connect it to Alexa or Google Home.
This version of the Roomba has a discreet camera mounted on the top. This is used for navigation and mapping, and that’s the next thing new owners have to do.
It can take about a week for the robot to learn, but in the app, you will find a floorplan of your home that the robot has recorded as it’s been cleaning. This single feature is a good reason to upgrade from an older model, as I always thought my old Roomba looked somewhat chaotic careering from one wall to the other.
The Imprint Smart Map can then be edited, and you can name each room. Then, you can vacuum the whole house of course, but you can also vacuum specific rooms, on demand.
Clean Zones and Keep Out Zones are two useful features. The Keep Out features can be really useful for keeping the robot away from tricky areas. For instance, you can highlight on the map the spot where you keep the dog’s water bowl, and the robot will avoid that spot.
I found this feature really useful for behind my TV. I have too many cables, unused test gadgets and remotes, and the likes. While the robot is pretty good at untangling itself, the Roomba now turns a blind eye to the area, and I simply use a hand-held vacuum to pick up the dust.
The new Clean Zone feature is also smart. You could create a zone around a high-chair, or even a kitchen table or bench. This means, the robot will keep extra focus on that area, which might be prone to crumbs appearing on a daily basis.
It’s also really easy to integrate with Alexa or Google Home, and that’s done using the iRobot app. When connected, you can simply say things like, ‘clean the spare bedroom’, and off the Roomba goes to that location, returning to base when it’s done.
Though, you can also just ask it to clean the whole house, or set up schedules.
One of the drawbacks of robot vacuums is the bin they carry onboard. On the i7 it’s a decent enough size, but you’ll still need to empty it a couple of times a week.
However, the upgraded version of this Roomba does have a basestation that automatically empties it in to specially sized plastic bags. That sounds like a tempting idea, but its €900 price tag makes it a non-runner for most of us. If I was spending the extra money, I’d be more inclined to buy the vacuum and mop combo, aimed at busier, bigger homes.
That said, this is a remarkable piece of tech, and is not just a gadget for the sake of it. It cleans far better than older models, and the home mapping technology is exceptional. It is a super, if pricey, home gadget that genuinely does ease the stress of domestic grind.