Best Roomba 980 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020:
Recently launched in the United States, then in France, the Roomba 980 is the new flagship of iRobot, the world leader in robotic vacuum cleaners. It is a real turning point for the American manufacturer, not only because it is its first connected model. But also and above all, because it is the first to equip itself with a camera to map parts.
Presentation
Technological developments on robot vacuum cleaners are such that we had to review the rating of this model. The Roomba i7 + succeeds this robot vacuum cleaner and has shown itself to be more efficient in the laboratory. In addition, it provides more functions from the application to which it is attached.
Launched at € 1,200, the Roomba 980 is one of the most expensive high-end models on the market. With a li-ion battery and Wi-Fi, it differs from previous Roomba by the presence of a camera to map the rooms. This is what makes Colin Angle (CEO and co-founder of iRobot) say that he is ” the most important Roomba ever launched since the first Roomba“It indeed navigates systematically, while the other Roomba moved randomly. Thus, this new flagship of iRobot it cleans the parts in the manner of the models of Neato Robotics or Vorwerk. And for To do this, it embeds a camera like we have not seen on other robots so far: it is tilted at 30 ° to take as points of the cleaned room, including furniture.
Best Roomba 980 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020
1. iRobot Roomba 980 Wi-Fi Connected Vacuuming Robot
2. iRobot ROOMBA, R980 Vacuum (Renewed)
3. iRobot Roomba 985 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum
4. iRobot Roomba 891 Robot Vacuum- Wi-Fi Connected, Works with Alexa, Ideal for Pet Hair, Carpets, Hard Floors
5. iRobot Roomba 890 Robot Vacuum- Wi-Fi Connected, Works with Alexa, Ideal for Pet Hair, Carpets, Hard Floors
Convenience of use
Due to the presence of a tilted camera on its hull, the Roomba 980 sports a design that differentiates it from other robots in the range. It is however still round and displays a large “clean” button to start cleaning which it has in common with all the other models in the range.
In addition to this command, only two small buttons are present on the robot shell. On the left of the “Clean” button, the one who displays the logo of a house commands a return to the base, while on the right, the one who sports a design in the shape of a target triggers a targeted cleaning (“spot” mode).
In addition to these three buttons, no one else comes to interfere with the shell of the Roomba 980. It is no longer possible to program it directly, unlike the old models – which could also be a bit tedious. This function is now regulated via the application, the smartphone becoming a kind of “super remote control”. Therefore, the Roomba 980 is really intended for smartphone users, because without this equipment, even programming is impossible, which is perhaps a bit of a shame.
That said, programming is now very simple; it takes the same form as the alarm setting that we are used to on smartphones.
On the shell, there is also the state of charge of the battery: the light is green when it is charging. But sufficiently charged, orange when it starts to charge and red when it is flat.
Practical, when its collector is full, the Roomba has an alert light on its hull – in addition to the maintenance alerts provided by the application.
Connectivity and application
Connecting Roomba to the fireplace box is very simple; just let yourself be guided by the iRobot Home app. Moreover, once the installation is complete, a female voice reassures us: ” you are now connected to Roomba. Please use the iRobot App to complete the configuration “. With a few manipulations, voila.
As often, the application is available on Android and iOS; Windows Phone owners are currently deprived of Roomba 980, at least of its connected functions.
The application allows you to launch the robot remotely to order cleaning and follow its progress.
Home also offers a history of the robot’s “outings” (area, duration, times, etc.). The maintenance tab – very useful – provides information on the status of each part of the robot and sends notifications when it is necessary to clean them (robot body, extractors and collector). On the other hand, unlike Neato with the BotVac Connected , iRobot “zapped” the piloting of the robot.
Finally, it is possible to activate certain modes to customize cleaning according to the fireplace: “automatic”, “performance” or “eco”. The first ensures that Roomba automatically increases its suction power on carpets. The second (“performance”) promises this same adaptation depending on the type of soil. Finally, the “eco” mode minimizes the suction power to optimize the battery life and vacuum more quietly. Finally, Home allows you to activate two passages for optimal cleaning or to order Roomba to reach its base when its collector is full.
Interview
This new model inherits the AeroForce system from the 800 series. iRobot replaced the central brush with “debris extractors”. These flexible rubber cylinders that rotate in opposite directions prevent tangling of animal hair and hair for easier maintenance. And we noted it on the Roomba 880 , maintenance is indeed greatly limited.
The extractors must still be cleaned from time to time; they are very easily removed and put back together with the same simplicity.
As for the collector, it is almost completely closed. Therefore, it does not “leak” when moved, unlike those of some robots.
The HEPA filter has a small tab for easy removal, which is comfortable. It collects a lot of dust and will have to be tapped regularly to get rid of it.
In addition to easy maintenance, the application judiciously provides information and alerts on robot maintenance; there is a progressive display of the state of dirtiness of the elements and “tutorial” videos to guide the user in the maintenance.
Navigation system
Big news of this model: iRobot, which has always defended navigation based on a random scheme, has again provided Roomba with a camera tilted at 30 ° which allows it to map the rooms.
The robot knows exactly where it is and moves systematically, in a zigzag. While Neato’s robots, which also clean in a zigzag pattern, first go around the room, the Roomba attacks large areas cleaned in turn, starting from its charging base.
While the movements of the old Roomba were incomprehensible, those of the Roomba 980 are logical and methodical. We are not only reassured, we also gain in efficiency. In fact, Roomba has never offered us such impeccable surface coverage. The floor of our test room and also of our apartment is reviewed with precision, without forgetting any area, including the outline of furniture and legs of chairs.
He is now able to navigate in several rooms of a house, without forgetting any of them and by cleaning them methodically. He is also able to reach his base during cleaning in order to recharge his battery and then resume the session at the place where he had stopped it, which the others did not do.
iRobot promises to have mixed two navigation systems so that the Roomba is not lost when it works in the dark or goes under a piece of furniture – competitors operating with a camera sometimes find it difficult to work in the dark. Having tested it, Roomba performs its task without problems under these conditions and “also does the job” under the furniture.
This new navigation system makes coverage of surfaces much more efficient; iRobot takes a big step.
Obstacle management
The Roomba 980 is also better at detecting obstacles and above all cleaning their edges carefully; we saw this in particular with the legs of the chairs.
Not only are the obstacles well understood, the cleaning of the surrounding ground is neat, but the Roomba 980 does not block. Remote launching makes perfect sense since the Roomba 980 is autonomous in domestic situations.
Not very thick, it goes under most pieces of furniture, in particular our test coffee table, our sofa and our bookcase. Be careful all the same with the electric cables in which it can get tangled, like any robot. Better to put them away a little.
Aspiration
Like other high-end iRobot models, this new flagship has an effective “dirt detect” dirt detector. In our copiously soiled test room, we often saw him move back and forth almost on the spot until the area was clean.
The results on all surfaces are excellent, with very good coverage. We carried out most of our tests in “eco” mode, adjustable on the application.
On fine carpet, it collects all of the test materials, including under the test coffee table. The “eco” mode is enough to achieve this perfect score.
On thick, long pile carpet, a delicate surface, it sucked 96% of our test rice in “eco” mode. Surprisingly, the “automatic” mode does a little worse (91%).
With such results, iRobot achieves the same level of performance as the best Neatos ( BotVac Connected and D85 ).
Noise
We measured different noise emissions depending on the surfaces cleaned and the mode used. In “eco” mode, it transmits from 64 to 66 dB; in “automatic” mode, the emissions go up to 70 dB, which is quite noisy.
Consumption
In charge, it consumes 25.5 W, which is relatively high, but to put in perspective with the autonomy of the battery and its rapid recharge. Even by ordering him two passes in a row in around 60 m², we didn’t run out of battery.
Additional modes and functions
It is now the smartphone that acts as a remote control and the iRobot Home application that allows you to program Roomba, which explains the absence of a conventional remote control. Programming – always possible every day of the week at different times – as presented on the app is easier than ever.
With the robot, iRobot delivers a HEPA filter and a spare side brush.
Finally, two tags that act as a virtual wall are provided and with their batteries, please. They offer two positions: one classic to prevent access to a room, the second is a “halo” position. It already existed – by installing rubber on some beacons of previous models. It circumscribes a rounded area with a radius of approximately 60 cm by prohibiting access. This makes it possible to prevent it from approaching bowls of water from domestic animals for example or from a fragile trinket placed on the ground.
As for the modes (automatic, performance or eco) and options (two passes, return to base when the collector is full, cleaning of the angles), they are programmable from the application.
CONCLUSION
If you don’t have a smartphone or a Windows Phone, go your way, because the Roomba 980 is designed to work with it – you would be depriving yourself of certain functions. Finally very intelligent, autonomous in a domestic environment, the Roomba 980 offers excellent surface coverage and a suction efficiency close to perfection. No matter how hard we look, there is not much to reproach it for except its price which is enough to put off. iRobot had not lied to us: with this new Roomba, the manufacturer is really going a step further. The hard part will be to do better on the next version. “Monsieur iRobot”, maybe we can think of as good and cheaper?
Related
1. Best Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo 950 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020
2. Best iRobot Braava 380 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020
3. Best Ecovacs Deebot R95MKII Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020
