Roomba I3+ Review
The Roomba I3+ is an advanced robot vacuum that builds on the features of the Roomba I3, with the added benefit of a self-emptying dustbin. Designed to offer a more convenient, hands-free cleaning experience, the Roomba I3+ combines powerful suction, smart navigation, and the convenience of self-emptying into a single package. In this review, we will explore its key features, performance, pros, cons, and overall value to help you determine if the Roomba I3+ is the right fit for your home.
Introduction to the Roomba I3+
The Roomba I3+ takes the solid performance of the Roomba I3 and enhances it with the addition of a Clean Base, which allows the vacuum to empty its dustbin automatically. This makes the I3+ a more hands-off solution for those who want to minimize maintenance while enjoying powerful suction and efficient cleaning. While it lacks advanced mapping and some premium features found in higher-end models, the Roomba I3+ is an excellent option for those who want a reliable robot vacuum without the hefty price tag.
Let’s take a closer look at the key features and performance of the Roomba I3+ to see how it compares to other vacuums in the market.
Key Features of the Roomba I3+
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Self-Emptying Clean Base One of the standout features of the Roomba I3+ is its self-emptying Clean Base. Once the vacuum’s dustbin is full, it automatically empties itself into a sealed bag in the base. This feature significantly reduces the need for manual intervention, allowing for up to 60 days of hands-free cleaning before you need to replace the bag.
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Powerful Suction The Roomba I3+ offers strong suction power that effectively picks up dirt, debris, and pet hair from both carpets and hard floors. Its multi-surface brushes and powerful suction ensure that your floors stay clean and free of debris, making it a solid choice for homes with pets or high traffic.
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Smart Navigation The Roomba I3+ uses iAdapt Navigation to clean your home in an efficient, systematic manner. It moves around obstacles and furniture with ease, ensuring that it covers every area of your floors. While it doesn’t feature advanced mapping, the vacuum follows a smart cleaning pattern that ensures it doesn’t miss any spots.
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iRobot HOME App Compatibility The Roomba I3+ integrates with the iRobot HOME app, which allows you to schedule cleanings, monitor the vacuum’s progress, and customize cleaning preferences from your smartphone. The app provides you with full control over the vacuum, so you can manage your cleaning sessions even when you’re away from home.
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Edge Cleaning The Roomba I3+ is equipped with a side brush that helps clean edges and corners effectively. This ensures that areas near walls, baseboards, and furniture are thoroughly cleaned, leaving no spots untouched.
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Auto-Adjusting Cleaning Head The Roomba I3+ features an auto-adjusting cleaning head that automatically adapts to different floor types. Whether it’s hardwood, tile, or carpet, the vacuum adjusts its cleaning method to provide optimal performance on all surfaces.
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Self-Charging As with other Roomba models, the I3+ is capable of self-charging. When the battery runs low, it automatically returns to its charging station to recharge. Once fully charged, it resumes cleaning from where it left off, ensuring that it completes its task without needing manual intervention.
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Affordable Price Point The Roomba I3+ is an affordable option compared to many other robot vacuums with similar features. The addition of the self-emptying Clean Base makes it a great value, offering convenience without the high price tag of premium models.
Performance and Efficiency
The Roomba I3+ delivers strong cleaning performance with its powerful suction and multi-surface brushes. Whether cleaning carpets or hard floors, it picks up dirt, debris, and pet hair effectively. The vacuum’s edge-cleaning feature ensures that it reaches all areas of your home, including along baseboards and furniture.
The smart navigation system allows the Roomba I3+ to navigate around obstacles and clean in an efficient, methodical pattern. While it doesn’t have advanced mapping or room-specific cleaning, its systematic cleaning approach ensures that it covers all areas of the room without missing spots. It also has the added benefit of the Clean Base, which means you don’t have to worry about manually emptying the dustbin for up to 60 days.
Battery life is another strength of the Roomba I3+, offering up to 90 minutes of cleaning on a single charge. When the battery runs low, the vacuum will automatically return to its charging station, recharge, and resume cleaning from where it left off.
Battery Life and Charging
The Roomba I3+ is powered by a lithium-ion battery that provides up to 90 minutes of cleaning time per charge. This is suitable for smaller and medium-sized homes. When the battery runs low, the vacuum automatically returns to its charging base, recharges, and resumes cleaning once fully powered up, ensuring that it completes the job without interruption.
Pros of the Roomba I3+
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Self-emptying Clean Base: Reduces the need for manual intervention, providing up to 60 days of hands-free cleaning.
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Strong suction power: Effectively picks up dirt, debris, and pet hair from both carpets and hard floors.
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Smart navigation: Moves efficiently around furniture and obstacles, cleaning your home in a systematic manner.
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Edge cleaning: The side brush ensures effective cleaning along baseboards and corners.
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Affordable price: Offers great value with the combination of powerful suction and self-emptying technology.
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iRobot HOME app compatibility: Schedule cleanings, monitor progress, and customize settings via your smartphone.
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Self-charging: The vacuum automatically returns to its charging base when the battery is low and resumes cleaning once recharged.
Cons of the Roomba I3+
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Basic navigation: While it follows a smart cleaning pattern, the Roomba I3+ lacks advanced mapping and room-specific cleaning features, meaning it may take longer to clean larger or more complex spaces.
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No mopping functionality: The Roomba I3+ is a vacuum-only model, meaning it doesn’t have the mopping capabilities found in some other models.
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Limited battery life: With a runtime of 90 minutes, the vacuum may need to recharge for larger homes or more demanding cleaning tasks.
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No voice control: Unlike some higher-end models, the Roomba I3+ doesn’t support voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Roomba I3+
To maximize the performance of your Roomba I3+, follow these tips:
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Set regular cleaning schedules: Use the iRobot HOME app to set daily or weekly cleaning schedules to keep your floors consistently clean.
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Clear obstacles: While the Roomba I3+ can navigate around furniture and obstacles, it’s helpful to clear the floor of larger items like cables or toys to ensure it doesn’t get stuck.
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Maintain the brushes: Regularly clean the vacuum’s brushes and filters to maintain optimal suction power.
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Empty the Clean Base bag as needed: Although the vacuum empties itself, remember to check and replace the Clean Base bag every few weeks to ensure it continues to perform efficiently.
Conclusion
The Roomba I3+ is a reliable, affordable robot vacuum that combines strong suction power with the added convenience of a self-emptying dustbin. It delivers solid performance on both carpets and hard floors, while the self-emptying Clean Base significantly reduces the need for maintenance. While it may not have the advanced features of premium models, such as mapping or mopping capabilities, the Roomba I3+ offers excellent value for its price.
If you’re looking for a robot vacuum that combines powerful cleaning performance with the convenience of hands-free operation, the Roomba I3+ is an excellent choice. It’s a perfect option for homeowners who want reliable cleaning without the higher cost of premium models, providing a clean home with minimal effort.