Today I’m reviewing the iRobot 980 series vacuum cleaner. It’s one of those cleaners which appears (as if from nowhere), cleans the house then returns to it’s charging station. I love gadgets and there’s nothing worse than investing in one to later find it doesn't deliver. So, let’s take a closer look.
When unboxing, along with the Roomba unit itself, it comes with:
- A docking/charging station
- Spare side brush and filter
- 2 virtual barriers (discussed later)
- Batteries (for the virtual barriers)
- Instructions
- Quick-start guide
The quick-start guide is only 5 pages long. The vacuum cleaner also comes partially charged which means it’s quick to set up and get going. One thing I learned is the dock needs to be positioned against a wall, otherwise the Roomba will clean diagonally.
You can start a cleaning cycle by pushing the “Clean” button on top, or by using the iRobot Home app. The Roomba 980 connects to the internet via Wi-Fi, so you can control it anywhere from your phone as long as you have coverage - a great feature.
There’s a camera on top which helps the robot navigate around your home, as well as seeing objects as they approach. This gives it a chance to slow down so it doesn't bump into things too hard. The bumps are gentle enough to not cause damage, plus the bottom of the bumpers are rubber lined.
The vacuum cleaner is great at going between surfaces (wooden floors, carpets, tiles etc), plus it goes up small ledges with ease. Suction power is adjusted accordingly depending on the surface. Furthermore, it navigates around table and chair legs well, again, only gently nudging them as to not cause damage.
If you need to move the Roomba 980, there’s a handle on top so you can place it upstairs, for example. You also needn't worry about it falling down the stairs as it senses them on it’s approach.
When a cleaning job is complete, the unit returns to the home base to recharge. It may also do this mid-cycle on bigger jobs.
Virtual barriers
The virtual barriers are used to prevent the robot going in areas you’d like it to avoid. They have two modes - a virtual wall and halo mode. The virtual wall mode creates an invisible barrier - perfect to block off doorways. The halo mode creates a 2ft radius around the barrier - perfect to protect an area or object.
iRobot Home App
As well as being able to start, pause and end cleaning jobs from your phone, you can also change the cleaning settings. For example, whether to clean edges or not.
All cleaning jobs are logged and a summary of the total area cleaned is provided. Furthermore, for individual jobs, you can see a map of where the vacuum cleaner has been in your home with extra analysis per job. I love this!
Schedules can also be set up for the robot to routinely clean your home at certain times on specific days of the week.
The app notifies you when a cleaning job is completed, plus when the bin is full. Care information with step-by-step maintenance guides can also be found in the app.
Unit specification
In terms of specification, it has a 35cm diameter and weighs just under 4kg. The wheels are big and rubbery which makes it great for going over bumps and between surfaces. There are two AeroForce extractors which are responsible for sucking up the dirt. These adjust in power depending on the surface.
There’s a spinning side brush which really helps the Roomba 980 get into corners, along edges and under furniture.
You don’t have to rely on the app if you don’t want to as there are indicators on top of the unit that signal battery and bin level and Wi-Fi status.
Dirt is stored in a cartridge which stores enough dirt for up to 3 cleans (specific to my house). I was impressed as the robot does a good job at compressing the dirt inside. It’s easy to remove, empty and replace.
Conclusion
As clever as the features of this vacuum cleaner are, how good is it at cleaning floors? I can honestly say it does a really good job. It does leave tire tracks on thicker carpets, however, these disappear when walked over.
Before using the Roomba 980 I assumed it wasn't going to be very powerful because it’s small, and it would be a bit of a gimmick. However, iRobot have come up with a solution to all the reasons I thought it wouldn't work (like cleaning up to the edges, having good suction and adapting to it’s surroundings). They’ve made a really clever and most importantly, effective and timesaving household gadget.
It’s still useful to keep a handheld vacuum cleaner for stairs and skirting boards, however, the iRobot Roomba 980 still proves to be a great addition for the home.
Take a look at the iRobot website for more details.
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