I’ve had a Roomba 980 for a few months and now Dyson have something to add to the robot vacuum cleaner world, I thought it was only fair we saw how they both stacked up against each other.
Test 1 - The popcorn test
Both the Dyson and Roomba get off to a good start. However, after a few seconds the Dyson seems to get a bit confused just before leaving a trail of popcorn behind. The Roomba on the other hand did seem to pick up most of the popcorn on it’s first pass. The Dyson also seemed to have problems getting popcorn stuck in it’s brushes just before giving up completely.
After checking the bottom of both vacuum cleaners, the Roomba seems clear whilst the Dyson still has some popcorn in it’s brushes. So it’s a good start for the Roomba.
Test 2 - Going under low furniture
Using a set of draws with access height of 11cm at the bottom, the Roomba seems to clear it with ease with a couple of cm’s to spare. Unfortunately, the Dyson 360 Eye couldn’t make that 11cm pass under the set of draws. What it may lack in diameter against the Roomba 980, it’s unfortunately gained in height. Furthermore, the Dyson does hit furniture quite hard when it’s heading for it straight on.
Regrettably, after this test, the 360 Eye did suffer a blockage from the earlier popcorn test – involving tweezering out popcorn from it’s insides!
Test 3 - Running over a rug
Starting with the Dyson, after an initial bit of confusion the 360 Eye does mount the rug. However, after just a few seconds it gives up completely, flashing an error message on the top.
Just like the Dyson, the Roomba 980 seems to test the water a little before taking the plunge and mounting the rug. Whilst it does seem to be struggling more on a mid-pile rug compared to regular surfaces, it certainly seemed determined to get to the end. Another win for the Roomba after successfully getting from one end of the rug to the other.
Test 4 - Collecting wool
Starting with the Roomba 980, we cut up the wool and lined it up on a carpet. On it’s first pass, the Roomba seemed to suck it all up leaving no remanence of wool behind. For the same test with the Dyson 360 Eye - whilst it seemed to get off to a great start, just like in the popcorn test, it’s leaving a trail of debris behind.
When we explore the underside of both robots, we can see (just like in the popcorn test) the Roomba seems to be clear, whilst the Dyson seems to be collecting then saving the dirt it’s picking up on it’s rotary brush (comparing this to the Roomba which uses rubber extractors instead).
Test 5 - Time trial
Same room but which can clean the quickest? Both robots started in the centre of the room, left to clean a 3 metre square area. We can see the Roomba cleans in straight lines, whereas the Dyson cleans in a spiral (moving outwards).
The Roomba finished cleaning in 9 minutes 47 seconds, however the Dyson did take longer at 11 minutes 38 seconds. Which means Dyson took just under 20% longer to clean the same area as the Roomba.
Conclusion
That concludes my tests of the iRobot Roomba 980 against the Dyson 360 Eye. I think it’s fair to say there’s one clear winner. Whilst the cleaning performance of the 360 Eye can sometimes be comparable to the Roomba 980, the problem with the Dyson is this is only when cleaning on an unchallenging surface. Or when not trying to suck up something too big.
The fundamental problem with the Dyson is it doesn’t seem to have been made to function in an everyday household. So if you did go for the Dyson 360 Eye, it would likely only work in a household that was already clutter-free, mostly dirt-free and only had flat and even floor surfaces.
The iRobot Roomba 980 on the other hand seems to do a much better job at tackling a variety of floor surfaces. Plus, it can get into places the Dyson simply won’t fit. The Roomba 980 picks up bigger bits of debris with ease, with much less chance of it breaking down mid-cleaning cycle (unlike with the Dyson).
What’s more, the Roomba 980 cleans all the way up to the edges of your room thanks to a rotating side brush. Plus, it does all of this whilst cleaning your home quicker than the Dyson 360 Eye.
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