iRobot Roomba Combo i5 Vacuum Cleaner: In-Depth Review and Customer Opinions

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is iRobot's latest robotic vacuum cleaner that offers powerful cleaning and mopping in one device. This 2-in-1 vacuum features iRobot's most advanced cleaning system that lifts dirt, dust and debris off your floors while the attached mopping pad tackles sticky messes on hard floors. With intelligent mapping and navigation, the Roomba Combo i5 learns your home's layout and cleans efficiently room-by-room.

Key features of this robotic cleaner include a 3-Stage Cleaning System, Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes, 10X Power-Lifting Suction, Automatic Dirt Disposal, PrecisionVision Navigation, Smart Mapping, Imprint Link Technology, WiFi Connectivity, Alexa & Google Assistant Compatibility, and up to 60 days of Cleaning Before Emptying. The Roomba Combo i5 delivers thorough vacuuming and mopping for whole-home cleaning.

Design and Features

The iRobot Roomba i5 Combo has a sleek, low-profile design at only 3.5 inches tall. It is offered in a single silver/black color scheme.

The Roomba measures 13.4 inches in diameter, making it compact enough to easily maneuver and store. Its circular shape allows it to get into corners and along edges. The top is smooth with one large button for starting cleans. There are no protruding parts on top that could tangle hair or debris. The dust bin and various sensors are situated around the periphery. On the bottom, it has two multi-surface rubber brushes and an edge-sweeping brush to direct debris into the intake. The front caster wheel allows smooth transitioning between floor types.

In addition to its sleek design, the iRobot Roomba i5 Combo comes packed with a range of smart features to deliver an effective clean. It uses iRobot's patented 3-Stage Cleaning System to loosen, lift, and suction dirt and debris from carpets and hard floors. Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes work to break up dirt and direct particles into the vacuum path, while the Edge-Sweeping Brush takes care of corners and edges. The vacuum also has an auto-adjust cleaning head that flexes to stay in contact with floors.

Some of the standout smart features include vSLAM navigation, Smart Mapping, and Imprint Smart Mapping. vSLAM allows the Roomba to build a map of the home and navigate intelligently room-to-room. It maps the home in neat rows using its suite of sensors. The vacuum can then use this map to efficiently clean in neat rows. Users can also label rooms and create Keep Out Zones through the iRobot app.

In terms of connectivity, the iRobot Roomba i5 Combo pairs with Wi-Fi and can be controlled through voice assistants or the iRobot app. With the app, users can start and stop cleaning jobs, schedule cleans for particular rooms or times, and monitor cleaning history. It also receives automatic software updates for new features and improved performance over time.

Battery life is estimated at around 75 minutes, which is suitable for most homes. The Roomba will automatically recharge and resume cleaning until the job is complete. It's able to tackle both hard floors and carpets in a single cleaning cycle. The dust bin holds about 0.4 liters of debris before needing emptied.

Overall, the iRobot Roomba i5 Combo balances smart mapping and navigation with powerful suction and cleaning capabilities. For a hands-off approach to whole-home cleaning, it's an excellent robotic vacuum option. If you're looking for a robot mop option, check out the iRobot Braava Jet M6.

Cleaning Performance

The Roomba Combo i5 is equipped with Roomba's patented 3-stage cleaning system that provides powerful suction for picking up dirt, dust and debris from carpets and hard floors.

It features a 10x power-lifting suction that delivers 5 times more air power compared to Roomba's 600 series vacuums. This enables the vacuum to easily lift and remove embedded dirt from carpets. The vacuum automatically adjusts its suction power between carpet and hard floor cleaning.

The Combo i5 has 2 multi-surface rubber brushes that are designed to flex to stay in constant contact with floors. It helps loosen, lift, and suck up dust and dirt from carpets as well as sweep particles from hard floors.

This robot vacuum offers 3 cleaning modes - Quick, Detailed and Deep Clean. The Quick mode provides a single pass clean while the Detailed mode does an extra pass over high traffic spots for a thorough clean. The Deep Clean mode does 3 passes over each area of the home. This allows you to customize the cleaning based on how dirty the floors are.

The Combo i5 handles all floor types effectively including carpets, rugs, hardwood, tile, laminate and more. Its low profile design allows it to clean under furniture, beds, and other hard-to-reach areas. Overall, it delivers a strong cleaning performance suitable for homes with pets.

If you're looking for an alternative robot vacuum option, consider checking out the EICOBOT R30. This is another great mid-range robotic vacuum that offers powerful 2,700Pa suction and a large 5,200mAh battery for up to 150 minutes of runtime. It has a similar 3-stage cleaning system with dual side brushes and a multi-surface rubber main brush roll. The R30 can handle all floor types and has an ultra-thin 2.85 inch body to clean under furniture.

One standout feature is the R30's advanced mapping and navigation system. It uses LiDAR laser mapping and vSLAM navigation to intelligently map your home and methodically clean room-by-room. You can customize cleaning schedules and set no-go zones in the app. It also continuously updates its map of your home over time. This results in very efficient, systematic cleaning paths compared to the more randomized coverage of the Roomba i5.

This EICOBOT vacuum has strong suction power with a max mode that boosts it to 3,000Pa. It automatically adjusts between carpets and hard floors. The vacuum is equipped with anti-tangle rubber brushes that flex to stay in contact with flooring. It handles embedded dirt in carpets as well as small particles on hard floors effectively. The ultra-thin design makes it easy for the R30 to clean under and around furniture and other tight spaces.

Additional smart features include app and voice control, selective room cleaning, scheduling, digital assistant integration, automatic recharging and resuming, and more. It's a great alternative robotic vacuum option to consider alongside the Roomba i5.

Navigation and Mapping

The Roomba i5 uses a combination of sensors and software algorithms to map your home and navigate during cleaning. Some key features include:

Navigation Sensors

• Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes - The brushes help guide the Roomba along walls and around furniture legs. They adjust to different floor surfaces.

• Cliff Detect Sensors - Located on the front bumper and underside. These prevent the robot from falling down stairs.

• Anti-Collision Sensors - Located on the bumper to detect obstacles and avoid bumping into them.

• Gyroscope and Odometer - The gyroscope helps the Roomba stay oriented during cleaning. The odometers measures distance traveled to track location.

Mapping Capabilities

• Imprint Smart Mapping - Allows the Roomba to map the layout of your home using vSLAM technology. It recognizes rooms, furniture placement, and areas cleaned.

• Keeps improving maps over time for optimized cleaning paths. Maps can be viewed and edited in the iRobot app.

Obstacle Avoidance

• With its sensor suite, the Roomba i5 avoids bumping into furniture, walls, and other obstacles. It navigates around them to efficiently clean your floors.

• You can use the app to designate specific "keep out zones" if desired. The i5 will remember these preferences during future cleaning jobs.

Convenience Features

The Roomba i5+ comes packed with convenience features that make it easy to control and manage your vacuum cleaning.

One of the standout features is the WiFi connectivity and the iRobot Home app. Simply connect the Roomba to your home WiFi network and you'll be able to control it directly from your smartphone, no matter where you are. The app allows you to start, stop or schedule cleaning sessions.

The scheduling is exceptionally handy, allowing you to set up regular cleaning schedules for different days and times. You can even set up a daily schedule to keep things consistently clean. The app also sends handy notifications alerting you when cleaning jobs are finished or if any issues arise.

Another useful feature is the digital assistant integration. The Roomba i5+ works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can simply use voice commands to start and control cleaning. Just link your Roomba with the digital assistant and you'll be able to start cleaning with a simple voice prompt.

Overall, the abundant convenience features make it remarkably easy to use the Roomba regularly and keep your floors persistently clean with minimal effort. The flexibility and options allow you to customize cleaning to suit your lifestyle and household needs.

Maintenance

The Roomba i5+ requires minimal maintenance thanks to its automatic dirt disposal feature. The robot empties itself into its Clean Base after each cleaning job, so you don't have to empty the dustbin manually.

The dirt disposal bag inside the Clean Base holds 30 bins worth of debris before it needs to be replaced. Replacement bags are readily available from iRobot.

The dustbin itself is well designed and removes easily for periodic cleaning. Just pop it out and wipe it down to remove any stuck-on debris.

The robot's brushes may need cleaning every couple of weeks to remove tangled hair and fibers. iRobot includes a cleaning tool for this purpose.

The front wheel module should be cleaned every 1-2 months. To access it, flip the robot over and remove the module. Wipe the wheels clean and clear any debris.

Replace the filter every 2-3 months. iRobot sells replacement filters. Also inspect the extractors and replace as needed.

Overall, the i5+ is designed to minimize maintenance. With its self-emptying base, you can go weeks without having to do any manual cleaning of the robot.

Battery Life

The Roomba Combo i5 has an average battery life of around 60-90 minutes depending on what power mode you use. This is fairly typical for robot vacuums in this price range.

The vacuum comes with a lithium ion battery that takes around 3 hours to fully recharge. Recharging happens automatically after a cleaning cycle completes. The docking station provides the power for recharging the battery.

The battery is not designed to be replaced by the owner. If the battery no longer holds a charge after prolonged use, you would need to contact iRobot support to purchase a replacement battery. Battery life gradually decreases over time, but a well maintained Roomba battery should last at least 2-3 years.

Some tips to maximize battery life include:

• Keep the robot's brushes clean so it doesn't have to work as hard.

• Use minimal power modes for smaller cleanings. The Eco mode will provide the longest battery life.

• Make sure it finishes full cleaning cycles and recharges completely each time.

• Replace the filter regularly to maintain good suction and cleaning efficiency.

Overall the battery performance is quite good for a robot vacuum cleaner in this class. The automatic recharging and docking makes it very convenient to keep powered up. Just be prepared that the battery may need replacement every few years with regular use.

Accessories

Included Accessories

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 comes with a few handy accessories in the box. This includes the iRobot Roomba i5 vacuum, charging dock, North American line cord, spare filter, dual multi-surface rubber brushes, an extra side brush, dirt disposal bag, user guide, and documentation packet.

The charging dock provides a home base for the robot vacuum to recharge itself as needed. The included line cord can plug into any standard wall outlet to power the dock.

Additional Accessories Available

There are also some optional accessories you can purchase separately if desired. This includes replacement parts like filters, brushes, and batteries to maintain your robot vacuum over time.

iRobot sells an Extra Dirt Disposal Bag Kit with 3 disposable bags for convenient waste disposal. There is also a Virtual Wall Barrier that creates an invisible boundary to contain the robot vacuum to certain rooms.

You can get dedicated Roomba cleaning solutions as well. The iRobot Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal unit lets the robot empty itself for months of hands-free cleaning. There are also disinfecting solutions like the iRobot Roomba Disinfecting Accessory and Braava jet Hard Floor Cleaning Solution.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Powerful suction and cleaning on carpets and hard floors
• Automatic dirt disposal empties the bin so you don't have to
• Advanced navigation maps multiple levels and rooms
• App control, scheduling, and voice assistant integration
• Automatically recharges and resumes cleaning
• Low profile design cleans under furniture

Cons

• Expensive compared to other Roomba models
• Loud operation during cleaning cycles
• Dirt disposal bags are an added expense
• Doesn't automatically avoid rug tassels and cables
• App setup can be tricky for some users

Overall, the iRobot Roomba Combo i5 has excellent pickup performance but comes at a premium price. It offers convenient features like automatic dirt disposal and multi-level mapping. While it lacks some higher-end luxuries like obstacle avoidance, the Roomba i5 is a powerful robotic vacuum that takes care of dirt disposal and resumes cleaning as needed. It's a solid upgrade for whole home cleaning but the ongoing cost of bags may deter some buyers.

Conclusion

The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is a convenient and capable robot vacuum that should meet most home cleaning needs. Its dual rubber brushes are especially effective at picking up pet hair and debris on hard floors and carpeting, while the large dustbin means less frequent emptying. The impeller design helps prevent tangles and clogs when cleaning longer hair.

The iAdapt 3.0 navigation system with vSLAM technology allows efficient cleaning of rooms in neat rows. It maps your home for customized cleaning schedules and creates Smart Maps that can be edited via the app. The anti-tangle extractors, cliff detection sensors, and obstacle avoidance help the Roomba Combo navigate smoothly without getting stuck.

With Wi-Fi connectivity and Alexa or Google Assistant voice control compatibility, operating the Roomba is simple whether through the app or a verbal command. The Clean Base automatic dust disposal is a major convenience that allows the robot to empty itself for up to 60 days. This frees you from having to frequently empty it manually.

Overall, the iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is a great option for medium to large homes looking for a self-charging robot vacuum with advanced navigation and smart mapping. It delivers thorough cleaning across different floor types with minimal effort. For those wanting a budget alternative, consider the iRobot Roomba 694 or Eufy RoboVac G30 Edge. However, the Roomba Combo i5's excellent cleaning performance and hands-free operation make it a worthwhile long-term investment for whole home cleaning.