iRobot Roomba i5+ Vacuum Cleaner with Self-Emptying Base: In-Depth Review and Customer Opinions

The iRobot Roomba i5+ is an advanced robot vacuum with a self-emptying base. This WiFi-enabled model combines powerful suction and intelligent mapping technology in a sleek design. The vacuum learns your home's layout and cleans room-by-room in neat rows. With its automatic dirt disposal feature, the i5+ can hold 30 bins worth of debris before needing to be manually emptied. Overall, the i5+ delivers thorough whole-home cleaning with minimal effort for pet owners and allergy sufferers. Its high-tech features like app control and voice assistant integration provide added convenience. This robot vacuum aims to give busy households an effective, automated cleaning solution.

Design

The iRobot Roomba i5+ has a nice clean aesthetic with a matte finish and sleek low profile design. It measures 13.3 inches in diameter and 3.6 inches tall, allowing it to slide easily under furniture. The robot itself weighs around 7 pounds, while the entire unit with the clean base weighs approximately 17 pounds. Despite the heavier dock, the Roomba i5+ remains quite portable and manageable.

The top surface has minimal buttons - just ones for spot cleaning, docking, and starting/stopping cleaning. Overall the pared down design gives it a very approachable and user-friendly look. The circular shape allows the Roomba i5+ to get into corners and navigate around furniture legs with ease. The low profile design also lets it slide under sofas, beds, and other low clearance furniture to access hard-to-reach spots. The clean aesthetic and minimalist buttons add to the high-end feel of this robot vacuum.

While the Roomba i5+ has a sleek modern design, other robot vacuums like the Shark IQ AV1002AE offer a more rugged, utilitarian look. The Shark has a square shape with more exposed screws and seams. It also has many more buttons on top for controls. The all-black color scheme is a bit more masculine and industrial looking compared to the softer gray tones of the Roomba i5+. The Shark does have a cool LED display though, which adds a nice techy touch. So in summary, the Roomba aims for a simpler, cleaner, more approachable design aesthetic versus the more ruggedized look of the Shark robot vacuum.

Features

The Roomba i5+ comes packed with features that take the hassle out of vacuuming.

Self-Emptying Base

One of the most convenient features of the i5+ is the automatic dirt disposal. The vacuum empties itself into an enclosed bag that can hold 30 bins worth of debris before needing to be replaced. This means you can go weeks without having to empty the vacuum yourself.

Mapping Capabilities

The i5+ learns and maps your home, allowing you to customize cleaning schedules room-by-room. You can direct the vacuum to clean high traffic areas more frequently or avoid rooms altogether. The vacuum will remember multiple floor plans as well. The i5+ isn't the only robot vacuum with advanced mapping capabilities though. The Laresar L6 Nex also maps your home and allows you to customize cleaning for each room.

App Connectivity

The iRobot app allows you to schedule and monitor cleaning from anywhere. Start or stop cleaning and see cleaning maps through the intuitive app. Alexa and Google voice controls are also supported. This allows you to easily control the vacuum without having to manually start it. The Laresar L6 Nex also has an app with scheduling and monitoring features to provide convenient control.

With its advanced mapping and scheduling through the app, the i5+ takes a lot of the effort out of keeping floors clean. You can customize cleaning schedules room by room. The self-emptying base means you won't have to frequently empty the bin yourself either. For weeks of hands-free cleaning, the i5+ is a great option. If you're looking for similar features at a more affordable price point, the Laresar L6 Nex is worth considering as well. It maps your home, has selective room cleaning, and can be controlled through an app too. So it provides automated cleaning convenience without as high of a cost.

Battery Life

The iRobot Roomba i5+ has an impressive battery life, allowing it to clean for up to 75 minutes on a single charge. This is significantly longer than many other robot vacuums, which may only last 30-60 minutes before needing to recharge.

The long battery life means the i5+ can vacuum large homes of up to 2,700 square feet in a single cleaning session without needing to return to its base station to recharge. For most users, it should be able to clean an entire floor of their home on one charge.

When the i5+'s battery starts running low, the robot will intelligently return to its charging base on its own to recharge. A full recharge takes around 2-3 hours. This recharge time is quicker than some competing robots that can take 5 or more hours to fully rejuvenate.

The i5+ is designed to always be ready when you need it. After vacuuming, it will dock itself and recharge so it's already topped up for its next cleaning. The long battery life and self-charging minimize any downtime or waiting around for the i5+ to be ready to resume cleaning.

Navigation

The Roomba i5+ uses an intelligent navigation system to methodically clean your home. It comes equipped with iRobot's vSLAM technology that allows the robot to build a map of your home and intelligently navigate it.

The vSLAM uses advanced sensors to keep track of its location. An optical sensor identifies visual landmarks in your home, while a motion sensor tracks the robot's movement. This allows the Roomba to build a detailed map of the environment and continuously update its location on the map.

In addition to vSLAM, the i5+ has edge-sweeping brushes that help guide the robot along walls and around obstacles. The cliff sensors also prevent the robot from falling down stairs. With this navigation technology, the Roomba can efficiently clean in neat rows and cover the entire floor area of a room or level.

The Roomba i5+ saves up to 10 different maps or floor plans, so it can provide customized cleaning of multiple levels and rooms. You can select which rooms or areas you want cleaned directly from the iRobot app. The intelligent navigation and mapping allow the robot to provide complete cleaning coverage for the selected areas.

Cleaning Performance

The Roomba i5+ delivers excellent cleaning performance thanks to its powerful 3-Stage Cleaning system. It features a High-Efficiency Filter that captures 99% of allergens, pollen, and pet dander.

The vacuum has 10X Power-Lifting Suction with automatic suction boost on carpets to pick up embedded dirt and debris. Tests show it has a strong 2000 Pa rated suction power.

The counter-rotating brushes are made with rubber treads to grab dust, dirt and pet hair. It can transition smoothly between different floor types including hardwood, tiles, and carpets up to medium-pile.

The i5+ uses vSLAM navigation technology to methodically clean in neat rows using an efficient back-and-forth cleaning pattern. This allows it to thoroughly clean an entire level of your home.

One of the highlights is the Dirt Detect sensors that can identify concentrated areas of dirt and automatically increase suction power for more effective cleaning. Overall, the i5+ delivers solid cleaning performance suitable for most homes.

Maintenance

The Roomba i5+ requires very little maintenance thanks to its automatic dirt disposal and advanced cleaning system. The brushes and filter only need occasional cleaning, unlike other robot vacuums that require frequent maintenance.

The brushes should be cleaned every couple of months to remove any tangled hair or debris. Simply remove the brush and cut away anything wound around the bristles. Replacing the brushes is recommended every 6-12 months depending on your usage and amount of pet hair.

The filter should be tapped clean every few months and replaced every 2-3 months. The high efficiency filter does an excellent job trapping fine dust and allergens. Luckily, replacements are inexpensive and easy to swap out.

Overall, the Roomba i5+ has some of the lowest maintenance requirements of any robot vacuum thanks to thoughtful design features like the automatic dirt disposal. With occasional brush and filter cleaning, the i5+ can keep cleaning effectively for years before any major part replacements are needed.

Noise Level

The iRobot Roomba i5+ operates quietly while cleaning. The vacuum produces around 65 decibels of noise when running, which is comparable to the volume of a normal conversation. This allows you to run the vacuum without it being overly disruptive.

Some user reviews note that the i5+ seems quieter than previous Roomba models, likely thanks to improvements in the vacuum's brush design and internal motor. When in Eco mode, the i5+ runs even more quietly.

The vacuum does make slightly more noise when transitioning between floor types as it boosts suction power. It may also get somewhat louder when dealing with concentrated piles of debris. But in general, the iRobot Roomba i5+ isn't likely to disturb you or prevent you from holding a conversation while cleaning. Its quiet operation is ideal for everyday home use.

App Connectivity

The iRobot Home app allows you to control, schedule, and customize the Roomba i5+ vacuum. You can use the app to start, stop, or pause cleaning sessions, steer the Roomba to specific rooms or areas, and view cleaning history and logs.

The scheduling feature is very handy for automating cleanings. You can schedule the robot to clean up to 7 times per week and even specify which rooms or zones to clean each time. This helps keep your floors consistently clean without having to manually start it.

Within the app, you can create Smart Maps that allow the robot to learn the layout of your home and build personal maps. This enables the robot to expertly navigate and clean in neat rows. You can then select which rooms and zones to clean or avoid. The Smart Map also lets you label rooms, keep track of cleaned areas, and easily direct the robot to clean concentrated areas or high-traffic zones anytime.

Additional customizations include preferences for cleaning mode, suction power, and whether you want one or two cleaning passes. There are also handy notifications you can enable to receive updates, alerts, and reminders related to cleaning schedules, bin status, issues, and more.

Overall, the iRobot Home app provides an intuitive and helpful way to get the most out of your Roomba i5+ vacuum. The level of control and customization helps optimize cleaning sessions to best suit your home and schedule.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent cleaning performance on both carpets and hard floors thanks to the strong suction power and rubber brushes.

• Effective navigation and obstacle avoidance with vSLAM technology and obstacle avoidance sensors. The robot maps your home and uses smart navigation to efficiently clean in neat rows.

• Convenient self-emptying base holds 60 days of debris so you don't have to empty the bin as frequently.

• Long battery life allows the robot to clean large homes of up to 2,700 sq.ft on a single charge. It will automatically recharge and resume cleaning to complete the job.

• Easy to schedule and control cleanings via the iRobot Home app or with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant.

• Provides personalized cleaning suggestions and customizable cleaning zones.

Cons

• Very expensive - one of the most costly robot vacuums available.

• Taller cliff sensors mean it may not fit under some furniture.

• Dustbin itself is small despite the large base capacity.

• Louder than some competing models while operating.