iRobot Roomba i5+: test and opinion

If you don’t want to bet on unknown brands and opt for a long-established firm, discover our tests of the Roomba i5+, a balanced model in terms of performance and cost within its catalog.

Roomba i5+ technical sheet

Analysis and testing

After testing the Roomba i5+ on the floors of our home for several weeks, here is our experience.

Design

When we took the Roomba i5+ out of its box, we were pleasantly surprised: it’s a very attractive robot and the base, although tall, has a slim design. If you have a design houseyou will appreciate a model that pays such attention to aesthetics.

The exterior of the robot features a sleek finish that combines matte black with a woven texture, achieving a see-through effect. is aesthetic and resists shocks and greasy fingers.which tends to stay on surfaces when we touch them.

However, what we liked the most about the design of this robot were two things:

• When we turned the robot over, we found a double rubber brush which provides good results in capturing hair.
• THE are the same for all iRobot self-bailing robots.This guarantees full compatibility and the availability of replacements in the medium term, given that the latest Roombas also use the same format.

In regards to, the basic bag size gives, depending on the brand, about 2 months of use.. But we were able to use it longer, and even though we have a pet at home, we didn’t fill it for 3 months.

The size of the robot is balanced and that’s good news.He slipped under the bed and between the legs of the chairs.

Navigation

While we liked the Roomba i5+ in almost every aspect of its design, we can’t say the same for its navigation. And this, because to move, this robot uses a set of sensorsthat is, its navigation is random and unintelligent.

Even though we think iRobot’s navigation algorithm is well optimized, cleaning our whole house involves a few more turnswhich means it runs longer and therefore makes more noise. The worst thing is that sometimes he got lost and we had to go “rescue” him.

He also hit the dog’s water trough and took away a slipper when he swallowed the cord. In our experience, therefore, the best thing to do is the following to minimize traffic jams and accidents is to remove as many obstacles as possible.. When doing so, he usually returns to base after clearing all of the floor.

Cleaning

iRobot doesn’t usually provide data on suction capacity and that’s a shame because we can’t compare spec sheets. However, beyond the technical data, there is experience and results.

The Roomba i5+ has left us satisfied with the thoroughness of its cleaningAs we can see after passing on the ground and hearing it (it is a bit noisy), it is a powerful robot. And thanks to the configuration of its brushes, it is able to suck up all kinds of dirt, from grains of dust to a large amount of hair.

The fact that it has two central brushes and that they are made of rubber means that it can suck up all kinds of dirt, from dust to hair. the hair stays rolled up and does not come off.but when you clean them, they look as good as the first day.

According to iRobot, the built-in filter is very efficient, being able to capture up to 99% of pollen, mould, mites… although we could not verify it, my partner has allergies and she noticed that the filter is more efficient. with the iRobot i5+ at home, the atmosphere is less stuffy..

However, there are two things we didn’t like:

• Unlike many other models, this robot only vacuums, i.e. it does not need to vacuum, don’t mop the floor. We missed it, given its price.
• There is only one power modeso we think that when the floor is not very dirty, it wastes its battery by running at a higher capacity than necessary.

Autonomy

The theoretical autonomy of the Roomba i5+ is approximately 1 hour of operation and, as we have seen, in real life it is quite in line with the manufacturer’s claims.

Our apartment has a medium in size and he was able to clean it completely without any problems.. But since the batteries degrade over time, we’re concerned that eventually they won’t last.

Since it doesn’t have smart navigation either, it runs around too much and doesn’t know where in the house it’s running out of battery. So the only way to stretch it is to lock it into rooms.

In our experience, it is a good candidate for small to medium sized households..

Control

We really enjoyed the experience offered by the iRobot application, because it has a simple and neat designso that even my parents, who are of a certain age, can use it.

Between the fact that there’s no smart navigation, there’s no cleaning, and you can’t choose power modes, the reality is we’re dealing with a really basic app. In this sense, and if you like customization, it may not be enough, since it offers very few options.

In its favor, it is compatible with the 3 main voice assistants and it integrates well with them, which makes it vacuuming with a simple sentence is a reality..

Our Verdict

After testing the Roomba i5+ for a while, it’s clear to us that this is an ideal robot vacuum for anyone looking to a quality model that sucks well and is easy to use..

We think, for its power, brush configuration and filter, it’s a recommended robot vacuum. for people with allergy problems and pets at home.. Since it is also self-draining, you will be less exposed to allergens.

Both the device and the app are carefully designed, resulting in a satisfying and enjoyable experience for design lovers who don’t want to complicate their lives with the app. If technology is your thing and you want to experiment with options, you may be running out of options.

Considering the battery life isn’t rock solid and the navigation is “dumb,” only the “Baby” app can be used. I would recommend the Roomba i5+ for small to medium sized apartments..

Finally, it should be noted that. is a Roomba with all that entails.The peace of mind of having spare parts on the one hand and that the investment is higher than with other brands. However, in the iRobot catalog, we think it is good value for money.