iRobot Roomba s9+ Robot Vacuum Review

Until now, all Roombas came with the familiar round shape that we’ve all come to expect from robot vacuums. However, iRobot decided to take things a notch higher by using a D-shape on the S9 and the S9+ robot vacuums.

iRobot Roomba s9+

Very few manufacturers like Neato Robotics have used this design successfully on their robots. With iRobot joining the bandwagon, it’s clear that this design comes with a significant advantage over the round shape. If you compare the S9+ with the i7+, you’ll realize that the only real upgrade is the use of this improved design.

Today, we’ll be reviewing the iRobot Roomba S9+ robot vacuum. Let’s dig in to identify some of the unique and impressive features that come with this robot vacuum and any setbacks that you should expect when you purchase this Roomba.

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Robot Vacuum | Recommended


Last update on 2024-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


Robot Vacuum | Recommended


Last update on 2024-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Stronger Suction

What’s the point of owning a robot vacuum that is going to have trouble picking up dirt and debris from your floors? Fortunately, this will be the least of your worries when you purchase the Roomba S9+. iRobot claims that this vacuum is packed with 40x the suction that came with the Roomba 600 series. This is quite substantial when you remember that the Roombas in the 600 series were decent vacuums that were still able to deliver acceptable performance by most standards.

Roomba s9+

Unfortunately, this also means that the robot can be a bit louder than these other Roombas when you choose max power so you might want to schedule max power cleaning to start when nobody is at home. Fortunately, this is easy thanks to the customizable power settings that allow you to choose between Quiet Clean mode when you want it to clean silently and Max Power mode for extra suction.

Self-Adjusting Cleaning Head

Robot vacuums can be hard to deal with if you have different types of floor surfaces in your home. It gets worse if you have hard floors and carpets and area rugs of varying thicknesses. Fortunately, iRobot engineers thought of a solution for this when designing the Roomba s9+.

First, there is the self-adjusting cleaning head that moves up and down to ensure that vacuuming is not only effective but also efficient so that it won’t have to engage maximum suction when it is not necessary.

In addition to the self-adjusting cleaning head, this Roomba comes equipped with the Power Boost Technology that will automatically increase suction when it reaches carpeted areas to ensure that cleaning is deep and thorough.

iRobot Roomba s9+ (9550) Robot Vacuum Review

Wider Coverage

The change from a round shape to a D-shape in this vacuum enabled iRobot engineers to fit 30% wider brushes that will be able to clean a wider path when compared to brushes in round models hence the cleaning job will be done faster.

Another big advantage of using a D-shape is the ability to reach corners and hard to reach edges. In round robot vacuums, the brush is normally placed along the diameter of the round shape. This makes it very difficult to reach edges because the rest of the vacuum becomes an obstacle.

In D-shaped vacuums like the Roomba s9+, the brush is placed strategically on the straight edge of the D. This means that it will be able to reach areas that round vacuums could never reach. With the addition of the sweeping corner brush in the s9+, you will be able to cover every single square inch of floor surface on corners and along edges.

Navigation

For a robot vacuum in this price range, it is vital that comes with the ability to do much more than the standard robot vacuum. It needs the ability to perform smart functions that will make your life easier and much more comfortable. Navigation is one area we can’t afford to overlooks let’s see what the s9+ brings to the table.

iRobot Roomba s9+ Robot Vacuum

For starters, it comes equipped with both iAdapt 3.0 and vSLAM technologies that help as it moves around your home. It is loaded with plenty of sensors that will help this Roomba to scan and detect any obstacles along its cleaning path so that it can avoid collisions while at the same time cleaning as much floor area as possible around the obstacle.

It also comes with Imprint Smart Mapping technology that creates accurate maps of your home to enable you to clean different rooms in your home at different times. You can even create and save unique floor maps for each floor level in your home and it will be able to recognize its surroundings when you place it on the level you would like to clean.

You will be able to easily view and make changes to all this information from the palm of your hand using the iRobot smartphone app that also allows you to get alerts and notifications from wherever you may be. You can also set up voice commands using an Amazon Alexa device to be able to tell the robot what you want it to do without lifting a finger.

Battery Performance

Being a cordless device, this review would be incomplete if we fail to mention how the battery on this device performs. From a full charge, this battery will be able to power the Roomba for up to 120 minutes.

This is a generous runtime by most standards, but it is made better by the fact that the Roomba will know when the battery is running low and interrupt the cleaning cycle before making way to the charging dock for a charge. After the battery is charged, it will go back and resume the cleaning job from where it had stopped.

iRobot Roomba s9+ (9550) Robot Vacuum

Self-Emptying Bin

Other than the D-Shape, another notable and rare feature of the Roomba s9+ is the self-emptying bin. The charging base on this Roomba also serves as extra storage for dirt from the small bin on the Roomba.

If during a cleaning cycle the bin gets full, this Roomba will make way to the charging dock and all the dirt in the bin will be emptied into the extra storage. This automatic dirt disposal storage can hold up to 30 bins of dirt so you can be sure that it will be quite a while before you need to think about emptying.

You will, however, have to buy extra bags because the unit comes with a disposable bag that you will need to replace when it gets full. However, some users have been able to empty and re-use the bag several times before needing to replace it so if you don’t suffer from severe allergies to airborne particles; this is an option that can reduce your robot’s maintenance cost.

It comes with two of these disposable bags in the box so it will still be a while before you need to purchase a replacement.

Filtration

Finally, let’s take a look at how effective the filters in this robot vacuum are. It comes with a HEPA filter that can capture 99% of particles and keep them from polluting the air in your home, so if you have pets or suffer from allergies, this Roomba will serve you perfectly.

iRobot s9+ (9550)

Conclusion

The Roomba s9+ is currently the most advanced robot vacuum from iRobot, and this also means that it is the most expensive. For its price, it does come with quite some impressive features that you simply won’t be able to find on any other cheaper robot. It is certainly one of the best robot vacuums ever made, and it delivers value for the money spent.

However, if you want the modern features but can’t justify spending the full amount on a robot vacuum, consider getting the Roomba s9 or the Roomba i7+ which come quite close when compared to the s9+. You will, however, have to make a few compromises for the price reduction.

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Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API



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