Video made by Vacuum Wars
The Roomba i3+ is another robot vacuum in the iRobot "i" lineup. It is the cheapest model with a self-emptying bin in the model line.
The robot has mapping as well as brushless rollers.
Roomba i3+ features
- Has a mapping feature
- Comes with brushless rollers ideal for pet hair
- Self-emptying bin system is one of the best in the industry
- Strong suction
- Navigates in straight lines
- Compatible with Amazon Alexa / Google Home
- The app gives useful personalized scheduling suggestions and seasonal recommendations
- Integrated with the Braava jet m6 thanks to Imprint Link Technology
- Has dirt detect
- Resumes cleaning after recharging
The Roomba i3+ does not have a camera, it navigates with the help of a floor tracking system.
Old Roombas move randomly pin-balling around, the i3+ has a purposeful navigation pattern.
This technology is cheaper (compared to a camera) and this is why the i3+ costs less than the i7+.
During navigation tests, there wasn't noticeable difference between the i3+ and i7+. Both navigate in a pretty much the same way.
Because of not having a camera, the i3+ can work in the dark.
In terms of basic construction, the i3+ and i7+ are visually the same. The manufacturer claims both have the same suction power.
In terms of pick up and cleaning ability, the i3+ does the same job as the i7+ which is impressive.
It has no problem picking up sand or large debris.
When speaking of the deep carpet clean performance, the Roomba i3+ shines too.
Because of having paterned two double-rotating rollers the Roomba does a good job at deep carpet clean. Along with dirt detect and strong suction, the robot might be one of the best for carpet.
The rollers do a good job agitating dirt and debris off carpet.
In the deep clean test, the Roomba i3+ scored 81% which is a good result, better than average.
Once the robot finishes cleaning, it docks itself where the bin sucks up the debris out of the robot's bin content.
The Roomba is one of the best robots on the market that resists hair tangling.
The rollers are easy to maintain but it those are also good catching a minimum amount of hair.
The Roomba i3+ is essential for pet owners and those who have long hair
The drawback of the tracking system is lacking of no-go zones and room cleaning. You can't order the robot to go to clean a particular room as well as setting virtual walls that would keep it off some cluttered areas.
This would not make a difference for homes with a clean layout.
The i3+ also might not adapt as good to furniture location as the ones with a built-in camera.
Another con is battery life. The robot lasts up to 75 minutes which does not make it suitable for bigger homes. It also has one power setting only. Battery life is below average.
Because of having mapping abilities, the Roomba i3+ knows where it has or hasn't been. Once it runs low on battery, it returns to the bin, recharges and then resumes cleaning from the same spot it left.
To conclude
The Roomba i3+ is as good as the i7+ in terms of cleaning ability. It also has a self-emptying bin, the same suction, and the same back-and-forth navigation pattern.
The only downside is lacking the smart features such as keep-out zones, room cleaning and multimapping.