What surfaces does Roomba clean?
It’s a weekly ritual for us all: drag the clunky upright or canister vacuum out, empty the bag and run tediously from room to room, dragging a cord behind you while trying to keep up with your family’s dirt and pet hair. No one enjoys vacuuming, and depending on your schedule and household, it can be a lengthy chore.
However, there’s a way to simplify it — the iRobot Roomba vacuum. This robotic vacuum runs on its own, cleaning floors while you go about your day. But does Roomba work on carpet?
Roomba details
Roomba launched its line of robot vacuums in 2002 and has become the name most associated with this type of “set it and forget it,” hands-off vacuuming. Simply turn your Roomba on and continue about your day while this tiny robot vacuum does the work.
Roombas rely on the same technology as self-driving cars. They’re approximately the size of a frisbee and have rotating brushes on the bottom. These brushes loosen the dirt and pet hair on carpets and hard floors, and this dirt is sucked up into the vacuum.
Many of the newer Roombas can be programmed to start and stop their workday at a specific time. If you want to come home to sparkling vacuumed floors but don’t want to have to remember to turn your vacuum on, Roomba has you covered.
So how does a Roomba know where to vacuum? The earliest versions were literally hit-and-miss. Sometimes they hit a corner and turned around to re-vacuum an area, missing other areas completely.
These days, Roombas use one of two mapping systems — light detection and ranging or visual simultaneous localization and mapping — to create a layout of your home. This helps the Roomba remember where it has vacuumed and where to go next.
Key Roomba features
All Roomba vacuums, regardless of model, are designed to vacuum your house without any effort from you. Beyond that, available features vary widely, depending on your budget and your model year.
Newer models have onboard HEPA filters to screen and catch tiny particles that you vacuum. These more recent Roombas also feature up to 40 times the suction of older models for more vacuuming power.
When the vacuuming is complete or your Roomba needs a charge, its mapping systems help it find its way back to its base. Some of these bases allow for self-emptying, which means your Roomba could run completely on its own for up to 2 months.
Many newer Roombas also connect to your smartphone or smart speaker, coordinating cleaning schedules and creating “keep out” zones in your home. Over time, your Roomba learns the layout of your home and your desired cleaning schedules and begins to direct itself.
Do Roombas actually work on carpet?
Roombas work incredibly well on all types of floors, including carpet. They also transition well from one surface to the next. Sensors on the bottom of the Roomba indicate when the vacuum has left one surface to go to another and change the suction as needed.
Even so, don’t throw out your traditional vacuum just yet. Although they’re great at keeping everyday messes under control, Roombas aren’t yet capable of serious deep carpet cleaning. For that, you’ll still need a regular vacuum.
The other reason to keep your regular vacuum is stairs. Roomba comes with cliff sensors that automatically turn it around when it senses a drop-off. You’ll still need to vacuum those, too.
How much do Roombas cost?
When it comes to robot vacuums, keep in mind that you’re swapping the time spent vacuuming for your money. When you think of how much time they save you, the price range of $150-$1,000 seems like a bargain, and there are solid models at even the lowest price points.
Best Roombas for carpet
Best overall Roomba for carpet and all surfaces
iRobot Roomba s9+: available at Amazon
At almost $1,000, this top-of-the-line Roomba pays you back in time and sparklingly clean floors. With powerful suction for the highest-pile carpets and self-emptying capacity for up to 2 months, this Roomba works so you don’t have to.
Best Roomba for carpets with pet hair
iRobot Roomba S9: available at Amazon
The S9 is another entry into the smart line of robot vacuums that coordinates with Alexa for easy, hands-free cleaning. This Roomba has a HEPA filter and uses three-stage cleaning that loosens pet hair from carpets for easy removal.
Best budget Roomba for carpet
iRobot Roomba 675: available on Amazon and Home Depot
The 675 uses AI to learn your voice and cleaning patterns, offering personalized cleaning schedules that suit you. It’s compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa.
Best Roomba for high-pile carpet
Roomba i7+: available at Amazon
With a huge docking station and bigger dustbin, this self-emptying smart Roomba makes quick work of anything your carpets can throw at it.
Suzannah Kolbeck is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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