iRobot Roomba s9+

amazon iRobot Roomba s9+ reviews

iRobot’s Roomba s9+ is pricey, but its smart navigation, super-strong suction, and self-discharge make it the best robot vacuum we’ve tested.

iRobot impressed us with the Roomba i7+, the first robot vacuum we tested that could clean your home and then clean itself by emptying its trash can. Can it get any better than that? Turns out it can. iRobot’s newest vacuum, the Roomba s9+, takes what we like about the i7+ and puts it in a new shape better for reaching tough areas, with four times the suction power. With multiple sensors and camera-based navigation, it learns to layout your home over time. At $1,399.99, this is the most expensive robot vacuum we’ve tested to date. However, its strong suction, smart navigation, and self-emptying ability make it the best you can buy.

Design

Instead of the standard round shape, you see on most robot vacuums (including every other Roomba), the s9+ has a similar D-shape to the Neato Botvac D4 Connected. That allows it to go deeper into corners and align itself with the wall.

Aside from the change in shape, it looks a lot better than the i7+, with an eye-catching copper lid that matches the accents on the Clean Base. It’s also smaller, measuring 12.3 inches in diameter and 3.5 inches tall, compared to the previous model’s 13.4 x 3.7 inches.

The top of the vacuum is home to the RCON (room compartment), clutter sensor, camera, and buttons for Clean/Power, Spot Clean, and Home. There’s also an LED ring indicator that glows red when charging, white when wiping, and blue when connected to Wi-Fi. The side of the vacuum cleaner has a wall sensor. Underneath the lid, you’ll find a dustbin and filter along with a handle.

The bottom of the s9+ is home to the angle brush, multi-surface rubber brush, brush cover, brush latch, brush bracket release tab, charging contact, and cliff sensor. It also has a dirt-handling port, floor-tracking sensors, and rear wheels.

Then there’s the Clean Base (which needs to be plugged into a wall outlet), where the robot attaches, charges, and dumps its trash. The front has an LED indicator light, along with the box lid, air vents, wheel wells, and garbage outlet. When the s9+ docks on its own, all the dirt it collects is automatically sucked into the Clean Dock, which can hold up to 30 cleaning debris; the app will notify you when it’s time to exchange it for a new app. The vacuum cleaner comes in two bags, and you can buy more in packs of three for $14.99.

Additional accessories include an extra filter and an extra corner brush. Clean Bases are available for $299 if you want to add them to other rooms. On the other hand, you can buy the s9+ without a clean base like the regular s9 for $1,099.99.

where can you get a iRobot Roomba s9+ online

iRobot Roomba s9+ (9550) Robot Vacuum with Automatic Dirt Disposal-Empties Itself for up to 60 Days, Wi-Fi Connected, Smart Mapping, Powerful Suction, Corners & Edges, Ideal for Pet Hair, Black: Buy it now

iRobot Roomba s9+ (9550) Robot Vacuum & Braava Jet m6 (6112) Robot Mop Bundle – Wi-Fi Connected, Smart Mapping, Powerful Suction, Precision Jet Spray, Corners & Edges, Ideal for Multiple Rooms: Buy it now

iRobot Roomba s9+ (s955020) Robot Vacuum Bundle with Automatic Dirt Disposal- Wi-Fi Connected, Smart Mapping, Ideal for Pet Hair (+1 Extra Edge-Sweeping Brush, 1 Extra Filter): Buy it now

Setup, apps, and voice control

To pair your s9+ with your phone, you first need to download the iRobot Home app, which is available for Android and iOS devices. Setup is as simple as creating an account, choosing your specific vacuum model, choosing a Wi-Fi network, entering a password, and pressing the Spot and Home buttons on the vacuum until you hear a beep.

Once connected, the app’s home screen has a large Clean button to start and stop vacuuming, with the battery level shown above. At the bottom of the screen are the Schedule, History, Smart Maps, Help, and Settings tabs. Click the Schedule tab to assign the vacuum cleaner to a specific date and time. The History tab shows a log of your cleaning sessions. The smart map shows the layout of your house; it takes a few rounds for the vacuum to find out. You can then label specific rooms to send the vacuum if you don’t want to clean the entire house. The Help tab contains care and maintenance manuals, owner’s guide, FAQ, and warranty information. The Settings tab is where you can change your Wi-Fi information, switch languages, locate the vacuum cleaner, and perform a factory reset.

You can also connect the s9+ to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant through their respective apps. Once connected, you can voice commands through your phone or other compatible devices to tell the vacuum to start, stop, pause, or return to the base.

Performance

The S9+ has excellent navigation and rarely requires manual intervention during testing, which is important for a completely natural experience. I followed the s9+ around as it cleaned, as well as watched as it maneuvered around chairs and tables with ease. Its relatively low profile also allows it to move under most low-elevation furniture.

It also has the strongest suction we’ve seen in a robot vacuum. In testing, the s9+ picked up dust, hair, and all sorts of other debris without a problem. It also automatically changes the suction strength depending on cleaning carpet (heavier suction) or wood and tile (lighter suction). For the most part, it cleans in a back-and-forth pattern in open spaces, and its D-shape is great for hard-to-reach areas. In testing, it would graze walls, allowing the side brush to pick up dust and debris in the corners.

Once cleaning is complete, the s9+ automatically goes to Clean Base to clean itself. I want to emphasize how cool this feature is. After all, you can buy a robot vacuum to reduce manual labor. No need to vacuum clean after each cleaning; the process becomes truly hands-free. You have to change the bag in the Clean Base; compared to pretty much any other vacuum out there, robotic or otherwise, it doesn’t get any easier than this.

With the Smart Map feature, the s9+ learned the layout of my apartment after a few glances. After it was mapped, I labeled each room and sent it exactly where I wanted to clean it.

It’s not all perfect. For starters, the s9+ is a lot louder than most robot vacuums. Be prepared to turn up the volume on the TV if the TV is cleaning in the same room. It gets even bigger when it docks and dumps itself into the Clean Base. In terms of suction power here, it is understandable that it sounds louder than many other types of vacuum cleaners. And you can clean it up by setting it to clean when you’re out of the house.

I used the s9+ for 60 minutes in terms of battery life, which is the same result we’ve seen from the i7+ and isn’t too impressive. For comparison, the Neato Botvac D7 Connected is the longest-running vacuum we’ve seen, with up to 130 minutes of battery life.

Conclusion

The iRobot Roomba s9+ is the most powerful, automatic robot vacuum we’ve tested. At $1,399.99, it’s also the most expensive. That said, if you’re looking for a truly hands-free cleaning experience and you want the most powerful vacuum possible, the s9+ is one of the products to get and your choice. The $999.99 i7 + is still a strong choice, even if it’s not as powerful. Of course, you can also spend less. The Neato mentioned above Botvac D4 Connected has the same D-shape as the s9+ and longer battery life for $499.99.For just $229, the Ecovacs Deebot N79S offers app control and Alexa compatibility. However, both are not as powerful as the s9+ and are unlikely to run out independently. In the end, it depends on how much you are willing to pay for convenience.

Advantages

Self-emptying trash.

Strong suction.

Smart navigation.

Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Disadvantage

Expensive.

Noise.

Normal battery life.