The iRobot Roomba 980 Robot Vacuum robot Cleaner

Robot vacuums remove pet hair, lint, and dust from the floor before they can settle. They can also avoid stairs and other obstacles, including tippy furniture.

Most robotic vacuums require regular maintenance. This includes emptying the bin (and occasionally, rinsing it) and wiping the sensors and cameras. They also require to be connected. Many have smartphone apps for scheduling, setting up settings, and more.

iRobot Roomba 980

The iRobot Roomba 980, the latest in a series of top-of-the-line robot mop vacuum combo vacuums, is an essential for any modern home. This model is incredibly powerful suction and a HEPA filter that'll aid anyone who is concerned about allergies. On top of that it has a strong battery which can clean for up to two hours and it automatically returns to its dock when its bin is full.

Smart mapping is a different feature that helps it identify areas in your home that require attention, and then creates a path for cleaning around them. This technology is extremely effective in navigating toys that are left on the floor or furniture legs sticking out underneath things. It also has a camera sensor that will snap the Roomba back to the real world when it starts to drift from its actual location.

iRobot has also added a set of rollers underneath the Roomba that don't have bristles and therefore are more likely to withstand the tangles that previous models. These are also a little taller than previous rollers, and will fit better under beds and couches with low sides and are designed to help this model navigate more easily across a variety of flooring types.

What sets the Roomba 980 apart from other high-end models, though, is its integration of the new dirt detection feature, which uses cameras to detect bits of embedded dirt. This is a nice improvement over the previous version, which relied on the sensor-driven pseudorandom cover method to bounce around a room and clean it at least three times from different angles.

The Roomba 980 performed well in our tests on both carpets and hard floors. Its score on the low pile carpet was very good and it also scored a high score on mid pile, too. It was successful in collecting pet hair, but had a difficult time with the thick and long pet hair that was stuck together.

The Roomba 980 is still one of the top performing robots on our list, despite these minor limitations. It's also less expensive than other top-of the-line models. It still has a lot of features that we'd expect to see in a flagship model however, it doesn't come with all the fancy apps or smart home integration that you'll find in other top contenders.

The iRobot Roomba is simple to set up and start running right away. After you have removed the pull tab for the battery and the yellow bin insert from undercarriage, vacuum robot all that you need to connect it to its Home Base docking station or a wall socket, press its large "Clean" button, and let it get to work. It will automatically return to its dock when its battery is out or it's stuffed with debris, and it also has indicators on the top for when the bin is full, it requires recharging, or its Wi-Fi signal has gone out.