Which Roomba to Buy in 2020? – Part 1: Cleaning Carpets & Hardwood

Best Roomba Vacuum Robot

There is no doubt that the iRobot Roomba is among the best and most durable vacuum robots. Yet, it’s not easy to pick one. Searching amazon we got 60+ different answers. There are indeed many Roombas on the market, with different features and accessories. There is also a wide range of prices: from $200 up to $1100.

This “Which Roomba to Buy?” is a 5 parts series that will help you choose the Roomba that best meets your needs. We focus on 15 Roomba that actually worth it. Those are the ones that have satisfied a large panel of users. To provide you with the best possible reviews, we have collected no less than 375 data points, based on criteria presented in our 2019 Vacuum Robot Guide.

The following, is dedicated to Part 1 of our series. We first discusses features that impact cleaning performance on different types of floors, including carpets and hardwood. Then, web build up on these criteria to select the 3 best among the 15 Roomba we have reviewed.

How to Compare Roomba Cleaning Performance on Carpets & Hardwood?

With regular vacuums, cleaning performance is mostly related to suction power. But, with vacuum robots, suction power is not the only characteristic to impact cleaning performance. In the following we discuss all the features that make a Roomba good at cleaning different kinds of floors: hardwood, tiles, linoleum, or carpets.

– Main Brush System

Most vacuum robots have a main brush underneath to loosen dirt and make it easier to suck. All Roomba do have a main brush system, made of two brushes. These are counter rotating brushes to maximize dust and hair pick up. Besides, some Roomba can adjust the height of their main brush system to adapt to the type of floor they are cleaning. So, for better performance, best Roomba raise the brushes on hardwood floors, and lower them on carpets.

– Edge Cleaning

Because Roomba are round, their main brush cannot collect dirt at the edges. Side brushes compensate by allowing Roomba to reach most dust and hair strands that are often located near walls and at corners.

– Dirt Sensor

It makes Roomba detect dirtiest spots, and spend more time cleaning them. Advanced combo-sensors are better than basic ones. They combine acoustics and optics to better detect dirt.

– Filter Type

The filter is located right at the exhaust of the robotic vacuum. This is why the filter type directly impacts the quality of air in your home. There are 2 kinds of filters for Roomba: basic and high-performance HEPA filter. Only the high-performance one can capture very fine particles, pollen, and dust mite.

Which Roomba is Best for Thick Carpets & Hardwood?

Best Roomba overall for cleaning all floors, including thick carpets and hardwood is the Roomba i7. It is the one with highest suction power. But, as explained above, other criteria are important too. And this high-end Roomba has it all. This is why it achieves best cleaning performance on all kind of floors. It is also excellent for fighting allergy, thanks to its high performance filter.

Roomba i7
Best for All Floors
Roomba i7Buy Roomba i7 from Amazon

- Best Value Roomba for Carpets & Allergy

The best value Roomba for carpets is Roomba e5. It costs almost half the price of the i7. Nevertheless, Roomba e5 still manages to achieve very good performance cleaning thick carpets, and other floors. Besides, it also has a high performance filter that captures allergens.

Roomba e5
Best Value for Carpets
Roomba e5Buy Roomba e5 from Amazon

- Best Value Roomba for Hardwood

If your home has only slick floor such as hardwood, tiles, or linoleum, a cheap Roomba 690 is a good pick. Its suction power combined with counter rotating main brushes will do a good job. Combined with the side brush, it will remove all dust and hair. And, thanks to the advanced dirt sensor, Roomba 690 will spend more time cleaning dirtiest areas.

Roomba 690
Best Value for Hardwood
Roomba 690Buy Roomba 690 from Amazon

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