iRobot Roomba S9+ Review

Whether you’re a robot vacuum pro or novice, iRobot is one of the most well-known brands of robot vacuums, and the Roomba is now a household name — with good reason, too. The Roomba is known to be a reliable machine that makes cleaning hands-free forever. Will this model live up to the expectations? Let’s find out.

In this review, we’ll be talking about the Roomba S9+ robot vacuum, a new edition that features improved technology such as a self-emptying dust bin, enhanced sensors, mapping capabilities, and more.  The iRobot Roomba S9 and Roomba S9+ both came out in May 2019.

Despite its incredible host of features and advanced technology, it is worth noting that the iRobot Roomba S9+ is a vacuum that comes at a hefty price. Whether or not it’s a reasonable price is up to you. We say anyone who wants the best of the best robot vacuums would find that the investment is worth it. 

However, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option and have no need for a premium robot vacuum, take a look at our guide to the best robot vacuums at every price point.

About the iRobot Roomba S9+ Robot Vacuum

iRobot Roomba S9+

The iRobot Roomba S9 Plus Vacuum is the latest addition to iRobot’s roster of self-cleaning machines. It features a D-shaped design that improves upon its predecessor, the Roomba i7, as well as a self-emptying clean base that doubles as a charging dock. 

Plenty of reviews have named this the best robot vacuum they’ve encountered, and we’re here to see if it’s true. Without further ado, let’s head into the heart of the iRobot Roomba S9 review.

iRobot Roomba S9 Vacuum Review: Features

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The iRobot S9+ vacuum has been lauded as one of the best in the market, if not the absolute best. If we were to take a guess, this is likely due to its improved corner and side brush design as well as the self-emptying clean base that almost eliminates manual intervention. Now, we’ve taken this beloved vacuum on a few test runs ourselves, and here are the benefits we’ve found.

Edge Cleaning with Corner Brush

Before, almost every robot vac was shaped like a circle. That may have very well changed when models like Neato’s D-shaped vacuum cleaners first came out. And now that iRobot has followed suit, it’s not unlikely we’re going to see more of these designs.

The advantages of a vacuum with two sharp corners is apparent: it allows for thorough corner cleaning, which we all know is a challenge, robot vac or not. It also helps capture debris from the edges of cabinets, drawers, refrigerators, and other appliances. 

Sensors and The Underside

At the top of the vacuum, you’ll find buttons for Power, Spot Clean, and Home. You’ll also notice an LED light that glows white when cleaning, red when charging, and blue when connecting to WiFi and the iRobot app. This is where you will find the room confinement sensors, clutter sensors, and camera, too. Under the lid is where the dust bin and filter are located.

At the bottom, you’ll find the multi-surface rubber brushes, corner brush, cliff sensors, and dirt disposal port. This is also where the rear caster wheel and floor tracking sensor are housed.

Build Quality and Suction Power

Small changes made to the brush quality and size are also apparent. Because its brush roller is closer to the floor, the S9+ vacuum can very easily pick up dust and dirt without scattering them. It boasts a more efficient cleaning job than most robot vacuums by a long mile.

Another huge bonus is its suction power. With 2,500 pA of suction power — a huge upgrade from the i7’s 2000 pA suction capacity, one might add — the iRobot Roomba S9+ is immediately one of the most high-caliber vacuums right now. This means a more thorough cleaning performance on just about any surface: medium-pile carpet, low-pile carpet, high-pile carpet, hardwood floors, you name it.

How Long Will It Last?

There are some drawbacks to this seemingly ideal machine, and the biggest is its battery life. At high power, which is most likely where the vacuum will stay, battery life lasts around 50 minutes. You can save it by allowing the vacuum to operate on its lowest setting, which will leave you with around 120 minutes of battery life.

We don’t really consider this a dealbreaker, though — the powerful suction makes each cleaning session pretty quick, and unless you’ve got layers and layers of dirt or an unusually large room, then the lack of longer battery life isn’t so bad. Plus, the vacuum automatically recharges itself on the dock anyway, so even if the vacuum runs out of juice mid-clean, you won’t have to step in.

Cleaning Performance & Tests

The vacuum was shown to remove 94% of fine dust in a medium-pile carpet, which is a vast improvement from previous models that were only able to capture around 75%. However, the results weren’t as great on a lower setting, especially on high-pile carpets where it struggled the most. Fortunately, you can put the vacuum on auto mode where it adjusts power according to the floor type. 

Along with its increased suction power and improved corner brush, the Roomba S9 makes for an incredible all-around vacuum as it works on multiple floor types. It’s more powerful than any other robot vacuum we’ve tested thus far. 

As for hair pickup, it quite impressively sucks up pet hair, whether it’s dog hair or cat hair. But even more noteworthy is its ability to capture not only pet hair but longer strands of hair without them getting caught in the brushes.

Those prone to environmental ills may find the built-in HEPA filter extremely helpful: the built-in anti-allergen HEPA filter traps 99% of allergens such as pollen and molds.

Since the brush of the vacuum is placed significantly closer to the floor, do expect challenges when dealing with chunkier pieces of trash. While there is advanced object detection to avoid eating up jewelry or stray Airpods lying around on the floor, it’s best to make sure there is nothing of importance that might get sucked up. The Roomba S9+ is really powerful.

Automatic Dustbin Emptying & Charging Base

A self-emptying dustbin is nothing new for iRobot, but it’s an incredibly convenient feature nonetheless. Instead of having to babysit the vacuum cleaner through every cycle, you can leave it alone; it automatically moves to the dock when the dirt compartment is full and empties itself out, good as new. 

It’s not a fully autonomous robot vacuum, but it is very close. In fact, the most human intervention it needs is replacing disposable bags. The clean base, which is what the dock is called, has a dust bag that can hold up to 30 cleaning cycles’ worth of dirt. The vacuum itself comes with two disposable bags which are also for sale on Amazon.

Navigation

Another perk of the Roomba S9+ is enhanced navigation. The vacuum first sweeps through the room, going from wall to wall until it has successfully gone through the entire space. Then, it goes back over spots its missed until the entire room is spick and span. You have the option of choosing 1 or 2 passes on the iRobot app.

The vacuum sensors allow it to navigate swiftly through tables and chairs and go under beds and cabinets on its own. It also possesses some pretty neat object detection features that keep it upright and moving even as it bumps into plants, power cables, and other potential blocks.

Convenient Setup, App, and Voice Control

We’re more than happy to see robot vacuums become more accessible and easy to set up. The iRobot Roomba S9+, like its predecessors, is programmable via the iRobot app which is available on iOS and Android. 

On the app, you can control the cleaning schedule, see the battery level, and use a smart map, making it kind of the de facto remote control. It’s also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

The iRobot Roomba S9+ has the added capability of storing not one, not two, but ten-floor plans. It also lets you select, via the iRobot app, a specific room to target during each cleaning cycle.

A robot vacuum in general is designed for people who don’t have the time to do the deep cleaning themselves. To make the experience more convenient, the iRobot Roomba S9+ app comes with the option to schedule cleaning sessions to tailor your life.

Does Roomba S9 Have a Camera?

The iRobot Roomba S9+ comes with a camera sitting on top of the vacuum to help with navigation, object detection, and layout retention.

How Big is the Charging Base?

The iRobot Roomba S9+ comes with a self-emptying base for its own dust bin, and it also functions as a charging station. The dock stands at 19 inches in height, 12.2 inches in width, and 15 inches in depth. The dock shouldn’t be too heavy, so you can always move it from room to room if necessary.

Pros and Cons of iRobot Roomba S9+ Robot Vacuum

Roomba S9+ Review: Best Robot Vacuum?

The iRobot Roomba S9+ is one of the smartest and most powerful robot vacuums on the market. It’s not the first robot vacuum to possess a self-emptying dirt compartment or a smartphone capability, but its strength is in refining these features to make them work seamlessly every single time. If you’re looking for the most hands-off experience you can get with a robovac, the Roomba S9+ is where it’s at.

Frequently Asked Questions

iRobot Roomba S9 Plus Price and Availability

iRobot Roomba S9+ Robot Vacuum

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Conclusions

The iRobot Roomba S9+ is our favorite robot vacuum in the market. It’s not that it possesses the most advanced technology or it’s the most affordable one (in fact, it’s a little pricey). But what it does have are convenient features that actually work, and keep working.

iRobot Roomba S9+ Robot Vacuum

The iRobot Roomba S9+ is a cutting-edge robotic vacuum cleaner that offers a range of advanced features. It includes a self-emptying dust bin and a charging station, providing convenience and ease of use.

With its powerful vacuum suction and improved cleaning capabilities, the Roomba S9+ effectively tackles dirt and debris on various surfaces, including hard floors, low-pile carpets, and high-pile carpets.

One notable advantage is that it doesn’t require the use of virtual walls to contain its cleaning area. With its innovative design and functionality, the iRobot Roomba S9+ sets a new standard in automated home cleaning.

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