You heard someone say they loved their Roomba robot vacuum, and now you are wondering: Are iRobot Roombas worth it? Well, if you read my post: I May Be Frugal, But These Things Were Worth The Splurge, you know I splurged on a Roomba when I couldn’t keep up with our little ones and keeping the floors clean.
The iRobot Roomba robot vacuums are absolutely worth it for most people. They clean hardwood, vinyl, laminate, ceramic, tile, and carpet floors with the simple push of a button. You don’t even have to be home in order for your floors to get clean.
So while that spoils the secret that I absolutely think Roombas are worth it, there are some people who robot vacuums would NOT be good for. Hence, why you need to read the rest of this Roomba vacuum review.
This post contains affiliate links. That does not sway my opinion nor does it affect your purchase in any way. It simply adds a small amount of money to my coffee fund, so I can keep writing about ways to help you and your family save money, save time, and crush your goals.
IROBOT ROOMBA REVIEW
In this iRobot Roomba review, you will learn:
Who robot vacuums are good for — and who they are not
What you need to know before you buy a Roomba
Where to find the best deals on Robot Vacuums
iRobot Roomba Pros
These robot vacuums are great because they:
Clean hardwood, vinyl, and carpet floors
Transition seamlessly from one flooring type to the next
You can push the button and it will clean your floors while you do something more fun or important
Newer models are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
You can clean and schedule it from anywhere with the iRobot Home App
It’s much cheaper in the long run than hiring a cleaning service
Little kids can be amused for hours watching it and chasing it (while not important to cleaning, this has been useful as a busy work-at-home mom)
iRobot Roomba Cons
These downsides of iRobot Roomba vacuums are:
You have to have the floor space picked up or the vacuum will get tangled in stuff like clothes
They don’t work well on long, shaggy carpet
They are loud enough that you can’t watch TV if it’s vacuuming near you
My docking station can be glitchy and I sometimes need to prop the station at a different angle for it to charge
You can see my iRobot Roomba in action in the video below. I show the docking station, the virtual wall, and how it cleans the hardwood floors in my kitchen.
The Robot Vacuum I Bought – iRobot Roomba 650
After moving to a bigger house with double the floor space to enjoy–and clean–I heard a friend who said she loved her Roomba. At first, I thought really?! I thought those were kind of ridiculous, but alas, after 6 months in our new house, I was tired of sweeping and vacuuming the floors.
So I did my Google research thing, read lots of robot vacuum reviews, and ultimately purchased the iRobot Roomba 650. It’s an older model without a remote or wi-fi capability. Most of the models for sale now include both. You can see how the Roomba did in my kitchen at the end of the second video below.
Since the 650 is no longer widely available, you’re probably wondering which is the best Roomba to buy now.
Roomba With Wi-Fi and Great Reviews – iRobot Roomba 675
iRobot Roomba 675– If you want Wi-Fi so your Roomba can be compatible with Alexa or Google Assistant, then the Roomba 675 is the way to go.
With personal recommendations from my friends and readers, plus over 26,723 reviews with an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon, this model will be a great fit in your home.
Roomba Without Wi-Fi and Great Reviews – iRobot Roomba 614
iRobot Roomba 614 – If you do not care about Wi-Fi capability or connecting your vacuum to Alexa or Google Assistant, then the Roomba 614 is the way to go.
This Roomba robot vacuum has over 5,281 reviews and an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon. It runs for 90 minutes before automatically docking and recharging.
See The iRobot Roomba In Action
One year after buying my first robot vacuum, an iRobot Roomba, this is what I’ve learned, what I wish I knew before I bought it, and you can watch to see if the rug in my kitchen actually got clean.
Who Is An iRobot Roomba Good For?
An iRobot Roomba is good for you if:
You are ok with your floors being good, not perfect
You have other things you’d rather do than clean the floors
You have bigger open floor areas
You have hard floors and normal-medium length carpets
So far, I’ve only heard great things from those who end up buying a Roomba. However, they are not for everyone.
A Roomba is NOT for You if:
You have long, shaggy carpet
You are a control freak or need your floors cleaned perfectly
You have lots of furniture, toys, or clothes covering your floors
You regularly have things like messy food, kid slime, or animal poop on the floor (a robot vacuum will just make a bigger mess out of these…no fun)
So if you’ve determined a Roomba might be a good fit for you based on the above criteria, here are a few more things you need to know before you buy a Roomba.
What You Need to Know Before Buying a Robot Vacuum
The top 3 things you need to know before you buy your Roomba:
You need to pick up the area for the robot vacuum to clean without getting stuck (ex. clothes and cords)
You need to put something in front of stairways (ex. if you have an opening to stairs that go down, the robot vacuum can fall down the stairs). A vacuum that comes with a “wall” works great, as can a tote or box.
You will use it and love it so much, it will be like a pet in your family and you will name it
In Summary, Are iRobot Roombas Worth It?
Personally, I love my iRobot Roomba. I bought the iRobot Roomba 650 on Amazon during Black Friday and it is a purchase I would make again in a heartbeat.
My favorite features of the Roomba vacuum are:
I get to push a button, walk away, and do something much more enjoyable (usually it’s going for a walk with my kids or doing some virtual assistant work)
It cleans all my hardwood, carpet, and vinyl floors really well (everything except one long, shaggy carpet)
It doesn’t involve hard labor or messing with cords
The virtual wall gives you more control over what vacuuming will work best in your home layout
Little kids get a kick out of it
If you’re not a complete control freak, you have hardwood, vinyl, and average (not shaggy) carpet, and you want to save time doing housework, a Roomba vacuum would be worth it for you too.
The Roomba vacuums I recommend are:
iRobot Roomba 614 if you want a good basic model and don’t care about having wi-fi or scheduling features
iRobot Roomba 675if you want a newer model with wi-fi capability that works with Alexa
More on The Common Cents Club:
Cheers to living happy, saving time, saving money, and crushing goals.
Val Briet helps women create a life they love with money hacks, productivity tips, unique gift ideas, and honest reviews to find products that are worth it!
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