iRobot 900 Series Roomba 980 Vacuum Cleaning Robot Review

The iRobot 900 Series Roomba 980 is a state-of-the-art robot vacuum cleaner. It cleans an entire floor with multiple rooms and corridors without any supervision. It has a patented iAdapt 2.0 Navigation Technology with Visual Localization which enables it to gauge the layout of a room and find its way around it. Based on the placement of furniture, walls, doors and other objects in the house, it charts out a cleaning route which it follows systematically. This route helps the robot know which areas need to be cleaned and which areas are out of bounds.

The robot has Responsive Navigation which allows it to navigate multiple rooms. The technology prevents the machine from knocking against chairs, tables and people. If it senses a baby crawling on the floor or if there is a pan of milk put out for the cat, the robot turns and moves around the obstacle without bumping into it. It cleans the surrounding area without coming too close to the object.

The robot also has Cliff Detect Sensors that prevent it from tumbling down flights of stairs. The sensors, located at the bottom of the cleaner, tell the device when there is a staircase ahead and direct it to back up and take a different path.

The amazing thing about the Roomba 980 is that it has something called the AeroForce Cleaning System with Carpet Boost. This function provides up to 10 times the air power of Roomba 600 and 700 series AeroVa Systems. It automatically increases the suction power of the device when it moves over a carpet or rug.

The sensors inside the robot notify it about the fabric nature of the surface and the machine immediately switches to a higher suction force. The increased suction is needed for pulling out debris like sand, dust and hair embedded in carpets and rugs.

The AeroForce Cleaning System enables the machine to clean all kinds of floors including laminate, tiled, marbled, granite, carpeted and hardwood floors. The device has an Auto-Adjust Cleaning Head that automatically adjust the height of the cleaning brushes so that they stay in close proximity with the floor surface for more efficient dirt extraction.

The vacuum cleaner uses edge-sweeping spinning side brushes with a 27 degree tilt for picking up dust lodged along the edges of walls and in corners. It also has multi-surface tangle-free brushes that remove dust, mud, hair and pet fur without clogging the inlet.

The vacuum has a special 3-stage cleaning method by which the brushes scrape up dirt and shove it towards the path of the vacuum for quick removal. It has a special high-efficiency filter that intercepts up to 99% particles as tiny as 10 micron like dust, dust mites, pollen, spores and pet dander that float in with the sucked up air. The filter plays a key role in sanitizing the indoor environment and ensuring the health of your family.

The Roomba 980 vacuums for 2 hours at a stretch and then returns to its Home Base Charging Station to recharge its battery. Once the battery is up, it resumes cleaning and continues till the entire floor is done.

The robot remembers the place it had last cleaned and goes back to that exact spot and starts cleaning from there. The memory of the vacuum helps it keep track of where it has cleaned and where it is yet to clean. It optimizes the vacuuming process and makes sure not a single spot is left uncleaned.

The Roomba 980 has an advanced Dirt Detect technology. It allows the device to see which places are dirtier than others so that it can clean them more thoroughly. Such places may include doorsteps, kitchens, dining areas and corridors – places where a lot of dirt accumulates due to high traffic.

The robot is just 3.6 inches tall. It easily slips under beds, tables and couches and vacuums corners and edges that are hard to access. The appliance has a smart grey enclosure. It is round and has a diameter of 13.8 inches. It weighs 8.7 lbs.

The Roomba 980 can be controlled through the iRobot HOME app. You can customize your cleaning method, schedule future cleanings and know how much battery is left. You can view the cleaning activity in real time and get a map of the places vacuumed. You can also get tips on how to vacuum better and how to maintain the device.

The robot vacuum cleaner can be preset to vacuum once a day seven times a week. This allows you to pre-plan your chores so your days are organized and your house never misses a touch-up. The app automatically updates the software on the robot. It also has switchable push notifications for receiving the latest offers and news from the brand.  

The Roomba 980 is a smart robot. It works with Amazon smart speakers and can be controlled via Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.

The package includes the robotic cleaner, a Home Base Charging Station, a line cord, extra filter, extra side brush, two dual mode virtual wall barriers with batteries and an owner’s manual. The product has a 2-year manufacturer’s limited warranty on robot and a 1-year manufacturer’s limited warranty on battery.