Roomba 980 Review and Test

The Roomba 980 is the first iRobot product with intelligent navigation. Is it as good as a Neato or Roborock product?

This product has gone through a series of tests to find out, and the results are sold out.

He’s not perfect, but he’s very good at what he does.

Positives

Negatives

Introduction to Roomba 980

Before the 980 was introduced, all iRobot products used a standard hopping algorithm, so their products only bounce in a random direction.

Coverage wasn’t a concern because the software was sophisticated enough, so it cleans the entire area. But efficiency was another issue, because the older Roombas weren’t smart.

That all changed with the 980. It was the first Roomba with a top-mounted camera and iAdapt 2.0 navigation system. So you can draw maps internally.

This upgrade translates to better efficiency and the ability to cover a large area without getting lost.

How does the Roomba 980 navigate?

The 980 will navigate what iRobot calls “stylish rows” — straight back and forth patterns like Neato and Roborock.

But unlike these LIDAR-based brands, they use a camera to help them recognize and locate obstacles.

Below the robot is another tracking sensor, just in case the lights go down. This redundancy helps prevent the robot from getting lost in areas of low visibility.

It is a similar sensor found in Roborock E4 Or the Roomba I3+.

iAdapt 2.0

iRobot calls this technology iAdapt 2.0. It’s a fancy term for VSLAM or Synchronous Optical Localization and Mapping. iAdapt 2.0 maps internally based on snapshots from the camera. It also helps him remember where he is, so he doesn’t clean up already covered areas.

However, version 2.0 does not have the ability to save the map for version 3.0 found in latest i6, I7 and S9.

Since it cannot save maps, users will not be able to access containment features such as exclusion zones.

Consumers will not see the live map when the bot is running. Only after playback can the map be accessed by clicking on the history menu.

Will the Roomba 980 dig up furniture?

iRobot products have improved significantly in this area. The Roomba 690 was notorious for hitting furniture at full speed. This is no longer the case with the 980. It slows down and pushes things rather than crashing into them.

How will you do in confined spaces?

I also tested the 980 how it navigates in tight spots under the chair legs. It can move around without getting stuck, especially with the office chair, where the Roomba 690 had a problem.

One of the 980’s strengths is to move in and out of tight areas.

Can wires be avoided?

no. None of Roomba’s options can avoid wires. It is better to arrange them before you turn them on. Only products like Roborock S6 Max V Or the front-facing Ecovacs T8 will have some success avoiding it.

Design

980 keeps the round frame as old Roomba خيارات Options Like 675 and 690. But there is a complete overhaul of the interface.

You will see the camera in the middle and three buttons above it. But I don’t think you will use it much because of the app.

Below the camera there is a lever to remove the trash.

Below, the 980 has a single side brush and anti-rotation extractors that iRobot used from the 800 series onwards.

These rollers don’t have any bristles, so they resist tangles better [more on that later].

App Features of Roomba 980

This model is compatible with the iRobot Home app. Please note that you will need a router to connect the app and the robot. The process is straightforward, with good contact.

Once inside, you will notice that it does not contain a map. It displays an image of the robot with a “Vacuum Cleaner Everywhere” button under it.

Since 980 cannot save maps, the live map cannot be accessed.

Cleaning Preferences

Users can customize cleaning preferences such as power settings, how often it runs, or turn on edge cleaning.

There are three options – automatic, one pass, or two passes.

The 980 has two power modes – performance and economy. You can also set it to auto mode so the robot will only go to the maximum setting on the mat.

One feature I like is the “box behaviour”, where the robot automatically docks if the container is full. Prevents messy accidents from running the robot with the trash full.

Unfortunately, there is no access to containment features.

Scheduling feature

The iRobot app also has a scheduling feature where you can set the time and date the robot will clean your house. Compared with the Xiaomi Home app, the function is very basic.

One limit is that you can only schedule one run per day. After setting the time and date, there is no option to set more runs on the same day.

As you can see in the screenshot above, the days on the right are disabled. This means that you have already set a scheduled playback for that day.

I hope iRobot will handle this in the future and add unlimited scheduling in future versions of the app.

How powerful is the Roomba 980?

To check power, I use an anemometer to measure airflow directly from the robot’s brush roll.

Here are the results for the Roomba 980.

• Prefix meaning environment: 13.74 cubic feet per minute
• performance: 19.74 cubic feet per minute

The 980 has up to 19 CFM’s in performance mode, one of the highest I’ve tested so far.

It’s one of the more efficient Roomba options with more airflow than the more expensive Roomba I7 and Roborock S6 MaxV.

This high airflow translates well in cleaning floors thanks to the excellent design of the hoods and the “dirt detection” sensor.

cleaning performance

The 980 has undergone a series of pick-up tests on various types of debris such as sand, Quaker oats, quinoa, pet litter, Cheerios, fruit rings, and more.

Here are the results.

• Total: 97.65%
• hardwood floors: 99.35%
• Sand on hard floors: 100%
• Carpet (surface): 99.35%
• deep cleaning: 91.9%

The scores were consistent across all tests. It is with the Roborock S5 Max with the surface debris test, but with better results in the deep cleaning tests.

One reason to clean it so well is its dirt detection technology that focuses on soiled spots.

hard floor results

• Quaker Oats: 98.4%
• coffee: 100%
• Quinoa: 100%
• pet litter: 99%

One of the reasons the 980 didn’t succeed with Quaker Oats is the side brush that scattered a portion of it. If I could get a nitpick, a quick spinning side brush would spread out the debris piled up together like that. This should not be a concern for daily cleaning as you are only dealing with dust particles or hair mostly.

Sand test on hard floor.

I sprinkled 50g of sand in a test area to see how much of a 980 it would pick up. I picked up Averaged 100% in two tests.

As you saw in the clip above, he was able to clean most of the sand in the front pass. He exposed the dirt kick and made another pass back. I didn’t have to wait for the session to finish to pick up everything. So the efficiency is excellent.

hair wrap test

Another area to consider when buying a robot vacuum is how tangle-resistant it is. For testing, I spread one gram from five to seven inches of a human hair. This is a loose estimate because some of the strands were over seven inches.

The 980 was able to withstand entanglement up to seven inches.

But the cut-off point is seven. Anything over seven inches will wrap around the brush and axle.

Remember, brushing that long hair is not realistic. But it is a good experience to know the limits of the extracts.

Edge cleaning

The 980’s rounded shape will limit how well it cleans dirt on the edges. I scattered leftover coffee in this corner of my home office to see how clean it was.

It was able to clean most of the debris, but the rim wasn’t completely clean. Edge cleaning will be an issue with most round frame robots.

Big debris test

It won’t be easy to clean up very large and bulky items like Cheerios and Fruit loops on your Roomba 980. Rubber suction tools will easily sweep up these types of debris.

However, the pieces will be particles the size of the fruit rings. You won’t pick up two fruit rings that stick together.

Carpet results

Next, we’ll check out how well the 980 picks up dirt on carpets. me

low pile

• Quaker Oats: 99.2%
• coffee: 98%
• Quinoa: 100%
• pet litter: 100%

It had excellent scores on low-pile carpets. You can clearly see spotting dirt and rubber extractors in action here. The passes back and forth were sufficient in most cases to capture the majority of the wreck.

middle stack

• Quaker Oats: 98.6%
• coffee: 99%
• Quinoa: 100%
• pet litter: 100%

Results in the middle of the stack are also excellent with two scores at 100% and the other two being in the high 90s. Oddly enough, it cleaned the ground coffee on a medium pile rug a little better than it did on a low pile.

deep cleaning test

To see how well the 980 cleans built-in dirt, I rub 100g of fine sand on a medium pile rug.

This robot was able to capture Rank 91.9% in 2 examsThis is one of the highest rates ever recorded using a robotic vacuum cleaner.

It’s there with Roomba S9 and 980 – Both average 90+ percent.

Carpet Rolling Test

I also did another test of hair rolling on the rug. This time I spread strands longer than seven inches by just over a gram.

How long should a Roomba 980 battery last?

The Roomba 980 has a 3,300mAh Li-ion battery and will do just that Play up to 120 minutes in an economic setting.

Please note that its close brother, the 960, uses a smaller 1800mAh battery, so its runtime is shorter at 75 minutes.

Since this bot has been recharged and resumed, uptime shouldn’t be a big concern. If the battery is low and you haven’t finished cleaning, it will recharge and go back to the same area that was cleaned most recently in the previous run.

What I love about Roomba 980 is How easy is it to replace the battery. It’s modular design, so the battery is easy to access. You will only need to remove two screws from the bottom and you will not have to remove the entire base plate.

This feature helps the 980 be a viable long-term option if you want a bot that will last for years.

What is the sound of the Roomba 980?

Unfortunately, the Roomba 980’s powerful engine has bad side effects, it’s loud. very loud.

I used a sound meter to measure the noise, and here are the results.

• Prefix meaning environment: 66 dB
• performance: 74.2 dB

In performance mode, it feels like a rocket. Even in economy mode, I would not recommend using this robot at dawn or late at night, as it may disturb your family members or neighbours.

product specification

Is Roomba 980 discontinued?

Yeah. Roomba 980 is no longer available on the iRobot website. You can choose the cheaper Roomba 960 with a smaller battery and motor, or purchase a related model such as the 981 or 981. These models are the same as the 980. There may be differences with the included accessories.

Roomba 980 . Maintenance

As with all Roomba products Maintenance is an important component of longevity. Don’t worry, I’ve outlined a step-by-step guide at Cleaning different components from Roomba 980 to keep it in tip-top shape for years.

Where can I buy Roomba 980?

Roomba 980 is no longer available on Amazon brand new. But there are alternative options like 981 or 985 that have the same features.

You can also choose the new 980 because parts are in abundance. It is a good and less expensive option.

• Roomba 981 at amazon.
• Roomba 985 at amazon.
• Roomba 980 at Amazon.

Not giving an opinion: I’ll earn a commission if you buy through any of the links above, but at no additional cost to you, so it’s a win for us!

Is Roomba 980 worth it?

Even if there are cheaper options out there that offer similar cleaning performance, I think the 980 is still worth considering.

One reason is performance. It is one of the best robot vacuums out there for cleaning dirt on carpets.

Roomba products work well because of the dual brushing and dirt detection that leads to extra passes on the dirtiest areas.

None of the other brands own this technology because iRobot owns the patent.

If you need a robotic vacuum cleaner that can deep clean carpets, the 980 is one of the best alternatives for the job.

4 reasons to buy Roomba 980

Verdict: Best mid-priced option for rugs

While the Roomba 980 may not have the bells and whistles of the higher-spec S9+, it is much cheaper and cleans carpets well.

It’s not far behind the S9+ in deep cleaning tests with a score of 91%. I like iRobot’s Dirt Detection system and how it can make extra passes in areas where there is a lot of sand.

The 980 is still a bit pricey, about the same level as the S5 Max with more functionality. But if you prioritize carpet cleaning and don’t mind the lack of containment and wiping features, the 980 is an excellent choice.