The Roomba i5+ is the latest robot vacuum cleaner from iRobot, the company that is now saturating its own market by continuously releasing slightly different models. The numbers in the names don’t help: a higher number doesn’t always represent a better version. Confusion all around, but how does this model perform? You can read it in the Roomba i5+ review.
iRobot Roomba i5+
MSRP 699 euros (with Clean Base)
Website irobot.com 7 Score 70 
- Pros
- Accurate and methodical
- Smart card within app
- Premium design
- Clean Base
- Negatives
- Incredibly pricey
- Not the smartest
- Relatively small sump
- Uncertainty model numbers
Last year, iRobot released the Roomba i3 and i3+. At the time, this was the cheapest model you could buy with the so-called Clean Base. This is a base station where the robot vacuum cleaner charges and where it automatically empties the contents of its container.
The suggested retail price at the time was 449 euros without Clean Base and 699 euros with the station. We encounter the same prices with the Roomba i5 and i5+ from 2022. These vacuum cleaners offer a number of smart tricks that we encounter on other iRobot models.
Roomba i5 vs Roomba i3
The comparison with the Roomba i3 is appropriate here for several reasons, because both vacuum cleaners have many similarities. For example, they both have a High-Efficiency Filter that retains 99 percent of all pollen, mold, dust mites and cat or dog allergens. At the bottom of the Roomba i5 is a 3-Stage Cleaning System, which consists of two Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes, which do not lose contact with the ground. There is also an Edge-Sweeping Brush, with which you can include skirting boards and corners in the cleaning sessions.
With Dirt Detect, the Roomba i5 knows where the floor needs a little extra attention, so that the device does extra cleaning there next time. Those are great functions, but they are also represented on the Roomba i3 released in 2021. That is not without reason: iRobot wants to phase out that model.
The container has a volume of 0.4 liters. Relatively little dust and junk goes in there, so keep in mind that the container is filled in no time. Fortunately, you can buy this model with the Clean Base, which automatically empties the contents of the container after cleaning.
It is also possible to empty the bin at the push of a button within the app. The manufacturer will give you two AllergenLock bags, which will last you about sixty days. After roughly 120 days you will have run out of that small supply and you will have to purchase new bags from iRobot.
The bags are not very expensive, but they are an extra cost item that not everyone is waiting for. How much is automatic emptying of the collector worth to you? That’s a question you can answer for yourself; looking at the price of the Clean Base (250 euros) and that of the bags (20 euros for three pieces), we do not think it is worth the investment.
Does the job well
After installing the Roomba i5, which only takes a few minutes, you can take the vacuum cleaner for a test drive. You do this by instructing him to create a map of the area within the app. You can then set up rooms yourself. Do this right once and you won’t have to worry about it anymore.
The controls in the app are a bit clunky, since setting room boundaries is a chore. But if it works and goes well, you can order the vacuum cleaner to clean a specific room.
You should not expect more than that. Unlike more expensive models, the Roomba i5 does not support Keep Out zones or Clean Zones. If you don’t want your robot vacuums to go somewhere (because there are a lot of wires, for example), then you have to find another way to prevent the device from ending up there.
Paying at least 449 euros for a robot vacuum cleaner is a lot of money, but you can cough up extra money for such smart options. Fortunately, the vacuum cleaner continues to work accurately. The device also takes its time by going straight through all the rooms structurally and systematically.
The combination of the rubber brush and the brush on the side provides a clean floor in many situations. Here the device mainly drives around on a laminate floor, but there is also a deep-pile carpet. If there are no devices, chairs or wires in the way, then you don’t have to worry that the Roomba i5 is work-shy. However, the obstacle detection on more expensive models is – simply – better.
On the deep-pile carpet, we also notice that the vacuum cleaner does not work as well. Especially the side brush is in the way. Fortunately, the wheels on the bottom don’t leave hard marks.
Missing features within the app
When you buy a cheaper Roomba, you should actually take into account that you are getting a stripped-down version of a good robot vacuum cleaner. We are missing a number of functions within the app. For example, there is no Robot Health section (with which you check and keep track of the health of various parts) and we miss iRobot Genius 4.0 options. We also cannot set what the Clean Base should do when the robot parks itself. So for really smart functions you have to dig deeper into your pocket.
That said, the app is functional and nicely designed. iRobot presents the various options clearly, so that you can quickly put your robot to work. Whether you want to create a map, start a cleanup or set a schedule, it doesn’t matter. After opening the app, scroll down to see the options, otherwise you will find the rest of the options in the hamburger menu on the left. You can also save cleaning tasks as a shortcut, so that, for example, cleaning the kitchen or dining room after (preparing) dinner is a breeze.
Roomba i5+ – conclusion
Is the Roomba i5 a bad robot vacuum? Not at all. The device works methodically and accurately and in the meantime takes a lot of dust and dirt with it (but can sometimes skip some stubborn pieces). The vacuum cleaner works well on hard and soft floors and makes a clear map, which you as a user also benefit from. But these are actually basic parts of a robot vacuum cleaner that should always work, so the Roomba i5 doesn’t get a big round of applause for that.
What we are mainly left with after the review period is the feeling that we are missing something. For at least 449 euros you get a capable, but not a mega smart robot vacuum cleaner. By iRobot standards, this is ‘cheap’. The more expensive variants have all kinds of clever tricks that make it even less necessary for you to have to worry about one of the most annoying tasks in the house, and many of those tricks are missing on this model. You crave more, but you may be disappointed. The Roomba i5 is a great robot vacuum cleaner, but for at least 449 euros one that is far too expensive.
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