iRobot Roomba 980

usability

price, reliability

100% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

usability, price, size, design

reliability

90% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

usability, price, design, size

76% of the reviews on Amazon.ca give this product a positive rating.

Camera and location sensors make it far more intelligent ; Cleans better than any other Roomba ; App lets you schedule it remotely

Too expensive ; Still needs to be charged constantly

There's no doubt that the Roomba 980 is iRobot's best vacuum yet. It's no longer just a dumb bot bouncing against the walls; it's like a military weapon with a mission to seek out and eliminate dirty floors. (Don't forget iRobot builds plenty of...

The Roomba 980 improves upon its predecessor in a number of ways. Its mapping technology is better, it definitely picks up more pet hair, and you can start it remotely. However, it’s also $200 more, and the last feature just isn’t enough yet. Sure, you...

Self-navigating ; Self-charging ; Two-hour battery ; Environment mapping ; App connectivity

Sluggish app control ; Struggles over cables

Undeniably pricey, the iRobot Roomba 980 is nevertheless a fantastic automated vacuum that packs terrific smart functionality with a number of high tech features. As expensive as it is, there’s no denying that iRobot’s Roomba 980 is a gloriously...

Powerful. Good on rugs. Wi-Fi-enabled.

Very expensive. Noisy.

Performance and Conclusions The Roomba 980 uses several built-in sensors to build a map of your home as it cleans. It goes boldly forth, bumping into things until it learns the lay of the land. The more it cleans, the more it learns to keep track of...

Powerful cleaning performance ; Easy-to-use scheduling and cleaning settings ; Voice assistant compatible

App can be unreliable ; Gets stuck more than other bots we've tested ; Quite loud ; Blows a lot of air as it cleans

The iRobot Roomba 980 is one of the more powerful bots that we've tested. Regimented automated cleaning is impressive and this robot cleans well on a variety of surfaces - adjusting suction when it needs to - allowing it to deliver an efficient and...

Excellent app ; Surprising suction ; Not afraid of cliffs – or more likely, stairs

Can’t cut into corners ; Shaken up by shag pile rugs

The Roomba 980 is a reliably excellent performer, complete with app control and a great sense of direction

iRobot gives its $900 Roomba 980 a brain power boost with a lithium ion battery, additional sensors, a camera, and Wi-Fi and app connectivity on Android and iOS devices.

It didn't perform as well as the $700 Roomba 880 we reviewed in 2013. We also want to see features like a remaining battery life readout, push alerts and third-party integrations added to the iRobot Home app.

iRobot's Wi-Fi-enabled Roomba 980 is an exciting hunk of next-gen vacuum tech, but it didn't wow us during testing. I'd hold off on this pricey automated floor cleaner until we review Neato's Botvac Connected and Dyson's 360 Eye.

Extremely user-friendly companion app ; Very good at finding its way back to its charging station ; Comes with HEPA filters to grab errant dust particles

Often piercingly loud ; Circular shape hinders vacuum from thoroughly cleaning corners ; Not the best for pet owners looking to clean up fur

The Roomba 980 is a dutiful helper around the house, but its trouble with pet hair and its high price should convince you to look elsewhere.