iRobot - 980

I hope you are right about Dreame as I just got L50 pro Ultra. After almost 10 years with Roomba 980 my biggest fear is that these tech filled toys cant live half of that

The 980 has two power levels, and can automatically switch to the higher power when it drives onto a rug. You can turn the boost off in the app. I would get the 980 and have the extra power option, even if you only use it occasionally.

So my setup for 4 cats and a dog. 1500sq ft. Hardwood and tile, no carpet. Upstairs: iRobot i4 Roomba. Downstairs: iRobot 980. Downstairs: iRobot M6 mop. My Roombas (iRobots) are great to me because they run where I can't easily reach. They go under things (sofa, bookshelves, beds, etc). They run when I'm not home. They keep the "tumbleweeds" under control. When you get the map dialed in and your furniture / cables organized so they don't get hung up, they're great. Are they perfect? No. But can I tell if they don't run for a day? Absolutely. Whole house: Dyson Gen5detect. I *despise* this thing. Purchased in November 2023 when it was their top of the line product. I've had nothing but issues. Warranty replaced the whole machine in May 2025. This one is even worse; feels like a second cheaper run of the product. It even sounds cheaper when it runs (higher pitch), feels fragile, just doesn't suck as well as the first one, auto detect doesn't work, it won't switch to boost when running on auto., pushes around the dog hair... the list goes on and on. It's being replaced AGAIN under warranty as of August 2025. Robots run twice a day; mop runs once a day. Dyson is for every 3-4 days to catch what was missed and the stairs. At this point, my robots are doing the heavy lifting and we're looking at Sebos. Seems like bagless just will not last as long. Full stop. For the robots, yes bin size is important but HEPA is more important to me due to dander. You want something that will pack the bin full. My 980 thinks it's "full" when it's about 1/4 to half full because pet hair is fluffy and it triggers the full bin sensor. They fixed this on the i4 which will PACK that bin to bursting before it triggers full bin. Run time is less important; most robots have recharge and resume now if they map. I've also had an Eufy (I think it was an 11S?) For $200 I was impressed. I just missed the smart map; it was an old style where it bumps and then pivots to cover an area. It was annoying to watch after a "smart" robot vac. I've gifted these for housewarming gifts and the recipients (who also have pets) like them. I hope this helps.

If you can find a 980 for a reasonable price, it is definitely worth considering, especially since the 980 is still rarely beaten in carpet cleaning tests (usually only surpassed by the S9). Although 960s are typically more affordable (essentially an 880 with iAdapt 2.0), my 980 has not experienced any issues after 765 jobs, 610 hours of cleaning and 23,200 square metres cleaned. The only maintenance it has ever required was changing the brushes and cleaning the metal contacts that supply power to the motor in the dustbin.

I will say iRobot has been on a losing streak since the J7 but I have a 980 and a S9 my 980 has been cleaning for 650 hours at this point my S9 about half that I haven’t had a single problem with my 980 but I did have a problem with my cleaning head module on my S9 and they sent a replacement no problem

Old ones. There are used bots for sale here. I still have a ten year-old Roomba 980, never connected to the Internet. If boundaries are needed, that's done with little infrared beacons. Also a Braava 380t mopping bot of similar vintage. That one navigates via a Bluetooth beacon. I also have an even older Neato. Its boundaries are laid out with magnetic strips. It's kinda dumb tho.

Longtime Neato, Roomba, and Braava owner here. Tried smarter bots and found the Ecovacs Deebot T30S disappointing but am very happy with two Dreame X50 Ultra bots, one white and one black. My Roomba 980 and Neato XV Signature Pro are still good for turning loose in areas the new ones can't get to by themselves. Tried a new Roomba Combo to future-proof those areas but it was basically a downgrade. We wore out the little Braava 380t, but I haven't looked for parts because the Dreame bots do a much better job with much less effort from me.

Firstly going by the suction numbers alone never tells the full story. That's all marketing. Both will probably vacuum well and the roomba probably has a slight edge on deeper carpet. Both should work offline with basic functions. No idea about home assistant compatibility. Longevity, well, frankly thats not a guarantee on any model from any brand. I've had a roborock for a few years and its been perfectly reliable for me. But again, that varies. And I've heard you can get parts on ali express. Your 900 series roomba was probably one of the most reliable generations of robot cleaners made. Irobot is still pretty good with spare parts. But I've seen some of their newer models aren't built modular anymore. Plus the company has had a rough couple years financially and are struggling to compete. If they went under...well spare parts may get more difficult to find. The unfortunate reality is more money doesn't buy you more reliability, expecting 3 to 5 years is a little more reasonable these days. Planned obsolescence etc but it's industry wide.

Both are equally repairable, the 980 is more powerful. Definitely look for one of those.

I got a new non Roomba robot recently, replacing what I think was a 980 vac. Instead of throwing it away I actually took it to where I work for maintenance, it's to live the rest of its life vacuuming under conveyance.

In addition to legal representation, as Brazilians we have to think about durability, and in this regard iRobot is far superior. I have a 980 that has been working since 2019 without any parts being replaced. I also have two J7s, one of which is the paus.

Sorry, but it is 100% worth it. I bought an irobot roomba 980 nearly a decade ago when it was launched, and guess what? I still use that cleaning robot daily. Literally daily. Currently, I'm eyeing the narwal flow. It vacuums and mops at the same time. That and many of the competitors now have designs that prevent getting tangled up by dog fur. I still think the roomba 980 was an excellent purchase and can't wait to be blown away by the newest gen of cleaning robots. I'm mentally prepared to spend up to 2k Canadian.

I’m still running a 980!

A 960 can be upgraded to 980 specs via repair parts but if you can, I’d try for a 980 right out of the gate. Better battery, more vacuum power. That’s about the extent of the differences.

Get the computer, comb eBay for a Roomba 960 or preferably a 980. Can schedule it or just chuck it in the middle of a room and hit the button. (Twice). Vacuums in efficient straight lines, does a great job, and no shortage of parts today even though these are 8-10 year old.

980 has power boost when on carpets, 960 doesn't have it

Older iRobot Roombas are built like tanks. I've had a 980 since it was released about 10 years ago. It runs daily. I’ve only replaced the battery twice, and that’s it. I also own some of the newer models, but their quality has definitely gone down.

i rarely use my stick vacuum since getting a robot vacuum. i’ll have to use it to clean around my bird cage because the robot vacuum can’t get all of the seeds out of the edges of the carpet but that’s about it. they are great if you have dogs that shed a lot, or even if you don’t. i have the eufy s1 pro which has the best mopping technology out there, and it keeps my hard floors so clean, but even before that when i had just a basic roomba 980 just having the vacuuming itself is a game changer. they don’t really “deep clean” and i still will go through and mop the edges of my hard floors and i will shampoo my carpets once in a while because i rent and they are old, but it will definitely give you more free time especially if you are someone that likes to have super clean floors all the time and you have pets. it also encourages you to keep your floors picked up so that the robot doesn’t get stuck on anything which will make your home feel cleaner as well. one of my favorite things about a robot vacuum is how it can get underneath the bed and other pieces of furniture that would normally be difficult to clean under. i would never be able to vacuum all the way under my bed, and now it gets done every day

I would recommend the 980 bc it boost the power on carpets so it can clean deeper down

I have an old Roomba 980 from 8-9 years ago. It’s been worth the money overall, especially when I was in an apartment with a lot of carpet. I still use it in my house but just upstairs once a week. I was researching new models a year ago to see what was available now, and iRobot’s models didn’t not look like they stacked up anymore. Feels like they stopped investing in technology and are now paying the price.

I’m own professional cleaning company and have been messing with vacuums forever so when I get home just want a robot not that they clean as well but literally NOTHING robot works like an iRobot that I’ve seen so far esp the j7 and the 988 those are the strongest in their class

I don't know about the new lineup, but nothing beats a Roomba 9-series on carpet, though. Even on hard floors, my Saros 10 misses a lot of spots that my J9 never did.

I have a 900 series and a j7. I don’t really have an issue with either one. They rarely get stuck and complete jobs regularly. However I recently bought a Roborock and it is definitely better. The app is much more advanced and lidar seems to be more efficient and accurate.

Buy an old roomba instead, (500/600/700/800/900) they are the most reliable you can get.

I have 3 Roomba's of varying intelligence. A dumb one which bounces around a room until the battery is almost dead, a smarter one that will actually pass through the room in a pattern, and a smart one that self empties. I also have a self-emptying shark... considerably cheaper but supposed to be more features. Other than the dumb Roomba... I actually prefer my Roombas over the Shark. I find the Shark to just be too stupid to adapt to change. For example, I have a cat bed against 1 wall. Shark has determined that something is there and avoids it ALWAYS.. even when I move it to allow it to clean there. It just drives around the open space. Roomba, ensures that it gets every place it can get into. I am not unhappy with my Roomba. I am unhappy with my Shark.

I had a crappy experience with a Roomba. But it was an older model from around 2017. The thing kept running into things and getting stuck along edges where 2 types of flooring would meet. IDK if newer models are better, but that thing was pretty disappointing, IMO. You could make a game out of sweeping and vacuuming so that your kids will be eager to help out. The goal is to eventually have them do it out of habit. 😅 I actually got my friend's son into vacuuming when he was 2 or 3 yrs old. The idea paid off several yrs later. My friend was a single parent (toddler and a newborn) with multiple pets and a huge home, mostly carpeting. She seemed to be suffering from Postpartum Depression, so I'd stop by at least once a wk to help clean and just to give her a break from her toddler. Her son was very difficult to manage - clingy, sensitive, always wanting undivided attention, always wanting to be held, never content to play alone, never wanting to follow instructions, prone to throwing tantrums and acting out, etc. But he was also VERY curious and full of energy - which were qualities I could work with. I bought the kid a toy vacuum. Minor problems solved! He would finally stop interrupting me while I vacuumed. In fact, he would "vacuum" along side of me. He would shout, "Go to your kennel," "Coming thru," and, "Lift your feet," along with me. It was great! No fussing, and I could keep an eye on him bc he was always right next to me, copying my movements and words. It was also just amusing to observe him and teach him little things. He became a great helper. He was eager to pick up his toys and other items that were in the path of the vacuum. He also became great at directing his pets out of the way. Fast fwd about 6-9 mos... The kid lost interest in his toy vacuum. He could tell it was not the real deal. He figured out the real vacuum was cable of sucking up dirt & debri. He would keep trying to use the real vacuum, but it was too large and dangerous for him to handle - even tho he had learned to stay clear of the suction area. He started getting in the way again. So I gave him an old cordless hand vac. And he got pretty good at using it! He started vacuuming the couches, dining chairs, and entryway. Eventually, we "put him in charge" of all the hard flooring. 😂 That kid would get territorial if we tried to clean "his" areas. He vacuumed daily and even started sweeping with a hand broom. (He was sloppy, but got better over time.) (Parent humor incoming!) About a yr later, my friend bought him a cordless Dyson for Christmas. I got him his own handbroom, dustpan, and Swiffer. We bought these items as a joke. We made him open them before all other presents, thinking he would hate them. But he was so excited! 🤯 Especially for the Dyson (which my friend actually bought for herself). My friend's son became pretty good at vacuuming by the time he was 8. He naturally took charge of vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, AND dusting as part of his household chores. He continues to do them without hassle to this day. Another thing to consider is an automatic dustpan. IDK how child-friendly they are, but it's another item my friend invested in to get her children interested in helping with chores.

Our roomba tries to keep up. Hal (main floor roomba) needs maintenance every few days. But man 2 days where Hal is off duty and you can see it. The tumbleweeds roll in. Hal doesn’t replace vacuuming or steam cleaning area rugs. He does however help keep the dusting down and limits the tumbleweeds . My better half will tell me don’t pause Hal he is doing https://preview.redd.it/7mmkuro4c1ef1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4fd808d8cc6c7e830934f5fb947860ae71518915 Gods work ROFL. We have 3 dogs 2 super shedders GSD and Husky/GSD mix and 1 wire hair terrier. This year we have had to even vacuum dogs as well. They are so worth it! ❤️❤️❤️

We named our Roomba Harry. We have a lab/beagle mix.

I have a roomba we named homewrecker because it leaves a trail of destruction behind it. It always knocks over something or gets tangled up in wires.

I had a Roomba, and it did a good job. It died after 2 years though, and they don't sell repair parts. I kept it limping along for another few months until I gave up on it. I don't think I'd ever get another Roomba, but I would like to try another brand.

We got the Costco iRobot Roomba on sale (just sweep function) and it’s been really helpful. Definitely worth the time savings and it probably does a better job than our manual vacuuming. We don’t care for the mop function that much, just don’t want to deal with the water compartment

I have one basic Roomba that moves around randomly and another that supposedly maps the space. The cheaper, random movement robot is vastly superior in all ways.