i4 (4150)

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.

I know the dream x50 is over $500, but I just bought it and upgraded from roomba i4. Holy crap… Roomba i4 isnt even a vacuum.

Honestly, if this is your first foray into the Roomba-sphere, then I agree with getting one of the older models like the 600 series with one brush and one rubber grabber. They don't have smart mapping and you have to manually empty them, but they work and are easy to rehab. If you DO want some smart mapping and self emptying, I have had luck with the refurbished i4 series roombas. I still have them going strong. (two cats, two teens, lots of floor space) I have a J5 that I have had to exorcise a few times, but we have grown to have an understanding. I only kept it because it has the smarter smart mapping, with the 'no go' zones. But I have had far far more ease of use with the refurbished i4s.

Honestly, the industry is full of fake reviews and paid sponsored videos. The reality is vacuum/mopping in a single unit is not ready for prime time. The vacuums are good. Simple mopping is good. But the fancier you get, the more likelihood of catastrophic errors. Check out this honest take btw: https://youtu.be/jm3SQpl1Y6Q?si=r3OwTX3b_mEtKnUx Discloser: I own Roborock Q8 Max, Ecovacs Deebot, and iRobot i4s, and iRobot mop Brava. I don’t trust the mopping unsupervised. It gets carpets wet. Dirty water occasionally too.

Older iRobot 900 series (980 I think) maybe an i4. I’ve had mine for so years and 5 years. My first eco a a broke within 1.1 years right after warranty. And Roborock I have had for just over a year.

When I moved, I finally got a dishwasher. My parents gave me a robot vacuum for my housewarming gift. These two machines changed my life. If I had unlimited funds, I’d get in unit laundry, a balcony, and hire someone to change my cat’s litter box.

iRobot i4. I’m pretty sure they got it on sale at Costco. But I have friends with other brands who are happy, so I think it’s less about the brand than finding one with the features you want. I like that I can set a schedule, so it cleans while I’m at work.