The Roomba S9+ sweeps away a lot of bugbears that have plagued robot vacuums since it is conception: emptying itself, capturing allergens, conquering and cleaning tight corners, and providing genuinely customizable vacuuming from an app on your phone.
The most expensive Roomba vacuum anyone can buy costs $1,100, and it is worth every penny.
Its price tag might be steep compared to other Roomba vacuums, but if you value spotlessly clean floors with almost no effort on your part, the cost is reasonable, and it is worth every penny.
Design and Specs
Rather than the standard circular shape we see on most robot vacuums, the s9+ has a D shape like the Neato Botvac D4 Connected. This feature allows the Roomba to get deeper into corners and align itself against walls.
The top of the vacuum is the RCON sensor (room confinement), clutter sensor, camera, and buttons for Clean/Power and Home are.
An LED ring indicator starts blinking red when charging, blinks white when it is cleaning, and blue when connecting to the Wi-Fi. The side of the vacuum generally houses a wall sensor. Beneath the lid, you will head towards the dustbin and filter.
The bottom of the s9+ is home to a corner brush, multi-surface rubber brushes, brush caps, charging contacts, and cliff sensors.
It houses the dirt disposal port, floor tracking sensor, and rear caster wheel.
Then there is the Clean Base, where the robot docks, recharges and vacates its dustbin. The front holds an LED indicator, along with the canister lid, exhaust vent, wheel wells, and debris evacuation port.
When the s9+ docks itself, the dirt it collected is sucked into the Clean Base, which holds up to 30 cleanings of debris; the app notifies you when it is time to change it out for a new one.
Setup Process
Setting up the Roomba s9+ took longer when compared to other robot vacuums, but it can be set up and get going in under half an hour.
After unboxing and finding a spot for the Clean Base, it needs to be plugged in, and after that, we need to set the vac on the charging dock.
Next, we need to download the iRobot app and install firmware updates. The updates take the bulk of the setup time. Once installed, the buyer should schedule the s9+ to clean daily, which is an effortless task taking only a few seconds.
On the Roomba’s lowest setting, the battery lasts for approx. One hundred twenty minutes (about 2 hours) and on the Roomba’s highest stage, it only runs for approx. 45 minutes.
Connecting to Amazon Alexa is a seamless process. We just need to add the iRobot skill in the Alexa app, ready to go.
Performance
The s9+ has outstanding navigation capabilities and rarely requires manual testing intervention, essential for a hands-off experience. Its low profile also allows it to make its way under most low-clearance furniture.
It also has the most potent suction we have seen in a robot vacuum. In testing, the s9+ sucked up dust, hair, and all other manners of debris with no issue at all.
It also changes its suction strength automatically, which depends on whether it is cleaning the carpet or wood and tile. It tends in a back-and-forth pattern in open spaces, and its D shape is excellent for tough-to-reach areas.
During testing, it was observed that it would graze against walls, allowing the side brush to grab dust and debris in corners.
Conclusions
The iRobot Roomba s9+ is the most robust, most autonomous robot vacuum we have tested. At $1,399.99, it is also the most expensive.
That said, if you are looking for a genuinely hands-off cleaning experience, and you want the most powerful vacuum possible, the s9+ is to one to get and our Editors’ Choice. The $999.99 i7+ remains a strong buy, even if it is not as powerful.
