iRobot Roomba i6 (6150) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum - Light Silver

The Roomba i6 is a high quality powerful robotic vacuum with excellent mapping ability. In the box you get the vacuum, a relatively small dock and the shortest quick start guide I have ever seen. Set up is as simple as charging the vacuum in the dock, downloading the Roomba app, connecting to 5g wifi, naming your vacuum and indicating whether you want to connect to Google or Alexa. In my case I connected to my Google Home app, which was quick and easy. I can now control the vacuum by voice, from the app, or manually by pressing the buttons on the vacuum. I have an apartment with 1850 square feet, 2 bedrooms, a den, living room, kitchen, 2 hallways, an entryway and 3 bathrooms. All of my floors are tile. My first run was to map and clean simultaneously. It took less than 2 hours and completed this without having to recharge. The app indicated that I would need 1 more mapping run to complete the map. The next day I did mapping without cleaning. It took about an hour and 20 minutes to complete and at this point a very accurate and detailed map of my house appeared in the app. You can then name all of the rooms and change room boarders if you feel that the Roomba was not accurate. I did not have to change any boarders, the mapping was that good. Naming the rooms will allow you to tell the Roomba which rooms to clean if you don't wish to have it clean the entire house. The Roomba was able to navigate its way around furniture legs very precisely. I was replacing another brand robotic vacuum which did not have mapping ability so it just randomly changed direction and would never effectively clean the entire house. What a tremendous difference as I could not find a single spot that was missed by the Roomba. The Roomba has 1 rotating brush to grab dirt, a double roller system and a filter. The Roomba i6 is very powerful and picks up hair without getting stuck in the rollers. So the basic functions, cleaning and mapping, are pretty much as good as it gets. There are a couple of negatives. The dust bin is surprisingly small and difficult to clean as compared to the much cheaper vacuum it replaced. Also, very surprisingly, Roomba does not give you any extra filters or brushes which are provided by most other manufacturers even on less expensive models. Overall, this is an excellent vacuum that excels at the most important functions of a robotic vacuum, cleaning and mapping. The battery is more than adequate for my purposes. The vacuum knows when to go back to the dock and will continue vacuuming after charging The app is intuitive and easy to navigate. The negatives are relatively small annoyances. I would recommend this product to anyone who needs a robotic vacuum.

Package Arrival: The i6 iRobot vacuum was neatly and packaged with enough protection to make it to my doorstep without any damages. Inside contents was simply the i6 iRobot vacuum, the docking station, power cable and safety instructions. It was basically just what I needed to get the iRobot vacuum setup before I downloaded the iRobot home app. Setup: All I did was plug the docking station where I wanted and placed the i6 iRobot on the station to charge it. After I download the app I opened it and the instructions to complete the setup was given step by step using the app. I had the connection to my home wifi quickly and a quick update after my i6 iRobot was connected to the internet. iRobot 1st Run: I personally think the first run should be a mapping run and later follow up with a clean run. The mapping run will help the i6 iRobot when it’s navigating through your home. I had to do 2 map runs to have a great map for my robot vacuum to use. The i6 by iRobot continues to learn as it cleans. Navigate: The i6 iRobot still bumps into the wall and furniture so I already have plenty of scuff marks on my shiny new robot vacuum. I do have to say it moves around the rooms better than my other company robot vacuum. iRobot App: The app is also simple to use and allows me to do many changes that will help with my cleaning. In the app I can set my cleaning schedule(s) but I choose to run the robot vacuum when I want and not by a schedule. I can also edit the map and name the rooms. This comes handy for when I want to use my Google assistant to command cleaning to a specific room/location. Cleaning history is available in the app and can be used differently to determine how to set cleaning schedules. I have pets or if it’s pollen season I will have the vacuum run more often than most people. Cleaning Results: The i6 iRobot pick up a lot of dirt and pet hairs. It clean close to the wall and corners so do expect the scuffs on the bumpers. Suggestion for iRobot: I think including a starter kit that have an extra brush and filter for your customers. I know I would of been happy to see a bonus that will be useful after a few months. My 2 Sense: iRobot is one of the original robot vacuum creators and you can tell they are ahead of the competition. I like that the i6 is built to accept updates to use future features. Now how long will iRobot stand behind that I don’t know. Overall I have a great vacuum by iRobot and it really cleanup. Check out the pictures I posted.

The iRobot Roomba i6 (6150) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum is by far the best robotic vacuum I have ever used. It has great suction power, powerful mapping technology, long-lasting battery, and blows the competition out of the water. Seriously, this robotic vacuum is awesome! Pros: * Packaging - the box is compact without wasted packaging material. It only comes with what is absolutely necessary to setup and use the vacuum. This is great from an environmental impact standpoint. * Battery life - the battery lasts a long time easily completing the 45 minute cleaning cycles. If for some reason the battery where to run too low, it will go back to the base station, charge, and resume cleaning where it stopped. * Powerful suction - I have two dogs and a cat so pet hair is always a problem. The Roomba i6 (6150) has no problems zooming around our main floor picking up dog and cat hair. It does such a great job we only have to use our upright vacuum for the rugs and floor 1x per week. This is a big improvement from the 2-3x per week prior to using this robotic vacuum. One of the well designed features included in its cleaning algorithm is that if it detects a dirty area it will give it more attention by cleaning longer prior to moving to the next section of the room. You can see this in the app when reviewing the map under "dirt events". * Mapping technology - the Roomba i6 (6150) uses vSLAM navigation to learn the layout of your home and build personal smart maps. I can say without a doubt Roomba has the best technology when it comes to room mapping. In the app you can see a render of your room and it is extremely accurate. This robotic vacuum has no issue navigating around chairs, tables, pillows, and other obstacles while many of the competitor robotic vacuums I have used frequently get stuck in corners or cannot figure out how to get back to the base station. * Efficient and quiet - the vacuum allows the user to pick time limits up to 45 minutes or no time limit for a continued clean until the entire room map has been finished. The vacuum cleans each section of the room in a methodical manner before moving to the next. The vacuum itself isn't any louder than using a standard upright vacuum. * Clean base compatibility - this vacuum is compatible with the clean base automatic dirt disposal bin. While I do not own this yet, it is on my list of accessories to buy for the vacuum due to its convenience. * App - the app is available for both iOS and android devices. After downloading, you are able to set up the vacuum (start a new job, set a schedule, see history, adjust vacuum settings, etc.). Overall, the app is very intuitive to use. Cons: * Replacement parts - the vacuum does not come with any replacement brushes or filters. While they are not overly expensive to buy, for the price of the vacuum a single replacement set should be included. Overall, the iRobot Roomba i6 (6150) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum is hands down one of the best robotic vacuums on the market. I have been so pleased with its innovation and performance compared to the competitors I have used in the past, I plan to stick with the Roomba line of robotic vacuums in the future. Look no further, buy the Roomba!

This is one of those household items that you never really knew you needed until after you have it and you’ve gotten used to it. In a multi-floor home with pets, vacuuming frequency is generally high in my home. And vacuuming with any traditional vacuum isn’t bad until you need to start moving furniture to reach the places your pets like to get into. Places where a Roomba can be programed to go on queue with a voice command if you desire. (And if you have the required smart home equipment and features.) What you will never get from a traditional upright vacuum is the programmability these offer. The ease of use for something this advanced is impressive. Physical setup is a simple unbox, plug the base in the wall, and place the vacuum on the charger. You spend more time downloading and setting up the application but it’s worth the investment. Wi-Fi setup is as no-hassle as it gets. Much of the information needed is auto generated, save for the password, for the network you are given the vacuum access to. Also, this unit will work on both 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies. A very pleasant surprise was the mapping features that work across Roombas in the same home. Mapping for different floors and accessible areas work across units and compatible models. Which means if you have one already and purchased another for a different floor/area in your home, you will not need to remap that floor/area. For new users, and those who just want to remap the area, you can do so using a mapping only run or by completing a series of free cleaning sessions that maps as it cleans. After which you can set the exact parameters of those rooms and apply names for easy single room quick cleaning programs. Other items new owners will learn to enjoy is knowing where the most dirt is coming from. And to no surprise it does come from the areas with the most traffic. However, it is nice to know that it is at least aware of it the problem and is working to remedy it. That feedback at that level of accuracy is something I would have never expected. On that note, if you ever see your vacuum going back and forth over the same spot, it’s a heavy dirt area and it’s working a little harder on that spot. One last tidbit I enjoyed. The app developers coded the app to automatically populate their feedback form every time you take a screenshot. That may seem a little bothersome to a few but the first reaction I have to an issue with an application is to take a screenshot and use it to troubleshoot from there. It’s good to know they want to be informed so improvements can be made where needed.

----- SUMMARY ----- Verdict: The Roomba i6 is a solid robot vacuum with a great app. Its standout feature is mapping the layout of your home so that it cleans efficiently instead of wandering around aimlessly. The smart mapping also enables you to control where it cleans. These features and others like scheduling cleaning jobs and voice control are nice to have. Its features are backed by powerful performance, and households with pets will especially benefit. I am a bit disappointed in the average battery life and forceful impacts on walls and furniture, but that’s not enough for me to not recommend the Roomba i6. Overall, you get a lot of useful features and powerful performance at a good price, in comparison to the competition. If you’re in the market for a robot vacuum, the Roomba i6 is one to consider. Pros: - Quick and simple setup process - Cleaning jobs can be scheduled in the app - Maps your home for controlled and customizable cleaning - Navigates in neat, efficient rows - Cleans multiple surface types, like tile and carpet - Voice controllable with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant - Picks up pet hair and debris very well Cons: - Forceful impacts on walls and furniture, despite obstacle avoidance tech - Average battery life (not enough to clean ~1200 sq. ft in one pass) ----- DETAILS ----- Setup & Design: Unboxing and setting up the Roomba i6 was very straightforward. Thanks to the visuals and steps in the quick start guide, it was ready to go in about five minutes. All that’s required is positioning the charging station, plugging its power cord into the wall, and placing the robot on the charging station. Downloading the iRobot Home app and connecting it to the Roomba only took a few additional minutes. I was pleased with the quick and hassle-free setup. You can start the first cleaning job right away since the Roomba comes with a partial charge, but iRobot recommends charging it for three hours. The Roomba i6 has a disc-shaped design with sensors on the front, a camera, buttons, and indicators on the top, and a dust bin in the back. The bottom has additional sensors for floor and ledge tracking as well as the brushes and wheels. It’s a basic design compared to the more premium and nicer-looking iRobot j Series and s Series, but this i6 model gets the job done at a more affordable price. Features & Performance: The Roomba i6 is a powerful robot vacuum with several handy features. The feature I’m most impressed by is complete control over where it cleans. Since the Roomba maps the entire level of your home, you can tell it where to clean by using the iRobot Home app or your voice (when connected to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant). The map is made after the Roomba has had a chance to do a couple of cleaning jobs. Once it’s made, you can view it in the app, add room dividers, room labels, and even “keep out” zones if there are areas you don’t want the Roomba to go. I like that it doesn’t just wander around aimlessly. It knows where it is in your home and where it has already cleaned. Additionally, it navigates in neat, efficient rows. If the battery is running low, the Roomba returns to the charger and recharges enough to resume and finish what’s left of the job. There’s also the ability to set schedules (like every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:OO AM), or you can set it to start cleaning when you leave home. These smart features make using the Roomba effortless. The features don’t disappoint, and neither does the performance. My home is a combination of carpet and tile, and the Roomba cleans both surface types quite well. I’m a cat owner, and I’ve been impressed by how much hair and litter gets picked up. Even when I don’t notice debris and hair on the carpet, there’s a significant amount in the bin after each cleaning job. While it doesn’t pick up everything, I would say it has a respectable 90%+ pickup rate. It’s not going to beat the high performance of a corded, upright vacuum, but that’s not the purpose of a Roomba. With its hands-free cleaning and smart features, owning this Roomba is a great supplement to my normal cleaning routine. What I think could be better about the Roomba i6 is its forceful impact on furniture and walls, and its average battery life. Although it seems to approach furniture and walls more gently after mapping out the floor, the initial force made it look and sound more like a bumper car than an intelligent, obstacle-avoiding robot. I have a bar cart with margarita glasses, and while the force would not be enough to tip them over, it’s enough to make them rattle back and forth on impact. What’s disappointing about the battery life is that it doesn’t last enough to cover my whole floor (~1200 sq. ft with two bedrooms, one bath, a halfway, and a living room). It’s nice that it automatically returns to charge and then finishes the job after recharging, but that adds a significant amount of time to the process. When I timed it, about 70% of the floor was complete in an hour, then it returned to the charging station for 45 minutes, and it finished the rest in 30 minutes. Altogether, that’s about 2.25 hours. If the battery could last longer, taking out the charge time in the middle of the job would reduce the time to about 1.5 hours. The forceful impacts and average battery life aren’t significant enough to make me not recommend the Roomba i6, but they make it less than a five-star experience. Other features I haven’t been able to use but are nice to have available include “Imprint Link Technology” which syncs the Roomba i6 with a Braava Jet m6 to vacuum then mop in sequence and compatibility with the “Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal” so your Roomba i6 can empty its own bin. Overall, this Roomba model provides impressive performance and useful features which have made it a positive experience for me. Care & Maintenance: To keep the Roomba running at peak performance, there are several care and maintenance procedures that iRobot advises. Those include: washing the bin as needed, cleaning the filter once a week (or twice a week if you have a pet), cleaning the full bin sensor every two weeks, cleaning the front caster wheel every two weeks, cleaning the brushes once a month (or twice a month if you have a pet), and cleaning the sensors and charging contacts once a month. It seems like a lot when those procedures are all listed out, but since each only takes a few minutes, and some aren’t necessary for two weeks to a full month, I still consider the Roomba low maintenance. As for replacing parts, iRobot advises that the filter be replaced every two months and the front caster wheel, as well as the brushes, be replaced every year. The care and maintenance information is well documented in the online owner’s guide (www.irobot.com/i6ownersguide). ----- WHAT’S IN THE BOX ----- 1 x Roomba i6 Robot Vacuum 1 x Home Base Charging Station (with Power Cord) 1 x Quick Start Guide 1 x Warranty Information Pamphlet 1 x Safety Information Pamphlet

I have been lucky to have tested several robot vacuums the last few years, (Roomba 690 – 7/2017, Ecovacs DM81 – 10-2017, Samsung R7065 – 09-2018, Neato D6 – 09-2018 and Shark AI – 11-2020). While each one had its good and bad points none of them had this mix of software and cleaning power right out of the box. This I6 does everything well. Software is great, set-up was as simple as could be connecting to 5Ghz, designed nicely fitting under all my furniture, quick and measured cleaning (no wasted motion), simple to empty dust bin (although a tad small), long run times between charges, charges quickly, very accurate in creating map of the house, easy editing of map with ability to create very detailed no-go zones (avoiding areas with wires, etc._ and what I consider to be its biggest plus(!) I moved docking station from one side of house to the other, after map had been generated – and it updated units position within the map/house – no need to remap!!! What’s not to like - so yes I recommend adding it to your Christmas shopping list, especially given its on sale right now! Actual use; Unpacking was easy with minimal packing material which is recyclable. To get started I followed the minimal instructions provided - plugging in base and docking unit to it. I left it overnight to charge before proceeding further. I downloaded the app and started setup the next morning. I already had an account from prior iRobot so just signed in. Unit connected to my Wi-Fi 1st try and as I mentioned it connected using 5Ghz. I decided to have it clean while also mapping the house (3200 sq ft single story) and it ran for over 12 hours (around 6 hours cleaning and 6 hours charging - docking 3 times). But the map was still not complete with app stating it needed more info to finish - so this time I decided to continue mapping but not clean – and it ran an additional 4 hours (but didn’t require docking), and this time map was completed. The total of 16 hours to create the map seems a tad extreme but the robot went through several rooms multiple times. The upside to this is once completed the map was 99% accurate, I only needed to make small adjustments to a couple of “walls” to finish. I named all the rooms; you can use pre-programmed names or add your own if you want. Also, a BIG plus was adding no-go zones. Under my office desk against a wall is a jungle of wires - I was able to zoom in on the map and add an area 8 inches wide and 4 feet long to avoid robot getting tangled in those wires and added a larger area in the master bedroom around treadmill. I would suggest naming your rooms as that allows you to designate specific room(s) to clean or just select all - using the app. Just select “New Job” and it will bring you up a list of rooms. I tried it out and this worked great. Nice to be able to pinpoint your cleaning. Another benefit of naming the rooms is app will tell you what room it is cleaning and how long it has been there. As far as cleaning it was a perfect time for me to try it out as my 6- and 3-year-old grandsons had come over for Thanksgiving and they did what little boys do, they left a trail of crumbs around the house, particularly under the dining table. No problem for this unit as it picked up the smallest particles on up to a quarter of a cracker. This unit is the 1st I have encountered that has 2 rollers - which I am sure helped. It has only 1 side brush for sweeping against walls/corners, but it positions itself to use that side if necessary. I did my due diligence before running making sure doors were open, things picked up and it did not get stuck on initial run nor in any following runs! Can’t say the same for other units I have used. You can also add carpet zones, but I didn’t try this, nor can I think of why I would. Noise while running is comparable to other robots I have used. I did have to turn up the volume of the TV while it was cleaning that room but only a couple of degrees. History option in app gives detailed account of each run – such as total run time, highlights areas cleaned, charging time, sq ft cleaned. It is very useful to determine what rooms you have or have not cleaned recently when not cleaning all. Has a “find my robot” function where unit makes a sound or indicates where it is. Remote access works well. I ran it remotely from my son’s home. To help check that it was cleaning room specified I selected room that had a security camera that I could monitor live. You can create a schedule for robot to run. By using “favorites” you can name and setup multiple schedules. I didn’t try this yet. It seems you can add a hands-free dust bin stand. Not sure how well this works and probably cheaper to buy as a package. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/irobot-clean-base-automatic-dirt-disposal-compatible-with-roomba-i-series-robot-vacuums-only-charcoal/6300421.p?skuId=6300421 1-year limited warranty. Even though unit is near perfect there are few quibbles. Small filter on dust bin. No replacement parts included, such as side brush, filter. You can purchase a “replenish” kit for about $55 - https://www.bestbuy.com/site/irobot-roomba-e-and-i-series-replenishment-kit-green/6300422.p?skuId=6300422 I could find no way to change suction of unit. You can set “room-size clean” (smaller rooms get cleaned 2/3 times and large only once) or “Daily Clean” – one pass per room or “Extra clean” – 2 passes each room. Room names are not alphabetized, nor could I find a way to accomplish that. Would make it easier than scrolling through room list, I think. Overall, a very well thought out unit made better by app software that works as advertised (other manufacturers please take notice)! If you are in the market for a robot vacuum, this would be a welcome addition to any home, and I highly recommend.

Over recent years I’ve enjoyed experiencing the continuous refinement of the “AI” in domestic robot vacuum cleaners. They’ve improved from near aimless billiard-ball bouncers, to machines on a mission with a hint of task awareness. As a retired engineer I’d watch their decision-making process and tried to imagine what the mechanical and computer engineers were doing with the motors and sensors. The Roomba i6 is the first vacuum robot that I could watch without wanting to yell at it as it got stuck or kept returning to a part of the room it had already cleaned 5 or 6 times instead of vacuuming a part of the room it had missed repeatedly. I admire the designers of the i6. Features: - After you switch the Ti6 on for the first time and connect it to your Wi-Fi, it will first map all of the rooms on the floor. Once that is completed, when vacuuming the i6 will complete each room before moving on to the next. Depending on how you set up the phone app, (where physically practical), it will vacuum in straight lines without repeating. - Depending on your settings, it will cover hard floor in the room 1 or 2 times. In the same room it will have mapped any carpet and in those carpeted areas it will increase beater-brush and suction power but not the forward speed, to deep clean the carpet. It will also repeat vacuuming just the carpet more times than it does bare hardwood or tile. - In the phone app after the i6 has created a map, you can create electronic barriers to stop the unit from entering areas of the room that might cause problems like an area with lots of electrical cords or small light toys that might get sucked into the hooper. - You can set multiple cleaning schedules and locations. For example, we have the unit clean all of the rooms and carpets once a week, but every other day it vacuums the entrance throw-rugs to help prevent tracked-in dirt from getting farther into the house. - If the floor plan is large or has a lot of carpets, the i6 might not be able to clean everywhere without exhausting the battery. If that happens it will turn off the beater and suction fan and (relatively) quietly return to its charger. After re-charging it will motor quietly to the spot where it ran low on power and then start vacuuming again where it left off. - Works with Google Home or Alexa so you can start or stop it with voice commands. - If a spill occurs in one room you can use the app to send the i6 to that specific room or carpet and it will go there, cover the area as many times as you have programmed the app to do and then it will return to its base charger. PROS: - Good battery range. - Combines mapping, camera vision and a reversing bumper to come up to a new obstacle, slow down and then gently advance until the bumper touches. It will then back away and resume cleaning. This touching is gentle enough that small 6-inch Christmas figures we have placed on the fireplace hearth, are left undamaged and standing. See the picture I attached to this review. - Because it follows a pre-organized map, it doesn’t aimlessly bounce around like a billiard ball. It covers every area you allow it to, the number of times you program it to and returns to its base. This saves a LOT of time and battery compared to my older i3 and other robot vacs I’ve owned. CONS: - It still gets fooled by sloping overhangs like rocking chair rockers or a big recliner that’s angled back. It will try to go forward to where the rocker meets the floor, but gets jammed as it wedges under the front part of the rocker that’s above the floor. Still needs a little more IQ, I guess. Maybe next year? Conclusion: Robot Vacuums have come a long way in the past few years. My first one was a novelty that wasn’t really up to the task and was so limited that it continuously got stuck and did a poor job of picking up dirt. As the i6 maneuvers and cleans, I get the impression that it “knows” what it’s doing and reacts correctly. It vacuums well and efficiently.

After owning and using several other robot vacuums, I can without question say the Roomba i6 is easily the best I've used. It easily navigated our house, including the transitions from hardwood to carpet or tile. Other robot vacuums I've tried would often get stuck navigating past the transition piece, or maybe get stuck on the shag-type rug we have in our living room. It would require a lot of planning to set up by placing boxes or something else down to create a barrier for the robot before it created a map to have any sort of success. The Roomba had none of these problems. It didn't get stuck on the shag carpet, easily navigated the transitions, and has always found its way back to the charging base. The features and capabilities of the i6 are excellent. First, the map it created is very accurate and the speed and ability of its cleaning is much improved from any other vacuum I've tried. It has an option to do a faster first-time mapping that doesn't worry too much about vacuuming as well that worked great for our first time setup. Also, once the map has been created, it will do its best to create rooms for you house. In our case, these were a little all over the place with some odd angles, but I was able to edit the map and name them more appropriately for our needs. That part took a few minutes, but it was still easy to do, and I haven't touched it since. When the vacuum is running, you can also see what room it is currently cleaning by checking its status in the app. You also get a nice overlay of your map showing where the vacuum has cleaning once the job is complete. The app itself is very well designed. It's clear that this has been carefully refined and it shows. It's easy to set up jobs, check the status of the vacuum and get everything set up so you don't really have to touch it. It just works. This is the way I think these should be! This is the only robot vacuum that I've used that consistently cleans every room we ask it to on a consistent basis. It does so without getting stuck, and returns to its charging base to continue or complete the job without issue. While the i6 still makes a reasonable amount of noise while it's working (it is a vacuum after all!), it is the quietest that I've used. Overall, I can't say enough good things about the i6. It's an excellent robot vacuum that you can set up, and just let it work. Pros: Easy setup, excellent app, consistent cleaning and operation without issue, faster and quieter than other robot vacuums I've used Cons: The room generation during the initial mapping created quite a few dividers that were kind of all over the place. Though this was easily corrected by moving/removing the excess dividers that were created.