Ultimate Showdown: Roomba i3 EVO vs i7 - Unveiling the Perfect Robot Vacuum for You
Discover the ultimate showdown between the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 models as we dive into their specifications, design, navigation, features, suction power, and price Find out which Roomba is the perfect fit for you!
Comparing the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 models
Vacuuming is not a chore anyone enjoys, but a robot vacuum can certainly make it much easier. With over twenty years in the industry, iRobot, the creator of the Roomba, has become synonymous with effortless and convenient vacuuming, offering an impressive range of models. If you're torn between the Roomba i3 EVO and the i7, there are important distinctions to consider in order to choose the best option for your home.We conducted thorough testing on both the i3 EVO and i7 at our Testing Lab and discovered that they deliver comparable performance on most types of flooring, along with intelligent mapping capabilities that enable more thorough cleaning. However, the i3 EVO outperforms the i7 in terms of battery life, dustbin capacity, and price (the i3 EVO costs approximately $250 less).
iRobot Roomba i3 EVO vs. iRobot Roomba i7 specs
However, the i7 is not to be underestimated. With its integrated camera, it surpasses in navigation capabilities, allowing for increased customization during the cleaning process. Furthermore, it boasts exceptional suction power, making it the perfect choice for homes with carpeted floors.iRobot Roomba i3 EVO specs
The iRobot Roomba i3 EVO Product specifications are being examined by the testing team.Key features of the Roomba i3 EVO include:
- Battery life: 96 minutes
- Dimensions: 13.26” L x 13.26” W x 3.63” H
- Dustbin capacity: 0.5 L
- Weight: 7.44 lb
- Mapping: Yes
- Self-emptying: No
- Voice commands: Compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri
- Scheduling: Supported
Please note that the
iRobot Roomba i3 EVO specs
must be kept intact and placed exactly as it appears here.The Roomba i3 EVO, released in 2020, is an upgraded version of the Roomba i3 with enhanced mapping features. In terms of size, it is similar to other robot vacuums and slightly narrower than the 2018 i7 model, although this slight difference does not significantly affect maneuverability. The dustbin of the i3 EVO is of average size and 0.2 liters larger than the i7's dustbin. Moreover, it offers a longer battery life, providing an extra 20 minutes of cleaning time compared to the i7. However, unlike the i3+ EVO, this model does not have self-emptying capabilities, so vacuuming may be interrupted when the bin is full, depending on the size and dirtiness of the space.
Like many Roombas, the i3 EVO can smartly map your home and navigate the area more efficiently. It can identify specific areas and rooms, allowing you to select a chosen room from the app's drop-down menu to schedule targeted cleaning or initiate a one-off vacuuming session. However, unlike certain Roombas, such as the i7, it does not have the ability to recognize Keep-Out Zones, which means it cannot be prevented from entering areas that you do not want it to clean.
The i3 EVO offers compatibility with popular home assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, allowing you to control it through voice commands. Additionally, the iRobot app lets you conveniently schedule cleaning sessions. You have the flexibility to select specific days and times for cleaning or opt for automatic cleaning when the robot detects that you have left the house.
iRobot Roomba i7 specs
The testing team is currently utilizing the iRobot app to operate the iRobot Roomba i7.
Product specifications
Battery life: 75 minutes | Dimensions: 13.34” L x 13.34” W x 3.63” H | Dustbin capacity: 0.3 L | Weight: 7.44 lb | Mapping: Yes | Self-emptying: No | Voice commands: Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri | Scheduling: Yes
Despite being a similar size to the i3 EVO, the Roomba i7 has a slightly shorter battery life, lasting about 20 minutes less. Moreover, its dustbin is approximately 40% smaller than the i3, necessitating more frequent emptying while vacuuming to ensure continuous cleaning, as it does not possess the self-emptying functionality found in the i7+.
The i7 utilizes smart-mapping technology, similar to the i3 EVO and other robot vacuums, to learn the layout of your home. However, it surpasses the i3 EVO by incorporating an onboard camera for more advanced navigation. This enables the i7 to clean specific rooms or zones during its vacuuming cycle and avoid designated areas using Keep-Out Zones. Additionally, it is compatible with popular voice assistants such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. Compared to entry-level robots like the i3 EVO, the i7 offers a wider range of commands. For instance, you can instruct the i7 to start, pause, or stop vacuuming, as well as to focus on cleaning a particular room such as the living room or target a specific area like under the kitchen table.
In terms of scheduling, the i7 provides flexibility through the iRobot app. You can establish specific times each week for the robot to vacuum or enable the robot to detect when you are away (using location services or a connected device signal) and start vacuuming accordingly. Through the app, you can also customize the cleaning preferences for the i7's scheduled tasks, including the suction power level and the number of passes it should make.
Design comparison
The i3 EVO and i7 have distinct appearances despite both having the classic round shape of a robot vacuum. The i3 EVO boasts a two-tone gray design, predominantly made of plastic, but stands out with a stylish textured fabric-like ring encircling its top. In contrast, the i7 is sleek with a black-and-gray plastic construction.Both models are equipped with rubber rolls designed to discourage hair entanglement. During our testing, we observed a small amount of hair around the i3's brushes, which was easily removable. In comparison, the i7's rollers had little to no hair accumulation. Both models feature sturdy plastic wheels that performed well in our testing. Furthermore, the i3 EVO and i7 are equipped with a convenient pop-out caster wheel at the front, which can be effortlessly removed to clear any trapped dirt or hair.
Overall, both the i3 EVO and the i7 performed equally well in terms of durability during our testing. Made mostly of sturdy plastic, both models can withstand a fair amount of abuse without showing any signs of wear and tear. However, the i3 EVO stood out with its textured fabric ring, not only giving it a more distinctive look compared to the i7 but also preventing fingerprints and dust from easily showing on its surface, resulting in a cleaner appearance during our testing.
Navigation comparison
When it comes to smart mapping capabilities, there is a notable difference between the i3 EVO and the i7. The i3 EVO relies on floor-tracking sensors on its bottom to map a space, while the i7 utilizes a camera for more comprehensive and accurate mapping. Additionally, the i3 EVO can only support a single smart map, whereas the i7 has the ability to recognize up to 10 maps. This makes the i7 the preferred choice if you need to clean multiple floors of your home or switch between two locations, such as your home and office.During testing, we observed a significant difference in the performance of the robots based on their mapping capabilities. Both the i3 EVO and i7 have the ability to map specific rooms or zones, allowing us to send them to clean specific areas. This is particularly useful in households with children and/or pets, as the robots can immediately clean up messes.
However, the i7 goes a step further and learns specific rooms and objects. We were able to send it to clean around certain objects, such as the kitchen counter or the dining table. Unlike the i3 EVO, the i7 also has the ability to recognize and avoid Keep-Out Zones. This proved to be an extremely convenient feature during testing, allowing us to prevent the robot from entering unnecessary areas or getting stuck on obstacles. As a result, the i7 was able to vacuum more efficiently.
Both models lack an obstacle-avoidance feature, resulting in difficulties when encountering objects in their path. The i7 experienced issues with items such as power cords and rug fringes, getting entangled in them. On the other hand, the i3 EVO repeatedly collided with small objects like handbags, shoes, and rubber dog toys before finally changing direction.
In the end, the i7's advanced navigation capabilities make it the preferred option for homes that are cluttered or busy, where preventing the robot from entering specific areas is desired. Its Keep-Out Zone feature, for instance, can keep the vacuum out of playrooms filled with scattered toys or spaces where pet food and water bowls are placed. While the i3 EVO also possesses strong navigation skills, it is better suited for homes without any significant no-go areas.
Features comparison
To ensure your floors receive the most thorough cleaning possible, both the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 are equipped with dirt-detect technology. This innovative feature utilizes sensors located on the underside of the robots to detect and identify dirt and debris. Once a concentrated area of dirt is detected, the robots automatically intensify their cleaning efforts in that specific spot. They will continue to clean until the sensors register a decrease in the amount of debris present.During our testing, we closely monitored the smart maps generated by the i3 EVO and i7 after their vacuuming runs. Both models clearly indicated on their maps where the dirt-detect technology was activated, as represented by dark green triangles. We did not observe any visible debris in these areas afterwards, demonstrating that the robots effectively cleaned those heavily soiled spots.
The Roomba i3 EVO and i7 can be controlled using voice commands when connected to a home assistant such as Alexa or Google Assistant. During testing, we found that both models responded quickly to voice control instructions for cleaning tasks. However, the i3 EVO has a limited range of commands, including starting, pausing, resuming, and returning to the Home Base. On the other hand, the i7 offers a wider range of voice commands, allowing users to instruct the robot to clean specific rooms or target specific areas such as under the dining table. These additional commands can be very useful in households with children or pets, as they enable users to direct the robot to clean up messes promptly.
The Roomba i3 EVO and i7 models do not have a self-emptying feature. If you desire a vacuum that can empty itself, you will need to consider upgrading to the i3+ EVO or i7+ models.
Suction comparison
Our testing revealed that both the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 performed admirably on hard flooring such as hardwood and tile. Similar to other robot vacuums, these models occasionally scattered particles while cleaning, necessitating a second pass to capture them. Nevertheless, they effectively removed nearly all visible debris from hard flooring surfaces.However, during our testing, we discovered that the i7 model outperformed in terms of suction power on carpeted surfaces. The only drawback we encountered was an occasional snag on the tasseled edges of rugs. Despite this, it thoroughly cleaned all carpeted areas.
In contrast, the i3 EVO model struggled slightly on carpets. It left behind some visible particles of coarse kosher salt and pet hair, even after encountering a larger clump deliberately placed in its path. While it was more successful in picking up kitty litter, it faced difficulty capturing cereal. In fact, it ended up crushing a few pieces and grinding the crumbs into the carpet without effectively removing all the debris, ultimately making it the less efficient option between the two choices.
Price
The iRobot Roomba i3 EVO is typically priced at $349.99 and can be purchased from Amazon. On the other hand, the iRobot Roomba i7 is usually available for $600 and can be found at Amazon. It is important to note that iRobot now exclusively manufactures the self-emptying versions of these models, namely the Roomba 3+ EVO and Roomba i7+.Bottom line
While the Roomba i3 EVO and i7 share many similar features, their performance differs significantly when it comes to dealing with carpeting. Thanks to its superior suction power and advanced navigation capabilities, we consider the i7 to have an overall edge. Its exceptional performance on carpets, along with the inclusion of the Keep-Out Zones feature, makes it an ideal choice for households with young children or pets. With the i7, you can effortlessly clean up crumbs and pet hair, while also ensuring that the robot avoids areas where it may encounter toys or knock over pet bowls.The i3 EVO remains a viable option. With its extended battery life and larger dustbin, it is ideal for larger homes with ample cleaning space. Additionally, it is a more budget-friendly alternative to the i7, making it a perfect choice for those on a limited budget.
