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So you need a robot vacuum with great cleaning power, reliable and not too expensive? We took the liberty of selecting two of iRobot’s best sellers, the e5 and the 960, and compared all that matters. The prices are in line with the average and the quality is actually really good, according to our analysis and thousands of comments online.
Have a look at the differences and similarities between the two and decide for yourself which one’s the best value for money Roomba. If you need further help, check our conclusions at the end and some useful links to some of the best Amazon offers.
Let’s start with the differences between the Roomba 960 and the Roomba e5 – they are quite different – find out how different.
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1) vSLAM navigation technology (iAdapt 2.0)
One of the main differences between these two models is the navigation system that they use to roam your house. The 960 uses vSLAM withiAdapt 2.0, which means that it can create visual references to guide itself around, making for a smoother ride. The Roomba e5, on the other hand, uses the previous version, iAdapt 1.0, which is a reactive system – after bumping into something, it will find a way around. Not so great. So, the Roomba 960 is the smarter of the two when it comes to travelling around the house, achieving a much more methodic navigation.
2) The smart function Recharge and Resume
You probably already know that a Roomba is able to go back by itself to the charging station when its battery runs out, right? But did you know that the Roomba 960 can do that and then go back to where it stopped cleaning? This changes everything! This means that the 960 will finish its task, sooner or later. The e5, unfortunately, will stop cleaning when it needs to recharge and won’t resume the cleaning session – meaning your house may not end up as clean as it should.
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3) Can they create maps of your house?
Only the 960 can. It’s becoming clear that the 960 has the lead on technology, and mapping is another big advantage. With mapping, this robot vacuum knows where it is and where it needs to go, without going over areas that are already clean. But not everything’s perfect. This robot has no memory, so the map is erased as soon as the cleaning session is over and you can’t manage tasks by area. The e5, as you probably suspected already, can’t generate any maps.
4) How long will the battery last?
Finally, 1 for the Roomba e5! Its battery lasts for 90 minutes, while the 960 can only work for 70 minutes at a time. But, because the 960 has the Recharge and Resume feature, this is not that important, because it can recharge and go back to finish cleaning.
5) Price comparison
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the 960 is more expensive than the e5. After all, it does carry more advanced technology.
Great, we’ve established the differences between the two models. Let’s check the similarities between the Roomba 960 and the Roomba e5
1) They have the same suction power
No differences here. Both robot vacuums have the same suction power, so you will have a powerful robot if you choose any of these two (with 5 times the suction power of the Series 600 Roombas).
2) Which cleaning system do they use?
iRobot has created a powerful and effective cleaning system, called the Aeroforce 3-stage Cleaning System. It uses the multi-surface rubber brushes to release and lift the dirt, while the suction power will take care of the rest.
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3) Dirt Detect
This technology helps the Roomba to find out the dirtier areas and apply extra care on those places, for a deeper cleaning. It will then move to the next dirtier area to keep working. This works with acoustic and visual sensors that come with the robot.
4) How big’s the bin?
They both can carry 600 ml of dirt – a very decent volume.
5) Connect it to your WiFi and control it with the app:
Is your mobile phone connected to the internet in your house? Do you have the Roomba app installed? Then you can completely control your Roomba. You’ll be able to start, pause and cancel the selected activity, schedule cleaning sessions, check the history, and more.
6) Your voice is powerful
You can also control your Roomba with the help of your virtual assistant, be it Alexa or Google Home. Set it up and just speak to make your Roomba work.
7) Others
There are a few other things that the Roomba e5 and the Roomba 960 share. Unfortunately, those things are not positive: they are not compatible with Clean Base, for automatic discharge of dirt; they are not compatible with the Braava mop; and they lack Power Boost mode. In any case, they are reliable and advanced enough to keep your house clean.
So, after all, which Roomba’s the best? The e5 or the 960?
This is a face off between two models with great cleaning power and equal on almost every aspect related to their main task: the same suction power; the usage of Dirt Detect technology; bin capacity; 3-fase cleaning system. The main difference is in intelligence. The Roomba 960 is vastly superior, moving schematically, with order, and finishing all cleaning tasks, even in the event of running out of battery – it can recharge and resume cleaning.
On the other hand, the Roomba e5 is cheaper, being great if your budget is on the low side. And you’ll still get a very efficient robot vacuum.
Have you decided? Amazon has great Roomba offers, check them below!
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