If you’re in the market for a Roomba i7+ or a Roomba i6+, you might be wondering what the difference between the two is. I will get straight to the point.
Contents
- 1 What’s different between the Roomba i6+ and i7+:
- 2 Difference 1: Spare accessories are included with the Roomba i7+.
- 3 Difference 2: Most of the time, the i6+ can be found for cheaper than the i7+.
- 4 Difference 3: The i6+ is light grey, and the i7+ is a shade darker.
- 5 Similarity 1: Both are auto-emptying robot vacuums.
- 6 Similarity 2: Both the Roomba i6+ and i7+ have smart navigation.
- 7 Similarity 3: Both perform very well with hair.
- 8 What about the i7 (without the plus)?
- 9 What about the i8+?
- 10 Conclusion:
What’s different between the Roomba i6+ and i7+:
The only difference between the Roomba i6+ and i7+ robot vacuum is the selection of accessories that come in the box. The i7+ comes with a spare filter and side-brush while the i6+ does not. As a result, the Roomba i6+ is often cheaper. Other than that, the i6+ is essentially the same vacuum as the i7+.
Below let’s look at each difference in detail.
Difference 1: Spare accessories are included with the Roomba i7+.
Inside the box of the Roomba i7+, you will find a spare high-efficiency filter and a spare side brush, both of which are not included in the Roomba i6+. (The side brush and filter on the machine are included, of course. It’s just the extras that are missing.)
The i6+ is simply an Amazon-exclusive version of the i7+. Manufacturers often produce different SKUs for major retailers to prevent consumers from price-matching. This way, when one retailer has a major sale on their inventory, competing retailers don’t have to take a loss on the same model for sale.
Difference 2: Most of the time, the i6+ can be found for cheaper than the i7+.
As a result of the lack of extra side-brush and filter, the Roomba i6+ is often less expensive than the i7+. This is great if you don’t mind purchasing the replacement side brush and filter separately. There are many 3rd party sellers that bundle together the replacement brushes, filters, and even rubber brushrolls for a discount.
The Roomba i7+ can be found everywhere in store and online while the Roomba i6+ is only available on Amazon.
Difference 3: The i6+ is light grey, and the i7+ is a shade darker.
Not a meaningful difference for most consumers, but the i6+ is a light grey, and the i7+ is a slightly darker shade.
Let’s move on to the similarities of these two vacuums, and there are a lot.
Similarity 1: Both are auto-emptying robot vacuums.
Both the i6+ and i7+ are auto-emptying robot vacuums. The docking stations that come with these Roombas has a disposable vacuum bag. When the Roomba is done vacuuming, it will return to the base and empty its contents into the large disposal bag.
Both these vacuums use iAdapt 3.0, which means they are able to vacuum in clean, straight lines and work their way around obstacles. This is unlike robot vacuums with traditional, random navigation.
Traditional robot vacuums roam around your house randomly. They stop and turn after bumping into an object. Not the i6+ and i7+, they use smart navigation. Smart navigation is especially satisfying when you have carpet, because it makes the carpet look cleaner when it leaves neat vacuum lines after cleaning.
Similarity 3: Both perform very well with hair.
The i6+ and i7+ are equipped with dual anti-tangle brushrolls. iRobot actually has a patent on this dual brush design. This is why Roombas are the only robot vacuums on the market that has two instead of one brushroll. The dual agitating brushroll results in a deeper and more efficient clean. As the robot agitates the floor with its rubber feet, dust and debris are kicked up and suctioned into the dust bin.
When a traditional brushroll runs over long hair, a part of it will wrap around the brush instead of ending up in the dust bin. The rollers on these vacuums are designed to avoid hair wrapping altogether. This results in much less tangling than older robot vacuums, and makes maintenance and cleanup a breeze.
What about the i7 (without the plus)?
The Roomba i7+ has a little brother, the i7. This is simply a version of this vacuum that does not come with an auto-emptying docking station. Instead, the i7 comes with a small, regular charging dock that serves as the Roomba’s home when it’s done cleaning. The robot will return to the dock and charge itself before its next cleaning session.
At the time of this writing, the Roomba i6+ does not have a non-auto-emptying version.
What about the i8+?
The Roomba i8+ is another retailer exclusive, it’s just Costco’s packaging of the Roomba i7+. As with everything Costco, it comes with more stuff in the box.
You will get a Virtual Wall Barrier, 2 extra Roomba filters, and 4 dirt disposal bags. In terms of accessories, you get the least with the Roomba i6+ and the most with the Roomba i8+.
Conclusion:
As you can see, the Roomba i6+ and Roomba i7+ are virtually identical machines. The main difference between these two vacuums is that the i7+ comes with spare accessories.
Both vacuums perform very well on hard surfaces and carpet. Both are packed with the latest technology and will satisfy the cleaning needs of most households.
If you care mostly about the price and don’t mind buying the accessories from iRobot (or a 3rd party) later, go with the Roomba i6+ since it is often less expensive.
Having said that, either vacuum will do a good job of keeping your floors clean!
Very Useful article. Explains stuff clearly that these are just new names for same models to avoid retailer price match losses.