iRobot Roomba 980 Review – Roomba Ditches The Random Navigation Pattern…

In 2013 iRobot introduced the Roomba 880 that ditched the bristled brushes but it still used the same old navigation and NiCad batteries that somewhat limited its potential as a truly great robotic cleaner that can clean your home efficiently.

Uses a more predictable and efficient back and forth cleaning pattern; Wifi connectivity ditches the remote control; Lithium ion battery will have a longer service life compared to the NiCad equipped; Lighthouses aren't as bulky and uses cheaper AA batteries; Has HEPA filtration

Very expensive; Did not exceed the cleaning performance of the 880 despite the upgrades

The Roomba 980 is iRobot's best robot vacuum yet

We have a ritual in my house. I bring home a random gadget, deposit it somewhere in my home and my wife asks me what it is, gives me side-eye and then ignores the gear until it is removed from the premises.

Mashable Choice highlights the best of everything we cover, have experienced first-hand and would recommend to others. We have a ritual in my house. I bring home a random gadget, deposit it somewhere in my home and my wife asks me what it is, gives me side-eye and then ignores the gear until it is...

iRobot Roomba 980

iRobot sells everything from gutter- and pool-cleaning gadgets to commercial-grade military, security and HazMat robots -- a recent FCC waiver even suggests automated lawnmowers are in the works -- but the brand is best known for its fleet of Roomba robot vacuum cleaners.

iRobot gives its $900 Roomba 980 a brain power boost with a lithium ion battery; additional sensors; a camera; and Wi-Fi and app connectivity on Android and iOS devices

It didn't perform as well as the $700 Roomba 880 we reviewed in 2013; We also want to see features like a remaining battery life readout, push alerts and third-party integrations added to the iRobot Home app