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

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...

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

Firing up your robot vacuum away from home makes a novel party trick, but the Roomba 980 isn't worth its $200 premium without more robust control.

Easy to use; Good for pet hair; App controlled; Good mapping capabilities

App doesn't have a ton of features; Imperfect cleaning; Loud; Expensive

iRobot's Roomba vacuums have always been easy to use, but the new Roomba 980 introduces an even easier way to clean your home without getting off the couch: app control. The Roomba 980 connects to your home Wi-Fi network, so you can control it remotely from an app on your smartphone.

Powerful; Good on rugs; Wi-Fi-enabled

Very expensive; Noisy

You can control this Roomba even if you're not home.

As far as robot vacuums go, the Roomba 980 is excellent. It cleans fairly thoroughly, looks great, doesn't make too much noise, and is super-simple to use. Suction or sense of direction might not quite match Dyson's all-seeing 360 Eye, but it comes very close.

Excellent app; Surprising suction; Not afraid of cliffs - or more likely; stairs

Can't cut into corners; Shaken up by shag pile rugs

Excellent app; Surprising suction; Not afraid of cliffs – or more likely, stairs;

Can’t cut into corners; Shaken up by shag pile rugs;

iRobot's Roomba vacuums have been around long enough now that they should really be running the world - or at the very least cleaning it. when they aren't spinning sick tunes anyway