The American company iRobot has developed a model of the Roomba 960 robot vacuum cleaner, further improving its navigation and functionality. Thanks to this, the device compares favorably with the robots of this line, which previously entered the sales market. In the review, we will consider its features and functionality.

Appearance

The iRobot Roomba 960 device has a round shape with a diameter of 35 cm. Height — 9.08 cm, which is due to the capacious dust collector. He weighs 4 kg. The case is made of black plastic with a matte finish. A camera is built into the upper surface of the robot, there is also a large gray key to turn on the device. It lights up green when the robot is running. Two smaller main control buttons are mounted on both sides of it. The side panel of the appliance is equipped with a bumper to soften impacts against furniture. Infrared sensors are built into the front that react to the appearance of obstacles in the way and a virtual wall. They also help the robot find a charging station. On the bottom of the vacuum cleaner are:

• 2 driving wheels on the sides;
• front swivel wheel;
• one side brush;
• silicone rollers between the side wheels, acting as a central brush, under which there is a suction hole;
• the bottom of the bin;
• along the lower edge of the bumper there are sensors that detect differences in floor level;
• charging contacts.

Specifications

The device performs only dry cleaning of the room. It has the following technical parameters:

• on one charge cleans: up to 150 sq.m;
• garbage compartment volume: 1 l;
• control: buttons on the robot, as well as through the application;
• operating modes: 2;
• there is a video camera;
• there is a gyroscope;
• there is a three-axis accelerometer;
• the ability to work in the «smart home» system;
• installation on the base: automatic.

The robot is equipped with a Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 2130 mAh. A full charge is enough for battery life for 80 minutes. Charging takes 3 hours.

Functionality

The iRobot Roomba 960 vacuum cleaner is adapted for cleaning dry debris. The turbo brush is replaced by silicone rollers, which, together with the side brush, collect dirt and send it to the dust collector. There is air purification thanks to the HEPA filter. The rollers can be replaced with an electric brush for cleaning carpets. The robot has two main modes:

1. Auto. The device independently cleans the entire available area, and after completing the program, it returns to the base.
2. Local. Cleaning consists in collecting garbage in a selected area with heavy pollution. The device is placed in the selected place and turned on.

The device is controlled by buttons on the case or from a smartphone on which a special program is installed. Using the mobile application, you can choose three more modes:

1. Cleaning around the perimeter. The device cleans the floor from debris in the corners and along the walls.
2. Shutdown when the trash bin is full.
3. Setting the number of movements of the device in the selected area of ​​work.

The vacuum cleaner is equipped with a camera, a gyroscope and a three-axis accelerometer, which, together with the installed mobile application, helps it to estimate the area of ​​the room to be cleaned, draw up a work plan and identify existing obstacles.

It provides the ability to schedule the start of work at a convenient time. The device will turn on at the right time and will independently clean. At the same time, it will send messages about its status using sound signals and warn of the failure of any part, which allows it to be replaced in a timely manner. When installing a virtual wall, the vacuum cleaner does not enter the delimited space.

Equipment

The delivery set includes the following items:

• robot;
• base;
• power cable;
• battery;
• spare side brush;
• spare HEPA filter;
• virtual wall with batteries;
• instruction.

Advantages and disadvantages

Thanks to high-quality equipment, iRobot Roomba 960 has a large number of advantages:

• modern design;
• remote control from a smartphone;
• excellent navigation and orientation in space;
• quality cleaning;
• the ability to automatically turn on according to a specified schedule;
• large volume of the garbage collector;
• the presence of a dust compartment filling sensor;
• automatic resumption of work after recharging;
• high-quality air filtration;
• the ability to limit the cleaning area;
• the presence of sound messages about the performance of the device at the time of operation;
• easy cleaning of the rollers that collect debris.

No special shortcomings in the operation of the device were found. The downside is the lack of wet cleaning, the inability to turn off the sound signal and the rather high price — 41.5 thousand rubles.

See also: robotic vacuum cleaners up to 35,000 rubles

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