iRobot Roomba i8+ Review Demo & Maintenance Tips - i8 Improved i7 Plus Robot Vacuum

The best self-emptying robot vacuum available in its price range. Here is a review, several cleaning demos, and recommended maintenance tips on this impressive product from iRobot, the Roomba i8 Plus.
For questions or inquiries, here is Vac Tech's email: [e-mail]

[@melissacristovao2218]

Ours is one week old and does not map a70 Sq meter house. We've sent it on dozens of mapping runs and cleaning runs, we rebooted the robot and the internet, we cleaned both and the base, we placed it in the non mapped area and set it to clean, we used out feet to keep it from leaving the non mapped rooms, it still only maps half the house. At some point not only was it not mapping it was also not finding its base. We sent it back to the warranty but we would not purchase again, we would much rather have one with Lidar system.

[@jpmccarthy81]

Thank you for this review. I just purchased the I8 from Costco for $599.00.

[@brodydawson6200]

Is it worth it

[@jpmccarthy81]

@@brodydawson6200 Hey Brody. It's absolutely amazing! It mapped out my entire downstairs after about 2 mapping runs. I have 4 dogs and no carpet or rugs only concrete floors. I'm extremely happy so far.

[@bjcynthiabookout7329]

Thanks so much... We bought the i8.. never had a robot before... the directions you gave were clear and the viceo helped me understand how and when to do the maintenance.. Thanks

[@VacTech1]

Happy to help! Thanks for the nice comment. Hope you like your Roomba!

[@slidelltowne183]

Thanks for the review. I did the Costco I8+ on sale. I have a faithful black Lab so using the i8 for "in between" big vac on third day intervals. Other than a lost sock or bad placement of lamp cord, it's been very good! Beneath the wine cabinet and back closets gets clogged with junk that I have not seen in 10 years of missing with the Dyson. "Nana" will limp back to dump her trunk from her last foray, yes we are pigs that did NOT do a preclean first. The i8 is still in mapping mode, 5 rooms, single floor, so a 90 minute recharge is required to continue the two runs to finish. I expect this to improve after map completed in the phone app.

[@VacTech1]

That all sounds good! Glad you're enjoying yours so far!

[@Hjominbonrun]

although a one time test is great, the value is that this thing will run once a day and so it will only have an extreme clean on the first day. After that, it should be quick to clean and leave very very little behind.

[@vlivecch]

Thanks for the review! Very thorough.

[@VacTech1]

Glad you liked it! It’s a nice robot.

[@KensGarage1]

Thanks for the thorough review. I am considering this purchase for an xmas gift.

[@GregDawson]

Awesome review. Just picked it up from Costco today on sale.

[@VacTech1]

That's great! Hope you're happy with yours.

[@Patriot-ku4gi]

Great review! Just purchased for my new home at Costco with $100 off

[@VacTech1]

I hope yours works out great for you! I think this is the best self-emptying robot for the price, by far. I've been very happy with mine.

[@remijr123imadog2]

How much was it????

[@shanew7361]

@@VacTech1 How do you like it? We have 2700 sq ft carpet, tile and vinyl. One Persian cat and 1 girl. Concerned about pet hair and ability to clean carpets. Any issues with emptying the dirt bin or hair breaking or getting stuck on rollers etc? How is the maintenance? Does it auto detect when the on-board bin is full and go back to the base for a clean or does it keep cleaning but doing a poor job because the bin is full? Does the robot detect when the outside waste bin bag is full? Any issues scuffing or damaging furniture?

[@Nintentional]

Nice Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, and 64 from what I can see in the background hooked up to your CRT. And SNES and NES mini 😝🤘🏼 do you have a gaming channel as well?

[@suzetterogers3820]

Thanks for your review, very helpful!

[@LDEast-zr9hg]

Thank you for this excellent tutorial and review! Way to go! 😊

[@VacTech1]

Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!

[@angeryitalianchef7251]

In the robots settings you can make it do two passes so it cleans even better then the first time

[@VacTech1]

I like that feature too. I didn't use that in this demo, as I wanted it to be true to its defaults. Two runs will help it catch anything it's missed.

[@marlenerrea2982]

Very well done & informative , thx.

[@stolmich]

Thanks for your video. I'm planning to buy one, but I'm not sure, which model is best for me.

[@aprilpeace3371]

Buy the one u can afford is my advice. Refurbs available on ebay but i like the warranties myself.

[@nicko5945]

Great thorough review! I think I will always prefer my Neato bots, but I am dying to try out the iRobot self-empty bin. Neato’s new lineup still don’t have a self empty option, so I have to try and find a way to get my hands on the S9+. The price is still crazy, but I gotta have the D shape design for the full size brushroll.

[@VacTech1]

Thanks! The S9 has a ton of improvements on it compared to this one, and I think it cleans better, with both more suction and those wide brushrolls. It is however quite an investment. I look forward to checking out those new Neato models when they're available! They look sharp, and I don't have to have the self-emptying, if the robot is easy to take care of (however the self emptying is a tremendous benefit when it actually works). Thanks for watching bud!

[@cindirallen]

@@VacTech1 what improvements are on the S9 over this one? I’m trying to decide which one to buy. Thank you! This was a great video.

[@VacTech1]

@@cindirallen thanks! So the S9 has a LOT of improvements, but comes at a higher price. To be honest, I bought a S9, but my model was defective, so I tried the i8+ instead, and I've had no issues.

[@monkeybone2001]

@@cindirallen ?m I don’t think it’s the best one I want

[@wewiveslifechats5157]

Excellent review Thank you!

[@VacTech1]

Thanks! I really appreciate it.

[@SISSYKOUMPARAKI]

Thinking to buy it - does it worth it?

[@VacTech1]

Yeah I think it’s a great option for the price.

[@Jess_Smith0903]

This device is on sale at Costco and I’m considering purchasing it. Do you still think it’s a good investment after all these months or is there another model you’d recommend over this one?

[@VacTech1]

Yes, I would still recommend this model. The navigation on it isn't as gentle as other robots (it has to tap into things to find the border of the room), but it's still one of the better cleaning robots available for carpeting, and the the self emptying dock does a great job. The Roomba is the only self-emptying model I've owned that can tell when it's bin is full, so I've never had any issues with the robot or the dock getting clogged. I would invest in extra filters and bags if you go for this model, and I would clean the filter in the dirt bin regularly (they slowly clog over time, even with the self-emptying, a problem with all these robots).

[@yankees5993]

@@VacTech1 I am also considering purchasing this from Costco. Is it possible to have the base plugged into a coat closet then keep the door open for when I schedule it to vacuum?

[@lanceb247Upload]

Great review! I just bought this one on sale for a birthday gift, since my older model roomba isn’t working anymore. I think your video hinted at one of my biggest question, but would you confirm? Can I put the dock tucked out of the way in a corner of the room? With the old model I had, the dock needed to be in a middle wall with an unobstructed view of the room…

[@lanceb247Upload]

In answer to my own question, yes you can. 🙂

[@VacTech1]

@@lanceb247Upload sorry I forgot to respond! Mine is currently between furniture on either side without issue.

[@momochan8080]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but is it only pet poop that it avoids? Or does it also avoid pet pee or vomit? Our cat's sometimes leave a hairball or vomit around the livingroom... and if we aren't home it would be handy that the roomba would avoid this!

[@VacTech1]

This model does none of that. The newer Roomba just avoid objects littered around on the floor in general, so a wide variety.

[@michaelsalvucci4260]

My old 980 definitely cleaned better than my i7+ in my opinion. I have 3 black labs so daily runs are a must - but the convenience of the self empty bin made up my mind 😁. The i7 is also SO much quieter than the 980, so much so I was convinced mine was broken at first. Wish I could afford the s9 I have heard great things also. Love your vids!

[@VacTech1]

Thank you! So when I first got it, I thought the same thing. I think the 900 series has more suction than the i7 series. However this i8 did much better than I thought it would on all the carpeting tests, and I think they're pretty close. This i8 has some key things that are massive improvements over the older model, mainly the self-emptying dock, the phone app, smarter nav, and the very quiet operation. I love it, but I thought the 980's were great too!

[@stolmich]

Hello, did you test the mopping function of this robot? I have a laminate floor, 45 sqm apartment, no pets or children. In Austria, this robot is about 500 euros. Thanks, and have a great pentecost weekend.

[@VacTech1]

Thanks! This model Roomba doesn’t have a mopping function. It’s just a vacuum.

[@stolmich]

@@VacTech1 , thanks for the fast reply. In Austria and Germany, it's advertised as vacuum and mopping robot. I think, I'll visit the store, and seek assistance, before buying. Happy pentecost and have a great weekend.

[@Coolarj10]

Great vid! Love how thorough your review is! The only thing I would have loved to see covered is something that more closely simulates kitchen debris. For example, when cooking, let!s say some fine slices of garlic, maybe some diced onion, even a tiny bit of baked beans falls on the floor. Will the roomba take care of it? I’m a pretty lazy person, haha

[@VacTech1]

I wouldn't use this Roomba for any wet items, as this can make the robot very messy to clean, and potentially cause issues. Any dry dirt it handles just fine. Thanks for watching!

[@bean9005]

Get a used iRobot scooba and a switch bot so you can turn it on from your phone

[@tonifonseca9178]

no wet stuff with a paper filter

[@ThisTall]

I can’t figure out why they only brush on 1 side?

[@payaloswal]

Thank you!

[@VacTech1]

Thanks for watching, Payal!

[@Kimmng]

I have a big fluffy rug in living room… do you think it’ll vacuum that if I get a roomba ?

[@VacTech1]

Is it shaggy? If so, then no I dont think it will. Robots work best on low to medium-pile carpeting. They often cannot handle really deep-pile area rugs.

[@doctormarc4709]

When you move the "home" of the robot, do you have to remap or will the original map still serve even though home base has changed?

[@crayh5o]

Any tip on getting the side brush clean from hair?

[@jeanjospitre737]

Would it trigger a alarm?

[@jamanu1975]

What about the mopping ability???

[@VacTech1]

This model has no mopping ability.

[@magic_zhen]

May I ask how much you got this robot from Costco?

[@tatianaormaeche8027]

I got mine for $599 on sale at Costco

[@sumeyraekici5751]

Thank you

[@Glammamaw]

It's coming Monday

[@lorettalarsen2585]

What did you clean the bumper with?

[@VacTech1]

Rubbing alcohol takes paint scuffs right off, but be careful if you use it. If you overuse it, it can dull the plastic.

[@focusedondabag4377]

hey i have a piece of wood that separates my living room from my kitchen would it be able to get over it

[@VacTech1]

How tall is it? It can clear short obstacles.

[@focusedondabag4377]

@@VacTech1 not that big they separate the tile and the hardwood id say less then half inch tall or even lower

[@jamesnave1249]

Curious how it will handle dry dog food bits

[@VacTech1]

It could handle them, but that would be at about the size limit for debris (big dog food pieces anyway).

[@endorfiene7457]

i have 2 rooms that have a little step up and that kinda keeps me from buying this

[@shanew7361]

How does this compare to the Roborock S7 plus and the Shark ai robot self emptying vacuum?

[@whatwhat8524]

Just bought this vacuum. Very confused and only a few instructions. Not sure how to make different zones so it will vacuum that zone and not rest of house. I hope it gets better. It has been zig zagging all over the house for 4 hours now with no rhythm or reason. Missed half the kitchen and a lot of other random areas. Mine is not vacuuming in straight lines. It is going every which way, missing everything. How did you do living room only? Going to try again tomorrow, but may be returning.

[@VacTech1]

Yeah that doesnt sound right. You may want to exchange that one. It should clean in straight lines, then after a couple cleaning cycles it unlocks all the map features to set rooms and whatnot. I hope you end up with one that works for ya! Based on all the issues you described, yours may be defective.

[@vaughnbay]

So do I have to tape down my carpets to make the iroomba work?

[@VacTech1]

Not necessary. I tape this rug down for two reasons: It's wearing out along the edge, and robots like to gobble it up, and because its sitting on top of carpeting, robots struggle to climb it. Normally no you wouldnt need to tape anything down, unless the rug was extremely light (bath mats, that sort of thing).

[@FizysVibinMemes]

What’s the difference between this and the I7+?

[@VacTech1]

The i8+ has 20% longer battery life. That's about it!

[@AVHANDYMANPROFESIONALSERVICES]

@@VacTech1 thank you

[@research46]

How far from the base can the device go and still return? Also, how does it handle transition mouldings between carpet and hardwood, etc

[@VacTech1]

I imagine it can cover massive floor plans, and it can handle thresholds between rooms without issues. Did you end up getting a robot?

[@Nintentional]

Mine didn’t stop for a pit stop like yours around the 5:00 mark of your video. During a cleaning job, it just stopped in the middle of a bedroom while the dock was only 10 ft away in another part of my place with no closed doors or obstructions preventing it from returning home. It had a red light and announced the bin was full, and just stopped in place. I had to pick it up and place it on its dock and manually tell it to empty its bin. I scoured through the app and cannot find a setting that would make the robot return to the dock if the bin is full to have the bin emptied, and resume cleaning. What am I doing wrong?

[@VacTech1]

I'm contact iRobot, and see if it's either a feature they did away with, or if something is wrong. Mine has never done what you're describing.

[@kaymcpheeters1132]

@@VacTech1 Mine just keeps running over the same area for hours. It forced itself under my couch and it now has a crack in the top where it got stuck and couldn't find its way out. I tried to push the home button for it to return to the dock and it just swings around and starts the process all over and only docks when it needs charging.

[@tandybailey5121]

My i8 doesn’t vacuum in a grid pattern, with edge cleaning last. It vacuums randomly, and misses small areas. Should I reset and remap?

[@VacTech1]

You probably should. It should not vacuum in a random pattern, or miss anywhere it can get to.

[@silviarincon4415]

How often do you change the bag?

[@VacTech1]

I havent had to change it yet. In active homes, probably every 2-3 months.

[@sandraweinberg9315]

I got my I8+ at costco's also but it says I8 on the bottom instead of I8+. is something wrong?

[@VacTech1]

I'll have to look at mine, but my guess is that it's normal.

[@anburaaaja]

Mine docks and then undocks. Most of the time it keeps seaching for home base while its on the home base

[@VacTech1]

Something worse could be wrong, but I would start by cleaning the dock and all the sensors on the robot. If a sensor on the robot or dock has stopped working, it'll likely need a repair or replacement.

[@miguelprada5465]

With this robot you have the go/nogo zone feature? Thanks

[@VacTech1]

You do. No more need for lighthouses. After it creates a map of your home, you can set no go zones.

[@dianacruzhiatt1364]

Are the bags reusable and washable or disposable? Thank you.

[@VacTech1]

They're disposable, sadly.

[@PraveenKumar-sw8ud]

Does i8+ mopping ? I can’t see this in the features .

[@VacTech1]

No, it's just a vacuum. iRobot sells a separate robot for mopping.

[@remijr123imadog2]

How much was it?

[@VacTech1]

The week before Christmas, Costco had them for $579. I couldn't pass it up! Regularly they're $699, and I think it's the best robot still for that price.

[@ryan880427]

Do you have the same issue that the vacuum can’t empty itself? I have tried a whole day but it fails, I also can’t find a empty button on the app.

[@VacTech1]

No I've never had an issue with it not emptying. It always does it automatically once whenever it returns to the dock. On the home screen of the app, the main button should be the option to have it empty the bin. I would contact irobot if the self-emptying isn't working. Hope you can get yours straightened out!

[@ryan880427]

@@VacTech1 Thanks

[@kizz26]

I just purchase this robot. When i use it for the first time it says error in empty bin. What should i do?

[@VacTech1]

I would take off and put the dirt bin back on, then reset the robot. If that doesn't do the trick, definitely contact iRobot customer service, as they'll address the issue under warranty.

[@kizz26]

@@VacTech1 thank you. I would call there customer service.

[@margaretcroft]

Years ago we bought a roomba but it scratched our wood floors…anyone have issues with this with newer models?

[@VacTech1]

Uh oh! They're designed to be safe to use on hard floors.

[@GP2141BC]

I had one of the early rumba models and after a year or two the rechargeable battery had to be replaced… at a fairly significant cost….have they improved the battery life? Is it expensive to replace it? Great vids btw!

[@VacTech1]

Thanks! So the battery tech has come a long way, but the robots also consume more power, as they're much better cleaners, and have more tech than they used to. I haven't had any issues with Roomba batteries personally, but with robots in general, I've found batteries to last between 2-4 years. My i8+ battery is still fine, after over a year and regular use.

[@Glammamaw]

I've got to stop watching robot vacuum mop videos.. I researched for weeks and got so confused. I don't know how many times I almost hit the add to cart button.. then I would stop and keep searching.. the good ones are so expensive.. I finally settled on the ecovac t8 .. the new one and I got the extra mop... Gonna be delivered Monday.... Now I don't know... Sigh....

[@VacTech1]

I'm the same way when researching products. I hope you like it!

[@CharlesUdehFisty]

Proud of your purchase? I'm done researching.. I can't make up my mind.

[@Glammamaw]

@@CharlesUdehFisty I love it.. I call her Rosie... lol... Had a couple things I had to work out... But it's the best purchase ever!

[@Gaba-oo4qb]

My whole issue with this vacuum is that it leaves stuff behind. Particularly when there are chairs or other larger objects near crumbs. And for $700 - $1000 it’s not worth the money….at least to me.

[@VacTech1]

If you're expecting perfection, a robot vacuum won't be for you. They're supplemental to a main vacuum, and made for daily maintenance, between deep cleaning. They have a ton of benefits, but they're not perfect. Some, like this Roomba i8, are much better than others. There's a LOT of robovacs out there that are junk.

[@Gaba-oo4qb]

@@VacTech1 Exactly my point sir! I fork out $700-$1000 and on top of which I have to vacuum after it with a main vacuum.

[@Gaba-oo4qb]

You might as well buy the little $50 mechanized sweepers they have and use those in between the deep cleans

[@VacTech1]

@@Gaba-oo4qb hahaha or a stick vac. The Roomba's performance is more comparable to a cordless stick vac, than a carpet sweeper.

[@patricknelson]

The extra battery here seems crucial, particularly with these i7/i8/S9 Roomba's which have apparently got issues with charge (and thus requiring them to recharge and therefore taking many hours to clean moderate sized homes). So, might I ask: What's the square footage of your home? Another possible issue here is the problem with replacing the battery when the time comes. Since it's just an i7 replica, how do you get the same battery when time to replace after a year or two? Is it compatible with the i7 battery (in case you cannot find)? If so, then... why not just buy the battery for i7? Or, is it a completely different situation, i.e. it's just a more efficient model that uses the same battery? 🤔

[@VacTech1]

Good question! I'm unsure if the i7 battery would fit this i8, but I'm guessing it would. The i8 can run for about 70-80 mins, which is enough time to clean my entire home (one floor, several rooms). If the floorplan is large enough, it will take a 90 minute break to recharge, then continue where it left off, for another hour or so. For longer runs (which could add up to several hours, if it needs to recharge and resume multiple times), it's great to run it when you're not home. Between this and the Ecovacs, this robot cleans carpeting much better, and is more thorough, which makes a huge difference. I really like my Roomba i8. Don't regret the purchase at all.

[@kiwibeast2162]

Why not try the Roomba S9+ ?

[@FMFVeteran]

I sitting here, roomba i8, watching my roomba trying to figure out how to get out from under a table. If this is the state of AI, it's sad!!

[@VacTech1]

Haha the nav has improved a lot since the i8, but that's fair!

[@jasonpittman8584]

It is called a docking station not a charging station for the roomba's

[@VacTech1]

I see. I'll keep that in mind!

[@katheryvaldiviavaldivia330]

0:12

[@kiwibeast2162]

Hi

[@VacTech1]

Hi Kiwi! Thanks for tuning in!

[@lanyburnett7966]

These things are cool, but not really practical. You can get a new Dyson handheld for the same price that vacuums way better, and only takes 10 minutes or so. And, you can carry the dyson up the stairs and do multiple floors in 10% of the time it takes the robots. Definitely cool products though.

[@chrisfrost5646]

Great video. Very informative. Thanks.