Robot vacuum cleaners are a boon to the house maker as it takes care of the arduous task of keeping your home clean. Like any robot, you just have to schedule your cleaning routine, and the smart floor cleaner will have your house sparkling clean by the time you return. The problem, however, is that there are so many brands and models of floor cleaning robots, that making a choice is somewhat tricky.
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ILife is affordably priced
The price is one of the most important features to consider if you plan to buy a robotic vacuum. If you compare the two brands, you will find that ILife has a lot of affordably priced models. This is in contrast to the more expensive Roomba robotic cleaners and the reason why buyers like it.
You can buy ILife vacuums for less than $500, where most models lie in the $100 range. However the starting rate of new Roomba models is more than $500. Even their cheapest Roomba model, the Roomba 650 is also relatively expensive at $300.
So if the price is an issue, then ILife is apparently the better choice. But if you can afford something expensive, and are more concerned about features and better navigation, then you may as well consider a Roomba.
When it comes to navigation, iRobot Roomba is the best. It runs on two navigation technologies, the iAdapt for Series 800 in previous floor robots, and iAdapt 2.0 for series 900 robots.
These technologies use the help of sensors and software to get your cleaning done quickly, without colliding with walls and furniture or falling off stairs. In fact, the Roomba 980 and 960 also have a camera that gives the robotic automated floor cleaner a better view of the level for a thorough cleaning. IAdapt also lets them change cleaning modes while cleaning different floor types.
| ILife | Roomba | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 11.8 x 11.8 x 3 inches | 13.4 x 3.6 x 13.4 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 4.5 pounds | 7.9 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
Of course, it’s not that the ILife will not get the work done. It also completes its chores but needs more time and tends to hit things while cleaning. Its navigation depends on the model and usually relies on pre-set cleaning modes.
While there’s no visual mapping feature, the robotic floor cleaners follow paths based on the selected cleaning mode. In case of auto mode, it starts cleaning from the exteriors and moves inwards only after scanning the entire floor.
The auto vacuum cleaner goes spirally to clean smaller areas during spot cleaning mode and scrubs the walls in edge cleaning mode. In case of remote-controlled ILife robots, you direct the vacuum cleaner using the remote’s direction keys.
Both ILife and Roomba are well-designed floor cleaning robots
All of Roomba’s vacuum cleaners are 3.6 inches tall, making it easy for them to clean under furniture. They are all circular in design with a diameter of fewer than fourteen inches. However, the successive models have grown heavier in weight. While the Roomba 620 weighs only 7.9 pounds, the latest Roombas are hefty with the Roomba 980 weighing 8.7 pounds.
ILife droids have a comparatively lower profile, measuring less than three inches in height. Even its tallest model, the ILife V7 is shorter than the Roombas. ILife vacuums are also circular, but narrower than Roombas with a diameter ranging from 11.8 inches to 13.4 inches.
They are however more colorful than Roombas where different ILife models have different colors ranging from blue to gold to piano black with glass tops. ILife floor robots are also lighter than Roombas where most models weigh about five pounds, and their most massive model weighs 6.5 pounds.
Roomba has a better vacuuming technology
The older Roombas used AeroVac vacuuming technology that efficiently pulls the hair off floors and carpets using counter-rotating brushes and sucks dirt. The latest releases use AeroForce technology that is five times more powerful and uses debris extractors. Both techniques however follow a three-stage cleaning process where a powerful motor picks up hair, debris, and dust from the floor and cleans wall edges with side brushes.
ILife also has a three-stage cleaning process where one or two side brushes clean wall edges along with a central brush and powerful vacuum suction system. Its sensors also prevent collisions with walls and falling off stairs.
ILife vacuum cleaner batteries have a longer life
While the latest Roombas use longer lasting lithium-ion batteries, some models like the Roomba 880 and 870 still use Ni-MH batteries. So the runtime of the Roomba 980 is about 120 minutes while all other Roombas can clean for only 60 minutes on a single charge.
ILife, however, uses lithium-ion batteries for all their models where their higher-end models have a runtime of about 150 minutes. The shortest runtime is from ILife V1 at 70 minutes, which is still longer than most Roombas.
So if battery runtime is essential for you, then ILife robotic floor cleaners are a better choice for you because of its lithium-ion battery.
ILife vs Roomba
Final verdict
So while Roomba seems to be a brand that’s difficult to beat, ILife is not far behind. The company is looking at novel ways to overcome Roomba by bringing out models with features Roomba doesn’t have, like wet mopping.
The final choice between ILife vacuum vs Roomba lies in your hands. You have to decide if you want a Roomba vacuum cleaner with more unique features or if you want a cheaper ILife robotic floor cleaner that delivers a compatible clean with a better battery life.