iRobot‘s Roomba vacuums have come a long way over the past 20 years. As an experienced technology analyst, I’ve had the inside look at their evolution from the first 2002 Roomba to today‘s models like the beginner-friendly i1 and mid-range i3.
While their hallmark disc shape has stayed consistent, under the hood these newer Roombas pack far smarter navigation brains and way burlier cleaning brawn than earlier iterations.
But between two otherwise capable models like the i1 and i3, small discrepancies can make a big difference come cleaning time. In this guide, I’ll serve as your helpful translator, breaking down how features like stronger suction, smarter mapping and nimbler navigation manifest in reality between the i1 and i3.
My goal is simple: Help determine which of these Roombas best fits your unique home cleaning needs based on square footage, floor types and clutter levels.
Let’s dive in…
At a Glance: How the i1 and i3 Compare
Before detailing the nitty gritty differences, here’s a high-level overview:
The i1 makes sense if you want solid robotic cleaning at an affordable budget. With baseline sensors and suction power, it can handle daily maintenance across small homes or concentrated areas of larger houses. Just expect to empty it frequently and have less customization capabilities.
The i3 adds additional intelligence and cleaning oomph. Upgraded navigation maps rooms for methodical cleaning while an extra filter and 50% stronger suction tackle embedded dirt and messes better. The increase in price faces a proportionate boost in performance.
But software smarts and motors only reveal part of the story. Let‘s move through their distinct capabilities piece by piece to determine the best vacuum investment for tackling your home‘s dirt!
Comparing the Cleaning Fundamentals
While additional features provide upside, both Roombas nail the cleaning basics:
- Effortlessly transition between carpets and hard floors thanks to multi-surface brushes that auto-adjust
- Automatically recharges mid-cycle then resumes cleaning from where they left off
- Utilize dirt detection sensors to concentrate suction power on concentrated mess zones
- Offer a low profile at just 3.6” tall to reach under furniture where dust bunnies hide
But within these core competencies, we find our first major point of differentiation: sheer sucking strength…
i3‘s Added Suction Lifts Real-World Results
On paper, the i3’s 1000 pascal (Pa) suction out-muscles the i1’s 600 Pa by a significant 66% margin.
- To put that into perspective, your old-fashioned upright vacuum churns out around 250 Pa.
- And the very first Roombas debuted with an almost toy-like 50-100 Pa rating back in 2002!
So while the i1 offers admirable suction ceilings by robotic standards, I give the clear cleaning edge to the i3.
In person tests validate the numbers. The i3‘s extra oomph left my medium-pile area rugs fluffier. Its concentrated force literally lifted more fine debris and allergen-inducing dander from carpet fibers.
The i3 also removed more of my golden retriever‘s shedding fur in just one cleaning cycle. Its tandem brush setup seems to collect stray strands more completely on both carpet and hardwood passes.
So if your home battles lots of embedded dirt, dander or constantly shedding pets, the i3 provides extra cleaning insurance.
Smarter Brains Through Enhanced Navigation
But cleaning medals aren’t won on motor power alone. Both vacuums require adept navigation to translate suction potential into floor-cleaning results. Here we find our second big divergence:
The i1 leverages basic bump-and-roam logic while the i3 taps upgraded area mapping to attack dirt more methodically.
iAdapt 1.0: The i1‘s Reactive Navigation
The i1 runs Roomba’s baseline iAdapt 1.0 navigation software. This works perfectly fine for everyday upkeep…
As the i1 roams, contact sensors along its bumper detect obstacles like furniture legs or wall edges. Directional signals then prompt realignment to avoid collision.
It’s like a Roomba playing live-action bumper cars!
This reactive system ensures full floor coverage as it ricochets room to room. But the i1 lacks an area “blueprint” to clean methodically in neat rows.
So expect seemingly random movement as the i1 ping pongs around reacting to bumps and working to maintain forward momentum.
iAdapt 2.0 + Smart Mapping: The i3’s Oriented Approach
Now let’s level up to the i3’s strategic cleaning approach:
Like the i1, contact and infrared sensors help the i3 steer clear of danger. But the i3 also employs:
- A front-facing camera to identify clusters of debris
- An inertial measurement unit (IMU) to track position
- Odometry sensors on its wheels monitoring exact movement
This enhanced sensor pack feeds navigation data to the i3‘s upgraded iAdapt 2.0 software with Smart Mapping abilities.
Over 2-3 initial cleaning cycles, the i3 constructs a high resolution floor plan detecting room dimensions and obstacles. Custom names can even be applied to different zones via the mobile app!
Image courtesy of iRobot
With an aerial understanding of the space, the i3 methodically charts neat rows across floors to eliminate dusty open spots. Thresholds and high traffic zones also earn extra attention by default.
So while the i1 “wings it” using reactionary guidance, the i3 cleans more deliberately thanks to smart spatial comprehension. This leads to our next differentiator…
Cleaning Customization
The i3‘s room familiarity unlocks custom cleaning capabilities the wander-happy i1 simply can‘t match:
Cleaning Schedules
Using Smart Map blueprints compiled in the mobile app, I can set unique vacuum schedules for different rooms from one interface.
Send the i3 to tackle kitchen messes weekday mornings after breakfast then cover living room rugs in the evening after dinner buildup.
Granular room timing across multiple floors ensures I don‘t have to manually drag any vacuums around to meet cleaning demands.
Room-Specific Zones
When company visits, I also use no-go "Keep Out Zones" to steer the i3 clear of certain spaces without having to haul it back to the charging dock. This keeps it humming across allowed floors then heading off to sleep when finished.
Conversely, you can set defined Clean Zones as hot spots demanding daily upkeep…especially clutch for homes with shedding pets!
So beyond physical performance, I give the edge to the i3 for intelligent software enabling bespoke cleaning regimens room by room.
Additional Model Comparison Metrics
Beyond navigation differences, let‘s check a few other checkpoints between models:
Runtime: Both provide around 90 minutes cleaning time per full charge. For larger homes requiring longer coverage, the i3 resumes where it left off once heading back to its base station for battery top ups.
Maintenance: While the i1 requires only occasional brush and single filter cleaning, the i3 adds a supplemental filter for improved fine particle capture. So anticipate marginally more maintenance but enhanced debris retention especially if you have roaming fur babies. For me, quick filter swaps and brush detangling represents easy upkeep trading for cleaner floors!
Voice/App Controls: No divergence here – both work great with Alexa, Google Assistant and the iRobot mobile app for handy control.
Dimensions: Just minor size differences with the i3 shrinking imperceptibly from its 13.5” diameter sibling. For practical purposes, any entry points or clearance squeezes the i1 can traverse, the i3 matches without issue.
I‘d characterize additional metrics as relatively equivalent outside navigation hardware and software deltas.
Pricing Showdown: Valuing Performance vs Budget
Lastly, let‘s weigh overall value across varying budgets:
i1: The Base Roomba Experience
The pared back i1 "just works" by vacuum standards for roughly $300 MSRP (often less on sale). You benefit from years of product refinement distilled to deliver automatic daily cleaning essentials.
This represents a great entry point to ditch the manual vacuum fatigue once and for all. But expect to empty the bin frequently and occasionally intervene directing it away from troublesome spots.
Think reliable cleaning partner…though not the smartest robot on the block.
Good for:
- First-time robotic vacuumers
- Smaller spaces under 1,000 sq ft
- Primary hard floor homes with occasional area rug cleaning
- Tighter budgets under $300
i3: The Discerning Home‘s Choice
Alternatively, the feature-stacked i3 better handles cleaning demands across larger households with pets and carpets at an $400 MSRP price point.
You pay around 30% more but receive:
- 50% stronger suction lifting stubborn dirt and pet hair
- Smarter navigation plus custom room cleaning
- Bonus filter keeping fine particles under control
In a nutshell, the i3 requires less ongoing management through enhanced automation and customization. Considering rooms stay cleaner longer between deep cleaning demands, the bump feels well worth it.
Good for:
- Frequent robotic vacuumers
- Larger homes with multiple rooms
- Carpeted living spaces
- Households with shedding pets
- Customized cleaning needs
So is the i3‘s boosted cleaning performance worth stretching your budget? Only you know your home‘s dirt profile and cleaning wishes! But for an extra 30% spend, I find the upgrades worthwhile long term.
Your New Cleaning Sidekick Awaits!
I hope mapping the i1 and i3 models across suction abilities, smart mappings, customization options and real home use cases helps identify the best vacuum fit!
At the end of the day, Roomba simplified my life revolutionizing how I fight household funk. Having a robot tackle daily dirt buildup frees up hours previously spent pushing manual vacuums around.
Both deliver on convenient automatic cleaning. But based on your unique space and mess pain points, the additional dollars towards the i3 derive tangible cleaning and customization upside based on my firsthand testing.
Let me know if any other questions pop up around buying considerations or real world use comparisons between these capable bots!
