What is this?
It’s been over a year since the launch of the robotic vacuum cleaner category in South Africa, following the arrival of the market leading iRobot Roomba brand. Now, the range is expanding, allowing it to cater to a wide range of budgets.
However, iRobot’s strategy in South Africa appears to start at the high end, gradullay moving down the value chain. This is the opposite of the strategy being adopted by the new smartphone brands entering South Africa. They tend to start in the lower mid-range, then move up the value chain.
The philosophy seems to be that robot vacuum cleaners are a quality purchase, which will be made by wealthier consumers, so they will be targeted first. As a result, the i7+, j7+ and s9+ are the most widely available here, along with the i3+, all priced at over R10,000.
In the US market, the 600 series starts at as low as the equivalent of R3,600 dollars, but is either out of stock or unavailable in South Africa.
Enter i5. Or, at least, it came into my living space.
My office carpets are covered in pet hair, thanks to the many cats and dogs you think pay — or feed — to get rid of. This makes vacuuming intensive use, which can be somewhat tiring. The i5 ran, and it proved its worth within the first few sessions.
The carpet looks cleaner than it has in the year since a robotic vacuum cleaner was last tested here, though that may be a result of an innate preference for robots. What couldn’t be disputed was the sheer amount of hair it picked up: the basket was overflowing after two rounds of cleaning, indicative of the pressure the animals placed on the carpet.
Not only does the new mid-range Roomba come with the auto-cleaning dock that sets it apart from previous high-end models available in this country, but that also makes it more versatile in terms of placement of its small docking station. This also means cleaning it more often.
While it doesn’t have built-in voice capabilities, the i5 can be controlled through voice commands, using Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Apple Siri. However, it must be linked to the smart home apps of the audio gadgets. One is also at the mercy of voice assistants’ ability to understand instructions. Activating the i5 and sending it home with Google Assistant wasn’t a problem, but trying to send it while running Maps tested my patience with bots.
The i5 seems to support 600 predefined commands, so one might learn a new language in the process. Custom orders can also be created.
As with its more expensive siblings, the i5 includes Imprint Smart Mapping, which creates customizable maps and enables one to send the robot in to clean specific rooms. One can then create cleaning routines based on schedules, rooms, and preferred automation.
It allegedly navigates the house in neat rows, “using the latest hardwood and carpet vacuuming floor tracking sensors.” However, the average home is not furnished in neat rows, and one finds the iRobot learning its way around obstacles – many of which have an annoying habit of hopping around. Who wants to bother remembering how to rearrange the furniture the last time the i5 ventured out?
While mapping may seem like the most useful feature of a high-end robot vacuum, the recharge and resume function is the most practical. When her charge begins to wear off after a grueling session, she returns to the charging station, recharges, and returns to finish the job.
Cleaning efficiency is aided by the dual multi-surface rubber brushes and power-lift suction that pulls dirt, debris, and pet hair from their hiding places, while the edge-cleaning brush takes care of surface details.
What is the cost?
7599 rand from iRobot.co.za and selected retailers.
why does it matter?
It was a big deal when iRobot South Africa announced the new Roomba i5 and i5+ in October, because the base version costs less than R8,000, which is what a mid-range Roomba would call. Coincidentally, iRobots pricing matches those of mid-range and high-end smartphones. Maybe we can expect “entry level” pricing next year?
What are the biggest negatives?
Clean Base automatic dirt cleaner sold separately.
The docking station must be moved when Roomba is manually placed in separate rooms.
The iRobot app does not offer a comprehensive set of robot management tools.
What are the biggest pluses?
Easy setup and quick start-up for its first job.
Cleans well.
It navigates effectively between various surfaces such as mats on carpets and slightly raised areas.
Originally posted 2022-12-14 13:40:56.