Roomba 960 vs. Roomba i7 [Key Differences Explained]

Although Roomba 960 is a mid-range robot vacuum, it still outperforms many rival models in this category. Thanks to tangle-free cleaning rollers, a very large dust tray for such a small device, and a pretty decent suction power, it rates high enough to warrant your consideration. On the downside, it could use a more powerful battery, as well as improved cleaning pattern features. But if you need all that, you’re more likely in the business of buying a more premium model.

With so many features at your disposal, Roomba i7 is truly a premium model. Starting with powerful suction, tangle-free cleaning rollers, and a decent-sized dust tray, it will make sure all your floors are clean at all times – regardless of what kind of material they’re made of. The only thing that might be lacking with Roomba i7 is the battery life. With only 75 minutes of autonomy, it might seem that larger homes would face more frequent battery charge stops. To mitigate this issue, Roomba i7 comes with smart mapping technology along with a memory function. This allows it to analyze its surroundings and maintain optimal cleaning paths, thus preventing battery wastage on unusual zigzag patterns.

Winner (Design): Roomba i7

Roomba 960 – Design

When it comes to design, Roomba 960 features modern outer lines and a dark silver and black color combination. Although it doesn’t look especially stylish, it’s nice enough to blend in with most interior designs.

With a diameter of 13.8” (35 cm) it’s small enough to effectively negotiate furniture legs with ease. Thanks to its low profile of 3.6” (9.14 cm), it can easily move beneath slightly raised sofas and armchairs. Weighing 8.6lbs (3.9 kg), it’s rather light, so you can carry it to whichever spot you like without any problem.

One striking feature of Roomba 960 is its dust tray. With capacity of 20.29 fl. oz. (0.6 liters), it’s able to collect a lot of dust and debris before chiming for your attention to empty the tray. In normal circumstances, it will be able to finish its 75-minute cleaning session without filling up the tray.

Roomba i7 – Design

Comparing Roomba i7 to Roomba 960, there’s a more premium feel to the way i7 looks. Although both models have similar features on top, i7’s smoke grey and black combination does provide a bit of more style than 960 does. Of course, these differences are not that prominent, so this probably won’t be a significant feature to consider when choosing between the two.

With a diameter of 13.3” (33.78 cm), Roomba i7 is slightly smaller than Roomba 960, while both have the same height of 3.6” (9.14 cm). This directly affects Roomba i7’s dust tray capacity, having space of 16.91 fl. oz. (0.5 liters) for collecting debris. Comparing the two, i7 is also lighter than its sibling, weighing 7.4 lbs. (3.4 kg).

Although there aren’t many significant differences, Roomba i7 takes the win for being a slightly smaller device which looks more attractive than Roomba 960.

Winner (Battery): Roomba i7

Roomba 960 – Battery

Roomba 960 comes with a 2600 mAh battery, providing cleaning autonomy of 75 minutes. Being a mid-range model, this figure seems to be at the lower end, considering there are competitive models that provide 90 minutes of run time in this class, and some even go up to two whole hours. Not being able to fully adapt its cleaning runs to the surroundings, you might have to charge your Roomba 960 a couple of times to clean your entire home. Taking this into consideration, this iRobot model seems more suitable for smaller apartments, rather than large households.

Roomba i7 - Battery

Compared to Roomba 960, Roomba i7 has a smaller battery of 1830 mAh. Although the capacity is lower, i7 manages to better utilize its power by scanning and learning the layout of your home. This helps it to establish optimized cleaning paths, thus making less maneuvers around the furniture and corners. It also helps that i7 weighs a bit less than 960 – 7.4lbs. (3.4 kg) against 8.6lbs. (3.9 kg). Being a premium model, Roomba i7 is not on par with its competitors from other manufacturers, especially in this category. As mentioned above, it would be reasonable to expect at least 90 minutes of run time between two charging sessions.

Winner (Vacuum Suction Strength): Roomba i7

Roomba 960 – Vacuum Suction Strength

When talking about vacuum cleaners, one of the most important characteristics is their suction power. Depending on how strongly a vacuum can pull in dirt and debris, you can choose which one is right for you. In case of Roomba 960, it uses iRobot’s proprietary Power-Lifting Suction technology which allows it to generate five times stronger air suction than the basic 600 series of iRobot’s robot vacuums. This implies that Roomba 960 doesn’t have any problems cleaning carpets and picking up tangled pet hair, as well as most of the dirt from hard surfaces. The only time the suction might not be powerful enough is when it comes across heavier particles, like grains of sand, for example.

Roomba i7 – Vacuum Suction Strength

Compared to Roomba 960, Roomba i7 comes with a much more powerful suction force. Although it uses the same Power-Lifting Suction technology, Roomba i7 has a stronger motor which is able to generate ten times more suction than basic models in the 600 series. Thanks to this, it can pick up almost anything from the floors and carpets, especially stubborn hair that’s embedded deep into your carpet.

Winner (Carpet Boost Technology): Roomba i7

Roomba 960 – Carpet Boost Technology

The Carpet Boost feature is where Roomba 960 is no match for Roomba i7. Being a mid-tier robot vacuum, Roomba 960 doesn’t have the benefit of using this technology. Although it has a good carpet-cleaning capability, without Carpet Boost it won’t be able to perform a deep clean and pull out the hair tangled into the carpet.

Roomba i7 – Carpet Boost Technology

It comes as no surprise that this advanced feature is reserved for iRobot’s premium models like Roomba i7. Carpet Boost allows the vacuum to automatically adjust its suction power depending on the surface it encounters. When it moves from a hard surface onto a carpet it will detect the difference and increase its suction to pull all the dirt from deep within. This is especially useful if you have pets in your home, as Roomba i7 will be able to remove most of the pet hair from your carpets. This technology works great on carpets that have a thickness of up to two centimeters.

Winner (Anti-Tangle Technology): Tie

Roomba 960 – Anti-Tangle Technology

Unlike many other competitors, iRobot completely abandoned bristles in their mid-tier and premium models, with the technology spilling over even into the lower tier with some models. Using two rubberized rollers, Roomba 960 effectively scoops up any debris and hair, without any of it getting tangled around the rollers. This is a super-useful feature, relieving you of that nasty job of picking out hair and dust clumps from the bristles using your fingers.

Thanks to a directed pattern on the rollers, they’re super effective at their job. And that’s even when moving over cables and long-fringed carpets. If Roomba 960 happens upon obstructions of that kind, it will get stuck. Using this as a signal that there’s something wrong, it will roll back the rollers in the opposite direction to release that cable or fringe. Although this is an intended feature, it would be better to move any loose cables from the floor and temporarily put the fringe beneath the carpet. This will help your robot vacuum to spend more time cleaning without wasting time and power untangling itself.

Roomba i7 - Anti-Tangle Technology

Just like with the model above, Roomba i7 also has the benefit of using two rubberized rollers instead of bristles to pick up dust and debris from the floor. Of course, this implies that Roomba i7 is also tangle-free and can reverse its rollers to release any cables, fringe, or small objects it might pick up.

The only difference between the two models is in the color of their rollers. While Roomba 960 uses two shades of grey, Roomba i7 uses a striking fluo green and dark green combination for a more modern look. Besides the color, there are no differences in the material the rollers are made of, nor in the way they perform.

Winner (Cliff Detection): Tie

Roomba 960 – Cliff Detection

Using an array of sensors located in multiple spots on their side, Roomba 960 is capable of detecting differences in the surface level, treating stairwells as a threat. When it comes up to the edge of a staircase, it will safely back up and resume its cleaning session.

Although this technology works perfectly in majority of cases, there are some extreme scenarios when a robot vacuum is not able to detect a cliff in front of it. This includes dirty sensors, poor lighting conditions, and unusual color patterns of individual steps. It also might become tricky when there isn’t much difference in color and texture between the stairs and the floor. Now that you know this, you can make arrangements to prevent these situations from affecting your Roomba 960, saving it from tumbling down the stairs.

Roomba i7 – Cliff Detection

Much like Roomba 960, the i7 models also has an advanced cliff detection system which prevents it from advancing over the edge. In most cases, keeping the sensors clean on your Roomba will be enough of a safeguard for such situations.

Winner (Navigation): Roomba i7

Roomba 960 – Navigation

When it comes to autonomous navigation, iRobot still holds the leading position on the market. Coming with an iAdapt 2.0 navigation system, Roomba 960 is able to scan its surroundings in real time and in great detail. It works so smoothly, that it allows the robot vacuum to easily navigate around the ultra-thin legs of your dining room chairs without touching them. This feature comes in handy if you own pets and you don’t want their water bowls getting knocked over during a cleaning session. Although this system allows Roomba 960 to get its bearings around your home in real time, it’s not able to memorize any of that for future sessions.

Roomba i7 – Navigation

As a premium model, Roomba i7 comes with the improved iAdapt 3.0 navigation system. Like the version 2.0, it allows the robot vacuum to scan its surroundings in real time, while adding a memory function. This helps Roomba i7 memorize the entire layout of your home, allowing it to optimize cleaning paths and perform its cleaning duties in efficient and neat rows.

Winner (Zones and Boundaries): Roomba i7

Roomba 960 – Zones and Boundaries

When you want to prevent your Roomba 960 from rolling into an area you don’t want it to, you can use iRobot’s Virtual Wall Barriers to wall off certain parts of your home. Out of the box, Roomba 960 comes with one such device which you use as a virtual wall, making the vacuum turn away once it reaches the virtual line created by the barrier.

For example, you might want to prevent it from going into your kid’s room until they pick up small toys and tiny pieces of LEGO. If so, it will take you only a moment to place a Virtual Wall Barrier device on one side of the door to keep the Roomba 960 away. If you need to ward off more areas at the same time, you’ll have to purchase additional sets of Virtual Wall Barrier devices.

Since it belongs to a mid-range category of iRobot’s robotic vacuums, Roomba 960, unfortunately, can’t recognize the virtual boundaries you set using the dedicated mobile app.

Roomba i7 – Zones and Boundaries

What sets Roomba i7 apart from its mid-range sibling in this regard, is its ability to recognize multiple no-clean zones around your home which you set using iRobot’s mobile app. Thanks to its scanning technology, Roomba i7 is able to map the entire layout of your home and make it accessible to you directly from the app. All you have to do then is simply draw the no-clean zones on the layout – and that’s it.

This feature is truly versatile since it’s so precise that it allows you to map even small areas, such as the location of your pet’s water and food bowls just to make sure it doesn’t accidentally knock them over. Of course, you can create and delete these zones anytime you want with just a few taps on your smartphone.

Much like Roomba 960, Roomba i7 is also compatible with Virtual Wall Barriers to prevent the vacuum from venturing into certain areas of your home on random occasions. Maybe you’re preparing lunch in the kitchen and don’t want the small robot to come scrambling around your feet. Simply place the barriers in front of the kitchen door. These wall barriers don’t come with Roomba i7 when you purchase it, but you can buy them separately in 2-piece packs.