Home electronics ASCII Rumba without garbage disposal for 60 days, "Rumba i3 +" for less than 100,000 yen

This is Ryo Morita, in charge of ASCII housework and childcare.Hello. Good news for those looking for a reasonably priced Roomba. On February 17, iRobot Japan announced the robot vacuum cleaner "Rumba i3" for 69,800 yen. A popular machine that has the basic performance of a high-end model but lacks a camera sensor. "Rumba i3 +" with "clean base" that automatically sucks garbage when cleaning is finished also appeared at 99,800 yen.

Roomba i3 + Released February 26, 2021 Actual selling price 99,800 yen Irobot Japan https://www.irobot-jp.com/product/i3/

●Perfect basic performance, camera omitted

The new feature is a stylish design. It changed from a smooth black body to a smooth fabric tone, making it easier to blend in with the room. Fingerprints and dust don't bother me, and it seems to reduce the trouble of cleaning. Only one button on the top. Around the button is a ring-shaped light that glows blue when cleaning is complete, white when charging, and red when an error occurs.

Fabric design

The cleaning performance is the same as the high-end model "Rumba i7", equipped with the Aeroforce 3-stage cleaning system. The main brush is a familiar rubber dual action brush. Hair and hair are less likely to get tangled, saving you the hassle of care. Equipped with a dust sensor, it also has a function to identify areas with a lot of dust and clean them carefully.

The main brush is a familiar rubber dual action brush

Equipped with a bumper sensor that reacts diagonally upward as a new function. When I crawled under a sofa that was getting lower, I was able to make a U-turn and come back without getting stuck. A small but important improvement.

New features for peace of mind even when you're crawling under the sofa

Of course, you can also use the app, and you can also operate using the smart speaker such as "Alexa clean". The app suggests cleaning appointments based on the cleaning history, and suggests a recommended cleaning program tailored to the user. Through the app, it can also be linked with Braava, a wiping robot.

The app comes with personalized cleaning suggestions

And the Roomba i3+ comes with a clean base that automatically sucks up dirt when it's done cleaning. The inner paper pack can store up to 60 days of garbage, and when I used the Roomba i7 + with the same function, I didn't need to throw it away for half a year. The paper pack has the performance of confining 99% of pollen and mold.

On the other hand, the camera sensor that was in the Roomba i7 was omitted.

Although there is a mapping function, it is a simple one that creates a map with only bumpers, gyros, and floor tracking sensors. If the battery runs out while cleaning, you can charge it up and start again from the same spot. The area (operating area) is narrower than the model equipped with a camera sensor, and it seems that there will be omissions in cleaning in houses with complicated floor plans. It also does not support the imprint smart mapping function that designates areas to be cleaned or prohibited areas from the map.

No camera sensor, simple rectangular driving

●"Bamboo" in Shochikubai

Rumba's lineup currently has a wide range from the 40,000 yen to the 180,000 yen range, and the Roomba i3 is in the middle.

The biggest difference is the cleanable floor plan. High-end models can accommodate large and complex floor plans, but low-end models without a mapping function are basically one room at a time. If you upgrade to a higher-end model, you can specify areas to clean or not to clean based on the map, and the basic cleaning performance will improve, and you will be able to attach a clean base.

On the other hand, if you just want it to work, you can use a lower model. However, Roomba 671 and Roomba e5 have inferior suction power, and Roomba 671 does not have an allergen cut filter, so pets are not allowed.

● Roomba lineup and main differences Roomba 671 43,780 yen No mapping One room at a time No pets allowed Roomba e5 49,800 yen No mapping One room at a time Roomba i3 69,800 yen Simple mapping Multiple rooms Roomba i7 100,000 yen 9868 yen With mapping All rooms Rumba s9 186,780 yen With mapping All rooms are clean to the corners

Rumba lineup (February 2021)

Looking at it this way, the Roomba i3 is affordable.

On the other hand, Roomba is quite expensive compared to the recent increase in Chinese brands. There are Chinese models that have advanced mapping functions such as cameras and laser sensors, but are priced at 30,000 to 40,000 yen. I was actually happy with Ecovacs for a little over 30,000 yen (more info here).

However, Roomba's basic cleaning ability (suction power) is reasonably high even for lower models, and it is packed with ingenuity that does not bother the user, such as a rubber brush that does not easily get tangled in hair. There is no anxiety about support, and if you do not want to think about troublesome things such as care, Roomba is recommended even if it is a little expensive. It's like the iPhone in the robot industry.

Rumba i3 is "bamboo" in Shochikubai. It is a new standard model of Roomba, and it seems that it can be recommended with confidence to those who want the most ordinary thing if it is an iPhone or a robot vacuum cleaner in terms of smartphones.

This is the current "normal Roomba"

Born in 1983. I am the guardian of a 3 year old. We are looking for more information on Facebook.

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