iRobot Roomba 960: What you need to know
The iRobot Roomba 900 series is one of the best robot vacuums for balancing top-end features and more affordable pricing. As such the Roomba 960 hits that sweet spot of great performance and value for what you pay. Essentially it means you're spending on giving up doing vacuuming, which gets you time back - one of the most valuable of resources in this day and age.
iRobot has been making robot vacuums since the beginning and, as such, offers some of the best performance in terms of suction and navigation. While the Roomba 980 sits above this model in terms of price, suction power and battery life - there is little else different despite you making a saving on the newer 960 model.
To compare this model against others, check out our dedicated guide to the best iRobot Roomba vacuums.
iRobot Roomba 960: Features
- Intelligent navigation
- 3 stage cleaning filter and multi-floor support
Battery life: 75 minutes
App: iOS, Android, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
Multi-surface: Yes
Pet capable: Yes
There are more expensive units with other features, like the Roomba i7+ which can empty itself. But for this level the performance of the 960 is excellent thanks to intelligent navigation, a three stage cleaning filter and multi-floor support.
iRobot says this model has five times more suction power than the 600, yet recharges rapidly and remains low profile enough to get under furniture easily. Is this the robot vacuum cleaner for you? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Roomba 960.
iRobot Roomba 960: Design and build
- 75 minute battery life
- 5x suction power
The iRobot Roomba 960 design hasn't changed massively on the outside from previous generations. What has improved is under the surface. This model offers five times more suction power over the Roomba 600. Sure it's less than the ten times that the 980 boasts, but then the price reflects that.
The battery will keep going for 75 minutes of continuous work. While this isn't the two hours that the 980 offers, it will simply go and recharge itself anyway. If you're leaving this on during your day out of the house, or overnight, battery life isn't really an issue.
The auto-adjust cleaning head means that this model is able to clean carpets, rugs and hard floors all well. It can also navigate across the bumps between varying heights without getting stuck as some models might.
iRobot Roomba 960: Cleaning performance
- Allergen removal
- Three stage filter
The three stage filter in the Roomba 960 is able to capture 99 percent of allergens, pollen and particles as small as 10 microns, says the company. In real world speak that means you won't need to worry about rugs and carpets getting dusty nor will you need to fret about this cleaning up after your pets.
The edge-sweeping brush is able to get into corners and along skirting boards easily so there is no build up of dirt or animal hair in certain areas of your home. The Direct Detect technology should also mean that if an area is particularly mucky it'll work extra hard to get it all cleaned up.
iRobot Roomba 960: Smart skills
- Voice controlled app support
- Adaptive navigation
The Roomba 960 uses iRobots now famous iAdapt 2.0 Navigation to get around your home without bumping into anything. Not only does this avoid collisions it also means every nook and cranny should get cleaned. The 3.6-inch low profile height of this vacuum should also mean areas that normal vacuums don't reach, like under couches and tables, get reached easily.
The unit is WiFi connected and supported by the iRobot HOME App meaning you can remote control steer it if you fancy a bit of fun. But it also means you can set the Roomba to cleaning when you're out of the house. It's even supported by Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa so you can use voice controls to fire up the cleaning if you want. Other features you can pick from the app include a two pass clean and final edge clean, which are nice options if you've got a special occasion to be super tidy for.
iRobot Roomba 960: Verdict
The iRobot Roomba 960 is one of the latest models to keep the price down while still offering stand-out features. Wi-Fi and app support let you control this from anywhere, even with your voice. Once cleaning you can expect powerful suction, edge to edge cover and allergen and pollen clearance using that three stage filter.
If you spend more you could get a little more suction and battery life, or go for the i7+ and enjoy self cleaning as it even empties itself too. But if you want a good clean, little and often, then this is one of the best robot vacuum cleaners for the money.
