Roomba i3 vs i4: Larger Dustbin vs Better Battery
There are many Roomba i3 vs i4 comparisons since these models from iRbobot’s entry-level line have a lot of similarities. They use various advanced technologies (logical navigation, anti-allergy HEPA filter, charge & resume feature, etc.) to clean your house smartly while you are away. However, they also do have differences as well.
Suction and dustbin capacity
The i3 is slightly more spacious being able to accommodate 500ml of contaminations while its competitor comes equipped with a 400ml dustbin. Both models are able to clean an average bedroom before the need for emptying appears, but the i3 is a slightly better model for owners of bigger houses.
Comparing Roomba i4 vs i3 suction power, it’s worth mentioning that both vacs have standard power levels for their price range: 1800 Pa. They do a good job in picking up small particles (baking soda, sand, crumbs) but struggle when it comes to larger ones.
Using area
It doesn’t make a lot of sense to compare i3 vs i4 Roomba using area as both cleaners can cover an area of around 2000 square meters. Both of them are also equipped with smart sensors that allow these Roombas to smartly navigate the floor area in neat rows and clean every nook and cranny. However, since the i4 has a better minimum battery life than its predecessor (100 minutes versus 87 minutes), it naturally can clean more during one run. So, if you are on the market for a vac with a longer runtime, we would recommend choosing the i4 in this iRobot Roomba i4 vs i3 comparison.
Noise level
The iRobot i4 vs i3 noise level comparison has shown positive results for both models. They are pretty quiet, but the i3 appeared to be a bit less quiet — 63 dB vs 65 dB on bare floor and 59 dB vs 64 dB on low-pile carpet. Cleaners that don’t exceed the value of 70 dB are considered as comfortable for human ears.
Carpet cleaning
The first thing that should be mentioned in the iRobot i3 vs i4 carpet performance comparison is that the compared models are able to clean both low-pile and high-pile carpets. Both vacs are supplied with dual multi-surface rubber brushes instead of standard bristle brushes. They are flexible and easily adjust to carpets of different heights. These brushes also stick to the carpet’s piles and help the vac suck in more dirt. This appears to be especially good for pet owners as pet hair just sticks to the rubber brushes and has no chance to be left inside of a carpet.
iRobot Roomba i3 Pros & Cons
- The cleaner navigates surprisingly well in the dark (even better than some more expensive Roombas).
- The i3 is sturdily built: when it sucks in something like a cord or a sock, it just turns off but doesn’t get damaged.
- The vac is completely self-contained: you can’t just set it to clean overnight and it will get the job done without requiring your attention by bumping into objects or threshold.
- As you buy the i3, it takes a few runs to learn your floor area.
- If you don’t have a strong Wi-Fi signal at home, it may become a real problem to control the cleaner via the iRobot app.
iRobot Roomba i4 Pros & Cons
- The vac comes with an extra filter and a virtual wall accessory.
- The i4 easily transits from one surface type to another.
- The cleaner takes less than an hour and a half to recharge in full and resume its job.
- Sometimes, it cleans the same area over and over again for no visible reason.
- It may consider lines on a carpet as an obstacle and get stuck.