WishFinds is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
The iRobot Roomba i3 is one of the most popular robot vacuums iRobot has ever sold, and in 2026 it is still on sale in its current form, the Roomba i3+ EVO. That longevity is both the point and the question: can a robot design from 2020 still compete with the LiDAR-guided, mop-washing machines that now cost the same money? After checking the current Amazon listing, the specs, and the price history, the answer is a qualified yes. The i3+ EVO is not the most advanced robot you can buy, but it is a dependable, self-emptying Roomba with room-by-room mapping, strong pet hair pickup, and a price that regularly drops to $300 to $430 on sale. If you want a simple robot that vacuums well and empties itself, it is still worth buying. If you want mopping, LiDAR navigation, or obstacle avoidance, newer rivals give you more for the money.
A Quick Note on the i3 Family
The naming is confusing, so here is the short version. The original Roomba i3 (model 3150) is a vacuum-only robot without a self-emptying base. The Roomba i3+ adds the Clean Base, which empties the robot’s dustbin automatically for up to 60 days. The Roomba i3+ EVO (model 3550) is the current version sold on Amazon: it is the same hardware as the i3+ with added smart mapping, so you can send it to clean a specific room. This review covers the i3+ EVO, the version you will actually buy in 2026, and the listing below is for that exact model.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model | Roomba i3+ EVO (3550) |
| Suction | 10x the power of the Roomba 600 series |
| Cleaning system | Premium 3-Stage Cleaning System |
| Brushes | Dual multi-surface rubber brushes |
| Battery | Up to 75 minutes |
| Navigation | Smart mapping, clean by room |
| Self-emptying | Yes, up to 60 days |
| Dustbin capacity | 13.5 ounces |
| Diameter | 13.34 inches |
| Voice control | Alexa and Google Assistant |
| Warranty | 1-year limited |
Cleaning Performance
The i3+ EVO’s strength is its dual rubber brush system. Two counter-rotating rubber brushes stay in constant contact with the floor, adjusting to different surfaces as the robot moves from hardwood to carpet. On hard floors, they pick up dust, crumbs, and pet hair without scattering it, and on low-pile carpet they dig in well enough for everyday cleaning. iRobot rates the suction at 10 times the power of its 600 series, which is a meaningful jump from the budget Roombas and puts it in the same class as most mid-range robots.
The Premium 3-Stage Cleaning System combines the dual brushes, a spinning edge brush for corners, and strong suction. It does not have the raw suction figures of a Roborock or Ecovacs flagship, but suction numbers alone do not tell the whole story: the brush design and the way the robot makes multiple passes matter just as much. In practice, the i3+ EVO is a thorough cleaner on hard floors and low-pile carpet, and it is especially good with pet hair, since the rubber brushes resist tangles far better than bristle brushes. It is not a deep-carpet machine, and it has no mopping function, so homes with medium or high-pile carpet should look at a stronger suction model instead.
Navigation and Smart Mapping
The i3+ EVO navigates with a camera-based system and smart mapping rather than LiDAR. It learns your floor plan over several runs and then lets you label rooms and send it to clean a specific room on demand. That is genuinely useful: you can tell it to clean the kitchen after dinner without running the whole house. It cleans in neat rows once the map is built, and it recharges and resumes on its own when the battery runs low.
The trade-offs are real. Without LiDAR, it navigates less precisely in dark rooms, and it has no true obstacle avoidance, so it will bump into shoes, cables, and pet toys rather than steering around them. The 75-minute battery is also shorter than most rivals, which offer 120 to 210 minutes. For a small to medium home, 75 minutes is enough for a full run. For a large home, the robot will need a recharge break, though it resumes where it left off.
The Self-Emptying Base
The Clean Base is the best reason to buy the i3+ over the plain i3. After each run, the robot docks and the base vacuums the dustbin into a sealed bag that holds up to 60 days of debris. That means you can go weeks without touching the robot, which is the whole point of a robot vacuum. The base uses bags, so there is a small ongoing cost, and the bags are proprietary, but they keep dust contained and are easy to swap. If you have allergies, the sealed bag system is a real advantage over a bagless bin that you have to empty by hand.
App and Voice Control
The iRobot Home app is one of the most polished robot vacuum apps available. Setup is straightforward, scheduling is simple, and the room-by-room cleaning controls work well once the map is built. The app also suggests cleaning schedules based on your home’s layout and can recommend extra runs during shedding season if you have pets. Voice control works with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can start a cleaning run hands-free. The app does not offer the deep customization of some rivals, such as per-room suction levels or virtual mop zones, but for a vacuum-only robot it covers everything most owners need.
What It Costs in 2026
The Roomba i3+ EVO lists at $599, but it rarely sells at that price. Price trackers show a current Amazon price around $507, an average near $420, and sale prices as low as $279 in the past year. It is frequently discounted to $300 to $430, and at that price it is competitive with the best robot vacuums under $300 to $400 in the self-emptying category. Check the live price before buying, since Roomba prices move often, especially around holiday sales. For comparison, our guide to the best robot vacuums under $300 covers cheaper options that skip the self-emptying base.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Dual rubber brushes are excellent on hard floors and pet hair
- Self-emptying base holds up to 60 days of debris
- Room-by-room smart mapping works well
- Polished, reliable iRobot Home app
- Frequently discounted to $300 to $430
Cons:
- No mopping function
- No LiDAR and no true obstacle avoidance
- Short 75-minute battery for large homes
- List price of $599 is high for a 2020-era design
- Uses proprietary dust bags
Who Should Buy the Roomba i3?
The Roomba i3+ EVO is the right buy for someone who wants a simple, reliable robot vacuum from a trusted brand and does not care about mopping. It suits small to medium homes with hard floors and low-pile carpet, especially homes with pets, where the rubber brushes and self-emptying base shine. It is also a good first robot vacuum, because the setup is easy and the app is forgiving. If you are choosing a robot vacuum for pets specifically, this is one of the easiest recommendations in the lineup.
It is the wrong buy if you want mopping, if your home is large enough that 75 minutes will not cover it in one run, or if you have a lot of clutter on the floor that needs real obstacle avoidance. In those cases, a LiDAR robot with a mop, such as the Dreame L10s Ultra or Roborock Qrevo, gives you more capability for similar money.
Maintenance
Keeping the i3+ EVO running well is simple. Empty the Clean Base bag when the app says it is full, and check the rubber brushes weekly for wrapped hair, which pulls off easily. When it comes to replacing a robot vacuum battery, you will not need to do it for years, but when the time comes, iRobot sells official replacements and the swap takes a few minutes with a screwdriver. Wash or replace the filter every couple of months, wipe the cliff and camera sensors with a dry cloth, and keep the charging contacts clean. The whole routine takes about five minutes a week, and the self-emptying base handles the daily emptying for you.
FAQ
Is the Roomba i3+ EVO the same as the Roomba i3?
Almost. The i3+ EVO is the current version of the i3 family, with the same cleaning hardware as the original i3+ plus smart mapping that lets you clean room by room. The plain i3 has no self-emptying base and no smart mapping. If you are buying in 2026, the i3+ EVO is the version to get.
Does the Roomba i3 mop?
No. The Roomba i3 family is vacuum-only. If you want a robot that also mops, iRobot sells the Roomba Combo models, or you can look at a vacuum-and-mop combo from Roborock, Dreame, or Ecovacs.
How long does the Roomba i3 battery last?
iRobot rates the i3+ EVO at up to 75 minutes per charge. That is shorter than most current rivals, but the robot returns to its dock, recharges, and resumes cleaning on its own, so a full-home clean just takes longer in a large house.
Is the Roomba i3 good for pet hair?
Yes. The dual rubber brushes are designed to resist hair tangles, and the self-emptying base means you are not emptying a hair-filled bin every day. It is one of the better mid-range choices for homes with shedding pets, and our guide to robot vacuums for pet hair has more options.
How often do you need to replace the dust bags?
The Clean Base bag holds up to 60 days of debris, so most owners replace it every one to two months depending on how dirty the home is and how often the robot runs. The app notifies you when the bag is full.
Is the Roomba i3 still worth buying in 2026?
Yes, at the right price. At $300 to $430 on sale, it is a solid self-emptying robot with good pet hair pickup and room mapping. At the full $599 list price, newer LiDAR robots with mopping offer better value, so wait for a sale or buy a rival.
Final Verdict
The iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO is not the most advanced robot vacuum of 2026, and it does not try to be. It is a dependable, self-emptying Roomba that cleans hard floors and low-pile carpet well, handles pet hair without constant tangles, and lets you clean room by room from a polished app. Its weaknesses are real: no mopping, no LiDAR, no obstacle avoidance, and a short battery. But at sale prices of $300 to $430, it remains a sensible buy, especially for pet owners and first-time robot vacuum buyers who value simplicity and a trusted brand over the latest features. Buy it on sale, skip it at full price, and you will be happy with it for years.