iRobot Roomba i3+ EVOIIIConditionalCompare

Released 2022Reassessed 2026.10.02Compare

iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

Name: iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO
Brand: iRobot

iRobot's mid-market play: self-empty dock at half the s9+ price, mapping unlocked via update, positioned between the budget i4 and the flagship s9+. The surprise is that capability grew post-launch through firmware.

List price

$549

Selling below list

Released 2022Reassessed 2026.10.02

Autonomy Ladder

Why Level III.

One five-rung scale, every category, from acting only on command to working unsupervised anywhere.

VGeneralized AutonomyAny task, any setting. No consumer robot has reached it.
IVEnvironmental AutonomyCopes with everyday clutter and frees itself, shown by independent testing.
To reach Level IVIndependent testing shows it avoids ordinary obstacles before contact, copes without the space being cleared, and frees itself when stuck.
IIIConditional AutonomyThis robot

iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO finishes whole jobs in a space it already knows, and still needs a person at the edges.

Navigation and control

Gyroscope plus floor-tracking optical sensor, cleaning in rows; Imprint Smart Maps store up to 10 floor maps. No camera.
Why this level
- Navigates in rows using a gyroscope and a floor-tracking optical sensor that measures speed, distance and direction, with Imprint Smart Maps supplying the room-level structure on top of it.
- Completes routine multi-room cleaning within mapped environments but requires remapping after layout changes.
Autonomy dimension 64 / 100 · 5 independent sources reviewed, 5 from the maker
IIAssisted AutonomyRuns preset routines; stalls at anything new.
IManual AutomationOne action on command; no independent operation.

How we assign a level →

Behind the classification

Sources on file.

Verified5 independent sources reviewed, 5 from the maker

Five or more independent sources reviewed. The word says how much we read. It is not a grade.

Independent sources reviewed5

Press & video reviews1 source

Tech outlets and vacuum reviewers covering the i3+ launch in 2022 and subsequent feature updates, with emphasis on mapping availability and mid-tier positioning

RTings Roomba i3+ EVO reviewRTings

Monitoring record4 sources

Sources behind the tracker entries following this robot.

From the maker, reviewed5

Specification sources4 sources

Pages the published specifications were read from.

irobot.comirobot.com
smartrobotreviews.comsmartrobotreviews.com
homesupport.irobot.comhomesupport.irobot.com
irobot.comirobot.com

Monitoring record1 source

Sources behind the tracker entries following this robot.

PR NewswirePR Newswire

Also monitored, nothing listed yet

Manufacturer documentation

iRobot product page, spec sheet, dock manual, and firmware release notes documenting the 2023 smart mapping update

Owner reports

Amazon reviews, Reddit (r/RoombaClub), and iRobot forums documenting dock reliability, mapping performance post-update, and confusion over subscription rollout timing

Firmware release notes

iRobot firmware changelog for i3+ series showing 2023 smart mapping release and subsequent dock and navigation refinements; clarification of free vs. paid mapping rollout

Longitudinal signal

iRobot product strategy and firmware parity tracking showing i3+ EVO as the successor to plain i3+ and positioning relative to i4 and s9+ series

How we evaluate evidence →

Human Readiness

Discontinued.

One question: what does buying this robot today walk you into? The state is computed from the record, and recomputed daily.

DiscontinuedThis robot

iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO is discontinued. Remaining listings are old stock at uncertain prices, which no buying-today tier describes.

Listings under Availability are shown for reference, not as a purchase path.

On the record

Released January 2022; since discontinued
5 independent sources reviewed, 5 from the maker

The scale, for reference

Ready NowAssessed, with a clean record on file. A successor may be shipping; the page says so when it is.
New to MarketOn sale under 90 days; the ownership record is still forming.
WaitA successor is announced and has not shipped; re-read the decision when it arrives.
Known IssuesDocumented problems stand on the record; read the case before buying.

How we assess readiness →

Robovations Score

How this number was reached

70of 100

StrongAt or above 67% of the 456 robots we scoreand 58% of the 228 scored robot vacuums

DeficientLimitedCapableStrongExemplary

What moved itpoints gained or lost against a typical robot

Carried by

Routine maintenance91+2.8
Field failure rate77+1.1

Held back by

Consumables54−1.2

Capability40% of the score68What it does without you.

Task completion16% of the score75

Evidence

PCMag's test run had it clean for about an hour, dock, and then after recharging resume 'for another 24 minutes until the task was complete', and BestReviews watched it return and self-empty mid-run so a full bin never ended a job. A human still closes the loop occasionally: BestReviews had to pick up three cereal pieces the robot had blown under a table it was too large to enter.

Coverage and navigation10% of the score70

Evidence

PCMag records that the March 2022 EVO update 'added smart mapping capabilities' and that the robot picked up where it left off after recharging, so position is retained within a job, and BestReviews' cereal and kitty-litter runs left behind only what had been pushed under furniture it could not enter. TechGadgetsCanada's hands-on account argues against a fully systematic pattern: it 'kind of feels its way around your room by nudging into things', and 'corners and narrow areas are sometimes a challenge'.

Edge-case recovery10% of the score50

Evidence

PCMag's first test run ended with the robot stuck under a dining room chair about 17 minutes in, with the iRobot Home app raising the alert rather than the robot freeing itself, and BestReviews notes that when a Roomba hits an error the remedy is a reboot, easiest from the app. That is detect, halt, report, wait for a human, which is the 50 anchor exactly.

Operating envelope4% of the score75

Evidence

BestReviews ran it on hardwood with kitty litter and on carpet and deep-pile rug with cereal, and GadgetReview describes a single-floor cleaning area on a 1.5 hour battery with cliff sensors for stairs and ledges. The one degradation both PCMag and BestReviews hit is low-clearance furniture: beached under dining chairs, and unable to enter the space under a table where debris had collected.

Dependability40% of the score69Whether it keeps doing it.

Field failure rate16% of the score77

Evidence

Four to five years of field record on a very high-volume platform sharing the Clean Base with the i7+ and s9+, so no cap applies. One recurring mode is documented and it is neither universal nor job-stopping: dock bag-seal failures, described as more frequent than the s9+ and less common than the older i7+, which leak dust into the cavity rather than stopping a run. No recall. The independent evidence includes a linked RTings lab review alongside Amazon and r/RoombaClub.

Software stability14% of the score65

Evidence

The only update any independent source in the set records is PCMag's editors' note that in March 2022 iRobot renamed the i3+ to i3+ EVO and added smart mapping, with no release note naming a defect fixed, and BestReviews mentions only that errors are cleared by a reboot. That is updates shipping with nothing reported either way, not the 100 case; ReviewInDetail is an affiliate rewrite of the spec sheet ('10X the Power-Lifting Suction', 'game-changer') and carries no weight.

Support longevity10% of the score63

Evidence

Scored as commitments, on a discontinued platform. Working for it: Clean Base bags are shared across the entire i and s line and are the most widely stocked consumable in the category, brushes and filters are carried by iRobot, Amazon and third parties, and connected i-series robots continue to receive software through the iRobot Home app. Working against it: the model is discontinued and iRobot changed owners in January 2026 with post-acquisition stability described as uncertain in the corpus's sibling records.

Ownership burden20% of the score76What it asks of you.

Routine maintenance12% of the score91

Evidence

Genuinely light because there is no water, no pads and no wash tray to service. The Clean Base handles emptying for 60 days; the only recurring physical task is pulling the main and side brush every two to three weeks to clear matted hair, with a weekly tangle check and a monthly dock wipe. Side brush at 6 to 8 months, main brush and HEPA annually.

Consumables8% of the score54

Evidence

Four concurrent lines at published prices: bags at $8 to $12 every 60 days, side brush at $20 to $25 every 6 to 8 months, main brush at (priced by the consumables engine) and a HEPA filter at (priced by the consumables engine), coming to (priced by the consumables engine). Against a $252 street price that is about 60 percent of purchase price annually. The ratio is driven by clearance pricing on a discontinued machine rather than by expensive parts, but a reader pays the ratio either way.

middle half of the databaseits medianthis robot

Reported, not scoredneither measures how well the robot works

Five-year cost$1,002

Cheap to buy, not cheap to run. About $252 at the current clearance street price plus roughly $150 a year in Clean Base bags, brushes and filters, so the consumables exceed the purchase price within two years. No subscription: Imprint Smart Mapping is free on this tier and has never been gated.

Data postureCloud-linked

Account required. Maps and telemetry leave the home; core function survives an outage.

What leaves the homeNot documented

Read the full methodology →

FIT CHECK

Will the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO work in your home?

Describe your home using the controls. Each choice reads the spec sheet for you, flagging where the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO is built for your space and where it isn’t.

Home size

Primary floors

Mopping needs

Upkeep you accept

See every robot vacuum suited to these conditions

A classification of fit for the conditions you set, not a recommendation. Verdicts describe engineering design intent, not test results.

OWNERSHIP

Living with it.

Smart mapping arrived via 2023 update and stabilized; dock is simpler than s9+ generation.

Improvingowner-reported arc

The record so far

Owner reports document reliable vSLAM performance post-mapping update. Dock failures are less frequent than i7+ generation but more common than current s9+ designs. Firmware updates from 2022 through 2026 have addressed corner-case navigation issues.

What goes wrong3 documented · 1 self-recover

Occasional

Dock bag seal occasionally loosens during emptyingDust escape into dock interior

Owner fixBag reseat or replacement; dock cavity wipe-down

Occasional

Main brush tangles on carpet transitionsReduced cleaning, motor strain

Owner fixManual brush removal every 2-4 weeks

Rare

WiFi reconnection lag after power lossRobot goes offline temporarily; resumes operation after reconnect

Self-recoversPower cycle dock or reconnect via app

Upkeep routine

Weekly52×/yr

Check main for hair tangles and debris.

Monthly12×/yr

Remove main and to clean matted hair and carpet fibers.

Wipe dock interior and charging contacts for dust accumulation.

Seasonal4×/yr

Replace the Clean Base (~$8-12 each). The robot empties itself into the dock, so there is no routine bin emptying.

Yearly1×/yr

Replace (~$20-25).

Replace main (~$35-40) and HEPA filter (~$20-25).

Cost over timeabout $30 past the sticker over three years

PurchaseRunning cost

Year 1

$559

Year 3

$579

Year 5

$599

$549 to buy, then about $10 a year for the replaceable parts below. Over three years that is roughly $30 past the sticker price. Excludes electricity and any repairs.

What you replace

Typical for robot vacuums: every 3-6 months
Typical for robot vacuums: every 3-6 monthsWhere to buy Side brush
Typical for robot vacuums: annually

Replacement cadence from the maintenance schedule; prices shown where the source documents them. Some links earn Robovations a commission. It does not change any classification. All parts at iRobot

Step-by-step fixes

App Says Offline or Won’t Connect?Won’t Connect to Wi‑Fi?Auto-Empty Base Not Emptying?All robot vacuum guides

Safety notes1 caution · 1 note

CautionDock electrical hazard if wetStandard outlet power; water spillage near dock risks shock. Keep area dry.
Brush motor runs when powered onMain brush rotates during operation and manual cleaning if robot is powered. Disconnect dock power before servicing.

SPECIFICATION

The full spec sheet.

Priced below the category median, with every figure charted against the category below.

Dimensional drawing

Key specificationsManufacturer-publishedSources: Manufacturer support

FootprintThe width, depth and height of the robot itself, without its dock.: 13.3 in dia, 3.6 in tall✓
WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.: 7.4 lbs✓
BatteryStored energy in watt-hours; a larger pack runs longer, not harder.: 60 Wh · Li-ion
Wi-FiThe bands the robot can join; many models need a 2.4 GHz network to set up.: 2.4 GHz only
VoiceThe assistants the maker's app links to; the robot itself does not listen.: Alexa, Google Home
Onboard dustbinThe bin inside the robot; an auto-empty dock moves its contents into a bag.: 500 mL•
DockWhat the base does besides charging: empty the bin, wash and dry pads, refill water.: Auto-empty
Threshold climbThe tallest lip the robot is rated to cross; a door sill is about 0.8 in.: 0.6 in✓

Where it lands · position among 261 robot vacuumsThis robotMedianTypical range

RuntimeThe maker's stated running time on one charge, at a standard setting.75min

60 min360 min

Bottom of range

PriceThe maker's list price, not a price found in a shop.$549

$160$2,600

Near median

NoiseLoudness at the maker's stated distance, in decibels; ten more decibels reads as about twice as loud.71dB

43 dB80 dB

Above median

Charge timeTime from empty to full on the dock, as the maker states it.180min

90 min420 min

Near median

WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.7.4lbs

3.6 lbs25 lbs

Near median

Position shows where the figure sits across the tracked category, not a quality judgment.

Official referencesManufacturer support

RECORD

How the assessment has moved.

Every announcement, release and reassessment behind the current classification.

Coming soon

Just launched

Active updates

Settled

Discontinued

Aug 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score revised 72 → 70
Jul 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score recorded at 72 of 100
Jan 2025 · NewsiRobot Discontinues Several Roomba Lines; i3+ EVO Repositioned as Mid-Tier Anchor
Aug 2023 · UpdateiRobot releases final i1 through i5 generation software update in August 2023
Mar 2022 · UpdateiRobot’s Genius 4.0 software update adds Imprint Smart Mapping to the Roomba i3+

Questions

What people actually ask.

6 answered

CompatibilityDoes the i3+ EVO include smart mapping, or is it just the updated name?

The EVO name marks the smart-mapping capability: Imprint Smart Maps, which store up to 10 floor maps and allow room selection. iRobot delivered it to existing i3 and i3+ owners at no cost, and it has never carried a subscription. The underlying navigation is unchanged, a gyroscope and a floor-tracking optical sensor rather than a camera.

OperationWhat is the EVO suffix, and how does the i3+ EVO differ from the standard i3+?

EVO appears to signify the post-update version with mapping and dock enhancements. Functionally, an i3+ updated to current firmware is equivalent to an i3+ EVO.

OperationCan the i3+ EVO do multi-floor mapping like the i7+ or s9+?

Yes, Imprint mapping stores up to 10 unique floor maps. The robot cannot climb or descend stairs; cliff sensors turn it away from drops. Multi-floor mapping means it recognizes a floor once you have carried it there, and it docks on whichever floor the Clean Base sits on.

CompatibilityDoes smart mapping on the i3+ EVO require a subscription?

Imprint Smart Mapping is free on the i3 and i3+. iRobot has never charged a subscription for it on this tier, and the capability reached existing owners as a free update.

ComparisonHow does the dock size or bag cost compare to the s9+ or i7+?

All iRobot Clean Base docks use the same disposable bags, about $8-12 each and rated for 60 days of daily use. Dock footprint is similar across the s9+, i7+, and i3+.

CompatibilityWhat happens if the robot loses Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi loss disables app scheduling, room selection and smart mapping. You can still start a job by pressing the CLEAN button on top of the robot itself; the Clean Base has no start button. The robot runs its standard row pattern and returns to the dock.

Availability

Where it's sold

Some links earn Robovations a commission. It does not change any classification. Affiliate disclosure.

Amazon Check price & availability

Cite & Embed

Reference the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO classification.

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Citation

Robovations. "iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO: Autonomy Level III (Conditional Autonomy)." Autonomy Ladder™, assessed October 2026. https://robovations.com/robots/irobot-roomba-i3-evo/

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Where to next

Three ways to keep going.

For evaluators

Compare with a peer.

See the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO and Dyson R1 Nurovi Dry side by side: autonomy level, Robovations Score, readiness, and price. Classification, not a verdict.

See the full comparison

Or compare with Anker Eufy RoboVac L70 Hybrid, Ecovacs Deebot N20 Pro+, Roborock S5 Max.

For browsers

See every Level III.

Every robot we’ve classified at conditional autonomy. Sorted by readiness, score, and price. Filter by category, manufacturer, or release date.

Browse every Level III robot

Updated weekly with new entries and reclassifications.

iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

Will the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO work in your home?

Living with it.

The full spec sheet.

How the assessment has moved.

What people actually ask.

Other robot vacuums we have classified.

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Ecovacs Deebot X12S OmniCyclone

Ecovacs Deebot N20 Pro+

Where it's sold

Reference the iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO classification.

Three ways to keep going.

Get the next reassessment.

Compare with a peer.

See every Level III.