iRobot Roomba s9+ vs. NARWAL Freo Z Ultra: A Detailed Comparison

## iRobot Roomba s9+ vs. NARWAL Freo Z Ultra: Detailed Comparison

Choosing the right robot vacuum cleaner can seem like a daunting task, especially with so many options available. Today, we’re going to compare two high-end candidates in detail: the iRobot Roomba s9+ and the NARWAL Freo Z Ultra. Both vacuum cleaners promise to make your floors perfectly clean, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Let’s take a look at what each robot has to offer.

Cleaning Efficiency

The Roomba s9+ is a beast when it comes to carpet cleaning. The robot is designed to dig deep, not just remove surface dirt. I was very impressed when I saw that in one test it sucked up 96% of embedded sand. This kind of performance makes you finally give up on conventional vacuum cleaners. The powerful suction power of 22 CFM on high power is an important factor. However, it is not perfect. Sometimes, it fails to handle large debris and can make an annoying crunching sound.

When it comes to cleaning, the NARWAL Freo Z Ultra, on the other hand, shines. Instead of just wiping, it effectively tackles dry spots and spills with a pressurized mop. However, when it comes to deep carpet cleaning, it loses out a bit. It doesn’t do a very good job of cleaning debris that gets deep into carpets, and this can be a bottleneck if you have a lot of carpets. The Freo Z Ultra also has a smart artificial intelligence system that can adjust the cleaning process in real time.

Navigation and Mapping

The Roomba s9+ uses a camera-based mapping system. It is more likely to hit obstacles than a robot on wheels, which can be a bit inconvenient. However, the D-shaped design is revolutionary in cleaning edges and corners. It fits snugly around edges and corners, and the wide brush roll makes all the difference.

Meanwhile, the NARWAL Freo Z Ultra boasts an outstanding obstacle avoidance system. It utilizes dual cameras and dual chips to accurately detect and avoid objects. We were amazed at how well it navigates charging cables and toys without getting stuck. However, the navigation pattern is inconsistent, sometimes pausing and making unnecessary directional changes. Map updates can also be slow, and moving the mat can cause unexpected behavior.

If you have pets or long-haired family members, you’ll appreciate how well the Roomba s9+ handles hair. We tested it with seven-inch, one-gram hair, and it had virtually no tangles in either the roller or the side brushes. There was a little bit of it on the axles, but still less than usual. The NARWAL Freo Z Ultra also does a great job with pet hair thanks to the tangle-free brush roll. Both robots do a great job, but the Roomba s9+ seems to have a slight advantage in the overall volume of hair collected. However, the baseboard cleaning module on the side of the Freo Z Ultra is a slight disadvantage, as it sometimes snags furniture.

Self-Cleaning and Maintenance

Both robots have a self-cleaning base, but their features differ. The Roomba s9+ has a clean base that automatically empties the dust bag into a bag. This is incredibly convenient, but requires the purchase of replacement bags, which carries a long-term cost. The NARWAL Freo Z Ultra has an advanced auto-emptying station that not only empties the dust bag, but also cleans and dries the mop head. This is a big plus for convenience, but the logic behind the auto-emptying system is a bit confusing and the frequency of emptying can be erratic. The Freo Z Ultra base station also uses warm water to clean the mop pad.

User Experience and Apps

The Roomba s9+ has a handy app that allows you to customize cleaning by room and support multiple floors. It’s easy to use and gets the job done. The NARWAL Freo Z Ultra vacuum cleaner also has a handy app with advanced features such as multi-level maps, scheduling and 3D maps. However, some users may find the app too detailed. We were impressed with the amount of customization, but sometimes we wanted the vacuum cleaner to clean the floor without having to think about it.

Pros and Cons

Roomba s9+ Pros:

• Excellent deep carpet cleaning: Better than most other robot vacuums in this area.
• Very powerful suction: Measured 22 CFM on high power.
• Excellent cleaning of edges and corners: thanks to the D-shaped design and brush arrangement.
• Efficient hair collection: minimizes brush roll tangling.
• Intelligent mapping function: Cleaning every room and multi-floor compatibility.
• Self-cleaning container: provides convenience and reduces maintenance.

Disadvantages of Roomba s9+:

• Very expensive: More expensive than most robot vacuums, making it a premium investment.
• Short battery life.
• Bumps into obstacles more often compared to robots on wheels.
• Especially at maximum power.
• May not be able to handle large debris: Sometimes makes a crunching sound.
• Need to change bags: Self emptying base which incurs long term costs.

Pros of NARWAL Freo Z Ultra:

• Exceptional obstacle avoidance system: Accurately detects and avoids objects.
• Advanced automatic emptying station: with dust bag, mop washing and drying function.
• Superior mop ability: Effectively removes dry dirt and stains.
• Intelligent artificial intelligence stain recognition: adjusts cleaning to different stains in real time.
• Excellent pet hair management: with zero-tangle brush roller.
• User-friendly app: Additional features such as multi-level mapping, scheduling and 3D mapping.

Cons of NARWAL Freo Z Ultra:

• Lower-than-average deep carpet cleaning: Can’t handle deeply embedded debris.
• Inconsistent navigation.
• Automatic emptying system logic can be confusing: Inconsistent emptying frequency.
• Poor hard floor cleaning performance: Compared to previous models.
• Side baseboard cleaning module: Can pick up dirt on furniture.
• Maps are sometimes slow to update.

Final Thoughts

Roomba s9+ and NARWAL Freo Z Ultra are great machines, but they accomplish different tasks. If deep carpet cleaning is important to you, and you don’t mind a little noise and awkward navigation, the Roomba s9+ is a great choice. However, if you want better cleaning ability, better obstacle avoidance, and a more advanced self-cleaning system, the NARWAL Freo Z Ultra may be a better option. Ultimately, choosing the best robot vacuum cleaner will depend on your specific needs and priorities.