- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Test Results
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The iRobot Roomba E5 isn't a bad overall robot vacuum, but there's nothing that really stands out about it. It automatically detects the surface it's on, adjusting its suction power and height accordingly, so you don't have to. It does an outstanding job with cleaning small and large debris on bare floors, but it quickly loses its performance as the dirt compartment fills. On both low-pile and high-pile carpet, it easily cleans all hair and struggles with finer debris. It's a well-built robot vacuum that has an outstanding battery life, a decently-sized dirt compartment, and its two brushrolls are rubber, which helps reduce the amount of hair that gets tangled. Unfortunately, there are quite a few parts that need maintenance and it has more parts that you need to replace than most other vacuums.
Our Verdict
The iRobot Roomba E5 is alright to use on bare floors. It cleans most small debris like rice and large debris like cereal easily, but it struggles as the compartment fills. It's also not good with cleaning hair on this surface. This vacuum automatically adjusts its power if it detects an area with more dirt. Unfortunately, there are a lot of parts that you need to replace regularly.
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Sucks up debris on bare floors when dirt compartment is empty.
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Great build quality.
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Decently-sized dirt compartment.
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Loses performance as dirt compartment fills on bare floors.
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A bit difficult to maintain.
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A lot of parts that you need to replace over time.
The iRobot Roomba E5 isn't bad to use on low-pile carpet. It cleans all hair and picks up a great amount of large debris like sand, but sadly, it doesn't pick up much fine debris. It has an automatic surface type adjustment that adjusts its head and suction power. Unfortunately, it's a bit difficult to maintain as there are a lot of different parts you need to clean.
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Cleans hair easily on carpet.
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Great build quality.
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Decently-sized dirt compartment.
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A bit difficult to maintain.
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Doesn't suck up most debris on carpet.
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A lot of parts that you need to replace over time.
Not bad for high-pile carpet. The iRobot Roomba E5 has no problem cleaning hair on this surface, but it doesn't do a good job with either small or large debris. It automatically adjusts its head height and power suction depending on the surface it's on, so you don't have to manually adjust it. Unfortunately, it's somewhat difficult to maintain.
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Cleans hair easily on carpet.
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Great build quality.
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Decently-sized dirt compartment.
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A bit difficult to maintain.
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Doesn't suck up most debris on carpet.
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A lot of parts that you need to replace over time.
The iRobot Roomba E5 is decent to use if you have pets. It sucks up almost all hair on low-pile and high-pile carpet, but it doesn't clean up much hair on bare floors. It has two rubber brushrolls that are both removable if there's any hair tangled around them. It's well-built, but sadly, there are quite a few parts you need to regularly replace.
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Cleans hair easily on carpet.
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Great build quality.
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A bit difficult to maintain.
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A lot of parts that you need to replace over time.
The iRobot Roomba E5 isn't designed to be used on stairs.
The iRobot Roomba E5 isn't designed to clean cars.
- 6.5 Bare Floor
- 6.4 Low-Pile Carpet
- 6.4 High-Pile Carpet
- 7.2 Pets
- 6.3 Stairs
- 6.3 Cars
- Updated Apr 20, 2021: Corrected input errors in 'Power Adjustment' and 'Remote Controller' fields.
Test Results
The iRobot Roomba E5 has a great build quality. It's made out of hard plastic, which is glossy on top and a bit on the bumper, and the rest has a matte finish. The vacuum feels sturdy, and while the dirt compartment feels like it could crack if dropped, it's more solid than the dirt compartment on other vacuums because it's partially made out of hard matte plastic. There are three buttons on the top to start a cleaning session, do a spot clean, or return to the dock. There are also light indicators for the battery, Wi-Fi connection, and the status of the vacuum all above the controls. The brushrolls are also rubber, which isn't something we see on vacuums very often, and they help reduce the amount of hair that gets tangled. Like most robot vacuums, you don't need to assemble this before using it.
The E5 is a bit difficult to maintain because there are a lot of parts that you need to take care of. Luckily, they're all easy to access.
- Dirt compartment: The dirt compartment is easy to take out. Once you empty it, you can clean it with water, unlike the iRobot Roomba 675, and it must be dry before you use it again.
- Brushrolls: The rubber brushrolls are easy to take out as you just need to remove the brushroll guard. You can remove any tangled hair, but they're not the easiest to put back as you need to align them back in place. iRobot suggests to clean the brushrolls once a month and twice a month if you have pets.
- Filter: The filter is located inside the dirt compartment. As you can't clean it with water, you have to gently tap it on the side of a garbage can to remove any debris. It should be cleaned once a week or twice a week if you have pets.
- Side brush: You need a screwdriver to remove the side brush. Clean it once a month, or twice a month if you have pets.
- Wheels: The omnidirectional wheel in front can be removed. You should clean it every two weeks.
- Sensors: The sensors on the vacuum should be cleaned once a month with a dry cloth.
Sadly, there are a lot of recurring costs associated with the Roomba E5. You need to replace the HEPA filter every two months, and the brushrolls, side brush, and front wheel every 12 months. You can buy a replacement kit on iRobot's website that includes side brushes, brushrolls, and HEPA filters. If you want a similar vacuum with a bit less recurring costs, check out the iRobot Roomba 960.
Excellent storing capabilities, which is expected from a robot vacuum. The E5 doesn't take up much space and it mounts onto the charging dock by itself.
The E5 has an adequately-sized dirt compartment for a robot vacuum. Sadly, it doesn't have a line indicator for when it's full and since you can't see well through the dirt compartment, you have to constantly monitor it. iRobot suggests to empty it after each cleaning session so you don't have to worry about it for the next use. If you want a robot vacuum with a bigger dirt compartment, check out the eufy RoboVac 30C.
- iRobot Roomba E5 Vacuum
- Charging dock
- Charging cable
- HEPA filter
- 2x rubber brushrolls and bearings
- Dirt compartment
- User guide
The E5 has an unlimited range as long as it still has battery life left, but it isn't able to go up stairs.
The Roomba E5 is extremely portable. Unlike the Ecovacs DEEBOT OZMO T8 AIVI, it has a carrying handle for when you need to bring it to another floor.
The E5 has outstanding battery life, but it's less than the iRobot Roomba 675. It lasts over an hour and a half of use and it takes roughly 100 minutes to recharge, which is much faster than alternatives like the Shark IQ Robot, though the latter does have a longer maximum battery life of over 160 minutes. Since the vacuum automatically adjusts its power according to the surface it's cleaning on, which you can't change manually, the total battery life may change depending on your floor type. There's a battery indicator light on top, and it turns red when the battery is low, but it doesn't specify the battery percentage. The mobile app also notifies you when the battery is low.
Update 04/20/2021: The 'Power Adjustment' field has been set to 'No', since the vacuum's suction power can't be adjusted manually.
The E5 has a few extra features. It automatically detects the surface it's cleaning and it senses how much dirt is on the floor too. With this, it changes its power and height adjustment according to the surface, and you can't manually adjust either of these settings.
The iRobot Roomba E5 has two removable rubber brushrolls and a side brush that helps push debris into the cleaning path of the robot.
The Roomba E5 is just okay on bare floors. It struggles with hair but it doesn't have many problems with large debris like cereal and small debris like rice when the dirt compartment is empty. Sadly, it quickly loses its performance as the dirt compartment fills. Both hair and debris get stuck in the tunnel between the brushroll and the dirt compartment, so when you remove the dirt compartment, the dirt falls because it's in the tunnel before the compartment. If you're looking for a robot vacuum with better performance on bare floors, check out the Roborock S5 or Roborock S6.
The iRobot Roomba E5 isn't bad on low-pile carpet, especially for a robot vacuum. It easily cleans hair and does a great job with larger debris like sand. Unfortunately, it's bad with small debris like baking soda but on the upside, debris doesn't get stuck in the tunnel before the dirt compartment like on bare floors.
Passable on high-pile carpet. Like on low-pile carpet, it cleans all hair and is bad with finer debris. On this surface, it's also not good with large debris like sand as it gets stuck in the tunnel before the dirt compartment. Also, it slightly loses its performance as the compartment fills. Although it's much better than the iRobot Roomba 675 on high-pile carpet, it doesn't perform as well as the iRobot Roomba i4.
The E5 has decent maneuverability. The automatic head height adjustment makes it easier to clean a room with varied surfaces, but it doesn't have a smart pathing feature, so it randomly moves around the room. Still, it's effective at cleaning the entire space. It moves underneath tables and couches easily and it doesn't get stuck often on rugs or carpets. If it does, it notifies you to move it to another place.
Update 04/20/2021: The 'Remote Controller' field has been set to 'Yes (App Only)', since the companion app does allow you to start and stop the vacuum. The score and text have been updated.
The iRobot HOME app has a reasonable selection of automation features. You can pause the vacuum's cleaning progress, schedule cleaning sessions, do a spot clean, ask it to return to the dock, or get notified of the battery status. It's also compatible with Google Home and Alexa, but this isn't something we test for. If you don't want to use the app, the vacuum doesn't need an internet connection if you just want to use the controls on top.
If you want a vacuum with more advanced automation features, take a look at the iRobot Roomba 981.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The iRobot Roomba E5 5150 robot vacuum isn't bad overall and it's more well-rounded compared to the iRobot Roomba 675, which is from another vacuum series in iRobot's lineup. However, it struggles on bare floors compared to the Roborock S4 or Roborock S5. Also see our recommendations for the best vacuums, best robot vacuums, and best robot vacuums for pet hair.
The iRobot Roomba E5 is a better vacuum than the iRobot Roomba 694. The E5 clears pet hair much more easily and has a better cleaning performance overall on low-pile carpet. That said, the 694 has a better performance on bare floors and its battery lasts longer.
The iRobot Roomba i3+ is a better vacuum than the iRobot Roomba E5 for most uses. The i3+ has a significantly better performance on bare floors and picks up more debris from high-pile carpets. It's also better at maneuvering itself and has an automatic dirt disposal feature. On the other hand, the E5 clears more pet hair from carpets and has a slightly longer battery life.
The iRobot Roomba E5 is a bit better overall than the iRobot Roomba 675. The two robot vacuums are very similar and have the same features. The E5 performs much better on both low-pile and high-pile carpet, and it also has a bigger dirt compartment. However, the 675 is a bit better on bare floors and its battery lasts longer.
The iRobot Roomba E5 and iRobot Roomba 692 each have their own advantages, and one may suit you better than the other depending on your needs. The E5 is easier to maintain, comes equipped with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, struggles much less with pet hair on all surface type, and cleans low and high-pile carpets more effectively. Conversely, the 692 has lower recurring costs, a slightly longer battery life, and does a much better job of dealing with bulky debris like cereal.
The iRobot Roomba 981 is a better vacuum than the iRobot Roomba E5. The 981 delivers better performance on all surface types, especially bare floors. It also has fewer recurring costs, a bigger dirt compartment, and better automation features. On the other hand, the E5 is slightly smaller and lighter, making it a bit more portable and easy to store.
The iRobot Roomba i7+ is a somewhat better robot vacuum than the iRobot Roomba E5. While both vacuums are well-built, the i7+ has an automatic dirt disposal feature so it can empty its dirt compartment into a larger dirtbag stored in the charging dock. It has a better performance on all surface types and it's more maneuverable. However, the E5 has fewer maintenance needs and its recurring costs are somewhat lower as it doesn't have a disposable dirtbag.
The iRobot Roomba E5 and the eufy RoboVac 11S are similar vacuums. The iRobot is easier to maintain and there are less recurring costs. It does a better job at vacuuming on both low-pile and high-pile carpet, and its battery takes a much shorter time to charge. On the other hand, the eufy has a bigger dirt compartment and it performs better on bare floors.
The iRobot Roomba i4 is a slightly better vacuum than the iRobot Roomba E5. The i4 does a better job of cleaning bare floors and high-pile carpet, and its suction performance doesn't decrease as much as the dirt compartment fills up. It also follows an efficient cleaning route, whereas the E5 follows a random path. However, the E5 doesn't get caught on rug tassels or electrical cords as easily.
The iRobot Roomba E5 is much better overall than the eufy RoboVac 30C. The iRobot performs better on any type of surface, especially carpet, as the eufy doesn't clean much on carpet. The iRobot is also better built and it has longer battery life. The eufy has a bigger dirt compartment and its companion app offers more features, such as boundary markers.
The Roborock S6 is a much better robot vacuum overall than the iRobot Roomba E5. It has a better build quality, less recurring costs, and its dirt compartment is larger. Its battery lasts longer on a single charge, and you can adjust its surface type strength either automatically or manually, which is nice. It also does a better job overall and all surface types cleaning small and large debris as well as pet hair, and it can maneuver much better too. There's even a mop feature for cleaning wet spills, although we don't test for it, and there are even more automation features available using its companion app.
The iRobot Roomba 960 is much better overall than the iRobot Roomba E5. The two vacuums are similarly-built and have virtually the same maintenance needs, but the E5 has more recurring costs. The 960 performs better on bare floors and carpet, it has a smart pathing feature, and the dirt compartment is bigger. However, the battery on the E5 lasts longer, but takes more time to charge.
The iRobot Roomba E5 is a better vacuum than the Shark ION Robot R77. The iRobot is a sturdier vacuum that has a better performance on all surface types, and it picks up pet hair especially well on carpeted surfaces. While neither vacuum uses smart pathing, the iRobot is better at cleaning an entire space. It also has fewer parts that need regular maintenance. However, the Shark has much longer battery life.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 and the iRobot Roomba E5 have different advantages. The Shark performs better on all surface types, has a larger dirt compartment, and longer battery life. The iRobot is better-built, easier to maintain, and charges substantially faster. It also has a HEPA filter to trap allergens as it cleans.
The Ecovacs DEEBOT OZMO T8 AIVI is a slightly better robot vacuum than the iRobot Roomba E5. The Ecovacs is better built and performs better on all surface types. It's more maneuverable and has a lot of automation features available too. It also has a mop attachment, although we don't currently test for this. However, the iRobot is easier to maintain and has a larger dirt compartment.
The iRobot Roomba E5 is a better vacuum than the iRobot Roomba 614 for most uses. The E5 clears more pet hair from all surface types, delivers better overall performance on carpets, and works with an app that allows you to schedule cleaning times. On the other hand, the 614 clears more debris from bare surfaces like hardwood or linoleum flooring and has longer battery life.
The Roborock S4 is a bit better overall vacuum than the iRobot Roomba E5. The Roborock easily cleans any type of debris on bare floors but it starts to struggles on low-pile carpet, and it doesn't work at all on high-pile carpet. The iRobot is better to use on carpet because of this. The Roborock has a bigger dirt compartment, a much longer battery life, and there are a bit less recurring costs.
The iRobot Roomba E5 and Shark ION Robot 2020 each have their own advantages, and one may suit you better than the other depending on your needs. The iRobot is better-built, easier to maintain, more maneuverable, and struggles noticeably less on low-pile carpet, especially in regards to pet hair. Conversely, while it charges much faster than the Shark, it has much shorter battery life. The Shark also has a larger dirt compartment and superior overall performance on bare floors.
The Samsung POWERbot R7040 is a much better robot vacuum on bare floors as it does a great job with any type of debris. On the other hand, the iRobot Roomba E5 is somewhat better on low-pile carpet and it has significant improvement on high-pile carpet. The battery on the iRobot lasts longer and the vacuum itself has a better build quality. However, the Samsung is easier to maintain and there are virtually no recurring costs.
The iRobot Roomba E5 is a better robot vacuum than the Coredy R500+. The iRobot is better-built, easier to maintain, and has fewer recurring costs. It also has a better performance on all surface types and has better maneuverability. However, the Coredy comes with a remote control, which is nice if you want to direct it somewhere else or have it change its cleaning behavior.