The best replacement Roomba batteries of 2018
Roomba’s are supposed to be relatively hands-free, having revolutionized the way we clean our homes. If there is a battery without electricity or a replacement battery from a dead manufacturer, it may destroy your experience with the device.
Having experienced my fair share of Roomba battery woes, I decided to compile the knowledge that I have gathered below.
This is a compendium of both my personal experiences as well as the experiences of close friends, associates, and other souls on the internet who have shared their stories. Hopefully you find this helpful for your situation.
1 Tenergy Replacement Battery
Compatibility: Roomba 500, 600, 700 and 800 Series
Tenergy is one of the more popular Roomba battery replacement choices, primarily because it is a good value for the money. At about $30 per battery pack, it is not a terribly risky investment.
Tenergy says that it lasts as long – or longer – than the factory battery packs from iRobot. Knowing this, we were eager to test it out for ourselves.
When we received this battery pack from Amazon, we were surprised to see that the labeling was actually 35000mAh (3.5 Amp/hr.). On the product page it had been listed as a 3.3Ah. When we tested it out, the battery lasted almost as long as the factory default brand that comes standard with the roomba 550.
We can reliably get about 1.5-1.45 hoours out of it, if we push it to the max. While it wasn’t quite as strong as advertised, it certainly did the job for us.
The bottom line is that you get what you pay for. This battery is a quality third party budget replacement. It will provide more than enough juice to get the job done for 90% of Roomba owners.
It is not the best replacement battery we have seen, but it is the best value for the money. The best place to buy the Tenergy packs is definitely on Amazon.
They generally have the best prices for this brand, even better than retail outlets. Use our link below to go to the right version of product page to see the latest prices.
2 Pwr+ Extended Capacity Replacement Battery
Compatibility: Roomba 500, 600, 700 and 800 Series
The Pwr+ replacement iRobot Roomba 500 Vacuum Battery is at a slightly higher price-point than the Tenergy battery pack, but does offer a substantial increase in quality.
Despite going for close to $40 per pack, Pwr+ is still a much more affordable option than purchasing from iRobot directly. It also has some nice “extra” features that set it apart from some of the competition.
First and foremost, this is a reputable company with a good track record with Roomba devices.
Pwr+ products are certified by a number of trade associations and promise a 50% greater “useful” battery life than the original factory Roomba batteries. Best of all, they have a 30 day money back gaurantee, should anything be clearly wrong.
Furthermore, they have excellent phone support and offer free exchanges within the first year of ownership. They also offer to pay for the shipping.
Pwr+ was actually the first after-market battery pack we had to purchase after our Roomba 630’s battery died and it has lasted us for over two years and still going strong!
If you are looking for a combination of quality without breaking the bank, this is the best roomba replacement battery option. Visit our link below for the latest pricing. Usually orders qualify for free shipping, which can actually make it almost as affordable as the Tenergy.
3 ANewPow Lithium Roomba Replacement Battery
Compatibility: 500, 600, 700, and 800 Series (also Scooba 450)
For people who know about batteries, lithium batteries are considered the mercedes-benz of batteries. Similarly, the lithium battery packs super-charge the Roomba vacuums, adding longevity over the default factory batteries.
ANewPow is a relative newcomer to the replacement battery market, but they offer a serious upgrade and have received rave reviews from customers.
When we unpacked the lithium pack we were immediately impressed by the difference in quality (just externally). I had heard many good things about the lithium packs, so I was eager to test it out.
While we have only had it for about 5 months, it has been holding up incredibly well. We have noticed a marked increase in the cleaning quality as well. This could be for a variety of reasons, but is likely because our Roomba 770 can make more persistent passes over our floors.
Initially when this pack was first released there were some compatibility issues with a few of the Roomba series. However, these problems have since been fixed and works perfectly with all the versions listed above.
This battery pack comes in as a high end battery replacement pack at close to $56 per pack, but is head and shoulders above the low-grade battery packs flooding the market at lower price points.
If you are looking for a safe, definite winner, then you can’t go wrong here. See the link below for the latest deals and prices.
What to Stay Away From
Knowing what NOT to buy is important because the secondary battery market is flooded with options right now, some not so good. I would personally stay away from a few brands that I have either a) personally had issues with or b) have heard significant negative feedback about.
It’s not that these batteries are absolute garbage, but more that they will not be much of an upgrade over the factory issued ones or – in many cases – worse. I have had very mixed experiences with Powerextra battery packs.
They feel cheap when you get them and of the 3 I have purchased over the years for various models, only one held up as advertised. UPDATE: It looks like things have improved with Powerextra since I originally wrote this article. I can’t vouch for all of them – it appears some of them still have problems – but the PowerextraTM pack at this listing has held up for over a year so far on one of my Roomba 770 models.
Replacement Batteries for the 537 Series
Because this is a significantly older model, the Roomba 537 replacement battery packs are unique stand-alone products. Most of the new replacement batteries (listed above) will not be compatible with a Roomba 400x.
Fortunately, the previously reviewed companies do have similar quality options for the 400 series Roomba’s.
General Tips to Prolong Your Battery Life
After fielding a variety of questions from readers and friends, I decided to tack on this little resource for getting the most out of your battery packs. Nothing is more frustrating than having to keep re-purchasing replacement packs every few months. Many times, simple maintenance can solve these common issues.
Run the Battery to Empty: Like with many electronic devices, it’s important to fully use your battery charge as much as possible. Especially on your first run with a new battery pack, let it fully exhaust itself before recharging.
Use It! This seems self-explanatory. Why invest in a Roomba if you aren’t going to use it? Still, letting them sit – particularly in the charging base or in an attic somewhere – indefinitely is not a good thing. It’s a machine and machines are built to run.
Clean the Brushes: A lot of times clogged brushes are the prime culprits. The Roomba has to work harder to clean as the brushes become more tangled. I make it a point to clean them at least once per month (assuming regular use during the week).
Store the Roomba Properly: If you are going away for a while or just not planning on using your Roomba, make sure to follow the proper “vacation” procedures.
This means 1) charging the battery fully, and 2) removing it from the Roomba (unscrewing it in the back) and store them both in a safe, dry, and cool place.
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