The Powerbot R7040 is a mid-level robotic vacuum put out by Samsung Electronics. This unit comes in at almost $300 on Amazon.
With a lot of suction power, WiFi connectivity, and a good edge cleaning technology, R7040 could be the right vacuum for you. For the mid-price range, the unit comes equipped with a lot of bells and whistles.
Below, we’ll look into the vacuum, including the features and questions you may need to know before you purchase. Take a look and see if this robotic vacuum meets your needs.
The 8 Best Features of the Powerbot R7040
The Powerbot R7040 comes equipped with some outstanding features for such an economical vacuum. Some of the features are:
- 20x More Suction
- Edge Clean Master
- Visionary Mapping with FullView Sensors
- WiFi Connectivity
- CycloneForce Technology
- Intelligent Power Control
- Washable Filter
- Scheduling
Now that we’ve listed many of the features, let’s dive into them.
1. 20x More Suction
Compared to the previous model, the Powerbot R7040 has 20 times the suction power. Samsung tested the R7040 against the Powerbot VR7000, the previous version of the robot vacuum. It was also tested against a conventional vacuum, the Samsung VR10F71UCAC.
Suction power should be at the top of your list when you’re choosing a vacuum. The Powerbot R7040 has more suctioning power than the Eufy RoboVac 11S. This vacuum can handle a tough mess. Like almost all robot vacuums, it performs better on harder floors.
With suction comes exhaust, and it’s worth noting that this model pumps the exhaust through the top, so it doesn’t blow the debris around the floor, as many others do.
2. Edge Clean Master
The R7040 has a rubber blade that extends out of the vacuum to clean areas like corners and the edges of the wall. It works by extending the rubber blade to the wall or corner, pulling the dust or dirt away from the wall or corner so it can be accessed by the bristles and sucked up into the dustbin.
3. Visionary Mapping with FullView Sensors
For the price of this model, it has a pretty impressive mapping setup. The R7040 uses an onboard digital camera and array of sensors to avoid obstacles and create a cleaning path for multi-room cleaning.
However, the unit, being a budget model, doesn’t map your home. It won’t keep a memory of all the obstacles in your house. It performs this visionary mapping each time it vacuums to avoid those obstacles.
4. WiFi Connectivity
This vacuum works well with the right apps. You can remotely control your vacuum through your smartphone or tablet or assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It can also connect to Samsung Smart home appliances. You could end up programming your vacuum from your Samsung refrigerator, which is a pretty cool idea.
5. CycloneForce Technology
Designed to help with clogging, Samsung’s patented technology vacuums up dirt and debris and then whips the larger particles into an outer chamber. It has the added benefit of helping maintain the suction power status quo.
This vacuum doesn’t feature the 20w power that all the other 7000 series vacuums have. The R7040 only has 10w of power. Most of the time, that’s not a big deal and it even beats out the Roomba 690 on the power scale.
As with most robot vacuums, it’s going to have more suction on the max setting, so adjust according to your home needs.
6. Intelligent Power Control
The R7040 features intelligent power control, a feature that automatically detects the type of floor and adjusts the suction to accommodate. So, it will generate more suction if it detects a carpet and dials down the suction if it detects hard flooring.
One interesting, if irritating, the feature of almost all robot vacuums is that they have a problem with very dark carpeting. The sensors perceive this dark carpeting to be a drop-off and they’ll avoid the area, so be warned.
7. Washable Filter
A washable filter does not seem to be an important feature on a robot vacuum until you purchase a model that doesn’t have it. Being able to pop the filter out, run it underwater, dry it, and pop it back into the unit again is a huge plus.
It’s also cost-effective, as washing yourself extends the filter life, so you buy less.
This is a feature not on the Roomba 880 model, or on any of the Roombas. The Roomba filters are not designed to be washed so Samsung offers an important, value add to the vacuum with a washable filter.
8. Scheduling
You can use the remote for the R7040 to schedule cleaning times/days. It’s pretty easy to use and you can schedule one-off cleaning or daily cleaning, and both of those can be active at the same time.
You can also set up a scheduling routine in Google Home Assistant or Amazon Alexa. It’s a little more difficult with these two home companions. You have to set up a scene with Google Home Assistant or set up a routine with Alexa. Just name the scene or routine and select the “auto-cleaning” feature on the Samsung R7040. Then, you can kick off your cleaning with a voice command.
Samsung Electronics Powerbot R7040 App
When first introduced, many reviewers called out the Powerbot app as being “buggy”. It was difficult to add new devices to the app and, in some cases, the app would not log in and connect to the vacuum. That can be a real problem if you want to schedule remotely.
However, in recent years, Samsung Electronics has upgraded Samsung Smart Home, the app they use for all their smart appliances. We had no trouble connecting to the vacuum via Amazon Alexa, Google Home or the iPhone, so Samsung’s improvement on the app seems to have paid off.
Samsung Powerbot R7040 Troubleshooting
Some customers had issues with their Powerbot R7040. Below are the most common troubleshooting tips:
1. R7040 won’t resume cleaning after docking
The unit should head to the docking station to recharge when it gets low on battery power. After charging, it should resume cleaning where it left off. If that doesn’t happen, make sure the REPEAT button on your unit is turned OFF.
- Turn off the main power switch on the underside of the robot.
- Wait 20 seconds and turn it back on.
- Hit the Auto button to start cleaning.
2. The R7040 has a code or exclamation point on the unit
This could be the following:
- The Powerbot is caught or trapped – Turn off the emergency switch and move the bot to another area.
- C01 to C04 – Foreign matter is caught in the brush or wheels – Turn off the emergency switch and remove the foreign matter.
- C05 – Bumper sensor needs to be checked – Turn the unit off and back on.
- C06 or C07 – Cliff or obstacle sensor is dirty – Turn off the emergency switch and clean the sensors with a soft cloth.
3. Powerbot will not charge
Check to see if the unit has power. If the emergency switch is not on, turn it on. Also, check the battery indicator. If the charge indicator is full, that would prevent further charging.
4. Powerbot remote will not work
Try the following:
- Replace the batteries in the remote and try again.
- Use a digital camera to check the remote’s IR signal. You can use your phone’s camera for this. Point the remote at your camera and press various buttons. If the remote is sending a signal, the screen will show a colored light coming from the remote. You can only see this on your camera and not with your naked eye.
If you’re still running into problems with your R7040, remember you can always contact the Samsung support team for more help.
Powerbot versus the Competition – Where Do They Stand?
There are several strong contenders for the best mid-level robotic vacuum. How does the Powerbot R704 stand up against them?
Powerbot vs Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S
The Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S is a good mid-range model for robotic vacuums. It’s lightweight, at only 5.73 pounds and has an impressive runtime of up to 100 minutes, depending on the setting. It’s also cheaper than the Powerbot R7040, at over $100 less.
It was voted “Best Robot Vacuum of 2019” by Tom’s Guide and is a very quiet, powerful vacuum. It stands up well to the Powerbot. However, it does not have the edge clean master technology featured by the R7040, and it can send dirt flying around the area rather than in the suction path. It also doesn’t have washable filters. You have to buy new filters every couple of months.
This model is not WiFi enabled so you can’t use it with a smartphone app, so the R7040 has an edge in that department.
Powerbot vs Roomba 675
Roomba is the grandfather of all robotic vacuums and they’re still a strong contender, each year, for best vacuum. The Roomba 675 is the mid-level model of the Roomba vacuums. It features Roomba’s three-stage cleaning system, a good edge cleaner technology and the iHome app is smart and reliable.
The price is a little lower than Samsung and the weight is a little less. The runtime is better than the R7040. However, it also doesn’t have a washable feature, which will cost you money in the long run. It also can get stuck on items and it can miss some areas of your homes, not having the smart mapping that comes with the more expensive Roombas.
Powerbot vs Samsung R7065
The Samsung R7065 is a later model of the robotic 7000 series. It weighs more and costs more than the R7040. The runtime is longer than the R7040. While it has the same great features as the Samsung R7040, it struggles with pet hair. The Powerbot R7040 was made for pet hair.
Helpful To Know
Here are some questions other customers had about the Samsung Powerbot R7040:
1. How do I reset my Samsung Powerbot R7040?
- Hold down the reset button on the back of the device using a safety pin or similar tool for 10 seconds.
- Release the reset button when the LED on the front of the unit goes dark.
- Wait for the LED to flash red and green, indicating it is ready to connect again.
2. How do you connect the Samsung Powerbot to WIFI?
- Download the Samsung SmartThings app on your phone or device.
- Turn on the main power switch located on the bottom of the Powerbot.
- Place the Powerbot on the docking station.
- Make sure your device is connected to WiFi.
- Open the SmartThings app and follow the prompts to get started. You may need to create a Samsung account.
- Select the Add Device card.
- Tap the dropdown to Add Device Manually.
- Select the Robot Vacuum option.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
3. How long is the runtime on the R7040?
Runtime on the Powerbot is approximately 60 minutes, depending on your power level. This is lower than similar robotic vacuums, such as the Roomba 675 or the Eufy 11S.
4. Does this have to connect with a smartphone or Alexa to get it to work?
This does not have to connect wirelessly to get the unit to work. It comes with a remote that you can use right out of the box or you can use the buttons directly on the Powerbot.
Will It Work For You?
If you’re looking for a good, mid-range, robotic vacuum with good suctioning, power, excellent edge cleaning technology, and ease of use, this may be the vacuum for you.
The R7040 excels in power and cleaning, especially pet hair. It works very well for apartments and small homes. It has a shorter runtime than other vacuums in the same class.
The Powerbot R7040 gives a good performance for the size and price. Depending on your home and your needs, this could be the vacuum you need.