Robotic vacuum cleaners are selling like hotcakes nowadays. These handy bots are fantastic in cleaning your house without much human intervention. You will find these automatic cleaners useful, especially if you have pets. Yeah! They are the adorable yet biggest enemy of the floor or carpet. But fear not, these robotic vacuum cleaners will help you in saving your day. iRobot is one of the popular brands which sells some best vacuum cleaners; Roomba.
In a face-off between Roomba 690 vs 890, let us test each product and see who wins in this ultimate battle.
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Roomba 690 vs 890
There are some obvious differences between these two. The commonest being the features and price. But how do they fit in for your needs? Are these robotic vacuum cleaners suitable for everyone?
Let us find out.
Roomba 690 Review
The Roomba 690 is a wallet-friendly robotic vacuum cleaner. It has similar features to Roomba 890 except for the presence of dirt sensors and other few add-ons. It is a compact vacuum cleaner that can slide into tight spaces.
You can control the device with the help of the app on your mobile device. Plus, you can schedule the cleaning process from anywhere with the support of the iRobot mobile application. It is also compatible with Amazon Alexa and you can control the cleaner with voice commands.
The AeroVac technology cleans the floor impressively. Unlike the Roomba 890, this device has a counter-rotating brush that will remove the dirt or dust which is sucked up. It means that this is not a brushless device and it requires frequent cleaning which can be tedious.
The motor of the Roomba 690 can be noisy for some, and we noticed a characteristic metallic sound while it is in action. It has sensors that will help it to navigate around the house, but it couldn’t avoid hitting the walls or other furniture. Don’t worry; it does not hit too hard.
The carpet cleaning agitator is not available in this cleaner, and it struggles to clean carpets especially if it has hair on them. It has dirt detection technology which is quite impressive.
After 2 hours of charging, the cleaner was able to clean for nearly 1.5 hours. The lithium-ion batteries are pretty impressive.
What We Like
- Dust detection system
- Navigation and barrier sensors
- AeroVac Technology
- Powerful motor with large dustbin
- Can be operated with an app from anywhere
- Automatic docking and charging
What We Don’t Like
- Noisy motor
- The cleaning brush requires frequent cleaning
- Poor carpet cleaning
Design
Over the years, iRobot made significant changes to the design of their vacuum cleaners. But they kept all of them in a circular configuration. Roomba 690 is no exception for it.
You will immediately note the green accents on the cleaner with big push button on the middle. The rest of the body has black and grey accents. Other switches that are present around the central button are used to configure the cleaning process.
The cleaner measures around 13 inches in diameter and is 3.7 inches thick. It weighs around 7.8 pounds, and you can store or carry it easily.
When you flip the cleaner, you can see many bristles of the dual multi-surface brush. It is the AeroVac technology used by iRobot, a characteristic feature of Roomba 690. Also, it has a cleaning head on the bottom which adjusts itself automatically to match different types of floors.
How To Clean Roomba 690?
As the Roomba 690 is a robotic vacuum cleaner, it cleans by traveling around. It has dirt detection technology which it uses to identify the debris and clean. It cleans by agitation and brushing.
The counter-clock rotating bristles of the brush will clean itself from debris while the cleaner will suck the particulate matter. This will help the cleaning action to run efficiently.
There is not memory program in Roomba 690, and hence it will not remember the layout of the house. Expect few head bumps, every time the cleaner is in action. There is no alert system to empty the bin in the cleaner. Herein, you have to trust your instincts and empty the bin after a certain period.
The dirt direction system enables the bot to detect the dust in your home; it is an efficient way of cleaning the house.
Accessories
iRobot has provided decent accessories within the package. You will get all the tools required for maintenance and cleaning the machine. These accessories include;
- High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter
- Charging dock or station
- Virtual wall barrier
- Battery
- Edge sweeping brush
- Self-adjusting cleaning head
- An extra AeroVac filter
Apart from the parts mentioned above, you can also buy other accessories for your robotic cleaner from iRobot according to your need. They have a ton of accessories on their official store, and you can select accordingly.
Maintenance
Maintaining your Roomba 690 is relatively simple. Once the cleaning process is done, detach the bin by pressing them in front of the vacuum button. Empty the container into the trash and replace.
To clean the filter, remove it by pressing the tabs simultaneously. iRobot has provided a cutting tool which can be used to remove strands of hair that are wound around the brush and the debris extractor.
iRobot has given specified replacement frequencies of the accessories, and you must replace them accordingly. Although the replacement time is subjective, it will give you an idea of how long do these parts are going to last.
Roomba 890 Review
An upgraded version of robotic vacuum cleaner from iRobot is the Roomba 890. It is a bit expensive than the 690, but it has decent add-ons and enhanced features. While some features are similar to Roomba 690, this particular bot is designed to perform complicated tasks effectively and efficiently.
It has wi-fi connectivity, and when you sync the device with Amazon Alexa, you can control it with voice commands. Simply say ‘Alexa, ask Roomba to clean the house,’ and you will see the bot in action.
This particular vacuum cleaner is ideal for pet owners who will find it difficult in cleaning the hair with traditional methods. It is also suitable for those who have complicated home layouts. The Roomba 890 has a memory feature which will remember the layout of your home.
The only flaw we observed is the suction power. It is not as efficient as its younger sibling; Roomba 690. It does not mean that it is not an effective cleaner. We did not feel the oomph as we have seen in 690.
What We Like
- Navigation memory
- Brushless cleaning with the help of dual multi-surface rubbers
- Wi-fi and Amazon Alexa compatible
- Dirt detection system
- Virtual Wall
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive
- A bit lower cleaning efficiency
Design
Almost all Roomba line of vacuum cleaners are in circular design. The Roomba 890 is no exception for this. The top of the cleaner has copper colored aesthetics with a central cleaning button.
Unlike the Roomba 690, there are no vibrant colors in this model. There is a protection ring around the outer perimeter of the cleaner which will protect from the bumps. It also has a carrying handle with which you can pick it up whenever needed.
When you see the bottom of the cleaner, there are no bristles of the brush as it does not use this method of cleaning. You can see two multi-surface in the place of a brush.
Other things you find beneath are, the cliff sensor, sweeping edge brush, HEPA filter (which uses AeroForce technology), and auto adjusting cleaning head. It has a slightly larger diameter (13.9”) than the Roomba 690 (13”) but has a similar height (3.6”).
How To Clean Roomba 890
Roomba 890 employs similar cleaning system as the 690; three-stage cleaning mechanism. The best thing we loved about this device is the carpet agitation. It is one of the best we have found in many robotic vacuum cleaners.
The navigation memory system helps the bot to remember the design of the rooms which will prevent it from bumping into the furniture or walls. The brushless rubberized cleaners of the vacuum will adjust themselves depending on the surface and the type of floor.
There are optical and acoustic sensors beneath the device which will detect dust and debris. It has advanced HEPA filter which captures the allergens from the air.
Once the bin is full, it will alarm the user about it. Not that it won’t stop the cleaning process after the dustbin is filled, it just signals the user and continues to do its work.
You can control the cleaning process with the iRobot app from anywhere. Similar to 690, this one also does not have cleaning summary.
Accessories
There are a plethora of accessories from iRobot for their Roomba series. You will get a decent amount of add-ons within the package. You will get;
- A charging station
- Edge sweeping brush
- Virtual wall
- Advanced HEPA filter
- Battery
Similar to other series of Roomba, you can add other accessories with the present ones according to your need.
Maintenance
The Roomba 890 maintenance is straightforward. It has an alert system which alarms you if the bin is full. Empty the bin as soon as it is full. Clean the HEPA filters regularly with the cleaning brush provided in the package.
Clean the brush, debris extractors, and the rolling heads after every usage. It hardly takes five minutes to clean the entire device.
iRobot has specified replacement times for its parts and other accessories. Replace them accordingly. Some parts might require replacement earlier than the specified time as it depends on the usage.
Final Verdict
We felt that both the bots are winners in the battle between Roomba 690 vs 890. If you want to buy a budget-friendly robotic vacuum cleaner, Roomba 690 is your ideal choice. Moreover, it’s an efficient cleaner than 890.
While there are certain hindrances for the 690 especially if you have pets, you might look into 890 instead. If budget is not a hurdle, the winner will be Roomba 890. It is also straightforward to control as it is loaded with tons of features and user-friendly options. It is also ideal if you have pets in your home.
So, choose according to your requirement. You will not be disappointed with either of them. Hope Roomba 690 vs 890 Comparison Guide will help you to find out the best one.
If you want to know more regarding Roomba, feel free to ask us and post lovely comments below or contact us.
