Roomba 691 and 694 are two models from the entry-level robot vacuum 600 series of iRobot. At a glance, they look the same but still hold some minor differences. In the comparison of Roomba 691 vs 694, the noticeable will be revealed.
The Roomba 691 has a color comprising white and black and a small handle on its top. Meanwhile, the Roomba 694 is all-black and does not feature a handlebar. Moreover, they are different in the accessories included in the box.
Apart from that, the Roomba 691 and 694 feature the same filtration and brush roll systems, sensors, and navigation technology. They also offer comparable cleaning performance. For me, both of them provide decent cleaning results, working best on uncluttered spaces and on hard floors and low-level carpets. They can pick up pet hair decently but suffer from hair tangling.
Roomba 691 Vs 694: Comparison Chart
Roomba 691 Vs 694: Differences
The Roomba 691 and Roomba 694 are very similar in design and functionality. The notable differences come from its appearance and accessories. The Roomba 691 has a white faceplate, while that of the Roomba 694 is in black. Moreover, the Roomba 691 has a handle for easy carrying, especially when your home has multi-floor levels.
In terms of accessories, though both of them are compatible with the dual-mode Virtual Wall Barrier, when you purchase the Roomba 691, the virtual wall is included. Meanwhile, with the Roomba 694, you need to purchase the virtual wall thing separately.
The Virtual Wall Barrier helps to create a virtual barrier, in either a circle or straight line, for certain areas so that it can prevent the bots from going into those zones. This virtual wall especially comes in handy if you have many cables and cords on the floor, as these bots do not have an obstacle avoidance function.
Owing to the inclusion of a virtual wall barrier and the built-in handle for portability, in my opinion, the Roomba 691 is the winner in terms of convenience. Apart from these features, both the Roomba 691 and Roomba 694 demonstrate the same motors, suction power, cleaning performance, and maintenance.
Roomba 691 Vs 694: Similarities
Both bots share the same testing results in the following categories, so this part can be viewed as my detailed review of Roomba 691/694.
Cleaning performance
Their suction is low, about 7 cfm airflow, but quite enough for picking up light and fine debris such as sand and scattering cereals. Both use the same brush roll system: the dual brushroll type, including a rubber-fin roller and a bristle roller. This brush roll system helps improve the carpet agitation and pulling of the embedded dirt.
When it comes to cleaning, the Roomba 691 and 694 do a decent job with basic cleaning requirements and work effectively in uncluttered rooms with few pieces of furniture. They also perform best on hard floors or low-pile carpets. Meanwhile, soft or long-pile carpets tend to obstruct their brush roll systems. Additionally, it cannot go over high door thresholds, so if your home has them, you may find your Roomba confined to just one room.
The Roomba 691 and 694 models can also pick up hair to a certain extent, but their brushes get clogged more quickly. It is due to the bristle brush, the long fiber of plush carpets, or long hairs from pets and humans can get caught in the brushes. So, I don’t think they are perfect candidates for pet owners.
Design & Convenience
Navigation & Obstacle avoidance
The iRobot Roomba 694 and 691 utilize the iAdapt Responsive Navigation Technology for cleaning the whole room. According to the brand, this technology enables the device to detect dirt and clean more intensively in areas that require extra attention. Additionally, it follows walls and maneuvers around everyday obstacles.
In fact, instead of mapping the room’s edges and saving them as a template for cleaning, the Roomba 691 and 694 seem to rely on their sensors to navigate. So, they move in the room in a random pattern, bumping into things constantly, leading to missing cleaning spots during their working process. Yet, their cliff sensors work great, as I haven’t encountered any falling so far.
However, they are really bad at obstacle avoidance. In a cluttered room with furniture, they bump into things constantly and often stop when encountering an obstacle that they cannot displace. Besides, they are likely to get stuck easily if there are too many obstacles. They also cannot recognize and avoid cords and wires on the floors. Therefore, if I do not carefully pick up such items before cleaning, the bots will run over the cords and get them stuck in the main roller.
Battery & Noise
Their battery life is about 90 mins of max runtime on a single charge when working in a room with less furniture and carpets. When these bots are low in battery, they can find their way back to the charging dock. It often takes them about 2 hours for a full charge.
Their working noise level is not too loud, but not quiet either. The noise I measured is around 65-71 dB, depending on the cleaning surfaces.
Control
Physical control
These two bots feature the same physical control buttons, including three buttons for spot cleaning, power and clean, and dock function.
With the spot button, I can have the bots clean specific positions on the floor immediately without waiting for them to run around and detect dirtier areas. I just need to bring them to the zone I need to clean and press the SPOT button. The button with the CLEAN word is used to start the cleaning session, pause/resume, or stop the cleaning cycle. About the DOCK button, it is for sending the bots back to the charging dock in the middle of the cleaning cycle.
App control
The Roomba 691 and 694 can be connected to my smartphone or tablet via my home Wi-Fi network. In this way, I can also control the cleaning cycle of these bots with the iRobot app. In the app, I can set cleaning schedules for the bots, and they automatically start the cleaning without having to press the CLEAN button.
The app also offers a feature that allows the robots to start cleaning when you leave your house. This option is particularly useful if you don’t work from home often and prefer not to be disturbed by the noise of the cleaning process.
The app also shows statistics about the cleaning history, the battery, and the status of the bots. If the bots get stuck, it will send a notification to you via the app so that you can help them escape. In addition, I can sync the Roomba 691 and 694 with voice assistants like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. By connecting with these assistants, I can get voice notifications or use voice commands without keeping my phone nearby.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Both robot vacuums have similar cleaning and maintenance requirements. As they easily get clogged up with hair, I often checked their bottoms after a couple of days to remove the hair tangling on the main and side brushes or the wheels. Their brush rollers and castor wheels are easy to detach and clean, so it does not take much effort to perform the regular check.
Unlike medium- or premium-range products, both models do not come with HEPA filters. Therefore, they are inefficient in filtering microparticles and allergens in exhausted air. So, if you suffer from severe allergies, look for products with a nicely-sealed HEPA filtration system.
Their dustbin is also small, about 0.3 liters in capacity. So, if your home has dogs or cats with long fur, the bins are filled up quickly, and you need to empty them frequently. Other cleaning recommendations, such as replacing the brushes and filters for the bots’ peak performance, are carefully demonstrated in the user manual.
Quick Rundown of iRobot Roomba 691
Quick Rundown of iRobot Roomba 694
- Design: Sleek, premium design complements your home decor; The Roomba 694 is a great way to begin cleaning your home smarter. Just schedule it to clean up daily dirt, dust, and debris with the iRobot Home app or your voice assistant. - for effortlessly clean floors
- Auto-Adjust Cleaning Head: Auto-Adjust Cleaning Head automatically adapts its height to effectively clean carpets and hard floors
- Adaptive Navigation: A full suite of advanced sensors allows Roomba to navigate under and around furniture, and along edges. Cliff Detect keeps it from falling downstairs
- Clean Floors Every Day: The Roomba 694 provides a system of cleaning features and smart sensors that allow the robot to adjust to your unique home and deliver a daily clean
- Automatically Recharges: The Robot Vacuum runs for up to 90 minutes before automatically docking and recharging
Product Videos
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References:
- iRobot Roomba 694: https://www.irobot.com/en_US/roomba-vacuuming-robot-vacuum-irobot-roomba-69-4020/R694020.html
- iRobot Roomba 691: https://www.irobot.it/irobot_roomba/ref_b_roomba_691_p_6826RB-820023/
Richard B. Schmidt is a prominent figure in the vacuum cleaner industry, boasting over 15 years of expertise. Armed with a Robotics Engineering degree from Northeastern University and a Master’s in Consumer Science from Harvard, his unique blend of technical knowledge and consumer insights positions him as a sought-after authority in vacuum cleaner evaluation. Richard’s career began at Dyson, where he contributed to the development of innovative vacuum models. Transitioning to advocacy and reviews, he co-founded the first Vacuum-focused blog in 2008, offering comprehensive analysis and user guides for various vacuum cleaners. In 2020, he founded RoboMop.net, providing ongoing insights through columns and buyer’s guides.