Roomba 614 vs 690 Reviews, Differences, & a Comparison Chart

The 600 series of roombas by iRobot is one of the most interesting series of self-cleaning vacuums that you will currently find on the market. Even though iRobot has now come out with the 900 series the 600 still holds a lot of value as a self-cleaning robot and can really help you out in making sure that your home remains spick and span. In this article, we will be specifically talking about two of the most famous roombas from this series, the 614 and the 690. Both of these roombas are excellent in their own right but to truly see how they match up we will compare, contrast, and review the Roomba 614 vs 690 so that you can make an informed decision when you want to buy one. We’ll start with a comparison chart, we’ll proceed to common features, then individual reviews, and finally end on the roomba that we think wins this match-up. So read on for our review of the Roomba 614 vs 690.

iRobot Roomba 614 vs 690 Comparison Chart:

Features	iRobot ROOMBA 614	iRobot ROOMBA 690
3 Stage Cleaning	X	X
Multi Surface Cleaning	X	X
Wi-Fi		X
Automatic Battery Recharge	X	X
Virtual Walls		1
Dirt Detect Technology	X	X
Price	Click to Check Price	Click to Check Price

Common Features:

There are a lot of features that can commonly be found in both of these roombas. The whole 600 line was quite a breakthrough when it first came out. The 600 line is one of the more impressive lines of roomba purely because of the functionality that it still offers. You’ll still be able to find people that are quite happy with their 600 series roomba because it is a dependable piece of equipment that can handle almost any type of floor and any task that you set out for it. That is largely because of the huge pool of features that can be found in each of the roombas that belong to the 600 series. These features make the roombas in this series so dependable that a replacement is just not needed. Here is the full list of features that you can expect from roombas belonging to the 600 line. 

3 Stage Cleaning:

This is the biggest and the most important feature that is included in this line of roombas. This feature was so successful that it went on to be included into every roomba line. The 3 stage cleaning feature is the actually the way the roomba cleans rather than a hardware upgrade. This method allows for optimal cleaning because of the way dirt and dust gets handled by the roomba. The start of the 3 stage cleaning process begins with agitation. 

The roomba uses its brush to dislodge any and all pieces of dirt and dust, shaking them loose so that they may be cleaned up. This process allows the roomba to shake the biggest pieces loose very easily. The second stage is called the brush stage which is essential for removing the smaller pieces of dust and debris which may get stuck to the floor. The brush works overtime focusing on the floor and making sure that everything has been shaken loose. The roomba then initiates the third stage which is the suction phase. It collects all the dust and debris that was shaken loose and sucks it up in its collection bag for later disposal. 

This 3 stage cleaning process is so perfect that it has not been built on in any way yet as it works like a charm. There has yet to be an instance where this 3 stage cleaning process failed to work on any piece of dust, dirt, or debris. That is why roombas are so exceptional at cleaning and why this feature is still included in the top of the line roombas. 

Triple Brush Action:

Both of the roombas that we are comparing today come equipped with 3 brushes. These 3 brushes include Dual Multi-Surface Brushes and an Edge Sweeping Brush. All three of these brushes are important in order to make sure that the roomba performs to its maximum capacity. The dual multi-surface brushes are necessary because they allow the roomba to work on multiple surfaces as they were the same. They are the reason for the versatility of the roomba and why it can work on hardwood floors as well as on carpet. These dual brushes are able to dislodge any dust and debris with ease no matter what surface they may lie on. 

The edge brush though is the most important one of the three because through the edge brush the roomba is able to clean corners like you would not believe. As you might have noticed, if you’ve ever used a vacuum cleaner in your life, that corners are the hardest places to reach with a traditional vacuum. The angle of the corner often makes it hard to clean corners effectively. That problem is solved when using the roomba. The edge sweeping brush allows the roomba to effectively clean corners every time that it is faced with them. This is an invaluable feature, one that helped popularize roombas for so many people and contributes in a huge way to the popularity of the 600 series of roombas. 

Powerful Vacuum Suction:

One of the most basic features that any roomba could have, the suction in the iRobot roombas is quite different from the rest. The suction in these roombas is more powerful than most of the other vacuum cleaners that you’ll find in the market. This suction is the reason why the roomba doesn’t leave behind a dust trail when it moves on to a new area. The suction is powerful enough to suck up all the dust, dirt, and debris that the roomba’s brushes dislodge from all the corners of your home. 

Auto-Adjust Cleaning Head:

The reason why the roomba is able to handle all the different surfaces that it is placed on is because of the adjustable cleaning head that comes attached with it. This head automatically adjusts itself according to the surface that it is placed on. This allows the roomba to clean each surface differently, which in turn enables the roomba to clean each of them as efficiently as possible. That results in the surface looking cleaner than before without leaving behind any marks or scratches. 

Automatic Recharge:

The battery life of most roombas isn’t the longest. Roombas typically work for a couple of hours before they need a recharge. The best thing about an automatic vacuum cleaner should be that you don’t have to do anything by yourself, the robot should do everything by itself. That is why the automatic recharge feature is such a big one and why it has stayed throughout the series of roombas that have come out. The automatic recharge feature works in a very simple way. The robot works normally until it notices that its batteries are run down, it will then stop cleaning and return to the charging dock that comes with all the roombas. It will automatically dock itself and start recharging until it reaches full power. It is then ready for you to place it down or get it to work when you want it to. 

iAdapt Navigation:

The iAdapt navigation is the essence of the roomba. It is the soul of it if you will. It is the reason why the roomba is a self-cleaning robot because the iAdapt navigation technology allows it to move freely without needing any external assistance. This technology is one of the most important ones that can be found in the roomba. It is what makes this vacuum cleaner completely autonomous because this technology uses the range of audio and visual sensors that are located all around the roomba. These sensors tell the roomba which direction it is headed, where it needs to go when it’s close to hitting something, and if it has clearance to go under or around objects. 

This technology has significantly improved over the years and the newer models of roombas can even map the entire level of your house and clean according to the way that you have placed your furniture. That is not to say that the iAdapt technology in the 600 series is bad. It is actually quite decent as it allows the roomba to navigate freely and not get stuck on anything.

Dirt Detection Technology:

All roombas in the 600 series are equipped with dirt detection technology that enables them to actually look out for dirt and clean it. The sensors that help the roomba navigate also enable it to see where there is the most dirt and thus which area the roomba needs to focus on. This dirt detection technology goes further than just telling the roomba where the dirt is. It also tells the roomba the concentration of dirt there is so it can know how much time it needs to spend and how much power it should expend on cleaning that particular area. This technology allows all roombas in the 600 series to be as efficient as possible when cleaning because it tells the roomba exactly what to do and where to do it. Roombas past the 600 series do come equipped with advanced dirt detection technology which enables them to actually seek out hidden dirt, dust, and debris and eradicate it but the technology that can be found in the 600 series is the basis for all of that. It is built well enough that it can find dirt and remove it for you. 

Efficient Filters:

All roombas in the 600 series come equipped with a single filter and a spare one that is included in the package. The filters are necessary because they make sure that the roomba’s internal parts do not get clogged up with all the dirt and dust that it has been collecting. The filter also makes sure that the roomba is easy to clean when you need to empty the collection bag. 

Related Article: iRobot Roomba Comparison

iRobot Roomba 614 Features, Drawbacks, and Review:

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The most appealing aspect of the 614 is the price at which it is offered. The roomba comes in at a measly $250 according to the latest prices that you can find on Amazon. The reason why the price is the standout feature is because it is the only thing that makes it different from the rest of the roombas that you can find by iRobot, at least in the 600 series. There are other features that it doesn’t have but the price is the only feature that you’ll find just in the 614.

There is a very good reason why the price is the main feature, it’s because it makes this roomba perfect for people that just want to try one out to see if they want to make a bigger investment in an automatic vacuum cleaner. The price removes all the barriers of purchase and makes it so that even people that never thought of getting an automatic vacuum cleaner would maybe try it out. The price is actually why iRobot had such a successful launch with its 600 series and why it is still offering this particular model. People want to try out roombas and the 614 offers them a great way into that because it makes roombas accessible for all. 

That is not to say that this roomba doesn’t have drawbacks. The biggest one is for people that have allergies. The 614 does not support HEPA filters which are essential if you are allergic to dust, hair, or pollen. Without these filters, the roomba will contribute to your allergies every time you go to empty the collection bag and can cause severe problems for you. Another big drawback is that if you have a very hairy pet you’ll find yourself spending a lot of time cleaning the filters of the roomba because those can get clogged up with pet hair really easily. 

All in all the 614 is a great piece of hardware, one that you will find yourself relying on more and more as you get used to it. It enables you to spend a lot of time doing what you want rather than cleaning the house and with the low cost that this model has you won’t have to break the bank to get this roomba. That’s why we rate this roomba an 8 out of 10. 

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iRobot Roomba 690 Features, Drawbacks, and Review:

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The 690 is at the top of the 600 series as it is the one that has the most features and costs the most. There are two major features that it has which make this roomba stand out from the rest. The first one of these is the scheduling feature that this roomba has. Though this feature you can set up when you want the roomba to clean automatically. That means that you don’t have to manually put it to work when you need it to. You can set it to clean when you are at work and when you come back it will have already completed the job. 

The second big feature that it has is the link that it has with any smart home device. This roomba can be connected to smart home devices such as Alexa, the Google Assistant, or with the iRobot HOME app. This allows you to control and oversee the roomba even when you aren’t at home. This is an invaluable feature if you need to set it up to work from anywhere or need it to stop for any reason. It also gives you the freedom to control what the roomba cleans directly via your phone. 

The biggest drawback that the 690 has is again the filter. It comes with a standard filter rather than a HEPA one. That makes it unsuitable for people with allergies and can severely reduce the quality of life of people with allergies to dust, pollen, smoke etc. 

This model is far superior to the 614 because of the added features and can significantly impact the way that you clean your house. It was the reason why iRobot started to make more higher end models with a lot more features because those features don’t just sound cool, they are worth the price. That is why this roomba also gets an 8 out of 10 even though it is a little more expensive coming in at $300. 

Our Pick – iRobot Roomba 690:

Although we enjoyed testing out the Roomba 614 vs 690, our pick has to be the 690 purely because the added features that it comes with are more than worth the extra $50. The reasoning behind this pick is that if you’re already spending $250, it might be worth it to pitch in the extra 50 bucks and get one that has so much more to offer. That is why the 690 wins this match up!

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