Best Roomba Models To Buy in 2022 – With Roomba Comparison Chart

Do you want to buy Roomba vacuum cleaner, but confused to which one is best. Here we have made a comparison chart for you. Check this and decide according to your needs and buy the best Roomba for your pet, home.

I will compare Roomba models and will help you to select the perfect one. Here I have made a list of best iRobot Roomba models which is currently available.

Now, if you don’t have time to read the whole articles and need quick suggestion then I would recommend you to buy Roomba 960.

Roomba Comparison Chart 2022 – Roomba 614 VS Roomba 690 Vs Roomba 890 Vs Roomba 960 Vs Roomba 980

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Best Roomba To Get in 2022 – Roomba Model Comparison & Reviews

We have reviewed only officially available Roomba models. Read this review and choose the best Roomba.

1. Roomba 614 – Basic Roomba

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Roomba 614 uses Dirt Detect Technology that helps it to recognize concentrated areas of dirt so that additional cleaning may be provided in those spots to enable it to thoroughly clean the whole floor.

Further, it uses a patented 3-Stage Cleaning System with dual Multi-Surface brushes, a specially designed Edge-Sweeping Brush and the vacuum suction to clean each and every inch of your floor.

It is a robot from the early days and offers a basic level of performance. It has 45 minutes of battery life which is approximately enough for two normal sized rooms. It uses the same Lithium Ion battery as the other high-end models but lacks HEPA filter and many other advanced features of more costlier models. There is no Scheduling feature available for this model.

Roomba 614 can clean every floor with sufficient ease and you need not crouch, bend and lift your furniture to remove all the dirt in your house. This basic roomba will do it all for you.  But the lack of virtual walls, virtual wall lighthouses, and full-bin indicator means that it is quite far away from the flagship Roombas.

2. Roomba 690 – Best Budget

Roomba 690 is a Wi-Fi connected Roomba that comes equipped with the same patented 3-Stage Cleaning System as present in Roomba 614(mentioned above) and due to the presence of wireless connectivity, it can be connected to the iRobot Home App and is also compatible with other voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

This is the only Roomba in the 600 series to have wireless capabilities and support for virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It has an upgraded Virtual Wall Accessory compared to previous models of this series but has the same brushing technique that has it’s own shortcomings.

The Roomba 690 is heavily reliant on it’s acoustic sensors and it lacks the optical sensors as found in the more costlier Roombas. It uses Aerovac Technology and an Aerovac Filter instead of HEPA filters. It misses out on a Full Bin Indicator mode and it tries to make up it’s shortcomings by adding in Wi-Fi support. It also makes a shift from NiMH Batteries to Lithium Ion ones which lasts longer and gives it more running time.

3. Roomba 890 – Best Alternative

Roomba 890 is a Wi-Fi connected Roomba that uses Advanced Triple-Stage Cleaning System. Here, the Edge-Sweeping brush can loosen up, lift and suck debris, hair, and dirt with 5x more power compared to previous Roombas. It also includes high-performance tangle free brushes that can pick up hair and debris without the risk of being tangled up. It can also be connected to iRobot Home App.

It uses the new cleaning system which is considerably more powerful than it’s predecessors and it also uses acoustic and optical sensors to spot and clean the dirt, debris, and hair. It also uses high-efficiency HEPA filter for more advanced processing of the dirt. It uses mapping technique to successfully map the various corners of your home so as to enable the Roomba to be more efficient.

It comes equipped with Full Bin Indicator and self-charging technologies. Scheduling mode can be used to schedule your cleaning sessions and it also takes voice commands through Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. It has carpet boost technology which can give the Roomba 5x more power while cleaning carpets and rugs.

4. Roomba 960 – Best Roomba Overall

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The Roomba 960 is the first Roomba that comes equipped with iAdapt 2.0 and a visual localization camera. It is also the first Roomba that can resume automatically without a restart after they recharge themselves at the Home Base. It too, comes equipped with the same 5x power as seen in Roomba 890. It has Wi-Fi capabilities and can be controlled via iRobot Home App.

The 900 series is the flagship series of iRobot’s Roomba. The Roomba 960 is no different. It adds in a digital camera for more better mapping. It features a 2600 mAh battery which gives us a 75 minutes run time and it is better than most of the others vacuum devices. This device is capable of cleaning almost every type of dirt with utmost ease.

It uses HEPA filters and AeroForce Technology. This Roomba uses bristle less extractors which means it will require less maintenance. It suffers while cleaning ultra fine debris due to the use of same old motor for it’s operation. It is almost a smaller sibling of Roomba 980.

5. Roomba 980 – High-end

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The Roomba 980 is the first Roomba to come equipped with Carpet Boost Technology that gives the Roomba 10x strength while cleaning on a carpet. It also comes equipped with visual localization camera and comes with iAdapt 2.0. Unlike the Roomba 960 and Roomba 890, Roomba 980 comes equipped with 2 dual mode virtual wall barriers. It also features a 3300 mAh battery which helps it to run 120 minutes on a single charge.

It tops the list of all the available Roombas. It is iRobot’s most advanced Roomba till date. This product has two debris extractors, a spinning brush and a front wheel. It employs the similar Triple-Stage Cleaning system as available in Roomba 960. It has a stronger motor than all the other Roombas and it lasts longer too. It has an additional virtual wall that has been included for controlled cleaning. It too, like the Roomba 960, features a digital camera for better mapping.

This roomba uses camera for navigation which means you need not worry about the clutter on the floor. Further it makes a disturbing 80 db of noise at the higher level of it’s operation and a minimum of 70 db when on Eco Mode. It’s dirt detection system works very well and it has the ability to clean dust almost effortlessly.

Roomba All Features Explain:

First introduced in September 2002, Roomba is a vacuum cleaner by iRobot that possesses robotic intelligence. It can navigate and clean the floor area of any home through the use of various sensors that have been installed in it. It can detect dirty spots, obstacles and steep drops that helps it in functioning properly.

What is a Roomba?

A Roomba has two side wheels operating independently which allows it to rotate completely without moving. It also has a 3 prong spinner brush that can rotate to enable it to sweep debris from all the corners to the cleaning head. It has a rechargeable battery pack and all the features of Roomba are made power efficient so that they can operate for longer hours on a single charge. Once it completes it’s work, it will head back to it’s docking station for a recharge.

How do Roomba vacuuming robots work?

Roombas works in a similar fashion like the car wielding industrial robots in factories. It uses a mix of intelligence and pre-programmed functions to work efficiently and effectively. It’s task is to clean off dirt and dust from the floors of the house they operate in.

It’s operation consists of two main features –

• Wall Following and
• Random Bounce

A Roomba mostly operates in a random pattern and it uses the above two techniques to bring out the best in him. During wall following, it will clear the room corners by moving around the corners while using its side-mounted flailing brush. During random bounce, it will keep cleaning till it hits an object and will then move in a random direction. The original Roombas also used other techniques as part of their operation like spiraling outward for larger coverage, repeatedly retracing around dirty placed and moving at high speed around a clean large area as they may require.

The job is done by a plethora of sensors. These sensors create a rough map in its head of the place he is supposed to clean. There is an Infrared sensor that has been mounted on top, at the front of the Roomba and there is a photocell sensor and an infrared beam. Below it, there is a touch-enabled plastic front bumper. The infrared beam helps it in detecting walls and obstacles which enables it to slow them while approaching them. The bumper halts it when it hits anything. Some infrared sensors are also mounted underneath that point downward so as to detect steep drops and stairs. If it fears that the brushes might tangle up with cables or tassels, it will stop it’s rotation and will drive itself to safety.

List Of Roomba Vacuum Cleaner Features

1. Types of the floor Roomba can clean

Roombas are claimed to be able to clean wood, carpet, tile, vinyl, and linoleum efficiently and effectively. It will automatically adjust its brush height that will ensure optimum performance, easier transitioning between different types of floors without any need to change its settings. Roomba’s biggest advantage is that they can adapt to any floor type without breaking a sweat. The owner need not be conscious of the changes in floor materials from one room to another. It is not recommended for shag carpets or rugs with tassels.

2. Patented 3-Stage Cleaning

3. Self-Charging

Roombas can be charged using a dock that is called Home Base. It has been configured to automatically return to the Home Base at the end of it’s cleaning cycle or when the battery runs low. Home Base operates through an infrared system and the Roomba will need the infrared signal of the Home Base to return.

The Home Base must always be plugged in for this feature to work successfully. The Home Base should be typically kept on a hard surface and the area should be such that the Roomba has a clear path to return to it’s charging dock. If unsuccessful, it will keep on trying to get back till it succeeds. The Roomba remote, the Home Base and the virtual wall all operate through the similar infrared technology. They are suggested to not be kept in the same room.

4. Dirt Detection:

Roombas use a patented dirt detection technology, known as the Dirt Detect Technology, for efficient cleaning. It uses the optical and the acoustic sensors to help it in dirt detection. The Dirt Detect technology has two methods for successful operation-

Dirt Detect Series 1: Here the Roomba detects small particles through the use of acoustic sensors, and it focuses it’s cleaning efforts in the dirtier areas. If the floor is dirty, Roomba will work harder, and it will make several passes to ensure that the floor is cleaned properly.

Dirt Detect Series 2 with Persistent Pass: Here it uses both the optical and the acoustic sensors to find dirt and debris, and it will perform concentrated cleaning which it requires most. This technology employs a back-and-forth cleaning pattern thereby applying elbow grease in areas where it senses excessive dirt and debris.

5. Scheduling:

6. Wi-Fi Connectivity:

iRobot Home app needs to be downloaded on your smartphone to connect the Roomba with your Wi-Fi.Once downloaded, the app will show the name of the Wi-Fi network your smartphone is connected to and confirm that it is the network you want to use. Enter the Wi-Fi password and if there is no password then you just need to check the box at the bottom of the screen.

7. Tangle-Free Roller:

The counter-rotating debris extractor breaks the debris and lifts off the dirt which makes the brushless design almost maintenance free. It includes one rear and one front extractor. These are compatible with Roomba 800 series only.

8. High-Efficiency Filter:

A Roomba uses a high-efficiency filter which is made of a special material that can capture 99% of dust, mites, and allergens even those as small as 10 microns size.

9. Multi-Room Cleaning Technology:

A Roomba uses smart mapping and vSLAM® technology to clean multiple rooms. It can keep track of where it has cleaned and where it is yet to be cleaned through this technology. Several rooms can be mapped at once at once and can be stored in its memory. Then it will use an assigned cleaning pattern to clean every room and move from one room to another till all of them are clean.

10. Recharge and Resume:

A Roomba’s battery should preferably be charged before every cleaning cycle. It has been stated that a Roomba can sustain till the end of one full clean cycle. If you have left your Roomba on charge for an extended period, it can initiate a special 16-hour charge cycle. Such extensive charge can refresh its battery and extend its battery.

As per the company, the Roomba should be kept on charge overnight for the first charge. For further charges, it is suggested that the Roomba should be stored with its battery in it and the Roomba should be on the Home Base or plugged in.

11. Custom Cleaning Preferences:

We can assign different cleaning modes to the Roomba we own, and it can be assigned to four different cleaning modes, depending on the model we own. The various modes are-

Scheduled Cleaning mode

We can use iRobot Scheduler Remote to program the cleaning time of your Roomba. Once this mode is set, a Roomba will leave it’s home base at the specified time and cleans for a maximum period of 60 minutes and then return to its home base once the scheduled time is over.

Max mode: This is the maximum performance mode. This will have your Roomba work till it’s battery is completely exhausted, usually a period of 120 minutes.

Spot mode: In this mode, a Roomba will spiral for approximately 3 feet in diameter and will intensely clean the designated area and then it will spiral back to where it started.

Clean mode: In this mode, a Roomba will operate for an average of 60 minutes, and it will automatically calculate the room size and adjust it’s cleaning time on the basis of the size.

12. Deeper Cleaning on Carpets:

A Roomba is designed to automatically increase its vacuum power on carpets and to provide a deeper clean. Carpet mode helps it in adjusting to this function as and when required. By default, Carpet mode is set to automatic.

13. Clean Map Reports:

Through a Clean Map™ Report, you can see where your vacuuming robot cleaned and you can view its history to see it’s cleaning coverage and also the areas of concentrated dirt where the robot focused on. You can also view the statistics of your Roomba such as job duration; area cleaned and charging times for completed jobs. It can be viewed through the iRobot HOME App.

14. Roomba Navigation Technology:

iAdapt Smart Navigation and vSLAM technology help the Roomba in navigating seamlessly through your home. It uses visual landmarks and a stored map to know the area that has been covered by it and the remaining area.

• iAdapt 1.0 versus iAdapt 2.0

The earlier generations of Roomba, before the seventh generation, used iAdapt 1.0 technology and could pick up dirt well but at the same time had a bad reputation of blundering about in random patterns because they relied too heavily on contact and infrared sensors to keep them safe and which was not the most secure technique.

With the introduction of the seventh generation, the Roomba 980, iRobot has introduced iAdapt 2.0 technology and it includes an intelligent visual navigation system that will allow it to map rooms and work with increased efficiency. The iAdapt 2.0 technology combines the iAdapt 1.0 with a new set of sensors that will enable it to have greater awareness of it’s surroundings resulting in more secure output.

15. Cliff Sensor

Cliff Sensor emits infrared beams and are located under the front bumper of the Roomba and help it from falling off staircases and other steep falls. These sensors are designed to actively look for cliffs or other steep falls.

Navigation Control Devices-

Virtual Walls:

A Roomba can create a virtual wall that it is not allowed to cross. The virtual wall can be an area from three to eight feet long. Virtual walls are basically created to block the doors or to keep it away from cords. If we confine Roomba to a smaller area, then it’s speed of cleaning will accelerate.

A virtual wall beam has the shape of a keyhole and a small halo prevents the Roomba from bumping into the virtual wall. A Roomba can be prevented from accessing it the areas you don’t want it to access to by creating a  larger, lobe-shaped section.

Virtual Wall Lighthouses:

A Virtual Wall Lighthouse is a product that uses an infrared light signal which guides Roomba through room-to-room cleaning. Its job is to contain the Roomba in one room until it is completely vacuumed and then move to the next room and repeat the same. Roomba can be blocked from visiting off-limit areas in your home through this product.

Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers:

A Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier is a product that will give you a greater control on the area where your Roomba is supposed to clean. It will help you to keep your robot in the rooms you want to be cleaned and out of the rooms that you don’t want to be cleaned. It also has a Halo Mode that protects certain items from the Roomba.

Roomba Vacuuming Technology

AeroVac Bin

An older model which is compatible with Roomba 500 series, it claimed to maximize airflow through Roomba’s cleaning head in order to pull debris and hair off the brush and onto the bin. It had a single chamber to fill the bin evenly and enabled it to hold more of the debris.

AeroVac Series 2 Bin

It comes equipped in Roomba 700 series, and it employs a powerful vacuum, as compared to Aerovac Bin, that helps it in vigorously pulling debris and hair from the brush and to put it into the bin. It has an air-resistant and clog-resistant design which optimizes dust and hair packing efficiency and it’s effectiveness.

AeroForce Cleaning System

The AeroForce Cleaning System, combined with Carpet Boost gives the Roomba up to ten times more the air power, and it automatically increases it’s performance on rugs and carpets because these are the main containers of dust and dirt.

AeroVac filters

These filters are compatible with Roomba 500, and 600 series and these are used to reduce infiltration of dirt, dust, pollens and other allergens into the cleaning system. They are easily detachable in nature.

AeroForce High-Efficiency filters

It claims to capture 99% of allergens, pollens, and particles that are as small as 10-micron size.

Roomba Carpet Boost Technology and how it works

When on a carpet, a Roomba will automatically adjust its vacuum power, and that will provide a deeper clean. It is possible only by the use of Carpet Boost Technology. On the contrary, when on hard surfaces, it will automatically reduce it’s vacuum power to enable the reduction in battery consumption while still delivering the same performance.

Full Bin Indicator

A Roomba automatically senses that its bin is full and it has two options to choose after that –

On mode

Though the bin is full, a Roomba will continue to clean until and unless the entire area has been covered. Then a Roomba can be assigned a new job only when the bin is emptied. It is the default setting.

Off mode

Once the bin is full, Roomba will pause its cleaning and return to its start point. You will have to press CLEAN to resume once the bin has been emptied.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Some extra points to consider before choosing the right Roomba for you:

• Roomba 650 is not suggested if you have pets in your house as it lacks HEPA filter and you will not want to extract the hair from the vacuum now and then.
• For Carpets, Roomba 980 is the best as it has Turbo Carpet Boost Technology that gives it 10x more power on Carpets and Rugs.
• For smaller homes, you can go with Roomba 650 or Roomba 690 without worrying much.
• If you want a good overall Roomba with most of the flagship features, try getting Roomba 890.
• For multiple bedrooms, 900 series Roomba is the better choice.

I hope you like this post about best Roomba models comparison useful. If you have any question then ask me.