iRobot is one of the most, if not the most popular robot vacuum with their tons of well-known models. Some are high-end options with advanced features while many are affordable for most users such as the iRobot Roomba 891 Vs 690. The two are suitable for typical daily application and still come with convenience features as well but, they are not exactly the same and before deciding the option, let’s see what they can offer below so then we can shop wiser.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- Are You Currently Looking for a Robot Vacuum Cleaner
- What are iRobot Roomba 891 and 690
- How are the Design of iRobot Roomba 891 and 690
- How are the Suction Power of iRobot Roomba 891 and 690
- What Connectivity Available in iRobot Roomba 891 and 690
- How are the Performance of iRobot Roomba 891 and 690
- iRobot Roomba 891 Vs 690
Contents
Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Being an adult we have to deal with so many things from working to support ourselves and taking care of the house or space where we live. Sometimes we have been working all day long and coming home to a dirty floor and dust everywhere is just not the thing we want to experience. For a typical house, daily cleaning is necessary as there must be small particles getting into or brought by us from the outside. Vacuuming took little time and mopping can be done once in a while.
But, to answer the demand of automated house cleaning systems, robot vacuums are here to help you deal with the mess. As the name suggests, they are a great house assistance to help around but also very limited in capabilities. When first introduced for the consumer market, this fascinating appliance is very useful and depending on what type of flooring you have at home, they can help by keeping the house clean without much fuss despite not going to completely replace your main vacuum cleaner.
As the name suggests, robot vacuum is a vacuum cleaner system that works automatically or requires less assistance from users. The vacuum has its own computer to navigate around the house, and depending on the system, some are combining camera imaging and sensors as well to provide a better understanding of the terrain or areas inside the house. Due to this system they can work on their own and the only time users need to help them is either removing the dust collection or removing them when stuck.
To power these compact appliances, there is a small battery inside and unlike a stick vacuum that we have to put on their dock or plug the charger, robot vacuums are automatically recognizing their base and charging port which means they will charge and go back to business without assistance. This is actually a very convenient function since the down side of any battery powered appliance is their battery life. But, depending on the cleaning mode and battery capacity, the overall performance will vary.
For the entry-level options, robot vacuums come with remote control to navigate the unit if needed and to select the cleaning mode or to schedule the operation. In most cases they are equipped with Wi-Fi already so we can access the menu from anywhere and if you often not at home, we do recommend to choose this type of vacuum so we are always informed about the performance and important information. In addition, if you can spend more there are complete systems that combine vacuum and robot mop.
| Irobot Roomba 891 | Irobot Roomba 690 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
|
| Product Dimensions | 13.9 x 13.9 x 3.59 inches | 13 x 13 x 3.6 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 12.77 pounds | 7.8 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About iRobot Roomba 891 and 690
If you are here then we assume that you are also looking to buy a new robot vacuum for daily cleaning. They are getting more affordable as well since new models are being released so the older variants will become cheaper. In comparison to stick vacuum, this appliance is ideal for smaller homes or when your house has thin carpet or hard flooring. Many home appliance brands have a robot vacuum in their collection but you can stick to the popular option for convenient.
Famous brands are not always better but it is easier to find them and chances are they are also working well since more people have tried their products. Among those tech companies that sell robot vacuum, the most popular is iRobot and if this name doesn’t ring a bell then you must be familiar with Roomba because this line of vacuum is coming from this brand. This US brand has been long dominating the market with a huge variety of options to consider.
On the more affordable options, we have iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 which are among the low and mid-range of the collection. Most of their robots are currently made in China just like many other electronics but the 600 line is said to be made in Malaysia even before the pandemic started. These vacuums are very similar to each other from almost any angle and this can be confusing since most Roomba are indeed looking like each other, especially the entry-level models.
However, as you may have guessed, the Roomba 891 is a higher model on the product line and chances are this vacuum will also come with newer or more reliable performance to justify the price gap. On the feature side the iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 are the same since you can find the same capabilities and suction wise there are also plenty to use especially for everyday cleaning routine.
iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 Design
Before checking what iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 can offer, let’s see the unit first and for these models, you will still get the round shape vacuum just like most models in the market and in case your house has lots of corners, we suggest trying a D shape vacuum. When flipping the unit, here you can see that these models have one rotating brush on the front side instead of two like what you can see on Ecovacs Deebot N79S Vs Eufy Robovac 11S.
The form factor of these vacuums are the same and their height is only around 3.7 inches making them pretty low to stroll around and below your furniture. The batteries are rechargeable and they are packed with the dock or charging station but nothing else. Do check what your product will come with since some store or variant may include more or less. Additionally you can buy some filters as well to change them when needed.
iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 Power
Moving to the most important part, let’s see what iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 can offer and as it has been mentioned above, the 891 is a higher model and this vacuum will also come with a higher rated motor to make the performance even more reliable. The 891 is claimed to be producing 5 times more power than models in the 600 series so this model is stronger in the higher cleaning setting in comparison to the 690 but the mechanism stays the same.
What’s a bit different is the type of brush that you can find on their suction panel since the 690 has a brittle brush and the 891 has a solid brush with brittle in varying sizes. The amount of brush is still two however but depending on what they handle, we do think the 891’s solid brush will be more effective against hair strand or pet hair since they won’t get easily tangled with the rolling motion.
iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 Connectivity
Both iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 are featured with built-in Wi-Fi so you can connect them to the local network to send commands or to access the vacuum’s menu from afar. They are also coming with some features or cleaning mode that you can find on the app but we don’t think the app itself isn’t the most intuitive or best looking among other similar robot vacuums since they can be too basic for some or just not as rich.
But, if you don’t want the hassle of downloading the app and learning how they work, we can use the vacuum without any app as well. Unfortunately there is no remote here which is quite disappointing since we prefer the simpler way. Without the app we can use the automatic mode where the vacuum will work on its own and navigate the flooring. If needed, we can add a virtual wall too which is sold separately.
iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 Performance
Last for the performance, these vacuum cleaners are working well for daily cleaning routine. They can work with less assistance and are very convenient as well but in comparison the 891 do work better in picking up small particles and for pet hair. They are simple as well when you don’t use the app since a single press and the vacuum will walk around cleaning the floor. For more nifty users, the app can help with scheduling so we don’t need to remember or manually access the vacuum.
Irobot Roomba 891 vs 690
These vacuums are pretty much the same to each other just like most Roomba older models but they are working well for everyday cleaning while in comparison the 891 do perform slightly better. The battery life is quite good as well and we never have to worry about their battery since they can automatically charge when running out of the juice.
Conclusion
There is no bad option between iRobot Roomba 891 and 690 as they are equally reliable alternatives for the high-end Roomba vacuums. Personally we recommend the Roomba 891 however, since it shows a better performance on hard floors and for pet hair.