Overview
If you are looking for an entry-level robot vacuum, it is likely that you will find iRobot Roomba 600 Series Robot vacuum on the top list.
When it first came out, the Roomba 690 was the refreshed model of the entry level Roomba 614 robotic vacuum with three additional important benefits:
- It features a generous dust bin 600 mL. This dust bin is 2-fold bigger than Roomba 614, therefore you will spend less time emptying the dust bin during cleaning.
- It has a dual-mode virtual barrier to create a no-go zone. This accessory is very useful if you have a lot of wires or cords, toilet door, high pile carpets on the floors. The virtual barrier can work as a virtual boundary or a halo zone to limit the robot cleaning route.
- It is wifi-connected and Alexa Voice compatible. When at home, you can ask the robot to clean or schedule cleaning via the smart speaker like Echo Dot. When you are not there, the robot can be controlled on the iRobot App.
Should you buy Roomba 690 in 2021?
Roomba 690 can deliver efficient cleaning performance for many surfaces and it is more convenient and flexible than older Roomba models like Roomba 614, Roomba 650. It is also one of the most popular robot vacuum cleaners at a low price that thousands of users love for years.
However, because iRobot has added so many newer models, they have discontinued some of the 600 Series robot vacuums and the Roomba 690 is one of them. You can still find it on sites like Amazon from sellers who still have it in stock. Or if you want an entry level Roomba with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can go for the Roomba 675.
Apart from iRobot Roomba, a few models from Eufy, Ecovacs, ILIFE at the same price range also capture our attention such as Eufy Robovac 15C, Eufy Robovac 30C or Deebot N79S. These models are also very popular and can be great alternatives to Roomba 690 models.
Technologies and benefits of Roomba 690
Construction
Roomba 690 is a circular shaped robot vacuum, measured by 13 x 13 x 3.6 in. This entry-level robot vacuum is very similar to its siblings models such as Roomba 614, Roomba 650 in the design. The motor power of Roomba 690 is 600 Pa, which is adequate for picking up dust, hair, small debris on bare floors a low pile carpet.
To control the robot, you can manually press the CLEAN button on the top of Roomba 690, or you can use iRobot App. Roomba 690 does not have a remote like older models.
On the iRobot App, you can clean, schedule, check the cleaning status of your robot. When connected with a smart speaker like Echo Dot, you can also install Alexa Voice or Google Assistant to control the robot with simple commands like “ Alexa, ask the robot to clean” and more.
One nice thing about Roomba 690 is the big dust bin of 600 mL. The dust bin of Roomba 690 is 2-fold more than Roomba 614. With a bigger dust bin, you can clean over 2000 sq ft per cleaning time. The filters of Roomba 690 is still Aerovac type (not HEPA).
The best part of Roomba 690, besides wifi connection, is the Dual mode virtual barrier. This accessory can work as a straight line barrier or a halo zone. It is more convenient than other barriers used by other brands like boundary strips or lighthouses.
With the virtual barrier, you can set areas for the robot to run cleaning. As a result, Roomba 690 is less likely to get stuck into wires, cords or under bedding.
Other features of Roomba 690 is quite similar to Roomba 600s series such as
- 3-Stage Cleaning System and Dual Multi-Surface Brushes
- Dirt Detect sensors 1st generation
- intelligent sensors and cliff detect sensors for navigation and avoid falls
- Li-Ion battery 1800 mAh.
Specifications of Roomba 690
| Mapping / Path planning | no |
|---|---|
| Automatically Docks and Recharges | yes |
| Noise Level | 68 db |
| LCD Display | no |
| Side Brushes (one or two) | 1 pcs |
| Voice Prompts | yes |
| Suction Power | 600 Pa |
| Сleaning Area | 1292 ft2 / 120 m2 |
| Home Size | small, medium |
| Cleaning Modes | auto, spot cleaning |
| Dustbin Capacity | 600 ml |
| Wet Mopping | no |
| Barrier-cross Height | 0.63 in / 16 mm |
| HEPA Filter | no |
| Washable Filter | no |
| Сarpet Floor Types | low-pile, medium-pile |
| Bare Floor Types | hardwood, marble tile, vynil, ceramic tile, laminate, linoleum |
| Battery Capacity | 1800 mAh |
| Runtime | 90 min |
| Charging Time | 120 min |
| Rated Power (Watts) | 33 W |
| Scheduling | yes |
| IR Remote Control | no |
| Wi-Fi / Smartphone App | yes |
| Amazon Alexa Support | yes |
| Google Assistant Support | yes |
| Virtual Wall | yes |
| Digital Blocked Area | no |
| Zoned cleaning | no |
| Multi-floor maps | no |
| Manual movement control | no |
| Selected Room Cleaning | no |
| Carpet Boost | no |
| Anti-drop / Cliff Sensor | yes |
| Dirt Detect | yes |
| Full Bin Indicator | no |
| Robot Weight | 7.72 lbs / 3.5 kg |
| Robot Width | 12.99 in / 33 cm |
| Robot Height | 3.66 in / 9.3 cm |
| In the box | charging station line cord extra filter cleaning tool owner’s guide documentation package dual-mode virtual wall |
| Warranty | 12 months |
Pros and cons of roomba 690
What We Like…
- Easy to use and easy to control via App.
- Cleans effectively – Roomba 690 can clean hardwood floors, picking up pet hair, great for large areas, thin and low pile carpets or high traffic areas.
- Low profile – fit under any furniture.
- Long run time – up to 90 minutes with short charge time (120 minutes).
What Could Be Better…
- Noisy – Roomba 690 noise level is about 68 dB, higher than competitors such as Deebot N79s or Eufy Robovac 11S, 15C, 30C.
- Misses spots – The use of infrared sensors is not very efficient to clean throughout. All of entry-level robot vacuum models have this downside.
- Difficult to clean – The brushes of Roomba 600s tends to wrap hairs, you have to cut them with scissors.
- Allergen control – does not have HEPA quality filtration.
Performance of Roomba 690
The Roomba 690 includes a dual mode virtual wall barrier. Higher level models have the option to program in an area, setting up a virtual map within the unit itself. The wall barriers are easy but you do need quite a few. It is capable of detecting stairs so it does not fall down them.
Watch the video to see how Roomba 690 cleans carpet and moves around the edge. The noise of Roomba 690 is a bit high but still acceptable.
FAQs and troubleshooting of Roomba 690
Coming soon
Further readings:
- Roomba 614 review – most basic Roomba with low price
- Roomba 890 review – mid-level Roomba with brushless extractor, HEPA filter, stronger suction and wifi-connection
- Roomba 960 review – high-end Roomba with VSLAM sensors and Smart home mapping