Roomba 694 vs. i3 Comparison Review
Roomba 694
Roomba i3
Roomba 694
- Dimensions 13.4" x 13.4" x 3.54"
- Weight 6.8 pounds
- Suction Power 550pa
- Navigation yes
- Multi-Floor Mapping no
- Filter High-Efficiency filter
- Dustbin 300 ml
- Mopping no
- Auto Dirt Disposal no
- Runtime 90 minutes
- WiFi Connectivity yes
- Carpet Boost yes
Roomba i3
- Dimensions 13.34" x 13.26" x 3.63"
- Weight 11.4 pounds
- Suction Power 850-900pa
- Navigation yes
- Multi-Floor Mapping no
- Filter High-Efficiency filter
- Dustbin 400-500 ml
- Mopping no
- Auto Dirt Disposal yes
- Runtime 75 minutes
- WiFi Connectivity yes
- Carpet Boost yes
Which one to choose Roomba 694 or Roomba i3?
4 reasons to choose Roomba i3
- Focused cleaning: With Dirt Detect Technology, Roomba i3 focuses on the most crowded areas with the dirtiest places.
- Cleaning time estimation: The iRobot OS estimates the required time for cleaning jobs for one room or the whole house.
- Compatible with Automatic Dirt Disposal Unit: If required, buy a separate Automatic Disposal Unit for Roomba i3 to forget the dust for 60 days.
- Recharge and resume: Roomba i3 goes automatically to the docking station for recharge for 3 hours; after that, resumes the cleaning at the same place.
Roomba i3 vs. 694 Face to Face Comparison Review
The Roomba 694 comes in a round-shaped design. It has a low profile design with a 13.4-inches diameter and stands at 3.6-inches. The weight is 6.7lbs, while the color is light/silver grey.
The Roomba i3 is also a round-shaped robot vacuum. It is also round but with a more low-profile design. It has a 13.26-inch diameter and is also 3.6-inch thin. The finish is black/grey with a woven-texture top.
The Roomba 694 and i3 are the same in terms of design and aesthetics. They both have a low-profile design, so it’s hard to call a winner.
The Roomba 694 is a vacuum-only robot vacuum, so don’t expect it to mop. Instead, you will have to purchase a different robot mop and manually launch the robot mop’s mopping session.
When it comes to specialty, the Roomba 694 is designed for bare floors, low pile carpets, and homes with pets.
Here again, it’s hard to call a winner as the two Roombas sweep and vacuum. They are also suitable for bare floors, low pile carpets, and pet hair. However, the fact that the i3 can sync with the Braava M6 makes it the best option.
Roomba 694 relies on a 1st Gen motor that delivers a maximum of 550pa. This is low suction, but the good thing is, the operation noise is also lower, so pets won’t feel intimidated.
Under the hood, the Roomba i3 comes with a 2nd Gen motor that puts up 850-900pa, delivering ten times more air power than the Roomba 694. However, operation noise is a little bit higher.
The Roomba i3 is the best choice in terms of vacuuming performance. It offers higher suction and has an updated brush system.
Roomba 694 is a vacuum-only cleaner. You will have to purchase a robot mop if you want all-round cleaning. Unfortunately, it can’t sync with the Braava M6 as it has not been engineered with Imprint Link Technology.
The Roomba i3 is also a vacuum-only cleaner, but then it can sync with the Braava M6 for simultaneous vacuuming and mopping. This is courtesy of Imprint Link Technology.
The Roomba 694 comes with iAdapt 1.0 navigation system that consists of obstacle and collision avoidance sensors. There is also a retractable bumper that absorbs impact if the robot hits obstacles such as furniture.
The Roomba i3 also uses iAdapt 1.0 navigation system. There are sensors and a retractable bumper for absorbing impact.
Roomba i3 and 694 share the same navigation features. That said, there is no clear winner here.
The Roomba 694 doesn’t have any intelligent mapping features; it will clean randomly. It also lacks digital barriers. Instead, it comes with the Roomba Virtual Walls that use physical barriers to set boundaries.
But still, it doesn’t come with any Virtual Walls. You will have to purchase them separately.
The Roomba i3 can’t be trusted in high-traffic apartments as it doesn’t create or store maps; instead, it cleans in a random pattern.
As for boundary marking, the Roomba i3 also doesn’t come with digital barriers.
Roomba i3 and 694 share the same mapping features. That said, there is also no clear winner here.
The Roomba 694 comes with AeroVac efficiency filters that capture allergens and dust mites but are less efficient than true-HEPA filters.
As for the Roomba i3, there’s a shift to an AeroForce filtration system. These high-efficiency filters filter up to 99% of allergens, dust mites, and other elements that cause a bad odor or trigger allergies.
Roomba i3 wins the battle here courtesy of the AeroForce filtration system.
Roomba 694 relies on the AeroVac 3-stage cleaning system. It consists of a dual multisurface brushroll and a side sweeping brush for the wall edges and corners.
On the other hand, the i3 is a new model that uses an AeroForce 3-stage cleaning system. Here again, we have a dual multisurface brushroll with anti-tangle technology.
The Roomba i3 is the best choice in terms of tools and brush system. It comes with an updated brush system that doesn’t tangle even when picking up long dog hair.
The Roomba 694 comes with a 0.3L bin with a full bin indicator. Unfortunately, this bin has to be emptied manually after each vacuuming session.
Roomba i3 has a larger 0.5L bin with a full bin indicator. It empties itself automatically, courtesy of iRobot’s innovative automatic self-emptying. With the Clean Base™ Automatic Dirt Disposal, you won’t have to worry about daily bin emptying.
Again, the Roomba i3 beats the 694 in terms of bin maintenance. The i3 is a self-emptying robot vacuum and comes with a larger onboard bin.
The Roomba 694 comes with 2.4GHz WiFi for remote smart operation via the iRobot Home App. You can also sync the Roomba 694 with any voice assistant, be it Alexa or Google Assistant. Furthermore, you can schedule this robot vacuum for one week straight.
The Roomba i3 is not different from the Roomba 694 in terms of smart features and convenience. It also comes with WiFi for smartphone app operation and voice assistant compatibility. The i3 also has the schedule function.
There is no winner as far as smart features are concerned. Both the i3 and 694 have 2.4GHz WiFi compatibility for app operation and Alexa compatibility.
The Roomba 694 comes with a 1800mah lithium-ion battery that offers 90 minutes runtime on bare floors and slightly lower on carpets. As for power management, the 694 can recharge automatically, but then, it won’t resume cleaning. The recharge time is 2-3 hours.
The Roomba i3, on the other hand, comes with the same 1800mAh battery, the one used in the Roomba 694. However, the runtime is shorter, 75 minutes to be precise. As for power management, the i3 will recharge and resume cleaning automatically. The recharge time is 3 hours.
While they both have the same 1800mAh lithium-ion battery, Roomba i3 is the winner now that it can recharge and resume cleaning automatically.
Roomba 694 comes with:
- Roomba 694
- Charging dock
- 1 Extra High-Efficiency Filter
- 1 x English manual.
Roomba i3+ comes with:
- iRobot® Roomba® i3 Robot Vacuum
- Charging dock/bag emptying station
- 1 Extra High-Efficiency Filter
- User manual
Please note, the Roomba i3 doesn’t come with the Clean Base™ Automatic Dirt Disposal unit. Instead, a standard charging station is supplied.
Cleaning Tests
Hardwood
As usual, we test all the models we review. In the case of the i3 and 694, we noticed some huge differences. Find out how they performed on bare floors and carpets.
Hardwood
Carpets
Carpets
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does Roomba 694 have room mapping??
2. What is the suction power of Roomba 694?
3. Can you upgrade Roomba i3 to i3+?
4. Is the Roomba i3 worth it?
5. Does Roomba 694 pick up dog hair?
Which Roomba is the Best: Roomba i3 or 694?
In a battle between Roomba i3 vs. 694, it’s the Roomba i3 that carries the day. It can sync with the Braava M6 to offer simultaneous vacuuming and mopping, something the 694 can’t. It also offers better vacuuming performance, and its brush isn’t prone to tangling and jamming. Most importantly, the Roomba i3 supports automatic self-emptying, but with the 694, the bin has to be emptied manually.
Customer reviews
Roomba 694
Roomba i3
Check other comparisons
Betty Hamster
Hello! My sister and I both have long hair that sometimes sheds heavily. We have a lot of it on our carpets. So we want a robot vacuum cleaner to solve this problem. I have even chosen the model – it’s a Roomba i3. But now, I am in doubt – will it pick up our long hair from the carpets efficiently?
Swartzcop Kennedy
Hi! It’s really a problem. I have this model, and my hair is also long. I cannot say that it is as efficient as I would like it to be. If I don’t vacuum my apartment for a long time, my stray hair gets wrapped around the rollers and brushes. I constantly need to flip my vacuum over and clean its brushes from the hair. It’s pretty annoying. The hair can also get trapped around the bearings of the front wheel. If you don’t clean your vacuum regularly, you will periodically get an error message. However, I have noticed that, when I use my vacuum regularly enough, by the 3rd time, it does not stop. It just means that you need to use it often to avoid the issue. Anyway, when I empty the bin, I carefully check all the roller ends and other parts of the item to ensure there is no hair wound around them.
Paul Harrow
My house has several rooms that do not have doors, just arches. I do not want to clean all the rooms in my house every time I switch my Roomba i3 on. Can I somehow keep it from going into the rooms I do not mean to clean?
Swartzcop Kennedy
Thank you for the question. In fact, you have several options for preventing your vacuum from going to the rooms you don’t mean to clean. The simplest one is to take a few lightweight boards and place them in front of any entrance you do not want your vacuum to go into. However, if you want your item to run on autopilot, that will not work. As for me, I never run my vacuum when I am not at home, so it is not a problem. You also need to put aside all the things on the floor that can get sucked up. In addition, the company made an update to this model’s app last January. It allows the i3 to use Smart Map properly. So, your vacuum will learn your home’s layout and clean only the designated rooms. You can also use an accessory called the Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier. It will confine your Roomba to the areas meant for cleaning.
Gaby
Hi! I have recently bought Roomba 694. It works excellently, and I was pretty happy about it on my days off. But I have suddenly realized that I spend a lot of time out of the house at work on weekdays. So I won’t be able to use my vacuum as often as it is needed. Or can I do it anyway? I am lost a bit. So can you please help me with advice?
Swartzcop Kennedy
Hello! Thank you for your question. I don’t think that it will be a bad issue when you are busy at work but want to cope with cleaning. You can schedule different times a day when you are out. The only thing to consider is that the dustbin will need to be emptied if there is much debris around the house. You cannot do it when out. Or you may buy an additional machine to empty the bin for you. Another problem can emerge if you leave small things on the floor, and they get stuck. So, check the flooring for minor papers, trifles, toys, or scraps, and arrange things properly to help your Roomba be more independent. And, of course, keep all the cords off the ground to let your vacuum have a nice time without you.