Roomba 614 vs 675 Comparison Review
iRobot may be the most expensive robot vacuum brand, but that doesn’t mean there are no affordable options.
The release of new innovative devices causes significant price drops for earlier Roombas. At the same time, though they may lack some super-smart technologies, the cleaning efficiency of such robots stay more than sufficient for everyday tasks.
In this Roomba 614 vs 675 review, we have put two affordable iRobot vacuums in a face to face contest to find out which model is best for you.
Find out who the Roomba 614 is best for and whether it’s worth upgrading to the Roomba 675.
But just before we get to the finer details, here is an overview of the two robot vacuums.
Comparison Table
Roomba 675
At the moment, it offers quite basic cleaning features such as 600 Pa suction, Aerovac filter for air refreshment, nice dual multi-surface brushes with self-adjustable height. However, all these are more than enough for vacuuming all types of hard floors and low carpets.
We’d also recommend the 675 cleaner for pet owners suffering from hair. But please mind the filter will not eliminate allergens.
When it comes to durability and thoroughness, Roomba 675 avoids obstacles and spots dirt thanks to smart and Dirt Detect sensors. Still, it may miss debris because of the random moving. This takes more time for cleaning, but the battery provides us with about 90 minutes.
It is a smart robot vacuum that has all the features of the younger Roomba brothers, including app and voice control through Alexa and Google Assistant.
The main drawbacks of the unit are a small 350 ml dustbin and weak navigation. Also, Roomba 675 comes without a Virtual Wall device, but it is compatible with boundary marking technology.
We can say, Roomba 675 is an excellent budget option for basic cleaning, even if you have pets.
Roomba 614
We still have basic 600 Pa suction and dual rollers to deal with sand, dust, and pet hair on all surfaces, including low carpets. Also, the cleaner uses the same Aerovac filter.
Many customers would be glad to hear that engineers saved Dirt Detect and navigation sensors. Roomba 614 does go chaotically, but it notices extraordinary polluted areas.
When it comes to the battery, it was reduced a bit. The manufacturer says the bot lasts for 90 minutes, but our tests show it usually runs for about 60-75 minutes. The dustbin can hold about 300 ml of dirt.
But being a budget model, the robot lacks several features such as smart connectivity and scheduling.
- Firstly, the 614 model doesn’t support app and voice assistants. Use a remote control or manual buttons.
- Secondly, not only does it come without virtual walls, it doesn’t support them at all, so you won’t be able to buy and use them separately.
- Thus, Roomba 614 is much similar to the Roomba 675 as it offers just the same cleaning performance. We can recommend it for the same cleaning tasks and a bit smaller dwellings (because of the runtime). But you will miss a lot in the comfort of programming and control. Get this more affordable unit if you don’t need any apps and Alexas.
Roomba 614 vs 675 Face to Face Comparison
Now that we know a thing or two about Roomba 675 and 614, let’s get to the main business of the day. In this section, we will be analyzing these two models in light of the factors considered when selecting the best robot vacuum cleaner. So, without further ado, here’s the Roomba 675 vs. 614 face to face comparison review.
Design and Aesthetics
A good robot vacuum cleaner should have a low profile design to allow it to creep under household fittings such as sofas, beds, and kickstands. As a buyer, you should also be interested in the finish.
So, how do the dimensions and weight of the two vacuums compare? And is it possible to tell the difference between the two from their finish?
Roomba 614
The Roomba 614 is similar to all other Roombas; round shaped, with a 3.66-inches height and the diameter stretching to 13.9-inches.
While this is a low profile design, it is not anywhere near the slimmest robot vacuums we have come across. Regarding weight, the iRobot 614 is 7.5lbs and has been finished in black.
Roomba 675
As for Roomba 675, we still have a round-shaped and low profile design, but there is a slight difference in the dimensions and weight. This one is 13-inches in diameter and stands at 3.6-inches.
Regarding the weight and finish, Roomba 675 is 7.8lbs and has been finished in dark grey/black.
Cleaning Performance
The most important consideration when finding the best vacuum for you is cleaning performance. Here, there are several independent aspects to consider, as listed below.
Cleaning Orientation
Roomba 614
The Roomba 614 was introduced as a reliable robot vacuum cleaner for bare floors and pet hair pickup. Well, this is not far from the truth as the vacuum does a good job on tile, linoleum, vinyl, marble, and hardwood. It also picks up the short pet hair very well.
However, on carpets, especially the medium to high-pile carpets, it gets overwhelmed because of a lack of enough suction power.
Roomba 675
The Roomba 675, on the other hand, offers just the same functionality as Roomba 614. This model is also ideal for homeowners with bare floors, talk of the tile, vinyl, hardwood, and linoleum.
The Roomba 675 pet hair pickup is also impressive, but cleaning performance on medium and high pile carpets, and area rugs is dismal.
Suction Power
Roomba 614
Roomba 614 is quite an old robot vacuum that relies on the iRobot 1st Generation motor. This is a single-speed motor that puts up an average of 550 – 600Pa, and this is the sole reason it is not suitable for carpets.
For the record, the best Roombas for carpets put up more than 1,500Pa, with the S9 as the best for carpets with 2200Pa.
Roomba 675
While the Roomba 675 may be a newer model, it also uses the old 1st Generation motor.
This is also a single-speed motor, so there is no carpet mode or any other feature that boosts suction power.
Here too, the maximum output is 550 – 600Pa, depending on the condition of the particular vacuum cleaner.
Cleaning Head
Roomba 614
Roomba 614 comes with a self-adjusting cleaning head, which ensures maximum contact on all kinds of surfaces. Under the cleaner, we have the AeroVac dual multi-surface brush system that does a great job agitating and picking up dirt, including pet hair.
Unfortunately, it gets jammed very quickly when dealing with long dog hair. On the side, there is a sweeping side brush inclined at 27 degrees to sweep the wall edges and the path of the Roomba directing dirt to the primary brush.
Roomba 675
There is no difference with the Roomba 675. Despite being a newer model, it still packs the old AeroVac technology meaning it will still tangle when it comes across long dog hair.
It would have been fair if iRobot incorporated at least the AeroForce technology, which tags along with a tangle-free dual multi-surface brush system. But all the same, this cleaning head does a great job on bare floors, just like the 614.
Filtration Technology
Roomba 614
If you suffer from allergies, or you want to get rid of the bad pet-related odor, the Roomba 614 won’t be the best choice now that it doesn’t have true-HEPA filters.
AeroVac technology deploys high-efficiency filters, which may have high accuracy, but filters down to around 10 microns meaning the tiniest allergens will still remain in the atmosphere. Regarding the bin, this Roomba has a 0.3L bin.
Roomba 675
As for the much newer Roomba 675, there are no changes in the filtration system.
This model still uses the AeroVac filtration system, so don’t rely on it when it comes to capturing allergens. If you are looking for the best Roomba for allergy sufferers, models that use AeroForce filtration are better as they have improved filters.
The bin capacity of the Roomba 675 is just the same as that of the 614 – 0.3L to be precise.
Cleaning Modes and Extras
Roomba 614
Roomba 614 comes with Dirt Detect Series I, a technology that uses sensors to find areas where there is concentrated dirt. It then heads to such areas, switches to Spot mode, and gets the job done.
When it comes to cleaning modes, you have the option of Auto, Clean, and Spot modes. Sadly, this model doesn’t have the Schedule cleaning mode.
Roomba 675
On the other hand, Roomba 675 comes with all the cleaning modes that the Roomba 614 has, and additionally, it supports scheduled cleaning.
The Schedule mode allows users to set their preferred cleaning times throughout the week, and the vacuum will initiate cleaning sessions automatically once the set times reach.
Cleaning Tests Results
As usual, we put all the robot vacuums we test under stringent household tests to give our readers a clear picture of what to expect.
In this test, we scattered the everyday household dirt such as sugar, rice, flour, kitty litter, pet hair, cereals and sand pebbles of a hardwood floor, and a medium pile carpet to find out how the Roombas performed.
Below are illustrations of our exclusive cleaning test results.
Battery and Runtime
How long can Roomba 614 and 675 run for? What is the battery capacity? How long does it take to charge these Roombas? Find out about these and more in this segment.
Roomba 614
Roomba 614 comes with a 1,800mAh battery that iRobot has consistently integrated with their low to medium range Roombas. It can power the Roomba 614 for around 90 minutes on bare floors, but on carpets and rugs, the runtime dips to 60 – 70 minutes.
The recharge time is 2 hours, while the battery’s life cycle extends to 12 – 18 months before you need a replacement. One thing to note is that this vacuum will dock to recharge, but it won’t resume cleaning automatically.
Roomba 675
There is no change with the Roomba 675 as it also features a 1,800mAh battery that runs for 90 minutes on bare floors, and 60 – 70 minutes on carpets and similar surfaces that create some drag when moving.
While the new Roomba models will recharge and resume cleaning automatically, the 675 still relies on the old system, which recharges automatically but won’t prompt the robot to resume cleaning after that.
Navigation and Mapping
Robot vacuums are equipped with intelligent systems that help the robot to navigate around your house without getting stuck, and ensuring that the entire house is vacuumed. While all Roombas have some sort of navigation system, not all of them have intelligent mapping features.
Roomba 614
Roomba 614 comes with the original iAdapt 1.0 navigation system, which uses a set of sensors for localization. iAdapt 1.0 is a SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) based navigation technology that ensures the Roomba finds its way around your house by avoiding obstacles and the stairs using obstacle detection sensors and cliff detection sensors.
There is no elaborate floor mapping system, so expect this robot vacuum to move around randomly, something that doesn’t guarantee entire level cleaning in large apartments. But the good thing is that it supports Virtual Walls though no Virtual Walls nodes have been supplied.
Roomba 675
Roomba 675 is similar to Roomba 614 in all aspects. This robot vacuum uses the iAdapt 1.0 SLAM based algorithm for navigation and will still get stuck a few times in high-traffic rooms, just like the iRobot 614.
There is no elaborate floor mapping system, so the robot moves randomly. Virtual Walls boundary marking technology is supported, but no nodes have been supplied. If you want an affordable Roomba with Virtual Walls nodes supplied, check out the Roomba 690.
Smart Features
With the proliferation of smart home technology, you definitely want a smart Roomba that syncs with other smart home devices, including your smartphone. A model with remote control is also ideal.
Roomba 614
Unfortunately, Roomba 614 doesn’t come with Wi-Fi, just like Roomba 650. That means you cannot operate the vacuum remotely via the iRobot Home App.
You are also locked out from cool features such as Alexa and Google Assistant operation. No form of remote operation is available, but for the record, you can purchase a Roomba IR remote separately.
Roomba 675
On the other hand., Roomba 675 is a smart robot vacuum that comes with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi for smartphone app operation. You can also connect it with any of the compatible voice assistant speakers, talk of Alexa and Google Assistant.
At least with the 675, you have several options for remote operation, and besides, you can purchase a physical remote control.
Verdict: Roomba 614 vs 675
There you have it folks, a Roomba 614 vs 675 comparison review. As you have seen, these two models are quite similar, but still, there exist several differences. So, who should buy which Roomba and why?
The Roomba 614 is quite an old model that lacks several desirable features, including smart connectivity and scheduling function. Suppose you are ready to sacrifice such features for the low price of the Roomba 614, well and good.
However, if you are looking for a modern Roomba with the latest features, the Roomba 675 is a great deal and quite a bargain for its price.
That’s the end of our Roomba 675 vs. 614 face to face comparison review.
