Looking for your first automatic vacuum cleaner can be daunting and with a limited budget, which one do you even consider? Here are 3 models from the 600 series iRobot Roomba automatic vacuum cleaner range that we will compare for you to make an informed decision. We will be looking at the differences and similarities between the Choosing a Robot Mop for Your Home. You can tell from the model name, that the Roomba 690 is the latest model of 600 series, and It is made for WiFi connectivity. You may think it must be more expensive than the other two models, but I’ll tell you that the Roomba 690 is the best value and choice for you, because the 630 and 650 are older models, and the market demand is not big, so the price is not cheap too. Well, let’s take a closer look at their differences and then decide.
iRobot has been developing Roombas since early 2002 when the company decided that they would look into designing a robot that would be capable of automatically cleaning your home and freeing up some much needed time. The 600 series really was a leap in 2012 when iRobot revolutionized the way it cleaned floors and ultimately introduced a budget automatic vacuum to the market.
Today, iRobot produce a variety of Robots for many different industries, but their automatic vacuum range has continued to develop and press the boundaries for cleaning our homes. Currently, the latest models feature improved Tangle-Free Extractors(Only include on 800 and 900 series) and offer WiFi connectivity, but that also comes at a higher cost, and that needs to be a consideration when purchasing your first automatic vacuum.
There is an addition to the 600 series Roomba® though, and we think you will certainly think it is worth the additional money in this budget range.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the Roomba® 630, 635 and the 690?
The 600 series are all the same size and offer the same bristle and beater brush system, but they do have different batteries and colors. Let’s look at the table below:
As one is able to note, all the models have a considerable list of features which make the Roomba® 600 series very capable at their job. However, there are a few important differences that need to be considered between the Roomba® 630, 635 and the Roomba® 690 model. Namely the battery, Scheduling ability, and the WiFi® connectivity.
Let’s review these differences:
All three models return to base when they are done cleaning or in need of a charge. They will not restart cleaning though, once they have returned to the Home Base® Charging Station. You will need to push the manual cleaning button again for the Roomba® to continue cleaning.
The Roomba® 630, 635 and the 690 won’t ‘remember’ where they last left off either. You will need to place them in the room to be cleaned for them to continue vacuuming. This is something the 900 series addresses, but that has a higher price tag to go with it.
The iAdapt® software works with all three robots making around 60 decisions a second. This allows for better cleaning of your home and smarter management of your floor space. Navigating around furniture and cleaning against walls. With Cliff Detection Sensors, the iAdapt software allows the Roomba® to avoid falling down stairs too!
The Roomba® 630 and Roomba® 635 both come with the XLife™ battery which, according to iRobot, is a long-life Ni-Mh battery providing up to 2x the battery life of a normal battery. The Roomba® 690 is fitted with the later Li-Ion battery, allowing for quicker charging and greater flexibility in temperatures without much degradation in battery life. With near enough 60 minutes of cleaning time, there should be enough charge to clean a flat or normal sized house. (Based on reviews, a more modest run time of 60-90 minutes was achieved consistently with a 3 hours charge required thereafter)
The biggest innovation between these models is the introduction of WiFi® Connect to the Roomba® 690 model. This allows for the automatic vacuum to be set to work from your iRobot App or by speaking to it through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Both great features for cleaning your home and making it a little bit smarter.
With the addition of WiFi, your Roomba® 690 can be scheduled to automatically clean on a 7-day cleaning schedule, meaning you are less hands-on than with the Roomba® 630 and 635. The iRobot HOME App also allows for a little more detail in your data logging too. Reporting on cleaning abilities and productivity of your Roomba®. Even re-ordering replacement brushes and filters make it easy through the iRobot HOME App.
How does Performance differ between the 630, 635 and 690?
All three are fitted with the same motor, so suction is very similar to them all. The Patented 3-Stage Cleaning System is able to adjust to different floor levels and types too, meaning your Roomba® can smoothly move between wood floor and carpet with ease.
The bin size is smaller than later models on the three models, so more regular removal of the bin and emptying is required, but don’t let that put you off. If you have a routine of emptying the bin daily you will have a cleaner home, since your automatic vacuum will be more efficient at its cleaning.
There are no Aeroforce® High-Efficiency filters for these models either. That is a later addition to the iRobot Roomba® model, though there are aftermarket filters which can be purchased. (Note: These filters aftermarket filters may or may not improve air quality and they may damage your automatic vacuum should they not allow enough air to cool the motor.)
If you are looking for an automatic and powerful Vacuum which specifically helps with allergies then looking at the 800 series or 900 series would be a better bet.
The 600 Series uses AeroVac™ Filters still work efficiently through and will remove pollens and dust from your floor and air making your environment cleaner. After all, a vast majority of the dust we see airborne in the home comes from the floor brought in by footwear. Using an automatic vacuum frequently will reduce that airborne dust in your home.
The Roomba® 630, 635 and 690 are all fitted with two brushes. One is a flexible Beater brush and the other is a Bristle brush. These are both effective in removing pet hair and debris from the floor, and with regular maintenance, will work well to keep your home clean. iRobot Roomba also offers an Enhanced Cleaning Head For Roomba, available from their website with improved removal of hair and debris.
Roomba 690 – The best Value and WiFi Connectivity
is the replacement to the Roomba® 650, except it has WiFi as standard and has Dual-Mode Virtual Wall in the box. Using the iRobot HOME App to schedule the 690 is key to a more Smart home. You can check on progress when you are away, and even start your Roomba with your voice command using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. These are functions that are becoming more important as we move towards Smart homes, and should be considered when thinking about your budget Roomba® vacuum. One importantly, the price of this model is not much different from the other two models. And sometimes there is more discount on the model than the other two.
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iRobot Roomba 690 Robot Vacuum-Wi-Fi Connectivity, Works with Alexa, Good for Pet Hair, Carpets,... | 11,203 Reviews | Check Price |
630 and 635 – little dated – don’t support WiFi and Schedule
The Roomba® 630 is the base model and getting a little dated now, though you can still find one being sold with this kind of technology, might just allow you into the world of the automatic Vacuum Cleaner, and gain some familiarity for these products. There have been vast improvements since 2012 in the iRobot family of automatic vacuum cleaners, but that shouldn’t mean this model is redundant. It is as close to automated and manual as you would want. No scheduling and no WiFi leaves you in charge of the Roomba®, so perhaps suitable for stay at home parents and/or work from home people.
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iRobot Roomba 630 Vacuum Cleaning Robot | 809 Reviews | Check Price |
The Roomba® 635 is nearly identical but does not have the Virtual Wall® in the box when it arrives. This is a little bit of a letdown. Sure you can close doors and stop your Roomba® from entering areas that you want to be protected, and yes you can order the improved Dual-Mode Virtual Wall® Barrier should you feel you need them, but then you really ought to think about the 630 instead.
Teething Troubles
As with all new appliances, there is a settling in period and many users refer to the initial two week period where your Roomba® is getting up to speed with your home cleaning. You should expect to empty the bin more often as this will fill quickly.
Don’t become despondent that the Roomba® cannot cope with your home. Using it on a daily basis will reduce the debris and airborne dust in your home and that will, in turn, result in your Roomba® finding less and less dirt to remove from your floor.
Don’t watch your Roomba® for too long either! It will seem like it is not cleaning appropriately and you may want to interfere. Leave it to do its thing. Remember, the Roomba® 630, 635 and 690 all have Dirt Detect™ functions on them, and if they detect an area requiring a deeper clean they will stay in that area longer.
Watch out for dark rugs too. If the dark rugs are near black, the sensors will interpret them as drop and will turn away.
When you own a Roomba® 600 series, you will become acquainted with picking up your items before its cleans too. That is because it will chew laces and cables if left unattended. However, don’t think of this as a fault, but rather as your cleaning habits change so your home will become tidier and less cluttered!
You Roomba® does NOT like water. So be aware that if you have pet water bowls or food that you ensure you either keep your Roomba® out of the room or set up your Virtual Wall® so that the Roomba® avoids knocking these items over!
Finally, the 600 series has been known to be a little more enthusiastic when it bumps into furniture or walls. If you have your favorite grandmothers table that you don’t want to be bumped or an unsteady table holding your best ornaments or fish tank, make sure you either stop the Roomba® from getting close or move your items to a safer place.
In Summary
The Roomba® 630, 635 and 690 offer the automatic Vacuum Cleaner User a budget option that will indeed keep your home clean and tidy and allow them into the wonderful world of robotic cleaning. And you can even have the Roomba 690, which is the new model in 600 series and support WiFi. The iRobot HOME App really has made the Roomba 690 a worthy budget entry model to seriously consider.
Now, iRobot has more powerful and advanced models on Roomba Vacuum cleaners, would like to check more Roombas models, click follow pages:
The Latest series: Roomba 900 Series 960, 980 Review, are equipped with new version cleaning system, air suction power engine, new filters, and are smarter.
The mid-end series: Roomba 800 series, are 5x more suction power than 600 series and using new filters.
The 700 series, whose cleaning system is better than 600 series, get more different details via Roomba 700 Series Comparison.
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