iRobot Roomba 700 Series Comparison

The iRobot Roomba 700 series is an exceptional line of robotic vacuum cleaners. The 700 series is the 5th generation of iRobot’s with great aesthetics and outstanding cleaning performance and features. In this Article, we are going to give the detailed comparison of models 761, 770, 774, 780, and 790.

If you are looking for a budget iRobot model with useful functionalities, then the 700 series — 761, 770, 774, and 780 — may be the place to look. Below are some outstanding features across all 700 models.

Highlight Features of Roomba 700 Series

iAdapt Navigation Technology

The iAdapt 1.0 is a navigation technology with sensors that allows the Roomba 700 robots to clean more thoroughly, making multiple passes, avoiding furniture, stairs, and cleaning along your wall edges. They will automatically adjust to all floor types – carpet, hardwood, tiles, laminate and more.

AeroVac 2 Cleaning System

AeroVac 2 technology can be found in all of the 700 models and provides even more powerful and efficient vacuum cleaning power that pulls hair and debris from brushes directly into the bin. It is a clog-resistant design that enhances the effectiveness of the robot. 700 series are better equipped to handle fibers like pet fur, hair, lint and carpet fuzz. A spinning side brush cleans along wall edges as counter-rotating brushes pick up dirt, dust, debris and pet hair from the floor. An efficient vacuum pulls dirt and hair off of the brushes and into the bin.

Dual AeroVac™ Filters (HEPA)

For people with allergies, filters are helpful in keeping a clean home. Dust and pet hair can exacerbate asthma and other respiratory problems. The iRobot 700 series all come with Dual AeroVac™ Filters filters for amazing filtration. These air filters remove 98.6% of all particles and capture tiny, lung-damaging particles.

Full Bin indicator

Roomba 700 models have a full bin indicator to let you know when the bin is full. The cleaning results are optimized when the bin has room for more dirt and debris. When the indicator is illuminated, users know it’s time to empty the bin. Onboard Scheduling With the 700 series, you can create schedules for weekly clean up. Just input the time you want the vacuum to operate, whether it’s in the middle of the day or while you are sleeping. Once it gets to the scheduled time, the device will leave its docking station to clean.

IR Remote Control VS. RF Wireless Control Center

Most of these models is compatible with the IR remote control except the 790 that has a wireless control center. The remote allows you to turn on the iRobot or switch it off. It gives you easy access to the robot commands, and control your Roomba 790 from up to 25 feet away.

Virtual Wall Accessory

The virtual wall keeps the 700 robots away from areas that can be dangerous. It is a feature that detects stairs and other possible hazardous areas. This feature makes it safe to go under furniture, which would have been difficult to reach with a vacuum cleaner.

Virtual Wall Lighthouse Accessory

The Virtual Wall Lighthouse™ Accessory is only compatible with models 780 and above. A Virtual Wall Lighthouse can work as a Virtual Wall mode which will block off areas you don’t want to clean, and as a Lighthouse mode which will help you to clean all your home, this is good for multi-rooms cleaning.

What’s the detailed difference?

Roomba 761

The Roomba 761 helps you clean efficiently with a high performance and simple operation. It has a 3-stage cleaning system that sucks, lifts, and loosens dirt and debris so you don’t have to. Equipped with iAdapt and a low profile, the robot can easily move under and around furniture.

The iRobot 761 is among the most affordable in the 700 series. Like all other Roombas, the 761 uses a Dirt Detection Series 1 technology to locate dirty areas and clean them. Equipped with both acoustic and optical sensors, this is a powerful and effective cleaner.

Folks with allergies who want a well affordable robot that’s outfitted with top of the line features, but $100 to $200 cheaper should consider the Roomba 761.

The Good

• Cheaper than other 700 models
• Extra set of HEPA Filtration
• Great scheduling feature
• Dual virtual walls
• Will pick up pet hair

The Bad

• Can’t deep clean carpet
• No printed manual only a DVD

What’s in the Box

• Roomba 761 Vacuum Cleaning Robot
• Home Base Charging Station
• 2 Virtual Wall Barriers
• 1 Extra HEPA Filters Set
• 1 Remote Control
• 2 Cleaning Tools (1 Round & 1 Flat)

Roomba 770

Essentially, the Roomba 770 is a lot like the older 500 series but with HEPA filters. It is equipped with a new dustbin, better dust handling, and an improved dirt detection.

Roomba 770 has a smoother design with squared corners that give it an industrial and serious look. The most interesting thing about the 770 is the contrasting exterior of matte and gloss.

The 770 has apparently lost the look of plastic and has taken on a more modern aesthetics than previous models.

The Good

• Self-adjusts on different surfaces
• Easy to use and empty
• Schedule up to 7 times weekly

The Bad

• Noisy
• Small dust bin

What’s in the Box

• Roomba 761 Vacuum Cleaning Robot
• Home Base Charging Station
• 2 Virtual Wall Barriers
• 1 Extra HEPA Filters Set
• 1 Remote Control
• 2 Cleaning Tools (1 Round & 1 Flat)

Roomba 774

Roomba 774 has the same features as the 770 but gives you a focused, thorough clean at the touch of a button. They’ll both use Dirt Detect series 2 and they are not compatible with virtual wall lighthouses. But The 774 happens to be an international model that isn’t sold in the US. The same, the 774 is Equipped with counter-rotating brushes, it removes dirt, dust, and debris from your floors and other hard to reach places.

The 774 is simple to use, just press ‘CLEAN’ and the iAdapt Navigation system takes control. The cleaner is also outfitted with Dirt Detect Series 2, which makes use of optical and acoustic sensors to concentrate on areas with more dirt and debris.

As with all iRobot 700 models, the Roomba 774 has a spinning side brush that cleans along wall edges. Basically, this is an all-around efficient cleaner and comes at a great price.

The Good

• Allows scheduling
• Acute sensors
• Spot clean mode
• Easy to use
• Convenient Scheduling
• Self-adjusts on different surfaces

The Bad

• Long charging time
• No Wi-Fi

What’s in the Box

• Roomba 774 Vacuum Cleaning Robot
• Home Base Charging Station
• 2 Cleaning Tools (1 Round & 1 Flat)

Roomba 780

The Roomba 780 is an upgrade from the 770. Like previous Roombas, it doesn’t miss out on any core feature like auto docking, cliff detects, anti-tangle etc. Like other Roombas, the 780 maintains an extremely low profile at less than 10cm, allowing it to scoot under beds, coffee tables and more.

Roomba 780 features a touchpad control panel unlike others in the 700 series. The capacitive sensor touchpad is a more superior feature that gives it an advanced look in comparison to other.

The Good

• Excellent navigation system
• Good cleaning on all surfaces
• Simple scheduling system
• Touchpad
• Quieter than rivals
• compatible with Virtual Wall Lighthouse

The Bad:

• Small dust bin
• No Wi-Fi

What’s in the Box

• Roomba 780 Vacuum Cleaning Robot
• Home Base Charging Station
• 2 Virtual Wall Lighthouse
• 1 Extra HEPA Filters Set
• 1 Remote Control
• 1 Extra Side Brush
• 2 Cleaning Tools (1 Round & 1 Flat)

Roomba 790

Other Roombas in the 700 Series come with remotes, but the 790 is outfitted with a wireless control center, which gives you more control over your cleaner.

The Roomba 790 uses the Dirt Detect Series 2 technology with acoustic sensors that detect all types of debris. It also does a repeated back and forth motion on areas it senses has more dirt and debris (just like a traditional vacuum cleaner).

The cleaning head of the 790 automatically adapts and clean different surfaces like carpets and hardwood floors.

The Good

• More precise cleaning with advanced sensors
• Cleans more surfaces than others
• Wireless control center
• compatible with Virtual Wall Lighthouse

The Bad

• More costly than other 700 models
• No Wi-Fi

What’s in the Box

• Roomba 790 Vacuum Cleaning Robot
• Home Base Charging Station
• Wireless Command Center
• 3 Virtual Wall Lighthouse
• 2 Extra Brush Sets
• 3 Extra Side Brush
• 3 Extra HEPA Filters Sets
• 2 Cleaning Tools (1 Round & 1 Flat)

Compare 700 Series With 800 & 900 Series

The 800 and 900 series of the iRobot are higher-end iRobots. They cost more and have more features than the 700 series.

For those who want to go automated (if the price is not an issue), you should consider purchasing one of the models in the 800 and 900 series. These are smarter floor cleaners because they use more enhanced technology. Check the “Roomba 800 Series Comparison” and “Comparison of Roomba 900 Series Review – Connected WiFi – Buyer’s Guide” to get more information about 800 and 900 Series. Also from this article “iRobot Roomba 800 VS. 900 Series – BUYER’S GUIDE”, you could know the differences between 800 and 900 Series.

The 700 series are effective cleaners and will suit many people’s needs. What they lack in technology, they make up for in affordability.

Below are some key differences:

Navigation: 980 and 960 uses a more advance iAdapt 2.0 technology. More information about 980, check the 980 review article.

Vacuuming technology: The 700 series uses the AeroVac 2, while the 800 and 900 have been upgraded to a more powerful AeroForce technology. The AeroVac technology could handle fibers like pet fur, hair and carpet fuzz. But the AeroForce technology is more efficient, the airflow power of 800 & 900 series is 5 times more compared to 600 & 700 series.

Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi support is a major feature for the more advanced iRobots like the 800 and 900 models. Unfortunately, the 700 series does not have Wi-Fi support.

Voice Control: Nothing says high -tech like a voice-activated cleaner. The 800 and 900 have these features but the 700 doesn’t.

Built-in Cameras: This feature makes for better navigation and room mapping. The 800 and 900 are outfitted with built-in cameras, but the 700 isn’t.

Carpet boost mode, edge cleaning mode, debris extractor and so much more features can only be found in the 800 and 900 Roomba models.

As you can see, the 700 is lacking in terms of new and innovative technologies. So why would anyone choose the 700 series? The answer, of course, is the price and performance.

Cleaning Performance of the iRobot 700 Series

Like its predecessors, the Roomba 700 models deliver a fantastic cleaning experience. They are a lot better than previous models and much smarter.

On various surfaces, the 700 cleans with over 90% accuracy and eliminates dirt, fur, dust, and more.

Frankly, the 700 series works better, faster and more efficiently than the previous versions. It has better features and provides a more reliable experience.

Conclusion – How to choose among the Roomba 761, 770, 774, 780 and 790

The 700 series got a facelift with softer bumpers and a more efficient cleaning experience for your home. The bin is also slightly bigger and the addition of HEPA filters makes this a more desirable product than its previous predecessors.

If you don’t need the extra functionalities that come with the 800 and 900 series, then you will probably be very satisfied with the vacuuming results of the 700 series robots.

There isn’t a major difference between the different models, except the 780’s touchpad, the 790’s wireless command center, and the 780 and 790 are compatible with the Virtual Wall Lighthouse.

If you can do without the wireless command center, then choosing the 780 at a lower cost is your best choice. Also, if you are indifferent to the 780’s touchpad, then the 770 is a cost-effective model for about $200 less. The 770 uses the same technology as the 780 and does an equally great job of cleaning.

Overall, the best value for money would be the 770 and the 780, 790 depending on if you want the virtual lighthouse or not. Both these models are almost the same – the biggest difference would be the accessories included. If you want the Virtual Lighthouse, and your house is big, and need more accessories as a backup, the 790 is a better choice. It includes 3 Virtual Wall Lighthouse, 2 Extra Brush Sets, 3 Extra Side Brush, 3 Extra HEPA Filters Sets.