Roomba 690 vs 980, Which one should I buy

You also have the option of voice control since these new Roombas are also compatible with Google assistant and Amazon Alexa.

The Roomba 690 is based on the technology of the popular Roomba 650 so you can expect the same type of performance. The Roomba 650 and the 690 are entry level Roombas for the budget conscious consumer.

This Roomba uses Aero Vac vacuuming technology. This patented 3 stage system uses a spinning bristle brush to collect dirt and debris.

One of the main differences between the AeroVac and the newer Aeroforce technology uses in the newer models is the extractor brushes. The Roomba 650 and 690 use a bristle brush and the newer models use a brush-less extractor to collect dirt and debris.

Performance wise iRoobot states that the newer Aeroforce vacuuming technology provides more vacuuming power and also doesn’t require as much maintenance.

If you are using the Roomba 690 keep this in mind, especially if you have pets. The bristle brushes are more prone to getting pet hair wrapped around them and will require a bit more maintenance.

Navigation wise the Roomba uses the same navigation technology as the more advance Roombas in the 700 and 800 series. The technology utilizes sensors that help the Roomba to navigate your home.

You will find that the Roombas in the 900 series uses a more advanced navigation system that entails visual localization. The Roomba in the 900 series can therefore map your house and provide you with a more ordered and thorough cleaning job.

Like all the newer models introduced by iRobot this Roomba uses lithium batteries. These batteries are reputed to be more efficient.

The run time for this battery is 60 minutes and according to Roomba should be able to make around 3 passes over a 325 sq. ft. area.

You will find that the Roombas in the 900 series have a longer battery run time. For example the Roomba 980 has a runtime of 120 minutes, which is well suited for a large house or for multiple rooms.

The main accessory that the Roomba 690 comes with is a dual mode virtual wall barrier. If you want to prevent the Roomba from entering certain rooms or to avoid cleaning near certain items you will find this accessory really handy.

For example if you want you Roomba to avoid the cat litter you can use the halo mode on the dual mode virtual wall barrier to do this.

All in all this is a great entry level Roomba and is ideal if you don’t have a large space to clean. This Roomba is also on the cheaper side of the Roomba price spectrum.

The Roomba 690 is one of the cheaper Roombas on the market. If you would like to see how it compares to the Roomba 890 click here and if you want to see how it compares the Roomba 650 you can click here.

An added plus is the carpet boost feature that automatically increases cleaning power on carpets. This Roomba is ideal if you have a large cleaning area or if you have to clean multiple rooms.

Unlike the previous models in the Roomba collection the Roomba 980 uses iAdapt 2.0 navigation technology.

The Roombas in the 900 series differ from other Roombas in their navigation technology. Roombas in the 900 series use iAdapt 2.0 technology.

This technology not only uses sensors but visual localization to map its cleaning area and clean accordingly. With all this mapping technology you will find this Roomba much smarter than previous models.

This also makes this Roomba more efficient and methodical in its cleaning job. The only other Roomba that has this feature is the Roomba 960.

This feature is great for houses with large rooms or multiple rooms. If your Roomba needs to interrupt its cleaning job to recharge, it can do so and then return to the exact spot where it stopped cleaning and resume its cleaning job. If you are a handoff type of person, this is as handoff as you can get.

If you have carpets this Roomba has a carpet boost feature that provides up to ten times more vacuuming power than that of previous models. This is one of the main features that differentiates this product from the Roomba 960 model.

The iRobot app also comes with a few functions that are unique to the Roombas in the 900 model series. There is an edge cleaning function that you can use to ensure the edges of your house are cleaned properly.

If you have a particularly dirty area you can request two pass cleaning. This is a great feature if you have a lot of pets or you need to do additional cleaning on your home.

As we stated before the Roomba 980 is the Ferrari in the Roomba model collection. It has all the latest technology offered by Roomba and a number of unique features to improve vacuuming performance. The price of the Roomba 980 model reflects this fact.

1. Wi-Fi Connectivity and the iRobot Home App

The Roomba 690 and the Roomba 980 both offer wifi connectivity so you can control your Roomba remotely. If you want voice controls both Roombas are compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

Both Roombas come with an iRobot app and the functionalities on the app is where these vacuums differ. The Roomba 980 has a few functions that are not available on the Roomba 690. Some features that come to mind are edge cleaning, two pass cleaning and clean map reports.

2. Large Area/ Multiple Rooms to clean

The main advantage of having a Roomba is you can set it and leave it. It takes the pain out of the one household duty most people don’t like doing.

If you have a large house or multiple rooms the Roomba 980 is your best bet. These Roombas can clean up to 2,000 sq. ft. per a cleaning job.

The main feature that we should mention however is the visual mapping software which allows the Roomba to map your cleaning area, this results in a more thorough and methodical cleaning job.

If the Roomba 980 is running low on battery power it can return to its home dock, recharge and then resume the cleaning job it stopped. This is a really great feature if you have multiple rooms or a large area to clean.

3. Price

The Roomba 690 and the Roomba 980 are on opposite ends of the price spectrum. One is an entry level, budget friendly Roomba that packs quite a punch and will definitely get the job done.

The Roomba 980 on the other hand is on the opposite end of the price spectrum. You will get all the latest technology offered by Roomba and you will also pay quite a bit for this honour.

4. Cleaning Technology

The Roomba 690 and the Roomba 980 use two different cleaning technologies. The Roomba 690 uses Aerovac cleaning technology which utilizes bristle brushes to collect dirt and debris.

The Roomba 980 uses Aeroforce cleaning technology which utilizes brushless extractors to collect dirt and debris.

The Roomba 980 also has a more powerful motor and according to iRobot has 10 times the suction power of the Roombas in the 600 series.

5. Design

The Roomba 690 and 980 models have similar sizes. The Roomba 690 is 13 inches in diameter and 3.7 inches in height. The Roomba 980 is 13.8 inches in diameter and 3.6 inches in height.

The difference is negligible so we are going to declare this one a tie!

6. How easy is it to maintain?

The Roomba 690 and 980 use two different cleaning technologies and this affects how easy it is to maintain the Roomba.

The Roomba 690 use bristle brushes to collect dirt and debris. The drawback of this cleaning system is if you vacuuming up items such as hair, it tends to wrap around the brush.

The Roomba 980 uses a brushless extractor. This extractor breaks downs some of the dirt and debris that is collected.

If you are vacuuming up a lot of hair, the amount of hair that accumulates around the extractors will be less. This feature results in less maintenance work for the user. Our winner for this one is the Roomba 980.

7. Battery Time/ Charging Time

The Roomba 690 and 980 both use lithium batteries which are reputed to perform better. The main difference however, is the Roomba 690 has 60 minutes batter life, while the Roomba 980 has twice as much battery time at 120 minutes. This means that the Roomba 980 is able to cover larger floor areas.

8. Recharge and Resume Cleaning

According to iRobot the Roombas in the 900 series can cover up to 2,000 sq. ft. The real benefit of the Roombas in the 900 series however, is the fact that they not only can return to their home dock to recharge if the battery is running low but they can also resume cleaning where they stopped.

This is a great feature if you are the type of person that would like to just set your Roomba and leave it without any supervision.

9. Navigation

The Roomba 980 and 960 are the only Roombas that use iAdapt 2.0 navigation technology. These Roombas utilize a visual localization camera to map out your room and navigate your entire room to provide thorough cleaning.

This feature is really helpful because the Roomba can keep track of where its located, so if the Roomba runs low on battery power it can recharge and resume cleaning at its previous location. It should be noted that previous versions of the Roomba don’t have this feature.

10. Full Bin Indicator

You will find that the iRobot app has quite a few features that are unique to the 900 series. One of these that come to mind is the full bin indicator option.

This feature allows you to tell the Roomba what to do when the bin is full. You can instruct the Roomba to continue cleaning or you can instruct the Roomba to stop working so you can empty the bin and resume working on its previous job.

11. Do you have Carpets?

The Roomba 980 has a carpet boost features which automatically increases cleaning power on carpets. If you have a lot of carpets in your house you will find this feature handy.

12. iRobot App Features

Both Roombas come with the iRobot app; however, there are some features that are unique to the Roomba 980.

A few that come to mind is the edge cleaning function, two pass function and the clean map reports. Another function that is unique to the Roomba 980 is the full bin indicator function.

Our Verdict Should I buy the Roomba 690 or 980

These two Roombas are on the opposite end of the spectrum. The Roomba 690 is an entry level, budget friendly vacuum that will satisfy most of your cleaning needs.

The Roomba 980 on the other hand is the Ferrari of Roombas. You will get all of the bells and whistles and you have Roombas latest technology. The problem is it cost twice as much as the Roomba 690. When analysing this vacuum you should decide if you really need all the features mentioned.

You should buy the Roomba 690: If you have an average size apartment and you want a Roomba with Wi-Fi connectivity that will address all your cleaning needs this is the ideal choice.

You should buy the Roomba 980: This Roomba is the top of the line Roomba so be prepared to pay the price, this vacuum is twice the price of the Roomba 690. This vacuum is ideal for large rooms and if you have to clean multiple rooms. Keep in mind that the Roomba 960 has the same features. The main difference is it doesn’t have the carpet boost feature, so if you don’t need this feature the Roomba 960 is a better option.