Roomba 890 vs 960

 

Roomba 890 vs 960, Compared Side by Side

	Roomba 890	Roomba 960
Navigation Technology	iAdapt Technology	iAdapt 2.0 Technology
Vacuuming Technology	Aeroforce	Aeroforce
WiFi Support	Yes	Yes
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant Compatible	Yes	Yes
Price	Usually Cheaper	Usually More Expensive
Remote Control	Via smartphone App	Via smartphone App
Clean Map Reports	No	Yes
Battery Time	60 minutes	75 minutes
Weight	8.4 pounds	8.6 lbs.
Dimensions	13 x 13 x 3.6 inches	13.8 x 13.8 x 3.6 inches
Accessories	1 Dual Mode Virtual Wall	1 Dual Mode Virtual Wall
	Check Price	Check Price

 

About the Roomba 890

The Roomba 890 is the latest mid-range Roomba offered by iRobot. The main difference between the 890 and the other Roombas in the 800 series is the fact that this vacuum offers Wi-Fi connectivity and is also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

This vacuum uses the more advanced Aeroforce vacuuming technology which offers up to five times more vacuuming power than the Roombas in the 600 and 700 series. This is the main factor that differentiates the Roombas in the 800 series from previous Roomba models.

One of the ways this vacuum technology deviates from the previous AeroVac technology is the switch from bristle brushes which are used to collect dust and debris to the brushless extractor design that breaks down the dust and debris before its sucked up.

This leads to less maintenance for the Roomba owner and also results in more vacuuming power. If you have pets you will appreciate this feature because you will find that less hair gets wrapped around the extractor brush thus resulting in less maintenance time for your Roomba.

The main thing that the Roomba 890 offers compared to the other Roombas in the 800 series is WiFi connectivity. If you forgot to turn on your Roomba you can now do so remotely. Before the introduction of the Roomba 690 and 890 only the premium priced Roombas in the 900 series offered Wi-Fi connectivity.

If you are like me and fascinated by the idea of controlling your appliances via voice commands, this option is available on the Roomba 890. The Roomba is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

Like the vacuums in the 600,700, and other vacuums in the 800 series this vacuums uses iAdapt navigation technology. This software and sensors allow the Roomba to navigate and thoroughly clean your room. The more advanced models in the 900 series use a visual localization cameras to map the area it is going to clean and thus provide a more thorough cleaning job.

The Roomba 890 has approximately 60 minutes battery time which according to iRobot is enough battery time to make three passes over a 325 sq. ft. area. The Roomba in the 900 series have a battery time of 75 and 120 minutes respectively.

The Roomba 890 can return to its home dock to charge when the battery is running low. Unfortunately it cannot return to finish its previous cleaning job like the vacuums in the 900 series.

The Roomba 890 is a good mid-level priced Roomba that is ideal for all floor types and a great option if you have pets. You might also be interested in our comparison with its predecessor the Roomba 880. If you have pets you might also want to look at our reviews here.

 

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About the Roomba 960

The Roomba 960 hits the sweet spot if you want the latest technology from Roomba. The only thing missing from this Roomba is the carpet boost feature available on the Roomba 980. According to iRobot this carpet boost features which increase suction on thick carpets gives you twice as much vacuuming power as the Roomba 960.

However, for the price difference we don’t feel it’s worth it since both vacuums will automatically recharge and continue cleaning. Just let the Roomba 960 clean a bit longer!

Like the most modern Roombas the Roomba 960 uses aeroforce vacuuming technology which has tangle free extractors to collect dirt and debris. This vacuums also utilizes optical and acoustic sensors to detect the dirtiest part of your room and to clean it accordingly.

What really differentiates the vacuums in the 900 series is the iAdapt 2.0 navigation technology. Unlike previous Roomba models, the Roombas in the 900 series utilize visual localisation, this helps the Roomba efficiently navigate the entire level of your home and keep track of its location.

This ensures that you get a more thorough cleaning job. You will find that this Roomba is more methodical in its cleaning pattern unlike the previous Roombas which have a random cleaning pattern.

If you have a large house or have to clean multiple rooms the Roomba 960 is ideal for you. This Roomba has approximately 75 minutes battery time. However, the beauty of this Roomba is if the battery is running low it can return to its home dock recharge and then continue cleaning where it stopped without any human interference.

This is a handy feature if you have a large area to clean and you want to adopt a completely hand offs attitude to your cleaning job.

For you clean freaks out there a two features unique to the Roomba 960 and Roombas in the 900 series on a whole are the edge cleaning mode and the two pass cleaning option.

Edge cleaning mode allows you request a special cleaning along the edges of your room. The two pass cleaning option will allow you to pay special attention to the dirtier areas of your floor and clean accordingly.

Another interesting feature is the ability of control your Roomba if the bin is full. You can instruct the Roomba to continue cleaning even if the Roomba is full or to return to its home dock if the bin is full. Once the bin is emptied the Roomba will resume its cleaning job.

This is a high end Roomba and has all the latest features of the Roomba vacuum. The only other Roomba that is comparable is the Roomba 980. If you asked us to select one we would select the Roomba 960 which is cheaper. We feel this Roomba gives you more bang for your buck.

You might also be interested in our comparison with the Roomba 690.

 

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The Showdown: Roomba 890 vs 960

 

1. Wi-Fi Connectivity and the iRobot Home App

Both the Roomba 890 and the 960 have Wifi connectivity and are compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

Where they differ is the Roomba 960 has some control features that are unique in the iRobot app. For example you have the edge cleaning function and the two cleaning pass function.

2. Large Area/ Multiple Rooms to clean

According to IRobot the Roomba 960 can clean up to 2,000 sq. ft. per a cleaning job. The Roomba 960 is ideal for large areas or multiple rooms.

Our reason for stating this is the Roomba can start a cleaning job, if the battery is running low it can return to its dock to recharge and resume its previous cleaning job without human interference.

The Roomba 890 can return to its home dock to recharge but it can’t resume cleaning where it stopped without human interference.

3. Price

If we were to do a simple side by side price comparison the Roomba 890 would win. However, there is not a great price difference between the two and we feel for the extra features you get the Roomba 960 is a better value especially if you have a larger house to clean or multiple rooms.

4. Cleaning Technology

Both the Roomba 890 and the Roomba 960 use the same Aeroforce technology. This vacuuming technology uses brushless extractors to collect dirt and debris.

They are better than the bristle brushes used in the previous Roomba models because they break down the dirt and debris thus leading to less items such as hair wrapping around them.

This means less maintenance for the Roomba owner. The vacuuming power according to iRobot is five times as powerful as the vacuuming power of previous Roomba models.

Where these vacuums differ is the cleaning functions available with the iRobot app. Two that come to mind is the two cleaning pass function and the edge cleaning mode function.

5. Design

You will find that most of the models in the Roomba collection look the same. This case applies to the Roomba 890 and the 960 model.

They are also almost the same exact diameter and height. The height is perfect for getting under all those low and narrow areas in your house.

6. How easy is it to maintain?

Both the Roomba 890 and 980 vacuums use Aeroforce cleaning technology which utilizes brushless extractors to collect dirt and debris.

The same maintenance is involved for both vacuums since they use similar parts. We would judge this one a tie.

7. Battery Time/ Charging Time

The Roomba 890 and the Roomba 960 use lithium batteries. You will find this for all the new Roomba models. Both vacuums have a charge time of approximately three hours.

The Roomba 960 has a longer battery time of 75 minutes compared to 60 minutes for the Roomba 890. This means that the Roomba 960 can cover a larger cleaning area.

8. Recharge and Resume Cleaning

One of the reasons we really like the vacuums in the 900 series is if they are running low on battery power they can stop their cleaning job, recharge and then resume their cleaning job.

This is our idea of the perfect robot vacuum. The less human interference involved the better. The Roomba 890 does not offer this feature. Once it returns to the home dock to recharge you will have restart the Roomba, it cannot continue where it stopped.

9. Navigation

The Roombas in the 900 series use iAdapt 2.0 navigation technology. This technology utilizes sensors and has visual localization and allows the Roomba to map your home and plan its cleaning job accordingly.

This ensures that your room is cleaned thoroughly since it can keep track of which areas it has cleaned. The Roomba 960 is more methodical in its cleaning.

If you look at the cleaning pattern of the Roomba 890 on the other hand it seems a bit more random.

10. Full Bin Indicator

The Roomba 960 has a full bin indicator that tells you when the bin is full. The Roomba 890 has a similar full bin indicator.

The feature that makes the Roomba 960 unique is the fact that you have options about how you want to handle the full bin. You can instruct the Roomba to continue cleaning or you can tell the Roomba to stop cleaning.

If you tell the Roomba to stop cleaning it will return to where it started and pause the cleaning job. You will have to press the clean button to resume the job. This option is a feature in the iRobot app.

Our Verdict Should I buy the Roomba 890 or 960

The Roomba 960 is our winner. The way we see it if you pay a little bit more it gives you access to the latest technology offered by Roomba. Both Roombas have Wi-Fi connectivity so this is a plus.

You should buy the Roomba 890: if you want a mid-level priced vacuum this is your choice.

You should buy the Roomba 960: If you have a large house with multiple rooms and want the latest technology that Roomba has to offer this is your choice. This Roomba will also provide more thorough cleaning.