iRobot - Roomba® 694 Wi-Fi® Connected Robot Vacuum - Charcoal Grey

iRobot’s new Roomba 694 is here and is ready to help you with all your vacuuming needs. This is my first Roomba and so far, I have no complaints. The Roomba can be easily controlled using the iRobot app and can be programmed to be used on a set schedule. This new Roomba has its pros and cons and I will go into more depth about what these are here. *TLDR at bottom ======================================= IN-THE-BOX/SET-UP: In the box, there is the Roomba with a nice and sleek design, the charging dock, power adapter, extra filter, and owner’s guide. The set-up was straightforward and did not take too long. You do need the iRobot app to connect your Roomba to your home Wi-Fi. Note that the Roomba ONLY takes 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. Most routers are dual 2.4GHz/5Ghz WF and should be able to work with the Roomba but mine had two different wireless frequencies. I spent a good chunk of time wondering why the Roomba wasn’t connecting to my home Wi-Fi. Once connected, it is recommended that the Roomba is charged for about 3 hours before use. Once charging is finished, the Roomba is ready to go! ======================================= CLEANING PERFORMANCE/MAINTENANCE: In general, cleaning performance was above average. I did some research, and some Roombas have smart mapping which helps your robot remember specific rooms and maps your floor plan. The Roomba 694 does not have this feature but rather it plays bumper cars with your walls, furniture, and anything in its way to clean areas. It is amusing to look at the robot do this when you’re using it but sometimes it did miss big chunks of area. The good thing about this Roomba is it does go over multiple spots several times and does an excellent job at going around and under furniture. The Roomba may not do the best job at covering areas but the brushes do indeed work well. They do a brilliant job of picking up dust, hair, food crumbs, and debris. Maintenance needs to be done occasionally to keep the Roomba running at its best performance. The bin is small and does need to be emptied after every use. iRobot did a great job at designing the bin and all you need to do is to pull a tab and dump. The filter should be cleaned at least once a week. It’s small and does capture the bulk of the dust when I used it. The brushes on the underside of the Roomba also need to be cleaned at least once a week, especially if you have pets that shed a lot of hair. The front-wheel needs to be checked on occasionally as hair can easily be caught on it. There is a side brush on the underside of the Roomba that is recommended to be cleaned once a month as well. I noticed when the Roomba goes under tight furniture, the sensors and the top of the Roomba tends to collect plenty of dust and webs. I did have to clean the outer shell occasionally too. Fortunately, Roomba made maintenance easy and made most parts removable without any tools required. ======================================= FEATURES: The Roomba 694 contains some features to help you with all your vacuuming. First, the iRobot app. This app allows you to create daily schedules for when you want your Roomba to vacuum. You can also pause and activate the RTH (return to home) feature through the app. The app will also let you know how much battery the Roomba has left. The Roomba can be integrated with your home voice assistant such as Google Assistant. This can be set-up through the app. The Roomba contains three buttons on top. The middle one starts, pauses, and turns off the Roomba. The spot clean tells the robot to stay in a certain area and clean. The final button on the robot is the RTH button. This button tells the robot to return to home base. Make sure the home base is in a fixed place and doesn’t move too much or otherwise the Roomba will have a hard time returning to home. You can also integrate some virtual wall barriers (sold separately) with the Roomba. These virtual wall barriers keep the Roomba from going into these areas and will only clean outside of them. ======================================= CONCLUSION/TLDR: Overall, iRobot’s Roomba 694 has done a reasonable job helping me with my vacuuming. The Roomba tends to miss big chunks of an area the first time around, but it does go around the area a couple more times and gets those missed spots. This model lacks the smart mapping feature some Roombas have but still does a decent job at going to most areas for cleaning. The app has integrated beautifully with the Roomba and is accurate when I set the scheduled times for the Roomba to start cleaning. If you need a robot assistant to help you with your vacuuming needs, this Roomba does an acceptable job at it and I do recommend you give this one a try.

## Design The iRobot Roomba 694 features a sleek new design with a mostly all black exterior (previous models used a combination of black and silver). It definitely gives the Roomba a more modern look over previous models. Other than that, the brushes, dust bin, and bumper are very similar to older generations of the Roomba 600 series. ## Performance The Roomba 694 does not have any type of smart "mapping" feature. Instead, it kind of just "ping-pongs" around the room in a seemingly random pattern until the battery gets low. You may assume that it's going to miss big sections of the floor but it surprisingly does a good job of reaching most of the surfaces it can. Even if it does miss a section of the floor, it will likely get it on subsequent run. So if you run it multiple times a week, missed spots become less of an issue. The Roomba 694 has a side brush that helps push debris in towards the larger brushes and vacuum located on the bottom of the unit. The Roomba 694 was a "dirt detection" feature that I assume activates when it hits an area that causes a lot of "rattle" as it collects debris. When it detects a dirty area, it will go around and around in that area to give it extra attention. As you might expect, the Roomba can get tangled up on cords, frays, and other "stringy" things, so you might have to do a little pre-cleaning before you set the Roomba loose in your home. Thanks to the WiFi connection, the Roomba app can alert you when it gets hung up and needs attention. It also uses a voice announcement to say what is wrong, but I typically miss it as I'm in another room. In fact, I typically run the Roomba while I'm home as it will trip the motion sensors of my home security system when it's armed. It's fairly easy to remove tangles as you can open up the Roomba to remove the brushes and untangle whatever is wrapped around them. ## Features - WiFi connection: I appreciate the WiFi feature as the Roomba app will send a notification whenever it is stuck or when it completes cleaning. I don't use the Alexa feature very often to start it because I typically need to clean the debris bin before starting it, so while I'm bent over replacing the bin it's just quicker to hit the "start" button on the unit than to yell, "Alexa, ask Roomba to start cleaning". However, it is handy if I'm in another room and need to stop the Roomba: "Alexa, ask Roomba to stop". Alexa will then ask if you want the Roomba return to its base to charge. - App: The iRobot app provides access to the device manuals, as well as links to parts with videos showing you how to maintain your Roomba. You can also view the history and stats of previous cleaning jobs, as well as schedule future cleanings (or start one immediately). - Spot Clean: If you have a specific area that needs cleaned, you can press the "spot clean" button and the Roomba will stay in roughly the same spot instead of cleaning the entire room. This is ideal for cleaning up a cereal spill, for example. ## Gripes - No virtual barrier included: Previous iRobot Roomba models I've owned have come with a virtual barrier device. Sadly, this model does not include one (but it can be purchased separately). ## Summary Overall, the Roomba 694 is a great way to vacuum your home. It doesn't include any of the bells or whistles (such as mapping or mopping features) of the more expensive models, but it does include WiFi which allows you to start and stop the Roomba with the app or with Alexa. While it may seem to aimlessly wonder around my home, it does a fairly good job of reaching all areas of the floor.

This is a very nice vacuum. It charges really fast. It only took about an hour to get to full charge which is great in my opinion. I had it running for about 45 minutes and it barely made a difference to the battery. I love that it gets familiar with the area so it knows where to vacuum. It def works better if you dont have too many blocks and an open space. Sometimes it would go back and forth and I had to re-direct it. The instructions say it should be a well lit room so the vacuum and navigate better. I love how it was able to vacuum underneath my bed without me having to move it. That is a great bonus. You can set up everything in the app and when you want to time it, you can. You can also send it back to the charging station through the app. I love how if you put it on a set timer, when the time is up, it will find its way back to the charging station. So many neat features and you dont have to do anything. I would def recommend this.

I will say it performs best on open floor plans. It has obstacle avoidance and does it well but when cleans under tables or chairs seem to spend some time before gets out. The vacuum robot it has a good suction and moves quickly through out the house. I like that i can pair it with my alexa device and actually works. The brushes are solid and they seem to go well over carpeted areas in my house. A good entry level robot that helps me keep the dust off my floors and other debris.

iRobot Roomba 694 is an entry-level Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum for small homes and apartments, available today at Best Buy for $275. **WHAT’S IN THE BOX** • iRobot Roomba 694 • Extra filter • Charger/Home base with power cord • Manual and Warranty **THE SETUP** Remove from box, remove plastic covering. Unscrew battery cover to remove plastic battery insulator so Roomba can charge. As per instructions in the manual, download the iRobot Home app. Place the “home base” according to instructions. Launch the app and follow prompts to connect with Roomba. Personalize use with scheduled cleaning, cleaning zones and routines around the user’s lifestyle, home setup, and schedule so cleaning can be done while home or away. Give it a try! **PUT TO THE TEST** Along with the app, I let Roomba roam to get the lay of the land. I pressed the CLEAN button in the app and off it went. It adjusted as it transitioned from the hard floor up and onto the few rugs we have. It learned where tables and chairs are located and learned to maneuver around them and through available openings to get under the table, for example. Roomba detected the limits of the rooms and learned where the baseboards are to scoot along them and clean with its side brush. Roomba learned where the step into the living room is and not to try to go down the step. Following it around, I set test zones to avoid, as if a child’s play area. I set it to maneuver around the dog’s food and water bowl area. It roamed and carved a swath to clean, learning the terrain. After its first run, it did as it was supposed to do and returned to its base. I took it from its base and did as the manual instructs – empty the bin after each use. Next, I set Roomba to clean on a schedule as if I was going to be away, and I watched as it made its rounds. It seems that the more it is out and about, the more it learns the obstacles and general lay of the land. As a test, I put a box on the floor near the dog bowls. As Roomba approached, it slowed, assessed and avoided it. As another test, I sprinkled a small amount of salt and cereal on the kitchen floor. Then, I pressed the CLEAN button in the app and watched. Away from base, Roomba roamed. As it approached the debris it did as programmed, moving in a spiral pattern and performed a more thorough cleaning, all the while with the CLEAN button blinking on the top of Roomba. For my next test, I used Alexa to begin a cleaning session with my voice. I did not do the same test with the Google Home app. Specifications call for up to 90 minutes running on a single charge. When it senses low battery, it also returns to base where it rests on its charging pad to top up the battery. I am looking forward to this Roomba suggesting extra cleaning when it detects a high pollen count for this area. Nice job! **CONCLUSION** Mission accomplished. This entry-level iRobot Roomba 694 has come a long way since my first Roomba experience in 2005. For a small home or apartment that does not have a requirement to pick up a lot of pet fur or hair, Roomba 694 is a good choice at $275. Other models add more power, greater cleaning area, auto-emptying and even the ability to wash floors as well as vacuum. There is a model for any user. **WARRANTY** iRobot provides a one-year parts and labor warranty.

Before i start I will do a shorter list form review then I will go into detail. Pros -Wifi Connectivity -great suction -modern design -easy to use -app easy to navigate Cons -gets stuck or scratched on furniture -no mapping unlike the more expensive ones -ok with pet hair will probably struggle if your pets have long fur I had the roomba e5 before this one and they are almost identical in every way, the only big difference is that the e5 has 2 rubber brushes which helps with long pet hairs. Also the e5 did not have mapping just like this one. One more thing to note is the house I currently live in does not have carpet and it mostly consists of hardwood floor and tile. All right now let me start by saying that the Roomba 694 is the top entry level roomba. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles the other higher end roombas do, and it is understandable for the price point. I will also say I would recommend this more to either someone who doesn't have much furniture in their house, has a smaller house, or an older person who does not know much about technology. Let me explain why. The sensors on the Roomba 694 will activate when they hit something, sometimes it will try to avoid doing this, and also it doesn't have any sensors up top. Meaning that it will bounce around your walls and furniture until it learns its way around them. There is also one big issue that I have, I even had this same issue with my other roomba, and that is that the roomba will get stuck or will get scratched with furniture that is about 4 inches off the floor. I would recommend checking if you have a lot of furniture that fits this description before buying any of the entry level roombas including this one, and if you do, I would recommend getting one of the higher end ones. Now the cleaning sensors are good and will keep your floors clean, but i would say it works best for smaller spaces. This is where the mapping and learning features on the higher end models come in handy. I used to live in a bigger house before, and the e5 I used to have did not have the mapping feature, which sometimes would either make the roomba stay in a single room until it ran out of battery, or bounce around the rooms but not clean them thoroughly. What the mapping feature does along with the AI, is that it learns where the places with the most traffic are and prioritizes them over something like an empty room. So if you have a bigger house I would recommend you getting one of the higher end models. Now for someone young, the app and the features it offers is easy to learn, but for someone who is older or someone who has difficulty learning technology, they will have a harder time learning the ins and outs. The app is pretty straight forward, there is a start option, schedule, and history tab along with videos that will show you how to maintain the machine. Honestly there is not much too it, i will say the hardest part is setting up the device to work with the wifi. At the end it might sound like I am unhappy with the machine, but on the contrary, I am very pleased because it meets all my needs. The only reason why my review sounds like a caution label is because I want to help whoever is looking to buy a roomba buy the right one. These vacuums are really good the thing is that you gotta find the right one for you.

Overall, my impression of the Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum is predominantly underwhelming. It is quite a bit louder than two other robot vacuums in our household (different brand). I used this robot on the main floor of a 2,600 square foot home with several different flooring types, a lot of furniture to navigate around, and a lot of pet hair. Pros: - Great app - Easy to set up - Easy to integrate with Alexa and Google Home - Easy to remove and empty waste bin - Outstanding navigability across hard floors, tile, wood. It is able to get itself out of a "jam" pretty effectively. Cons: - The lights that show battery status turn off after a few minutes so it's not clear what the charge level of the battery is without going in to the app; Alexa and Google do not seem to be able to tell you an accurate read of battery charge level - Returning to the base can take up to 15+ minutes after asking the robot to return to base (it just roams and roams) - Misses some areas of the floor - just skips right over Verdict: Overall, for this price point, the Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum certainly does a reasonably good job. It lacks suction power in comparison to other robotic vacuums but seems to get the majority of dirt and pet hair up. The 15+ minute 'return to home' docking station is very frustrating. For this price point, I would probably consider other options before committing to this model.

The iRobot Roomba 694 is not the fanciest or smartest Roomba vacuum available but it does an adequate job vacuuming. It has most of the typical iRobot features like the Roomba avoidance sensors, 3 stage vacuuming, it can be controlled and scheduled using the iRobot Home app via wi-fi, its compatible with all flooring types and it can interface with Alexa and Google home. While this unit is missing some of the more advanced features found on the more expensive models it is capable of doing the standard vacuum chores around the house. It uses random cleaning patterns vs a mapped out cleaning pattern. The plus here is that you don’t have vacuum marks left in your carpet where the vacuum has run week after week. The downside is that this vacuum is more apt to run into things and because of its random nature there is no guarantee it will vacuum the entire area before the battery is depleted. If you have an older Roomba like I do you will be surprised to find that the dustbin is smaller and the filter is curved vs the old style rectangle. Due to the smaller bin size you definitely want to empty the dustbin after every use especially if you have pets. The dustbin filter, the corner brush and the rollers are easily accessible and easy to replace when worn out. So far I am able to get about 80 minutes of carpet vacuuming between charges. Unlike the more expensive models this Roomba will randomly vacuum until its battery is low and then it returns to the base unit. It does not go back out once recharged to cover any areas that were not vacuumed in the first round. Overall I like this vacuum but it is more prone to get stuck because of its random pattern of vacuuming and it is definitely noisier than previous models which I have owned. Pros: - Typical iRobot Roomba quality - Works on hardwood as well as carpet - Easy to access brushes and easy to empty the dustbin - Works with iRobot virtual Wall Barriers - Compatible with iRobot Home app via wi-fi - Compatible with Google Home and Alexa Cons: - This Roomba is louder than previous models - No Virtual Barriers are included - Random pattern of vacuuming is more prone to miss areas - Can have a difficult time docking - Small dustbin with an oddly hinged dustbin door - Not compatible with older iRobot filters