- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Differences
- Compared To Others
- Test Results
- Retailers
- Deals
- Discussions
The iRobot Roomba 694 is a basic robot vacuum. It feels well-built, offers fantastic battery performance, and can adjust its suction power and brushroll height automatically depending on the surface that it's on. However, it struggles with sucking up pet hair and delivers poor performance on high-pile carpet. While it does a little better on low-pile carpet, its performance on this surface type is still mediocre. In addition, like many robot vacuums, it's difficult to maintain and has high recurring costs.
Our Verdict
The iRobot Roomba 694 is a decent option for bare floors. It clears small debris without much difficulty, though it struggles with pet hair. In addition, while it easily cleans bulky debris when its dustbin is empty, it can have a hard time sucking up heavier material as it fills up. Thankfully, it's well-built and compact, meaning it can clean under most furniture. While its automation features are somewhat limited aside from its surface detection function, it still has good area coverage.
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Fast recharge time.
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Sturdy build.
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Automatic power adjustment.
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Struggles to pick up pet hair on all surfaces.
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High recurring costs.
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Many parts need regular cleaning.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is inadequate for low-pile carpet. It struggles to pick up pet hair and fine debris. This vacuum also incurs high recurring costs since many parts need periodic replacing. Thankfully, its automatic height adjustment feature is helpful when moving between different surface types.
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Fast recharge time.
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Sturdy build.
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Automatic power adjustment.
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Struggles to pick up pet hair on all surfaces.
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High recurring costs.
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Many parts need regular cleaning.
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Struggles with fine debris.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is a reasonable choice for vacuuming high-pile carpet. Its surface detection feature lets it automatically change its head height on high-pile carpet. However, it struggles with sucking up pet hair and may require a second pass to fully clear larger material. It has a very hard time dealing with fine debris and can sometimes get caught on rug tassels, too.
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Fast recharge time.
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Sturdy build.
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Automatically adjusts its height to the surface.
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Struggles to pick up pet hair on all surfaces.
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High recurring costs.
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Many parts need regular cleaning.
The iRobot Roomba 694 has poor performance for pets. It struggles to pick up pet hair on all surface types and lacks an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, so it might not be the best choice for those who suffer from serious allergies. Like many robot vacuums, it has many parts that need regular cleaning and incurs high recurring costs.
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Sturdy build.
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Automatic power adjustment.
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Struggles to pick up pet hair on all surfaces.
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Many parts need regular cleaning.
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No HEPA filter.
The iRobot Roomba 694 isn't designed for use on stairs.
The iRobot Roomba 694 isn't designed for use in cars.
- 6.9 Bare Floor
- 5.9 Low-Pile Carpet
- 5.7 High-Pile Carpet
- 4.0 Pets
- 5.6 Stairs
- 4.6 Cars
- 4.2 Workshop
- Updated Sep 23, 2022: We've lowered the score for the 'Recurring Cost' section to maintain consistency with similarly-designed iRobot models.
- Updated Aug 03, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Mar 18, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Jan 04, 2022: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Mar 18, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Mar 16, 2021: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The iRobot Roomba 694 comes in one color variant: 'Black'. You can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another variant of this vacuum, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The iRobot Roomba 694 is a basic robot vacuum. It's similar in design and performance to the iRobot Roomba 692, though the 692 performs better on bare floors but struggles more on carpets. The 694 performs best on bare floors, but it can struggle with vacuuming low and high-pile carpet. Its mapping system is fairly rudimentary, meaning you can't set up virtual boundary markers or schedule cleaning sessions for individual rooms. However, it does have a surface detection feature that enables it to automatically adjust its brushroll height depending on the floor type that it's on.
If you're looking for an alternative, see also our recommendations for the best robot vacuums, the best robot vacuums for pet hair, and the best robot vacuums for hardwood floors.
The iRobot Roomba i4 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The i4 has fewer parts that require regular cleaning and a smart-pathing navigational system, which yields superior maneuverability. You can also use the included Dual Virtual Barrier device to mark areas the vacuum will avoid crossing. The i4 does a better job cleaning debris on low and high-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the 694 clears more debris on bare floors, has a bigger dirt compartment, and lasts longer on a single charge, though this can vary in the real world.
The iRobot Roomba i3 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The i3 can empty its internal dustbin into an external dirt compartment attached to its charging dock. It also has a smart pathing feature, yielding superior maneuverability and allowing you to check a map of its cleaning coverage or schedule cleaning sessions in advance. The i3 also delivers better performance on all surface types. Meanwhile, the 694 has a longer battery life, though this can vary in the real world.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is slightly better than the iRobot Roomba 675. The 694 has a larger dustbin and delivers superior performance on bare floors as well as high-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the 675 has a carrying handle that makes it easier to pick up and carry. The 675 also struggles less with sucking up larger material like sand from low-pile carpet.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is better than the eufy RoboVac G30. The iRobot feels more sturdily built, incurs fewer recurring costs, has a larger dustbin, charges much faster, maneuvers over obstructions like electrical cords with less difficulty, and delivers better performance on bare floors and high-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the eufy comes with a couple of physical boundary strips that you can lay down to prevent the vacuum from entering certain areas. You can also adjust its suction power manually.
The Roborock E4 is a better vacuum than the iRobot Roomba 694. The Roborock has a much better cleaning performance on bare floors and low-pile carpet, and it follows a more efficient cleaning path. Its dirt compartment is also larger, and its battery can last longer when used on the lowest power setting. However, the iRobot does a better job of picking up large debris like sand on high-pile carpet, and it has dirt sensors that detect which areas need a more thorough cleaning.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is slightly better than the eufy RoboVac 11S. The iRobot is better-built, easier to maintain, incurs fewer recurring costs, and takes less time to recharge while offering a longer maximum battery life, though this can vary in the real world. It can also climb over low-lying obstructions, like electrical cords, with less difficulty and also delivers better overall performance on bare floors. However, the eufy does a better job sucking up pet hair from all surface types. While it lacks a companion app, unlike the iRobot, you can use it without an internet connection with its included remote control.
The iRobot Roomba E5 is a better vacuum than the iRobot Roomba 694. The E5 clears pet hair much more easily and has a better cleaning performance overall on low-pile carpet. That said, the 694 has a better performance on bare floors, and its battery lasts longer.
The iRobot Roomba j7 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The j7 has a self-emptying feature that lets it dump any accumulated debris from its internal dustbin into an external dirt compartment mounted on its charging station, reducing hands-on maintenance requirements. It also has a pet waste detection feature and is advertised as capable of independently recognizing your schedule and organizing its cleaning sessions around it. It also feels better-built, does a better job of maneuvering itself, has a HEPA filter, and clears more debris on carpeted floors. However, the 694 performs better on bare floors.
The Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum is better than the iRobot Roomba 694 for most uses. The Xiaomi has fewer parts needing regular cleaning, is fitted with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, has more advanced automation capabilities, does a better job maneuvering itself, and sucks up more debris on bare floors and low-pile carpet. However, unlike the iRobot, the Xiaomi can't be used on high-pile carpet. The iRobot also feels better built and charges faster.
The iRobot Roomba i7 is superior to the iRobot Roomba 694. The i7 has a self-emptying feature that enables it to dump any accumulated debris from its internal dustbin into an external dirt compartment mounted on its charging station, reducing hands-on maintenance requirements. It also has a HEPA filter, maneuvers itself more effectively, clears more debris on carpeted floors, and allows you to set up virtual boundary markers or schedule cleaning sessions for specific areas using its companion app. Meanwhile, the 694 has a longer battery life and performs better on bare floors.
The Shark AI Robot and iRobot Roomba 694 each have advantages, so one may suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The Shark has a longer battery life, maneuvers itself more effectively, has a wider array of automation features, and clears more debris on low-pile carpet. However, the iRobot feels better-built, has fewer parts requiring regular maintenance, charges much faster, and is slightly more effective on high-pile carpet.
The Ecovacs DEEBOT OZMO T8 AIVI is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The Ecovacs feels better-built, incurs lower recurring costs, has a mopping attachment, does a better job of maneuvering itself, and has a more advanced suite of automation features. Its battery life is also more than twice as long, though the iRobot charges in less than a third of a time. The iRobot also has fewer parts requiring regular maintenance.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is slightly better than the Shark ION Robot 2020. The iRobot has fewer parts that need regular cleaning, incurs lower recurring costs, charges substantially faster, has an automatic surface-type adjustment function, and offers superior maneuverability. However, the Shark has a slightly larger dustbin.
The Roborock S7 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The Roborock feels better-built, has fewer parts needing regular cleaning, comes with a mopping attachment, offers a broader range of automation features, does a better job of maneuvering itself, and performs better on all surface types. Meanwhile, the iRobot charges faster and has a larger dustbin.
The iRobot Roomba 981 is a better vacuum than the iRobot Roomba 694. The 981 has a better cleaning performance on bare floors and low-pile carpet, though it performs similarly on high-pile carpet. It also follows a more efficient cleaning route than the 694. That said, the 694 has longer battery life.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is a little better than the eufy RoboVac 15C. The iRobot feels better-made, has fewer maintenance requirements, incurs lower recurring costs, charges much faster, maneuvers itself with less difficulty, and performs better on bare floors. Meanwhile, the eufy has a slightly larger dustbin, and you can use it without an internet connection.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is better than the eufy RoboVac 30C. The iRobot feels better-built, has a longer battery life, recharges much faster, maneuvers itself more effectively, and delivers superior performance on bare and carpeted floors. However, unlike the iRobot, the eufy has physical boundary strips to keep it out of certain areas.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is better than the Shark ION Robot R76. The iRobot feels better-built, has fewer parts needing regular cleaning, and incurs lower recurring costs. It also does a better job of maneuvering itself and charges faster, though the Shark does have a longer battery life. The Shark also has a slightly larger dustbin and comes with a set of physical boundary strips in the box, unlike the iRobot, with which you need to purchase the boundary strips separately.
The iRobot Roomba 960 is slightly better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The 960 has an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, a larger dustbin, better maneuverability, and a broader range of automation features. It does a much better job clearing pet hair on different surfaces. However, the 694 does have a slightly longer battery life.
The Roborock S5 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The Roborock has fewer parts requiring regular cleaning, lasts longer on a single charge, comes with a mopping attachment for bare floors, maneuvers itself more effectively, and performs better on bare floors and low-pile carpet. It also has a broader range of automation features. Conversely, the iRobot charges faster.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The Shark has a slightly bigger dustbin, lasts a little longer on a single charge, delivers superior performance on bare and carpeted floors, and comes with physical boundary strips to keep it out of certain areas. You can also use its companion app to direct it to a specific room. Conversely, the iRobot feels better-built, incurs lower recurring costs, and has fewer parts that need regular cleaning.
The Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S is better for more use cases than the iRobot Roomba 694. The Shark has a self-emptying feature that lets it dump any accumulated debris from its internal dustbin into an external dirt compartment mounted on its charging station. The Shark does a better job maneuvering itself and clears more debris on carpeted floors. However, the iRobot feels better-built, has fewer parts that need regular cleaning, and incurs lower recurring costs.
The eufy RoboVac X8 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The eufy incurs lower recurring costs, has a longer battery life, allows you to change its suction power mode manually, and performs better on all surfaces. You can also use its companion app to set up virtual boundary markers or schedule cleaning sessions for specific rooms. Conversely, the iRobot feels better built, charges faster, and maneuvers itself more effectively.
The iRobot Roomba S9 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The premium-priced S9 feels better-built, has an onboard HEPA filter, uses a larger dustbin, has a far more advanced suit of automation capabilities, does a better job of maneuvering itself, and performs better on all surfaces. However, the 694 incurs lower recurring costs.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is better than the ILIFE A4s. The iRobot is better-built, incurs lower recurring costs, maneuvers itself more effectively, and performs better on bare floors and high-pile carpet. It also charges much faster while offering a similar overall battery life. However, the ILIFE comes with a physical boundary marker to keep it out of certain areas. The ILIFE also performs better on low-pile carpet.
The Roborock S4 is superior to the iRobot Roomba 694 for most uses. The Roborock has fewer parts needing regular cleaning, a larger dustbin, a longer battery life, and more advanced automation capabilities. It also performs better on bare floors and low-pile carpet and does a better job maneuvering itself. However, the Roborock isn't suitable for cleaning high-pile carpet, unlike the iRobot.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is better than the iRobot Roomba 614, though the vacuums are similar in design. The 694 performs better across all surface types and has a much broader range of automation features than the 614, which doesn't have a companion app or even a remote control.
The Wyze Robot Vacuum is superior to the iRobot Roomba 694. The Wyze has fewer parts that need periodic cleaning, uses an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, maneuvers itself more effectively, and performs better on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpets. You can also use the Wyze's companion app to set up virtual boundary markers or schedule cleaning sessions for individual rooms. Conversely, the iRobot has a larger dustbin and charges much faster.
The yeedi K650 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The yeedi has a larger dustbin, weighs less, has a longer maximum battery life, and performs better on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the iRobot feels better-built, charges faster, maneuvers itself more effectively, and has fewer parts requiring regular maintenance.
The Shark IQ Robot AV992 Series and iRobot Roomba 694 each have advantages, so one might suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The Shark has a longer battery life, a broader range of automation features, and superior performance on low and high-pile carpet, especially with pet hair. However, the iRobot feels better-built, incurs lower recurring costs, has fewer parts needing periodic cleaning, recharges much faster, and clears more debris on bare floors.
The Roborock S4 Max is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The Roborock uses an E11 filter to trap some measure of allergens, has a larger dustbin, lasts longer on a single charge, has a more advanced suite of automation features, does a better job of maneuvering itself, and performs better on all surfaces. Conversely, the iRobot charges much faster.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is better than the Coredy R500. The iRobot is better-built, incurs lower recurring costs, maneuvers itself more effectively, performs notably better on bare floors and high-pile carpet, and charges much faster while offering a similar battery life. It also has a companion app and a more advanced suite of automation features. That said, the Coredy doesn't need an internet connection to function and has a HEPA filter.
The Neato Botvac D7 is better than the iRobot Roomba 694. The Neato has fewer parts that need periodic cleaning, is fitted with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, has a larger internal dustbin, and delivers better performance on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpet. It also has substantially more advanced automation features, with a more advanced LIDAR mapping system that allows for smart-pathing capability, allowing you to set up virtual boundary lines to keep it out of certain areas. However, the iRobot does incur lower recurring costs.
Test Results
The iRobot Roomba 694 feels very well-built. It has a high-grade hard plastic body and drive wheels with a rubber tread. The body has a sturdy feel, and its removable dustbin feels sturdier than similar components from many other robot vacuums. Out-of-the-box setup is very simple, only requiring that you plug in its docking station.
The iRobot Roomba 694 has many parts that need regular maintenance.
- Dustbin: The dustbin can be removed by pressing the release button. You should empty it into a garbage bin after every cleaning session.
- Brushrolls: You can access the bristle brush and beater brush by removing the brushroll compartment door underneath the vacuum. They should be cleaned once or twice per week, depending on whether or not you have pets.
- Filter: The filter is located inside the dustbin and can be pulled out via release tabs. You can clean it by tapping it against the edge of a garbage can. You should clean it once or twice a week, depending on if you have pets. Make sure to remove it and clean it before emptying the dustbin.
- Side brush: You can remove the side brush by unscrewing it from the bottom of the vacuum. You should clear it of any hair or debris that's stuck onto it approximately once a month.
- Front wheel: While you can pull the wheel out of its socket by hand, you may find it easier to use a tool to pry it out. You should clean it every two weeks. Also, you should clean its socket of any debris to allow it to spin freely.
- Sensors/Charging pads: You should wipe down the sensors and charging pads on the vacuum and dock station with a dry cloth once a month.
The iRobot Roomba 694 incurs high recurring costs.
- Filter: The filter should be replaced every two months.
- Brushrolls: The brushrolls should be replaced every six to 12 months.
- Front wheel: The front wheel should be replaced every 12 months.
These parts can all be purchased from iRobot's website individually or together as a 'Replenishment Kit'.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is remarkably easy to store. It has a compact design that takes up very little room, and its charging station has a low-profile design that can fit in small nooks between furniture and walls.
The iRobot Roomba 694 has a mediocre dirt compartment. It's smaller than alternatives like the Roborock E4, and it doesn't have a max fill sensor to indicate when it's full.
- iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum
- AeroVac dirt compartment
- 2x AeroVac filter
- Beater brush
- Bristle brush
- Charging dock
- Charging cable
- User guide
The iRobot Roomba 694 has a virtually unlimited range as long as it has battery life remaining and room left in its dirt compartment. However, it can't go up or down stairs.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is very portable. While it doesn't have a carrying handle, it's fairly light, so you can easily bring it between rooms.
The iRobot Roomba 694 has outstanding battery performance. This vacuum has a surface detection feature that automatically adjusts its suction power depending on the floor type that it's on. Therefore, its battery life can vary significantly depending on the mix of carpets and bare floors in your home. It can provide over two hours of runtime on a single charge, which exceeds its manufacturer-listed runtime of 90 minutes. There's a battery indicator light on top of the vacuum, and you can also see the battery level through its companion app.
This vacuum has a few quality-of-life features. It has a surface detection feature that allows it to change its head height automatically depending on whether the vacuum is cleaning bare floors or high-pile carpet. It's also capable of adjusting its suction power setting based on current cleaning conditions. It has dirt sensors to detect which areas to clean more thoroughly.
This vacuum has a few accessories included. It has a two-part brushroll that uses a beater brush to crush debris and a bristle brush to pick up these smaller pieces. It also has a side brush that pushes debris around the vacuum towards its cleaning path.
This vacuum has good performance on bare floors. While it struggles to pick up pet hair, it has no problem cleaning small and bulky debris like rice and cereal. However, it struggles with clearing bulky debris when its dustbin is filled up.
The iRobot Roomba 694 performs poorly on low-pile carpet. It can pick up some pet hair and larger debris like sand, though it may need to take an extra pass to clear it all. Unfortunately, it struggles to pick up fine debris like baking soda. Thankfully, its performance is consistent as the dirt compartment fills up.
The iRobot Roomba 694 delivers unremarkable performance on high-pile carpet. It can clean a reasonable amount of pet hair and larger debris like sand, but it struggles to pick up finer debris like baking soda. Thankfully, its performance doesn't decrease much as the dirt compartment fills up.
The iRobot Roomba 694 is decently maneuverable. Despite its relatively simple mapping system, it does a good job cleaning most parts of its coverage area. Its small size lets it fit under furniture like couches and low tables. While it can move freely from bare floors to rugs, it can sometimes get caught on rug tassels. Thankfully, it can climb over low-lying obstacles like electrical cords, but it might push them around a bit.
The iRobot Roomba 694 has okay automation features. You can start and stop the vacuum, check the battery, schedule cleaning times, and get the vacuum to return to its charging dock using the iRobot Home companion app. You can also set up voice commands with Alexa or Google Home devices. However, unlike the Wyze Robot Vacuum, this vacuum doesn't use a more sophisticated LIDAR mapping system, which would allow you to set up virtual boundary markers or schedule cleaning sessions for individual areas. Thankfully you can set up physical boundary markers to stop the vacuum from going to certain areas, but unlike the Shark ION Robot R76, boundary strips aren't included in-the-box and have to be purchased separately at an additional cost.
