Roomba 694 Vs i3: Which Roomba Vacuum Is The Best?  

Getting an iRobot vacuum is the dream of every robot vacuum admirer. But iRobot mostly manufactures pricier models like the iRobot Roomba i4+ or even the Roomba j7+. However, they also produce wallet-friendly models, including the Roomba 694 and i3 priced below $300. Roomba 694 and i3- none of these two vacuums are the smartest or most advanced. However, both vacuums are good at traversing across the floor and cleaning bare floors and carpets, can avoid obstacles like cord, shoes, and laundry, and never gets overheated. Despite some akin qualities, these vacs have different functionalities that set them apart! If you’re in a dilemma to choose either vac, we have got your back! This post is subject to show you an in-depth comparison between these two iRobot siblings, Roomba 694 and i3, that you help you choose the perfect one for your home. 

Roomba 694 Vs i3 Comparision Table 

Features	Roomba 694	Roomba I3
Suction Power	550pa	850-900pa
Run Time	90 minutes	75 minutes
Dustbin	0.6 L	+/- 0.5 L
Weight	6.77 lbs.	7.44 lbs.
Mopping	No	No
Dimensions	13.4″L x 13.4″W x 3.54″H	13.34″L x 13.26″W x 3.63″H
Auto Dirt Disposal	No	No
Wi-Fi Connectivity	Yes	Yes

Roomba 694 Review: In a Nutshell  

Roomba 694 is a bagless model from iRobot’s 600 Series with all basic cleaning perks. This diligent detective thoroughly investigates every nook and cranny of your floors, detects dirty areas, and suggests cleaning needs. Its 550-pa suction power collects pet hair and removes regular messes, dust, and debris. The manual dirt disposal system of this vac is not a hassle at all! The robot vacuum runs up to 90 minutes and can get recharged all by itself. On top of this little gear via voice command or iRobot mobile app.  

Roomba 694 Pros & Cons:  

Pros    

• Affordable  
• Longer runtime  
• Effectively cleans floors and corners  
• Can detect dirty areas  
• Compatible with voice and app control  
• Anti-dropping cliff sensor  

Cons  

• Not compatible with mapping  
• No self-emptying technology  

Roomba i3 Review: In a Nutshell   

Roomba i3 is a self-cleaning compatible iRobot vacuum of its i-series models. This vacuum has smart mapping and schedule cleaning features to start and finish cleaning tasks conveniently. It is designed with auto-adjusted suction power (850-900pa) to tackle different surfaces and debris simultaneously. Like other Roomba vacuum cleaners, this smart gear can detect dirty areas (scattered mess, dirt, and spots). Besides, this diligent detector can collect dirt for up to 75 minutes and get recharged whenever needed.  

Roomba i3 Pros & Cons  

Pros  

• Affordable 
• Multi-surface cleaning  
• Powerful suction  
• Cleaning base compatible  
• Standard run time  
• Smart mapping  
• Dirt detection  

Cons  

• Less effective obstacle detection  

Roomba 694 Vs i3: Similarities 

iRobot manufactures two affordable robot vacuum cleaners– iRobot Roomba 694 and i3. Although the i3 is smarter than the Roomba 694, both have similar basic cleaning capacities. Let’s take a close look at their akin features:  

• Roomba 694 and i3 robot vacuum cleaners are Wi-Fi connected and voice command compatible. You can integrate these vacs into your smartphone via iRobot mobile app.  
• These vacuum cleaners can simultaneously navigate bare floors, low-pile carpets, and rugged areas and collect different types of fine debris, including pet hair.   
• Each vacuum has a dirt-detection sensor and an anti-dropping cliff sensor for better navigation.  
• Both vacs can scan dirty areas and send cleaning suggestions.   

• These robot vacuums have a three-stage cleaning capacity that loosens and swiftly pick-up dirt and debris from surfaces, corners, and edges.  
• Roomba 694 and i3 robot vacuum cleaners have nearly similar dust bins, and they feature manual disposal and cleaning.  

Roomba 694 Vs I3: Dissimilarities   

Suction  

The Roomba i3 is more advanced than the Roomba 694, and the i3 comes with better suction power. The Roomba 694 has 550pa suction, which is significantly lower than the Roomba i3 (850-900pa). However, both vacuums can operate on bare floors and carpets and collect dust and grunge.  

Higher suction power provides better dust collection capacity to Roomba i3.  

Noise  

To ask for convenience, none of these robot vacuums emit annoying louder noise that can distract your focus or horrify your pet. However, the Roomba 694 might seem slightly louder with its 70 dB noise level compared to the 64.9 dB sound of the Roomba i3.  

There is no real difference between these two vacuums in terms of noise!  

Battery Life   

The Roomba 694 is ahead of the i3 in terms of battery life. Roomba 694 has a run time of up to 90 minutes which enables the machine to clean larger areas with a single charger. On the other hand, the i3 can operate for up to 75 minutes, but its stronger suction capacity and quicker dust collection capacity make the vacuum equally efficient as the Roomba 694.   

Roomba 694 is the winner here!   

Performance on Different Floors  

Due to higher suction capacity, the Roomba i3 can pick up dirt and debris better than Roomba 694. Roomba 694 can do excellent basic cleaning jobs on bare floors, like picking up pet hair and small debris. This vacuum showed slightly lower performance on our lab carpets and shrug, especially extracting hair and finer dust particles from deep piles. On the other hand, the Roomba i3 is equally competent on bare floors (tiles, vinyl, hardwood, laminate), low-pile carpets, and area rugs.   

See Also: Best Robot Vacuum For Vinyl Plank Floors

Comparatively, the Roomba i3 has a superior capacity when it comes to sweeping different floors.  

Navigation/Sensors  

The Roomba 694 can thoroughly navigate different surfaces at a time, but it doesn’t have a mapping feature like the Roomba i3. The Roomba i3 can map your home and clean it accordingly. So, with Roomba i3, you can set a specific cleaning area each time. However, the i3 doesn’t remember the mapping, meaning you must set the areas every time.  

Despite multiple surface cleaning capacities, the Roomba i3 also wins the navigation part with its mapping technology.  

Filter  

The Roomba 694 robot vacuum features a high-efficient cartridge filtration system (not HEPA) that can trap micro-dust and allergens. On the other hand, Roomba i3 comes with an effective HEPA filtration system that ensures no trigger to your allergens and a dust-free cleaning session each time.  

Both vacuum cleaners have an effective filtration system, but the HEPA filter of Roomba i3 is slightly better than the non-HEPA filtration system.  

Who Should Choose Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum?  

If you’re looking for a robot vacuum cleaner alongside your full-sized vacuum to upkeep your bare floors, the iRobot Roomba 694 vacuum cleaner is best to serve you with its basic cleaning perks. This compact robot vacuum can access hard-to-reach areas under furniture, as well as clean corners and edges with edge swiping brush.  

Who Should Choose Roomba i3 Robot Vacuum?  

If you maintain a busy schedule and need an affordable smart vacuum cleaner with mapping technology, then the iRobot Roomba i3 is the better choice. Although it’s not the most advanced form of robot vacuum, this self-navigating vacuum cleaner offers effective cleaning sessions with higher suction and better dirt collection capacity on bare floors and low-pile carpets.  

Final Words  

iRobot Roomba vacuums can be reliable vacs to depend on. The Roomba 694 explores thoroughly across the house and cleans dust particles on the way, and this vac is the best for bare floor cleaning. But if you need a robot vacuum cleaner with smart mapping technology to clean specific messy areas, the smart iRobot Roomba i3 or even the upgraded i3+ (self-emptying) can provide you with the best cleaning experience!  

Roomba 694 Vs i3: FAQ