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In this article, we will talk about two very popular robotic vacuums – Deebot 500 vs Roomba 690.

Nowadays, robotic vacuums are getting more and more popular, thanks to constant technological advancements. The manufacturers continuously improve their products in order to make them more appealing to the customers.

This has resulted in a new problem which is picking the right robotic vacuum. There are hundreds of series available, and thousands of products are produced every year. Comparing all of them would be pointless, that’s why we strictly focus on the most popular models.

Today, we will talk about two very popular robotic vacuums – Deebot 500 vs Roomba 690. Both units come from reliable companies, that specialize in producing these types of products for many years. They are among the few, most recognizable tech brands in this niche.

Both units are also considered to be very popular, entry-level robotic vacuums. They do not feature too many advanced systems, although, they operate smoothly and get the job done.

Based on the opinions online and our own experience, we will give you a thorough review of both models. At the end of the article, you can also find a winner of this comparison.

Without further ado, let’s get into the proper part of this comparison.

Table of Contents

Deebot 500 vs Roomba 690

Main differences

In the beginning, we would like to address, that either one of those products should satisfy most of the customers. Both Deebot 500 and Roomba 690 are very reliable, efficient units, that should be sufficient for everyday cleaning. That being said, there are a few key differences which you should know about.

The first crucial difference is suction. Most of the time, the higher the suction the better – This is because, a more powerful vacuum can remove all the deeply embedded dirt, and also it has no trouble picking up larger pieces of debris.

Deebot 500 boasts 1000 Pa suction which is quite good, compared to other robotic vacuums in this price range. Its competitor, Roomba 690 can only produce up to 600 Pa. Both models should do fine every day, light cleaning, however, if you prefer to have some more power for more stubborn dirt – Deebot 500 is a great choice.

Another important dissimilarity is navigation. Even though both products use random path navigation (they randomly bounce around the floor, until the whole area is covered), the Roomba 690 additionally allows for virtual walls. This can be only achieved by purchasing a “Dual mode virtual wall barrier”.

The next difference is battery life. If you live in a bigger household, or you want to cover a large area in one go, it’s definitely something to take into account. The Deebot 500 can operate for 110 minutes while the Roomba 690 can run for 90 minutes.

You should also keep in mind, that both units have an auto-recharge function – It allows them to go back to their docking station, recharge, and continue cleaning afterward.

The last dissimilarity is capacity. Most of the time, this won’t affect the maximum cleaning time, as the battery tends to run out sooner than empty space in the dustbin. Nonetheless, it’s still something to consider if you don’t fancy emptying the dustbin too often.

Deebot 500 has a total capacity of 520 ml. (17.6 oz.) while the Roomba 690 can store up to 300 ml. (10 oz.). Regular maintenance is a crucial aspect of owning a robotic vacuum, therefore, we highly recommend emptying the dustbin before it reaches its maximum capacity.

Those are pretty much all the differences, that you should know about. Based on the factors above, you can already make the final decision. However, we would strongly recommend reading the rest of the article, in order to learn more well-detailed information.

Cleaning performance

Cleaning performance is one of the most important aspects when comparing robotic vacuums. By this, we mean how well a particular unit does, compared to other robotic vacuums from a similar price range. In all honesty, both units are very decent considering their price.

The first thing, that needs to be addressed is the suction power. This is one of the most important factors, that influence the overall cleaning performance. Vacuums with more suction are able to pull out more dirt from carpets, get rid of pet hair or suck in larger parts of debris.

Deebot 500 has a clear advantage over the Roomba 690 in this aspect – It boasts 1000 Pa which is more suction than you can find in most of the vacuums while the Roomba 690 produces only 600 Pa suction.

The navigation system is another important thing, that you should take into consideration. Unfortunately, neither of the vacuums has a mapping system, therefore, they don’t have as many features as some of the top models on the market.

Nonetheless, the standard “bounce” navigation gets the job done, even though, it may take a little more time. Due to the lack of mapping, you also can’t set up virtual walls through the official app. However, Roomba 690 allows for one, by getting a beacon-type device called “Dual mode virtual wall barrier”. Other than that, there is no convenient way to set up a barrier.

On the other hand, in the Deebot 500, you can find multiple cleaning modes, that allow for more flexibility when cleaning. There is a standard “Auto” mode (for whole-house cleaning), “Spot” mode (for cleaning an extra dirty spot), and “Edge” mode (for cleaning along the edges and walls).

Both Roomba 690 and Deebot 500, as we previously mentioned, have a special “auto-recharge” mode, that allows them to go back to their docking station, recharge, and continue cleaning. This certainly helps with shorter runtime in the 690 models.

Those are pretty much all the important aspects, that you should keep in mind. Of course, there may be some in-direct factors, that may alter the cleaning performance, however, we will talk about those in the latter part of the article.

Capacity

Although capacity, usually, won’t affect the maximum cleaning time, it’s definitely something to consider if you don’t fancy emptying the dustbin too often. Although the capacity in both units could be improved, we would say it’s somewhat sufficient.

Deebot 500 can store up to 520 ml. (17.6 oz.) of dust and debris while the Roomba 690 has a maximum capacity of 300 ml. (10 oz.).

Noise level

Noise level is something, that many people skip, however, we always take this factor into account. After all, the robotic vacuums were created to free up our time, therefore, an extra loud unit working in the background could be quite distracting.

Deebot 500 produces around 65.5 dB of noise while the Roomba 690 produces around 66 dB. Both products are quite similar in this aspect, however, to make it more understandable, 60-65 dB of noise can be compared to a standard conversation or an operating microwave.

Remote control features

Advanced remote control features are a standard in today’s robotic vacuums. In almost every new product, you can find a way to operate the unit through your smartphone, voice commands, or remote controller.

The situation looks no different in Deebot 500 and Roomba 690. You can control those vacuums through an official manufacturer’s app – This allows you to schedule your cleaning, quickly change the cleaning mode, or even manually navigate the unit by pressing a few buttons.

After synchronizing the product with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, you can even operate the vacuums with simple voice commands.

Battery life

Battery life is the main aspect limiting the maximum cleaning time, therefore, it’s something to keep an eye on if you own a big household. Since the navigation in those products isn’t perfect, some extra cleaning time may be a great advantage.

Deebot 500 can run for up to 110 minutes while the Roomba 690 can operate for up to 90 minutes. The fact, that Deebot not only has longer runtime but also more power is quite impressive. Nonetheless, the 90 minutes barrier shouldn’t be a big problem for most people.

A different thing to keep in mind is the “auto-recharge” function, that allows the vacuum to go back to their docking station, recharge, and continue cleaning afterward. It makes the battery life a little less important, although, the charging may take up to 3 hours.

Design

The design is an essential part of every robotic vacuum, as they need to fit under and around most of the furniture. What’s more, the design needs to remain convenient and easy to use most of the time. Thankfully, both products from this comparison meet the requirements above.

If you would like to learn some more technical information, Deebot 500 measures 12.9 x 12.9 x 3.1 in. and weighs 7.28 lb. while the Roomba 690 measures 13 x 13 x 3.6 in. and weighs 7.8 lb. As you can see, both units remain fairly portable which is inevitably an advantage.

On top of each unit, you can also find some buttons with basic functions, such as power on/off, or start/stop cleaning. It’s a handy way to start the cleaning process if you can’t find your smartphone.

Price

The price of the vacuums is another important aspect, however, it’s also usually the first thing people check when comparing different vacuums. Due to this, you may already know the price difference, nonetheless, we still decided to touch on this topic.

Deebot 500 can be found listed on Amazon for the price of $279.99 (Click here to see the price!) while the Roomba 690 can also be found on Amazon for the price of $459.00 (Click here to see the price!).

You should know, that the price tends to fluctuate a lot, even now you can find Deebot discounted 50%. This is why we highly recommend double-checking the price before making the final decision.

Necessary maintenance

Maintenance is another aspect, that is often skipped by people who own robotic vacuums. It’s a huge mistake, as in order to keep your new robotic vacuum operating at the desired level, as well as to prevent permanent damage you should always take proper maintenance steps.

We won’t be getting into details here, as it would make the whole article too long. We will, however, give you a couple of basic maintenance tips, that should work for the majority of robotic vacuums.

In order to keep your new robotic vacuum operating at the desired level, you should:

Regularly clean/rinse all the brushes
Regularly check the brush roll and side brushes for any stuck dirt and/or debris
At least once a week clean the cover of the vacuum/wheels
Replace any used or damaged elements as fast as possible
Regularly empty and check the vacuum’s dustbin for any stuck dirt or debris

Once again, we need to address, that those are the only couple of basic maintenance steps. If you want to learn all the essential details, you will have to read the user’s guide.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both robotic vacuums are fairly efficient units, that should be more than enough for everyday cleaning. However, there are a few key differences, that you should know before making the final decision.

Some of the most important differences are suction power (400 Pa more in Deebot 500), navigation system (more advanced navigation with virtual barriers in Roomba 690), capacity (Deebot 500 has higher capacity), and runtime (20 minutes longer runtime in Deebot 500).

Based on the factors above, we would say, that the Deebot 500 is a winner of this comparison. It not only boasts higher suction and longer runtime but it also comes at a much lower price.

We hope, that after reading this article, you will be satisfied with your final choice.

Laura Avila

Laura Avila, a female writer and cleaning enthusiast, shares her expertise on Cleaningfan.com. With years of experience, Laura provides practical tips to maintain a clean and organized home. Her articles inspire readers to create a comfortable living space.