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In this article, we will talk about two very popular robotic vacuums – Roomba 761 vs 690.

Robotic vacuums are getting more and more popular, thanks to constant technological improvements. Even though there are only a few top brands in this sector, you can find multiple series and hundreds of products on the market.

This has resulted in a new problem which is picking the right model for your household. Since there are so many products available, comparing all of them is impossible. In order to help you choose the best one for your needs, we will focus on two very popular units.

Today, we will compare Roomba 761 vs Roomba 690 – They are a common choice, especially among people who are new to this type of cleaning. Both units are very dependable and efficient, what’s more, either one should be more than sufficient for everyday cleaning.

Based on the opinions online and our own experience, we will give you a thorough review of each product. 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 the comparison.

Table of Contents

Roomba 761 vs Roomba 690

Main differences

In the beginning, we would like to address, that each product is an efficient and reliable unit. What’s more, we are convinced, that either one of them should suffice for simple cleaning tasks. There are, however, a few key differences which you should know about.

The first major difference is battery life. This is the most limiting factor when it comes to the maximum cleaning time, therefore it’s definitely something to keep an eye on. Roomba 761 can operate only for 60 minutes while the Roomba 690 can run for 90 minutes.

You also have to keep in mind, that both products boast a “Recharge & resume” feature, that allows them to get back to their docking station, recharge, and continue cleaning. Since there’s no mapping in either one, they will continue cleaning from a random place.

The next crucial dissimilarity is connectivity. Most of the time the manufacturers implement multiple remote control features, in order to make using their products more convenient – This is the case in Roomba 690, you can run this vacuum using your smartphone or simple voice commands.

However, the situation looks different in Roomba 761 – This vacuum can only be operated using a remote controller, that comes in the package.

The last important difference is capacity. Most of the time the capacity in both models should be completely sufficient, however, if you don’t fancy emptying the dustbin too often, you should take this factor into consideration.

The capacity in Roomba 761 is approximately 0.5 L. (16 oz.) and the capacity in Roomba 690 is closer to 0.6 L. (20 oz.).

Those are pretty much all dissimilarities, that you should know about. Based on the factors above, you can already choose a vacuum, that is more suitable for your household. Although, we would 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 factors when choosing a new cleaning device in general. By this, we mean how well a particular unit does, compared to other products from a similar price range. We have to say, both vacuums are fairly efficient and reliable in terms of cleaning performance.

Either Roomba should be more than sufficient for everyday cleaning, considering a decent power rating which is around 33 Wats. This is the case for both vacuums, therefore, you shouldn’t expect any major difference in the suction.

Each product does a good job cleaning bare floors, however, we wouldn’t recommend buying them for carpet cleaning. There are other products that can get the job done better, although, Roombas shouldn’t have any problem driving on low and medium-pile carpets.

In all honesty, though, the suction could be a little higher, as cleaning pet hair is a pretty demanding task. There is a great set of brushes implemented in both products, that should gather all types of dirt, debris, and even pet hair.

There are special air filters present in both vacuums, that prevent any dust and dirt from entering the air around you. Unfortunately, this won’t have 100% efficiency, however, it should be enough to keep you free from sneezing all the time.

Both vacuums operate using a full set of sensors, for example, cliff-sensors, dirt-detect sensors, or anti-bump sensors. They allow the vacuums to swiftly navigate under and around most of the furniture. Since there’s no mapping, the vacuums work by following a random path until the whole area is covered.

Due to the lack of mapping, you also can’t set any virtual walls or see temporary maps in the official iRobot’s app. The only, convenient, way to prevent your vacuum from entering other rooms or protected areas is to use a bacon-type device, that can be purchased separately.

This tower gives you a certain radius, that won’t be entered by your new Roomba. Unfortunately, neither one of them is compatible with magnetic boundary tape.

Both Roombas also aren’t as efficient as other products which feature mapping, since the cleaning path is random. They will, however, get the job done and if you don’t need any advanced systems they should work perfectly for you.

In the app, or on your remote controller, you can find some basic features such as the option to schedule the next cleaning, change the current cleaning mode, or start and stop the vacuum. If you would like to learn more about all the systems implemented in each vacuum, we highly recommend looking into the user’s guide.

Those are all the most important aspects related to the overall cleaning performance. Of course, there are many more factors that can indirectly alter the performance of each vacuum, however, we will talk about them in the latter part of this article.

Capacity

Capacity is the second most limiting factor when it comes to the maximum cleaning time, right next to the battery life. This is because in most scenarios the battery will run out sooner than empty space in the dustbin, however, it’s definitely something to keep in mind if you don’t fancy the basic vacuum maintenance.

The Roomba 761 can hold only up to 0.5 L. (16 oz.) of dirt and debris while the Roomba 690 can hold up to 0.6 L. (20 oz.). Based on this, we can safely say, that the Roomba 690 will have to be emptied less often compared to its opponent.

Noise level

Noise level is something, that many people don’t pay any attention to, however, we always take this factor into consideration. After all, robotic vacuums were created in order to free up your time, and an extra loud unit running in the background can be quite distracting.

Fortunately, both products are relatively quiet, and their noise level is rather standard for robotic vacuums. The Roomba 761 produces approximately 60 dB of noise while the Roomba 690 produces around 66 dB. Just so you can understand it better, a standard conversation or a microwave operating produces around 65 dB.

Remote control features

The manufacturers usually provide multiple remote control features, in order to make using their products as convenient as possible. Nowadays, smartphone apps, voice commands, and remote controllers are standard in those types of vacuums. However, that’s not always the case.

A great example can be the Roomba 761, which can be operated only using a remote controller, that comes in the package. Its competitor, the 690 model can be operated with a special iRobot’s smartphone app as well as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

The app also gives you more features such as real-time notifications or cleaning reports. Of course, everything depends on the technology of the vacuum.

Battery life

Battery life is the most limiting aspect in terms of maximum cleaning time. Therefore, if you own a big household, or you want to cover a large area, it’s definitely something to take into account. For a standard household, each vacuum should be sufficient.

The Roomba 761 can operate only for 60 minutes while the Roomba 960 can operate for as long as 90 minutes. You should, however, keep in mind the “Recharge & resume” feature which is present in both products. Thanks to this, even if the vacuum runs out of battery, it can quickly get back to its docking station, recharge, and continue cleaning after.

Design

Design is a crucial part of every robotic vacuum as they need to fit under and around most of the furniture. What’s more, they not only have to keep a low-profile and slim design but also remain convenient for most of the time.

Thankfully, both Roombas from this comparison meet the requirements above. Each one can easily navigate around your room, thanks to a full set of sensors. Stairs, carpets, or any thresholds aren’t a problem with those products.

If you would like to learn some more technical information, the Roomba 761 measures 13.8 x 13.8 x 3.4 in. and weighs 8.38 lb. while the Roomba 690 measures 13 x 13 x 3.6 in. and weighs 7.8 lb. Both units are rather portable which is surely an advantage.

Price

The price of the vacuums is usually the first thing people see when comparing two units, therefore you may already know the difference. However, it’s quite an important aspect so we decided to touch on that anyway.

The Roomba 761 can be currently a little hard to find, however, the price usually oscillates around $299.99 (Click here to see the current price!). The Roomba 690 is a much more available model, that can be found on Amazon for the price of $429.99 (Click here to see the current price!).

Necessary maintenance

Maintenance is something, that many people skip, however, it’s a huge mistake. In order to keep your new unit operating at the desired level and to prevent permanent damage, you should always take proper maintenance steps.

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

In order to keep your new 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 only a 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 vacuums are reliable and efficient units, that should be more than sufficient for everyday cleaning. There are, however, a few key differences, that you should know about before making the final decision.

Some of the most important dissimilarities are battery life (30 minutes longer in the Roomba 690), capacity (0.1 L. larger in the Roomba 690), and connectivity (Roomba 690 has many more remote control features available).

Based on the factors above, we can clearly say, that the Roomba 690 is a winner of this comparison. It has a lot of advantages over its opponent, and the only downside can be a higher price. On the other hand, the Roomba 761 is really hard to get nowadays, anyway.

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.