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Why the iRobot Roomba 694 is the Entry-Level Robot Vacuum For You

The iRobot Roomba 694 is the Wi-Fi-connected robot vacuum that you’ve been waiting for. Now go back and re-read that first sentence. People (like you and me) who may have had an analog childhood are currently living a digital adulthood. Who would have ever thought that we’d one day be making a decision about choosing the right robot vacuum cleaner for our homes? It’s definitely a neat thought — and here we are. The iRobot Roomba 694 provides you with premium design features on an entry-level robotic vacuum — all at a great value.

iRobot Roomba 694 Features

The Roomba 694 is a relatively recent release from iRobot, available only within the past few months. Part of the more value-oriented 600 Series of products, it’s meant to make robotic cleaning accessible to everyone, leaving you with more time to sit back and relax. While this line doesn’t share a few of the features that are present in the more premium lines, it’s a great way to begin cleaning your home smarter.

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iRobot Home App

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Like most Roomba products, the 694 can be scheduled to clean up your daily dirt, dust, and debris with the iRobot Home app. It can also be linked with your home voice assistant — Amazon Alexa or Google Voice — so you can order it to clean whatever, whenever. It’s also got some more advanced machine-learning features that are built-in. The 694 will learn your cleaning habits, then make helpful suggestions to help you stay tidy. For example, it can suggest an extra cleaning cycle when pollen counts are high in your area during the spring.

3 Stage Cleaning


The 3 Stage Cleaning system and dual brushes help to keep your floors clean. Together, they efficiently grab dirt from most carpets and hardwood floors. Have a lot of corners in your house? No problem, as the 694 includes an Edge-Sweeping brush that can get into edges and tight spaces. At an overall height of 3.6 inches, this Roomba can fit under couches, chairs, and other places where regular vacuums can’t reach.

Adaptive Navigation


The Roomba 694 is built around a set of advanced sensors. These help the vacuum to navigate around furniture and other obstacles. Additionally, Cliff Detect functionality prevents it from tumbling down your stairs. The sensors allow this tool to take care of itself.

What is Roomba?

Likely, by now you’ve heard of iRobot, Inc., and its product lines including Roomba and Braava. In case you haven’t – here’s an exceedingly brief history. Roomba is a family of robotic vacuum cleaners that was originally introduced in 2002. The Braava is a robotic floor cleaning mop that was introduced in 2013. iRobot is a dominant player in the robotic cleaning segment, and it has maintained an advantage over its competitors through the continual introduction of new products that incorporate innovative features and benefits for consumers.

We like the Roomba 694 because it incorporates a set of useful features and benefits into a package that offers great value. It’s the perfect entry point to the world of robotic cleaning devices.

Jeffrey DeLuca
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jeffrey DeLuca is a writer and licensed contractor based in Portland, Oregon. His interests include being a dad, home…
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