iRobot Roomba 694: Specs, Features, Pros & Cons
This review measures the iRobot Roomba 694 against the full 38-spec sheet we track for Robot Vacuums, comparing it like for like with the 37 other models in our database. It earns a VS Score of 23 out of 100 — the weighted result of every verified specification measured against the class average.
On the spec sheet it is strongest in design and weakest in cleaning. Its clearest single advantage over the class average: 29.28 ml more dustbin capacity — 350 ml vs 320.72 ml (avg). None of our retail partners currently lists the iRobot Roomba 694, so availability may be limited; a missing price never affects the VS Score. A transparency note: this spec sheet is 37% complete. Anything unverified shows as Unknown and is left out of the score — we never estimate a missing value.
Category strengths
Where the iRobot Roomba 694 beats the average
- 29.28 ml more dustbin capacity ?350 ml vs 320.72 ml (avg)
- 1.61 mm less height ?95 mm vs 96.61 mm (avg)
Where the iRobot Roomba 694 trails the average
- No self-empty dock ?
- No mapping ?
- No mopping ?
- 2.43 less multi-floor maps ?0 vs 2.43 (avg)
- 83.57 min less runtime ?90 min vs 173.57 min (avg)
- No HEPA filter ?
- 4.91 mm less threshold clearance ?19 mm vs 23.91 mm (avg)
Editor’s note
The 694 is the cheapest way into a Roomba and the specification is honest about what that buys, so it is worth being blunt about the one line that matters.
Navigation is Random. The machine does not map, does not know where it has been and does not clean in rows — it drives until it hits something, turns, and repeats, on the statistical assumption that enough time covers enough floor. There is no room-by-room cleaning, no no-go zones and no saved maps, because all of those require knowing where it is.
In a small flat with a simple layout, that works better than it sounds: given an hour, a random path covers a single room reasonably well, and the machine is genuinely inexpensive. In a larger or more complex home it will miss areas, revisit others, and finish with the floor only partly done.
Runtime is 90 minutes and the bin is 350 ml with no self-emptying dock, so you empty it by hand. There is no HEPA filter and no mopping. It is 95 mm tall, so low furniture is out.
App control, scheduling and voice assistants all work, which is more than the price suggests.
Buy it for a small flat, mostly hard floors, as a maintenance sweep between proper cleans. Buy a mapping machine — even a gyroscope one like the i3 — if the home is more than a couple of rooms.
Specifications
Quality bars are generated automatically against 37 other robot vacuums.
Cleaning
Higher suction lifts more dirt from carpets and hard floors.
Also mops hard floors.
The physical mopping system used by the robot.
Lifts the mop over carpet to avoid soaking it.
Automatically recognises carpet and adapts suction or mopping behaviour.
Extends a side brush or mop closer to walls and into corners.
The available cleaning modes.
How much floor it can cover on one charge.
The main brush design (e.g. anti-tangle rubber).
Navigation
How it maps and navigates; LiDAR is the most precise.
Builds and saves a map of your home.
How many floor maps it stores.
Detects and avoids objects and cables.
Set virtual walls and keep-out areas in the app.
The tallest doorway lip or threshold the robot can climb.
Battery & dock
A larger battery runs longer between charges.
How long it cleans on a full charge.
Returns to charge, then finishes where it left off.
Empties its bin into the dock automatically.
The dock refills clean water and drains dirty water.
The dock washes and dries the mop pads.
The dock can detach the mop pads before vacuum-only or carpet cleaning.
The maximum published hot-water temperature used to wash the mop.
The maximum published warm-air temperature used to dry the mop.
The dock automatically doses cleaning solution.
Detects dirty wash water or floor stains and automatically re-washes or re-mops.
Design
A lower profile fits under more furniture; lower is better.
A larger onboard bin needs emptying less often.
The onboard clean-water capacity for mopping.
Quieter operation is less disruptive; lower is better.
Smart features
Control and schedule it from a phone app.
Works with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Set cleaning schedules.
Send it to clean specific rooms or zones.
Maintenance & filtration
A high-efficiency filter captures fine dust and allergens.
The onboard filter can be rinsed and reused.
The brush design reduces wrapped hair and manual cleaning.
Mop pads can be removed for cleaning or replacement.
How the VS Score works — and what it can’t tell you
Every measurable spec is scored against the average of all the Robot Vacuums we track: matching the class average scores 50, clearly beating it climbs towards 100, and each spec counts according to an editorial weight that reflects real-world impact — a battery-capacity gap moves the score far more than a colour-options list. The quality bars on the spec cards above show where this model sits inside the full range for its class, and the overall VS Score rolls every weighted result into one number.
Unknown values are never estimated. A spec this product doesn’t report simply drops out of its scoring — it isn’t penalised with a guess — but a thinner spec sheet does mean a score built on fewer data points, which is why completeness is disclosed under About this data.
Most importantly: a spec-sheet lead is not the same as a better product. Megapixels, gigahertz and benchmark points describe capacity, not experience — image processing, software optimisation, thermals, haptics and ergonomics decide how a device actually feels, and no table captures reliability or long-term support quality. Treat the VS Score as a structured summary of what can be measured, not a substitute for your own priorities.
About this data
- Specifications are compiled from each manufacturer’s official spec sheet, cross-checked against trusted specification databases, and normalised into one schema so identical things are compared identically.
- Specifications last verified July 25, 2026.
- Data completeness: 14 of the 38 specs in this category are verified (37%). Anything we could not verify is shown as Unknown — never estimated — and is excluded from the score.
- Prices and availability come from live retailer feeds via our shopping partners and refresh throughout the day; a missing price means no partner currently lists the product, not that it is discontinued.
- Want the full picture? Our editorial guidelines explain how we research products, weight the scores and stay independent.
- Spotted an error in a spec? Tell us and we will correct the sheet.
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The bottom line
The iRobot Roomba 694 earns a VS Score of 23, trailing most of the 38 robot vacuums we compare here, at least on the spec sheet. It stands out for 29.28 ml more dustbin capacity and 1.61 mm less height. Just be aware of no self-empty dock and no mapping before you buy. Weigh those trade-offs against what matters most to you.
The VS Score is generated automatically from the weighted specifications above, measured against all other robot vacuums in our database. Treat it as a shortlisting guide — not a substitute for your own priorities.
