iRobot Roomba 694 vs Roomba 105 Vac

Quick take: The iRobot Roomba 694 costs $70 less.

SpeciRobot Roomba 694Roomba 105 Vac
Price~$180~$250
TypeRobot VacuumRobot Vacuum
SuctionNot disclosedNot disclosed
Battery90 min
NavigationGyroscopeLiDAR
Filtration
CordlessYesYes
Bagged
Noise65 dB
Dustbin300 ml
Water tank
Self-empty dockNoYes
Auto mop washingNoNo
Hot water washingNoNo
Obstacle avoidanceNoYes
Carpet detectionYesNo
Auto mop liftingNoNo
Multi-floor mappingNoYes
App controlYesYes
Dimensions13.3 x 13.3 x 3.5 in13.23 x 13.19 x 4.09 in
Weight6.8 lbs6.24 lbs
Warranty1 year1 year

Pros & cons

iRobot Roomba 694

  • Under $200 makes it the most affordable way to start with robot vacuums
  • iRobot brand reliability backed by decades of experience
  • App and voice control work well despite the low price
  • Does a surprisingly good job on hard floors for daily maintenance
  • 28000+ reviews confirm consistent performance over time
  • Random bounce navigation pattern misses spots and is inefficient
  • 90-minute battery means multiple sessions for larger homes
  • No mapping — cleans randomly rather than in organized rows
  • Single brush and basic suction struggles with pet hair on carpet

Roomba 105 Vac

  • Real ClearView LiDAR mapping, not gyroscope
  • AutoEmpty dock rated for 75 days between bag changes
  • Remembers up to 3 floor maps
  • Maps a 1,000 sq ft space in about 10 minutes
  • Meaningfully cheaper than iRobot's j-series or Max-series self-empty vacuums
  • No carpet detection
  • Vacuum only - the 105 Combo is the mopping version at a higher price
  • iRobot doesn't publish suction power, noise level, or dustbin capacity
  • "70x more suction than the 600 series" is a marketing comparison, not a measurable spec