The Affordable iRobot Roomba 692: A Review With Pros And Cons

The iRobot Roomba 692 Robot Vaccum Is The Best Solution For Busy Mothers

I am thrilled to share my experience with you about our new toy in the house, the iRobot Roomba 692.

I am writing this post after a 6-Week Test Drive Of the iRobot Roomba 692 Vacuum.

So, What is an iRobot Roomba?

Let’s first figure out what Roombas are. In very simple words, Roombas are automatic robotic cleaning machines, or vacuum cleaners, sold and introduced by iRobot since 9/2002. Every Roomba, or robotic vacuum cleaner, has many features with sensors as these help Roombas recognize the mess and dirt and clean the area you want to be cleaned. 

How Do Roombas work?

Roomba uses piezoelectricity, the same technology ultrasound probes use. Piezoelectricity was one of my favorite words in ultrasound school. 

It means electricity you get against pressure and latent heat. I am not going to break down the physics here. Rather, I would like to help you understand it “mommy style” as we moms want to simplify everything in our lives.

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In a nutshell, Roomba uses piezoelectric sensors to identify the dirt as soon as any tiny speck of dirt hits the sensor. The Roomba then immediately receives the electric impulse signals from the dirt detector to start cleaning. 

How To Start Cleaning, And Does The iRobot Roomba 692 Have Mapping Technology?

You can start it by either pressing the clean button or ask Google Assistant or Alexa to start the Roomba. You can also schedule cleanings with the app, which is really cool. And, if you have a Nest thermostat, it can detect when you leave the house and it will start when you are gone.

As you can see in the video, it can easily fit under small places, like a couch.

The simple answer to your second part of the question is “no, the iRobot Roomba 692 doesn’t have mapping technology.

The way lower-priced Roombas and vacuums from other companies work is that they just keep going until they bump into something and then they turn in a different, random direction. 

It will eventually clean your house, but it will take some time. They can detect objects, however, which is nice, and the bumping doesn’t damage the Roomba because it has a built-in bumper.

The more expensive models can map out your house and you can tell the Roomba to clean certain areas of your house. But, these bump around models work just fine if you are on a budget.

There is a way to make the lower-priced Roombas stay in one area by purchasing what they call “dual-mode virtual wall barriers” that will not allow a Roomba to go past a virtual barrier that you set up. They are pretty affordable on Amazon. 

Here is a Dual-Mode Virtual Wall Barrier.

However, we found a much cheaper way to keep the Roomba in a certain room by simply placing the Roomba in the kitchen, for example, and then putting physical barriers around the area so it cannot escape the kitchen cleaning duty.

So, Here Are Some Pros And Cons For The Roomba 692. 

The pros are…

• 1-You are getting an actual iRobot Roomba for a very low price, and it does a great job at cleaning the house.
• 2-We tested it upstairs on the carpet, and it did a great job there as well
• 3-It saves you a lot of time with cleaning so you can work on other tasks, and that’s an A+ for busy mothers.
• 4-It gives you audio feedback with cute little beeps and bops that makes it sound like a droid from Star Wars. And, it can actually talk as well letting you know its status and if it gets stuck. The audio is nice and loud, so you can hear it from a distance. If you cannot locate it, you can use the app on your phone or ask Google or Alexa to locate it and it will beep for you, which is cool.
• 5-The battery life is excellent, and when it’s getting low on power it can automatically dock itself and recharge.
• 6-It’s a great solution for pet owners.

And The Cons Are…

• 1- It can be a bit noisy, so if you are trying to carry on a conversation or watch tv and the Roomba is in the same room it can be distracting.
• 2- The bumping around is kind of silly and it takes longer for it to clean your house.
• 3- It’s a fingerprint magnet for sure and can get quite dirty, so you’ll want to clean it once in a while.

So, In Conclusion, Is The Roomba Really Worth The Money?

-I definitely recommend it, as the cons are a bit annoying but bearable considering the price and features and convenience and cuteness that it provides to you.

How Long Will The Battery Last For Roombas?

About 90 minutes at a time until it needs to recharge, but we’ve seen it go for longer than that.

How Many Times In A Week Should I Run My iRobot Roomba?

It is your personal choice. We use it 3 times a week as with little kids you get to clean a lot and that’s just a mom’s life. If you are single or don’t have kids, I would say once a week is going to be more than enough for you. 

What Is The Best Model Roomba For 2021?

The iRobot Roomba series S9+ is the best one iRobot makes, and I feel the 692 is great if you are on a budget. 

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