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iRobot Roomba 890 Vs. iRobot 960 | Robot Vacuums | Comparison & Differences

January 10, 2022 by  
Filed under Vacuums

iRobot 960 Robot Vacuum

iRobot
960
Robot Vacuum

iRobot 890 Robot Vacuum

iRobot
890
Robot Vacuum

iRobot 890 Vs. iRobot 960 Robot Vacuum (Differences): These two powerful robot vacuums from iRobot both provide the suction and powered brushes to clean both carpets and hard floors. Both models have the Tangle-Free Brushless Rollers which gets rid of brushes, increasing suction and airflow no matter what surface it is vacuuming. These brushless Extractors are rubber, allowing for better contact with floor surfaces. Both vacuums are made to tackle dirt, dust and pet hair. Both robots are Wifi connected with APP to program and control the vacuum. Both robots include a Virtual Wall Barrier.

The main differences between the iRobot Roomba 890 and iRobot 960 are: The main difference is that the 960 has more advanced features. The 960 has has longer battery life (75 vs 60 minutes). The 890 uses AeroVac technology, the 960 uses AeroForce technology (superior). The dust bin is larger on the 960. The iRobot 960 has features not on the 890 including: Recharge & Resume feature (allows longer cleaning cycles). See the comparison chart below for key differences in features.


iRobot Roomba 890 Vs. the iRobot 960
* Robotic Vacuum
* 60 Minute Battery
* iAdapt 1.0 Navigation
Virtual Wall Barrier
* 5x Suction
* Dirt Detect 1.0
* 0.3 liter dust bin
* Tangle-Free Extractors
* 1 Year Warranty
* HEPA Filter
* WiFi Connected & APP
* 8.4 lbs.

iRobot 890

* Robotic Vacuum
* 75 Minute Battery
* iAdapt 2.0 Navigation
* Virtual Wall Barrier
* 5x Suction
* Dirt Detect 2.0
* 0.5 liter dust bin
* Tangle-Free Extractors
* 1 Year Warranty
* HEPA Filter
* WiFi Connected & APP
* 8.6 lbs.

iRobot 960

iRobot WiFi App

iRobot Robot Vacuum WiFi Smartphone APP

The Bottom Line: Both robotic vacuums are capable of cleaning both hard floors and carpets. The iRobot 960 provides the Recharge & Resume feature (for much longer cleaning times). For Navigation, the 960 is better with (iAdapt 2.0), with added sensors. Both models have the newest Dirt Detect™ Series 2 Technology with Persistent Pass which uses both optical and acoustic sensors to identify dirtier areas.

Both the iRobot 890 and 960 come with a Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier, to block the robot from entering a room, or keeping it in there. A Halo mode can prevent the robot from approaching an object, like a pet food bowl. The iRobot 890 is somewhat cheaper than the 960.



iRobot Virtual Wall

The Virtual Wall Barrier will restrict the iRobot from leaving a specific room in your home (1 unit included with i7), or keep the robot away from the pet bowl.

What makes iRobot Unique: iRobot in 2002 developed its first Roomba robot vacuum cleaner. Although iRobot was not the first to make a robot vacuum, it was the first to have a commercially successful one. iRobot now has 17 years of experience developing Roomba vacuums, and has what we believe are the most sophisticated models on the market. Software is what drives the robot vacuum, and its sensors, which is why iRobot is the leader in this area. A couple of years ago, iRobot introduced rubber extractor brushes instead of traditional brush rolls, which increased suction and cleaning power.

Virtual Wall Barriers: iRobot developed a unique add-on that comes standard with the Roomba 960 called a Virtual Wall Barrier. This device is like a force field, and keeps the Robot from entering a room, or leaving a room. There is also a Halo mode that allows you to block the robot from Pet Bowls, or other problem items on the floor.


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Robotic Vacuum Glossary of Terms
Tangle-free brushless Extractors = These are unique to iRobot models. These extractors do away with the main brushes with a new durable rubber-tread design that avoids hair and pet hair tangles, great for pet owners. The rubber extractors are easily removable for cleaning. These are available on the iRobot 890, the iRobot 960 WiFi, and the new iRobot i7 WiFi and iRobot 890 WiFi models.

On-Board Scheduling = Robot Vacuum can be scheduled to perform cleaning sessions even when you’re not home.

HEPA Filter = A HEPA filter is the best type of dirt filtration on a vacuum. This will remove the smallest particles of dirt, dust, and pet hair so that you don’t breathe in what you are vacuuming. This is especially important for those with allergies, and those with pets. The iRobot 890, the iRobot i7, the iRobot 890 , the iRobot 960, and the Shark ION 750 have HEPA filtration.

Virtual Wall = Available on select iRobot Vacuums. Tells the vacuum not to enter a certain area, and restrict a robot vacuum to a specific area or room. An invisible barrier that the vacuum will not pass through. Such as a doorway. The iRobot 860, 960 and i7 models have a new type, called Dual model Virtual Wall, which have a new Halo mode, which will also allow you to keep the iRobot away from an object, such as a pet bowl.

WiFi Connected/Smartphone Controlled = Some of the latest robot vacuums have built-in WiFi, which allows you to control, and schedule cleaning of your vacuum by using an APP on your smartphone or tablet. This means that you can be on your couch, or even away from your home and still be able to control your robotic vacuum. The iRobot i7, the iRobot 890 , the iRobot 890, the iRobot 960, the Shark ION 750, and Neato Botvac Connected, all have built-in WiFi.

Dirt Detect™ Sensors = Indicate where dirt is embedded in the carpet, so the vacuum can know to concentrate on that area. Only the new iRobot i7 and the iRobot 960 have the latest Dirt Detect™ 2 technology which uses both optical and acoustic sensors. Dirt Detect 1 only uses acoustic sensors.

Auto-Charge & Resume = This feature allows the robot vacuum to recharge its batteries, and then resume cleaning where it left off, extending the cleaning time beyond one battery charge. This feature is available on the new iRobot i7 and iRobot 960 robotic vacuums.

Carpet Boost System = This feature available on the new iRobot i7 and iRobot 980, which provides up to 10x the air power on carpet and rugs, for better pickup of dirt, dust, and pet hair.


iRobot 890
iRobot 960
iRobot i7
iRobot 690