Compare iRobot Roomba 960 and 860: What Are the Main Differences?
Author: Maurice Savaryego, M.Sc.Eng.
Well known vacuum robot manufacturer iRobot has produced a large number of vacuuming robot models from the very basic to the most sophisticated.
Roomba 960 or 860 may not be their top robots, but they come with most of the necessary features vacuuming robots should have, and even with some features that are found only in the top models. So, if you want to save some money, but still have a great vacuuming robot that will clean thoroughly and efficiently your floors and carpets, you might want to consider these two robots. This article will provide a detailed comparison of Roomba 960 and 860, so you may choose the right vacuuming robot that will fully respond to your homes vacuuming needs. Please note that presently both robots are on sale due to the Black Friday week (see Amazon products section below for prices).
If you are in a hurry and wish to see right away Amazon price information for the Roomba 960 and 860 robots, please click below: |
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Comparing Roomba 960 and Roomba 860
In terms of external appearance, though the two robots differ in color and finish, they are both round with a "CLEAN" button in the center that you press to start and stop the machine. One major difference in appearance is that the 960 has fewer control buttons, as some functions, such as scheduling and setting the clock, can not be invoked anymore by pressing buttons, but by using the iRobot Home App associated with the 960 robot. Aside from the CLEAN button, the only other two buttons found on the 960 are the spot-clean and dock (go to Home-Base) buttons.
Both robots are equipped with dual counter-rotating debris extractors, one spinning side brush, a removable dust bin as well as a full bin indicator so you know when to empty the dust bin.
The following pictures show the Roomba 960 and 860 robots:
Both robots are equipped with dual counter-rotating debris extractors, one spinning side brush, a removable dust bin as well as a full bin indicator so you know when to empty the dust bin.
The following pictures show the Roomba 960 and 860 robots:
ROOMBA 960
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ROOMBA 860
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The following table compares the features of Roomba 960 and 860. Please read the table notes that follow for a better understanding of the feature differences.
Table Notes 1 - 22 Explained
Note 1:
The AeroForce technology found in these robots introduces the counter-rotating dual multi-surface tangle-free brushes (also known as debris extractors) and delivers an ideal balance of vacuum suction and debris extraction:
Tangle free extractors grab and break down debris eliminating hair tangles and jams, and an airflow accelerator creates a sealed channel that concentrates the airflow, sucking in more debris. Thanks to the high efficiency vacuum, the air power is increased 5 times in these robots compared to the previous 600 and 700 series Roomba robots.
Though all Roomba robots are designed to collect dirt and pet hair, only the 900 and 800 series robots are equipped with debris extractors and do it more efficiently and thoroughly than the previous 600 and 700 series robots.
Note 2:
Note 3:
Note that Roomba 860 needs to be restarted by pressing the CLEAN button after it recharges itself at its Home Base (unless it had previously been scheduled to restart at a later time). On the other hand, Roomba 960 robot is able to resume automatically the cleaning job where it had interrupted it prior to going to Home Base to recharge. It continues this way until the job is done and the whole level of your home is seamlessly cleaned (multiple rooms)!
Note 4:
When Roomba 960 is connected via Wi-Fi to your smartphone, you can use the iRobot Home App for Android and iOS to invoke remotely operations such as cleaning, scheduling, etc., and set your preferences for how the robot cleans (number of cleaning passes, etc.).
Note that Roomba 960 is compatible with Amazon Alexa. Simply ask Alexa to start, stop, or dock your robot.
Table Notes 1 - 22 Explained
Note 1:
The AeroForce technology found in these robots introduces the counter-rotating dual multi-surface tangle-free brushes (also known as debris extractors) and delivers an ideal balance of vacuum suction and debris extraction:
Tangle free extractors grab and break down debris eliminating hair tangles and jams, and an airflow accelerator creates a sealed channel that concentrates the airflow, sucking in more debris. Thanks to the high efficiency vacuum, the air power is increased 5 times in these robots compared to the previous 600 and 700 series Roomba robots.
Though all Roomba robots are designed to collect dirt and pet hair, only the 900 and 800 series robots are equipped with debris extractors and do it more efficiently and thoroughly than the previous 600 and 700 series robots.
Note 2:
- The iAdapt technology found in Roomba 860 is composed of sophisticated software and sensors that allow the robot to clean more thoroughly the room, making multiple passes, avoiding stairs, getting under and around furniture, and cleaning along wall edges and corners. The low profile design of the robot allows cleaning under most furniture. The robot also automatically adjusts to all floor types, be it carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate or other.
- Roomba 980 was designed with the more advanced iAdapt 2.0 technology. With Adapt 2.0, Roomba 980 features a visual localization camera used to map out your home in order to ensure complete coverage. It allows the robot to seamlessly and efficiently navigate an entire level of your home and keep track of its location. Roomba 980 uses a high-efficiency cleaning pattern and a full suite of sensors to adapt to real world clutter and furniture for thorough coverage.
- Roomba 960 and 860 robots come both with the iRobot Dirt Detect feature: they are equipped with both acoustic and optical sensors which allow them to find dirtier areas and then spend more time cleaning them.
- Roomba 960 is also equipped with a camera and additional sensors which enable improved visual localization and allows the robot to efficently navigate the entire level of your home and keep track of its location.
- Roomba robots use either Virtual Walls, Virtual Wall Lighthouses or Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers to be kept away from rooms or areas they are not supposed to enter. Both Roomba 960 and 860 come with one Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier. Please see Note 11 below for more details on these small stand alone devices..
Note 3:
Note that Roomba 860 needs to be restarted by pressing the CLEAN button after it recharges itself at its Home Base (unless it had previously been scheduled to restart at a later time). On the other hand, Roomba 960 robot is able to resume automatically the cleaning job where it had interrupted it prior to going to Home Base to recharge. It continues this way until the job is done and the whole level of your home is seamlessly cleaned (multiple rooms)!
Note 4:
When Roomba 960 is connected via Wi-Fi to your smartphone, you can use the iRobot Home App for Android and iOS to invoke remotely operations such as cleaning, scheduling, etc., and set your preferences for how the robot cleans (number of cleaning passes, etc.).
Note that Roomba 960 is compatible with Amazon Alexa. Simply ask Alexa to start, stop, or dock your robot.
(Photo Credits: iRobot)
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(Photo Credits: iRobot)
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Note 5:
Both robots are equipped with an AeroForce High Efficency filter that can capture 99% of allergens, pollen, and particles as small as 10 microns.
Note 6:
This feature is not available on either Roomba 960 or 860. It is only available on Roomba 980.
Note 7:
All Roomba robots are equipped with a side brush to clean wall edges. But Roomba 960 features additional final edge cleaning action to make sure that stubborn dirt and debris along wall edges are all removed. After Roomba 960 finishes cleaning the open areas of your floor, it uses the Final Edge Clean feature to ensure that it has cleaned along walls and around furniture legs. If you prefer a quicker clean, you can disable Final Edge Clean. This feature is turned on by default and can be turned off using the App.
Note 8:
Roomba 960 is equipped with a camera that enables visual localization making possible seamless and efficient navigation of an entire level of your home. Note that for the camera functionality too work properly some light in the room where the robot will be vacuuming may be needed.
Note 9:
The tangle-free brushes (known also as debris extractors) found on Roomba 960 and 860 grab and break down debris eliminating hair tangles and jams, and an airflow accelerator creates a sealed channel that concentrates airflow, sucking in more debris.
Note 10:
Scheduling can be programmed for up to 7 times per week. The unit starts vacuuming as soon as the scheduled time is reached.
Note that with Roomba 960 scheduling is done only using the iRobot Home App, while with Roomba 860, scheduling is done on the robot itself.
Note 11:
- Virtual Walls are tiny devices that emit an infra-red beam that the Roomba will not cross. They are used to stop the Roomba from going through restricted doorways. They can be set to block an area ranging from three to eight feet long.
- Virtual Wall Halos are tiny devices used to protect restricted areas within the room.
- Virtual Wall Lighthouses are small devices that can be set to either Virtual Wall mode or to Lighthouse mode. In Lighthouse mode, the device keeps the robot cleaning in one room, then sends it off to tackle the next room for guided cleaning (up to 3 rooms).
- Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers, like Virtual Walls, can be used to block off an open doorway, but they can also be used as Virtual Wall Halos, to protect some restricted area within the room (like for instance your dog's food area). Both Roomba 960 and 860 come with one Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier.
Note 12:
When the bin gets full, Roomba 960 provides you with two options regarding the action to be taken by the robot:
- Finish Job: Even if the bin is full, Roomba 960 will continue cleaning until it has covered the entire space. Once the bin is emptied, Roomba is ready for a new cleaning job. The full bin behavior is “Finish Job” by default.
- Pause Immediately: As soon as the bin is full, Roomba 960 will return to where it started and pause the cleaning job. Once the bin is emptied, you just need to press CLEAN to resume.
Note 13:
In most cases, Roomba will remove dirt and debris with just one pass over each area of your home. With Roomba 960, two pass cleaning can be requested and can be particularly helpful in homes with pets or for periodic deep cleaning. The number of cleaning passes is one by default.
This feature can be invoked from the App.
Note 14:
A molded soft touch bumper cushions the contact made between Roomba's bumper and walls, furniture and other objects, protecting household items as the robot cleans.
Note 15:
When batteries run low, all Roomba robots return to their Home Base to dock and recharge.
Note that, as mentioned, Roomba 860 needs to be restarted by pressing the CLEAN button after it recharges itself at its Home Base (unless it had previously been scheduled to restart at a later time).
On the other hand, Roomba 960 is able to resume automatically the cleaning job where it had interrupted it prior to going to Home Base to recharge. It continues this way until the job is done and the whole level of your home is seamlessly cleaned!
Note 16:
All Roomba robots cab be asked to spot clean. When spot clean is invoked, the robot will spiral approximately 3 feet in diameter and then spiral back to where it started for an intense, localized clean.
Note 17:
All Roomba robots are equipped with a Home button that can be pressed to send the robot to dock at its Home Base. Of course, the robot will also go automatically to its Home Base when battery runs low.
Note 18:
Both Roomba 960 and 860 are equipped with a Lithium-Ion battery. Lithium-Ion batteries are designed to provide longer cleaning sessions than Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries and last longer before needing to be replaced.
Battery Run Times:
iRobot has specified the battery run time for Roomba 960 as 75 minutes.
For Roomba 860, the average time is about 60 minutes, but note that for all robots (including Roomba 960) run times can vary extensively depending on the amount of work the robot has to do to clean the floors. That is because different types of carpets, different floor plans and different amounts of dirt may require different amounts of effort from the robot and hence different amounts of ''juice'' from the battery.
However, keep in mind that Lithium-Ion batteries are designed to provide longer cleaning sessions.
Note 19:
- Roomba 960 can be remotely controlled from your smartphone using the iRobot Home App. No explicit remote control device is provided.
- Roomba 860 does not come with a remote-control device. All controls are done using the buttons on the robot itself. But, if desired, an optionl remote-control device can be separately purchased (see below Amazon products section).
- Note that Roomba 960 is also compatible with Amazon Alexa, including Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Amazon Tap.
Note 20:
The "d" in the dimensions refers to the diameter, and "h" to the height of the unit. All measurements are in inches.
Note 21:
The 1-year limited warranty is on the robot. There is also a 6 month warranty on the battery.
Note 22:
The prices shown are the list prices that were in effect when this article was written and may have changed.
For exact price information, please refer to the Amazon section below.
The following pictures show a detailed description of the various parts, control buttons and indicators of Roomba 960 and Roomba 860:
(Photo Credits: iRobot)
(Photo Credits: iRobot)
So Which Roomba to Buy: 960 or 860?
Both Roomba robots considered here are very high quality products as shown by the average rating they received from Amazon customers. Indeed, Roomba 960 had received an amazing 5 stars and Roomba 960 had received 4.5 stars (out of 5 stars) at the time this article was witten. Chances are that you will be quite happy with the vacuuming results obtained from both robots.
However, it is worth noting that, in addition to Wi-Fi support, Roomba 960 comes with some neat features not found on Roomba 860:
On the other hand, you should also keep in mind that with Roomba 960, some functions (such as scheduling, time setting, etc.) can only be invoked using the iRobot Home App. Therefore, if you are not a smartphone user, or if you will not be using the App, you should definitely consider the 860.
However, it is worth noting that, in addition to Wi-Fi support, Roomba 960 comes with some neat features not found on Roomba 860:
- It has the capability, after it recharges itself at Home Base, to resume operation automatically where it had been interrupted, whereas Roomba 860 needs to be restarted after it has recharged at Home Base (unless of course it had been previously scheduled to restart at a later time). This feature can be quite useful if you have large areas to vacuum, and you don't want to bother with having to restart the robot every time it recharges itself, or if you will not be around during the vacuuming.
- Using the iRobot Home App, you can request Roomba 960 to execute special final edge cleaning action, and you can set your preferences for how the robot will vacuum (number of cleaning passes, etc.).
- Finally, thanks to its built-in camera, the 960 can more thoroughly cover the area to be vacuumed.
On the other hand, you should also keep in mind that with Roomba 960, some functions (such as scheduling, time setting, etc.) can only be invoked using the iRobot Home App. Therefore, if you are not a smartphone user, or if you will not be using the App, you should definitely consider the 860.
Roomba 960 and Roomba 860 on Amazon
Please click the Amazon product link images below to see exact prices or to purchase. Note that currently, both robots presented below are on sale for a limited time with huge pice reductions due to the Black Friday week (when you click their Amazon links below, the amount of price reduction will be shown):
Roomba 960 |
Roomba 860 |
Authentic Roomba Replenishment Kits on Amazon
Note: Accessories and replacement parts manufactured by 3rd parties may have a negative impact on product performance and can cause damage to your robot. Always ensure that replacement parts such as batteries, filters, and brushes are Authentic iRobot Parts. Note also that the use of 3rd party replacement parts could void your robot's warranty.
Please click the image below to see price information or to purchase:
Please click the image below to see price information or to purchase:
Roomba 800 & 900 Series Replenishment Kits |
Dual Mode Virtual Barrier |
Optional Roomba Remote-Control Device
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