iRobot Roomba 614

If you are looking for a robot vacuum, it is highly likely that you have come across iRobot vacuums. Roomba is one of the top robot vacuum companies and its iRobot Roomba 614 is one of its reasonable yet impressive models. The advanced features and low price point, both, are the reason behind its popularity. With this price range, robot vacuums are not something people cannot afford, and if you are someone you have never owned a robot vacuum before, this iRobot Roomba is the best choice. In our iRobot Roomba 614 review, you will find out why this device is still so popular.

iRobot Roomba 614 review

The main features

iRobot Roomba is an entry-level robot vacuum with no high-end premium features. However, this does not mean that the vacuum cleaner, by any means, is low and won’t work well. For people who have small to medium-sized apartments, this robot vacuum cleaner works perfectly fine. The iRobot Roomba 614 robotic vacuum cleaner is not only easy to start and operate but is also useful for cleaning all kinds of surfaces from laminate to carpets with its triple-brush configuration and three-stage cleaning process.

The best feature this robotic vacuum cleaner brings to our tables is its dirt detect technology, which automatically directs the vacuum to messy areas of the house. Moreover, the high capacity Lithium-ion battery fuels the vacuum for a whole 90 minutes. As soon as the battery is about to die the iRobot Roomba 614 robot vacuum itself moves to the docking station where it is fully charged in 180 minutes.

Apart from this, the robotic vacuum cleaner comes with replaceable filters that are specifically designed to trap all the dust particles to filter the air. However, one downside to this less premium vacuum cleaning is that it is not hypoallergenic. If you want something that filters the air out of allergens as well, unfortunately, you will have to go a step higher specification and price-wise.

In this iRobot Roomba 614 review, we have tried to cover each and every aspect of the vacuum cleaner. Other advanced features that are a part of this iRobot Roomba 614 robotic vacuum cleaner are:

AeroVac technology

At the heart of iRobot Room 614 robot vacuum cleaner is the company’s patented iRobot’s AeroVac technology. This technology is basically included in the vacuum to increase cleaning efficiency. It streamlines and optimizes the vacuuming process with the help of its three-stage cleaning process. These two technologies combined ensures the removal of all kinds of debris, dirt, and pet/human hair.

The process includes a total of three-stages as mentioned earlier. The first stage of the process includes the use of a side rotating brush. As the vacuum cleaner has a circular shape, it cannot clean areas around the edges and walls. So, the side brushes included in the cleaning process rotate against the walls and edges moving the dirt and debris towards the front of the vacuum path hence, ensuring wall to wall vacuum coverage.

The second stage of the cleaning process is done via the circular motion of brushes installed at the center of the vacuum. If you look carefully, these brushes are exactly similar to what we find in typical manual hovers and vacuums. However, this vacuum cleaner has two brushes installed that rotate in opposite directions which works along with vacuum’s suction power and moves the dirt to the vacuum cleaner’s dustbin. These clockwise and anti-clockwise rotating brushes work tremendously while loosening stuck dust and debris from the floor. This is very important since dirt and other sticky materials tend to adhere to the floor and carpet.

Once all the debris is loosened and is in the path of vacuum’s suction the third stage of cleaning starts which is the machines powerful suction. All the dirt, debris, and pet/human hair collected by the brushes is sucked into the bin. All the dirt and debris are equally distributed in the bin to prevent it from accumulating in one place and clogging the bin which can cause suction loss. This three-stage cleaning process ensures full coverage and squeaky-clean floors.

iAdapt technology

This iRobot Roomba 614 robotic vacuum cleaner is equipped with iAdapt technology which is basically dirt and debris detection technology. If you already have an iRobot Roomba 614 robot vacuum you would notice it going over the same place more than once, that is because it detects that the dirt and debris have not been cleared out properly. At the start, the room moves in a zig-zag motion to explore the room and find the areas that require most of the cleaning. Hence, if your Roomba spends more time in some areas as compared to the other, be rest assured it is doing its job and is not malfunctioning.

Another feature of this technology is detecting walls and furniture. The vacuum can easily maneuver under the furniture and clean the furniture or wall edges thanks to the iAdapt technology. The best part is, you don’t have to worry about your vacuum falling from different levels as due to the iAdapt technology the vacuum can sense significant changes in the levels and avoids those areas.

Filter

Every vacuum cleaner along with cleaning the floors also cleans the air that passes through it. If the vacuum throws out the same dusty air, there is no point of vacuuming. This is when the filter comes into play. This iRobot vacuum uses the AeroVac filter which collects all the dirt, debris, hair and small or large particles. As compared to another iRobot vacuum, the filtration of this vacuum cleaner is not exactly top-notch, but it does the job. The filter, however, needs regular changing depending on the floors and how dirty they are.

Battery

One of the key selling features of the iRobot Roomba 614 robotic vacuum cleaner is its rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. Most of the other robots, as well as normal wireless vacuum cleaners, come with nickel-metal hydride (Ni-Mh) batteries that take longer to charge and don’t last very long. On the other hand, the charging time of lithium-ion batteries is less as compared to nickel-metal hydride (Ni-Mh) battery and also lasts longer. Moreover, the vacuum comes with a self-charging feature which, as soon as the battery is about to end, drives the robotic vacuum to the charging dock. The location of the charging dock is memorized via the mapping feature.

The lithium-ion battery helps the Roomba 614 stretch the working time to as much as 90 minutes depending on how often the vacuum detects dirt around the house. Moreover, it takes less than 180 minutes to fully charge the device and since it is self-charging, you don’t have to worry about that part.

The robot comes with an RCON sensor which at the time of low battery contacts the room confinement sensor, so the vacuum can drive itself to the dock. Also, there is a full battery indicator light that tells you when a new cleaning cycle can be started. The company offers a separate one-year warranty for batteries to protect your investment.

Brushes

We have already discussed the three-stage cleaning process employed by this vacuum, however, we have not mentioned the components that work collectively to make sure the three-stage process works up to the mark. The vacuum cleaner is equipped with a large and small brush roll. The former has stiff bristles to loosen up stubborn and sticky material while the latter has soft and tiny bristles for polishing the floor. One of the brushes moves in an anti-clockwise direction while the other one moves in clockwise direction i.e. both move towards each other. This motion leads to the lifting up of all kinds of debris whether small or large.

While the brushes are durable and can undergo more than a few months of cleaning, they do need replacement after every few months to ensure proper cleaning. If not replaced after regular intervals, it will start leaving debris here and there.

Navigation system

One of the most important parts of our iRobot Roomba 614 review is the navigation system. In a nutshell, it is as good as this robot vacuum as a whole.

What good is a robot vacuum if it keeps on colliding with things, keeps on falling off the stairs, and does not detect dirt? Well! For Roomba 614 none of these things pose as a threat since the vacuum comes with a precise and accurate navigation system. It comes with intelligent software that is highly responsive to all of its sensors and is used in combination with the robot’s iAdapt technology. However, to keep the vacuum cleaner’s navigation system on point, make sure you regularly clean any dust accumulated on the top.

Thanks to the navigation system and the construction of the vacuum cleaner, you will never see the vacuum wobble even on uneven surfaces. The vacuum cleaner weighs 7.5 pounds and has a rugged pair of wheels with an anti-scratch tread that not only improves the traction but also helps in better and precise navigation.

Operation and maintenance

Operating a Roomba 614 is as easy as pressing a button. Since this robotic vacuum is one of the most basic ones and does not have any scheduling options, the cleaning process begins as soon as the button is pressed. The first thing it does is zig-zag around the space you want to clean, this is when the vacuum is looking for dirt. Also, during this time, the machine analyzes whether the battery level is enough to clean the area and the dirt in it if it is not. The machine moves back to its charging dock.

If you are looking for the basic iRobot model of the 600 series, but with a scheduling feature, you can check out our Roomba 652 or Roomba 671 reviews.

Since this iRobot Roomba 614 robot vacuum is particularly a small one. The dustbin is needed cleaning every now and then. If you have a large space or the floor is particularly dirty, you might have to empty the bin in between the cleaning process as well. Unfortunately, you will have to do this blindly since this robot does not come with a full bin indicator. You can either do it by checking the suction of the machine or by visually analyzing is the machine is properly cleaning or not. Once the bin starts reaching its capacity, suction power is lost.

Another thing that needs cleaning as the bin is cleaned is the AeroVac filter that collects all the dirt, debris, and hair. Cleaning is regularly is a part of Room 614 maintenance. If you regularly clean and wash the filter, you might not have to buy a new one as time progresses. However, if you don’t clean it regularly, you might have to get a new one after a few months.

As for moving on and cleaning the floors, you will have to do that on your own. Why? Well! Unfortunately, we still have not reached the level of technological sophistication where our robots are able to climb stairs and clean them. Even if you leave your Roomba 614 on the stairs, it might fall and end up damaging itself.

Design and dimensions

Design-wise, Roomba 614 is very similar to other iRobot entry-level robot vacuums. We do see some minor differences but to most, all the entry-level robot vacuums from iRobot look the same. This particular vacuum cleaner was designed to fit under beds and furniture for more rigorous cleaning.

Most of the iRobot models have roughly the same dimensions and size. This particular model is 13.9 inches in diameter and 3.6 inches in height. Hence, if you want your Roomba to clean under the furniture as well, you will need a clearance of this vacuum cleaner’s dimensions. If you have furniture that is sitting closer to each other than 14 inches, you might want to separate them before you start the cleaning process.

Roomba users don’t usually have to pick up the machine manually since it does enough work on its own and is pretty good at detecting dirty areas, still, it only weighs 7.9 pounds and in case you have to pick it up, you will not have any trouble. Sometimes, the Roomba might have difficulty moving on drastic level changes like from a thick rug or carpet to base floor or vice versa. In these cases, you may have to help you with a little robot.

Accessories

Since this iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner is an entry-level robot vacuum, you cannot expect it to come with a load of accessories. The only accessories included in the package are the vacuum’s charging dock, its cleaning tools, and the AeroVac filter, the charging base looks like a square like a cylinder and can be placed anywhere in the vicinity of the vacuum. As soon as the robot charges its battery is about to end, it makes its way out to the charging dock.

Apart from this, every iRobot vacuum comes with an extra filter. As already mentioned if you are regularly clean and wash your filters and keep on alternating them, you might not have to buy a new one during the lifetime of your robot. Last is the cleaning tool which looks like a small comb. This cleaning tool is used to remove any debris, hair, or strings that have been stuck on the brushed of the machine. You can use your hands but then you will be at risk of getting blade cuts.

Warranty

Warranty is extremely important when you are buying gadgets that are out of the box like a robot vacuum cleaner. The Roomba 614 does not come with a very extensive warranty plan, but it is better than nothing. It comes with a one-year liability warranty which means if there is an issue with the programming of the robot or any of the parts malfunction before one years’ time is over, the company will get it fixed or replaced. The company itself ill determine how the warranty issues will be handled.

Apart from this, you will have 30 days return period in case you don’t like the product. Lastly, the company lets you purchase an extended warranty as well for your peace of mind.

Final thoughts

Concluding iRobot Roomba 614 review, we want to share our thoughts.

If you want to spend money and get more and more features, of course, there are no bounds but if you only want a basic cleaner with good cleaning abilities, then this robot vacuum cleaner is the one.

As mentioned, it has a three-stage cleaning process that will give you squeaky clean floors and a debris-free area. The best part is it can clean all the pet and human hair running around in the house.

It does not have a HEPA filter. But if you are positive you don’t have allergic people in your house, this will not affect you a tiny bit.

Otherwise, you can pay attention to the budget robot vacuum ILIFE V5S Pro, which has a filter with the HEPA standard.