Roomba 671 vs 675 (2021): Which Basic Robot Vacuum Is Better?

iRobot’s 600 series is currently its entry-level line of robot vacuums. They’re pure cleaning workhorses designed to get the job done, without too many bells and whistles to speak of. If you’re after a basic robot vacuum that doesn’t break the bank, among your two best choices are the Roomba 671 and the Roomba 675. Here’s a detailed comparison of these two starter vacuums for your home.

Roomba 671 vs 675 Comparison Chart

Design

The Roomba 671 and 675 look identical.

No matter how long you look at and inspect the Roomba 671 and 675, you won’t find any distinguishing features that will tell you which one is which. They’re essentially crafted from the same mold, so you’ll have to look underneath to read product information.

There’s nothing too special about the design of the Roomba 671 and 675, especially compared with the more advanced models. They’re as utilitarian as they can get for market-leading robot vacuums. All control buttons are located at the very center of the robot’s top and there’s a small handle you can pop out to make carrying easier. The dust bin can be ejected by pushing the button at its rear.

Underneath you’ll find the Edge-Sweeping Brush near the front of the machine. This sweeps dirt and debris into the Dual Multi-Surface Brushes which propel them up into the vacuum’s suction. Again, these are all identical between these two Roomba models.

Mapping and Navigation

The Roomba 671 and 675 uses the same navigation system.

Much like design, these two Roomba models are twins in terms of mapping and navigation capabilities. They use the iAdapt navigation system, which utilizes a number of sensors to tell the robot whether they’re bumping into objects, nearing a cliff, or unable to pass under tight spaces.

Compared to the advancements that iRobot has made with their latest models, the navigation features of the Roomba 671 and 675 are pretty basic. When you start a cleaning cycle, either by pressing the big Clean button on the machine or using the iRobot HOME app, the robot vacuum will move in random directions and try to cover as much ground as it can.

While this means it sometimes goes over the same area multiple times, overall it tends to clean a wide enough area per cleaning cycle. Performance also varies depending on how open or complex your floor layout is. Further, it’s recommended that you keep cables and other objects clear off the floor, and keep chairs as out of the way as possible.

Front bumpers safeguard the Roomba 671 and 675 from obstacles and also dampen its momentum so it doesn’t topple objects from side tables and such. There’s also a slight bump at its front which acts as a clearance check to see whether the Roomba can fit under furniture for example.

Cleaning Power

The Roomba 675 uses dirt detect technology which the Roomba 671 doesn’t have.

The same motors power the Roomba 671 and 675. They’re listed at having suction power of 600Pa, which is decent and more than enough to do a thorough job on hardwood floors and carpets. They can struggle a bit of finer particles such as sugar and kitty litter on high pile carpeting, so you might want to run several cleaning cycles to get those out.

Now the biggest, and only, difference between the Roomba 671 and 675 robot vacuums is Dirt Detect technology. The Roomba 675 has Dirt Detect sensors which notify it if there’s a high concentration of dirt or debris in an area. Once alerted, the 675 will spend more time cleaning that spot until it’s satisfied before moving on. This is especially useful if some areas of your home tend to get neglected or when there’s a lot more activity in certain parts of the house like the kitchen.

In general you can expect similar cleaning performance from the Roomba 671. With the same engine and navigation, it will cover just as much ground as the 675 and pull in just as much dirt into its bin. Both have the same bristle-type brushrolls and similar dust bin capacities by the way so maintenance is similar too.

Smart Features

The Roomba 671 and 675 can be controlled remotely via voice control and mobile app.

Perhaps one of the most sought-after features of the Roomba robot vacuums is their Wi-Fi connectivity. Once connected to your home network, you won’t need to manually push the buttons on the unit for it to start cleaning. You simply pair it with your mobile device using the iRobot HOME app to get full control over your Roomba 671 or 675. Moreover, you can set up cleaning schedules up to once per day if you want to have a regular cleaning time.

Like most new smart home devices, these Roomba vacuums can also be controlled via voice assistant. You can speak commands to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to tell the Roomba 671 and 675 to clean, spot clean or return home to its charging dock. Setting this up is pretty easy and won’t take more than five minutes.

Neither robot vacuum has the Recharge and Resume feature of newer models, though they will look for their home base once battery starts going low. They have similar runtimes of 90 minutes, which is plenty for most moderately sized floors. Sometimes they won’t return in time to the charging dock before battery runs out though. Still, having them automatically recharged and ready for the next cleaning cycle is a nice functionality.

Verdict

The Roomba 675 is simply better than the Roomba 671.

As these robot vacuums are practically the same except for the additional Dirt Detect sensors of the Roomba 675, it’s quite easy to recommend it over the Roomba 671. By spending just a bit more, you get that extra cleaning power which is especially useful to ensure cleaner floors. As such, our top recommendation for entry-level robot vacuums is the Roomba 675.

That said, the Roomba 671 isn’t strictly worse, since it has the same smart features and cleaning performance. If you want to save a bit or maybe add an accessory such as a Virtual Wall Barrier, this robot vacuum can offer a bit more bang for the buck.

Last update on 2022-06-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API