Roomba 650 vs 655: Pros & Cons and Verdict

Today, there are dozens of manufacturers who claim to be creating the most advanced, reliable and functional robotic vacuums.

iRobot is the famous robotic vacuum manufacturer that has been building quality gadgets for several years now; they have released the most advanced, best-selling and durable smart floor cleaners on the market.

In this comparison article, we’ll be comparing iRobot’s two successful models, Roomba 650 and 655. 

Roomba 650 vs 655: Pros & Cons and Verdict

Before we start comparing Roomba 650 and 655, let’s say a few words about robotic vacuums. Housekeeping can be tedious, time and energy consuming. A lot of people talk about how their lives would be better if smart gadgets existed to automate those processes.

To find out what makes Roomba 650 and 655 unique and whether they are worth the investment, we’ll review, compare and evaluate the most critical aspects of these robotic vacuums.

1. Setup Process

Setting up Roomba 650 and 655 is pretty straightforward. Activating both of these devices takes a few button presses, and it’s an intuitive process with zero chance of you getting lost during it. If you somehow still mess up and can’t figure how to set them up, the packages of Roomba 655 and 650 include a User’s Manual, and it perfectly explains how either of these smart floor cleaners should be activated.

If you can’t find the answer to your query in the user manual, the last option is reaching out to iRobot’s support team at their website. Those guys are fantastic, and you’ll get all the answers you’ve been seeking.

2. Design

It’s not enough for a modern gadget to be functional and practical. With all the features it has, it’s vital for the product to look attractive and shiny. Today, when people start building smart homes, every single person focuses on purchasing well-designed gadgets so that their homes become even more modern and techy.

So it’s essential for our robotic vacuums to be both, functional and attractive. Let’s find out what people have to say about the looks of Roomba 650 and 655.

Roomba 650

Roomba 650 is iRobot’s most successful and best-selling robotic vacuum. With all those useful features and cleaning capabilities it has, Roomba 650 also looks quite attractive. The 650 model is the member of iRobot’s black, minimalistic series, and every Roomba 650 owner I’ve met ultimately fell in love with the smart floor cleaner’s looks.

Besides being visually attractive, we need to know the dimensions of the robotic vacuum since it plays a vital role in cleaning your house. If a robotic vacuum has unwieldy dimensions, it’ll have trouble reaching spots under your beds, stands and furniture in general.

The dimensions of Roomba 650 are 13.4 x 3.6 x 13.4 inches, and it weighs 7.9 pounds. Luckily, Roomba 650 can easily slide under your beds, sofas, tables, etc. If you’re interested in the package of Roomba 650 and would love to know what it includes, I’ll drop a list below for you to check:

• 1x Roomba 650
• 1x Home Base
• 1x Virtual Wall
• 1x Aerovac Filters

It’s a huge plus that it comes with a free Virtual Wall since it’s a critical add-on that makes the robotic vacuum function more effectively and efficiently.

Roomba 655

Roomba 655 is a uniquely designed robotic vacuum that looks different from traditional iRobot models. It seems iRobot wanted to try something different, and they succeeded in doing so. Roomba 655 is one of the most beautiful and original-looking smart floor cleaners on the market.

Firstly, Roomba 655 is a bit of a rarity. You won’t find it as often as the Roomba 650, but whenever you see Roomba 655 at someone’s house, it’ll immediately catch your eye. I’ve personally never met a person who owns a Roomba 655 but I’ve conducted research online, and eight out ten owners were happy with the looks of Roomba 655.

As with the Roomba 650, dimensions play an important role. The dimensions of Roomba 655 are 13.4 x 13.4 x 3.6 inches, and it weighs 7.9 pounds. So the dimensions are nearly identical to those of Roomba 650.

Roomba 655 can easily slide itself into the hardest-to-reach spots and it’ll have zero problems cleaning up the dirt. As for the package of the robotic vacuum, check out the list below:

• 1x Roomba 655
• 1x Air Filter
• 1x Bristle Brush
• 1x Beater Brush
• 1x Edge Sweeper Brush
• 2x Cleaning Tools
• 1x Home Base
• 1x Virtual Wall

Roomba 655 has a lot more to offer than its counterpart, and the free stuff it comes with is a nice gesture. Besides, there are some improvements in those contents, which we’ll discuss more thoroughly in sections below.

3. Performance

We can consider this part of our article the most important because if these robotic vacuums can’t perform at an acceptable level, we should start thinking about alternatives. So let’s find out how well can Roomba 650 and 655 perform and if there’s a significant difference between these two models.

Roomba 650

Roomba 650 is a notable robotic vacuum that is known for being an excellent performer. It has some outstanding features and can do wonders if used correctly.

To begin with, Roomba 650 is a random-cleaning robotic vacuum that has a poor understanding of its surroundings. In other words, Roomba 650 will have a hard time figuring which spots require more or less cleaning.

So to make the most out of our Roomba 650, it’s essential to place the Virtual Walls so that Roomba 650 starts moving more wisely and efficiently.

Suggested Read: Roomba 650 vs 770: Pros & Cons and Verdict

Roomba 650 has a 3-stage cleaning system. It’ll be equally happy to clean tiles, carpets, rugs, laminate and hardwood. It becomes even better when you realise that Roomba 650 auto adjusts on all floor types. For example, if it’s working on laminate and the surface changes, for instance, to a rug, Roomba 650 will automatically adjust its cleaning style.

The running time of Roomba 650 is pretty amazing. We’ve conducted numerous tests and concluded that this robotic vacuum has an excellent, 60-minute runtime.

Also, Roomba 650 has a neat feature called ‘Scheduling’ that enables the owner to schedule cleans throughout the week. For example, you can command your Roomba 650 to clean your house every day at 3 pm.

Lastly, the auto-docking feature makes Roomba 650 even more desirable. When the battery runs low, Roomba 650 will notice, and it’ll return to the docking station to get a full recharge. That’s a cool feature that automates an annoying process.

Roomba 655

Roomba 655 is another random-cleaning robotic vacuum that can’t fully understand what’s where. Like the 650 model, Roomba 655 won’t be able to determine which spots require extra or less cleaning.

When I tested Roomba 655, it seemed like a smarter robotic vacuum. The navigation system of Roomba 655 is slightly different, and it can move around more thoughtfully. If we also place the virtual walls, Roomba 655 will become far more efficient.

To make the most out of your smart floor cleaner, you must place the docking station in an obstacle-free area and pick up everything lying on the floor that might interfere with the cleaning process.

Roomba 655 has enhanced batteries that last longer than the ones Roomba 650 uses. To be more precise, Roomba 655 can work nonstop for 80-90 minutes.

Thanks to the Cliff Detection sensor, Roomba 655 will never fall down the stairs (nor will the Roomba 650). Also, Roomba 655 has a larger dustbin, and it can now hold more dirt than the previous models do.

Note: Roomba 655 doesn’t have a full bin indicator, so you have to manually check it now and then so that you have everything under control. If it gets full and you don’t empty it, Roomba 655 won’t be picking up any more dirt until there’s bin capacity again.

The scheduling feature is somewhat neat too. Roomba 655 can be programmed to clean your house every day (up to 7 times a week or once per day), and it’ll flawlessly obey the command.

4. Features

Another topic we need to address is the features of Roomba 650 and 655. Before we make the purchase, we need to know what features they have and if there is something unique about these smart floor cleaners.

Hence we’ve created a detailed chart that shows the central and crucial features of Roomba 650 and 655.

ROOMBA 655	ROOMBA 650
3-Stage Cleaning System	3-Stage Cleaning System
Self-Recharge & Auto Adjust Floors	Self-Recharge & Auto Adjust Floors
Virtual Wall Technology	Auto Docking
Auto Docking	Convenient Scheduling
Dirt Detection	Virtual Wall Technology
Convenient Scheduling	Dirt Detection
iAdapt Navigation	iAdapt Navigation

Judging from the chart above, Roomba 650 and 655 seem to be identical. There’s a minimal difference between these two smart floor cleaners, and there aren’t any different or significant shifts.

So we can’t say which of these smart floor cleaners has the best features since they share everything mentioned above.

5. Cleaning Capabilities

Here comes the exciting part. The primary reason why people purchase robotic vacuums is their cleaning capabilities. In other words, if a robotic vacuum can’t function at an acceptable level, there’s no use for us to invest in such models.

Roomba 650

As we’ve already said, Roomba 650 is a random-cleaning robotic vacuum, and it’s highly possible for this smart floor cleaner to miss a spot or two. If we want to minimise those cases, it’s essential to place Virtual Walls to help Roomba 650 navigate more efficiently.

We’ve tested Roomba 650 on different surfaces and made it clean dust, fur, hair and fibres. We were amazed by the results. Today, many consider Roomba 650 as an old robotic vacuum and don’t expect much from it.

Surprisingly, Roomba 650 dealt with everything it had to face. The major flaw of Roomba 650 is that it regularly hits the same spot over and over, which results in extra battery consumption. As a result, it can’t use its runtime to its fullest.

If you want to maximise the results of your Roomba 650, you need to babysit it since Roomba 650 is known for being a bit weird. In other words, when you activate Roomba 650 and leave it on its own, there might be cases when the robotic vacuum “loses its bearings” and gets stuck under the furniture. So it’s essential to keep an eye on your Roomba 650 to ensure that it delivers the best results possible.

What makes the Roomba 650 even more attractive is the auto-docking feature. To put it differently, when the battery life runs low, Roomba 650 will automatically notice and will return to its docking station to get a full recharge. That’s an exciting feature that makes the whole automation process a lot easier and enjoyable. 

One of the significant issues of Roomba 650 is the dustbin. A lot of buyers state that it’s somewhat small and it can’t hold a lot of dirt in it. On top of this, Roomba 650 doesn’t have a full bin indicator, so you have to check now and then manually. If the dustbin turns out to be full, it’s essential to empty it. Otherwise, Roomba 650 will not be able to pick up any dirt in the meantime.

Roomba 650 is an impressive build. This smart floor cleaner is perfect for the elimination of pet hair, dust and small bits of debris. Compared to previous generation models, the 650 model reached corners more effectively and picked up 3-4x more dirt.

Frankly, Roomba 650 has excellent cleaning capabilities, and it is one of the most effective, efficient and cost-effective robotic vacuums on the market. Right now, Roomba 650 has thousands of satisfied customers, and over 95% of buyers are happy with their purchase.

Roomba 655

Let’s start heavy. Roomba 655 has a NiCad XLife that will last twice as long (regarding charge and discharge cycles) than the Roomba 650. So the running time of Roomba 655 exceeds the one of 650. There are other noticeable differences between these two models that impact the cleaning capabilities of Roomba 655.

Suggested Read: Roomba 770 vs 880: Pros & Cons and Verdict

According to iRobot, the side brush of Roomba 655 has a new design that makes it easy to remove. The charging base is different too. Roomba 655 has a Dual Voltage Integrated Home Base while the Roomba 650 comes with a Battery Charger and a Home Base (110V). So, yes, at first, Roomba 655 can seem like a robotic vacuum that should be a better performer.

Roomba 655 is also a random-cleaning robotic vacuum that has a poor understating of its surroundings. Roomba 655 might miss some spots pretty often, and manual cleaning can be inevitable.

Roomba 655 is a newer model but it has some flaws of its own, and it’s in no way better than the Roomba 650.

When we tested Roomba 655 on different surfaces and made it clean dust, fur, fibres and sand, results were quite impressive. What I don’t like about this robotic vacuum, however, is that it regularly misses spots and sometimes those places are apparent.

The dustbin is small, and it can’t hold a lot of dirt, so it’s essential to empty it now and then. To be sure that it doesn’t get full during the cleaning process, you should empty the dustbin after every scheduled clean.

Thanks to the enhanced battery life, Roomba 655 can clean nonstop a lot longer. That’s a perfect enhancement since a single charge can now clean up to four-five rooms.

When we activated Roomba 655 (and we tested for a few times), it never once got stuck. It perfectly cleaned all of the dust bunnies and did an excellent job getting the debris next to the baseboard and in the corners. There were cases when Roomba 655 failed to detect dirt, but as a whole, the results were acceptable.

As we said earlier, it’s essential to place the docking station in an obstacle-free area. If there are obstacles nearby, Roomba 655 might fail to dock successfully. If that happens, the battery will eventually run flat and everything will grind to a halt.

6. Advantages and Disadvantages

We’ve discussed some of the most important topics including the cleaning capabilities, features and performance rates. Now, let’s write about the advantages and disadvantages of Roomba 650 and 655.

It’s important to know the pros and cons of these two smart floor cleaners to avoid any misunderstandings before purchasing these robotic vacuums. Hence we’ve created two charts that show the pros and cons of these devices.

Roomba 650

PROS	CONS
iAdapt Navigation	Weak AI
3-Stage Cleaning System	Weak User Experience
Simple to Use
Self-Charge
Smart Cleaning
Good Battery
Relatively Quiet
Smart Schedules
Virtual Wall System
Works With All Floor Types	Purchase Roomba 650

Roomba 655

PROS	CONS
iAdapt Navigation	Weak AI
3-Stage Cleaning System	Weak Navigation System
Simple to Use	Small Dustbin
Dirt Detection
Enhanced Battery Life
Virtual Wall System	Purchase Roomba 655

Judging from the charts above, both of these robotic vacuums have great pros and a few weak spots. Roomba 650 and 655 both have all the essential features that are required to call a robotic vacuum functional.

As for the disadvantages, weak AI and navigation system can be a bit problematic, but it’s nothing serious. It would’ve been better if these two were smarter, but, judging from their price range, it’s normal.

If we compare the pros and cons of Roomba 650 and 655, both smart floor cleaners have a lot in common. They even share the disadvantages. So we can say that Roomba 650 and 655 are almost identical.

7. Support

Having a good support team is vital since when people purchase robotic vacuums, they might get stumped by a particular problem/query. If they can’t find the answer elsewhere, they’ll need to call on the help of customer care.

Luckily, iRobot has a fantastic support team. I’ve reached out to them a few times, and the experience was outstanding. You can reachiRobot’s support via email, phone and live chat. Calling them is the best option since it’s faster and more convenient.

8. Comparison Chart: Roomba 650 vs 655

Before we conclude our article, the last thing I’d like to present is the comparison of Roomba 650 and 655 to find out which one takes the top spot. Below, you’ll find a detailed chart where we compare the most critical aspects of these two.

NAME OF THE ROBOTIC VACUUM	ROOMBA 655	ROOMBA 650
Robotic Vacuum Name	Roomba 655	Roomba 650
HEPA Filters	No	No
Full Bin Indicator	No	No
Smart Cleaning	Yes	Yes
Energy Usage Reports	No	No
Cleaning Style	Random	Random
Modes	None	None
Sensing Qualities	Average	Average
Mobile App	No	No
Noise	Average	Average
Battery Life	High	Average
Power	Weak	Normal
Dimensions Of The Product	13.4 x 13.4 x 3.6 inches	13.4 x 3.6 x 13.4 inches
Problems	Weak AI	Weak AI
Unique Feature	Dirt Detection	None
Warranty	1 Months	1 Months
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So both of these robotic vacuums are functional, effective and popular. People who already own these devices are pretty happy with their purchases. If we take a look at the chart above, it’s obvious that Roomba 650 and 655 have similar features and capabilities.

The only aspect where Roomba 655 beats the 650 model is the battery life. Plus, it has the dirt detection feature that makes it easier for the smart floor cleaner to detect dirt around the house.

The Bottom Line

Roomba 650 and 655 are accessible robotic vacuums that are best-selling products on Amazon. Today, both of these smart floor cleaners have thousands of satisfied customers, and the majority of those customers rate these devices highly.

If we compare Roomba 650 and 655, it’s hard to say which of these two takes the top spot. Today, Roomba 650 is a more popular smart floor cleaner (it’s the best-selling robotic vacuum iRobot has ever released) and boasts being the most successful one.

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Roomba 655 is a newer model that has to prove its worth, and there’s no guarantee it’ll be as functional as the 650 model. So it’s reasonable and logical if we say that the Roomba 650 is a better option. With its popularity, high ratings and positive reviews it surely is a safer buy.

Robotic Vacuum	Roomba 650	Roomba 655
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