iRobot Roomba e5 Vs e6: Which Is A Better Buy?

In this review, we’ll give you a detailed comparison between the Roomba e5 and the Roomba e6 to provide you with a better understanding of both so that you can choose which product will suit your needs the best.

Our Verdict

Both the Roomba e5 and the e6 are almost identical with pretty much the same features, so you’re not missing out much if you go with either of the products. The Roomba e6 gets some extra in-box accessories such as a new high-efficient filer and two Virtual Wall Barriers, which will help you in the future and make the Roomba e6 in our opinion a better value for money. But if you feel like you don’t need the extra stuff just now and save some money, then go for the Roomba e5. If you want a budget robot vacuum cleaner, then these two are the best options in the market, and you won’t have any significant issues with them, just don’t expect any high-end features.

Roomba e5 Vs Roomba e6: Comparison Chart

Differences

1. Virtual Wall Barriers

If you want the robot to clean specific areas and don’t run off to other places or don’t want it to knock off your pet’s bowl, that’s when these wall barriers come into play. The Wall Barriers create an infrared beam and block certain areas such as entrances and exits for the robot. The Roomba e6 comes with 2 of these Wall Barriers while the e5 does not. If you want to block certain areas of your house, then the e6 model is a clear winner here.

2. Filter

Every device needs maintenance, and when we talk about a cleaning device, the essential part of it is the filter. The filters in both the are high-efficient filters which are to be replaced every 5-6 months. Both the filters are HEPA quality filters but without the HEPA certification, which increases the cost. The filters are the same, which used to get tested with the certification.

With the Roomba e6, you get an extra filter inside the box, which can you a lot of time and money as you won’t need to buy new parts from iRobot for at least a year. This is a better deal, in my opinion, and makes the e6 a winner, again.

3. Color Options

The Roomba Roomba e5 and e6 are almost identical, which would have made it impossible to differentiate between the two. That’s why the company decided to give the e6 a silver accent on the upper area, which offers a distinct look compared to the all-black e5 model.

Similarities

1. Suction Power

Both the models feature new and improved suction power, which is 5x more potent than the old 600 series, as claimed by iRobot. Better suction power will result in better cleaning as the robots will be able to quickly suck up dust particles, dirt, and debris (large or small).

In our review, both the models performed exceptionally well. They picked up 100% debris on hardwood, 99.75% debris on low pile carpets, and 99.5% debris on high pile carpets. This kind of cleaning is found on the high-end i7 and i7 plus models.

2. Pet Allergens

According to iRobot, it is most suitable for pet owners as it is designed to filter out 99% pet allergens along with pet hair. So if you have pets but are allergic to them, then both of these models will reduce the allergens and bring you and your pet even closer.

3. Washable Dustbins

One of the best hardware features of both these models is a new washable Dustbin, something which is absent from the older models. The new dustbins can be detached from the robot and rinsed under water for thorough cleaning. Keep in mind that the filter is not washable, so make sure you remove it from the bin.

4. Dirt Detect Technology

The series features iRobot’s Dirt Detect Technology. The vacuum can repeatedly drive over the surface until the area is cleaned.

Features And Technical Specifications Of Roomba e5

• Design And Appearance

Just like the other Roomba models, the Roomba e5 also is built in a round shape. The top houses the three local control buttons the even the iRobot logo. A small handle is also present to carry the robot back to the charging station if it dies before getting to the charging dock.

The robot is pretty compact, with 13.3 inches wide and 3.6 inches tall. It will easily reach tight spaces and does a decent job.

• iAdapt2.0

Navigation is crucial to the functioning of a vacuum robot as it is supposed to do most of the cleaning on its own.

The series does not come with a camera and mapping system, but the sensors and AI do a great job of detecting obstacles. The robot slows down and bumps into objects softly to check if it can pass through particular objects such as curtains. If it cannot pass through, then it changes direction.

• High-efficiency filters

The Roomba e5 comes with a new filter which the company calls ‘high-efficiency filter.’ The filter sucks up 99% of dust, mold, pollen, allergens, and also pet allergens down to 3 microns. The robot makes sure that your home is free of any allergens, and it works well. As we mentioned, this e Series targets the pet owners.

• Smartphone And Voice Control

Having a Wi-Fi enabled vacuum cleaner has its perks. You can control it with the help of the iRobot app. You can also schedule cleaning sessions, view the battery level, receive alerts when the dustbin is full.

Along with that, you can also connect Roomba with Google Assistant or even Amazon Alexa to control the device handsfree. Yet another level of convenience.

• Battery

The Roomba e5 comes with a 3300 MaH battery life, which provides enough juice for cleaning a small area (less than 1100 sq ft). The Runtime, as mentioned by the company, is 90 mins. Many other Roomba products provide a better battery life than 90 mins, but they are also more expensive than the e5.

The robot has an automatic charging feature, which will help the robot get back to its charging dock before it runs out of juice. But unfortunately, the robot doesn’t resume the cleaning after it is fully charged, that feature is reserved only for the higher-end models.

Features And Technical Specifications Of Roomba e6

• Design and Appearance

As I have mentioned earlier that both the models are almost identical. The e6 has silver accents on the top with the three control buttons, the iRobot logo. The center button is used to wake up the robot and start a cleaning cycle. In both the models, first, you will have to pause the cleaning cycle by pressing the center button again and then give the other commands.

The Roomba e6 also has the same dimensions as the e5 and does a pretty good job. The silver accents on its face give the Roomba e6 a pretty distinctive look, and it’s the only difference between the e5 and the e6.

• iAdapt 2.0

The Roomba e6 also runs on iAdapt2.0 and includes features like Dirt Detect Technology and Cliff Sensors. With the e6, you will get two Dual-channel Virtual Wall Barriers to stop it from going areas. The Wall Barriers shoot an infrared beam up to 10 ft both horizontally or vertically, which creates a virtual invisible Wall for the robot. Great for blocking specific entrances.

It also has ‘halo mode,’ which instead of a straight line creates a circle of infrared beams, and the robot will not enter that circle, which is excellent for protecting particular objects. The e5 also works with Wall Barriers, but you will have to purchase them for the e5 separately.

• High-efficiency filter

The Roomba e6 also comes with the same ‘high efficient filter” and works pretty much the same as the e5. One difference is that the e6 comes with an extra filter inside the box so that you won’t have to buy a new filter at least a year.

Both the filters are HEPA quality filters, but they don’t get the proper HEPA certification anymore. Many companies, including iRobot, stopped getting certifications from HEPA a few years ago. I still don’t get it why they did that, maybe to save cost, who knows. But iRobot always makes sure that the buyers get peace of mind as this is the same filter that used to go through the HEPA certification.

• Smartphone and voice control

The e6 also comes with Wi-Fi connectivity and other functionalities. You can do everything on the e6 that you can do on the e5. You can use the app to monitor and schedule cleaning sessions, receive alerts, and also view the cleaning history.

The e6 also works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

• Battery

The Roomba e6 also comes with the same 3300 MaH battery that is present in the e5. It also has a 90 minutes runtime, but in our tests, it ran a bit longer than the e5; don’t’t know why. You still don’t want to clean a big area with this one, though, as it will run out of juice.

This one also comes with an automatic charging feature but lacks the resume cleaning option. So the same functionality as the e5.

What’s In The Box?

Roomba e5

The Roomba e5 box contains the robot itself, a charging station/dock, power cable, and user manual.

Roomba e6

The Roomba e6 comes with some extra accessories as well. So the box contains the robot itself, a charging station/dock, power cable, an additional ‘high-efficiency filter”, 2 Virtual Wall Barriers, and user manual.

Overview of Roomba e5

The Roomba e5 is an excellent vacuum cleaner at the pricepoint. It offers unique features and decent battery life. The various sensors present on the robot make it a brilliant cleaner with high cleaning power. The HEPA quality high efficient filter with a 3-stage cleaning system provides the best cleaning experience, equivalent to the higher-end models. This is a good option for people who are tight on the budget and just want something to get the work done. You should also check out how Roomba e5 is in comparison to i7.

Overview Of Roomba e6

The Roomba e6 is essentially the same device as the e5, but I still think that it’s a better buy just because of the accessories you are getting with it. It also comes with HEPA quality high efficient filter to provide excellent cleaning performance. I believe that people should go with this model as it offers more value for money.

FAQs

Bottom Line

We hope this detailed review has given you clarity in your decision to buy either of the two products. Don’t forget to check out last-minute sales before purchasing the product. Knowing what to buy and the best place to buy it can save you a lot of money.