iRobot Roomba 650 vs 880 – Which One is the Best?

Last Updated on October 30, 2022 by Sharaj

Since robot vacuum cleaners are getting more popularity these days, you may see that there are hundreds of different models to choose from.

And because of that, we bring you a comparison between 2 of the best ones out there, the iRobot Roomba 650 and the iRobot Roomba 880.

Let’s check out the iRobot Roomba 650 vs 880 Comparison below:

Roomba 650 vs 880:

(Summary of Major Differences)

I think that if you came this far, it is clear that both models have their pros and cons. But we found that there were some of these features that were more important than others.

The Battery: Let’s begin with battery duration and performance. The 880 can continuously vacuum with an even pattern for about 2 hours without supervision, while the 650 can last of only an hour and you may need to be around to give it a hand if it gets stuck with any furniture.

Suction Power: The suction power of the 880 is five times more powerful than that one of the 650. Roomba 880 will be able to remove most particles in a matter of seconds with only one pass, while the 650 may need a few passes to do this.

Navigation System: And finally, the navigation system or the AI. It is impressive that the 880 can maneuver and thoroughly clean many rooms with the use of the lighthouses and its cleaning system. Yeah, the 650 can use lighthouses as well, but you can’t be sure that it will clean in a constant pattern.

Roomba 880 Features & Overview

Roomba 650 Features & Overview:

Also read: What is the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner?

Roomba 650 vs. 880 Design Differences & Similarities

Let’s begin by comparing the overall design of these models. When we focus on the top side of the cleaners, we can see that there is a slight difference when it comes to button count. The 650 has a total of 8 buttons on the top of it, while the 880 only has five buttons.

The 650 has more buttons since you can configure a cleaning schedule with these. The thing is, the 880 has fewer buttons since it also includes a remote, so you don’t have to pick up the Roomba to configure it. It may seem like a more straightforward design, but it is also more comfortable to use.

Plus, the 650 has a handle, so it is easier for you to carry around or to pick it up. But to be honest, you won’t use it a lot, since these Roombas are supposed to go through most spaces on their own.

The one thing that these models have in common is a release lever on the back. This release lever lets loose the dustbin that can be detached, cleaned and replaced in a matter of minutes for both models.

How the Roomba 650 vs. 880 Clean

Each one of these models relies on a different kind of brush or bristles for cleaning. The 880 has a set of rubber extractors instead of the old-reliable bristles. On the other hand, the 650 has a dual brush system integrated.

The rubber extractors on the 880 are easier to clean, and they are much more thorough when it comes to removing dirt. The only downside to these extractors is the fact that they will get stuck if you have a pet with long hair or a carpet with a thinner weave.

The 650, on the other hand, comes in handy if you need to remove bigger dust particles. The bristles will take out most of the dust, but they will struggle a lot when it comes to pet hair. Even the thinnest hair can get stuck on the bristles, so you may have to clean the bristles every time you want to use it.

To be honest, there are a few models that work perfectly with pet hairs. If you ignore this detail, both models are decent when it comes to cleaning capacity.

Roomba 650 vs. 880 Maneuverability Differences

The 650 moves in a very straightforward way. Once it senses a collision with an object, it “bounces” to the opposite direction. This means that it will clean corners and tight spaces with ease, but it will always be bumping into many objects to do this.

Moving on, the 880 will use the IR scanner to slow down just before it bumps into an object. This is an excellent feature since it is a guarantee that it won’t leave any scuff marks or crash marks when colliding with a purpose. The downside to this is that it won’t clean corners as well as the 650 does.

Roomba 650 vs 880 Pros & Cons

We mentioned many different features, but to give you a clearer idea, look at some of the pros and cons we found on both models.

Roomba 650

Pros

  • The smart schedules can come in handy if you are not home for most of the day
  • You can leave it running at night since it does not make much noise when running
  • You can get the basics of it pretty easily

Cons

  • It may leave scuff marks on furniture

Roomba 880

Pros

  • Since it comes with a remote, you don’t have to be too close to it for it to work.
  • It includes a set of HEPA filters, for a more thorough cleaning
  • It has a greater suction power than most models
  • It contains two lighthouses so you can clean multiple rooms at once

Cons

  • The sensors are not as precise as you would want them to be
  • It is a lot more expensive than the 650

It is clear that the 880 is superior to the 650 in a general scenario. But to be honest, you can find more utility in the features of the 650 depending on what you are looking for.

Here you can find some of the best alternative to roomba that might suit your needs too.

Roomba 650 vs 880 Size & Dimensions

When it comes to size, the 880 is a little bit taller and wider than the 650. And by little, we mean just 0.9 and 0.1cms in difference.

The dimensions for the 880 are 35.9 cm wide x 9.1 cm high. On the other hand, the 650 goes for 35 cm x 9.2 cm. As we mentioned, there is not much difference when it comes to dimensions.

Several Roomba models are almost the same height. This is because this exact height and width are just perfect for the Roomba to fit in small spaces and under furniture.

Roomba 650 vs. 880 Accessories, Parts & Batteries

There are a few things that can change your mind about a specific model. For example, how much time does the battery last and how much accessories are included once you purchase it?

The most common accessories for these cleaners are lighthouses. They may seem like a goofy and small accessory, but if you have many rooms, you can find them very useful. They are doors that allow cleaner to move through rooms.

These lighthouses will deny the entrance to a particular room. Once the Roomba is finished cleaning an area, the lighthouse will receive a signal, and it will deactivate leading the robot to the next room.

The accessories on these models are standard issue. Bear in mind that you can also find many other accessories or spare parts online.

Whereas the 650 comes with a single lighthouse that needs no extra batteries. On the other hand, the 880 has 2 of these, but it does require an extra set of batteries.

The 650 also is shipped with an extra filter, an aerovac tool, and a flat cleaning tool. On the other hand, the 880 includes both lighthouses, an additional HEPA filter, an aerovac and remote control.

Another feature clients look out for is the battery life. At least with these models, there is not much of a problem since they both get back to their charging stations if they detect that the battery is low, which is a neat feature for any Roomba.

While the 880 will run for almost 2 hours straight until it needs its battery recharged, the 650 will run for nearly an hour. If you have a small room to clean, an hour will do just fine. But if you are looking to sweep a broader environment, the 800 is the best option.

Unboxing & Setup

Roomba 880 Unboxing & Testing:

Roomba 650 Testing

If you spend 30 minutes setting up a simple device, you are officially losing your time. Most devices nowadays can be configured and ready to use in less than 30 minutes, a bit more if you must find an online guide.

And in the case of these models, you won’t take more than 15 minutes setting them up. They are pretty straightforward, and the controls are very intuitive. It is not a supercomputer you are powering up, so you may not need the user’s manual at all.

If by any chance, you feel that you need help, don’t worry! Each model comes with a detailed and well-explained users guide that will guide you through each step of the process. There is a chance that the user’s manual is not clear enough, so there is still another way that you can get help.

And if you feel you are still lost somewhere in the dark side of the moon after reading the manual, you can get in contact with the iRobot support. The support team will make sure that you don’t have any doubts, and in case you need it they will also explain how to fix any problem you have with your model.

Which Model is Quieter?

So far, we have proved that the 880 has a lot more features than the 650. But at least in this section, the 650 comes out victorious.

The 650 model is one of the quietest models out there. When compared to many other models it is no surprise that it is quieter since it is designed primarily for that.

Contrarily, the 880 makes a lot more noise, but this is because it has a greater suction power. In most cases, you will notice that the higher, the suction power the noisier the Roomba.

Cleaning Tests

Hardwood Floor Performance

Both the 650 and the 880 are designed to find the dirt, suck it in and move on until they see an obstacle. The thing is, the 880 has an intelligent cleaning system that ensures a cleaner floor when compared to its predecessors (yup, the 650 is included).

We found that the 880 gathered up about 95% of the dirt without any problem, while the 650 could round up 85%.

On the other hand, the 880 maintained a more constant pattern thanks to the before mentioned intelligent cleaning system. Also, the suction power is much more significant meaning that it will pick up both big and small particles of dust and dirt.

At least when it comes to hardwood floors, the clear winner is the 880. Once you turn the 880 on a smooth surface, you can be sure that it will go to its charging station with the dustbin full and the rubber extractors unclogged.

Carpet Performance (Low Pile & High Pile)

Carpets are usually like kryptonite for Roombas, regardless if it is a low or high pile. They will go through it anyway, but there are some models that offer a more thorough cleaning process.

When we tested the 650 with low and medium pile carpet, we were surprised to see that the bristles still removed a significant percentage of the dirt, 90% to be exact. We can assume that this is because of the dual brush system brushing the dust from the carpet.

On the other hand, the 880 did perform well on a low pile, but it had a hard time going through a medium and high pile carpet. This is because the rubber extractors began to pull thin loose fibers of the carpet, and these fibers ended up stuck on the extractors.

While both didn’t make it to the high pile carpets, the 650 proved to be worthy of a medium pile one. As we said, this is most likely to happen because of their different ways of removing dirt and dust.

Pet Hair Removal

There are many vacuums nowadays that have problems with pet hairs, and Roombas are no exception.

For our first tests, we decided to bring a pet with shorter thicker hair. For this test, both the 650 and the 880 removed 95% of the hair. The problem began when we brought out the big guns, or in this case, a pet with longer thinner hair.

With just a few passes, both the dual brushes and the rubber extractors began to gather a massive amount of hair instead of sucking it to the dustbin. This ended in a mess since both models could not suck in more dust since they were clogged with the pet hairs.

Overall, the 880 took more time to clog, and it is easier to clean. It took us less time to take the hairs of the rubber extractor than from the dual brush.

What One Worth the Price?

In this case, we believe that the best option is the 880. Sure, it is much more expensive than the 650, but it may be worth. Come to think of it. You need to babysit the 650 since it may get stuck. This means that you need to be home while the Roomba is operating.

On the other hand, the 880 will also work with a schedule, and there are fewer chances it gets stuck since it has a better AI. This means that you could be doing your groceries and vacuuming your floors at the same time.

Plus, if you purchase the 880, you will get two lighthouses, which will allow you to clean more rooms. You could clean more than four rooms with the 880 if you find the right place to set the lighthouses.

For someone looking for a cheaper vacuum, the 650 is not a wrong choice. But if you are looking for a Roomba regardless of its price, the 880 is the best option by far. It is a complete model, and it needs less maintenance than the 650.

Bottom Line

Nowadays everyone wants a robot vacuum. These little devices can help you clean full rooms, and it will only take you a few minutes to set it up! These are incredibly efficient, and as days go by robot vacuums become more and more complicated.

You can just leave them be for a few hours, and when you come back, you will find that they vacuumed entire rooms.

In most tests, the 880 not only won by far, but it also proved to be easier to use. Even when we took it to the limits of getting the rubber extractor full of pet hairs, we could remove them in a matter of minutes, if not seconds.

Plus, the extended battery life and the better AI can come in handy if you don’t have the time to babysit the Roomba for an entire hour.

Hopefully, you found this comparison useful. Why don’t you leave us your thoughts in the comment section?

Sharaj is a seasoned cleaning product reviewer. With over six years of experience reviewing products for Cleanthefloor, Sharaj has honed his skills in writing and editing to provide readers with insightful and helpful reviews. Sharaj likes to travel and explore new places during his spare time, especially when trying local dishes.