iRobot Roomba E5 vs E6: Main Differences Analysis

It’s no surprise that you’re considering a Roomba as your robot vacuum. They’re some of the top vacuums on the market with easy to use interface, automatic return to their charging ports, and even budget-friendly options for a clean house without breaking the bank. There are a lot of Roombas out there now though, so even if you’ve narrowed your options down to Roombas, you might still struggle with your choice between the Roomba e5 and e6 vacuum cleaners.

Both of these Roombas have some similar features, mostly since the later version is just an update of the Roomba e5. Yet they aren’t the same vacuum cleaners, and have some distinct features that make each of them unique—and which might make one of these Roombas the best robot vacuum to help you keep your home looking clean.

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Roomba E5 vs. E6: Main Points To Note

The Roomba e5 vacuum cleaner does include one extra high-efficiency filter that is preinstalled into the vacuum, and so does the Roomba e6. The difference is that the later version also has a replacement filter vs Roomba e5, which means that you pay less in the end
The Roomba e5 does not have any virtual wall barriers vs the Roomba e6 vacuum cleaner has two barriers
Both do not have any virtual mapping that you can set up prior to cleaning
It is generally easier to get your hands on the Roomba e5, whereas the e6 robot vacuum might require you to look around for it in select stores
They both run at 90 minutes before you need to charge them, which will take three hours
You can get the Roomba e6 robotic vacuum for a less expensive price even with all the additional accessories that come with it
Control both Roombas from an app on your phone
If color does matter for you, you’ll notice that the Roomba e5 robotic vacuum has an all-black appearance to it, while the Roomba e6 robot vacuum has both a black and tan body

Roomba E5 Advantages and Benefits

Pricing

While it is true that you can get the later version for a fairly inexpensive price, the Roomba e5 robot vacuum isn’t overtly expensive either between Roomba e5 vs e6. It’s also a good option to choose if you already have virtual walls from another Roomba and don’t need to spent the money to buy them with the e6 robot vacuums. If you don’t need the extra features that come with the Roomba e6, you don’t need to worry about buying this newer option.

Navigation

You have the ability to use the buttons on top of the Roomba to get it to begin cleaning. This is a great option if you don’t want another app clogging up your phone, or if you just don’t think you’ll ever look at your phone. You also have sensors though, which help with the overall smart navigation of the Roomba. Even without virtual walls, the Roomba e5 is made using a system that will let it bump gently into items before zig-zagging around. Thanks to those sensors too, your Roomba will know to adjust based on the flooring, and won’t fall off of high stairs.

Filtration

You won’t need to worry about allergies when you have the Roomba e5 robot vacuum. This is because between roomba e5 vs e6, the e5 comes with a high-efficiency filter preinstalled. Just let it go and it will begin collecting 99 percent of all mold, mildew, pet hair, and any other allergens in the air. With the brush rolls on the bottom of this vacuum too, you won’t have more dust flying into the air and it is ideal for pet hair.

Roomba E5 Cons

Virtual Walls

Another Roomba e5 vs e6 biggest issue is the Roomba e5 is that you have less control over the path of the vacuum. You can get it to begin cleaning just as easily as the Roomba e6, but you can’t set up virtual walls to stop it from entering certain rooms or areas. If this isn’t something that bothers you, it may not be much of a problem, but it might irritate you if there’s a room you don’t want your vacuum to go.

Extras

When talking about e5 vs Roomba e6 extras, you do have more extra features on the Roomba e6—that’s true. It’s also true that the e6 has one more filter that is included with your purchase. They both have the same filters, but the e6 having one more means that you don’t need to spend as much for another filter, something that you can’t do with your purchase of the e5.

Controls

Both of these Roombas have easy controls that you can command from your phone or right from the top of the Roomba. If you would like to use voice commands though, you can only do that from the Roomba e6 by pairing your vacuum with Alexa or another device. If you don’t use voice controls regularly, this may not be something that bothers you.

Roomba e6 Advantages and Benefits

Navigation

You have a lot of options for navigation when it comes to the e6. You can pair it with technology like Alexa and give it voice commands, or use the buttons on top to get it to begin cleaning. You can even use the app on your phone, but you can do that with the e5 as well. The big difference here is the fact that you’re able to set up virtual walls with this Roomba, which ensure that it doesn’t go into any rooms that you don’t want it in.

Extras

You do get an extra filter when you pick up the e6, and with the virtual walls too, this might be enough for you to want to spend some money on these features. These certainly add to what you already have, and will ensure that you can actually save a little money both on filters and on the virtual wall.

Self-Cleaning

Sure, both of these Roombas are self-cleaning, meaning that they will just do the work for you, but the e6 is just a little bit better when it comes to cleaning if only because it has the extra cliff detect sensors to detect dirt and dust, and to stop from bumping into your walls. Just set it and let it go, especially since it has two extra virtual walls to help you clean the dirt and benefit from its dirt detect technology.

Roomba E6 Cons

Pricing

It’s true that the e6 does cost you $100 more, which may not be worth it if you don’t think you’ll really need to worry about the virtual wall or the extra filter. In the end, both vacuums do clean very well, after all, and there isn’t a big difference between the side brush rolls or other cleaning options. You can even handle the navigation from your phone or from directly on top of the vacuum.

Nothing too different

The thing is that the e6 is very similar to the e5, which isn’t necessarily a problem, but considering the fact that you’re paying extra money for the e6, it might be irritating that you’re really not paying for too much more. You get many of the same features compared to the e5, including the app, the battery life level, and the cleaning capabilities.

Coloring

This is such a small thing, but you may not like the tan color of the e6. If you’re looking for something sleek for your home, you may prefer the e5 from Roomba e5 vs e6 roomba.

Winner: If you want to skip ahead, know that the editor’s choice was the e6 from E series.

What’s the Difference Between Them?

There are so many Roomba models out there besides E series like e5 and e6 like the irobot roomba i7, and they’re definitely not all the same. You can pick a Roomba or irobot roomba, but it might be vastly different as compared to other models. You also might have two models that are a little too similar for you to pick out the difference right away—that’s the two e5 and e6. So, leave it to us to go through the features of all robotic vacuums, and to learn more about the E series of Roombas specifically e5 and e6 that you’re choosing from.

Cleaning Abilities and Prowess

Cleaning is important. You might like how your vacuum looks and find the set up to be easy, but you’re probably more concerned about how well your vacuum actually does what it’s made to do: clean. You need a vacuum to clean everything from the area underneath furniture to the corners off to the side.

That’s where the Roomba shines. If you pick up each of these vacuums, you’ll see the same kind of set up. Look for the centrally-located dual rubberized brushroll between two larger wheels. As your little Roomba rolls over debris, it’ll capture it. There are spinning side brush too on the side of the vacuum, which will work to shift debris on the outer corners into the path of the suction and which are great for picking up pet hair better than other vacuums.

Don’t worry about your Roomba bumping into the corners as it goes along either, because both Roombas include edge sweeping sensors that ensure that you won’t end up with dents in your walls or in your robot.

Choose either robot for suction or for handling allergies, since they both excel at sucking up even the fine particles in the air. The suction is great even in regular mode, but don’t be afraid to use the suction power to grab even tough messes.

Winner: They tie on cleaning.

Design

You buy with your eyes. Plus, you don’t want an ugly vacuum in your home, even if you’ll only see it when it zooms on by during its cleaning. It’s good then that both of these Roomba models are made to be sleek, rounded, and with a low profile to them.

They have the same basic Roomba shape that you’ve come to expect, and which makes it possible for your Roomba to slip underneath your furniture and into small corners that you can’t get when you buy other vacuums.

Between the e5 and e6 though, there’s one big difference and that’s color. With the newer version, you have a standard black body and an option to get a tan color, as well as silver accents. That tan color may be difficult to find though, as it’s only available in select retailers. The e5 will be entirely black, a look that you might prefer.

You might not care too much about the color as long as your vacuum cleans, but you do have a few more options with the e6. If you just want a sleek black vacuum though, there’s no reason to worry about color—just pick the e5.

More of less though, the design on these two vacuums is very similar. They both have the Clean, Home, and Spot options right on top that you can use to control the vacuum if you don’t want to use your app.

Winner: You’ll want to choose the e6 if you’re concerned about colors, but otherwise, you can choose either vacuum.

Navigation

The best part about both of these Roombas is that you have Smart Navigation, meaning that they will stay on track and keep cleaning in new areas. Their sensors will prevent them from running into things or from falling off of ledges. They even both navigate back to the charging station when they’re running low on battery life.

They each even have the dirt detect technology at charging station that ensures that you get even the dirt in your tough areas.

Winner: With all the navigation features that they share, this one is a tie.

Features and Functions

In terms of function, both the Roomba e5 and e6 robot vacuums have a lot of similarities. This means that you can use them well on hardwood flooring or carpeting, although you do want to make sure to be careful when you’re using them on high-pile carpeting.

You might take a look at the washable dust bin on the Roomba e5 and notice that it seems smaller, but really, there’s not a hugely significant difference between the two of them from E series. You might just end up needing to take a few more trips to empty out the Roomba e5 washable dust bin.

The really amazing part about both of these vacuums is the included washable filter that they come with. This means that you can reuse it. You do have an extra included filter with the e6, but this might not be something that encourages you to get the newest model, especially since the washable filters can be bought fairly easily online.

You already know that the later version includes two virtual walls that the Roomba e5 robot vacuum doesn’t have. There is no preset sort of navigation that you can program with either of these, but they do have navigation that allows them to move in various directions rather than just in circles. That navigation will help them find the dirt, since they do have dirt sensors, and sensors that prevent them from falling off of ledges to become damaged.

Use them both for their entire 90 minutes of charge with the cleaning rubber brushes they have along the middle and edges.

Winner: For the most part, these two vacuums work the same, although the Roomba e5 has a slightly smaller dust bin, while the e6 includes two virtual walls. This makes the e6 comes the winner in terms of functionality.

Accessories They Come With

In terms of extras, this is where the Roomba e6 comes really shines—because the Roomba e5 robot vacuum doesn’t have any extra accessories at all. You can use the e5 with virtual wall though if you choose to buy those separately.

The later version on the other hand does include those virtual walls, which means that you’re able to block off areas of your home that you don’t want your Roomba to clean in.

Winner: The clear winner here is the e6 Roomba.

Bang for your Buck

You can look at accessories or navigation or cleaning, but with so many of these categories being so similar, what you’ve really got to think about is which Roomba will give you the most for your money.

Think about what you’re getting when you get the e6 Roomba: it comes with two virtual wall, along with the extra washable filter. This model does cost more than the e5 vacuum cleaners, but you do get more accessories with it. You’ll need to buy the extra filters and the virtual walls yourself when you buy the e5—if you need them.

Winner: The e6 is the winner here, although really, if you don’t need the virtual walls and you’re fine with buying the extra filter, it might not make sense for you to pay the extra money to get it. It works best if you have areas that you don’t want your Roomba to go.

Connectivity

Let’s talk about technology too. You can connect both of these to the Wi Fi, but if you’re having trouble with it, this might be more annoying than just clicking the buttons on the top.

The technology and connectivity on both of these is basically the same though. You can connect wirelessly for some hands-off control using your phone, where you can use mapping and set schedules. It’s great that both models connect quickly and easily too, and that the connection stays stable throughout the day too. Just control your Roomba from your app, which is easy to do regardless of which model you use—the app is more or less the same.

Winner: The app you’re using is the same for each model, and the connectivity is equally easy as well. This makes connectivity a tie between the Roomba e5 and e6 E series.

Conclusion

Truly, both of these vacuums will clean your home well. You can’t choose one that doesn’t work well, since they pick up debris equally well. In the end though, it’s the e6 that stands out. It just has the extra features that put it one step ahead of the e5, and all of the same features that the e5 has as well.You might not need all the extra features it though, and may not want to spend the extra money. In that case, the e5 is still a great option, since it isn’t all too different from the newer model.