Wow my week is gunna suck
ROOOOOOOOOMBA!
Totally worth it. Great for cat hair too. The AeroVac bin will make it pick up a little bit more dirt for cheap.
You can save 10% on an accessory by registering it with iRobot.
When I bought mine from woot, it pulled to the right slightly. I called iRobot and they had me try a few things, but it still pulled to the right. They said no problem, and said they’d send me another and that I could keep the one I had for parts if I needed them.
Also, the SquareTrade warranty is a wise investment because sometimes the batteries on these are so-so.
We love our Roomba. We had 2 cats, a husky and a corgi and it kept up admirably. Yes, we only used it on hardwood and tile, but it was fantastic. You just have to remember to clean it out thoroughly!
It did well on the carpeting as well, but with the resistance, the battery charge/run time was shortened. So plan accordingly for that.
Loved the last one (Roomba Discovery)I had from Woot but after about a year the battery wouldn’t hold a charge and a new battery cost almost as much as I paid for the unit. Anyone know if they’ve improved upon battery life?
How about noise?
I want one, but I’m afraid it will turn into a very expensive dog toy…
This model is great on wood floors and on hard carpet and The dog never gets tired of trying to kill it
Most owners like them a lot: see the ratings on the iRobot page: manufacturer’s (iRobot) page.
These are better than the models from a few years ago, but not as good (supposedly) as the very new models they are just releasing – but then this price is also a small fraction of the price for the new top-of-the-line items.
These systems are well suited to homes that don’t have too much clutter on the floor so the vehicle can drive around efficiently. Of course, they are 80% vacuum cleaner and 20% entertainment.
All in all this seems like a great buy.
Love mine. One of the first things I broke out after a recent re-tilling of the floor. Does a fine job and lets me just hit the Go button and then leave the house, come back to a cleaner room.
Less allergies, less work around the house. Winning!
Aww, ours died a little bit ago. It’s years old and the only thing that died was the battery. Great for dog hair.
Does anyone know if these ship with a brand new battery, even though the item is refurbished?
Thanks -
Scott
This is one of those things that I put in the ‘Dyson’ class of products. Always thought they were overpriced a bit and the users who reviewed them great were doing so because they just forked over a lot of money for them… I got one as a gift a year ago (this model actually) and couldn’t be happier with it. It works great on hardwood floors. I haven’t had any problems with it at all, recommend highly, especially at this price!
To the person asking about the batteries, you can find all kinds of aftermarket batteries at great prices on eBay. Some favor longer run times while other favor longer life span. Ill let one of the battery experts here explain the differences between Ni-Cad, Nimh, Lithium, etc. I’ve seen all three types offered.
-GG
What’s up D.J. Roomba!
SomeVideo if you’ve never seen a Roomba in action in more practical way other that giving cats rides and dogs something to chase.
I love roomba… but…
They dont last very long for the price. It cleans very well at first, you still need to break out the regular vaccum for corners and deep cleaning but no matter how well you take care of it they never seem to last more than a few years, some much less than that. I recommend paying an extra hundred for the 570 model at Costco. They will take it back no matter what, and you dont need a receipt. Whether your roomba dies in 1 year or 4 or 10 you can return it or get a new one from Costco.
I don’t recommend Roombas. I’ve had two (the second being this same model purchased from Woot) and they both crapped out after a short amount of use(six months tops). Battery issues. iRobot customer service was horrible. They would not service the units–only offered a refurbished unit for quite a bit of money. I would never buy another Roomba.
I really like my Roomba 530, it’s very good at vacuuming my apartment which is a serious obstacle course with my living room and dining area being right next to each other (and all the chair and table legs that are in those two spots). The Roomba navigates around brilliantly and always manages to work it’s way out all the tight spots.
It goes a very good job cleaning up the carpet and can even reach areas I rarely get with the full-size vacuum (it can even get under my couch!). The only downside is that the “track marks” left in the carpet are quite noticeable and people will sometimes ask what the heck they are. They always love it when I bring out the Roomba and show it off to them though.
The noise level isn’t bad, I’d say it’s comparable to a handheld vacuum like a Dirt Devil (much quieter than my full-size vacuum).
The batteries last two or three complete cleanings of my apartment depending on how much time the Roomba spends maneuvering around the dining room.
When I first bought my Roomba I was very skeptical and figured it for an expensive toy. I imagined it would always get stuck and need assistance finishing the job. Happily, the Roomba can take care of itself (I’m very impressed how well it handles any mess of wires I might leave on the floor when I’m working on a project computer or from stray packing material.
I also feel the Roomba to be extremely well designed. It’s very modular meaning that if any one part fails there’s a good chance that you can buy a single replacement item rather than needing a whole new Roomba. It’s very easy to take apartment and clean, and very easy to put back together. The only mechanical issue I had with mine had to do with the side brush; at the time they sold them with 5 brushes and after a while the thing would stop spinning from the friction of the carpet or the brush rubbing against the bottom of the Roomba. That was because the center of the brush was wearing down and the motor would spin freely similar to a screw driver spinning in a stripped screw. The new 3-brush units seem to be an attempt to prevent this from happening. I fixed mine simply by super gluing the center to create a tight grip to the motor.
So, in closing of this somewhat lengthly review: The Roomba is awesome, and at this price you can’t go wrong!