Roomba from IRobot Corporation

Robot Vacuum Looks Like a UFO

The Roomba line of robot vacuum cleaners from iRobot Corporation are disk-shaped machines that move themselves quietly around the floor sucking up dust and dirt. They may be one of the best carpet cleaning machines available. Even though they are just vacuums, not carpet cleaners as such, because they are robots, they never get tired of vacuuming. This means that the Roomba could vacuum the carpet so often it rarely would need any more cleaning.

The Roomba Does a Good Job for its Size

The Roomba robot vacuums hold a small amount of dirt, compared to a regular upright or canister vacuum. They are fairly small machines, without the larger, more powerful motors of traditional vacuums. However, the Roomba 560, for example, was very effective in picking up pet hair and dander from both carpeted areas and rooms with hard flooring. For a busy family with pets, using the Roomba every two to five days is not a replacement for vacuuming, but it does allow for less frequent vacuuming.

A Few of Roomba's Features

The Roomba 560, like all of the Roomba line, is able to stop itself from falling down stairs. It doesn't crash into walls or objects, and it can move easily between carpeted and smooth areas. The dust compartment is easy to remove and empty, and the brushes and wheels are also easy to get at when they need cleaning.

Although each new Roomba model has improvements, there are still a few issues with the Roomba 560 that should be noted. None of these are big problems, and they are all easy to deal with. However, it is not a good idea to leave the Roomba running in the house alone until these things have been dealt with. Otherwise, the Roomba could encounter trouble and shut down, not finishing the vacuuming.

Pet Hair and Roomba's Brushes

The most noticeable thing we found in testing Roomba was that pet hair can tangle up the brushes and their axles before the dust receptacle is full. That means some starting and stopping for maintenance in the middle of a run. It is easy to take the brushes out and clean them. The only tool that might be needed sometimes is a toothpick if pet hair becomes tightly wound up.

Fringe May Get Caught

Some of the advertising shows Roomba zooming over fringes on throw rugs without getting caught. Our experience is that it is much easier to take up the throw rugs and move them out of the area before using Roomba, as occasionally there were tangles. The torture test we had was when Roomba became tangled in the chains at the bottom of vertical window shades. Roomba safely shut down and was not damaged, but did not detect or avoid the chains.

Roomba Makes a Low Noise

Compared to most vacuums, Roomba is quiet, but not silent.

Overall Assessment

For households with pets, Roomba is a good way to keep the pet hair and dander under control between vacuumings. Because it runs automatically, it can be used in a fairly hands-off manner. It does need supervision, though, to detangle the brushes, and to rescue it from the occasional obstacle. After a few uses, the owner will know where the problem areas are. For example, while Roomba rarely gets stuck, there are times when it becomes wedged under certain pieces of furniture.

There are virtual walls that can be purchased separately or as part of the original Roomba set. These send out electronic beams to keep Roomba away from trouble spots.

While still fairly expensive, the robot vacuum does a reasonable job and is a good labour-saving device for those who need it. It can extend the time between regular vacuumings in high-traffic places, and could be a reasonable sole vacuum for areas with very light traffic.

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