Comments on: Roombas: Cute, powerful, and they save you time

By: Dr. Ragan, www.psychologyofclutter.com

Dr. Ragan, www.psychologyofclutter.com — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:54:58 +0000

Now if they would just invent one that works on stairs. I hate vacuuming stairs more than any other household task. I have a hand held Dirt Devil that does I great job, I just hate to do it. When I finally rip out the carpets and put in hardwoods, the stairs are getting done first! Does anyone have a suggestion for making stair vacuuming easier?

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 06:07:55 +0000

wow, it's so loud you can't even talk with it going... I thought this was supposed to constantly run...I guess only when you are gone. http://pixelspotlight.com/

By: Jerry Brito

Jerry Brito — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 20:55:11 +0000

Thanks for pointing that out, Eric. I’ve never had a need to use mine, so they’re still in the wrapper for the day I move to a bigger place. BTW- We named ours Rudy. Any other Roomba names out there?

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 20:50:41 +0000

Jerry -

Just a note on the virtual walls:

You don’t need to point them at each other to work. They just send out a IR beam (which is more of a triangle, so it works best from just behind an adjacent wall) that is intercepted by the Roomba. So, with those two units you can create two virtual walls. If you need to block it off from a entry more than 8ft long, then ya, doubling them up toward each other might be necessary.

We just stick one around the corner to keep Dusty (everybody names theirs right?) happily working in one room.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 19:54:17 +0000

I love the Roomba so much. Mine just died after 4 years of loyal 3-times-a-week service. I suspect if I had been taking it apart and compressed-air-gunning the inside clean, it would have lasted even longer. I discovered about a full cat’s worth of hair inside when I unscrewed it to see if I could fix it.

In response to arguments about whether they actually save time, I can definitely say it has saved me a ton. Push some buttons, turn the music up loud, and make sure it doesn’t eat up any wires. The time spent picking up large items and securing electric cords encouraged me to live with less daily clutter knowing I needed to pick it up when I ran the Roomba.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 18:47:48 +0000

I believe Woot.com breeds these things. They are ALWAYS selling them!

By: Jerry Brito

Jerry Brito — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 18:32:23 +0000

They’re not too bad in corners. They have a little brush that comes out from under them to handle corners. The Roomba obviously doesn’t ‘know’ what objects to avoid, but it just taps against objects and pulls back when it does. Mine also came with a “virtual wall,” basically two boxes you put across from each other and the Roomba won’ cross them.

Anyhow, check out the specs on Amazon or the iRobot website. Like everything else we suggest on this website, it might not fit everybody. We’re not going after the best solution, just telling you what’s worked for us. If you really need a HEPA filter, maybe it’s not for you.

By: Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 18:29:37 +0000

Ah, we love our Roomba! but it functions more as a pet than an appliance. My two-year-old knows how to turn it on, and she presses the button and runs squealing around the room. It’s the perfect speed to give her some excitement without terrifying her. So I think they should cross-market them as a toy.

By: Grey

Grey — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:44:46 +0000

Yes, but do they really save you time?

By: Andamom

Andamom — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:27:04 +0000

Questions though…
1) How are they in corners?
2) How does Roomba know what objects to avoid?
3) How large is the catch all compartment?
4) How long does the charge last?
5) Is there a HEPA filter attached to it?