BUY ONE, You can thank me later.
Written: Apr 29 '03 (Updated May 01 '03)
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Pros: semi-automatic, cleaner floors, less time spent vacuuming
Cons: more taking out the trash (emptying)
The Bottom Line: Spend less time vacuuming but end up with cleaner floors. This is the future of floor cleaning and its here right now for less than 2 bills.
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| magnusmx's Full Review: iRobot Roomba 3000 Robotic Vacuum |
IRobot Roomba
Synopsis:
The roomba is a robotic semi-automatic vacuum cleaner that handles hardwood floors, tile, medium pile rugs, and everything in between. It performs best in rooms or partitions up to 15x20 feet cleared of things on the floor that would foul up any vacuum. It weighs less than 6 lbs, operates without cords, supervision, but most of all without excuses. The roomba was not meant to replace your wife/husband, nor your regular vacuum cleaner. It was meant to maintain your floor in a somewhat automated function. It does what it’s meant to do well and at the end of the day you have cleaner floors and more time for yourself.
I won’t go into too much detail because the roomba website http://www.roombavac.com has a wealth of information.
What’s included:
1. irobot roomba vacuum
2. nickel metal hydride battery pack
3. AC Adapter / battery charger
4. Virtual Wall Unit
5. 2 spare filters (a total of 3)
6. illustrated manual and guide
Set up:
At least 12 hours. Before using it the first time, you need install the NiMH battery pack to the bottom of the unit. Then you plug in the AC Adapter / battery charger directly into roomba and let it charge for 12 hours before use. This step is important to realize the full capacity of the battery and the unit should not be operated until fully charged. You’ve been warned. They also offer a fast charger which charges the battery in 2, but that’s not an included accessory.
Off to vacuum:
How to vacuum?
First, clear the floor of objects that take up the space of what you want vacuumed. Then clear off items that would get caught in normal vacuums. That includes, but is not limited to, power cords, phone cords, light rugs, long drapes, rugs with tassels, items larger than a dime… Set the fully charged roomba in the middle of the room and pick the appropriate size. S(mall) = 10x12; M(edium) = 14x16; L(arge) = 15x20 and press the button. If your room is larger than 15x20, you should partition off the room with the included virtual wall or some sort of barrier. Next watch roomba do its thing, or pick up a newspaper and sit down because you should watch roomba clean each room at least once to see if you missed anything that might get in roomba’s way. Runtimes are 18-23 minutes, 28-35 minutes, 38-47 minutes respectively. It starts off with a spiral pattern until it hits a wall, then proceeds in another direction till it hits another wall. If it senses a wall near by, it may choose to follow along the wall and whip out dust with its side sweeper.
The first time running it, I will admit that I just stood there and watched it clean the room even though I could have easily done it in less time. Its fascinating to see a robot take care of the duty normally restricted to humanoids. The golden moment was when it went deep under the beds and showed those dust bunnies who was boss. When my mother saw it, (she’s a very anti-electronics person) – even she was fascinated. She likes to sit there and watch it go. So in that sense, the roomba can be written off as a toy to the casual observer. My dad still thinks it’s a toy, but truth is always in the dust bin.
How it performs as a vacuum:
Honestly, it won’t compare with a 12 AMP high end floor vacuum. It neither has the suction power of one, nor the high powered rollers. The engineers (from MIT) came up with an ingenious solution to the relatively small power supply: a 2 stage cleaning system. “…Two counter-rotating Cleaning Brushes sweep up larger particles, while a small, extremely efficient vacuum sucks up the smaller particles. What's more, the Spinning Side Brush sweeps the dirt from next to walls and corners into the path of the Main Cleaning Head…”
Does it work?
Yes and no. For the major cleanups, you should really bring out your mighty vacuum to do a deeper cleaning. For everything else, get ready to roomba! One cannot refute the evidence found after every emptying of the bin. It can be argued that while a regular vacuum will pick up more, in less time – the very fact that the roomba can be operating at any given time regardless of what you’re doing increases the chances that your floor stays cleaner longer; especially between heavy duty cleaning.
Is it smart?
What it lacks in intelligent cybernetics, it makes up for in repetition. Trial and error is the name of the game, but the roomba doesn’t go in empty handed: It has proximity sensors, orientation sensors, wall sensors, virtual wall sensors, floor sensors – that’s a lot of senses. So the roomba won’t fall down stairs; although on some carpeted stairs it might get stuck. It won’t get stuck in a corner and give up. It won’t bump into a wall and give up. It will alert you if it gets stuck, if it gets flipped over, if the battery gets low. It will cover areas around the legs of tables and chairs. But it doesn’t have a sixth sense, so it doesn’t see cords, water, drapes, loose carpet, tunnels, dangerously low edges (might get stuck). It also can’t tell that there’s still dirt in one corner – but more often than not, it will eventually get to it. One problem is that it won’t tell you when its dust bin is full. For that you’ll have to rely on your senses.
Is it safe?
The roomba poses almost absolutely no risk to humans – unless you count battery mutilation, but that’s almost self-inflicted. If during its course of duty, it bumps into you, it just retreats and goes its merry way around you. If you pick it up, it stops automatically.
Best way to operate it:
Leave it in an unoccupied room, press a button and come back later. Or set it before you leave the house to come home to clean floors. When you empty the dust-bin (recommended after every cleaning), do it in a small plastic bag wrapped around your hand or outside next to garbage. The small particles tend to fly everywhere otherwise (if you own a canister vacuum, this isn't new to you). Also use a stick or something to get some of the stuff next to the vacuum's filter toward the back of the dust bin.
Areas where the roomba really shines:
1. hardwood floors
2. flat tile floors
3. cabinet overhangs
4. under beds
5. where most vacuums can’t go
6. where most vacuum operators are unwilling to go
Areas where roomba is lacking:
1. Large rooms with a lot of obstacles (picture mouse in a maze)
2. filthy floors (too frequent trash bin emptying)
3. high pile rugs
4. furry rugs
5. wet floors
6. corners of a right angled room; misses a couple of square inches per corner - but at least you know where to go to clean up later. And when you regularly vacuum, you usually miss stuff there anyway unless you're doing it by hand.
Gripes:
1. 12 hour recharge time with standard charger
2. small dustbin
3. no dustbin sensor to indicate that its full
4. how about a unit that’s fully automated? Set and forget?
5. people sensor option to turn off when people are near by so cleaning would be more transparent.
6. why not a 2 virtual walls in one – ie shoot out two sets of beams to create a corner?
7. emptying dustbin can be messy as many bag-less vacuums tend to be.
Don’t let the gripes scare you away – I’m really nitpicking here. Keep in mind that this is the first in the industry, and it is $200.00 'retail.' Some engineering spirits have taken the roomba apart and are exploring different possible programming options available. Linen's and things claims its their best selling vacuum so a lot of people are on-to this little gem.
Final Words:
This is one of those inventions which we all knew sooner or later would happen. Ever watch the Jetsons? If you watch TV, the best way to enjoy it is to have a TIVO/REPLAY/DVR device. When you have it, you can’t imagine life without it. The same with this roomba if you fit that category with clean floors, hardwood floors, like to walk barefoot in house, dislike sweeping and vacuuming, or have asthma. Its true, you can do without the Tivo or roomba as many of us have before they were invented, but after knowing all this and experiencing – why would you?
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 175
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Epinions.com ID:
magnusmx
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Member: Mike Mu
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 7 members
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