nachodehopkins's Full Review: iRobot Roomba 560 Robotic Vacuum
About two years ago I decided to do a little test and I bought the Roomba Discovery. I intended to use it to maintain some semblance of cleanliness in my kitchen and living/dining room areas. After much anticipation regarding the no-doubt-soon-to-be complete "robotification" of my life, I brought the Roomba home and set the little guy to cleaning. I was so let down, that I packed the thing up the next morning and sent him back where he came from. While he was able to pick up dust in the middle of the clear and open floor, he banged into every wall, got stuck on every tassel and cord, and ran out of juice before he could clean two rooms.
When I saw the advertisements for the Roomba 560 vacuum and all its improvements, I decided to give it another try. This model is, as one might expect, is the older, smarter, stronger brother of the Discovery. The whole body is larger, the wheels are taller and wider, the nooks and crannies brush is longer, and the dustbin holds a lot more dust. I was very impressed with the improved ability to clean, and as a testament, I still have this not-so-little guy after three weeks.
One of the big problems I had with my Discovery was its ability to really whack a wall. Every time it headed toward the wall it bounced off the molding hard enough to make a good solid thump. There were no marks and undoubtedly no damage, but it was still agonizing to watch it head toward a wall. My new 560 does not have this same penchant for confrontation. While he does still bounce into walls, it is with a much softer front end, and, I'm told by a friend with the same model, he can actually sense the wall coming and slows down as he nears it. Though I'm not sure about the awareness programming of the robot I can tell you that when my 560 hits a wall, it is far less jarring and it doesn't bother me like the Discovery did.
Another gripe with my Discovery, during my brief ownership, was the way it got stuck on every tassel it passed by. If it was running along the tassels it would get tangled and beep like a crying child. If it was going from floor to carpet it would get tangled and beep like a crying child. Finally, and most unimpressively, when it went from carpet to floor it would still get tangled and beep like a crying child. This is mostly now a thing of the past. The 560 has more sensors built in to prevent getting tangled, and its new beefy wheels and extended suspension have a much easier time disentangling it when it does get stuck. In fact, I have yet to experience the crying child at all.
One problem still not solved on this model is the ever-present Roomba worst-nightmare: a/v cables. In my living room, both behind and on the side of my TV/stereo area, is a mess of cables to boggle even human navigation skills let alone that synthetic mind inside a little vacuuming robot. Despite its extra muscle I still have to move these cables out of the way of my 560. This is far less frustrating than the tassel problem though, as these cables are largely outside of Roomba's expected cleaning area (and I should really just go wireless or pro install anyway).
The cleaning itself is great. I don't believe this to have ever been a problem with the Roomba as that is its primary function. The improvement on this model rests with the cleaning arm of the unit. It is much longer than previously and seems to spin faster as well. Since I rarely inspect those areas in which it is most useful, I can't say its performing a necessary function or performing it well, but I can say that I have absolutely no complaints about it. (Also, its fun to set up little things for it to bat away as it travels around.)
The battery life of this model is improved over the Discovery. My first floor is four rooms and I find that the 560 is able to clean them all before returning to it's home base. I would guesstimate the square footage at around 1000 square feet and that battery life seems to jive with what the company says. Also, I've heard of problems with returning to the base but I imagine those are signaling problems as I have yet to experience them. Every time the Roomba starts, he goes to each of the four rooms and ends up right back on his charger to get ready for his next cleaning.
As with any vacuum cleaner the Roomba is a touch noisy. I find it a bit too loud stay in the same room, but being in the next room is pleasant enough. Of course, on this particular model, the scheduling ability makes it possible for all cleaning to be done while away from home. Even without that feature, one can always press the "clean" button and escape out of the house while he does his work.
The scheduling of the Roomba is fairly easy to use and is now onboard the unit rather than remotely operated. After following the written instructions once, I had no trouble scheduling my 560 for its thrice weekly cleaning. As far as arranging the lighthouses, I have had less trouble than I hear my fellow owners have had. This feature allows the Roomba to clean one room and then signal its completion to the sentry in the doorway. That sentry than allows the Roomba to cross into the next room where it may commence the cleaning of that room without going back to the first room or wandering into the following room. I have my lighthouses right outside the corner of the doorframe and have experienced no problems with the signal, just as with returning to the home base.
All in all, this vacuum is a wonder and I am glad that iRobot finally worked out most of the kinks. I think I'll be keeping my 560 for a bit longer than my Discovery!
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