Cleaning robots - http:///

Editor's picks

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  Evolution Robotics Mint Automatic Hard Floor Cleaner, 4200

  Home (Mint)
  

  Rating (373 reviews):

  (4.2/5)

  

  Fantastic cleaning robot!

  I must say, I'm impressed with the mapping system on this little guy. I have a very large (20'X20') open living room/kitchen area giving plenty of obstacles to confuse it. There's a staircase (which it deftly avoids), an island, a kitchen table with chairs, a couch and a number of tables for it to go under, an area rug and a piece of curved beveled glass on the floor that serves as a stand for a fireplace (which it surprisingly does not ride up on). Also, the room is overall "U" shaped with several entryways. This is the only robotic cleaner that has been able to figure this room out in its entirety. Other things to note is the room has a large fan and high, sloped ceilings and it can still find it's way. My Roomba did terribly. It would get stuck in one section, the Neato XV was OK but would miss some parts. This thing does a great job of freshening up the floor and getting at just about everything due to it's small size! One thing I did not know is the Mint... 5/5 Ryan Mckenney - See all my reviews, September 9, 2010

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  Mint v Roomba: Which is hte Better Sucker

  The short version, for those reading many reviews quickly is this; the Mint has many advantages over the Roomba on a feature for feature basis. But at the end of the day, the Roomba is the better product and picked up a LOT more pet hair. Here's the longer version with the gory details: Both of these are great innovations. True, the Mint is far quieter, cheaper and cooler looking than the Roomba. It is also easier/cheaper to maintain. But the Roomba gets more dust off the floor, despite the fact that the Mint can get under places Roomba can not, and Roomba returns to its base for a re-charge on it's own, as needed. The Mint just dies in place. The guy on here who's review said that he sent his Roomba on a mission and then sent the Mint after it to discover dirt the Roomba missed, would have had the same result if he performed the experiment in reverse. I know b/c I did just that. these two devices clean differently, so any comparison is... 2/5 dusthater - See all my reviews This review is from: Evolution Robotics Mint Automatic Hard Floor Cleaner, 4200 (Kitchen) The short version, for those reading many reviews quickly is this; the Mint has many advantages over the Roomba on a feature for feature basis. But at the end of the day, the Roomba is the better product and picked up a LOT more pet hair. Here's the longer version with the gory details: Both of these are great innovations. True, the Mint is far quieter, cheaper and cooler looking than the Roomba. It is also easier/cheaper to maintain. But the Roomba gets more dust off the floor, despite the fact that the Mint can get under places Roomba can not, and Roomba returns to its base for a re-charge on it's own, as needed. The Mint just dies in place. The guy on here who's review said that he sent his Roomba on a mission and then sent the Mint after it to discover dirt the Roomba missed, would have had the same result if he performed the experiment in reverse. I know b/c I did just that. these two devices clean differently, so any comparison is... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , October 7, 2010

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  Beware False Hopes

  First: notice the 5-star rating that I have given this. I agree with all of the 5-star reviewers: this product is worth the price (have had it about 6 weeks now). I have used it on vinyl (Congoleum/linoleum) floors, tile floors and wooden floors. It works well on all of them. Time will tell more. However, rather than repeat what others have said, I will describe some aspects that might disappoint you when/if you buy it, but these do not outweigh the benefits. - This does NOT do a deep clean. That takes elbow grease and this, naturally, is not heavy enough to scrub that well (you wouldn't want it to be that heavy). You will have to do a deep clean first. The Mint will then maintain that clean floor. I use it about once a week. - The designers did a generally good job, except for the week when they all took vacation at once and let the janitor decide where to put the charging port. Believe or not, these idiots put the port in a spot on... 5/5 Careful Reviewer - See all my reviews This review is from: Evolution Robotics Mint Automatic Hard Floor Cleaner, 4200 (Kitchen) First: notice the 5-star rating that I have given this. I agree with all of the 5-star reviewers: this product is worth the price (have had it about 6 weeks now). I have used it on vinyl (Congoleum/linoleum) floors, tile floors and wooden floors. It works well on all of them. Time will tell more. However, rather than repeat what others have said, I will describe some aspects that might disappoint you when/if you buy it, but these do not outweigh the benefits. - This does NOT do a deep clean. That takes elbow grease and this, naturally, is not heavy enough to scrub that well (you wouldn't want it to be that heavy). You will have to do a deep clean first. The Mint will then maintain that clean floor. I use it about once a week. - The designers did a generally good job, except for the week when they all took vacation at once and let the janitor decide where to put the charging port. Believe or not, these idiots put the port in a spot on... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , September 21, 2010

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  List Price: $249.99
  

  Low maintenance with no bins to empty or filters to change

  Whisper-quiet operation; turns itself off when finished

  Compact robot floor cleaner runs up to 3 hours on single charge using microfiber cloths or most brands of disposable cloths

  Guided by North Star Navigation System to methodically clean open areas, around furniture and rugs, and along room perimeter

  Measures 9.6 inches wide by 8.5 inches deep by 3.1 inches high; 1-year warranty

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  iRobot 560 Roomba Vacuuming Robot, Black and Silver

  Home (iRobot)
  

  Rating (723 reviews):

  (3.7/5)

  

  Great but not perfect ***Downgraded Star Rating***

  My wife and I decided to get one of these because our 8 month old son is about to start crawling. While we try and keep our floors clean, our beagle has other thoughts as she sheds all over the place. We went with the latest 560 model as it has just about everything we would want with a product like this. It works as advertised and we will definitley keep it but there are some areas that need improvement. Here is a quick breakdown of the pros and consPros1. Quieter than a standard vaccuum2. Seems to learn the room dimensions quickly. The virtual walls and lighthouse feature are very nice. 3. Is "smart" enough to avoid getting tangled in our area rugs4. Obviously easy to use as it is just a push of a button (or even better when you program it)5. Can use everyday to keep the floors spotless6. Have successfully used it on hard wood, vinyl, carpet and (accidently) concrete7. Cleans under... 4/5 M. Kelley "mpkelley20" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews, September 16, 2007

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  A Worthy Successor to the Roomba Line

  We have two Roombas plus a Scooba in our house. When one of the batteries on one of our Roombas finally reached the end of its life cycle, we decided to donate that Roomba to a friend and to get ourselves the new top of the line - the Roomba 560. We got this right when it first came out, but we waited several months before posting a review. It's pretty much impossible to review one of these Roombas after only a few days! It takes weeks if not months to start to see how well they last over time, and what breaks down. Believe me - been there, done that. So now it's many months later, and I have to say, we are quite pleased with the improvements of this Roomba over the previous generations of Roombas. So first, for those who don't even have ANY Roomba yet (hard to believe!). Roombas are awesome. We have cats, and we work from home so we're home all day. It is AMAZING how much dirt and dust and junk collects in the carpet every single day. Who really has time to vacuum their... 5/5 Lisa Shea "medieval swordfighting enthusiast" - See all my reviews, December 12, 2007

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  Beware of the "new" Roomba 560 now only for single room (updated review)

  UPDATE 12/19/2011My review in late 2007 describing the red side brush "amputee" problem and poor customer support is still the highest rated critical response on Amazon. Because of that experience, the recounting of which is in the original review appended below after this update, I had not bought an iRobot product in over four years. Now I have bought two "new" 560s, which arrived today (more about "new" below). This update is primarily for (i) previous owners of a 560 that are contemplating buying a "new" 560 or (ii) those that have information on the original 560 and mistakenly believe that this is what they will get if they order a "new" 560.If it were not for the problems discussed in this update, I would raise my rating to 3.5 stars. Once again, I think iRobot may be shooting itself in the foot. And what upsets me is that I really want to see this company succeed. By way of disclosure I have owned several of every generation of Roomba. I... 2/5 F. St-Claire (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews, November 20, 2007

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  List Price: $449.99
  

  Anti-tangle technology; gentle-touch bumper system; built-in cliff sensors

  Measures 16-3/4 by 21 by 5 inches; 1-year limited warranty

  Easy-to-empty bagless dustbin; fine-filtration system traps allergens

  Vacuuming robot picks up dirt and debris with the touch of a button

  Self-charging Home Base, 2 Auto Virtual Walls, an extra filter, and more included

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  Irobot Roomba 562 Pet Series Vacuum Cleaning Robot

  Kitchen (iRobot)
  

  Rating (112 reviews):

  (4.2/5)

  

  Still Happy and Content

  We've had our Roomba since January 2010 and approx. 6 months later, I still love it and am really glad we made the purchase. It took a little convincing for me to get my husband to agree with the purchase, but now he calls it "his vacuum", and likes to show it off to our friends and family when they come over. For us, it really has reduced my weekly in-house workload. With two cats in the house, birds, bunny, and a dog, pet hair gets tracked throughout the house. With two young children, our kitchen (hardwood floors) gets nibblets of food all over the floor. Setting the vacuum up to focus on one room (by using the virtual walls) makes a big difference. Frequently ours is venturing throughout the entire house. The only problem we occasionally have is when it gets stuck under our china cabinet, or stuck while trying to suck up a toy that was left behind, or shoelaces hanging off a shoe left out. All very minor issues. I will say, it's a bit odd, when in the middle... 5/5 S. Long - See all my reviews, July 15, 2010

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  Note that bins are interchangeable, not used concurrently

  I've had quite a few Roomba cleaning robots, and was interested in the 562 because it's advertised as being new and different for homes with pets. Experienced "Roomba" users should note (as I failed to) that the new bin advertised for the pet model is simply a different bin that's used place of the normal one (as opposed to a secondary bin that's used concurrently, as I'd incorrectly assumed). The sweeper bin can be used in place of the normal bin, and seems to disables the vacuum functionality, making the Roomba a sweeping robot. The Achilles Heel of this robot (as with all Roomba floor-cleaning robots) is the constant need to clean the machine's brushes. We're not talking once every few days here--we're talking 1-2 times per cleaning cycle. You don't set the Roomba to clean while you're at work and expect it to be done when you get home. You learn to expect to find it in the middle of the floor, requiring a brush cleaning before it can continue. And ultimately--after a... 4/5 Jonathan K. Perkins (Harbor City, CA, USA) - See all my reviews, September 19, 2010

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  Doggie Roomba

  Our Roomba is really part of the family. We call him Paco (don't know why, it just seems to fit). We have four (4) dogs, two long hair and two short hair. Without Paco, it is impossible to keep up with the hair and dirt they bring in. By running Paco every other day, we manage to keep the hair to a minimum, even under the beds where cleaning is nearly impossible. Cleaning Paco up is easy if you have the right tools. My problems with the Roomba (my third one) is that it is impossible to get a person on the phone or on line. Emails to iRobot are generally answered within 30-45 days which is also a problem. They send extra brushes, sweeps, etc., with the robot which helps but I keep an old comb, a small screwdriver, a hemostat, and an old toothbrush to clean Paco. I'm hoping that this one lasts longer than the other two. 5/5 Dennis A. Cox (Jacksonville, FL, US) - See all my reviews, May 20, 2010

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  Cleans up to four rooms on a single battery charge

  Two interchangeable cleaning bins provide the option for everyday vacuuming or heavy duty cleaning in hairier and dirtier areas.

  Reaches deep into your carpet to remove dirt dust and pet hair

  Includes a set of replaceable brushes, two extra filters and two brush cleaning tools

  Features the latest irobot roomba innovations with unprecedented efficiency coverage and cleaning performance

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  Hog Wild Robo Vacuum

  Toy (Hog Wild)
  

  Rating (13 reviews):

  (3.6/5)

  

  Interesting Novelty Item BUT....

  it's a vacuum. it's a robot. it's a robot vacuum. let's rephrase that. it's a vacuum. it looks like a robot. bottom line? it's a vacuum that looks like a robot. if you're thinking it's a mini-roomba... think again. it's not. you manually push it around to vacuum crumbs. it looks nice, it looks cool, it cleans.... plus it looks like a friggin' robot. 3/5 chinoqbf - See all my reviews = Durability:, March 7, 2011

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  robot

  This vacume robot looks great and very cute on a shelf or something but when it comes to doing the job its not that great of a tool. for example, i was eating a bagel on my couch and there were crumbs everywere so i brought out my vacume robot to do the job for the first time. I turned it on using the push button on the top which works very well. so anyways i put it down on the bagel crumbs and went in a back and forth movement then turt it o. to see that the robot piked up about 35% of the crumbs. so i ran it again going a little slower but after that it had about 50 percent done. Another thing is you have to apply much force on the surface to make it acualy pick something up. the slot on the bottom is very small. it looks great but looks can be decieving. i probabaly woudnt recomend it to some one who likes picking up messes fast and easily. It doesent move either. Assembley. the assembey can be confusing the instruction booklet is very har to understand. Like foreign language... 3/5 ipod101 - See all my reviews = Durability:, September 21, 2011

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  Useful as nothing more than a paperweight

  I bought this only a few months ago and already it's dead. It never really sucked up much in the first place, so I'm not really missing anything now that it stopped working completely. It's also really difficult to clean (you have to take it apart entirely), even more difficult to change the batteries (you have to take out a screw), and it's pretty ugly. I'll not be buying another as a replacement. 2/5 Spamgirl "Spamgirl" (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews = Durability:, September 6, 2011

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  List Price: $14.99
  

  Works best on smooth surfaces

  Easy to use

  Sleek design

  Smart way to clean up debris

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  Neato XV-11 All Floor Robotic Vacuum System

  Home (Neato Robotics)
  

  Rating (389 reviews):

  (4.2/5)

  

  I am now a believer in robotic vacuums!

  For months, no years, my wife has been asking for a robotic vacuum. She does most of the house work and I do most of the fixing. I have followed the progress of the Roomba and decided to have another in depth look at the reviews and how it performed to date. What follows is NOT a Roomba/Neato comparison. I have never owned a Roomba nor do I think I ever will, but who knows. I purchased a Neato Robotics XV-11 about four weeks ago. What follows is a detailed look at what the Neato XV-11 is and how it performs. I will try to be as objective as possible and share my journey of how I decided which robot vacuum to buy. First, a bit about me. I am an avid Amazon buyer and use them heavily for both personal and work related purchases. They are simply the best at the online experience and I typically only purchase items that they ship. They have the best pricing on a regular basis and ship promptly with a great online experience. I have only had two issues with Amazon... 5/5 M. Pearson (California) - See all my reviews, December 22, 2010

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  Very efficient & effective robot

  I really like this robotic vacuum. It cleans a ridiculous amount of pet hair and dust from my carpet! I used a Roomba, which was fairly good but the drawback was it couldn't navigate to other rooms and back as well as the Neato does. The other drawback was it couldn't figure out how to get onto area carpets without the spinning brush on the front getting stuck. For the Neato, this is no problem at all. Instead of bouncing all around looking for light houses it will detect doorways and move from room to room in a more logical fashion. The suction and cleaning ability is amazing. I would place the suction power closer to an actual upright vacuum. The noise level is a bit quieter than an upright and maybe a little louder than the whine of a Roomba. There is significantly less bumping, which overall, makes the Neato quieter. It still bumps into things (mostly table legs) from time to time but nowhere near as hard or as frequent. Battery life is adequate. About an... 4/5 Ryan Mckenney - See all my reviews, September 10, 2010

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  Neato is better than Roomba - I have had 6 different Roombas so I know

  I have had the Neato vacuum robot for a few weeks now and I am just now getting the time to write a review. I don't write reviews for everything I buy just the things I think people need to be warned about or things I think people should really buy. Compared to Roombas I have owned 6 different Roombas starting with the original red one. The thing about Roombas is they don't really know where they are or where they are going they just start going and when they come to a wall or furniture they change course. They travel in a pattern that is designed to cover the whole room but is some cases where there is an odd shaped room or furniture in the room they can end up going around in the same spot and not covering all areas evenly. Also the pattern that is left on the carpet looks like someone gave a monkey a vacuum and let it loose as there are lines going everywhere. Roombas don't always get all the rooms in the house either and if they do get into a remote area of the... 4/5 Amazon Addict (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Neato XV-11 All Floor Robotic Vacuum System (Kitchen) I have had the Neato vacuum robot for a few weeks now and I am just now getting the time to write a review. I don't write reviews for everything I buy just the things I think people need to be warned about or things I think people should really buy. Compared to Roombas I have owned 6 different Roombas starting with the original red one. The thing about Roombas is they don't really know where they are or where they are going they just start going and when they come to a wall or furniture they change course. They travel in a pattern that is designed to cover the whole room but is some cases where there is an odd shaped room or furniture in the room they can end up going around in the same spot and not covering all areas evenly. Also the pattern that is left on the carpet looks like someone gave a monkey a vacuum and let it loose as there are lines going everywhere. Roombas don't always get all the rooms in the house either and if they do get into a remote area of the... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , October 20, 2010

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  List Price: $399.00
  

  High performance vacuum removes all kinds of dirt and cleans all floors--carpets, rugs, hardwood, laminates, tile, and stone

  Automatically returns to charging base when vacuuming is concluded

  Schedule automatic cleanings while you're away via simple user interface

  Laser-based Room Positioning System sees everything in the room, avoids bumping into walls and furniture

  Powerful XV-11 saves you time by automatically vacuuming your entire floor--even deep into corners and under furniture

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  iRobot 530 Roomba Vacuuming Robot, White

  Home (iRobot)
  

  Rating (346 reviews):

  (4.0/5)

  

  New Roomba vs. Old

  If you are new to Roomba, you will wonder if it is worthwhile. The answer is clearly YES, since anything it cleans is that much less for you to clean. However, which is better, the old (and cheaper) Roomba, or the new models like the 530? First, the 530 comes with the charging/base station, and this is very useful. I have placed this in the entranceway which leads into the livingroom, the kitchen or the bedroom. Using the virtual walls (included), I block off rooms so that it can only do the entranceway + 1 other room. I simply press the "Clean" button, and it backs itself off the charging stand and then spends the next 2 hours cleaning, finally returning to the charging stand. Nice! Should you upgrade from an older model Roomba (I now use my old Roomba upstairs)? It depends on your situation. By-the-way, the old virtual walls do NOT work with the new Roomba. New Roomba: Fall down stairs? Never... 4/5 D. C. Eaton (Avon, IN United States) - See all my reviews, December 1, 2007

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  It's Like a Beloved Pet Who MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER

  Awesome. This new generation fixes all the problems of the previous. Much smarter, much bigger dust bin, much better in every way. Great that it self-docks when tired. Maintanence is a snap...really could not be easier/faster. There are some negatives - how could there not be? - but this thing has such a contagious personality that it starts feeling like your pet, and you're inclined to forgive, and even find the faults charming. You have to prep the room (cords up and out of the way, no papers or clutter on the floor, move small items out of the room and learn which objects present problems and get them out of the way). Performance varies on throw rugs (it's great on rug/carpet surfaces themselves, but Roomba can get caught up as it travels over edges of throw rugs that don't have much weight or cling). It's good at slowing down and banging objects gently, but less so on narrow vertical objects (e.g. piano legs), which it really clunks (not enough to damage, but it will... 5/5 New Yawkuh "New Yawkuh" (Queens, NY United States) - See all my reviews This review is from: iRobot 530 Roomba Vacuuming Robot, White (Kitchen) Awesome. This new generation fixes all the problems of the previous. Much smarter, much bigger dust bin, much better in every way. Great that it self-docks when tired. Maintanence is a snap...really could not be easier/faster. There are some negatives - how could there not be? - but this thing has such a contagious personality that it starts feeling like your pet, and you're inclined to forgive, and even find the faults charming. You have to prep the room (cords up and out of the way, no papers or clutter on the floor, move small items out of the room and learn which objects present problems and get them out of the way). Performance varies on throw rugs (it's great on rug/carpet surfaces themselves, but Roomba can get caught up as it travels over edges of throw rugs that don't have much weight or cling). It's good at slowing down and banging objects gently, but less so on narrow vertical objects (e.g. piano legs), which it really clunks (not enough to damage, but it will... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , October 11, 2007

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  A Great Product Made Even Better

  With two dogs in the house we could not live without our Roomba. The 530 is a vast improvement from earlier models. It seems to pick up more dirt, the battery life is longer, the fast-charge is about 33% more rapid than its Discovery predecessors and it is generally more quiet. The new sensors that prevent the robot from "speed-bumping" into furniture are a very nice touch, but beware if the robot is in a tight area, it may appear sluggish -- the sensors are working to continually slow it down. It's a feature I like, but need to get used to. My only concern with this robot is the high cost of parts. The bot itself is cheaper than earlier models but the components most prone to breakage or wear-out are twice the cost so the lifetime operation costs may be higher. Replacement batteries are nearly $100. Earlier models were $50. ONE MONTH LATER .... This is a slight amend to my review above. Having used it for a month a couple points of... 5/5 damg1 "damg" (Tulsa, OK) - See all my reviews This review is from: iRobot 530 Roomba Vacuuming Robot, White (Kitchen) With two dogs in the house we could not live without our Roomba. The 530 is a vast improvement from earlier models. It seems to pick up more dirt, the battery life is longer, the fast-charge is about 33% more rapid than its Discovery predecessors and it is generally more quiet. The new sensors that prevent the robot from "speed-bumping" into furniture are a very nice touch, but beware if the robot is in a tight area, it may appear sluggish -- the sensors are working to continually slow it down. It's a feature I like, but need to get used to. My only concern with this robot is the high cost of parts. The bot itself is cheaper than earlier models but the components most prone to breakage or wear-out are twice the cost so the lifetime operation costs may be higher. Replacement batteries are nearly $100. Earlier models were $50. ONE MONTH LATER .... This is a slight amend to my review above. Having used it for a month a couple points of... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , September 12, 2007

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  List Price: $299.99
  

  Measures 16-3/4 by 21 by 5 inches; 1-year limited warranty

  Easy-to-empty bagless dustbin; fine-filtration system traps allergens

  Vacuuming robot picks up dirt and debris with the touch of a button

  Self-charging Home Base, 2 Virtual Walls, an extra filter, and more included

  Anti-tangle technology; gentle-touch bumper system; built-in cliff sensors

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  iRobot Roomba Pet Series 532 Vacuum Cleaning Robot

  Home (iRobot)
  

  Rating (170 reviews):

  (4.0/5)

  

  Good product but proper care required!

  I received my Pet Roomba before Christmas and have been using it since. My house is a real test with 3 very long haired dogs inside most of the day. I run the Roomba every day to keep the hair down to a minimum and we've noticed the floors are much cleaner (even though I used to vacuum alot). However, if you buy this you should know that it requires frequent cleaning of the brushes, particularly the axle area where hair gets easily wrapped (pull off the end cap over the axle). By frequent I mean once or twice during the cleaning cycle. Otherwise, the brushes just stop moving leaving you with a cute robot that just drives around chasing the dogs! So this means you really should only run it when you are at home to keep it clean. I also have already cleaned the front wheel (just pops off - was really full of hair) and the side brush (unscrew the screw). Bottom line, the unit works great so long as it is kept really clean. I've got the cleaning down to a minute so it isn't too big of a... 4/5 bsantang (Colorado) - See all my reviews This review is from: iRobot Roomba Pet Series 532 Vacuum Cleaning Robot (Kitchen) I received my Pet Roomba before Christmas and have been using it since. My house is a real test with 3 very long haired dogs inside most of the day. I run the Roomba every day to keep the hair down to a minimum and we've noticed the floors are much cleaner (even though I used to vacuum alot). However, if you buy this you should know that it requires frequent cleaning of the brushes, particularly the axle area where hair gets easily wrapped (pull off the end cap over the axle). By frequent I mean once or twice during the cleaning cycle. Otherwise, the brushes just stop moving leaving you with a cute robot that just drives around chasing the dogs! So this means you really should only run it when you are at home to keep it clean. I also have already cleaned the front wheel (just pops off - was really full of hair) and the side brush (unscrew the screw). Bottom line, the unit works great so long as it is kept really clean. I've got the cleaning down to a minute so it isn't too big of a... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , December 29, 2008

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  Updated review - Still loving my Roomba!!

  I received my Robot on December 15,2008, an early Christmas Present. Rather than wrapping it, I gave it to the Missus so we could use it so the house would be nice and clean for Christmas day entertaining. It cleaned beautifully, the carpets looked great! This thing would fill up with crud even after running the old vacuum. How wonderful, one less chore to do. Until Christmas Day! So much for showing off the new gizmo! The brushes stopped turning that morning, and repeatedly gave a "clean Brushes" error message. After many attempts, and hours on the IRobot tech site, we established that the rollers indeed were not turning. After the Holiday rush, I found time to do a little more research. After consulting several robot discussion forums, it appears the cleaning head modules have a high failure rate. Apparently IRobot has made a new design of the module about 2 months ago. After getting frustrated with email support, I called IRobot and they say... 5/5 Cornstalks (WNC, USA) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: iRobot Roomba Pet Series 532 Vacuum Cleaning Robot (Kitchen) I received my Robot on December 15,2008, an early Christmas Present. Rather than wrapping it, I gave it to the Missus so we could use it so the house would be nice and clean for Christmas day entertaining. It cleaned beautifully, the carpets looked great! This thing would fill up with crud even after running the old vacuum. How wonderful, one less chore to do. Until Christmas Day! So much for showing off the new gizmo! The brushes stopped turning that morning, and repeatedly gave a "clean Brushes" error message. After many attempts, and hours on the IRobot tech site, we established that the rollers indeed were not turning. After the Holiday rush, I found time to do a little more research. After consulting several robot discussion forums, it appears the cleaning head modules have a high failure rate. Apparently IRobot has made a new design of the module about 2 months ago. After getting frustrated with email support, I called IRobot and they say... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , December 29, 2008

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  Robots really do work

  The iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner is my Christmas present. I wanted it as I've always been fascinated with robots. We've owned several Roombas including the very first one. The first Roomba was an admirable effort but it didn't clean much. It was fun to watch run around the floor though. The second Roomba was the Discovery model. This one worked a bit better but had a ways to go before successfully cleaning my house. Finally, we received Gort. Gort is the iRoomba 532 model specifically designed to help clean homes with pets. We have three cats so this seemed like the perfect vac robot for us. It was. The vacuum really does clean. Gort happily cleaned my low pile carpet. He then moved onto happily cleaning my laminate flooring. While cleaning Gort managed to not eat up the curtains (a problem with the previous models) and he managed to not chew up the power cords (another problem with previous older models). It looks like Gort is going... 5/5 Penmouse - See all my reviews, December 11, 2008

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  List Price: $349.99
  

  Cleans up to three standard-sized rooms on a single charge

  Measures 19-1/2 by 21-1/2 by 5 inches; 1-year limited warranty

  High capacity sweeper bin for trapping even more pet hair, kitty litter or dander

  Vacuuming robot designed especially for pet owners; comes with extra set of easy-to-clean brushes

  2 Virtual Walls tell Roomba where to clean by restricting off-limit areas

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  iTouchless Robotic Intelligent Vacuum Cleaner PRO

  Home (iTouchless)
  

  Rating (12 reviews):

  (2.3/5)

  

  Very Disappointing

  My husband and I had high hopes when he ordered this robotic vacuum cleaner for me for Christmas. My husband is confined to a wheelchair much of the time, and I have severe degenerative disk disease and spondelosis, which in laymen's terms means an extremely bad, severely painful, neck and back. This problem keeps me from being able to clean my house the way it needs, which is very hard on a frustrated Neat Freak like me. Also, we have a loving dog who lives in the house with us, and she sheds, AND sheds. To make matters worse, both my hubby and I have miserably debillitating allergies. So a good and easy way to clean the floors is a Must-Have for us. We thought a cleaner that did all the work for us would be the next-best-thing to the maid service we can't afford. But, sadly, this little vacuum could not handle our floors! We have cement floors, with a few very thin and flat, antique Oriental rugs scattered here and there. The robot vacuum kept getting hung up on the... 1/5 Elaina (New Mexico, USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: iTouchless Robotic Intelligent Vacuum Cleaner PRO (Kitchen) My husband and I had high hopes when he ordered this robotic vacuum cleaner for me for Christmas. My husband is confined to a wheelchair much of the time, and I have severe degenerative disk disease and spondelosis, which in laymen's terms means an extremely bad, severely painful, neck and back. This problem keeps me from being able to clean my house the way it needs, which is very hard on a frustrated Neat Freak like me. Also, we have a loving dog who lives in the house with us, and she sheds, AND sheds. To make matters worse, both my hubby and I have miserably debillitating allergies. So a good and easy way to clean the floors is a Must-Have for us. We thought a cleaner that did all the work for us would be the next-best-thing to the maid service we can't afford. But, sadly, this little vacuum could not handle our floors! We have cement floors, with a few very thin and flat, antique Oriental rugs scattered here and there. The robot vacuum kept getting hung up on the... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , May 20, 2009

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  It doesnt work on carpet.

  I received this item last week. After fully charging it, i found out it doesnt work on carpet. My carpet is ordinary one. It works 2 seconds on carpet, but works well on hardwood floor. If you want to use it on hard floor, it will be OK. But not on carpet at all. 1/5 S. Zhang (California, USA) - See all my reviews, March 30, 2009

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  Works good so far

  I've been using this twice a day for the 5 days that I've had it, and few complaints so far. The run time is around 6 hours on max clean, it does a through job of picking up debris, and it is not too loud. Sometimes during cleaning it gets stuck under furniture and will shut off. You will want to be sure to pick up things off the floor before hand to reduce this problem. The machine is easy to clean and care for, and I find it needs to be emptied after each use. I live with 5 dogs in my home, and this is a great solution for me! 4/5 Emily F. Rushing (Statesboro, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews, May 23, 2010

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  List Price: $259.99
  

  Fully automatic and smart cleaner for all floor surfaces

  Goes under beds and furniture

  New PRO model with "Flat" Design

  Safety features build-in for unattended operation

  Remote control for manual operation

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  iRobot 12501 Looj 125 Remote Controlled Cordless Electric Gutter Cleaning Robot With Belt Clip

  Lawn & Patio (iRobot)
  

  Rating (24 reviews):

  (3.6/5)

  

  Doesn't save time but makes gutter cleaning safer... wear safety glasses!

  Before you decide whether you want to invest the money in a gutter cleaning "robot" do yourself a favor and measure your gutters to see if the Looj will fit. iRobot has a really convenient print out that shows the dimensions and will allow you to cut out the template to easily measure your gutter's width/depth and whether the Looj will make it under your gutter straps, nails or however they are hung. You can find it on iRobot's website in the Looj 125/135/155 product description. I had a link to the PDF but Amazon wouldn't let me include it in my review. Sorry. Once you know the device will fit in your gutter and won't get stuck, then read the reviews and decide if it's worth the money. For me, the Looj has done a great job on my gutters. It will, however, NOT save you ANY time and could potentially take longer than it would if you repositioned the ladder. The difference is that the Looj makes the process of gutter cleaning an order of magnitude... 4/5 Stephen M. Lerch (Elkton, MD United States) - See all my reviews, July 20, 2009

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  OKay, but definitely requires patience

  I have an older home with box gutters. The last time I was on the roof, the ladder moved as I tried to get off the roof which spooked me. A distant neighbor had a serious accident as well. As a result, I usually pay a roofer to clean the gutters. Unfortunately, they can take several weeks to come out and do the cleaning and I am an impatient person. On our house, the gutters are 40' from the ground, so there isn't a convenient way to use the looj from the ground. I can access the gutters from the roof via dormers so my method of using the looj was to tie a rope to the looj and drive it into the gutters that were 3 or 4 feet below me. Prior to looj'ing, I had 3 main problems around the downspouts. Roofing companies put small wire traps over the gutter to keep the downspouts from clogging. Three of these were clogged at the trap. The first one was relatively straight forward although I kept getting caught on the trap. Usually backing up and going... 3/5 Mark - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: iRobot 12501 Looj 125 Remote Controlled Cordless Electric Gutter Cleaning Robot With Belt Clip (Lawn & Patio) I have an older home with box gutters. The last time I was on the roof, the ladder moved as I tried to get off the roof which spooked me. A distant neighbor had a serious accident as well. As a result, I usually pay a roofer to clean the gutters. Unfortunately, they can take several weeks to come out and do the cleaning and I am an impatient person. On our house, the gutters are 40' from the ground, so there isn't a convenient way to use the looj from the ground. I can access the gutters from the roof via dormers so my method of using the looj was to tie a rope to the looj and drive it into the gutters that were 3 or 4 feet below me. Prior to looj'ing, I had 3 main problems around the downspouts. Roofing companies put small wire traps over the gutter to keep the downspouts from clogging. Three of these were clogged at the trap. The first one was relatively straight forward although I kept getting caught on the trap. Usually backing up and going... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , June 16, 2009

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  Flings muck all over, doesn't necessarily fit all gutters

  After noticing that my new house had completely clogged gutters, I rushed to the computer to buy the Looj. I'm a huge iRobot fan, and the price point was low enough I didn't have to ask my wife's permission! I couldn't rush out and use "my new toy" because the battery takes 15 hours to charge. I just used it for the first time, and was pretty impressed. First-off, it is definitely NOT a toy. It's pretty darned effective, when it works. However, there were a few complicating factors. 1) Some of my gutters are too thin for the Looj, so I have to do them by hand. 2) The house has these nifty ice melting wires right on the edge of the shingles... and the Looj kept getting caught in them. I was usually able to free it by turning the auger backwards (slinging muck on the side of the roof) and reversing direction, but I had to free it up by hand a few times. 3) For really mucked up areas, even the mighty... 2/5 Michael A. Behr "mabehr" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews, June 9, 2009

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  List Price: $129.99
  

  Smart speed moves slower going forward to clean thoroughly and faster going backwards to finish its mission quicker

  Works with standard K-style, aluminum, copper, metal or vinyl gutters

  Flexible auger delivers the power needed to blast through clogs

  Belt clip to free up your hands and make it easier for you to climb a ladder.

  Internal antenna provides great range and reliability up to 40-feet away

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  P3 P4920 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner

  Home (P3)
  

  Rating (16 reviews):

  (3.4/5)

  

  Does not work

  I have 2 irobot roombas, a dirt dog, and a scooba. When I saw the P3 which was MUCH cheaper, I HAD to try it. This product has scuffed up my laminate floors with it's rubber wheels by spinning them aimlessly. It does not move and has to be babysat, despite being put in a cleared, closed room. It got stuck on level floors. Also could not vacuum/sweep tile floors. Very disappointing. Takes FOREVER to charge as well. Not impressive at all. I guess I am just a spoilt irobot user. I expected more from this product than it was able to give. 1/5 Just a WAHM "Just a WAHM" (NC, USA) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: P3 P4920 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner (Kitchen) I have 2 irobot roombas, a dirt dog, and a scooba. When I saw the P3 which was MUCH cheaper, I HAD to try it. This product has scuffed up my laminate floors with it's rubber wheels by spinning them aimlessly. It does not move and has to be babysat, despite being put in a cleared, closed room. It got stuck on level floors. Also could not vacuum/sweep tile floors. Very disappointing. Takes FOREVER to charge as well. Not impressive at all. I guess I am just a spoilt irobot user. I expected more from this product than it was able to give. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , November 5, 2009

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  good floor duster in simple space

  I have one of the these tiny, inexpensive vacs in each bedroom. They are prefect for bare wood floors in simple spaces. They dust a 10 x 12 bare wood floor in about 15 minutes and do pick up pet hair, tracked cat litter, and dust. It then takes them overnight to re-charge. If used every other day, dust and pet hair doesn't accumulate in the corners, so I find I need a "real" human-operated vac in these rooms only about once a month. These inexpensive vacs don't have corner brushes so aren't as good at edges as the more advanced robo-vacs. Also, they get stuck on or under just about anything - door sills, rugs edges, chair rungs, etc., so need a clear space in which to work. (For more cluttered room, I like the Metapo QQ2 which does corners and can sterilize the bathroom and kitchen floor with its ultraviolet light. I have not tried the roombas but don't find any of the cheaper models do carpet well.) Lastly, make sure the P2 and P3 are turned off before... 4/5 S. Sweeney (Stamford CT, USA) - See all my reviews, January 5, 2010

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  got the wrong bot...but used it anyway.

  Pretty much like the title said, I sent to another company (Get Organized) and they sent me the wrong robot. They fixed that problem pretty fast--everything is okay. So, I got to keep it--here's my review. I gave this little gray fellow a five stars not because of what its' advertisment says--(that it's great on carpets), but because of what I use it for....to dust, vacuum, damp mop, damp sanitize mop my hardwood floors. On carpets...I would have give it a one or two star. Pros; 1. Thirty seven bucks! Works fine on hard smooth slick surfaces. 2. Doesn't seem to get stuck 'too' much. 3. I wet the 'high tech' cloth, stick it to the bottom of it and let it damp mop my floors...and sometimes spray lysol on the wet cloth and do some 'lite' sanitizing. 4. Does vacuum up 'loose' dust. 5. hunts around alright for a sensor package. Cons; 1. Better have level floors. 2. There... 5/5 Oldtechnohobbiest "Mr. Nobody" (Tennessee) - See all my reviews, October 21, 2010

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  List Price: $69.95
  

  3 preprogrammed modes: Random, Spiral, and Along The Wall

  Electrostatic paper for bare floors; internal dustbin; whisper-quiet operation

  Measures 11-1/2 by 11 by 4 inches; 6-month limited warranty

  Robotic vacuum cleaner for wood, tiled, and carpeted floors

  Includes 12 rechargeable batteries and an AC adapter

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