Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have had Roomba's for years... They do require a little maintenance (Brush cleaning, cleaning the pet hair from the ends of the rollers) but overall they are pretty great. Cleaning the brushes is no big deal, I do it when I empty the bin. It takes a minute or two to empty the bin and clean the brushes, and it's ready to go.
We have two pugs, and they shed constantly. The 500 series Roomba's are a pretty huge improvement in design (I am a mechanical design engineer) They have redesigned the roomba to make everything modular, so if something does wear out, it is very easy to replace. My old Roomba was the first model with the scheduling ability, and I did have to replace a few things. I had to replace some transmission parts, and the batteries. Of course, I had to replace the brushes and filters many times over the years. I upgraded the batteries to give it more time to vaccuum, but the 550 seems to be pretty great right out of the box. It can run for almost two hours sometimes, depending on how big the space is I want it to vaccuum. It is also much easier to program than the old Roomba, it took just a couple of minutes and you program it right on the Roomba itself.
The Roomba 550 is also much quieter than the old Roomba was... MUCH QUIETER! It slows down before it bumps into things and the vaccuum itself is not bad. That was the biggest improvement I saw initially, with battery life and ease of replacing parts coming in right after that... (It's nice that the parts are easier to replace, time will tell how useful that is... Hopefully, it won't need much beyond brushes and filters. :-0 )
The virtual walls are also improved... They only take 2 C cell batteries, and the batteries seem to last longer. On my old Roomba, you had to schedule the virtual walls as well as the Roomba using the remote, and it was a little clunky. The new virtual walls don't require any programming. The only thing that has ever malfunctioned with the virtual walls is the dogs have apparently played with them and they occasionally are not pointing in the right direction... It is also not as obvious as they used to be regarding which side is the front... I have found the roomba cleaning the room I wanted it to stay out of because the Virtual wall was aimed at the doorjam instead of across the doorway; apparently it got kicked and whoever set it back got it backwards.
The Roomba 550 is $250 at Costco, and if the thing does ever break, you can return it to Costco for a replacement or your money back. (One of the little perks of membership, if you are not satisfied they will take it back fairly indefinitely...):-)
That is the primary focus of this review... Why would you pay over $315 with shipping plus tax at whatever your states rate is?
I think the Roomba is a pretty cool little device, and I recommend that people who want to keep their house vaccuumed all the time buy it... But I would recommend buying it at Costco.
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iRobot Roomba 550 / 551 AeroVac Technology Vacuum Cleaning Robot with On-Board Scheduling, 2 Extra Filters, 2 Virtual Walls, & 2 Extra Bristle BrushesWith its enhanced design, including improved navigation, coverage, pickup, and filtration, this vacuum-cleaning robot makes it easier then ever to clean floors throughout the house--hands free. Simply press the "clean" button & the unit will vacuum the whole floor on its own, adjusting automatically to any floor surface including wood, tile, linoleum, rugs, and carpet. The vacuum's dual,high-speed,counter-rotating brushes pick up everything from tracked-in dirt by the front door to food crumbs on the kitchen floor to pet hair throughout the house. It also provides anti-tangle technology with auto reverse,innovative spinning side brushes to ensure thorough cleaning in corners and along baseboards,& a gentle-touch bumper that senses obstacles so that it can slow down and carefully clean around them. The unit's dirt sensor will direct the cleaning time & focus where it's needed most, and its low-profile design means easy cleaning under beds, couches, & other hard-to-reach areas. Another thoughtful detail includes its ability to schedule preset cleaning times--great for coming home to a clean house after a long day at the office. Even more, the cleaner comes with built-in cliff sensors that prevent it from falling down stairs and a Virtual Wall system, which allows for setting up invisible barriers that confine the unit to a designated area. The vacuum's large dustbin empties easily, and its improved filtration system traps dust, pollen,& other allergens, helping to ensure only clean air gets released back into the room. For added convenience, the vacuuming robot automatically returns to its self-charging Home Base to dock & recharge between cleaning cycles or when the battery starts to run low. Accessories include a bumper extension,a brush cleaning tool,a power adapter,a rechargeable battery,2 extra filters,2 Virtual Wall Lighthouses,& 2 Extra Bristle Brushes & 4 "C" batteries for the Virtual Walls. It measures approximately 13x13x4". 1-yr manufacturer warranty.
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