Do Roomba Floor Vacs Really Work?

Full Review

 

Sounds like a dream doesn't it, having a machine clean your floors unsupervised while you do whatever you enjoy more than housework? Roomba can turn the dream into reality because it really works.

A clean house is a relative term and we all have different ideas about what that means. For this writer, the Roomba is a great way to clean floors more often and maintain them. I'm not the type who would vacuum several times a week. But with the Roomba, I won't hesitate if I feel they need it. In addition, it's very convenient to set the robot out and know it can spot clean accidental messes efficiently.

Good Arguments?

A friend suggested recently that a little robot couldn't be powerful enough to suck up embedded dirt. I disagree. I used to have a traditional vacuum that was in good working order. When I first tried the Roomba, it picked up things my other machine had missed. My friend also said that the robot was a waste of money because I could vacuum a room much faster than the machine. And, of course, she is right. But she was missing the point. The amount of time it spends in the room is irrelevant. I may be able to clean the room faster, but Roomba can do it while I'm at the movies. If unexpected company is on the way, I can shower while the robot cleans. After owning a robot for more than two years, I can think of many similar scenarios and I wonder how I ever got along without it. Owning one, you soon come to realize, while you may need the robot to clean the floors, it doesn't need you. And that's its greatest advantage.

Nooks And Crannies

Besides operating hands-free, the machine has other appeal. Roomba will go places you've always struggled to reach, like under the center of a king size bed. Even with traditional vacuum cleaner extensions, I've always questioned if I might have missed any areas and not realized it. My robot has relieved me of that uncertainty and the chore. It travels under the bed effortlessly, passing back and forth several times. The robot runs on a rechargeable battery that will last long enough to clean two or more rooms, depending on their size. And how does it get into corners? A circular brush protrudes from under one side of the machine and effectively sweeps up dust and debris between the floor and baseboards. All of it goes into an easy to empty plastic bin under the machine.

Getting Acquainted With The Robot

While the Roomba knows what to do without instruction, the first time you use it in a room you will want to observe it. It requires a little more than three inches of clearance to travel freely under furniture and can get stuck without the proper space. In that event, it will alert you with beep sounds, the robot's language for communicating problems that require your attention. Once you're familiar with any pitfalls the robot might encounter, you can address them before the next cleaning. From then on you can let the robot clean that room unsupervised. The robot works more efficiently in one room at a time, as opposed to traveling from room to room, so it shouldn't be allowed to wander. Keep your robot working in a specific area by setting up boundaries with virtual walls,

plastic units that emit a light beam to stop the robot from entering a new area. The machine can move from hard floors like tile and wood, to carpeting without interruption. Some higher priced robot models come with a docking station and auto timer that allow you to program the cleaning schedule. You can set it to clean while you sleep, or while you are at work. The robot automatically returns to the dock when it finishes and recharges itself, ready for it's next assignment.

In Closing

Pros for owning a Robot? 

You're free to do something else while the robot cleans your floors. It reaches places you can't easily access.

Cons?

The battery will need to be replaced after about a year.

TIP

The most efficient way to use a robot floor vacuum is to go into the room and get all the dusting done first including baseboards. Don't hesitate to brush small particles to the floor. The robot will be happy to pick it all up when you're done!

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