Roomba - Opinions?

[Tom Scharpling]

Hello heroes -

Does anyone here have a Roomba? Any thoughts on it? I could picture it being awesome, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it might be horribly ineffective, leaving me to get out the broom or vacuum on my own.

I'm considering it for a house with hardwood floors, if that helps.

Thanks -

Tom.

[Laurie]

I love my Roomba! It's fun watching my kitties scurry.

My place has these lovely, dark hardwood floors, and the Roomba works great. You're still going to have to do a little sweeping, but I find it's a huge time saver. May I recommend Swiffer? Swiffer + Roomba = Love.

[Martin]

I don't know... I hear it's a new race of super computers hellbent on destroying our civilization and making us their slaves.

[Laurie]

I don't know... I hear it's a new race of super computers hellbent on destroying our civilization and making us their slaves.

My computer at work won't let view this picture, but I am going to assume that this is a picture of the vacuum-dalek hybrid all the nerds are talking.

[Pride of Staten Island]

I've actually been contemplating the exact same purchase myself.

A friend of mine has the Roomba. He says that it basically does it's job but you still have to vacuum manually every now and then.

Laurie, how did you play This Poison 14 times last week? Do they have another song besides "Poised Over the Pause Button" (which, admittedly, is a pretty incredible song)?

[buffcoat]

I bought one and took it back - it's a cool idea, and it works ok on hardwood, but it really doesn't work at all on carpet.  My house is half and half.

They don't tell you, but the Roomba does not have any suction component to it - it's just a sweeper.


I am interested in those robotic grass mowers - anyone have one of those?

[Laurie]

I've actually been contemplating the exact same purchase myself.

A friend of mine has the Roomba. He says that it basically does it's job but you still have to vacuum manually every now and then.

Laurie, how did you play This Poison 14 times last week? Do they have another song besides "Poised Over the Pause Button" (which, admittedly, is a pretty incredible song)?

Egg Records put out a pretty sweet compilation a couple of years ago. It would have been sweeter if it were shorter by about three songs. The demos that close out the comp are pretty awful and and tape-hissy and scratchy and bad.

[Tom Scharpling]

Buffcoat -

So if it is just a sweeper, where does all the dirt and grime go? It just puts it in a corner for me to pick up?

Tom.

[Martin]

My computer at work won't let view this picture, but I am going to assume that this is a picture of the vacuum-dalek hybrid all the nerds are talking.

Oh, sorry - it's from a sketch by Human Giant in which those little vacuums take over the world. It aired just the other week.

[Andy]

my parents have one of the scheduler roombas sitting in their garage.  they don't work so well on split level houses with lots of furniture and non-square rooms.

if anyone wants it, I'm sure they'd be willing to part with it for cheap to free.

[buffcoat]

Tom,

It sweeps it into a little tray on the back that you then empty.  On the whole, it's not too bad a little system.  The problem is that it doesn't work well on carpet, and that it really doesn't work as "your only vacuum cleaner." 

You'll still have to go around and vacuum yourself - just maybe not as often.


buffcoat

[bookem_dan-o]

Interesting...I've been in the market for a Roomba myself. How can they call it a vaccum when it supposedly doesn't have a "suction component"?

Unless I'm a complete sucker, this video certainly looks like the Roomba is doing some good sucking:

[youtube=425,350]0ygvu0SC6n0[/youtube]

I'm also tempted to get the Scooba, the floor cleaning successor to the Roomba.

This makes it worth getting one in my opinion:

[youtube=425,350]fqlBruE8C7U[/youtube]

I'm still waiting for my fucking flying car though.

[Tyrannosaurus Rocks]

My dad has one, and he tells me he loves it. And, my dog (that he stole) has gotten used to it, supposedly. When he got it, though, I felt disappointed in him somehow. I can't put a finger on it, but still.

However, it does allow one this opportunity:
[youtube=425,350]_hyzPvTiNDk[/youtube]

So I say go for it.

[Sarah]

You know, these look pretty nifty.  I'd heard they get confused easily--you know, working themselves into tight spots and unable to maneuver themselves out of them--but these clips suggest otherwise.  I think at least two of my dogs would want to kill the thing, though, and I'd hate to spend $150 or so on a dog toy.  Nevertheless, with my loathing of all things houseworkery, maybe an experiment would be worth it.

I'd still prefer to have a loyal, dignified servant.  Ideally, Farah (from Out of Africa).  Jeeves would be a little too judgmental, I think.

[Laurie]

I think I would prefer a robot slave, Sarah.