ROOMBA - MY HOOVERING BUDDY (iRobot DVU00009)

Member Name: clawson0810

Product:	iRobot DVU00009
Date:	17/09/08 (126 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: SMALL, LIGHT, WORKS FOR YOU

Disadvantages: CAN TRIP YOU UP IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL

As the ?proud? owner of a Roomba I have to say that whilst it doesn't live up to it's hype, it certainly lived up to my expectations which were to have a 'cleaner' who would just 'run the hoover' over the floor while I was out at work during the week.
The thing to remember about these small (almost dinner plate size) robots is that they do not have the flexibility of a traditional hoover - no getting cobwebs from the ceiling or hoovering your sofa or stairs with this little buddy, but as an aid to make your life a bit easier I would have to give it a big 'Thumbs up'.
Whilst it can take over an hour to hoover a good sized room (I always leave mine running until the battery runs out) you have to remember that during this time you are off living your life.
Ok, it doesn't get into the corners and I am not certain that it actually cleans as close to the edge as I would like. But, for me, this does not matter. The weekend is when I like to spend time with a regular hoover and get all those nooks and crannys cleaned properly, but to come home every evening to a floor that looks like someone has just hoovered is great for me - guests can visit at a moments notice and I know I don't have to panic and get the real hoover out for a frantic quick hoover. And how often do your guests really look into the corner of your room to see if it is 'perfectly hoovered'.
One area I can see this product really being a benefit is for the older or less mobile of us. As the design is flat and low it manages to get under most bits of heavy furniture without the rigmarole of trying to drag the piece out or clamber on your hands and knees to get under it with the nozzle of a conventional hoover. Ok, your large piece of furniture has to have a gap of about 3 to 4 inches but with current designs this seems to be the norm. My bed is a monsterous affair made of mahogany which takes at least 2 people to move when I wanted to hoover under it in the past - now my little roomba wizzes underneath without me having to lift a finger. For some this must surely be a plus.
So far I have had my roomba for over a year and it gets used about 3 hours a week. Nothing has broken or fallen off so far and the battery seems to be holding up fine but I don't expect it to last as long as the traditional hoovers.
The upsides to the product are that it is light, seems fairly robust and does some of your work.
The downsides, that I have found, are that it can run out of battery in some inconvenient places (just inside a door, under a bed). That means that, if you leave it running when you go out, walk back into the room/house carefully in case it is waiting to trip you up.
Overall though, I would not be without my buddy. And if/when it dies it will certainly be replaced.

Summary: A GOOD PRODUCT IF YOU REMEMBER IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO REPLACE YOUR TRADITIONAL HOOVER

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