Roomba: this Robot-Vacuum Doesn't Suck

Or, rather, it does a really superior job of sucking... Sucking up all the dirt, dust and debris in your house, that is. Designed by MIT researchers and launched in September 2002, the Roomba has yet to become a common household item but once you try one, you won't want to go back to regular vacuum cleaning. Take my word for it--I've been robot-enabled for the past five years.

Without getting into the nitty-gritty, suffice it to say the Roomba actually works! Pretty much exactly as promised.

I first saw it thanks to random channel-surfing one night. As I flipped past the Home Shopping Network (a good place to get a discounted Roomba, by the way), my interest was peeked by the little round thing magically cleaning a filthy floor without any human help. For the first time, I actually sat through an infomercial, transfixed as the miniature robot detected and swept up piles of dust, while seamlessly avoiding obstacles and returning to its home based when it needed a charge. A week later I was enjoying the same spectacle in my very own living room. The remarkable thing about the Roomba is that it turns an unpleasant but necessary task into something fun and remarkably easy. The Roomba does all the work and, as promised, actually outperforms regular vacuums by going over areas multiple times until they are clean. The only caveat is that the floor must be clear of any items that might topple over or get in the robot's way. (It can deal with area rugs and normal furniture but not unusually delicate items, as the device does bump into things as it learns the lay of the land.)

Perhaps the biggest plus for me, other than not having to do any actual vacuuming myself, is the reduced noise level as compared with traditional vacuum cleaners. I have sensitive ears and this had always been an issue. While far from silent, the Roomba's small motor is noticeably less annoying than traditional, seemingly V8 engine-powered vacuums. Goodbye noise, hello clean rooms--a beneficial trade by any standards.

So, as noted earlier, this invention may not be brand spanking new but it still hasn't been widely adopted (despite worldwide sales of three million units, according to iRobot) and is still unfamiliar to many. As such, I thought it deserved a review. To sum up, the Roomba works, can be found at a discount through online retailers such as HSN.com and pays for itself through time saved, reduced noise pollution, and more frequent (and efficient) cleaning as a result of vacuuming no longer being a chore. My verdict: what are you waiting for?

A Few Ownership Tips:
- Clearing the floor of any papers, books and fragile items is a must.
- If you only use your Roomba once a month or so, fully charge and remove the battery from the unit after use. Then, fully charge it again right before the next cleaning cycle. This prolongs battery life.
- For increased battery performance, allow your Roomba to completely discharge (by letting it clean until it runs really low), then fully charge the battery.
- Empty your Roomba's dust chamber and clean the filter midway, especially if you haven't vacuumed in a while. Simply pause the cleaning cycle to do this. (The little dust container fills up quickly, at least on the 4 series models.)
- Instead of replacing the filter after a couple of uses, clean it with tap water. Remember to thoroughly dry the filter before re-inserting. This should allow one filter to last at least a few months.
- Don't move furniture around too much during a cleaning cycle, unless you enjoy confusing your robot (a definite possible source of entertainment). The Roomba "learns" the layout of your house as it vacuums, so moving items may result in slightly less efficient vacuuming.
- For smaller apartments, virtual walls aren't really useful and the robot can easily be blocked by closing doors and/or setting up obstacles.
- If your Roomba 3 or 4 series goes berserk (turning around and around in circles when asked to clean), contact iRobot. They will send you a software update free of charge, even if your unit is out of warranty. The software patch fixes the issue and enhances your unit's efficiency.