iRobot vacuum cleaners

[HoustonFirefox]

BraveSirRobbin,

The only difference I see between the Roomba Red and the Discovery is that the Discovery comes with a charging station that it can drive onto (instead of having to be plugged in, like the red model). In addition it has a remote control if you want to "drive" it.

Funny thing: The Red does not come with a remote, but works with the one from the Discovery

All of the cleaning parts are identical (brushes, filters, canisters, etc) so you are really just paying for the extra features.

I set them both loose in a room with the docking station. The first one to run out of juice gets the docking station! The other has to "die" and let me carry it back to be plugged in (both have the plug-in charge jack on the side).

If a Roomba detects that the battery is getting low then it will clean while seeking out the charging station and drive itself back to it and dock.

If you press the "Clean" button while it is on the docking station, it will slowly backup while making a "beep beep beep" noise like a big truck until it clears it enough to start running around.

Another funny is that if it gets hung up on something (power cords or rug fringes then it will try and free itself. If it can't, then it will shut down and make a noise that sounds like "Uh-Oh!" every 30 seconds or so until you "free" it. Then it plays the "Charge!" theme and begins cleaning again.

Again, I can't recommend them highly enough.

 

[Digger]

I heard that they are very noisey. Can you be watching TV in the room if the romba is working?

Another funny is that if it gets hung up on something (power cords or rug fringes then it will try and free itself. If it can't, then it will shut down and make a noise that sounds like "Uh-Oh!"

I think they should change it to "Help Me"

 

[KenM]

On the noise. The new Roomba Discovery I was playing with today sounded a lot like a hand held hair dryer on a very low setting. I was listening to the morning news on my AM radio and had to turn it up a little. I was able to listen with only a minor annoyance of noise. I already have planned to run this when no one is in the room for normal use. It is easy enough to start up when leaving the house in the morning.

A side note; My wife saw it in action for the first time as it was finishing up in the kitchen. Her comment, after "wow", was "can that thing mop?" I don't feel too bad about ordering the "Scooba" now. We both work 40+ hour weeks and anything that can save time cleaning is a big plus for both of us. In the 'time = money' equation I can see these items being well worth the money.

Ken

 

[eufreka]

...I set them both loose in a room with the docking station. The first one to run out of juice gets the docking station!...

I have one dedicated to my master bedroom, and another that runs around the family/kitchen room...

The other day, I left the door open to the bedroom, and the one from the kitchen managed to roam through the whole first floor, eventually finding its way to the charging station in the bedroom (3 rooms away)!

If I had the spare change, I would have 4 on the first floor of my house, and just put extra charging stations in each room...running every day, I think they would (1) do all the areas, and (2) always find a charging station...if only a couple of y'all would send me your roombas so that I could test it first... :angry:

 

[eufreka]

I heard that they are very noisey. Can you be watching TV in the room if the romba is working?

Another funny is that if it gets hung up on something (power cords or rug fringes then it will try and free itself. If it can't, then it will shut down and make a noise that sounds like "Uh-Oh!"

I think they should change it to "Help Me"

You *can* but you will NOT want to...

They are very loud on hard surfaces (wood/tile, etc.); they become noticeably quieter when they run across rugs and carpeting.

In one room, I have a 8x10 "shag" rug that literally sucks the charge right out of one of my roombas if I let it get too close...

 

[KenM]

Hi all,

My 'new in the box' Scooba arrived today.

I only had to put the battery on charge for two hours before the charge light went out (indicating a full charge).

I filled the tank with 1/2 scooba juice and 1/2 vinegar, an experiment. I, at first got a 'check tank' indication but after I shook the tank a little, all was well. The unit ran for about 40 minutes and the a 'check tank' indicator came on. I refilled the tank and it ran another 20 minutes before the 'battery empty' indicator came on. Both times, the collection tank water was nasty ooky dirty.

The only thing that puzzles me now is, how in the heck do you start up the 'self drying cycle' after a dead battery thing? I already tried charging the battery and then putting it back in. The book says "when Scooba is off, Press Power & then press Clean twice.

I tried that and got a 'blue' blinking indicator, not the 'blue/green' indicator that the manual indicated. I'm confused but will get over that.

Right now my opinion is mostly neutral on the instructions and A+ on the cleaning. It will not clean corners, I can live with that.

More to follow.

ken

Edit added: The self drying cycle worked today as advertised. Maybe the weak battery had the poor little guy confused.
k