Robotic hoovers, fad or fabulous?

[coansha]

My DH has stuffed my beloved Dyson, to be fair was due a new one as 11 years old and has had 2 by pass surgeries at the dyson factory.
So, WHAT would you recommend? We have 2 dogs, one sheds badly and myself an dd's x 2 have long hair. I do like the dysons and prefer push alongs rather than telescopic, as I'm tall and they are never long enough. Anyone had one?

Yes, after months of saving and thinking should I? I got one at the end of March from John Lewis so you get a five year guarantee if you pay an extra £50 which everyone seems to think is very important because if they go wrong they tend not to be repairable. I love mine, I have no pets but three kids aged 6,4, and 3 so quite a messy house with lots of crumbs. It is not massively powerful but because it is so easy I just put it on everytime we leave the house so my carpets get done twice a day and have never been cleaner-used to be twice a week before (eek) It is very thorough and gets everything so I would expect that with dog hair you would have to unclog it a lot at first and then it will settle down. It is really easy to unclog and I can't recommend mine enough...if you live near Southend you could always come and meet Michael as the kids have called ours.

Today's national groupon deal is for a half price robot vacuum.

ooh watching this as its something I've always fancied!

yes I saw the offer but have never heard of them?? Anyone have that Brand? I read up a little last night on amazon, One funny reviewer was saying she forgot she had set it and it woke her up in the middle of the night, she thought they had intruders!!! Am getting tempted....

Does anyone know how they handle wonky floors? Kitchen floor is natural slate with a lot of dips in the surface. I'd imagine it would keep getting stuck, but would love to be proved wrong.

I love my Roomba! You do need to empty them quite a lot and they don't do stairs but otherwise they are amazing. Be prepared for a lot of dust to be stirred up the first time you use one.

didn't like my roomba and sold it on ebay
kept getting stuck , missing places
it can get over ridges but the dirt right next to ridge will probably get missed as roomba has to hop over it so the brushes miss it
i have thick rug so had to sweep the crumbs myself as roomba kept missing

lakeland sell them and have lifetime guarantee on all their products

I guessed I would have to do corners and stairs but hoped it would do the majority as its so bloody dull hoovering...

I love my Roomba.. and his outdoor buddy the dirt-dog (like a Roomba, but for garages) was endearingly thick (used to always fall into the grass and make it's 'uh oh' sound to be rescued)

I also have a hankering for the mop version......

You start to imagine they have personalities - the little victorious noise they make when they've finished, and spinning in circles when they find a grubby spot is adorable.

I'd swear mine used to make a break for the bathroom if I ever left the door open :)

I love my Roomba - it's one of my very favourite things. I find that it manages corners fairly well, as it has a side brush. Stairs it can't do, obviously (although it knows not to fall down them if you put it at the top).

It does underneath my furniture without me having to drag things around like I would a conventional vacuum - & knocks all of the Duplo & Happyland people out from underneath so I don't have to fish around for them

I would love one for the kitchen especially. Is it able to vac up dry breakfast cereal such as cornflakes?

...of course, you could'nt let it loose in a kids room, eh! lovin the idea of one though.

Darn it!!!!!!!

I love our Roomba, but since we have changes of level between every room he only does the kitchen - which he does very well indeed - so I don't really know how well he would do carpeted rooms. I would love to get him a Scooba friend. I am thinking you couldn't really have one as a sole vacuum cleaner - we have a Henry as well.

As for letting him loose in children's rooms - well the best tidying-up incentive I have ever found has been "if you don't tidy it up, Roomba will eat it" (admittedly, it only gets things off the floor, rather than actually tidy, but it's a start).

and silver, yes, Roombas definitely eat cornflakes.

Thx everyone

I really want a Scooba for downstairs .... was looking at info online and it seems that it vacs before it washes so would only need the Scooba but at £400 I have to be sure it is worth it and so far not "met" anyone that has one only seen reviews online

Please please if anyone has a Scooba I'd love to hear how you find it!

really? 1st generation scoobas needed roombas to clear up for them first. If the new ones do it themselves then we could demote promote Roomba to the sitting room and let Scooba take over the kitchen....

Tempting! Although I too would like to hear from "real" Scooba owner(s)

Hello,

Has anyone purchased a replacement battery? I was quoted a silly price, so my roomba is packed away unable to work... I'd love to ressurect him...

this man fixed our roomba after he ate some orange juice (not good - corroded his circuit board) and I would thoroughly recommend him for any repairs/spares - he will quote you an honest price for the battery, Karbea.

Thanks for the ref, stealthsquiggle :) I have stumbled upon this website where I think I can answer few questions.

Silver73: "I would love one for the kitchen especially. Is it able to vac up dry breakfast cereal such as cornflakes?"

iMayne: Yes, dry cornflakes are ok but not so ok when wet. My Roomporium lol picks up wet cornflakes but leaves a mess in the bin and on the Cleaning Head Module, CHM. I've also seen where tiny moisture gets inside, on the circuit board, and damage it so I avoid running any Roomba over liquid.

Silver73: "Please please if anyone has a Scooba I'd love to hear how you find it!"

iMayne: So far they are ok for the 1st yr or 2. It cleans very well but the issue they generate is that it spins around (caused by a faulty sensor on either drive wheels) or all lights flashing on the control panel (caused by a damaged control panel). The beep code are important as they tell you what is the problem. Most times it needs a new battery :) Overall...I love them.

As for Karbea, I will not say what battery to purchase (China or OEM). I have tested few "china batteries" and they loses power after 6 months. OEMs are great but nothing is perfect. For a battery to last long (Roomba battery), the CHM needs to be cleaned and if you are storing your Roomba, fully charge the battery and remove from Roomba. Leaving a battery inside a device, any device without in used for 3+ weeks, will damage the battery. For Roomba/Scooba parts, feel free to contact me for best prices possible :) Later I will sell parts for you to fix your own robot, that way you will save money ;)

I hate my roomba (called robo), he is a useless twunt and will shortly be flogged off for 20 quid (hopefully)