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Original poster

Should I get a Roomba?

153 replies

sparklytinselbella · 01/12/2008 21:35

Advice please!

2 dogs, 4 cats, 2 dc. All hard floors downstairs, carpets upstairs.

Please, please tell me I really need one

OP posts:
ToughDaddy · 11/12/2008 19:05

I thought that Sian has a hint of sexual ambiguity. Florence is a good name but can be a bit melodramatic?

Yes, I am scared to programme. My cheeky 4 year old has taken to prodding Sian for unscheduled cleans.

ToughDaddy · 11/12/2008 19:06

And My 4 yr old doesn't tidy anything before he sets her off!

BellaKissedSanta · 11/12/2008 19:41

Sian makes me think of that awful weather presenter, that's all.

If you wanted sexual amiguity you could have gone for:

Jo(e)

or

Ashley

Ooh - these are sounding like footballers aren't they?

or Bob - like in Blackadder!

Guessed you were too lily livered and chicken to programme her - ha! I have already spent my left over £30 for getting the 530 on gin, gin and more gin.

Cheers, TD

ToughDaddy · 12/12/2008 22:59

I can picture you, G&T in hand, Roomba spinning at your feet.

Sian (to be renamed Jo) is going out twice a day at present. She is doing upstairs and downstairs! Poor thing; no one round here is doing any work. They are all waiting on Robots to do everything now.

Original poster
SparklyTinselBella · 13/12/2008 14:04

That's quite shocking, TD. Hope you are going to give her a well earned Christmas break.

I have put out feelers re the suitability of a Scooba. Positive responses so far on other thread. Are you up for it?

Gotta go - only ice in my glass at the mo

OP posts:
ggirlsbells · 13/12/2008 17:03

I have bought one..we are the proud new parents of R2D2,named by ds.
He is charging as I type...pulsing away enticingly!
Am eagerly scanning room to see what I need to move for optimum cleaning.

ToughDaddy · 13/12/2008 22:46

I am amazed by the daily fluff that she collects on her daily walks.

SparkyBella-
She is on a 3 year gaurantee but I doubt that they were expecting me to drive her this hard.

we will leave unprogrammed over the Xmas hols so she will have a rest. I sort of expect her to greet me at the door with a smile and a soft pur but it never happens...

ToughDaddy · 14/12/2008 07:51

I have never inspected vacuum fluff so closely before, but it looks like the Roomba's is more carpet hair than anything else? Have you noticed this or is it just my carpet!?

Original poster
SparklyTinselBella · 14/12/2008 17:03

Just your cheap carpet, TD

No, only joking. George seems to pick up predominantly pet hair, dust and K'nex in my house, but then about 80% of his work is done on hard floors. I think carpets tend to shed more when they are relatively new - ours are obviously still encrusted with a sealing layer of gunk from my previous, slovenly and pre-George days. Poor old Dyson is looking a bit sad and lonely though [fsad}

Many many congrats, ggirl - I hope your new arrival leaves you with that warm and tingly feeling which all us other Roomba owners have - or is that just down to today's gin consumption?

And yes, George does greet me with a warm smile, quick back rub and a freshly drawn hot bath - don't yours?

OP posts:
jura · 14/12/2008 17:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ggirlsbells · 14/12/2008 20:26

has anyone else's been unable to find the dock ?
have tried twice and gave up waiting for it to find it's homeand plonked him there myself..bimey had to use my poor arm muscles!!!
tis in a large open plan area so easy for it to lose it's bearings

NotanOtter · 14/12/2008 20:32

toughdaddy - when you leave him in our tiled hallway it is virtually 100% grit. yorkshire sandstone i do declare....

in other rooms - it depends on rugs - IKEA red circle - 90% rug fluff

more pricey better rugs - 50% crap 50% rug

most rooms in our house - playmobil knives /forks/ hair account for 10% roombas cache

magnetic words that stick on radiators in our house also account for a good proportion

Original poster
SparklyTinselBella · 14/12/2008 21:22

Hello Otter!

George sends Phillip II his very best regards.

ggirls - no probs with dock so far but I do tend to mollycoddle him and keep an eye out so he doesn't get lonely.

Is yours a 530? I believe the 560 comes with a portable lighthouse which you can position to show him the way back to his dock, but maybe TD can confirm this.

Oh, and does anybody know if his little noises actually mean different things, i.e. does he play a separate tune for 'finished!', 'clean my brushes', 'going home now' etc?

Night all

Bella & George xxx

OP posts:
NotanOtter · 14/12/2008 21:33

the songs DO mean different things

the one when he has finished a room that ends on one high note is my favourite!

Original poster
SparklyTinselBella · 14/12/2008 21:36

Oh thanks, Otter - I will have to play closer attention and brush up ( ) on my Roomba vocabulary.

And ggirls, what I meant to say was that I think you may be able to buy a lighthouse separately if you don't already have one.

OP posts:
ToughDaddy · 14/12/2008 22:18

Bella and ggirls- mine did come with two lighthouses but I haven't used them; I just close room doors to restrain her the old fashioned way.

Previous owner of house left "newish" carpets but I am not sure about the quality!

Original poster
SparklyTinselBella · 14/12/2008 22:24

Well, that's that sorted then.

Ggirls - TD will pop his superfluous lighthouses in the post to you

OP posts:
Original poster
SparklyTinselBella · 14/12/2008 22:28

Sad news, people - have googled it and it would appear TD's lighthouses will only work with a poncy 560.

Put the envelope down, TD.

Perhaps you might like to enlighten us as to why you got the top spec model but you don't programme and you don't use your lighthouses?

Oh, I forgot.

You're a man

OP posts:
ggirlsbells · 15/12/2008 18:00

daaaamn mine is useless at finding docking station.

I suspect the area is too open plan which sends him into a haphazard frenzy in which he forgets he's supposed to be finding home...ah well will just have to chuck him there myself.
Still haven't left him to get on with it himself ..tomorrow is his first day alone !!!!
will report back...

ToughDaddy · 15/12/2008 22:01

Bella- my 560 knows where her place is in the house. I like the idea of a programmable woman in the house aside from the ususal male affinity to useless gadgets

Original poster
SparklyTinselBella · 15/12/2008 22:09
OP posts:
ToughDaddy · 15/12/2008 22:43

love to you too Bells. That did read a bit chauvinist but not at all meant that way

Milliways · 15/12/2008 22:44

My dog would spend the whole day chasing it / picking it up & killing it!!

NotanOtter · 15/12/2008 23:07

Milliways methinks not. Roomba is heavy no dog could pick it up - it also scares wild wiry two year olds

a force to be reckoned with our Phillip

Milliways · 15/12/2008 23:18

He wouldn't give up easy - he is stupid & very strong! He wouldn't leave it alone anyway!