Anyone have a Roomba I-robot cleaning thing?

[hopelesshousewife]

Am sorely tempted by the roomba vaccuum robot that promises an end to dust everywhere. They seem to range from about £100 to over £250 - anyone any experience?

We've got a few - DH refurbishes them.
They're great; I have to go round and clean the corners of the rooms with the dyson hose though, as the Roombas can't get in close enough.
It's great to set them off, then go out, and have most of the floor clean when we get back.

Oh wow Califrau thanks!!

I'll do a search for threads, but it sounds perfect....we have loads of hard floors, and I seem surgically attached to the vaccuum

• I need to heart a Roomba

have you just had the lakeland catalogue delivered too?

Thanks also JK, corners are the least of my worries, the house is very long and open, and we have a constant wind off the fields blowing in every time the door opens, to say nothing of the stream of wellies.....

You must have a very clever DH, I'm the technical one here and that is not a high standard.....

Oh have Lakeland got them - we have a store in Harrogate.

GGirl - Just had a look on the Lakeland site - can see them.

I was shopping for a hard floor washer yesterday and saw one - was sorely tempted, but have to convince DH, so will tell him it's MN approved!

I love mine - but will admit that it is a tool to keep the general grottiness level down and wouldn't suit a clean-freak (corners, nooks and crannies and ceiling webs still need my dyson). Love the fact that I can put my roomba in the hall when we go out and come home to a clean floor..and if we have guests coming to stay I can clean 2 rooms at once (well, roomba one room and vac the other).

JKGrowling would you know where I can get hold of a battery for one, ours has died

If you leave the doors open do they help themselves to the other rooms? do they only do hard floors? sounds my kind of guy.

They will go anywhere if you leave the dors open (except stairs).

They clean carpets too, great little things.

bratnav, DH gets most of the roomba parts from ebay, I think.
have a look there, and if no luck, I'll ask him for advice when he gets home.

do they only pick up light dust or will they pick up all the rice grains my ds throws about as well? Can you get ones that clean like a bit of a wet clean too?

I have the 'cheapo' version which my DH got off some website for £60.00.

Don't know whats it's like compared to a roomba, but it works great and I love it.

Fab, thanks so much everyone for all your thoughts! I persuaded DH to buy one this afternoon - it's now charging and I'm counting the minutes until I can let it loose [sad middle aged smiley] I want to hear it sing.

Nappyzone - there is a wet cleaner, but its quite expensive - I'll have to save up!

Hana - I can believe that, the kids are itching to see it.

Its sitting in the corner of the kitchen at the mo, with the light in the middle pulsing like something out of Doctor Who!

thanks JK

well hopeless how did it go?

Oh oh oh it's my new best friend!

I just love to hear it bumbling around in another room knowing I'm not doing the work! I was really surprised how well it picks up - either that or we are REALLY dusty people!

DD has adopted him, she loves his songs, and the way he wiggles his bottom on the way to the base - he sleeps in her room at night, and she tells him a story - anything to help with bedtime..

I'm certainly a convert, boring the neighbours. I just need a scooba now, am looking on ebay - hoping the dollar goes back to two to the pound.

DH is surprised but happy - so thanks guys, I'd never have gone for it without you!