PROS AND CONS OF A ROOMBA VACUUM

PROS:

• Saves time and less effort – The Robotic Vacuum can clean while you’re away!  Nothing beats coming home to a clean home and it takes little effort on your part.

• Cleaner floors more often – With most busy households most don’t have time to clean as often as they want or need.  With a Robotic Vacuum, you can schedule and program how often you want it to clean.  Can be programmed to clean every day of the year, which will end up keeping a household cleaner than your average vacuum cleaner (which requires someone to operate).

• Got allergy’s or household pets -   A Robotic Vacuum when used frequently will help keep those dust bunnies and dirt piles at bay.  You may notice and improvement in allergy symptoms, which can be an overall health benefit.

• Unsupervised chores –The Robotic Vacuum requires minimal set up, you can rely on your robot vacuum to work independently and unsupervised.   It is encouraged that on first use, that you supervise to see which furniture may cause the device the most obstacles.  If required, you may be required to move things.

• Easy to use – Program if you wish to clean when you’re not home or push a button to start the job. There may be some areas you will not want your Robotic vacuum to clean.  Most manufacturer have boundary markers; some use special strips (magnetic or other) and others use infrared light. More intelligent models of robots are able to clean multiple rooms, stopping to recharge the battery and then continuing the job where they left off. 

• 4-5 or more Cleaning Modes – Most models have 4-5 or more cleaning modes such as zig zag, diagonal, wall following or zig zagging.

• Intelligent – Each Robotic vacuum has sensor to detect all kinds of things.  Examples are:

- Recent path it has cleaned;
- Stairs;
- Dirt and dust bunnies;
- Continually cleaning of dirty area until no further dirt;                       

- Charging base (home station); and
- Large or small obstacles (will use sensors to navigate around).

• Minor Maintenance and TLC - Little maintenance is required.  Depending on how often you use the robot, you will need to clean the roller brushes and empty the dirt drawer.  Replacement of batteries or ensuring the docking station is in charging mode.

• Compact – Most Robotic Vacuums have a sleek design to them that allow them to reach hard to reach places.  The unique shape allows the device to clean under most low setting tables, stools, couches and corners.  Most are also equipped with bumpers to prevent scuffs and damage to device or objects.

CONS:

• Not Completely Automated - Although the Robotic Vacuum can navigate itself around most furniture, time to time it may get stuck in nooks and crannies and odd spaces.   You may come home to a dead battery and it stuck in the spot.  However, as stated above it is recommend on first use to watch the device to see what obstacles and places prose a problem and prepare your house to be friendly.

• Standard TLC – Like a normal vacuum you will need to maintain and routinely clean it once every two or three uses.  This includes cleaning the small bristle that collect dirt, routinely empty the dirt from the debris bin and rinsing the robot`s air filters.

• Noisy for some – Some may find the Robotic Vacuum noisy, but then again what vacuum isn't?   Most people use the Robotic Vacuum while they are away, so most don’t find this to pose a problem or to be a deterrent in purchasing one.

• No Stairs and needs level floors – Not capable of descending or climbing stairs.  Traditional vacuuming will be required.  Most Robotic vacuums will need level floors to operate.  Most models cannot operate beyond a 30-35 degree slope.

• Replacement parts and warranty – Like anything, you may run into snags that will require maintenance calls into the company`s customer service department.  When researching on Robotic vacuums make sure to look into warranty and being an investment may want to upgrade warranty.  It is better to be safe and protect your investment.

• Costly Investment – depending on which Robotic Vacuum you decide is the best fit for you, you may be looking at on average $250-$400 and up.  You may be able to get your hands on an older model for around $100.00.  But with any investment insure you have warranty. 

While the argument remains between the Roomba Vacuum and traditional vacuum, but most that have welcomed the Roomba vacuum into their household stay, most will say they would rather live with it than without it.