by Elizabeth Schmitt

Created on: March 06, 2009

The Roomba from iRobot has gone from strength to strength. Earlier generations were somewhat lacking, but with constant research, iRobot improves each generation of the Roomba. While it shouldn't be considered your only vacuum cleaner, it is an extremely useful cleaner for busy families.

To have the Roomba work effectively, you'll need to make sure that it has a clear path around your rooms. This means picking up large items that may get in its way. It has no problem going from hard floors to rugs and back again. It will even stop itself from fallling down stairs. It's a good idea to be there to monitor the Roomba the first time you use it in a room to make sure it's not having problems with obstacles in the room. Otherwise, you can just set it to clean, and go do something more enjoyable instead. Better sensor systems slow the Roomba down when it comes close to your furniture, so you don't have to worry about it bumping into your couch.

The newer models (400 series and higher) have a wonderful scheduling feature. This means you can have the Roomba clean your floors while you're at work - daily if you choose. You can come home to a vacuumed floor.

The improved battery life means your Roomba can clean up to four rooms on one charge. So, you can clean a large part of your house while you're out. The new Lighthouse feature on the Virtual Walls makes sure the Roomba thoroughly cleans a room before moving on to the next one, and helps it find its way back to its docking station when it has finished cleaning.

Roombas have also gotten quieter. While it's not really possible to watch TV while it's in the same room, having it working in another room isn't annoying.

The Roomba may not be perfect yet. While it does a good job of everyday cleaning, you'll still want to vacuum by hand occasionally. And, because the Roomba only cleans floors, you'll still need a vacuum cleaner for your upholstery. Roomba seems to work most effectively on hard floors. And, because there's nowhere for dirt to go on hard surfaces, you'll want to clean them more often. The Roomba makes this task effortless. If you want to have your floor swept two or three times a week, Roomba is your best bet. However, Roomba does a surprisingly good job on carpet, as long as the pile isn't too thick. The Roomba works on the power of the brushes, rather than the power of the vacuum, so it doesn't need a huge motor to effectively clean.

If you're a pet owner, or have multiple pets, the Roomba does a great job of picking up pet hairs. You'll be able to keep your house cleaner, and with less effort. Pets also seem to respond better to a Roomba than to a traditional vacuum. You may even find your pets sleep right through your Roomba's cleaning (as long as they're not sleeping on the floor). It's also designed to stop if a pet or a small child moves it or lifts it, so it's fairly safe, too.

If you're a busy person with little interest in vacuuming, but you want a clean house, this may be the machine for you.

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