THOUGHTS ON THURSDAY- MY REVIEW OF I-ROBOT ROOMBA

When I first heard of the little robot that cruises around your house vacuuming and sweeping all the floors, I immediately thought how nice that would be, but that it was not practical. Well, with the new baby coming and a little anxiety about how I am going to keep my OCD cleanliness standards met with double mommy duty, I broke down and bought one at Costco on Monday. I can tell you that I did choke a little about how much I paid, even though it was the cheapest of all the models, but I am not sorry that I bought one after only 3 days!

I purchased the I-Robot Roomba Pet Series 550. This little robot can be scheduled and programmed to clean up to 4 rooms at any time of day, which generally covers your high traffic areas. Additional rooms require you to set the robot in the room, push the "clean" button, and then walk away. The machine will turn itself off when the room has been completed. The machine also comes with a docking station, so that it may dock and recharge itself when the batteries are low, then return to cleaning or remain docked until you want to use it again. My husband and I were both a bit skeptical about the power of the suction on the vacuum, but after the machine cleaned a room that had just been vacuumed with our central vac, we were convinced that it really does a good job. The filter and dust pan were filled with a lot of very small dust particles, pet hair that was not visible to my eyes, and heavier metal objects like coins and screws that may have been under edges that a normal vacuum cannot reach.  The robot is very "smart". It slows down before  bumping into perimeter surfaces or furniture, it can sense stair ledges, changes from vacuum to sweep mode on its own, spends more time where it detects higher concentrations of dirt, and is equipped with several features that allow it to escape or avoid getting stuck on rugs, cords, etc.


After testing this product the last few days, I am convinced that it was well worth the money ($280). I pay a housekeeper to come into my home every two weeks to do a few hours of deep cleaning. The housekeeper spends at least two hours a month on my floors, costing $30 per month. At that rate, the robot is still $80 cheaper per year and I can have the clean floors every few days verses every two weeks at the most. The robot also comes with a one year warranty.


I would recommend this to most households, especially those with pets and children. Even though I am a stay-at-home mommy, my days are busy and filled with chores. This handy robot has taken an estimated 4-6 hours per week of cleaning time off my plate. I now have extra time to tackle a hobby project or to play with my little one. If I continue to enjoy this product over the next few months, I will definitely consider spending the money for an I-Robot Scooba, which is the equivalent robot that mops.

I hope this review spiked your interest and that you check it out! Have a great day!

Heather