 So there really are cleaning fairies! |
| Review Date: February 8, 2007 |
| Reviewer: lookingin2you, The Pacific Northwest |
I was prepared for the blue 5800 model, but I received a 5900 in a 5800 box. Go figure. Model included the new pump priming instructions and I had no problems at all setting the scuba up and getting to work. I found that the battery did not go into the "16-hour" charge mode, and was done charging in a few hours (I kept it on just in case).
I have a small kitchen but I absolutely hate mopping. My floor was extremely dirty - you know, the kind of dirty where an unexpected visitor might get left on the front porch while you hide behind the couch kind of dirty. After many mesmorizing minutes, I was delighted to see Scooba was having no trouble with my yucky floor. Though certain spots took many passes to get completely clean, Scooba kept coming back and eventually even really tough spots were gone. Scooba can't reach everything - and yes, I could see that I will need to clean next to the walls and under cabinets. But I had to hand scrub those areas even when I mopped the floor myself, so I consider it a small price to pay.
I was very hesitant about this purchase after everything I have read online, but I am so happy I took the leap. A word to other buyers - iRobot has changed their ideal battery charging specs but the manual is not changed yet! To keep your battery in top conditionl, charge for 4 hours after cleaning, remove and store battery in a cool location. Charge for four hours prior to next cleaning, especially if you have gone a long time between uses. Frequent users may be able to skip that step. |
Expect it to break eventually ... but even then you have replacement option from iRobot
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| Review Date: August 25, 2007 |
| Reviewer: D. Storm, Lake Forest, CA |
If you're a single guy who likes gadgets and hates cleaning house, iRobot products are true blessings!
I have tiled floors downstairs in my condo and purchased a Scooba to see how it would go. I made my purchase on eBay. This was a big mistake. It was advertised as "new, not a refurb" but I suspected otherwise because the serial number sticker was missing when I received and opened the box ... that was the chance I took by buying it at a discount, right? Well, the missing serial number turned out to be a problem because after 1 month of heavy use, it had electrical problems and I didn't have a serial number for warranty coverage. Read on, there is a happy ending here:
Despite what other reviewers said about iRobot's support, I had no problem reaching them and you shouldn't too, if you don't mind being put on hold for about five to ten minutes (hint, doing something else while using a cell phone headset during non-peak hours ... you can call them on Saturdays). I got through on three separate occasions. First time, they provided some suggestions to fix my unit ... didn't work. Second time, upon my asking of their out-of-warranty repair services (there aren't any through them, but you can google some repair services), iRobot responded with an offer for an out-of-warranty exchange: $179 + S&H + tax. Third time, I called back to accept offer. All three calls I did were through their normal tech-support phone routing.
IRobot's out-of-warranty exchange included a 1-year warranty on their replacement unit, which you will absolutely need if you're a heavy user like I am. Though my condo's tiled area is small (about 900 sq ft), I still need to run my Scooba 5800 four separate times to get the whole floor thoroughly ... Scooba 5800 has a small capacity and I have a lot of obstacles in my floor plan. If you don't like this part, then spend the extra $100 to $200 for their higher capacity 350 or 380 models (I have no idea how they came up with their model numbering sequence). With the smaller capacity with the 5800 model, there is the hassle of cleaning the brush, cleaning the removable filters, cleaning and refilling the tank between each clean cycle but it's MUCH easier than sweeping and mopping the whole floor yourself since the Scooba parts that requires cleaning are rather small and you can do all this in a tiny area on your kitchen counter.
Scooba is a bit noisy, about as loud as a handheld vacuum cleaner, and this noise will go for the full clean cycle of about 45 minutes. But if you clean when you're at work or clean at night with your bedroom door closed, the noise should be no problem.
As stated by some reviewers, you will have to watch Scooba the first time it cleans. It doesn't like computer cables, electric cords, etc., on the floor. In the end, I had to tie-tie them and tuck them snug against the wall or tie them up high on my computer desk. If you don't watch Scooba during it's first clean cycles, expect it to catch on cords and pull on them ... even had a PC mouse get yanked and murderously dragged on the floor. (I like to think it's just some machine-on-machine rage.)
Bumping into things isn't a big deal if you have cheap furniture like me. If you have a glass menagerie collection in a sturdy bookcase, you don't have to be too worried. But if you have a delicate display case for your glass collection, then I'd worry if I were you ... or at least think of a better home for it.
If you have a dog or cat, you'll love seeing Scooba's (or Roomba's) effect on them. Scooba runs a series of pre-programmed patterns in a seemingly random order. It's mesmerizing to watch it, even for humans. In the end, every spot of floor should be covered by Scooba at least three time, thus ensuring it's pretty clean. You may have to manually hand wash with a brush any tough spots that you see after Scooba is done but you don't have to worry about the other 97% of the floor. For corners and dust stuck against the wall, you'll have to do a quick sweep with a broom to push it into the center where Scooba can gobble it up. As for mopping in these areas where Scooba can't get, I never have to worry about that since all my gunk and light mud tracking that needs cleaning is more centered in the floor where Scooba can get it.
Scooba's stair detection works like a charm. I use Scooba to clean the lower surface level of my coffee table (collects house dust) and that is about six inches off the ground ... NEVER fell off once.
Over time, you will become emotionally attached to your iRobot products in much the same way folks become attached to iPods. It becomes part of home environment. Hence, you will become VERY irate when it breaks down. I think iRobot underestimated the heavy use their products get put through. For instance, me being slightly OCD, before house guests come by and given at least a day's prior warning, I always put Scooba through it's paces. I honestly don't think Scooba was designed for that level of use, so if you're like me, you as a consumer will want to protect yourself and make sure you're covered by a warranty at all times, whether it would be with the original purchase or with an exchange arrangement (like in my case). There are lots of moving parts in iRobot products so you definitely want to cover yourself. But even then, it's worth it if you can use your free time for better and more productive things (I'm an hourly contractor so less house clean means more billable hours). Also, if you hire a maid to clean your floors for a year, it'll be much more expensive than the price of getting replacment Scoobas each 12-month period. Don't believe me? Do the numbers yourself. $179 + S&H + tax + inflation adjustment per year is much cheaper than the lowest priced maid service ... and you don't have to worry about anybody mucking around your personal belongings when you're not there watching them. As for the continuity of iRobot's replacement program, IRobot has worked hard to capture the market share they have, so I wouldn't expect them to do away with their out-of-warranty replacement program at a price point that is probably profitable for them ... just think of it as a leasing program that they're offering you.
As for me, I'm getting a Roomba for my carpeted upstairs and a Dirt Dog for my garage and patio (has same cement floor texture as my garage), all with warranties of course. I am truley impressed by iRobot's ability to provide value at their price points. I have so much time now, as you can see, that I can write these lengthy reviews on Amazon!
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No problems with the 5800 model!
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| Review Date: March 31, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Travis Dant, Missouri |
| I have been using this for a few months now. Actually bought it beofre any reviews and was hesitant regarding the "remanufactured" part but I took a chance. It does save a lot of money. I couldn't belive how good this works on my hard wood and linolium floors. Very clean and shiny. The water was so filthy when I dumped it out. Unbelieveable. So much better than a mop. You aren't going over it with the dirty water. I would definitly buy another refurb. one on amazon and would highly recommend it to others! The cleaning solution can be found at linens and things fairly cheap. By the way, I have three dogs with lots of hair(one is a puppy and is not potty trained) and it cleans the messes up without difficulty. I will never be without a scooba. I also love the roomba. |
really deserves 10 stars
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| Review Date: May 31, 2007 |
| Reviewer: imsocrazy, vass |
| Holy Moly!!! I wish I would have ordered one of these years ago. What a time saver. This remanufactured 5800 does the job and I am free to do other things. It works great and cleans like a dream. The first time, I had to use two cleaning cycles because my mopping skills had been lacking as of late, but it cleaned my brick floor beautifully. I put it in the bathroom with the virtual wall at the door, and go out to do errands. I come home to a perfectly clean bathroom floor. This is the greatest thing since chocolate. I'm going to order the vaccum now because I am a lazy slob and don't want to have to do any of that stuff myself, but do yourself a favor and get one of these. They are great |
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| Review Date: February 12, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Tom, in PA |
| LOVE IT. We also have the roomba which is equally loved. If you are passionate about getting on your knees, scrubbing and hauling around clean wash and dirty rinse buckets, perhaps this is not for you. Cleans linoleum and tile great. Floor must be flat as this will not go over any bumps 1/2 inch high. It is a tad loud so leave the room or go on a date while it is scrubbing away. Fill with clean water and detergent, the scooba squirts it down, scrubs it around, then sucks it up and stores it in the dirty reservoir. Scooba stops when the clean water runs out in about 45 minutes. |
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