How to Rhumba with the Roomba: Choosing the Best Vacuum Model For Your Needs

These Roombas HaveThe Moves!

A well known dance instructor feels that "the interaction, emotion and soft rhythm between the partners earned the Rhumba the title 'Dance of Love'". Will you be this pleased with your Roomba vacuuming robot? Well, according to the iRobot Roomba slogan, it's Scheduler "cleans routinely, so you don't have to." "It cleans not only what you can see, but what you can't see." "It's almost like living in the future..." "I feel really accomplished when I'm 'roomba-ing' my bedroom...while I read a book." (Quote from satisfied customer.) If you want to maintain cleaner floors, with excellent navigation, cleaning coverage, vacuum pickup, particle filtration and optional scheduling capability, the Roomba picks up amazing amounts of dirt and debris with the touch of a button. How to choose the Roomba model that best meets your needs?

Things You'll Need

• Internet access to visit the mfr.'s site, watch the videos of the vacuuming robot in action, further evaluate and compare the different models, and search Amazon and other sites for lowest prices.

Instructions

1. 

   Evaluate the range of Roomba models. Do you have a small apartment, or a large house with high traffic throughout? Are you looking to clean your fine rugs and hardwood floors, or workshop and garage areas? For a small apartment, you might consider the iRobot Roomba 410 Intelligent Floorvac Robotic Vacuum Cleaner. This entry-level floorvac has dirt detection, infra-red cliff sensors, 2-hour continuous cleaning, one virtual wall for confining the vac to designated areas, rechargeable APS battery, a 7-hour charger, and includes air filter and a 1-year warranty.

2. 

   If looking to clean your workshop or garage floors, the iRobot Dirt Dog Workshop Robot would be your choice. Its 14.4 volt rechargeable Ni-MH battery provides the power needed to clean hard floors, shop carpets, garage and basement areas. The unit offers an oversize, bagless, easy-to-empty debris bin, and will sweep under workbenches, cars and other hard-to-reach areas, picking up nuts, bolts, dirt and more. Carries a 1-year limited warranty.

3. 

   For added features, take a look at the iRobot 560 Vacuuming Robot, which has: A fine filtration system, anti-tangle technology, gentle-touch bumpers, built-in cliff detectors, self-charging home base, 2 virtual walls, extra filter and a 1-year limited warranty.

4. 

   Next, view the new Roomba 580 Vacuuming Robot. Top of the line in the 500 Series, this model includes all of the features of the Roomba 560, plus an extra brush kit and the all new Wireless Command Center, which lets you completely control and program your Roomba from the comfort of your chair. It includes 2 virtual walls, extra filters, and comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

5. 

   If you need daily maintenance of large rugs and expansive floors, the current top Roomba model is the iRobot 610 Pro Series. This model has all the latest innovations. It is designed to tackle large spaces and heavily trafficked areas with its high-capacity sweeper bin, heavy-duty self-charging home base, rugged accessory case, and it comes with a 2-year manufacturer's warranty. This latest Series is the culmination of all the research and customer feedback which has gone into the Roomba's development so far.

6. 

   Now visit the manufacturer's site, at www.iRobot.com (see live link under Resources, below), then go to the iRobot Forum at www.roombacommunity.com (live link under Resources.) Finally, search for lowest prices. The Forum recommends checking Amazon.com for its low prices on both new and reconditioned Roomba models. Once you have read, compared and chosen your Roomba model and price, your last hurdle may be your pets, not all of whom may take kindly, at first, to a humming, whirring Robot monopolizing "their" turf!

7. 

   Very soon, however, with a little encouragement, the clouds will pass and peace will be restored.

Resources

• www.iRobot.com
• Roomba Community Forum
• iRobot Roomba 410 Intelligent Floorvac Robotic Vacuum - Deluxe Kit
• iRobot 110 Dirt Dog Workshop Robot
• iRobot Roomba 560 Vacuuming Robot
• iRobot Roomba 580 Vacuuming Robot
• iRobot Roomba 610 Pro Series