Thumbs Up for iRobot 530!

I am not new to the world of iRobot. I have owned one since 2004. When my Roomba Discovery died, I knew I couldn't do without one and immediately went to iRobot's website to order a new one. Luckily, I noticed there was a new 500 series out and figured with the new model's latest technology it was sure to be a winner. With a little 'googling' I even managed to come up with a great price, much better than was offered on iRobot's website.

When my new robot arrived I couldn't help but be immediately impressed. It was much more sturdy than my older model and had many replaceable modules. For example, the cleaning head module, front caster wheels and side brush module, etc. could all be replaced once the warranty expires. This would add more years to the life of my new vacuum.

For anyone who is doubtful about whether this vacuum will actually clean their house well, and is not just a "toy", you can rest assured it is amazing! The Roomba goes across the room endless times to make sure the room is clean. The side brush gets into crevices that I couldn't with my own vacuum cleaner and it has a feature called "Dirt Detection" which cleans an area more vigorously. A blue light comes on when this specific feature is activated. It picks up cat fur easily and our cat, Jonesy, enjoys watching our robot work.

This new version cleans every room in my house. My old model would get stuck in the carpet fringes in the hallway and throw rugs in the living room. It is just great to push a button and know this vacuum won't have any trouble with carpet fringes, etc. When my Roomba is finished cleaning, it returns to its home base and recharges itself.

I have often read that some iRobot owners are disappointed that they have to get wires,cords, toys, etc. out of the way before letting the vacuum do its job. That is correct, but when I use my upright vacuum cleaner, I have to put these things out of the way as well, so I have never seen this as a problem.

The Roomba takes about 45 minutes to clean a room and that is 45 minutes I can forget about cleaning and do something else. Of course, I could probably vacuum the room in much less than l0 minutes but I doubt if my room would be as clean or the corners so dust free. Depending on the size of the room, I can usually vacuum 2 or 3 rooms on one charge. If you want to get the job done quicker, you can always buy an extra battery and keep it charged up.

My Roomba is always plugged in so it is ready to go. A red light comes on when the battery is empty and the light turns green when it is completely charged.

The Roomba gets A for smarts. Its sensors keeps it from falling down the stairs and a "virtual" wall comes with the machine which prevents the Roomba from entering another space or room which means it can be contained within a room for as long as you wish it to be there. This Virtual Wall takes two "D" batteries and can block an area up to 8 feet long.

Roomba has a dustbin that needs to be emptied usually after it has cleaned one room. It also has a filter and it is suggested that it be replaced every 2 months. Hair and dirt must also be cleaned from Roomba's brushes. This new model actually talks and tells you when the brushes need cleaning - a nice feature in order for you to keep it running at top performance.

After owning a Roomba for four years, I can attest to their wonderful customer support. Help is only a phone call away and the staff is friendly and will do whatever they can to keep your Roomba running. I have owned this particular model now for approximately four months and the side brushes seem to break off easy. Customer service immediately sent me out a free side brush and just today, when I noticed a problem with the side brush again, customer service is sending me out a package of three side brushes for my trouble.

I purchased my Roomba from HSN, for $212.42. At that time I also purchased a 2 year protection plan for it at an extra cost of $34.95 which gives me a total of a 3 year warranty on my machine.