iRobot Roomba 580 Robotic Cleaner

My parent's new 4,900 square feet house has finished built, and it's pretty nice and big (more of a fancy house I would say). I got this for them during Xmas 08, and both of them said that I've just saved my mother's back from having to sweep the house every day(typical asian house wives do sweep the floor everyday with the asian/vietnamese broom.) So far, in the past month, the roomba has done a good job keeping the dust down in the house.
I will be buying another one for them as soon as the Lunar New Year comes around.

In the research to getting the best Roomba, I consulted the roomba website and did the comparisons. The 580 was the 2nd best of the best. I saw the other ones at Bed Bath and Beyond, and they weren't good as the 580. Features scheduling, works great when you get it jumpstarted. The virtual wall is really helpful when you want to block off a room or a area from getting vac'd.

The roomba goes around and does hit things though, like end corners in the house. Marks are noticable if the roomba hits the corner by the tip of the sides. Youtube the videos of roomba in action and you'll get the idea.

I do plan to get another one also to mop the house. The vacuum one does not clean up any rubber or light shoe marks from the marble tiles.

It's best to buy the roomba using a coupon (around Thanksgiving or such), I used my Xmas 08 one, and had an awesome deal on it + using Live.com cashback too.

This is the best vacuum I have ever owned. It picks up great, we have a cat and I would like to vacuum everyday, this will so I don't have to or feel guilty about not getting to it. We are still getting to know it and hope to set it up to run duing the night while we sleep. In the mean time, we are running it during the day with us there to learn its features and make sure the cat stays away. We have been shocked at the amount it picks up when we thought the floor was clean. It cleans in places I might only get to once or twice a year. It goes around table & chair legs and just when I think it is trapped, it works it's way out. My floors are noticably cleaner. I want another one for upstairs and a scooba too!

I have stairs, so the Virtual Wall is a great aspect. I have set "him" to run M,W,F at 8:00am after we all leave the house. Come home to clean floors. The only negative thing I had read (when I researched prior to buying) was that "he" doesn't let you know when the dust chamber is full...DUH...I empty him out every M,W,F, when I get home.

Only thing I would change is to have a "Pager" option on the charging base, so that we could find him easier when he runs down before he can make it home to re-charge. (the charging dock is great too...don't have to plug & unplug him ourselves) My kids tell their friends that they "have a robot to do the housework."

we have hardwood floors, which could show dust easily...I don't have that problem. The cats don't mind him either

IVE HAD 3 ROOMBAS BEFORE THIS ONE, ALL OF THEM THE 400 SERIES. THIS ONE BLOWS THE OLDER ONES AWAY IN ALL CATAGORIES. IT IS MUCH QUIETER, SLOWS DOWN ON APROACH EVERY WALL, MUCH BETTER DUST BIN, SUPERIOR TRACTION , & MUCH BETTER ARTIFICIAL INTELIGENCE. THE BATTERY IS LONGER LASTING AND THE LIGHT HOUSES HAVE MORE FUNCTIONALITY. THIS ROBOT IS WORTH EVERY PENNY!

The best Robot vacuum cleaner. Perfect for home and country house use. Of course the leader of Cleaners is Kirby, but this vacuum cleaner is fully automatic! Great Deal!