iRobot Roomba 400 Vacuum Cleaning Robot - ROOMBA400

This vacuum is very handy. Nothing better than turning it on and let it do the work on its own. It does get stuck in tight spots once in a while, but with a little nudging, it keeps on going. This vacuum won't get the results of a regular vacuum, but it's nice for in-between your regular vacuuming. I run mine almost daily and keeps my carpets looking clean. The only complaint was when I went to the manufacturer's web site to register it. They promised an email with a code for a discount on accessories, but I never received that email. I still highly recommended it, though.
 
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As long as you put some barriers (a pair of shoes will do) around borders of where it needs to clean it will vacuum perfectly. Otherwise it has a tendency to get stuck on uneven border between areas (like carpeted edge of stairs when the floor isn't carpeted). It uses very little electricity, according to my tests. One thing it won't do it won't wash. So, once in a while you will have to get your hands dirty. It is also useless if you have wet dirt.
 
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The only snafu I've run into is the fact that I have a cord running across my living room, so every time I use the Roomba, I have to make sure that it's lifted off the floor. Otherwise, this is freaking FANTASTIC! It helps keep me and boy (mostly the boy) from dumping things on the ground (aka, things go where they're supposed to) so the place stays tidier. After the first couple of times, my cats don't even bat an eye when it's running. They make sure to stay off the ground, but they're no longer cowering in corners. Emptying the dustbin is a breeze. I own one vacuum, one floor-shark, and a couple of swiffer floor products... they're all sitting in the corner now that I Roomba!!
 
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This vacuum is the best one I have ever used. Due to age and some infirmities I am not able to push a regular vacuum. This IRobot is the best answer. All you have to do is put it down where you want to clean and push a button. In about an hour it has cleaned the carpet or tile floor and gone over everything at least four times.I am saving $80 a month in hired help. It even gets dog and cat hair with little problem and cleans under the sofa and beds. I clean my kitchen every other day and the rest of the house twice a week. I couldn't be happier. Cleaning the brushes and dustbin takes only a few minutes, certainly worth the effort. I am so pleased I bought a second one as a gift for a friend who has disibilities.
 
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I am a very busy professional and I like to clean my home by myself. This product is WONDERFUL! My husband was very skeptical as was I, but it came highly recommended by one of my dear friends who is also a very busy lady. My house can be cleaned even when I do not have the time or energy, so if someone pops buy to say hello at my house I need not be embarrassed that I have not vacuumed, because my little round friend already did so for me! We have all wood floors throughout the house - no carpet, tile or area rugs and have had great results! My dog got bumped a few times while laying down but it did not seem to hurt him. Originally he was curious about what this object is but to my suprise he has adjusted well and ignores it now. Thank You for such a great product!
 
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On a recent visit to my sisters house, I had the opportunity to watch the irobot at work. It did such a great job and helped with so much dog hair, that when I came home I immediately ordered one.
 
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This is my second Roomba, 1st Roomba I wore out after 3 years. Used it daily, because of dog and myself tracking in dirt all over hardwood floors. Found out the hard way, make sure to recharge on wood floors, not concrete. Battery just doesn't seem to care for concrete floors when re-charging. Will say this, when this one wears out, I'm buying one that 'finds' home when it's getting low on charge, and is able to be programmed. Anything that saves me time (single) and means it's less housework, it's worth it!
 
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I am very happy with the Roomba. I just turn it on and leave - it shuts off by itself. When you empty it, you can really see how much it picks up. Gets under your beds, tables, etc.
 
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Dubbed "Linda" by my 8-yr old granddaughter, the roomba does what I expected, freshening up the family room, kitchen & eating area between major cleaning. I will experiment with strategic placement of obstacles to divide the family room into 2 smaller areas, allowing for more equal coverage. Playing with Linda is fun for grandkids, so cookie crumbs are cleaned up immediately. Money well spent.
 
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I love it. You can't beat the price. It works great on hardwood floors. And its perfect for people too lazy to clean, like myself.
 
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I bought this as a gift for my Mom. She loves it!!! Said it was the most thoughtful, fun gift she has gotten. At first it was like a novelty. She would get it out and let company watch it. Then she realized that it really was picking up the cat and dog hairs. She has now named it MO. She no longer has to lug the big vacuum around. She is older and her back has been giving her trouble. This has helped a lot. After her bragging on it. I will now buy one for me.
 
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I bought mine at buy.com. I've had it for about 6 months. I can't believe how long this thing can go on a charge. I've cleaned 2 large rooms on a charge. They recommend you clean it with the little tool they give you. I have a dog and I need to do that. My rooms look kind of funny with laid down chairs or anything I can put down to keep it in the room I want to clean. It can get hung up and makes a noise you learn to recognize if you are there to let you know it needs your intervention, but more than not it will clean the room with no intervention. It does a great job of cleaning areas you wouldn't be able to clean with an upright vacumn. It leaves those nice tell tale marks that your carpet has been cleaned. Like I said I've had mine 6 months. I will probably buy a kit of new brushes soon. I don't need too, but dog hair isn't great on brushes. You might want to spend about another $40 every 6 to 12 months to keep it running at its best depending on how you use it. Plan to spend some money for brushes and filters or buy a new one after a year, but I wouldn't give mine up for anything.
 
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This robot vacuum is cool as can be. It was easy to use out of the box - just charge and run - and off it goes, doing what I don't want to do, which is vacuum my hardwood floors. Sure, I wish it went longer on a charge, but it is plenty - over an hour - and I love the way it goes from room to room to pretty much handle an entire floor of my home on that one charge. Its easy to empty the bagless chamber, too. No muss, no fuss! Sturdy, easy, efficient, and loveable! I'm highly recommending the Roomba to all my friends! I wonder if the next generation will have a "talking" feature? I'd enjoy that, too. :)
 
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I purchased my first roomba 400 here on Buy.com. The first one had NiMH battery. The second roomba 400 model had NiCD battery, maybe an older model. I didn't like that the second roomba 400 cost a bit more and came with a battery that's presumably weaker than the NiMH battery. On a different note, the side brush broke off on my first use because it got caught in a rug. iRobot said it will send me a free replacement, so if that comes, then at least that will work out ok. The roomba 400 is no frills, and if you don't mind using it only in its simplest mode, then this is a better buy than the more expensive ones especially if you want two or more running simultaneously.
 
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Shipped quick and we are very pleased so far!
 
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Charged this robot up overnight and let him rip - through the kitchen and dining area that is. We don't have any indoor pets besides a conure, and I wasn't sure that the Roomba would pick up the birdie mess. Wrong. Seed shells, bits of seed, feathers, all gone. I went out to weed the garden and take care of the outdoor pets while the Roomba, named Billy Bob by my son, went to work. Amazing machine. Cleaned the dust bun and I could not believe the amount of dirt it picked up. We sweep daily because of the bird. Monte loved watching Billy Bob clean up - he whistled while it worked!
 
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Haven't used it much yet, but I wanted to see the "steering algorithm" is action, and it looked pretty effective. I let it loose in a room with lots of furniture, and it managed to get around to most areas pretty quickly. I had one problem with a low gap beneath a table (it got wedged in because it just fit and by the time it "sensed" it couldn't go further, it was stuck - but then it just turned itself off after a few seconds and waited for help). So, it isn't perfect, but darn good.
 
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I just had to name him! (Charles) He is wonderful! Cleans very well especially around edges and under things. I use my big cleaner about once a month now with "Charles" doing every other day cleaning. This little puppy works very well on my carpet and tiles, he can go anywhere!
 
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Works as well as a conventional vacuum. I especially appreciate it because I have asthma and it does not emit the pollution that my upright cleaner does. I do not have to move heavy living room furniture to pick up the dust that occurs under it.
 
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I bought a Roomba 400 through the advice of a friend who shops on buy.com regularly.... Let me tell you, I love the ease of buying and the product... We've named it Ruby and Ruby does a fantastic job!! I don't know how I lived without her!!!
 
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I HATE to vacuum. This works great for quick surface cleaning. You still need to get out the big machine for serious cleaning.
 
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Fun- The vacuum is a ton of fun to watch clean. Kids and pets love playing with it. Somewhat Functional- This isn't going to replace your standard vacuum. It will, however, make you have to vacuum less often. It grabs most the loose stuff off the top and out of the cracks. It works especially well on linoleum and other sweepable surfaces,and does well in less cluttered areas. You will still have to do the pre-vacuum home inspection to pick up shoe laces and loose fabrics so they don't get caught up in the unit. If it gets stuck on a shoelace it will try to reverse itself a few times and then will stop and beep for help. It won't go off the stairs. It gets about 2 inches over the edge of any drop off and backs up. Lightweight things get pushed around the house (think empty shoeboxes, etc). The build quality is pretty good, but I wouldn't expect the vacuum to perform for more than a few years. I've been using it about 3 weeks.
 
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I mainly wanted this vacuum for my kitchen floor. I run it at night and then take 10 minutes to swiffer (mop) the floor in the morning and I have a nice clean floor for my kids every day. I have found its nice to run upstairs on my carpet occasionally so it goes under my bed and dressers.
 
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The cleaning isn't deep, it's a bit spotty, and this thing is noisy. But, for less than $100, it's a good buy for an unattended, quick clean. We use it to clean several rooms in between manual vacuuming.
 
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These 400s are little work horses. Much better than the newer versions on iRobot 5xxx. It came quickly from Buy.com.
 
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My roommates are not the types to clean up much and I'm not about to vacuum/sweep every day. I saw the roomba on buy.com and just had to have it; I've been wanting one for years! The first time I ran it (right after I swept) I couldn't believe how much stuff it picked up! Of course, I emptied the bin and ran it again right away and it still picked up a bunch, but considerably less. I also ran it everyday for a week and now I've taken it back to a few times a week. It did such a good job at getting into the corners where junk likes to accumulate.<BR><BR> I had an incident where ant traps that had been laid the day before got stuck under the roomba and it dragged them around and spread their goo everywhere. I don't fault the roomba, but I caution, make sure anything with a low profile is off the floor!<BR><BR> GREAT price, low maintenance; noisy, but that's the only con I have.
 
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I was very impressed with how quick and easy it was to get up and running. The vacuum works fairly well cleaning field areas of your carpet/tile/wood flooring without having to push around the vacuum/broom. I was not happy with how poorly it cleans along edges, there is this small brush that rotates and is suppose to sweep dirt away from the walls and into the vacuum, this may as well not even be there. The vacuum also has problems with ALL loose rugs (tassles or no tassles), the vacuum tries to suck them up, which just causes the vacuum to get stuck. Over all very happy with the product, but definite improvements need to be made. For now, just pick up ALL rugs before starting the vacuum.
 
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This is the lower end of the iRoomba spectrum, but performs really well nonetheless. A carefully placed line up of shoes serves to keep it from falling down the stairs - and it cheerfully zooms around, under couches, into corners - sweeping up the outside world that my two dogs and three kids manage to track in. It's also great on pet hair. I use it in our kitchen and family room areas - all hard floors so I can't attest to it's value for carpetting.
 
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What a nice surprise. I have a 900 square foot condo with all wood floors, and this little machine cleans it beautifully. I have wanted one for years, but the price kept me from buying it as my Dirt Devil was working just fine. We just finished a bathroom, and the dust with construction is unbelievable. The Dirt Devil finally died, and I picked up the Roomba at this great price. It was the machine that finally cleared the condo and the air at home. The best thing is while it's working, I found that it gets me in the mood to do the other housework as you feel like you have a new teammember in your cleaning department. Works great on Pomeranian/Eskimo dog hair too! Also it cleans the entire place on one charge.
 
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For the price of this great little machine, the value can't be beat. It has a few minor drawbacks, such as getting stuck on the edge of the rug, and leaving pet hair behind as it goes over the edge of the rug, but those are minor things compared to what it does in the long run. Yes, it's a bit noisy, and yes, it does take awhile to cover an entire room, but in the end the room is clean and I have saved myself a back breaking task! I would definitely recommend the Roomba. When this one breaks, I intend to get another. I will never go back to old-fashioned vacuuming!
 
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after my other roomba died after 16 or so months, i simply couldn't go back to vacuuming MYSELF! anyway, this model was cheaper and more basic than my previous model and it is accordingly not quite as powerful in some respects. bottom line, it cleans great, almost as well as its more expensive/complex cousin. it also cleans better than an upright if you are new to robot vacuums. (also, soooo much quieter). roomba is the best most life-freeing purchase you can make! this model doesn't come with virtual walls but i never used those anyway. the major con is that it gets stuck on thresholds, etc. and instead of bumping and backing away, as did my previous roomba, it spins its wheels and keeps trying to get up that hill. unfortunately, on my white carpet, it actually made some little skid-marks from this process. having figured this out, i accommodate it by blocking its trouble spots. because of the price, i can't complain. i tell everyone to buy one, i should get a commission!
 
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Roomba has made life a bit more easier. It has helped me keep my house clean when I can't. I would reccommend this product for anyone who does not have a lot of time to keep their house clean.
 
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It sucks up a lot of dust and easy to clean. Pretty easy to use, just charge it up and let it run while you go to work. The downside is it takes 5-6 hours to charge up and runs for about an hour. It's a bit noisy if you are trying to sleep while it's running. Other than that, it's a great product.
 
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I really love this robot vacuum for it cleans in between my regular vacuuming. The only thing I don't like is the noise when it's cleaning my laminate flooring. On the carpet, it's less noisy but it still does its job. It doesn't fall off the stairs and it's funny to see because it stoops down the stairs and moves away.
 
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I purchased the Roomba for my daughter who probably would not vacuum nearly as frequently without it. Only complaint is that it gets hung up on area rugs and you should close doors to bathrooms and closets as it goes in and spends the entire time bumping into things. Other than those minor complaint, this is a wonderful item for those who hate household chores.
 
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The price was cheap enough that I got this on a whim for my wife's birthday, since she loves to keep the home clean and my kids love robots. She loves it even more than she thought she would! It says it only covers two rooms on a charge, but it seems to handle four just fine and runs for a bit over an hour on a full charge. It does a good job too, and she scrupulously empties and cleans it to keep it in good working order. <p> Especially considering that a good normal vacuum can easily cost twice as much, this is a great buy to use for everyday vacuuming. It doesn't come with a self-charging home base or any virtual walls, but those would just have been icing on the cake.
 
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I really like the concept of the iRobot and this is my "trial vacuum" to see if I like the machine as I am also interested in the Scooba and may upgrade to a better Roomba that can do more rooms and return to a charging station. It has only been a few weeks, but so far, so good.
 
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Roomba is great for college students. All I have to do is pick the stuff up off my floor and Roomba cleans for me! Great for a busy grad student!
 
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THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS A WONDERFUL PRODUCT. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO ANY ONE WHO HAS BACK PROBLEMS.
 
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if you read any roomba reviews the all have the same problems This thing is great, I bought this to use on in the basement. The floor is tile and a little uneven with two area rugs 5x8. Well it turned it on before i went to work when i can home the floor and the rugs looked super and the rugs were covered with lint and dust bunnies. The rug was very clean, Look for $98 this is the best saves me and the wife from lugging the vac down the stairs.
 
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