I’m In Love!
Boy I bet that title got your attention! I am truly in love with Bob! He has changed my life and I don’t know if I can ever live without him. My life just wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t have him.
Ok. before you all think you are about to get in on some juicy gossip about Jill’s love life, let me explain.
About 10 years ago as I was laying on the couch, sick and too weak to move, I started watching the home shopping network. They were showing the most interesting thing that day. It was a robot vacuum cleaner called a Roomba. I laughed and thought, “Now I have seen everything.” Who in the world would be crazy enough to think that a robot vacuum would work, let alone buy one. I was so skeptical.
Fast forward 8 years and I sit eating my words and learning another hard lesson in”judging not” as I open the package with my new Roomba vacuum in it. I had watched the demonstrations on it for 8 years and was still skeptical but Tawra and her family were having trouble with allergies. I had heard that if you vacuum each day, it would help reduce allergy problems. I thought if Tawra had a Roomba it might take care of some of their problems.
The return policy allowed me two months to use the Roomba and see if it worked. I decided to test it first before I gave it to Tawra. The first night I couldn’t stop laughing at myself because I spent most of the time watching the Roomba clean. As I watched I thought, “This can’t be true.” I couldn’t believe what was happening before my eyes. The little booger was cleaning for all he was worth and actually doing an amazing job.
My house had not looked that good in ages. He didn’t hurt any cords and got under and around places my other vacuum couldn’t. He got right up to the edge of the baseboards and trotted under my bed and got all the dust bunnies I had under there.
The next day I called my neighbor to come see the Roomba, who I affectionately call Bob. He’s like a new baby that I want to show off. She came over and we stood watching and watching and watching him. It is so much fun to watch the Roomba work! We had to leave him and go into my office for a few minutes. When we returned, we both stopped in our tracks. The floor literally sparkled. After one look, my neighbor asked me to give her the information about Bob. She said, “I’m going home and getting one of these for myself and my parents.
That was two years ago. Bob is still going strong and surprising me daily how well he cleans. My neighbor has a Roomba. Her parents and my parents have Roombas, too and they all love them. Each time I go to Colorado, my dad thanks me for getting it for them saying, “You don’t know how much it has helped your mom.”
Here are some questions I had when I first got the Roomba. If you are very sick or have elderly parents, this vacuum is a must if you can afford one. I don’t often push products and I am not getting a penny for pushing this one but I did have to tell you about it.
My Questions And Answers:
Does the Roomba clean hardwood floors?
Yes. Originally I didn’t get the vacuum for myself because I have hardwood floors and didn’t think he would clean them but he does and he moves easily from my rugs to the hardwood. He does job that is 10 times better than a Swiffer or mop. I get down with a white cloth to see if the Roomba leaves any film or dust behind and he doesn’t. He can do any type of floor.
Do I have to move everything out of his path?
No. He slows down when he comes near a delicate piece of furniture so he won’t bump it and skirts around what he needs to.
What about stairs?
No problem. There is a special sensor and the Roomba goes right up to the edge and turns around. I use him around my stairs all the time.
You can set him up and let him go.
You don’t need to be home while he is running. Many people set him up in a room before they leave for work each day and love how it feels to come home to a beautifully vacuumed floor.
Why Bob?
It is a strange phenomenon but for some reason most Roomba owners name them. It could be because he talks to you sometimes about what he needs. That was one thing I was uncertain about, would I understand how to work him, but he is very user friendly.
Any Cons?
I haven’t found many so far. You do have to clean the brushes every few times after you vacuum but the 10 minutes I have to spend doing that is much easier and less time consuming than all of the vacuuming and dragging a heavy vacuum around. There are very good instructions about how to clean the brushes but the first time I did feel like I was all thumbs. By the second time, though, everything popped in and out really easily for me. Now I don’t even think about it.
They also said that the Roombas sometimes have problems on black surfaces. I have very dark and some almost black areas but Bob does fine with them. I did have a solid black throw rug and the Roomba would not clean it at all.
Where do I get a Roomba?
Like with any other product, do some price checking. I have seen them at Bed, Bath and Beyond but I got mine from the Home Shopping Network. They were having a special deal with extras and it was the best deal I had seen. There are less expensive ones but, like many vacuum companies, they make some vacuums that do a little more than the basic cleaning. I didn’t get the top of the line Roomba but it is one of the better ones. Mine was $265 and it included some extra accessories.
An added bonus I hadn’t expected…
There was an added bonus that I didn’t expect and that’s the way it affects me mentally when I use Bob. I get so inspired. When he is in the living room vacuuming his little heart out it motivates me to get in the kitchen and wash the dishes. It’s like I am getting two jobs done at the same time. By the time the Roomba is finished in the living room I am usually done in the kitchen so now I have two rooms cleaned in the same amount of time it used to take me to clean one.
This past Christmas I unexpectedly had to leave for my trip to Colorado three days early and I only had a few hours notice to pack, clean the house and get it ready to be closed for a couple of weeks. It was a mess and I mean a mess! I had been baking and wrapping presents for weeks and I had let it go. There was no way I had time to vacuum. I set up Bob as I started packing. By the time I had packed, quickly wiped down the bathroom and cleaned the kitchen, the Roomba had vacuumed for me. The house looked great.
This past week, my computer was down. I called Tawra and said, “I am taking a break because I have been cleaning like crazy – Bob is in my bedroom vacuuming now.” Tawra said, “Sure, you have been cleaning like crazy.” I had to laugh when I realized what I had said.
I truly don’t think I have ever had anything change my life, my cleaning habits or make my life easier then Bob.
-Jill
photo by: eiriknewth
Don is thrilled. I just told him about Bob and said maybe we should get one.
3 cats means a lot of cat hair which I can’t get rid of on my own.
He has been champing at the bit for 3 years and I kept saying no it is just a waste of money.
I told him next time he sees one at a decent price to go for it.
We have laminate flooring and hard wood and only 2 small area rugs in the house.
I am willing to accept all forms of help but can’t find anyone in town who wants to clean houses.
Don says thanks jill.
Tell Don he is welcome. I really do love mine. It has made such a change in my life and made things easier for me. We have so many people who are ill that read our web site I wanted to pass the info on because I was so skeptical thought others might be too. I have had people ask how does it compare to a Dyson and I haven’t compared them but I do know Bob does better then any other top of the line vacuum I have had I have had some people have a dyson say they have started using their Roomba instead. It is kind of like comparing apples and oranges. Even if the dyson would get up a little more dirt you have to lug the thing around and would maybe only vacuum once a week or less where with Bob I don’t have to do anything so just run him all the time so figure he is probably picking up as much or more because of that.
They did show a demo where they put sand down, used a extremely high powered vac to suck things up then ran the Roomba over it and he still picked up stuff the extra strong shop vac didn’t. Go to www.HSN. com and watch the video on it and read the comments. Last I looked he was getting a 5 star.
Maybe I should get one. My teenage son vacuums once a week for me but with three dogs and kids always making snacks, the floors really need it more than once a week. But it’s strenuous for me with my CFS.
I feel so silly saying this Harriet but if you can afford to get it then I would especially with your CFS. I get so excited talking about my Roomba. I would feel really weird but one thing that sold me on it too was everyone who called in to talk about their Roomba on HSN had the same excitement in their voice different from when others called in about other products. They all couldn’t talk about them enough.
You are right one step at a time. With your daughter. Will be interesting how many clothes she weeds out. Have fun. : ) : )
Roombas are pretty good except you have to spend time cleaning out the brushes and surrounding area. For the mechanically challenged, like me, the Roomba was not the best choice. I’ve had a couple Roombas through the years until I discovered the Mint.
I do have a Mint that I love. The Mint uses a cleaning pad or a reusable pad to clean. The Mint can either dust your floors or mop them. I usually run the Mint after dinner each night to clean the kitchen floor. The next day the Mint goes into action cleaning my family room, dining room and hallway. I can also use the Mint to clean the bathroom floors.
The best thing about the Mint is there is NO cleaning of the brushes or emptying the dust bin. All you have to do is remove the pad and plug the Mint back into its charger.
You can find the Mint at various websites online, if you want to look. You can also find the Mint at Wally World.
Finally, the Mint is cheap. The newest model runs around $250 I think but the older generation (the one I have) sells for around $200.
Hope this helps,
MA
I am on my first Roomba (his name is Ronnie BTW… LOL) and I have to say, I’ve only had it 2 months but, if it broke now and couldn’t be repaired I’d say I’ve had my money’s worth. BEST invention since … yup, you’ve got it… BEST invention since Kraft Dinner.
We have resorted to taking Ronnie on “tours” to non-beliver’s houses :O)
To funny Anna and Sherri. I just love it. I have taken Bob with me to others homes too. And I know everyone thought I was crazy when I said I named Bob and that Roomba owners talk about their Roombas in a totally different way then most people do their vacs so thanks for your post. : ): ) Now there are at least three of us out there who are crazy. : ) : )
I, too, am in LOVE! I recently purchased the NEATO robotic vaccuum and it is a lifesaver. We have two dogs and a cat. I could never keep up with the hair and dirt the dogs carried in. We call him Robbie and he does a fabulous job. A little more expensive I think than the Roomba and Mint, but after doing some research I’ve found that the NEATO has a more powerful suction and it does an amazing job!
Hi Jill!
I just stumbled on your post about Bob… I have named mine Robbie. He’s the hardest working member of my family. Him and his brother Scoobie. After seeing the results and my satisfaction (and complete amazement in the entertainment value) with Robbie I just had to buy a Scooba too. I agree with you about them being motivators to get other stuff done while they are working away. We aren’t the most able bodied people in this house, and with 3 kids a dog and a cat, Bob and Scoobie keep the house a lot cleaner than with conventional vacuuming and mopping. If you calculate how much it is to pay a housekeeper you come out thousands of dollars ahead. If only iRobot could come up with a robot that washed, dried, folded and put away laundry! For now, a girl can dream :D
To funny Cheri. I know everyone really thought I was crazy when I said most Roomba users love, love, love their Roomba and always name them. As far as the cost goes I needed a vacuum anyway and Bob was a very good price. I was wondering about Scooba. I have been watching him for awhile now and trying to decide if he would be worth me getting or not and if he worked as good as his brother Bob (roomba). Sounds like you like your Scooba too.
For those of you who are wondering what we are talking about there is a “water” version of Roomba which mops your floor.
Yes I to dream of the day when they will have one to do all the other housework. : ) : )
My son bought me barbra (it does speaks like a girl) and I loved it so much, that I bought a braava jet mop. Almost worth more than my children! This morning my husband came into the bathroom while I was blowing my hair dry and told me how absolutely amazing I am–that I can do laundry, vacuum, mop the floor AND blow dry my hair all at the same time!