iRobot 530 Roomba Vacuuming Robot, White
- Vacuuming robot picks up dirt and debris with the touch of a button
- Easy-to-empty bagless dustbin; fine-filtration system traps allergens
- Anti-tangle technology; gentle-touch bumper system; built-in cliff sensors
- Self-charging Home Base, 2 Virtual Walls, an extra filter, and more included
- Measures 16-3/4 by 21 by 5 inches; 1-year limited warranty
With dramatically improved navigation, cleaning coverage, vacuum pickup, and particle filtration, the Roomba 530 vacuuming robot picks up amazing amounts of dirt and debris with the simple touch of a button. The powerful unit features innovative spinning side brushes that grab dirt and dust from corners and along wall edges, as well as two high-speed, counter-rotating brushes that pick up pet hair, cat litter, food crumbs, and other debris from floors. The vacuum sucks up the debris and deposits it into a large, easy-to-empty bagless dustbin, and its improved fine-filtration system traps dust, pollen, and other allergens inside the unit, reducing infiltration into the living environment. For added convenience, the vacuum’s cleaning head automatically adjusts to transition from wood, tile, and linoleum to carpets and rugs, while improved anti-tangle technology ensures it won’t get stuck on cords and rug fringe. If the unit begins to pick up a cord or carpet tassel, it will automatica
List Price: $ 299.99
Price: $ 200.00
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A Great Product Made Even Better,
With two dogs in the house we could not live without our Roomba. The 530 is a vast improvement from earlier models. It seems to pick up more dirt, the battery life is longer, the fast-charge is about 33% more rapid than its Discovery predecessors and it is generally more quiet.
The new sensors that prevent the robot from “speed-bumping” into furniture are a very nice touch, but beware if the robot is in a tight area, it may appear sluggish — the sensors are working to continually slow it down. It’s a feature I like, but need to get used to.
My only concern with this robot is the high cost of parts. The bot itself is cheaper than earlier models but the components most prone to breakage or wear-out are twice the cost so the lifetime operation costs may be higher. Replacement batteries are nearly $100. Earlier models were $50.
ONE MONTH LATER ….
This is a slight amend to my review above. Having used it for a month a couple points of note:
1) All of the new 5-Series Roombas lack the “Max Mode” that was common on earlier models. I miss this. I can no longer let it go util the battery runs out. It goes until it “thinks” it’s finshed. Well, sometimes we disagree. And I’m usually right. It simply doesn’t cover as much ground as I need it too in the standard clean mode. I’d have to mark it down a full star for this — I can’t count on it to do the whole house when I’m at work anymore.
2) The folks I know who have these encountered problems with the side cleaning bushes breaking off. After a month’s use, I lost all but one. I’m sure this is high on their list of fixes.
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|It’s Like a Beloved Pet Who MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER,
Awesome. This new generation fixes all the problems of the previous. Much smarter, much bigger dust bin, much better in every way. Great that it self-docks when tired. Maintanence is a snap…really could not be easier/faster. There are some negatives – how could there not be? – but this thing has such a contagious personality that it starts feeling like your pet, and you’re inclined to forgive, and even find the faults charming.
You have to prep the room (cords up and out of the way, no papers or clutter on the floor, move small items out of the room and learn which objects present problems and get them out of the way). Performance varies on throw rugs (it’s great on rug/carpet surfaces themselves, but Roomba can get caught up as it travels over edges of throw rugs that don’t have much weight or cling). It’s good at slowing down and banging objects gently, but less so on narrow vertical objects (e.g. piano legs), which it really clunks (not enough to damage, but it will make you wince). In terms of results, it’s a notch below a stout top-end British maid with her sturdy Hoover, but several notches above what mere mortals can achieve, and it’s especially good on edgework, under baseboards and furniture, and other spots most people would miss.Yes, it gets corners fine, in spite of its round shape. It’s got a whirling brush that ably gets at them.
Most of all, if you’re someone who’s non-meticulous about keeping up housekeeping cycles (even if not, like, a total slob), it’s hard to describe the satisfaction of ALWAYS having spotless floors. Since, per above, you’ll develop at least some degree of affection for your Roomba, it’s the ideal pet…it vastly contributes to the household, yet its needs are few (I pull hairs out of its brushes with the affection of a dog owner checking his dalmation for tics).
I have a fairly large house, and one unit is more than enough. Every other day, I bring her upstairs to work, that’s all.
Oh, and it’s extraordinarily entertaining to watch. The drama of whether it’ll ever get to this hairball or that crumb is downright fraught. In spite of its seemingly random pattern, it does somehow get everything in the end.
One nice side effect: the act of prepping a room for vacuuming – i.e. getting clutter off the floor – is itself a life-changing improvement. I find it much easier to organize books, papers, etc, when it’s for an immediate purpose than as a general habit. So the house isn’t just cleaner, floor-wise….it’s also generally better kept-up. Love my Roomba. Buy one now.
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|New Roomba vs. Old,
If you are new to Roomba, you will wonder if it is worthwhile. The answer is clearly YES, since anything it cleans is that much less for you to clean. However, which is better, the old (and cheaper) Roomba, or the new models like the 530?
First, the 530 comes with the charging/base station, and this is very useful. I have placed this in the entranceway which leads into the livingroom, the kitchen or the bedroom. Using the virtual walls (included), I block off rooms so that it can only do the entranceway + 1 other room. I simply press the “Clean” button, and it backs itself off the charging stand and then spends the next 2 hours cleaning, finally returning to the charging stand. Nice!
Should you upgrade from an older model Roomba (I now use my old Roomba upstairs)? It depends on your situation. By-the-way, the old virtual walls do NOT work with the new Roomba.
New Roomba:
Fall down stairs? Never
Climb onto thick throw rugs? Sometimes
Effectiveness on hard floors? Excellent
Effectiveness on carpets? Good
Trap itself in electrical cords? No
Trap itself in carpet fringes? No
# rooms it can do at once? 2
Ease of emptying dirt? Fairly good
Scare cats and dogs? No
Clean under low furniture? Yes
Quietness? Fairly
Old Roomba:
Fall down stairs? Never
Climb onto thick throw rugs? Rarely
Effectiveness on hard floors? Excellent
Effectiveness on carpets? Good
Trap itself in electrical cords? Usually
Trap itself in carpet fringes? Always
# rooms it can do at once? 2
Ease of emptying dirt? Fair
Scare cats and dogs? No
Clean under low furniture? Yes
Quietness? Fairly
Edit: 1/8/10
Roomba DIED! Nine beeps. Can’t say I am happy. I called iRobot and they say the issue is due to a defective bumper which is NOT fixable. Since my warranty is expired, they offered me a somewhat discount price on a new Roomba. I am not sure what I will do.
Edit: 5/7/10
There directions for a cheap (although complicated) repair for this problem in the posts below.
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