Robot Vacuum Cleaners Buying Guide
Our buying guide will explain which type of robot vacuum cleaner would suit you most, how much you can expect to pay for one, and which features are worth looking out for.
Reviewer Photos & Videos
JoodeMid North Coast, NSW
- 14 reviews
- 6 likes
Best thing since sliced bread!
We bought the latest model Roomba just out this year, the 860 which comes with a 'virtual wall' and spare filter. It does a brilliant job on our large expanse of timber flooring and also much better than expected on the carpeted bedrooms.
We have cats that have long hair so animal hair/fluff is a constant in this house and I was vacuuming or using a swiffer type mop every day. After researching all the different models available we decided on the Roomba 860 and purchased online from Aurobo at a very good price and it arrived in 3 days well p...Read more
1 comment
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WenAU
- 4 reviews
- 2 likes
Better than expected!
Bough it from Myer. Suction is so much better than a robot I bought in China . And it is really intelligent and will pause while finish cleaning a room, thus saving the battery in case I forgot to turn it off.
Hair won't tangle around the brushes, great design. It's virtual wall unit hat helps it limit the robot's movement area is also a very good feature.
Cannot turn back to my dyson vacuum any more. This saves me so much time. Great product.
1 comment
Sampford IXL A.iRobot
Hi Wen,
Thanks for taking the time to share your Roomba experience. The virtual walls are a great help, especially in open plan homes. It is amazing the difference having clean floors makes - espec... Read more
ially when you don't have to drag out the vacuum cleaner yourself.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
a79Greater Melbourne (Metropolitan), VIC
- 25 reviews
So much better than I imagined
Have just purchased 880 and loving it - with a toddler and newborn I haven't much time for vacuuming anymore and while I was initially worried about how much the robot would pick up off the floor I have found it to do a brilliant job. We have wooden floorboards with a couple of large rugs. So far have been using the robot daily. I find the spot clean feature is also quite handy for cleaning up small messes.
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Find out how iRobot Roomba 800 Series compares to other Robot Vacuum Cleaners
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RachPerth
Excellent for pet hair.
Buying the rather expensive Roomba 880 was a huge financial commitment, but I have to say that think that it was worth every dollar.
I am astounded at how well it performs on our carpets, and it continued to find cat hair and dust after the carpet appeared to be clean. We have foster cats, so the Roomba certainly has it's work cut out. The 'lighthouses' are great for ensuring that Roomba avoids pet water bowls too.
It works equally well on the tiled floors, and I love that it cleans under the beds, sofas and cupboards.
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It incredibly useful
This vacuum does everything as described. It incredibly useful to the point of being indispensable. I'm only upset that I didn't buy this thing sooner. Pros of the Roomba are easy - it is a robot that does your vacuuming for you! Amazing. Worth it. The house is waaaay cleaner than it would be if we didn't have one. Plus, we keep things picked up to be out of its way, so it has made us neater, too. Okay, onto some nit-picking now! may be learn more in h[link removed] it just more information for product .
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Lola 2015Brisbane
- 7 reviews
- 15 likes
Be careful of Roombas
I would advise against buying a Roomba, especially from David Jones. I bought one earlier this year and initially liked it so much, I bought a Scooba as well. ( and even bought a robot lawnmower)!). So, I had the Roomba for the carpeted areas and the Scooba on the tiles. I maintained these machines very well as they were expensive. After 4 months the Roomba stopped charging. Returned it to David Jones who sent it to Brand developers and left me to deal with them. Brand said the circuit board got wet and the machine could not be repaired. Give...Read more
n the Roomba was only used on carpet, I do not how it got wet; the carpet was never wet. I checked on Amazon and it's possible to buy a circuit board but Brand were only interested in selling me a reconditioned Roomba. I regret buying these machines. I'm waiting for the Scooba to stop working. If you want to buy a Roomba, get one from Costco as they will replace them- I read that online after mine broke down. I've had better customer service from cut price retailers like Aldi and Big W. When Aldi next has the robot vacuum, I will buy one for less than $200 as I know they will also replace it in case of breakdown. I am very careful with appliances and have a Kenwood mixer that is 27 years old and still in pared ect working order . This has been a very costly mistake for me and I hope I can save others going through the same thing. Edited 7/12/15 On Saturday I bought 2 robot vacuums from Aldi for $199 each. They come with a remote control & can be programmed to clean on schedule. They have 2 side brushes so can pick up more dust & even have an additional microfibres dust pad. Nice touches are the inclusion of a spare brush & batteries for the remote control & lighthouse.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
DianeTownsville
- 4 reviews
More than earns its keep
I was fairly sceptical about the capabilities of electronic carpet sweepers/vacuum cleaners but was intrigued by the idea of a product working for me unsupervised. It was a toss up between buying a robotic product (and a new regular vacuum a bit later) or just a standard Dyson or Miele vacuum cleaner immediately. I read as many reviews as possible and decided to test out robotic types in the stores. We watched different brands operating and realised that I needed to rethink my budget of $500. The new iRobot 880 for $1000 was the most suitable ...Read more
however it was significantly more than I'd planned to spend so I gave it further thought and bought one. Two months along... I can say this product has transformed our lives. I run it once or twice a day and it does a remarkable job. Our floors have never felt and looked so clean. The 880 manages to pick up an amazing amount of general dust, dirt, kitchen crumbs, etc. Most importantly, it handles our biggest problem easily - picking up pet fur. We have two dogs and two cats who all drop a lot of hair that sticks to rugs, builds up along the edges of rugs and the timber flooring, and also along skirting boards. All this mess made us feel like the house was constantly dirty and we just couldn't get on top of the floor cleaning. Because of the volume of pet hair it collects I empty the bin after each session and clean the filter daily. Most users wouldn't need to do this however I feel very grateful to S.I.D. (Significantly Important Device) and maintain him regularly. My husband is transfixed by the technology and I admit, I also can't help watching it work. The guys who developed these robots are geniuses. I plan to buy the iRobot floor mopping robot next. My husband has his eye on the gutter cleaner... P.S. I don't have any plans to buy a new regular vacuum cleaner and our old manual hasn't been used since we bought the 880. 9 Month Update: S.I.D. is performing as well as the day I purchased him. There's been no drop in performance. He's absolutely brilliant at picking up pet hair each day and I put him on spot clean to pick up wads of fur on the rug after the occassional cat fight. As we're renovating he's brought into action during and at the end of the day to clean up. We keep S.I.D. well maintained and haven't had any problems. He's tough and surprisingly looks as good as new despite the constant use. Tip for new rug buyers - S.I.D. doesn't like the grey/white/black rug that I bought so I have to use the manual vacuum cleaner on that. 16 Month Update: S.I.D. has been working for us on a daily basis for 16 months now. There continues to be no drop in performance. He looks great with just a few minor scuff marks. From our experience I can highly recommend the 880 model. It will be interesting to see just how long this tough little robot keeps going. He's definitely earned his keep and was good value for money (a big unknown prior to purchase!). I'm a satisfied customer.2 comments
Sampford IXL A.iRobot
Hi Diane,
Thank-you for taking the time to post this review. We are so happy to read that you are pleased with your Roomba or S.I.D. as you call it! If you ever need assistance don't hesitate to contact our Customer Care Team on 1300 727 421.... Read more
Kind regards, iRobotThank you.
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James R
- 2 reviews
- 4 likes
Great, except if you have black lines on your carpet
We love our roomba. Our black wooden floors are shiny after roomba does it's thing. However recently we bought a rug with black carpet. The cliff sensors seem to trigger on it. Had to put masking tape over them, which would not be good if we had stairs.
Cleans all the cat fur off the rug that our old manual vacuum could not remove. Has not got stuck on anything. Seems to do the whole room, although I have no idea how the logic it uses works. Quite noisy. Don't expect it to run in the room next to your bedroom and get any sleep.
——————
Update 4 years in
Had to buy a new battery and rollers for the first time. Now living in a house with carpet and it’s much more quiet than on hard floors.
Still going strong.
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Duane Walker
- 4 reviews
- 12 likes
Awesome robo vac
I tried a cheaper Philips robo vac and it did a pretty good job but fell over edges and got stuck a lot. I got it for half it's $400 RRP. It was good but not good enough.
The Roomba 880 is much smarter and more powerful. I was sure it would be good on tiles but I wasn't sure about carpet and rugs. It actually does a good job on both. It still can get stuck on cords but with minimal effort of tidying the cords it is fine.
It can get over most cards and rugs but may occasionally get stuck. I would recommend bundling up small cords.
...Read more
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Find out how iRobot Roomba 800 Series compares to other Robot Vacuum Cleaners
Know better, choose better.
CezNSW, 2114
- 10 reviews
This is PERFECT, worth the price
I've been using the Roomba for at least a year now. Anything that will & can make my life easier, I try. I have timber floor all throughout & 2 rugs. Roomba is perfect. He cleans anything & everything. He just goes around the unit and smart enough to go back to its dock. Easy to clean & easy on my back. I would recommend this. Worth the price.
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PurpleQuagga
- 2 reviews
- 5 likes
Complete life changer - love it
Having 2 dogs and 2 kids meant our floors were dirty within half a day of vacuuming. It was depressing. I was sceptical that the Roomba would work, but it does and does so really well! We run it daily, sometimes twice a day. The amount of dirt it picks up is astounding. I could not be happier with the purchase. It still keeps going after more than a year of daily use.
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Excellent
You can buy this online in Australia for 920AUD. Where the TV shop are fleecing customers for 1200+ for the Roomba 770 which sells for 500 USD or less in the USA. Some online manufacturers are providing a 1 year local australia warranty too. Check it out.
Awesome product. Do not like how it cleans erratically. If you have thick carpets, expect to clear out the filter after every use.
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Flash FabioGreater Melbourne (Metropolitan), VIC
- 6 reviews
- 14 likes
Worth the price.
After having spent no little time examining all offerings in the market, and having a number of friends with various brands and models, we decided to bite the bullet and get an iRobot. After much deliberation we decided to swallow the bullet also by buying the latest model (880) as it has the "Aeroforce" upgraded roller pickup and is supposed to have more suction and a larger bin.
The unit retails locally for about $1200 locally, but I decided to forgo the limited 1 year warranty and buy it online and import it myself, resulting in a substan...Read more
tial saving. After having read the manuals and charged the unit for its initial run, we cleared the floor of all loose items (we have two young children, two dogs and NO time to clean anything) and let it run. At first it was hypnotic and the children were part fascinated and part scared. The dogs took it in stride. We ran it 3 times that first day - the floor needed it - and came up about 98% of what we would manage with the Dyson. The only areas it didn't clear were along the edge of the rug where the floor surface drops to floorboards. We also have dark carpet which it performs outstandingly on. After that we ran it pretty much daily once - and still do after 3 months of use - and have only used the big vacuum twice in that period. The kids now love to turn it on and run, and the dogs could care less. We usually put it on when we are not home, as its noisy enough to be irritating - or we place it into the bedrooms to run, if we're in the living areas. Its nifty with lots of great functions like, escape behaviours, the ability to climb over large items and push or avoid a lot of different obstructions; and shutting off if it gets stuck or sucks up something that tangles the rollers. Its easy to clean, and I have not come across any problematic cleaning issues with the product that the first generation of Roombas evidently suffered from.2 comments
It's is a follow up from my initial post. We are currently still using the Roomba four to five times a week and other than replacing the filter and the spinning brush thingy - both of which were cheap... Read more
and easy- we have had no negative experiences with the product. This truly is one of those cases where the value of the product far outlives the memory of the initial investment. Best buy ever.Second Follow up. Roomba still getting used, though my daughter "gave it a drink" of water (poured on top) - which has killed the rotating prop. Evidently liquids are this thing's Achille's heel. We s... Read more
till use the robot to vacuum, but it can't be left unattended, and I've had to take it to a third party repairer as Roomba won't touch anything with liquid damage (legal liability I'm assuming). As a side note the iRobot customer service account has been handed to another company in Australia and as a result is a lot more affable and helpful; the previous company wasn't worth the mention. Still love our robot, just have to make sure he doesn't get thirsty again.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Questions & Answers
Arden P.asked
Where is the serial number on my Roomba?
1 answer
Teghan R.iRobot
Hi Arden
The serial number can be found on the Roomba once the bin is removed.
Kind regards iRobot
SirD's Memawasked
I have one. I subscribe to iRobot by email (i.e., I get ads for specials and sales regularly). They still push 600-series and now 900-series, but it seems they do not offer the 800-series machines. I am curious as to what is the explanation for them selling 600 and 900 series but never mentioning the 800 series?
2 answers
That's interesting. I hadn't noticed that but will check next time I'm at Harvey Norman. You'd assume the mid range would be popular as it has much better suction and features than the cheapest one and not the $1499 price tag of the top of the range. I have recommended the Roomba 890 to so many people so I'm assuming they are still available. Couldn't live without mine.
Teghan R.iRobot
Good Afternoon SirD's Memaw
Thank you for you question. Currently we are offering a 600, E and I series Roomba's which are our low, mid and higher range Roomba's. Sadly the 800 series has been discontinued in Australia and replaced by the new E series for around the same price.
Kind regards iRobot
Charles Hatchettasked
My Roomba 880 continues to give me brush error messages after replacing the brushes with new brushes, can someone help with a solution? A red triangle error light comes on and the brushing chamber is clean.
1 answer
Teghan R.iRobot
HI Charles
Please contact our office on 1300 727 421 for troubleshooting.
Kind regards iRobot
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Sampford IXL A.iRobot
Hi Joode,
Thanks for sharing your tips! We are glad you are loving your Roomba.... Read more
iRobot Customer Care