The GoVacuum Blog

As much as we would all like to have the time to clean regularly, that simply isn’t the case. Despite our best intentions, one way or another things always seem to push cleaning to the back of the to-do list. This is the main reason why the iRobot Roomba vacuum is such a popular product on the market. But does it live up to the hype? The GoVacuum team investigated, and the results are in.

Depending on what you’re looking for, a Roomba could be the perfect vacuum for you. Its appeal isn’t hard to understand. The Roomba operates by itself, meaning there’s no need for you to even be in the house, let alone push it around, during cleaning. Liken it to a remote-controlled toy truck that runs around without you having to move the joystick.

Some Roomba models can even be time-programmed, meaning you can have it clean your house or apartment while you’re at work or out of the house everyday.

Of course, none of that really matters if the thing can’t clean. Here’s where your expectations come into play. If you’re looking for an industrial-strength vacuum with bells and whistles that will leave your floor spotless, the Roomba won’t fulfill your cleaning needs. But if you’re looking for an everyday sweeper that will keep your floor looking clean when you’re too busy to vacuum yourself, look no further than your friendly robotic vacuum. It might not pick up every single particle of dirt, but it does an adequate job.

The Roomba machines are perfect for:

- People who hate vacuuming or simply don’t have the time to clean

- The elderly or those who don’t want to strain their body pushing around a traditional vacuum

- College students who aren’t going to clean after themselves

While the Roomba may not be the most powerful vacuum on the market, it’s unrivaled when it comes to those in-between maintenance cleanings to keep your place tidy. It’s also helpful for those who, frankly, aren’t going to clean otherwise. Trust us; pressing a button is far less daunting than spending an hour vacuuming every inch of your floor. Fortunately, with that single press of a button the Roomba will do it for you.

This week we’ve seen the vendors of many of the products we sell stepping up their efforts to make the world a better place. Earlier this week the GoVacuum team was impressed by IQAir’s commitment to providing clean air to the Olympics in Beijing.

Now, we found a new story. iRobot, the makers of the Roomba robotic vacuums, have upped their efforts in using robot technology to help solve many of the world’s complex problems.

Most recent is their unveiling of the iRobot Negotiator, a “low-cost tactical robot designed to meet the basic reconnaissance needs of public safety professionals.” To be delivered in the fourth quarter, this robot is aimed at “police departments, fire departments and domestic security experts.” Currently, the robot is estimated to be priced at $15,000 with certain options (including stair climbing capabilities) pushing that price to upwards of $20,000.

In researching the development of this negotiator technology, I also found out about some of the other interesting projects that iRobot has embarked on in the past few years. Most notably have been robots that can be used by the military to detect the presence of chemicals in the air and an underwater robot that can be used for research in high pressure underwater environments.

While we have been giddy to watch the Roomba scoot around our showrooms and houses, the fact that the company who gave us this cleaning technology is also helping save the world with their patented technologies makes us all the more excited to be Roomba dealers.