iRobot 330 Scooba Floor-Washing Robot
by iRobot
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List Price: Our Price: $229.00 You Save: $170.99 (43%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Home See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of iRobot 330 Scooba Floor-Washing Robot
Customer Review: Still not my fav irobot product, but liking clean floors
Summary: 3 Stars
While my scooba does a good job when it does clean, for me it was not the wisest buy. I have a roomba and a dirt dog and loved them so much I thought I'd ease my life even further by buying the scooba (I hate cleaning bathrooms). When scooby arrived he did a FANTASTIC job cleaning the tile in our old house. You could see the difference (night and day) between the tile he'd cleaned versus the areas he couldn't fit into. The water in his dirty tank was always gross beyond belief, which meant he was doing a great job!
However, as the first month went on, I found that the effort required in maintaining him and the cost involved in purchasing his "special" solution was more effort than pleasure. By the 2nd month his tank had been replaced twice (he just would suddenly start leaking for no good reason - a well-known issue with the scooba tanks). I purchased him from HSN with an extended warranty, but they don't do anything to help during the 1st yr, so Irobot replaced the tanks, which strangely did not fit. They replaced again, now we have to turn scooby upside down to remove tanks and a new symptom - spinning aimlessly in circles without cleaning. I reported the issue to irobot last dec and never got around to sending him off. (I say this as an example of how unnecessary scooby had become in my life). I went back to using my old swiffer mop. I get my roomba and dirt dog to clean, then go in behind them and mop.
When scooby did work, he left a lot of water on the floor, which took a lot longer to dry than the swiffer does, so I'd have to go in behind him and dry the floors (not so great when you have laminate or active toddlers who like sliding on wet floors).
The other issue I have read about with scooby is that using the cheapest cleaning solution of vinegar and water (which doesn't smell great, but is a lot cheaper than buying their solution) is that over time the vinegar eats away the grout between tiles. However, I don't think it's just the vinegar as a combination of that and the scooba scrubbing brushes.
So while we're in the process of thinking about what kind of new home we'd like, we're trying to think of what kind of floors would be most appropriate for scooby to clean! Conclusion: I don't want to replace laminate because it warps from the water left behind and I don't want to regrout every year or 2 because of the vinegar and brushes, which leaves us with carpet (allergic), hard wood (out of our price range), and vinyl (OUCH!). We've decided to go with the type of flooring we like best and not deal with scooby. We'll take him out once in a while to do a thorough clean (like a carpet steam cleaner) and put him away again for an extended period, till we feel the need for a deep clean again.
IN the meantime, I've adjusted my dirt dog to swiffer mop my floors for me!!! No water left behind and I would say she does a better job than me (except on the corners)!
07.15.2010 (UPDATE)
Irobot has the absolute BEST customer service and they replaced my scooba (still waranteed) without questions. Since getting scooby back, I have been using him more, despite warnings not to use on laminate floors, I'm a mom with a toddler who LOVES eating off the floor and after scooby did his first clean of my kitchen floor (which gets swiffer mopped everyday) and I saw the color of the water in the dirty water tank, I had to say I'd rather have scooby clean than me and KNOW that my floors are clean enough to eat off of! Tiles in the bathroom - been using their new cleaner and if we have to regrout, so be it. They look MUCH better than when I
clean them. I still don't like the amount of water left behind when he cleans, the dirty corners, and his ability to get stuck (thus needing to be babysat). I also don't like that my floors look duller when he's done, but a quick use of roomba takes care of that.
Now that scooby is running again and I am liking him more than when I first used him, I felt it was only fair to change add to the initial review and am again considering putting in floors that suit scooby versus suit me!
01.12.2011
Scooby quit working properly before Thanksgiving 2010. Because it was +2 months out of warranty, irobot would not replace or fix it (but I could purchase a computer bottom for $179). Thankfully I had purchased an extended warranty via another company. After 4+ weeks without Scooby, he came back and is STILL not working properly. I have now ordered a new battery ($47) in the hopes of that fixing his problem. In addition Scooby goes through tanks like it's going out of fashion (approximately 1 tank every 2 months) and at +$40 per tank, it gets expensive fast (when you're out of warranty)! My conclusion is that this is not a product worth wasting money on. It cleans well when it does work, but it's bulky, gets stuck often, and often has maintenance issues that once you run out of warranty, you're stuck with. My house is cleaner and my pocket is happier with just my roombas to clean my floors and my swiffer mop to get up dirt and sticky messes. I would not buy another scooba.
Customer Review: Customer Service a Waste of Time
Summary: 2 Stars
I recently purchased a new Scooba "Model 330" on a close-out of a national store chain - no return and no refund. When I got it home and opened the box I found the unit inside was marked as a Model 5800. Maybe that's the same thing, but I wasn't pleased to see the switch in model information between box and unit. Regardless, I charged it per instructions and put it into use.
The first problem it had was that was just a fraction of an inch too tall to pass under the edges of my kitchen cabinets, so it got stuck each time it ran into the toe "kick space" of the cabinets and also when passing under the door of my dishwasher. It also manages to get stuck when it passes over the floor heating vents.
I came up with ways to partially deal with those issues, but was very unhappy when I found how short of a time the battery lasted. The unit ran 25 minutes on its first full charge, and in subsequent use occasionally worked up to running 33 to 35 minutes, though after 10 uses it still rarely made it to 30 minutes before shutting down.
After the first few uses I called iRobot customer service seeking resolution for the short battery operating period and was told that lasting less than 30 minutes was acceptable. when I pointed out that it ran out of power before using even half of the cleaning solution in its tank it was suggested that I should just fill the cleaning tank less than half-full to start. Odd that isn't clearly stated in the user manual where it talks about it using the tank and then going into a drying cycle when the tank empties. I was very irritated and frustrated by the time I got off the phone with them and my issue wasn't resolved.
I eventually grew tired of the situation and purchased a new battery for the unit rather than waste my time talking with iRobot again. The unit now uses the entire tank's contents on a regular basis. Of course the new battery wasn't cheap and I received no compensation.
I am very disappointed with iRobot's version of customer service, I didn't buy this Scooba with the notion of having to beg or argue with them in order to get satisfaction. I would have returned it if I could, but as mentioned at the start it was purchased from a closing store on a no-return basis.
The Scooba (with new battery) does an OK job of cleaning, but has to be monitored constantly to free it when it gets stuck. I've managed to keep it from going under the cabinet edges but it still gets hung up on the floor heating vents every few minutes.
I've improved the situation by pulling the metal vents out of the floor when I run the Scooba so that cliff sensors can aid it in avoiding the "holes" but that doesn't work 100% of the time. On the other hand, I consider it something of a home safety issue to have open holes in the floor while the Scooba is running so I don't consider this to be a good fix. I'm going to try other solutions, perhaps making thin plywood covers to go over the vents while the Scooba is running.
If you're considering purchasing a Scooba and plan to use it in your kitchen you should be aware of the potential for it to get hung up and stuck under the cabinets and on floor heating vents. At the very least I suggest you purchase your iRobot product from a store that will permit you to return the unit if you're not satisfied rather than leaving you dependent on iRobot customer service for solutions.
On a related topic, just a few days prior to purchasing the Scooba I bought a Roomba 550 from a different store. It worked fine for a few uses but within less than a dozen cleaning cycles it came up "lame" in one wheel. When activated it would only turn in circles and cleaning the "cliff sensors" didn't help. I finally tried turning the offending wheel by hand with the power off and found it was almost impossible to move while the other wheel turned readily. I removed the wheel assembly but could find no external issues.
Perhaps iRobot might have responded to a request to fix this unit since I'd owned it less than two months, but based on their "customer service" response to my Scooba issue I didn't waste time contacting them. I just wanted resolution but the thought of having to deal with iRobot again had me in a foul mood. Instead I went back to the store where I purchased it and they permitted me to return it without issue and even apologized for the product not providing satisfaction.
Customer Review: Scooba is great, iRobot service STINKS!
Summary: 3 Stars
Let me start by saying I have a Roomba and I love it. I've even had some problems with it and iRobot was wonderful about resolving them. (That was last summer, however.) Knowing that, I was thrilled when I received a Scooba for Christmas. I found a couple of glitches, but nothing I couldn't work through - until today.
I assumed that virtual walls that come with Roomba and Scooba would be compatible. That is not the case. Scooba only recognizes its own virtual wall, so if you have multiple areas to block off, you'll need to get another one or get creative. It's not a big problem, just something to be aware of.
Second issue is that my kitchen is not overly huge, but it is a decent size and my cupboards jut out in the middle like a peninsula. For whatever reason, I can't get Scooba to do the whole floor in one cycle. It either can't get around the counter or the tank isn't large enough. The error seems to depend on where I start it, so it's likely a combination of both. I don't mind doing it in two cycles, however, so that's not a big deal, just something else to be aware of.
Overall, I'm happy with the unit. As some reviewers have said, it doesn't get the corners. It certainly does a better job than I would, however, so that doesn't bother me. I'll hit the corners as necessary as I always have.
It does get footprints and basic dirt off the floor. The first time I used it, I was shocked at how dirty the water was. Especially since I thought my floor was clean.
As far as using their formula, I don't mind that. It's not that expensive and I use so much less of it than I would any other cleaner if I were mopping myself that I think it will actually be a cost savings in the end.
If you own a Roomba, you should know that the Scooba is quite a bit louder. I think one reviewer suggested it's like listening to a hair dryer. That's a pretty good description of the noise level. I start mine when I'm leaving the house or if we'll be in the basement watching tv. I definitely can't run it if I'm in the next room because the noise is distracting.
Here's what I feel is a big deal - iRobot's "customer service" has declined dramatically since last summer. My Scooba stopped working this morning, so I followed the users guide and found the problem is with its vacuum function. The manual says to call iRobot, so I attempted to do that. First, I had to go through a phone tree that seemed to be in an endless cycle asking the same two questions. It took me three separate phone calls and over 6 minutes in the last call just to get to their hold music. Then, I sat on hold for 17 minutes before I got a person. After all that, she couldn't find my registration because I had not done it online so there was no email address to key to. (I registered my Scooba by sending the registration card in the mail in an effort to eliminate SPAM from them. BIG MISTAKE!) After another 7 minutes of searching, she finally asked me what the problem was. As soon as I told her, she said I had to return it because it was defective. Here's the clincher - because they couldn't find my registration, I have to pay the postage to send it back. After 34 minutes on the phone with them (in just this one call), I was not impressed. Fortunately, my husband bought my Scooba at Linens N Things, where they believe in customer service. I called them, brought the Scooba to the store and walked out with a new one in under 10 minutes!
After reading some of the reviews here and on some other sites, I'm finding that defective units are not uncommon. So, my recommendation is that if you are willing to risk having to return it if it's defective, go ahead and buy one. (There are definitely some perks. I may be annoyed now, but it's better than mopping!) Just make sure you buy it from a store with a customer friendly return policy so you never have to call iRobot. They are not worth the hassle.
Customer Review: Times change--and so do reviews.
Summary: 4 Stars
My old review is at the bottom. Unfortunately, with changes at iRobot, a new review is needed.
My previous review gave Scooba 4 stars, and I explained that it's wonderful when it works, but has frequent mechanical failures.
To me this was not a real problem, because iRobot technical support has been wonderful, sending replacement parts when needed and replacing the robot three times. I don't care if something breaks down if the manufacturer supports it.
Over the past month that has been changing, and today made it official.
I called iRobot not for Scooba, but for Roomba, the vacuum cleaner robot. I suspect that tech support has been outsourced. They were of very little help except to walk me through the troubleshooting steps which are outlined on iRobot's website, which I had already done. When that didn't fix the problem, I was told "Well, you'll have to buy a replacement."
What iRobot doesn't seem to realize is that I don't HAVE to buy a replacement. I can also stop recommending their products, and that is what I sadly have to do today.
My previous recommendation was based not only on the product but also on the quality of their support, which is essential when a product breaks regularly. After speaking with three people, including a supervisor, and being completely unable to divert them from their script or their desire to sell me a new robot, I no longer trust their technical support and therefore can no longer recommend iRobot products.
Scooba is a great product, if a bit temperamental. I'll continue to use mine for as long as it lasts. But the next time it breaks, I expect no help from iRobot tech support.
* * * * *
My old review:
The good news: iRobot support has been good enough to replace my Scooba twice. The bad news: it needed to be replaced twice. And the last time they had warehouse problems and didn't ship my replacement for a month.
I really missed this little robot for that month. I've got one room with carpet (and Roomba takes care of that room nicely,) and the rest of my house has tile floors. I put two ounces of white vinegar in the clean tank, fill the tank with warm water, put it in a room and put a virtual wall in the doorway (or close the door if I want quiet,) and forget about it. Every day I do a different room. If I keep up with it, the vinegar is more than adequate to clean the floors.
My first Scooba arrived the day after I'd washed the floors. I tried it out because I was curious, even though I knew the floors were clean. I ran it, then dumped out the dirty tank, and was surprised to see that the water in the dirty tank was black. It made me question my mopping skills.
Eventually I figured it out. Scooba has an advantage over me. As it cleans, it puts down water from the clean tank, scrubs, then vacuums the dirty water into the dirty tank. The dirty water is never re-used. When I mop, I rinse my mop in dirty water then put it back on the floor. I'm picking up the dirt and then re-applying it, but Scooba doesn't do that.
When I'm done I dump the tank and rinse it, then rinse a rubber port and a filter inside the Scooba, then remove the brush head and rinse it. I also wipe the squeegees with a damp paper towel. It's slightly more work than rinsing out a mop, but considering I've probably spent the last hour napping instead of mopping, it's not a bad chore. And vinegar is less than a buck a gallon, way cheaper than floor cleaner.
Good Scoobas Gone Bad produce small floods by not picking up the dirty water, or ignore the virtual walls and go sailing into rooms with throw rugs, or don't put down any water at all. And if you don't clean it regularly it will get clogged up and jammed within a few weeks or less. The folks at iRobot are usually pretty good about fixing the problems.
Customer Review: Fantastic Help for a Boring Chore
Summary: 5 Stars
With the huge success of the Roomba, iRobot turned its mind to another task. How about washing kitchen and bathroom floors? Here's a chore that should be done weekly - but in many households it barely gets done once a month. What if a little Roomba like robot could handle floor washing chores?
The Scooba came out with great fanfare in 2006. We bought one quickly, as we are so fond of our Roomba units. It was hard waiting overnight for it to fully charge before we gave it a run through. We carefully filled it up with the right amount of cleaning solution and water, and hit the clean button. It said 'check tank'. We did this a few times, then started hunting on Google for "check tank scooba". Voila - this happens with ALL Scoobas, because you have to prime the tank. It's simple to do - but surely they should have explained this in the manual! Once we primed the tank, it worked PERFECTLY.
Roomba owners will find that the Scooba seems to move "slowly" - but there's a reason for this. In a single pass it has to lay out the cleaner, scrub, suck it back up again, and dry it a little. It's not like it does one pass to put out the cleaner and then another pass to clean it up. It's all done at one time, on one pass.
The Scooba uses the same random-movement technique to eventually hit all areas of the floor. The floor isn't 100% perfectly dry when it does a pass - but neither is your floor dry if you use regular mops. You have to wait for it to air dry. We found that this dried more quickly than when we do it by hand - when it finished with one area and moved on to another, the first section was dry in about 5 minutes, so before the Scooba had even finished its full run.
We were very impressed with how clean it got. My boyfriend walks around barefoot and could notice the difference immediately. It's a round unit, so it can't get into corners, and for a super-baked-on stain it didn't get it all up until a second pass. But heck, the purpose of this thing is to take care of the general cleaning of your floors. You're still going to do certain things manually, like pick up a soup bowl when it spills :) It's just like with the Roomba vaccuum - the fact that my Roomba goes around the carpet every day, picking up all the general stuff, means my carpets look great on a daily basis when I wake up with no work at all on my part. I still do steam clean them once a month or so, to get up the more ground in stuff. But that cuts my chore load WAY down, to have the daily work done.
Not that we're running the Scooba daily! Once a week seems plenty for a kitchen floor for me. If you're a clean freak and want to do it daily, have at it. We all have different levels of cleanliness we like to maintain.
The unit takes their cleaner or vinegar, so if you don't feel like buying their cleaner, you have an option. You can't dump just any cleaner into the unit, because most cleaners are meant to be rinsed out with water afterwards. This one is a one step process so it's different - the cleaner goes on and then is sucked up. There's no "rinse" stage. That seems reasonable to me, that you have to buy a cleaner meant to be used in that manner.
Downsides? Well, the not-get-into-square-corners issue, but to be honest I don't know how you could fix that. If you made a smaller Scooba it wouldn't be able to clean a large area. If you made a square Scooba it would get stuck in spots. I think they did the best they could, and humans still need to do a few detail items to help out. That seems like a fine situation to me, to have a Scooba do most of the work!
Highly recommended.