iRobot Scooba 350 Floor-Washing Robot
by iRobot
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List Price: Category: Home See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of iRobot Scooba 350 Floor-Washing Robot
Customer Review: Totally worth the money!
Summary: 5 Stars
Pros
It really works and it's like a two for one, it sweeps/preps the floor and mops it.
It's fun watching your Scooba do all the work for you
easy to use and it feels so nice having clean/shiny floors. It works well on my parquet floor and it works well with whatever soap i use. I don't have the Chlorox solution in canada and vinegar is too stinky. I find dr. bronner's soap leaves a watermark so I use a natural soap i found at Canadian tire called "Blue Planet" multi-surface cleaner. i just put in approx a teaspoon/few squirts and the Scooba is never fussy about the concentration/ratio.
Cons:
expensive- But if I hired a maid to mop/sweep the floors 20-30 times, it would cover the cost of a Scooba.
cleaning the scooba - You have to remove the hair from the brushes, change the water twice per run. I don't mind cleaning the Scooba because I like gadgets so I find cleaning it tolerable.
**if you find that your vacuum filter remains clean and isn't picking up any dirt, it could mean that the vacuum is clogged. To unclog it, pull out the removable black rubber tube-like thing and flush that hole with lots of water, the clogged dirt should come out the other end.
Doesn't clean corners at all!
loud- but you learn to ignore it. Sounds like a vacuum.
Babysitting the Scooba - I would need to be at home when Scooba is in use in case it starts crying out to have the tanks filled or that it's stuck somewhere (doesn't happen often).
Overall it has improved my quality of life so even if I get a few years use out of it, I'll be very happy and would buy the Scooba again.
Customer Review: Mops & Drys unattended,but needs more attention than vacuum robot
Summary: 3 Stars
Love the idea!
One thing that I wish I knew was that although this robot is rated to clean the square-footage of our floor, it must do it in 2steps (it'll stop and you must change the tank). The next size up would do our whole floor in 1 go. Since this is a second home, it is difficult to baby-sit it than if it was at our main home. Also, you need to clean it out right when it finishes cleaning, again not ideal for running as we walk out the door because it can't set until the next visit. For these reasons, the vacuum would have been a better match. (Plus we could also use it at the main house).
Problem with OUR robot, is that the suction drying does not work. So the floor is left wet to air dry. Not critical, as it leaves the floor clean, and I usually run it when I'm stepping out for a bit. Still, a bit annoying because I paid a pretty penny for something that is supposed to vacuum, scrub, wash, and dry all in the same pass!
Since the hardwood floors are not at our main house, I'd be open to swap this mopping robot for a similar-rated vacuum (with auto dock and auto scheduling).. good option for someone who hates mopping as much as I do!
I simply would get more usage from a vacuum (dog hair!).
Also, I msut say our dog is frightened of everything from Vacuums to Water, but does not mind this floor robot ! Great job on the design!
I really wish they named this Scoomba for consistency with roomba. Also I hate the confusion with utterly unrelated "scuba". Anyway, it is Very common for people to refer to is as scoomba.. it's natural. Easier fo rbrand recognition, too. Well, we can't all be in charge! Anyway product is cool.
Customer Review: Does the job, but leaves some touch-up work
Summary: 4 Stars
well, it works, that's the good news. The tank full of dirty water is proof that it's doing the job. The bad news is that it doesn't do corners, and if you have a lot of dust (say, pet hair) you're probably best off doing some vaccuming first because it doesn't deal well with light things like hair that blow around instead of being trapped under the robot.
In short:
Pros:
1. It gets the floor clean
2. It works well w/vineagar, which is good news for those who prefer natural cleaning things intead of chemicals
3. it's pretty easy to clean up - just empty the tank, pop the brush and the filter and run them under the tap.
4. It leaves the floor reasonably dry.
Cons:
1. You'll go absolutely batty if you hang around and try to watch it work. It almost invariably does what i consider the wrong thing (like going the wrong way or going straight when it should be spiralling). save yourself the hassle - walk away and come back to a clean floor. It eventually does the job, and who cares if it takes more time? it's the robot's time, not yours.
2. it doesn't do corners. problem.
3. Occasionally the cycle has stopped in the middle (i think i had a dirty tank).
4. it's loud. really, really loud.
5. would be nice if it could handle more than 12' by 12' on 1 tank.
Overall, good product, if a little pricey (i bought it refurbished and have had no problems...)
Customer Review: iRobot needs to redesign this product for less than glass-smooth floors
Summary: 2 Stars
Being the VERY happy owners of a Roomba 415 we excitedly bought a Scooba in order to eliminate this other most odious chore.
The promise was wonderful... better mopping than us mopping WITHOUT us mopping.
Unfortunatelly reality set in. While this device MAY work as advertised on wood floors, or perfectly smooth tile floors, it is a DISASTER on our Saltillo (mexican tile) floor. Roomba has no problems climbing up and down our kids' playmat which is about 1/2 inch thick ... scooba not only can't handle that... it can't even handle the natural unevenness of our floor. It keeps getting stuck and we have to restart it.
My guess is that iRobot designed Scooba this way in order to prevent it from climbing up on (and wetting) area rugs. If that's the case then iRobot should redesign the device so that the owner can push a button that reads "Climb everywhere" that allows scooba to operate on the same *terrain* as Roomba for people with uneven floors and no area rugs.
Most amazing, Scooba wasn't even able to operate on our kids' playmat... this is a rubber floor with very very minor bumps... no go. Scooba would slip and slide and get stuck there too.
I guess we'll wait for the next iteration.
WE DEFINITELLY RECOMMEND THE ROOMBA THOUGH!
Customer Review: Can't Do the Job
Summary: 2 Stars
Right off the top, we were very excited about getting this machine. Two boys under 5, and you have a big time mess every day. Unfortunately, the machine could not equal our Envirosteamer. After the Scooba finished it's work, here is what I found:
1) I had to go back over it with the Envirosteamer. Same dark grey yuck on the pad as always. I don't think it cleaned the linoleum at all.
2) When the Scooba went over a stain, which I had helped along by persoaking it, it only smeared it. My first indication that this was not to be.
3) Conclusion: With all the parts that can break or wear out, the battery scenario, the cleaning of it, and to top it all off, IT DID NOT CLEAN, it was a no brainer- it had to go back.
By the way, we bought it elsewhere, and they of course let us return it for a full refund. VERY pleased. Just wanted to spread the word as food for thought, that this is not the answer for us, and very well may not be the answer for you.
One thing that was impressive was its navigational capabilities. It did go every where in the kitchen at least once, and we have a very odd shaped kitchen. So. That was cool.