Amazon.com Product Description
Strikingly modern with a sage-green exterior, this robotic floorvac is easy to use and includes an array of convenient features. Simply press the "clean" button and the unit will vacuum the whole floor, adjusting automatically to any floor surface including wood, tile linoleum, and low-to-medium pile carpet. The vacuum's artificial intelligence determines the room size and adjusts the run time to ensure that it cleans the entire floor. Integrated sensors detect dirt and will increase the focus and intensity of cleaning in that area, while infra-red cliff sensors in the non-marring bumper detect stairs to keep the unit from falling, as well as furniture and walls for cleaning right up to the edge.
The high-efficiency vacuum has a wide cleaning path and a three-stage cleaning system, which includes counter-rotating brushes that scoop large debris into the dustbin, plus a vacuum to pick up fine particles, dirt, and pet hair. This unit has one of the highest CPRs (coverage per room) in the industry and can get floors cleaner than conventional upright vacuums with the ability to clean where they can’t, like under beds, couches, and other furniture. Its edge-cleaning spinning sidebrush, combined with wall-following technology, removes dirt and debris from the base of walls, from corners, and other hard-to-reach places. The vacuum's stasis sensor detects when it's stuck and employs pre-programmed escape routines to free itself, while setting up a virtual wall, an invisible beam of light, confines the unit to a designated area, great for one-room cleaning.
The vacuum's advanced power system consists of a fast-charging battery, a three-hour charger, and a power source--it supercharges the unit for up to 120 minutes of continuous cleaning. The bagless unit is designed with an easy-to-empty debris bin that is three times the size of other robotic floorvacs so it doesn't have to be emptied as often. Convenient cleaning modes include MAX mode, which sets the unit to clean multiple rooms in one cleaning cycle or for 120 minutes of intense cleaning in a given room, as well as Spot mode, which sets the unit to quickly and intensely clean in a 3-foot diameter. Replaceable air filters prevent dust and dirt from escaping back into the air, and removable-by-hand brushes allow for quick, routine maintenance. A rechargeable APS battery, a three-hour charger and two virtual-wall units are included. The vacuum measures approximately 13 inches in diameter by 4 inches high and carries a one-year warranty.
From the Manufacturer
The 4105 Intelligent Floorvac utilize a 3-stage cleaning system. First, the spinning side brush cleans right along the base of a wall and in corners. Second, Roomba’s two counter-rotating brushes scoop up large dirt and debris into the particle bin. Third, a powerful vacuum pick ups the remaining fine particles, dirt, and pet hair.
A Roomba vacuums most home floor surfaces including hardwood, laminate, linoleum, low-pile carpet, medium-pile carpet, tile, slate, and other hard surfaces. Roomba is not designed for shag carpet. Roomba's compact shape (it measures 3.5 inches tall and 13 inches in diameter) allows it to clean completely under beds, couches and other furniture, so Roomba cleans more of your floor than standard uprights.
Roomba’s integrated artificial intelligence allows the robot to determine the room size, and actually calculates how much time is needed to clean in a giving room.
Easy to Use and Effective Cleaning
To start with this vacuum is easy--just press the Clean button and Roomba vacuums the whole floor, moving from carpeted to hard surfaces seamlessly. Unlike standard vacuums, Roomba automatically manages uneven floor transitions up to one half inch tall as it cleans hardwood, carpet, linoleum, and tile.
Roomba can clean up to three 14- by 16-foot rooms before the Roomba Battery needs to be recharged. Roomba’s Advanced Power System uses a microprocessor-controlled charging system to provide up to 120 minutes of cleaning power (run time may vary based on cleaning surface). This Roomba re-charges in under 3 hours.
Sensors in the non-marring bumper detect furniture and walls so Roomba cleans right up to edge of the wall and around furniture. Its infra-red cliff sensors detect edges such as stairs and keeps Roomba from falling. The included Virtual Walls keep Roomba from going where you don’t want it to. These technologies allow Roomba to operate without having to move furniture or place a physical barrier to block Roomba into a room.
Features
Bagless debris bin now holds three times the dirt
Improved wall following--teamed with the side brush, clean right up to the walls
Air filter prevents dust and dirt from entering Roomba’s vacuum system or your air
Advanced Power System--a microprocessor-controlled charging system that provides up to 120 minutes of cleaning power. It recharges its battery in 3 hours, 60% faster than the original Roomba. With the advanced power system, Roomba can clean up to 4 rooms before recharging.
3-Hour Charger--charge Roomba's batteries in only 3 hours
Active Dirt Response--Roomba sense and finds dirt. Once dirtier areas are detected. Roomba automatically increases the intensity and focus of its cleaning.
Stasis Sensor--Roomba immediately detects when it’s stuck and initiates its careful escape routine
Cleaning Intelligence--Roomba automatically calculates how long it needs to work to clean your entire room
Max Mode--Run the Roomba for the full charge of the battery to vacuum multiple rooms
Spot Mode--Intensely cleans one area of a room up to three feet in diameter
Wall Mount--Stores the Roomba out of the way in this convenient storage unit
Virtual Wall--Keeps the Roomba where its wanted by blocking doorways with an invisible beam
Proprietary Cleaning System--Roomba’s high-efficiency vacuum has a wide cleaning path, 2-times more powerful suction and counter-rotating agitators to reach into carpet and remove the dirt. The entire cleaning head automatically adjusts for both carpet and hard floor surfaces.
Edge-Cleaning Side Brush--Grabs dirt and debris from walls and other hard-to-reach areas
Multi-Surface Cleaning--Cleans hardwood, tile, linoleum, and low-to-medium pile carpet
Automatic Surface Transitioning--The entire cleaning head adjusts automatically for both carpet and hard floor surfaces
Automatic Stair Avoidance System--Leave Roomba by itself without worrying about it falling down stairs
What’s in the box:
Roomba Discovery Floorvac; integrated rapid charger; APS (advanced power system) battery; 2 virtual walls; 2 filters; and a wall mount with holster.
I have the Roomba 4110 which looks just like this one, but is part of a special combo kit that bundles a few accessories such as aninvisible barrier unit, remote control, and the charging station which acts as an automatic home base.
Overall, this Roomba does its job fairly well, but has problems in certain situations. Will this replace your handy vacuum cleaner? Absolutely not. It does help with daily surface cleaning, which is good if you have pets that shed constantly for example. If you run the Roomba every few days or so, it will help make your regular vacuum chores easier (the bag will fill up less often, less rigorous cleaing will be required, and so on).
Below are some limitations I have discovered. Also, I have found some issues with the available accessories that you might want to consider as well.
The manufacturer isn't kidding when they suggest clearing your floors just as you would if you were to vacuum normally. See my comments below for some specific issues.
Keep in mind that this "intelligent robot" is really just a vacuum cleaner with wheels that wanders around blind until it bumps into something, which in turn causes it to turn and wander off in a new direction.
It picks up dirt, dust, and pet hair pretty well. It seems to be handy for places like under the bed which are difficult to vacuum with a normal vacuum cleaner. It also does a pretty good job of cleaning the edges of floors along walls and furniture. Over time it will cover the majority of the floor space in a given room. It is interesting to watch it wander around and do its job (and be ready to rescue it if it gets stuck).
The Roomba *will* wander all over your house if left unattended. You can buy the "electronic barrier" accessories to keep it in certain rooms, but I found it just as effective to simply shut doors or block doorways or halls with a laundry basket, child gate, or a similar barrier that you have handy around the house.
It seems to have problems with small carpets, throw rugs, or door mats that are thin and light. Ours likes to get caught up on the corners of those kind of rugs and get stuck until rescued. We have wall-to-wall carpeting in some rooms which doesn't seem to bother the Roomba. That kind of carpetting does seem to slow it down a tiny bit as it rolls across, but doesn't really bother it. I imagine "deep pile" or very thick carpeting would give it major problems though.
It can usually bump and turn its way around large tables and furniture, but if we leave small lamp tables or "TV tables" out, ours seems to get stuck between the legs and will bounce around in a circle until rescued.
Our Roomba kit came bundled with the automatic recharge unit that allows this Roomba to "find its way home" to recharge. I found this feature "cute" but not really all that useful. If I press the button sequence to command it to "go home," it could take upwards of half an hour wandering around the room trying to find the charger. It gets worse if there are any obstacles (such as a shoe or table legs) in the middle of the floor of the room with the home base chager. If the battery gets low while it is wandering around another room, there is a good chance that the battery will run out as it wanders around trying to find its way home. In my opinion, don't bother buying this accessory. Just set the Roomba on the manual charger when you are done running it.
Lastly, our bundle kit also came with a remote control unit that lets you drive the Roomba around manually. This works fairly well and is good if you want to help it navigate around some tricky furniture or corners. I have found one issue though. If you happen to use the remote in the same room as the home base charger I discuss above, our unit will randomly decide it is time to "go home," regardless of battery status or how I am trying to control it with the remote. The only way to prevent the Roomba from getting confused when I use the remote control is to unplug or cover up the home base charger so the Roomba can't "see" it. This is a pretty annoying "feature."
Update [1/20/2006]:
After about a year, the battery became weak and had to be replaced because it would not hold a charge. I have heard from others informally that the batteries last around a year before needing replacement. So in addition to my above comments, I would add that it looks like there is possibly a $50 a year "maintenance fee" in addition to the purchase price of a Roomba due to the potentially limited life expectancy of the rechargable battery.
Update [3/20/2006]
The main roller brush no longer turns due to to the gears jamming and the plastic brush assembly cracking. In the end, it looks like I got just over a year of useful service from this product.
I needed an extra "quirky", fun gift for my wife for Xmas and saw this advertised on a shopping network. I had remembered how she was in awe of it at a neighbor's house, so I ordered one. Well, a week later, the thing has barely stopped! We use it everywhere; rugs, carpet, barefloors.... the thing cleans very well and is very thorough. It won't "deep clean" or replace your regular vacuum, but it is good for a general cleaning or spot cleaning. A regular vacuum, in my opinion, should be used every couple of weeks. Where this robot really shines is under beds and furniture. We brought it to my parent's house (where my mother keeps an impeccable house) after Christmas to give them a demo and let it rip in their three bedrooms. The machine turned itself off in two of the three rooms because the bin filled up with too much dust collected from under the beds! Of course, logically, the next time those rooms are done, the dust volume won't be as much and the machine will complete it's "mission". I can't say enough good things about it. The model I bought came with two virtual "walls", six extra filters and the hanger to store and charge it on the wall. I also sprang for the self docking charger. When the Roomba gets tired or is done cleaning, it will seek out the charger and "dock" itself and begin charging for the next session. It will not leave the charger on its own! It's worth the extra 50 bucks to see this thing line itself up for docking. Kinda like the space shuttle approaching the internatinal space station!
Got a Roomba Sage (the $199 model - same as Discovery but no docking station) about a month ago and was actually quite surprised at how good a job it did cleaning up the dog's hair and getting underneath objects like night tables and beds. While the dust bin is much larger than previous models, I still found myself having to clean the unit after each vacumming to get the hair out of the brushes - in particular, the hair wound around the ends of the rollers and seemed to jam up the rollers. I guess the extra cleaning is a trade-off compared to the labor saved vs. a regular vacuum.
I had read reviews of previous models and how they often crashed "electronically". Well, after running this model 6 or 7 times - CRASH!! The charger did not fully charge the unit on the last try and it cleaned for about an hour on that charge before dying completely. No BEEPS - no lights - no NOTHING!! I had hoped Roomba had solved this particular problem - WRONG!!
I noticed someone posted similar comments for a Roomba "Red" here on Amazon. Probably just me but for $200, these things oughta last a bit more than two weeks!
