Roomba Help!

June 5, 2012 6:57 AM

Our 4 year old Roomba is no longer functional. We want another one! What model should we get, and where should we buy it?

We have a dog who sheds a lot, and the only problem we had with the model we previously had,560, was that it needed to be cleaned 1-2 times while it was in the middle of cleaning a room (we don't use it that often; the dog HATES it).

So, we are leaning toward getting the 564 Pet Series. Does anyone have any experience with whether this model actually works better on pet hair than the regular model?

Ideally, we would just buy the Pet Series model from a retailer with an excellent return policy (in case it doesn't work as claimed on pet hair). Bed Bath & Beyond would take it back for that reason, and they sell Roombas, but not the pet series model. From my reading of the Amazon return policy, Amazon won't take back an item unless it's within 30 days plus in new condition. So - any suggestions on where to buy a Roomba? What would you do?

posted by insectosaurus to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

I think this is the Roomba that I have. I actually ordered it through Hammacher Schlemmer. I'm pretty sure I paid a bit more for it through them than I would have paid through Amazon or BB&B, however, from what I have heard, their return policy is excellent. If Roomba stops working in 2 years, they will replace it with the current model. I'd heard that many models have a limited life span, so I decided it was worth it.

I haven't explored the scheduling options on it, so I cannot say for sure how that works. It's also my first Roomba, so I'm not sure how it compares. I love it, though - it picks up a bunch of stuff, and we use it in our main living areas about 1-2 times a week, and then run it in other areas of the house as time permits.

I do empty the bin after each use, and take out the rollers, etc, after every couple of uses to clean them completely.
posted by needlegrrl at 7:31 AM on June 5, 2012

My mother has had a few Roombas and always gets them from Hammacher Schlemmer for that very reason--it seems that they just die after a few years, and HS has an excellent replacement policy. I don't know the details but I believe she has had at least two replacements so far. Maybe this speaks to the quality of the Roomba more than anything else, though...
posted by Jemstar at 7:37 AM on June 5, 2012

Do you have a Costco near you?
posted by littleredwagon at 9:54 AM on June 5, 2012

We do have Costco nearby-ish, but are not members. We could join if it was worth it. I checked Costco's website during my initial search, and they don't sell the Roomba online, nor do they list what models they have available in-store. Do you know what models they have?
posted by insectosaurus at 4:39 PM on June 5, 2012