Comments on: Review: iRobot Scooba, One Year Later

By: Christine

Christine — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:08:30 +0000

I have to disagree about the cost of the Scooba because, as it states it the manual, you can substitute white vinegar for the cleaning solution. A gallon of white vinegar does not cost that much, kills bacteria and viruses, and can be used to clean throughout your home. I like that the Scooba is always cleaning with CLEAN solution, unlike mopping which uses essentially dirty water. I walk around after the Scooba with a rag under my foot to dry up the excess/scrub spots as I do other housework at the same time. You might say that I may as well mop, but the issue of reusing the dirty water bothers me, and I seem to get more done in the same amount of time even with the “rag under foot” method. As with anything, regular maintenance of appliances is a given if you want them to last. (My husband doesn’t seem to get this, hence the buildup of broken tools in the garage).

By: Matty

Matty — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:23:09 +0000

I read this review and was very skeptical about the Scooba, but bought it anyways. I have to say, I adore it. The maintenance thing isn’t bad – but then again I used to find it satisfying to clean out my computer mouse. All you do is pop out the brush, hose, and filter to rinse them, then put them in the dishrack to dry. That’s it. No biggie. It’s actually satisfying ’cause all the gunk comes out in one fell swoop. In return, you get spotless floors all the time – especially in those places you never will mop (like under the bed and couches).

By: steve huse

steve huse — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:55:40 +0000

One thing about scooba – it doesn’t do as well on kitchen counters and table tops as it does on floors. I guess the heavy grease is a problem.

By: steve huse

steve huse — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:53:50 +0000

If your main problem with scooba is buying the “special sauce” use white vinegar instead. My measureing cup came with a line for “special sauce” and one for white vinegar about a quarter of an inch above it.

I love my scooba but hate my roomba. Roomba collects only about 90% of the dust. The other 10% it spreads in the air. So if you are sensitive to dust you need to rethink roomba.

By: jashuh

jashuh — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:40:53 +0000

Scooba review;
This unit has been tested 100% at all hard wood and tile locations throughout our home, so there is no doubt as to its effectiveness. The unit works as a cleaner, however the time wasted on cleaning the unit afterward and the continued costs to maintain it outweight any type of benefit of its ownership. Several batteries later and continued costs on cleaner liquid. However; note that the robot uses the same liquid cleaner as the cleaning mops which you buy in local stores – a fact that you haven’t been told because of profits with marketing “special” liquid by clorox and irobot company. Price on the unit has dropped and there is a reason why – it isn’t worth the time and effort. If you like watching robots move around your home then buy this, otherwise continue the wait for the next model – it can only be better.
I actually paided nothing for this unit so I have no mixed view on the cost invested, but like the first model of the irobot roomba which was a headache this unit follows nicely. Save your money and wait to see if another unit is released, they have some work to do.
John

By: Ephesus

Ephesus — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:19:36 +0000

Tim,

LOL!

By: tonya

tonya — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 20:51:12 +0000

Actually, I love my scooba. To me, 5 minutes worth of cleaning parts is totally worth not having to mop the floor – plus mopping hurts my back. I have 3 dogs so the kitchen floor has to be mopped 2-3 times a week!

Nigel, want to sell me that scooba of yours in the basement? I’d love to have one for upstairs and one for downstairs.

By: Nigel Ballard

Nigel Ballard — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 16:38:34 +0000

I have to agree with you. I bought one, together with a case of the special cleaning fluid and spare brushes.

My dogs hairs tend to totally block it up, putting it into error mode.

When it does work, it cleans just ok, but the effort involved in remmebering to charge it, then fill it, then pick out all the dog hairs totally outweighs the effort.

I’ve long since retired mine to a box in the basement.

Something to be said for five minutes with a Swiffer!

Cheers Nigel

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 16:17:04 +0000

I think the overall value depends on what you are using it for. I have an annoying dog that pees on the kitchen floor every night. I don’t have time to mop the floor every morning but i do have time to set up the scooba the night before.

In the morning I just turn it on and leave. It has the added benefit of freaking the dog out while I’m gone.

Now that I think about it, maybe that’s why the dog keeps peeing on the floor.

By: Rich

Rich — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 15:48:19 +0000

We have both a Roomba and a Scooba. The Roomba is great – especially when coupled with the scheduler. It runs while my wife and I are at work, so noise is no problem. All we do is empty Roomba each night when we return home.

I’m less impressed with the Scooba. We have large areas of textured tile with deep grout lines and Scooba really isn’t up to the task. It doesn’t effectively pick the water up on this surface.

Additionally, Scooba needs to be monitored while its working (unlike Roomba). It is supposed to detect carpeting and avoid it, but Scooba will happily run onto our carpet unless objects or a virtual wall prevent it from doing so. When this happens, its a mess.

I too got a couple of runs out of Scooba on a battery charge until the battery died. It was replaced under warranty, but I was told in no uncertain terms that Scooba needed to be recharged after each and every use. My failure to do so was the cause of the battery’s death according to iRobot.

Get a Roomba – they’re great, but I’d pass on Scooba.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 14:56:07 +0000

I would have to disagree. Maybe the area you are cleaning is fairly small but we use the Scoomba in our kitchen and the time it takes to manually sweep and mop the floor is much greater than the time it takes to clean and refill the Scoomba. It saves my wife easily 30 minutes a night on the nights we use the Scoomba.

Well worth it in my option. I just wish it had an automated charging station like the Roomba. It’s kind of annoying to have to go back in and turn it off and plug it back in when it’s finished.

By: 1-Year Review with Scooba: Thumbs Down -- oGadget.com - The Gadget Blog

1-Year Review with Scooba: Thumbs Down -- oGadget.com - The Gadget Blog — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:22:54 +0000

[...] Review: iRobot Scooba, One Year Later [Dethroner] [...]

By: My Geek News: All the latest news, just for Geeks!

My Geek News: All the latest news, just for Geeks! — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:03:45 +0000

[...] Review: iRobot Scooba, One Year Later [Dethroner] [...]

By: Gizmodo

Gizmodo — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 11:24:05 +0000

1-Year Review with Scooba: Thumbs Down

I like Joel’s 1-year review of the Scooba — Roomba’s wash and dry mopping bot. For cleaning his Brooklyn pad, he finds the charging, refilling of cleaning fluids, initial outlay of $200, and maintenance of the bot to be more…

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:13:51 +0000

have yet to try the scooba, but I am utterly shocked at how well the Roomba performs. We bought one for my fiancee’s mother for christmas and it sucked up freaking NUTS on top of leaving the living room as spotless as a normal Vac does without having to do the work.

Its load though, I was hoping for it to be much quieter than it actually is.