Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Hi all,

Believe it or not, Roomba has already reached the five-year mark. How time flies.  I've attached a link to an article regarding improvements that will make the Roomba sturdier and allow the little machine to deal with tassels on carpets and elecrical cords that may be lying about.  (Something I'd never considered.)

Per the article, 2,000,000 Roombas have been sold so far.  However there appears to be some question as to how well they survive daily use, which really would be the best way to employ them.  Models prior the new 500 series had only about a 150 hour lifetime.  A company head claims that this gadget in its newest form will be able to put in an hour a day everyday for three to five years.  I wanna see this.

Try out the link -- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070822/ap_on_hi_te/techbit_robo_vac_redesign_2

Best,

Venson

Venson wrote:

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Hi Venson,

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Have you seen this new Roomba demonstrated on HSN yet?  It’s an amazing sucker, it is shown to out-suck a 5hp ”Ridgid” shop vac per the Roomba rep's demo.  It amazes me to see how HSN goes along with carnival type selling on their network.

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Video clip - watch an amazing stick vac and the "inventor" claiming it has "The power of an upright and light as a flashlight."

Video clip - a 5hp shop vac vs. Roomba.  A little past half way on the clip is the shop vac vs. Roomba.

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DIB

CNBC’s “Business Nation” series has a piece on the founder and inventor of iRobot/Roomba.  This show typically repeats for one month, before a new show replaces it.        DIB

Apparently, the iRobot vacuums have "spooked " many of the household pets who view the intruder as an univited and disruptive guest on their turf.  The company explains on its web site what owners and users of iRobots can do to ameliorate the condition. 

Carmine D.

Terrorizing our pets is not a good feature.        DIB

DysonInventsBig wrote:

Hello DIB:

Like the gawdawful ratcheting noise in the dyson DC07 and 14.  Whenever I took it out, my dear Wife and my English lab left the house.  Drove them crazy.  They couldn't stand to hear that noise.  My lab gets use to most new things: The big screen TV, the oscillating tower fan, the grands daughters, etc.  Loves the ORECK.  And the Kruz, which is gone now.  Don't know yet about the iRobot, haven't tried one in the house/garage.  On my list!

Interesting to read the remedies posted by iRobot for pets.  Obviously iRobot is sensitive to the household 4 legged members and wants the owners to know it.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
Sounds like Oreck has gone to the dogs.

HARDSELL wrote:

Hello HARDSELL:

More correctly, ORECK is the top dog!

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Carmine,

Your “ratcheting” stories are legendary here.        DIB

DysonInventsBig wrote:

DIB:

And so are my comments about the puny dyson brush bars in these models.  And my noting of the absolutely ridiculous u bend airway on the DC07 that constantly fell off when people pressed the tab with their feet thinking it was the handle release.  Dyson, in its infinite wisdom, did not show users how to attach it.  Not even mentioned in the 50 page Users Guide.  Took the BEST BUY staff 20 minutes and they still couldn't do it.  After I suffered long enough with their ineptitude, I showed them.  One was a sales supervisor with years of experience.

I more likely accomplished perhaps what all the 450 dyson engineers and a swat team of designers could not:  The discontinuance of these dyson models and the scrubbing of the ridiculous clutch/brushbar on all the later dyson models.  Constructive criticism is good.  Even when I have to pound away at it for years before it is heeded. 

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Dyson is a modern vacuum meant to be used by intelligent people.  It is too advanced for the likes of you.  I bet you also balked at the auto transmission in vehicles, TV and air conditioning.

Carmine,

…As well, your petty pot-shots targeting James are legendary too.  The U-bend coming off and being difficult for some to reattach does not bother me in the slightest.  Infinite wisdom I know not.  But it is easy to forgive a u-bend occasionally coming off knowing James had his hands full inventing a radical and worlds first inverted multi-cyclone filtration for a (his) vacuum cleaner.  What was Oreck or any other manufacturer creating during this same period that was so great?  Nothing!

 

Does James have 450 engineers and a swat team of designers dedicated solely to vacuum innovation and design?

 

Is putting a (your) preferred brush roll onto a DC07 the fix-all to pickup?        DIB

Carmine…As well, your petty pot-shots targeting James are legendary too.  The U-bend coming off and being difficult for some to reattach does not bother me in the slightest.  Infinite wisdom I know not.  But it is easy to forgive a u-bend occasionally coming off knowing James had his hands full inventing a radical and worlds first inverted multi-cyclone filtration for a (his) vacuum cleaner.  What was Oreck or any other manufacturer creating during this same period that was so great?  Nothing!

  DIB

Thanks again DIB:

I credited dyson in the past for resolving the problem with the ubend air way within the first year of production.  No doubt he took the constructive criticism to heart and profited from it.  I might add thanks to "pot shots' from the likes of me.  It was a nuisance and distraction.  Unworthy of a $500 product.  Dyson recognized that fact and made the change on the DC07 real quick.  It was a buck item that threatened to derail his launch. 

The concept you haven't grasped is that ORECK is a respected brand name and product.  It's earned a prominent place in the vacuum industry.  Dyson hasn't.  I might add so has Roomba.

Carmine D.

HARDSELL wrote:

I have one question about modern and intelligent:  Dysons never clog and therefore don't lose suction.

What happened to change this on new dysons?

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Pot shots from fools like you never fell on Dyson ears.   I have read at least 500 Dyson reviews and you are the only one to mention the ubend problem.  If J D valued your opinion I feel certain that he would mention your name at least once in all of those interviews.  He would probably fire all his engineers and hire just you. 

What does it say for a product when a manufacturer (Oreck)  have to offer free gifts to sell them?  Roomba is a joke.  BTW, when will we get a report on your Roomba which probably would be a replacement for your Oreck broom.

HARDSELL wrote:

Reading your review 500 times doesn't count.  Reading mine once, does!

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Reading your review 500 times doesn't count.  Reading mine once, does!

Carmine D.

Only in your mind.

CarmineD wrote:

You can find many posts like this one made in March 2008.

 I recently bought the Oreck, after falling for the ads on tv and in print, about the suction power and the lightweight advantage. I love the fact that it isn't heavy, and the suction is fine, but the design is flawed, as it clogs almost every time I use it. I have to take it apart and clear out the entry area right behind the beater brush. It has a sharp angle, and debris gets caught up in there. I have long haired dogs and use the vacuum a lot. If I suck up a tiny piece of paper or even a 1/2 inch long leaf, it clogs and the hair won't go up into the bag. I am very disappointed. I spent nearly $300 and had I known, I would have just bought another 79.00 Bissell, as it never clogged.

Posted June 2008:

I ordered an Oreck on line while sitting at home with a broken ankle. To say I am disappointed is an understatement. There is amost no suction. It picks up nothing but dust. Particles and pieces of paper are left on the floor. It needs to be forced across the floor. By the time you finish one area, you have had a work out. What I needed to know before buying this product was that I would have been better off with a good broom. Not only is it not worth what I paid for it, its not worth the shipping cost. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT IF YOU WANT TO CLEAN YOUR FLOOR. IT'S NOT WORTH ONE STAR.

Hello HARDSELL:

Looks like you posted your own reviews.  No need.  We know already how you feel and think.

I plan to buy/use a robot cleaner, probably Roomba.  Most likely in my garage.  I believe it's called the Dirt Dog.  I must admit, I've used the ORECK many times on my garage cement floor and the area rugs I have in the garage.  THe ORECK works great, picking up leaves, pepples, sand and many dead desert insects.  Pretty large ones.   No clogs, no loss in performance.  Hence, the reason I don't believe anonymous negative reviews about ORECK-s. 

The Roomba DIrt Dog won't replace the ORECK.  Just supplement.  The ORECK is a keeper. 

Carmine D.