by jamie on August 11, 2010
There are a ton of different style Roomba’s out there. And now there is the 530 and 560 – but seemingly similar. But is the 530 just as good as the 560? In reality, yes and no. If price is your main concern, then you might want to take a look at the 530. It has a lot of the same features, but sacrifices a few for the better price.
PROS
+Inexpensive
+Cleans effectively and efficiently
+Hassle free operation
+Cleans 2-3 large rooms
+Pet friendly |
CONS
-No scheduling options
-Small collection bin
-Loses charge
-Noisy
-Can get stuck |
FULL REVIEW
At first glance you might think this is the same vacuum as the 560. After all, they both came out around the same time, have a lot of the same features, and look a lot alike (as is with most Roomba’s). However, they are not the same. They have some major key differences you might want to check out before you make your decision. Earlier this week we told you all about the 560, now let’s take a look at the slightly less expensive 530.
First off, the major difference. The Roomba 530 does not have a schedule option. Now, this isn’t exactly a good or bad thing. If you are the type of person that loves everything to be in order and would rather just have it go and forget it, the you may need the scheduling option. But think of it this way, you have to make sure there is nothing on the floor. If you have it scheduled and it ends up eating up a Lego your kid left laying around, its no good. Of course the scheduling options has their pluses to, but in the long run it isn’t that much of an improvement. So if you have no need for scheduling, consider the 530.
The 530 doesn’t have a large dust bin either, which can be a bad thing if you tend to wait until your floor is covered with an inch of dirt before vacuuming. However, if you normally send it off to vacuum once a day you will be perfectly fine and should experience no hassle.
One of the main issues with the Roomba 530 is the same issue that has been bothering most of these small robot vacuum cleaners – lack of charge. If not handled right, your Roomba might experience a low battery life. Of course, it still manages to clean around 2-3 standard size rooms just fine. You just have to make sure you charge it for at least 48 hours before initial use.
This Roomba has a lot of good things though, so don’t be fooled. It is an inexpensive option when compared to a lot of the other models out there, it is great at cleaning everything, and it is even pet friendly. It isn’t amazing at picking up tons and tons of pet hair, but it will get it done for the most part.
When you get right down to it, the Roomba 530 has an excellent cleaning power. In fact, it is just as good as the 560. The only differences between the two are all the extra options. If you are looking for a basic (yet efficient) robot vacuum cleaner, the Roomba 530 may be just what you are searching for. In is inexpensive, has a powerful suction, and hardly ever misses a spot.
by jamie on August 11, 2010
To continue our week on robot vacuum cleaners we are going to concentrate on pet owners. In the United States along, almost 80 percent of households have some kind of pet, either a dog or car or birds. The one thing all pets have in common? They shed! If you are one of the million pet owners out there, you are probably familar witht he amount of fur, hair, and feathers that can be found in your carpet. Luckily iRobot has produced a Roomba for you! It’s the Roomba 532!
PROS
+Cleans under furniture
+Pet friendly
+Large debris bin
+Long battery life
+Deep cleaning ability |
CONS
-Loud operation
-Can’t clean stairs
-Requires frequent maintenance
-Can get stuck
-Doesn’t work well with corners |
FULL REVIEW
Pet owners everywhere, rejoice! Until recently, owning a robot vacuum cleaner was simple a dream for you. As everyone knows, pet hair is a pain! Normal vacuum cleaners just don’t cut it, you need something strong and powerful to pick up that fur that weaves into your carpet. But now things are different – iRobot heard your call and has created the perfect machine. Now you can turn it on, sit back, and watch as it picks up those tough pet hairs and all that dander so you don’t have to! The high capacity sweeper bin was designed just for dealing with pet hair – and even your cat’s litter! This sounds almost too good to be true – what about the faults?
It is true, the Roomba 532 may be made for pet owners, but it still comes with a few negative issues. It still can’t clean your stairs and it still doesn’t work that well in corners. It is round in shape, so those 90 degree angles are pretty darn difficult for it to get into. It sure does try though, and chances are you won’t even notice the slightly grazed over corners. The major complaint with consumers is the noisey. In order to pick up pet hair it needs to be powerful, so with great suction comes great responsibility – erm, sound. Your Roomba will be slightly on the loud side, but it is a sacrifice you make for that amazing sucition power.
As is the same with older models, the 532 still has issues with getting stuck. It doesn’t happen that often, about 1 out of every 30 runs. It isn’t a habit, but can be annoying if you don’t notice it is stuck. For the most part it runs through its daily cleaning mode with no major bumps or problems.
There are some noticeable improvements with this model though. For starters, the battery life is amazing. While it still isn’t as good as it could be, it is so much better than other models out there. The Roomba’s normally have issues with long battery life, but not the 532! You can clean around 3 average size rooms on one charge! That is incredibly better than the 1 room on a charge models we have seen in the past.
Another major improvement is the bin size. It has been increased to hold more dirt, fur, and other debris. This is great news for you! It can go longer without having to be empty! This model also comes with an extra set of cleaning brushes – just in case.
While iRobot is still working on improving their robots, they are getting closer and closer to perfection. The Roomba 532 is amazing – especially for pet owners! There are still a few of the old problems with Roomba’s, but a lot of things have been fixed and upgraded. If you have pets, hate vacuuming, and want something convenient, this might just be the vacuum for you!
