Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've been clinging to the same beat up Dirt Devil Vibe Upright (with Power Brush attachment!) since I bought it on clearance ten years ago. The suction is terrible, it's as loud as a cement mixer, and it weighs about as much as that cement mixer. Needless to say, I have been in need of a new vacuum for quite some time, but never did I think that vacuum would be a Roomba. Truth be told: I always thought robot vacuums/sweepers were a bit of a gimmick, something for tech-junkies or, well, the lazy. So when it arrived in the mail, I opened it with both skepticism and cynicism, thinking, if nothing else, the Roomba would serve as a fun new torture device for our cat, Sherlock. As much as it pains me to admit, I am now eating crow. The Roomba 870, despite a few limitations, is an incredible appliance and I will (probably) not speak ill-ly of them again. My home set up: one-bedroom apartment, about 700 sq ft, tile in the bathroom and kitchen, carpet and throw rug in living room, bedroom and closet. One short-hair domestic cat who loves to shed, and one imported wife with long black hair, who also loves to shed. After spending some time with it, here is a list of Pros and Cons for owning the iRobot Roomba 870: PROS: * Solid construction. The Roomba is built like a tank, but has soft edges, so if it does collide with an object (which rarely happens anyway), no damage will be incurred * Surprisingly quiet. I can still hear the TV/stereo/conversation while the Roomba is running * No more spinning brushes that get clogged with debris! I didn't realize what a pleasure this would be (specifically, it doesn't choke on the tassels at the ends of the throw rug! Genius) * Fairly intuitive, easy setup. I'm certainly not ignorant of technology, but for time's sake, I'll always prefer simple programming. Can set up multiple, scheduled cleanings with relative ease * Long battery life and self-charging. The battery has yet to die mid-cleaning, as I don't have a ton of square footage, but this is still a a great feature. The Roomba will find the nearest dock and park itself until fully re-charged * Collects a great deal of cat hair and dust, so it lives up to the pet/allergen claims * Strong suction. We have an issue of our cat trailing litter everywhere, which we're constantly sweeping. The Roomba is easily able to suck up the litter granules * Transitions pretty smoothly from the tile to carpet. It only got hung up once, but only because it hit a warped part of the rubber carpet stripping. CONS: * Warranty. Comes with one-year limited standard, but with an appliance with this much technology, and at this price point, I would expect at least 5, if not 10, years of coverage. * Can't use it on furniture, like our couch, which still necessitates owning another vacuum or handheld device * See above, for carpeted stairs (I mean, you COULD use the Roomba on stairs, but you'd have to manually lift it onto each step, thus defeating the purpose) * Dust bins are a little small, meaning they need to be changed after every cleaning, but I am willing to concede the overall size of the unit will limit this If you're on the fence about buying a Roomba, take it from me that it's worth the plunge. I'm now thinking of getting one for my mom and step-dad, who also own a cat, and just don't have much time or energy to vacuum their place. And if you're curious, besides functioning as a high-tech cleaning device, it definitely delivers as an entertaining torture machine for pets.