Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

UPDATE: My replacement iRobot roomba broke after 4 days! It kept on reporting a hardware issue (right wheel stuck), and iRobot insisted on handling the issue directly without involving Amazon. Instead of sending me a new robot, they sent me a replacement wheel even though there was nothing wrong with the wheel since it was still brand new (it was clearly a software issue!). It was very frustrating dealing w/ iRobot's customer service (it's hit or miss on who you are assigned to and you can't switch to a new/different rep). iRobot tried to prevent me from reporting the issues to Amazon and insisted that I work directly with them on replacing/fixing/etc the roomba. It also felt like they were also dragging their feet intentionally so I would pass my last day to return through Amazon with fake promises/delays/etc so just a heads-up in case anyone else is having issues with them. Amazon fortunately allowed me to return the product after explaining to them what was going on. I really wanted the roomba to work, since it has all of the features I was looking for (e.g. self emptying + pet hair + multiple surfaces). However, after 2 broken machines + consistently poor/shady customer service through iRobot, I returned it through Amazon (they allowed me to return past the return deadline after letting them know everything that was going on). In regards to the iRobot's comment about the disposable vacuum bags lasting 2-3 months, I think that works if you have a short haired dog. Nordic (or any double coated) dog owners will most likely need to change btwn 2-6 weeks depending on shedding season. _____ Original Review: I purchased this product and after a week it broke (multiple errors: sensor stopped working, stuck bumper, etc). When I called roomba's customer service line they looked into the error codes in my robot and informed me that I potentially had a hardware problem. They sent me a replacement iRoomba a week later. So far, the roomba is significantly better (also cleans sig faster). I'm not sure if the roombas coming directly from amazon are faulty (based off of the mixed reviews below) or if I received a lemon. Pros: -1st Roomba took 3.5 hrs to clean ~500 sq ft (includes a 1.25hr break in between to charge). Replacement roomba is currently still in training mode (e.g. will take longer) and it's taking ~2hrs 40 mins to clean (inc. training) -Roomba empties itself. I have a nordic dog that is currently shedding his winter coat (e.g. a ton of hair). This is a great feature. -I can schedule cleanings for when I"m at work. This saves me a couple of hours of cleaning on the weekend from fur build-up Cons: -expensive machine and parts (~$5/bag; based off of the 1st roomba's week of work, I will need to replace the bags 2x/month) -takes a while to clean & charge (not as big of a deal if you run this while you are at work) -app is inconsistent: sometimes it works and other times it needs to be restarted due to sync issues. biggest issue is you can't see the progress during the vacuums (only after it is completed - can be a pain in the butt when it takes so long to charge)