Product was provided for this iRobot Roomba 870 review. As always, all thoughts opinions are my own.
If you’ve ever thought about purchasing a Roomba, this iRobot Roomba 870 review should give a general idea of how these vacuum cleaning robots work.
I’ll be honest and say that sweeping and vacuuming are not in my list of favorite household chores. I do them because I have to, but honestly, besides cleaning the bathrooms, it’s my least favorite chore. But it’s a chore that has to be done every day when you have three kids and a shedding black lab that live in the same house.
iRobot Roomba 870 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
If you’re tired of the back breaking work that sweeping and vacuuming requires of you on a day in and day out basis, I highly recommend getting an iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaning robot. With kids and dogs at home, it has truly been a lifesaver for me. I’m no longer bound to the broom and vacuum and instead, can spend more quality time with my family doing the things we love to do. Upon first glance the price may seem a bit exorbitant, but I’m telling you, it’s worth every single bit of convenience.
The constant “did you wipe off your feet at the door” and “don’t walk through my dirt pile” can wear a mom thin, y’all. That feeling of just getting finished, back hurting, then the dog runs through the house with dirt on his paws. I’m not a fan, at all. All that hard work and time, wasted.
iRobot Roomba 870 Review
But the iRobot Roomba 870 arrived a few weeks ago and things have been a little bit different around the house. I’m not vacuuming and sweeping every day and I don’t get so aggravated when the dog runs through the house with dirt on his paws, simply because the iRobot Roomba 870 Vacuum Cleaning Robot is doing most of the work for me.
The dog doesn’t know what to think about it, but I think it’s pretty fantastic.
The iRobot® Roomba® 870 comes assembled in the box, almost ready to use. After removing it from the box and removing the battery pull tag, you can easily set the day and time using the buttons on the front of the machine. Before using, the Roomba will need to be fully charged for 8 hours on the home base. Set up the home base station, close to an electrical outlet, and easily accessible by the Roomba.
One of the features of the Roomba that really comes in handy is the option to be able to schedule when the Roomba goes to work. Programming the Roomba is extremely easy and is done by using the buttons on the front of the machine. I like to have it clean the floors while we are out of the house, so that the kids and dog leave it alone. If you don’t use the scheduling option, you can manually start the Roomba with the large CLEAN button on the front of the machine.
If there are areas in your home where you don’t want the Roomba to go, you can set up the two virtual walls that are included with your purchase. We set them up just to see how they worked, but we don’t use them because we let the Roomba clean all the flooring on our first level.
So far, I’m impressed with the cleaning power that the Roomba has shown on all the flooring surfaces in my home. It seamlessly transitions from tile to carpet, from rugs to wood floors, without missing a single beat. The two AeroForce extractors effectively removes the dog hair that my black lab so kindly leaves behind as he runs through the house, even the hair that settles along the floor and by the baseboards.
Because of its slim profile, the Roomba fits in areas that sometimes get missed with a traditional vacuum. I love that it easily fits beneath my furniture and gets those tough to reach areas that hoard dog hair and dust.
The Roomba is pretty intuitive and lets you know when it has encountered an error or when it requires maintenance. If it encounters an error, it will stop and audibly tell which error it has encountered. Once you correct the error, you can start it again simply by pressing the large CLEAN button on the top. When the bin needs to be changed, a red light will appear on the top indicating it’s time to empty it. The HEPA filter helps to create a clean, healthy environment, which is ideal for pet owners and allergy sufferers.
When the machine has finished cleaning, it will find its way back to home base to charge. Every time it gets done, I’m amazed at how much stuff needs to be emptied out. It’s actually kind of embarrassing, but it makes me feel so much better that it’s being thrown away rather than sitting in my house.
The Roomba 870 is iRobot’s most powerful vacuuming system yet, delivering 5x the suction and removing up to 50% more dirt, dust, hair and debris. It has a suggested retail price of $599.99, and while that is pretty expensive, I think it’s worth every penny. With the Roomba doing my daily sweeping and vacuuming, I can use that time doing other things, like spending quality time with my family.
If you had a Roomba keeping your floors clean, how would you spend your extra free time?
Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says
My kids are always leaving a trail of crumbs around, so it would be handy to have a roomba in the house to follow them around 🙂
Kelly Hutchinson says
I have been interested in getting one of these for a long time but I never took the plunge. This would certainly help me find more time for myself instead of cleaning all day long.
Dawn says
I want a Roomba in the worst way. I absolutely HATE vacuuming. I’d love to just have it done for me.
Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says
I don;t love it, either. I am all for anything that makes my life easier and this would definitely do that!
Stacey- Travel Blogger says
I would love to have one of these! Then, I could get cleaning done so much faster!
Michele says
This is definitely something I both want and need! Between my cat and dust–just hope that it works on fully carpeted floors.
Jeanine says
I have always wanted a roomba. I think with 6 kids it would be the best investment and most definitely would make life easier!
Debbie Denny says
I could use that. I would probably spend time just relaxing and watching it work at first.
Liz Mays says
Ha! Me too. I would want to pop some popcorn and sit back and watch it go! It would be like having a maid.
Crystal says
With two dogs in the house, a Shih-Tzu and Cocker Spaniel, we have a lot of dog hair. I feel like I’m sweeping and vacuuming constantly. I would love to invest in a Roomba!
aimee fauci says
I love my iRobot. I am thinking of getting one for upstairs.
Marcie W. says
I want a Roomba so much, especially with the majority of our home being comprised of tile and hardwood. I also really like the idea of being able to program a specific cleaning schedule.
Joyce Brewer (@MommyTalkShow) says
I’d spend my free time polishing my nails while my Roomba is vacuuming my floors.
Rosey says
I dream of a robot who will come and clean for me, and now there really is one!! 🙂 Actually, I like cleaning most days, but this would be really convenient and nice. Happy to see the demo.
Chrystal @ YUM eating says
I really want a iRobot Roomba. They are just a little out of our price range right now as we are buying a new house. So we have to save for that.
Amy Desrosiers says
This is the perfect gadget for anyone who doesn’t enjoy vacuuming, or who cant keep up. I would love to test it out in my home!
Pam says
I have always wanted a Roomba. My aunt has two and she just loves them.
Ashley says
This is what I need. I haaatttteee vaccuum but we have a dog and allergies so I really don’t have a choice unless I get one of these.
Brandy says
I have been so fascinated watching everyone who has one of these for review. One thing I did not realize is that you can use it on hardwood floors, not just carpet. For some reason I had it in my head you had to only use this on carpet. I want to get one, so badly! So glad you shared a bit more info about this so I know enough to really look into trying to purchase it!
Chrystal @ YUM eating says
We have all hardwood with the exception of one room and the living room area rug. I would die if I couldnt ever get a robot vac!
Catherine S says
I would love to have this. It would be great for the wood floors downstairs. I would spend my extra time bowling.
Christie says
I’ve always wanted one of these! With 2 kids, crumbs daily is a huge issue! This would be such a neat vacuum to own
Marina @ Mommy Snippets says
This looks awesome! How convenient!
Terry says
I have wanted one of these for the longest time. I have back issues and vacuuming doesn’t help that.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
Best. Invention. Ever. Vacuuming is the pits, so I’d love to have a machine that does it all for me.
Harriet says
I would love to try one of those to see what my dogs do. I could also use the help
Alicia says
I have actually always wanted a iRobot Roomba vaccum, so seeing a review of it in action is great! Thanks for the post, so I can see how it really works.
Brittany @ Clumps of Mascara says
I have ALWAYS wanted one of these but wasn’t sure just how it worked! LOL Love the fun video of your dog! I need an iRobot!
Shop with Me Mama (Kim) says
This is definitely something I NEED in my home! I would love to be able to do other things, while something cleaned my floors for me. Too neat!
Michele says
If I could afford one of these I would definitely use the extra time reading! I’d let my cat get some exercise running after it!
Julie says
My husband bought me a Roomba for Christmas and it’s possibly my favorite gift ever! Three boys and two cats running around, dropping crumbs, and shedding and I felt like I was vacuuming/sweeping all the time! We programmed ours to run in the morning before the kids get up and it’s fabulous.
Liz Mays says
Wow that actually sounds really nice. I can’t believe I’ve gone so long without a roomba.
Rachee says
I need one of these. My cats would probably chase it around the house.
Allison says
I have always wanted to try this how! What a weight off your shoulders to not have to physically vacuum anymore! I’m jealous!
Andrea Kruse says
We currently have a puppy that comes in at night, 3 cats and my toddler who leave messes in their wake. I have heard of these and wonder if it would help me keep up with all the dust, dirt and hair. Ugh. It really adds up.
Jeannette says
Is this not seriously the coolest vacuum ever? It just makes me smile to see it doing it’s thing and know that I don’t have to do anything to keep my floors clean.
Michelle F. says
That is so cool! I love how you can schedule and program it.
vanessa: BriteandBubbly says
Roomba’s are so awesome to have. They really do come in handy because there are days when you just don’t want to vacuum and these do the work for you.
Jasmine says
I need one of these so bad! Plugging in a vacuum once a day gets pretty boring when you have five boys.
Pam says
I really want to get a Roomba. My aunt has two of them!
Sara P. (@SensiblySara) says
A Roomba is on my wishlist! If I had one, I’d use my spare time to put together a baby clothes quilt I’ve been putting off for over 5 years! 😉
Chrysa says
I really need to get a Roomba! With a German Shepherd and four cats, fighting the pet hair is a daily battle!
Raijean says
This is awesome, I definitely need to try it. It’s on my wishlist.
veronica says
I so want one of these! My life will be much better with one of these
Felicia says
These have always intrigued me. I need one to keep up with all of the pet hair!
Debra says
Won’t lie, making a DJ Roomba is a dream of mine. 🙂
Dawn says
I have been wanting one of these! It would make cleaning so much easier!
LyndaS says
I would probably start to read a book if I had free time. My house would definitely benefit from having a Roomba. I have 2 kids and 2 dogs (and 9 chickens at the moment – and yes, they are in the house until it warms up).
Jessica says
I have been eyeballing this machine for some time now. It would be just amazing to watch it clean.
Carly says
Oh man, we need a roomba!
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says
I could definitely use one right now, our building is doing construction and the debris keeps getting in despite the fact I have been keeping the windows closed since construction began!
Valerie Remy-Milora says
I so need one of these! I would LOVE a Roomba cleaning my floors! I’d relish the extra time to devote to ME!! a good book… a hot bath with salts and lavender… a stroll on the beach… a special sewing project… Oh my the things I could with a Roomba cleaning my floors !
Amy @ Marvelous Mommy says
Ooooh, my mom has one of these! I’m jealous, I totally want one!
Mama to 5 BLessings says
With 5 messy kids I SO need this! It would be nice to turn it on and go!
Jenni E. {Sweet Pennies from Heaven} says
Ugh. Yeah. Kids and dogs (and sometimes husbands) often track through our dirt piles. I hate that!!! haha!! Seriously though, we have 2 short haired dogs and we live in the country. I am dying for one of these. Might just have to bite the bullet and buy one!
Heather says
Ok I really want one of these! It would save me so much time! My husband kindly got me a mint cleaner for my birthday last year but all it does is push dirt around the floor and it’s only good on wood surfaces. It does not vaccum. Thus would be amazing to have!
Ellen ThatChicMom says
I saw these at Bed Bath and Beyond over the weekend and they look so amazing, I really need one! Maybe Mother’s Day right?
Caitlin says
This sounds like the vacuum of my dreams! But that price tag is a little steep! But maybe if it comes down a little I could think about it.
Lena says
Hmm, I am sure I would find something else to get stressed out about, but maybe I would also find he time to read something?
Jocelyn McGaffic says
I would LOVE to have one of these! We have ceramic tile all throughout our rental, and I broom sweep the whole place before mopping. This guy would save me so much time!
Shell says
I feel like I’m constantly sweeping my floors. This would be so great!
Beth@FrugalFroggie says
I would love an iRobot Roomba. I would take the extra time to play with my kids.
Stephanie of The TipToe Fairy says
Loved the Roomba when I had a dog. It was always so great about cleaning up the shedding hair.
Stephen S. says
I want this Roomba. Looks cool and very interesting.
Debbie L. says
My Mo has two of these one for each floor. He floors always look so clean.
Stefani Tolson says
I love our Roomba although I do have to put up my curtains. I like how it will put itself away when it is done.
Kim Croisant says
With two newly puppies added to our family this would def come in handy.
katrina g says
i have been looking at these for awhile. i think it would be great for my house.
Shell Feis says
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I want one of these! My dog sheds everywhere and I never have enough time to vacuum as often as I should.
Melinda@LookWhatMomFound...andDadtoo says
i’d love this for my dogs. I’d also be afraid that they’d attack it while it was trying to work
Danielle @ We Have It All says
I am dying to get one of these! I’m so curious as to how well it would work in my living room.
melisasource says
Oh wow looks and sounds like a great product! I may have to gift these for Mother’s Day!
Amanda says
I’ve always wanted one of these! It would make my life so much easier if it got all the dog hair!
Candy o says
I want one of these! Roomba would be awesome to keep my floors clean.
Ashley says
I would love a robot vaccuum. Vaccuum is one of my least favorite chores but it’s the only way we can have our pet so there is no choice.
brett says
Three kids, a sheddy yellow lab and a cat here. And its mud season. I would enjoy this immensely!!
Amanda says
I couldn’t live without my Roomba!! Love how well Roomba cleans up, sometimes even better than my regular vacuum.
Margie Foster says
I love the idea of having a robot vacuum cleaner! I have a cat and I have to vacuum the floor every day in order to keep it clean. If I have a robot to do this instead of me will be awesome! Thanks for the post! 🙂
Cecilia Abbott says
I love the idea of a cleaning robot, however I think my cat might have a problem with it. Anyone with any such bad experience?