The newest pet-centric automatic floor vac from iRobot is actually a lot like a new puppy. Don't be surprised to find yourself following it around the house for the first few hours — maybe days — while it scoops up crumbs, caroms off table legs and cautiously avoids plummeting down the stairs.
WIRED Scuttles under beds, sofas and other places that fat upright vacuums can't. Cleans at scheduled times. Comes with two invisible-wall transmitters to keep it off unauthorized floors. Dustbins, brushes and filters are a snap to clean and replace. Dirt Detect sensor focuses more attention on dirtier areas.
TIRED Invisible-wall transmitters and floor-standing charging dock aren't décor-friendly. Can get tangled in lamp cords, shoelaces and other stringy things. Programming is a pain. Pretty noisy for such a small bot. Doesn't fall down stairs, but doesn't clean them either.
