iRobot Scooba experience

[Momkey]

Hi, my Scooba is having some problem, hoping the experts here can give some advice as to the problem. My Scooba is 8 mths old, and it can't back off from the floor edge when there is a step. It will keep inching back and forth and not able to back off. It sometimes get stuck at corner or wall too. Seems like the reverse function is very sluggish. Now I have to keep an eye on Scooba to rescue him when he cleans.

Anyone knows what is wrong? And what can be done to remedy it. Thanks.

 

[uno_bliss]

Hi, my Scooba is having some problem, hoping the experts here can give some advice as to the problem. My Scooba is 8 mths old, and it can't back off from the floor edge when there is a step. It will keep inching back and forth and not able to back off. It sometimes get stuck at corner or wall too. Seems like the reverse function is very sluggish. Now I have to keep an eye on Scooba to rescue him when he cleans.

Anyone knows what is wrong? And what can be done to remedy it. Thanks.

Contact me lor... Email unobliss@yahoo.com

 

[Kain999]

Vpost charge me $124.20.

I used to use Vpost then this time tried out Hopshopgo.
The charges were about S$75.50. (I put a lower value to avoid GST - dun report me.... )

And the delivery was faster. I got the scooba on Jan 14th.
I am assuming u got the Scooba at the woot discount.

Anyway, remember to take good care of your scooba.

 

[whambamz]

Recommendation

I have been staying up late and following this thread as i try to ascertain trying which is the robot meets my needs. Ended up the more confused than ever. Yesterday I concluded Neato is good. Tonight I thought abt of getting a combo. Next moment, LG seemingly not bad!

Anyway, I have the intention to get one/two for my old folks at home. Parents are pretty paranoid about keeping the house clean (i.e. their interpretation of clean = sweep & mop on nearly daily basis) but age is catching up. Hope to alleviate some of the burden of chores at home.

My requirements are pretty straight-forward:
- Simple for them to use/operate (okay, needs to be almost idiot proof! Simply press of button if possible?)
- Durable with minimal maintenance (presume if they will put it a daily grind if they think is good)

Area to be cleaned:
- 4 room flat NG type (super old!)
- Old fashion tiles only. No carpet!
- Slightly clutter (i.e need to reach hard to corners and under the beds)
- No pet (unless I am considered their pet)

Capital for investment
- Quite limited while trying to be a good (lazy) son.
- Good after sales support with affordable (okay cheap and good!) parts
- Long battery life (i figure this will be killer esp for heavy duty users)
- Warranty (as long as possible!)

PS: I admit I am a typical Singaporean who is hard to please!

Being budget conscious, I was thinking about getting the scooba only initially. However, if scooba is as good as the various reviews (ie better than my paranoid parent's mopping), scooba needs not be put into daily action (maybe twice a week), then a roomba for the daily grind.

Please recommend especially users who have bought for their oldies and their oldies who are loving their new found cleaning companion(s).

 

[Momkey]

I have been staying up late and following this thread as i try to ascertain trying which is the robot meets my needs. Ended up the more confused than ever. Yesterday I concluded Neato is good. Tonight I thought abt of getting a combo. Next moment, LG seemingly not bad!

Anyway, I have the intention to get one/two for my old folks at home. Parents are pretty paranoid about keeping the house clean (i.e. their interpretation of clean = sweep & mop on nearly daily basis) but age is catching up. Hope to alleviate some of the burden of chores at home.

My requirements are pretty straight-forward:
- Simple for them to use/operate (okay, needs to be almost idiot proof! Simply press of button if possible?)
- Durable with minimal maintenance (presume if they will put it a daily grind if they think is good)

Area to be cleaned:
- 4 room flat NG type (super old!)
- Old fashion tiles only. No carpet!
- Slightly clutter (i.e need to reach hard to corners and under the beds)
- No pet (unless I am considered their pet)

Capital for investment
- Quite limited while trying to be a good (lazy) son.
- Good after sales support with affordable (okay cheap and good!) parts
- Long battery life (i figure this will be killer esp for heavy duty users)
- Warranty (as long as possible!)

PS: I admit I am a typical Singaporean who is hard to please!

Being budget conscious, I was thinking about getting the scooba only initially. However, if scooba is as good as the various reviews (ie better than my paranoid parent's mopping), scooba needs not be put into daily action (maybe twice a week), then a roomba for the daily grind.

Please recommend especially users who have bought for their oldies and their oldies who are loving their new found cleaning companion(s).

Hi, maybe I can share with you my experience. I bought a roboking and Scooba in may last year. Bought a set for my mum too. At first, like most old folks, she is sceptical and not very receptive, say why waste money on such stuff. She complained that Scooba is too wet, can't get to certain areas blah blah. Well, now she is loving them, uses them almost everyday. They are easy to use, just need to clean them regularly. And now she appreciates how much time and effort these gadgets can save her. They are not perfect, they can't reach corners or tight spaces, but they are good enough for daily maintenance. Once in a while, still need to do manual cleaning.

Have to tell the old folks that these gadgets are not as good as human, so they have the right expectation. But they can really lighten our daily chores, so instead of daily sweep n mop, now can reduce to monthly

I must say that I love them too, but love my roboking more than my Scooba. Roboking is smarter, more efficient, quiet, less problem. Bought both from guys here, the guys are great.

Hope you can enjoy them very soon.

 

[bakasa2002]

I have been staying up late and following this thread as i try to ascertain trying which is the robot meets my needs. Ended up the more confused than ever. Yesterday I concluded Neato is good. Tonight I thought abt of getting a combo. Next moment, LG seemingly not bad!

Anyway, I have the intention to get one/two for my old folks at home. Parents are pretty paranoid about keeping the house clean (i.e. their interpretation of clean = sweep & mop on nearly daily basis) but age is catching up. Hope to alleviate some of the burden of chores at home.

My requirements are pretty straight-forward:
- Simple for them to use/operate (okay, needs to be almost idiot proof! Simply press of button if possible?)
- Durable with minimal maintenance (presume if they will put it a daily grind if they think is good)

Area to be cleaned:
- 4 room flat NG type (super old!)
- Old fashion tiles only. No carpet!
- Slightly clutter (i.e need to reach hard to corners and under the beds)
- No pet (unless I am considered their pet)

Capital for investment
- Quite limited while trying to be a good (lazy) son.
- Good after sales support with affordable (okay cheap and good!) parts
- Long battery life (i figure this will be killer esp for heavy duty users)
- Warranty (as long as possible!)

PS: I admit I am a typical Singaporean who is hard to please!

Being budget conscious, I was thinking about getting the scooba only initially. However, if scooba is as good as the various reviews (ie better than my paranoid parent's mopping), scooba needs not be put into daily action (maybe twice a week), then a roomba for the daily grind.

Please recommend especially users who have bought for their oldies and their oldies who are loving their new found cleaning companion(s).

From a user point of view, always start w a Roomba and get it to run at least once a day. then do your manual mopping once or twice a week. If you are convinced that Roomba is a good helper, you can consider getting a scooba.

In this way, the cost of entry is lower, rather than getting both at the same time and find that robotic cleaner is not yr cup of tea. Just my 2 cents from a Roomba & Scooba since 2007.

 

[Vachel Chan]

I have been staying up late and following this thread as i try to ascertain trying which is the robot meets my needs. Ended up the more confused than ever. Yesterday I concluded Neato is good. Tonight I thought abt of getting a combo. Next moment, LG seemingly not bad!

Anyway, I have the intention to get one/two for my old folks at home. Parents are pretty paranoid about keeping the house clean (i.e. their interpretation of clean = sweep & mop on nearly daily basis) but age is catching up. Hope to alleviate some of the burden of chores at home.

My requirements are pretty straight-forward:
- Simple for them to use/operate (okay, needs to be almost idiot proof! Simply press of button if possible?)
- Durable with minimal maintenance (presume if they will put it a daily grind if they think is good)

Area to be cleaned:
- 4 room flat NG type (super old!)
- Old fashion tiles only. No carpet!
- Slightly clutter (i.e need to reach hard to corners and under the beds)
- No pet (unless I am considered their pet)

Capital for investment
- Quite limited while trying to be a good (lazy) son.
- Good after sales support with affordable (okay cheap and good!) parts
- Long battery life (i figure this will be killer esp for heavy duty users)
- Warranty (as long as possible!)

PS: I admit I am a typical Singaporean who is hard to please!

Being budget conscious, I was thinking about getting the scooba only initially. However, if scooba is as good as the various reviews (ie better than my paranoid parent's mopping), scooba needs not be put into daily action (maybe twice a week), then a roomba for the daily grind.

Please recommend especially users who have bought for their oldies and their oldies who are loving their new found cleaning companion(s).

Hi, Rest assured. We would do our utmost to assist you. AM sure you can arrange to see a range of models for your consideration if you are keen on getting one. A demonstration of the Scooba can be arranged too, to see if it suits your needs. 2 years local warranty is available for all robotic cleaners.
Would actually suggest you can a single unit to see if your parents react well to it and if it serves you well before committing on a 2nd unit. Do read a range of reviews online and I am sure you did make a good choice.

*Momkey:Glad the Roboking and Scooba are working Great for you!!

For videos and specifications of a range of robotic Cleaners, Do Checkout Autovacstore.com

 

[uno_bliss]

Hi Momkey,
with reference to ur post here: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/73398468-post9884.html
I've received ur email regarding Scooba problem & we have corresponded.

However, I've just read here:

I bought a roboking and Scooba in may last year... Bought both from guys here...

that ur Scooba is bought from a seller on HWZ. So why are u not seeking help directly from ur seller???

Very strange approach, and not the first time I've seen. Someone buys iRobot from some seller, don't ask them for tech advice & troubleshooting, instead post here to ask for help. Makes me wonder what sorta aftersales support they're getting.

I offer my tech help to those who are stranded having bought iRobot on their own, but for those who have bought from local sellers, please go back to ur seller for tech support. I know my customers contact me directly for help since I'm readily contactable.
In the unfortunate event that ur seller MIA (eg. posted overseas for many mths), or not available for a period of time, then u can seek my help.

eg. the case of HWZ noblewolf:
19-12-2012 posted to ask advice for a new Scooba battery that doesn't charge: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/72453371-post9781.html
25-12-2012 posted to thank me for repairing the Scooba battery: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/72601084-post9794.html

noblewolf paid me to repair the battery, despite it's "covered under warranty" by his seller who was not available during the period of distress until end of 2012.
I told him, he let his seller off too easily, but what to do, he needed to use Scooba urgently for Xmas cleaning before guests arrive.

 

[peter2883]

I'm a Scooba & Roboking user... I love my bots...

Initially bought the Scooba thinking it can replace both mopping & vacuuming / sweeping but seriously the Scooba is a great bot for mopping but due to it's design vacuuming is not that great. I had to "prepare" the floor before using the Scooba. The Scooba doesn't pick up big debris although the mopping / scrubbing function is fantastic...

Subsequently in order to work around the problem (Read in between the lines I'm lazy) of pre-cleaning before using the Scooba I bought the Roboking the following month (In my opinion the smartest bot around). My reason for buying a 2nd bot was because if I was using technology to make life easier why do I still need to do it manually prior to using my bot which to me does not make sense...

Currently I run the Roboking first to vacuum the floor first followed by the Scooba... The result is clean floor that have a mopped feel...

Bought both last year and everything is working fine...

 

[Jubooo]

I offer my tech help to those who are stranded having bought iRobot on their own, but for those who have bought from local sellers, please go back to ur seller for tech support.........

Can come to me, I willing to do it no matter where the robot is from.

 

[uno_bliss]

From the fact that Momkey's Scooba seller is not me nor Jubooo, and is from HWZ, I think it's not difficult to narrow down who.

And Momkey's 1st post to ask for help was 7pm on 22 Jan, and I'm still getting email correspondent at 10am on 24 Jan, I can conclude the mystery seller isn't very contactable nor active on HWZ.
A pro-active seller would have read the post & contacted Momkey directly offering tech support.

---added at 4.39pm---
Over the last few mins, I reviewed some older posts by Momkey, and it appears that the Scooba was indeed bought from Jubooo.

 

[Vachel Chan]

From the fact that Momkey's Scooba seller is not me nor Jubooo, and is from HWZ, I think it's not difficult to narrow down who.

And Momkey's 1st post to ask for help was 7pm on 22 Jan, and I'm still getting email correspondent at 10am on 24 Jan, I can conclude the mystery seller isn't very contactable nor active on HWZ.
A pro-active seller would have read the post & contacted Momkey directly offering tech support.

---added at 4.39pm---
Over the last few mins, I reviewed some older posts by Momkey, and it appears that the Scooba was indeed bought from Jubooo.

Aiyah. Don't analyse too much into it lah. Please don't pick on Juboo. I am sure he did his best to assist but just was not available during some periods due to overseas commitments. Have done repairs for sellers due to difficulty in arranging a meet up for collection or repairs, due to lack of transport and meet up at MRT station in the west may not be ideal for all customers. As long as we help one another, most importantly is all bros have a spanking clean home for the CNY festives!!

We are properly the only ones that do on-site repairs on the spot at your convenience of schedule and location for all robotic faults and response daily(even p.h) from 9am to 10pm (11plus also have) and man is it hard work!! just to keep up with deliveries and all.

Sharing Faults or queries with all is also a good way to go, the user may have consulted the seller but may just may to get more opinions or share his views. Actually I am sure it would be impossible for the seller to know who the customer is based on HWZ nick, and response and PM immediately, because I believe usually actual names are used during purchase and not nicks, so may be quite hard to recognize.

I still think Noblewolf did the right thing is getting help for his scooba battery, firstly he needed it urgently and importantly he kept his original battery, which is better than having a compatible one.

 

[Momkey]

I am so sorry, did not mean to create such a big hooha here. I was thinking of seeking some advice on what could possibly be the problem with my Scooba, to see if repair is required. You guys seem very helpful and expert on these bots. Did not mean to cause any unhappiness. And since UNO bliss replied to my plea, so I contacted him. Did not know that we can only go back to seller for repair.

No hard feelings, all you guys are great. Will contact Jubooo for assistance.

Thanks to UNO bliss for responding promptly to my plea.

 

[uno_bliss]

I am so sorry, did not mean to create such a big hooha here. I was thinking of seeking some advice on what could possibly be the problem with my Scooba, to see if repair is required. You guys seem very helpful and expert on these bots. Did not mean to cause any unhappiness. And since UNO bliss replied to my plea, so I contacted him. Did not know that we can only go back to seller for repair.

No hard feelings, all you guys are great. Will contact Jubooo for assistance.

Thanks to UNO bliss for responding promptly to my plea.

The statement "Did not know that we can only go back to seller for repair." is not a rule, it is a common sense buyer-seller relationship. A seller should obviously be pro-active to respond to own customer's request for help.
I did state "exception" in my post, when seller MIA or unavailable during period of distress.

For the case of Noblewolf, he emailed me & explained his seller was overseas til end of 2012, so I helped him sort out since he urgently needed to use.
Since I'm not aware Momkey seller is not around to help, I naturally suggested the "correct protocol" of contacting own seller first.

There is no hard feelings or written rule, I'm just highlighting the importance of seller commitment & sacrifices to take care of own customer.

 

[android]

Vpost charge me $124.20.

Did your box came with a lot of expensive american air?

 

[Jubooo]

I am so sorry, did not mean to create such a big hooha here. I was thinking of seeking some advice on what could possibly be the problem with my Scooba, to see if repair is required. You guys seem very helpful and expert on these bots. Did not mean to cause any unhappiness. And since UNO bliss replied to my plea, so I contacted him. Did not know that we can only go back to seller for repair.

No hard feelings, all you guys are great. Will contact Jubooo for assistance.

Thanks to UNO bliss for responding promptly to my plea.

Ah ha, so you bought from me, I was available the whole period of when you bought from me. Thought I mentioned that my contact is easily available on the sticker of the charger? Feel free to contact me robovac@ymail.com


Comeon Noblewolf, you should come out and clarify that your battery was from some ebay seller as everybody thought that your battery is from me. Infact I was the one whom recommended him to Uno for the battery repair.

 

[noblewolf]

Aiyo... just woke up.. chill brothers!

My scooba package was from an ebay seller called reasonabledealsonline if i remember it right because i have no idea about this thread yet.. I saw him and dealt with him face to face..so I know he is not Juboo..

Juboo sent me a message and recommended Uno to me when i posted my problem here. i "interviewed" him thru whatsapp for his competence and i can vouch for him any day. This guy can strip and assemble a roomba or scooba even with eyes close. Technically, i should have availed for warranty from the seller.. which is about right. But the seller may end up replacing my lemon battery with another lemon battery and headaches goes on and on.. with what uno was charging me, being very reasonable.. im not buying a service... im buying a peace of mind!

Juboo has his stickers on his product that contains his contact details when things go south. The roomba I got from him few months ago runs fine and completely no issues so far..

Even if the ebay seller was available that time, I will still get Uno. I dont care about that free battery replacement no more. It justifies that that was the best option to do!

 

[bakasa2002]

wah, so exciting ... I thought the only hot topic lately is in Punggol East.

 

[Patrick76]

Can anyone comment on Neato XV-12?

See that it is on sales again at Woot.com.

 

[Jubooo]

It is great machine at that great price although neato has a higher failure rate. No worries as I do have many parts and accessories for them and I will service any robots bought from anywhere.