Hammer schlammer (sp) offers a life time warranty and I'm thinking the higher price might be worth it.

I'd be very leery of anything like that offering a lifetime warranty. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't. In looking at a few vacuums at their link I don't see any mention of a lifetime warranty.

Ok...I just clicked on their link to their lifetime warranty and here is what it says.

Items that we sell are guaranteed for their normal life under standard non-commercial use. Should any product ever fail to meet your expectations, for any reason, simply return it with proof of purchase. We will replace it or refund the cost of the item less the original shipping and service fees.

from this page

I clicked on the warranty link for The Laser Guided Robotic Vacuum.

I think I would much prefer a specified length of time that the warranty covers.

I find their lifetime warranty to be very misleading. It is covered for the normal life...well what is the normal life? One year? 2 years? What if it breaks a day after the normal life expectancy is over? They certainly won't replace it because you expected it to last longer, would they?

Hi, Chemo

You are right. Hubby had looked at this, and I only looked now. They do not say what the "normal life" is, so I sent an email asking them. Wonder if they will reply and if an email is sufficient to enforce a warranty, LOL! Guess I will just go to BB&B. Thanks!

PS Maybe my husband is too trusting.

In looking at more items for sale at their site, I see everything claims to have a Lifetime Warranty, yet when you click the link to read the warranty, it says, Items that we sell are guaranteed for their normal life under standard non-commercial use.

I'd sure steer clear of that place.

Sue

I read some reviews of the Roomba. Seems the charger doesnt work well. I decided not to get one. I'll continue pushing my Bissell around.

And besides, bending over to turn under the fringe doesn't sound like a good option for you.

For your needs, maybe a Shark cordless vac would work. Or a cleaning service that comes in solely to do the floors.

Here is a link that might be useful: Shark cordless vac

I did some research on the Roomba site a while back, and quite a few people mentioned ordering theirs from Hammer for the warranty, and some even said they had gotten replacements Roombas from them when theirs broke. I'd wait to see if they reply and explain what "lifetime" means. There are a lot of people out there who love their Roombas...

Hi, all

Thought I would share. Notice how they never do say explicitly what a "normal" life time is for the Rhomba. Read from the bottom up.

On 11/27/10 7:49 PM, techservices@hammacher.com wrote:
> Dear CC:
> > Thank you for your email to Hammacher Schlemmer. There isn't a specific normal lifetime for the unit as people use the unit differently. Every Roomba is different depending on the user but if you should need to return the item for an exchange or refund we just ask that you hold on to your packing slip as your proof of purchase. Please contact me if you need further assistance.
> > Best regards,
> Christine Brakhage
> Voice: 1-800-233-4800 (8am-mid EST, 7 days a week)
> > -------------
>> On Friday, November 26, 2010 12:09:00 PM, CC wrote:
>> Thank you, Barb. What is considered to be "Normal life" for a Rhomba?
>>
>> I asked that question below, and did not get a response. Please define,
>> so I can determine whether the additional price is worth it. Thanks
>>
>> On 11/26/10 10:53 AM, customerservice@hammacher.com wrote:
>>> Dear CC,
>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you for your interest in Hammacher Schlemmer. Items that we sell are
>> guaranteed unconditionally for their normal life under standard,
>> non-commercial use. Should any product fail to meet your expectations, simply
>> return it with proof of purchase. We will replace it, refund the purchase
>> price or credit your credit card, depending upon your original payment method.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>> Barb Gill
>>> Voice: 1-800-233-4800 (8am-mid EST, 7 days a week)
>>>
>>> -------------
>>>> On Wednesday, November 24, 2010 10:28:00 PM, CC wrote:
>>>> "Items that we sell are guaranteed for their normal life under standard
>>>> non-commercial use."
>>>>
>>>> What is "Normal life" for a Rhomba? If I pay extra to buy one from your
>>>> company, what is the length of the warranty? It will be used in a 1,200
>>>> square foot first floor, no pets, no kids.
>>> Thanks!
>> CC

I've had my Rhoomba for three years and I have generated various pros and cons. I'm a single senior guy, in a one-BR apt, mostly covered in carpet. I bought it from Hem-Shem (Hamm-Schlamm).
The lifetime warranty did not cover The Battery, which I've replaced twice.
OTH that is the only thing that has "broken". Sometimes it called work stoppages, but what it required then were very precise cleanings. The bin needs to be dumped frequently, but it will hold the debris of a large room.
It goes under beds!!
I'm open to questions. I have no sales agenda. Sal

I am on my second year with Rhoomba, and I haven't even needed to replace the battery. I've used it on carpet for most of the time and just last month replaced the carpet with tile. It's does a great job on my 1700 sq.ft. condo. I've never had a problem with the charger and love that Rhoomba goes back to the charger when he's done or needs a re-charge. He goes under the sofa and love seat as well as the bed. I only pull out the dining room chairs from the table to allow Rhoomba to get close to the table legs. I love it. One thing I learned is that you can rinse the filters instead of replacing them every few months as the company recommends.

We got a Rhoomba as a gift and have used it regularly every week for over a year with no service problems. Ours doesn't go very far on one charge. It will do about a 10 x 12 area if there are not too many obstructions, so we pick up stuff to let it run pretty freely. It does a very good job if you clean it out at every recharge. My wife does not like the little radio controllers that define borders. She prefers to use solid obstacles instead. So we define borders with straight chairs on their sides or boxes etc. So it's not a free ride versus using a regular vacuum. About once a month my wife gets out the Kirby and goes over all the wall to wall carpets and our 8 x 11 persian. The rhoomba keeps bedrooms and bathrooms nice.

My home is three stories (a split level, not a massive home). My main (middle) level is the kitchen and dining room. I'm thinking of getting a "Mint" floor cleaner from Bed bath and Beyond. Looks good on tv. The rooms have linoleum (kitchen) and finished wood (dining room). It would be nice if their floors could be clean all the time. The other rooms-three bedrooms and a family room-all have wall to wall carepting. I have a Bissell and will continue to push it around once a week.

Thanks, all. Guess I'll have to find out how much the battery costs. But Nerdy, all of our rooms have furniture. By "obstructions" do you mean furniture? The only room with a big open space is the kitchen.

My back doctor will not let me use a vacuum (too much of a twisting motion) and as I said earlier, my husband does it infrequently. Someone suggested a maid, but we have tried several, and they damage stuff.

I meant anything that is not around the perimeter of a room. Small chairs, hampers, footstools and magazine racks for instance. If the Rhoomba runs into something it changes direction and starts over. It needs spaces that it can navigate through. We try to have a couple of feet and not one foot. It couldn't get through that and would go round in cirles trying to find a path. If the task is too hard the battery will run down before much of a room has been explored.

I have a Roomba 563 from Hammacher and love it. It runs every day on a schedule and picks up stuff every trip. It keeps the cat hair and scattered litter from tracking and getting ground into the carpet. It's not a powerful vacuum more of a sweeper, but like I said it will get the hair and dirt before it gets walked on and ground in!

It does require attention, I have 3 sets of brushes (bought the "replenish pack") and rotate in clean brushes every evening, then clean them after the last set is used. It takes about 5 minutes to clean the ends of the brushes, I have long hair that gets wrapped around the bearings and axles and would burn out the gears if the roomba is allowed to continue with the hair wrapped around. BUT it is far less work than it would be to vacuum all our carpet daily!!

You can return the Roomba to Hammacher for a full refund or exchange if you are ever unhappy with it. They won't replace individual parts but if you send the whole thing back they will refund.

I love neato robot I recomended this brand now neato launch new model called neato xv-21 I just read some review here

Here is a link that might be useful: neato xv21 review

I have one I dont like it It chrges then you get it ready it runs about 1/2 hour,then it keeps getting in situations where I have to move it???Not sure it helps me.Mine is idle it wont charge now..