Roomba 560 – The Best Roomba Robot Vacuum Cleaner ?

The Roomba 560 is part of the 500 series of iRobot vacuum robot cleaners. It has been out for a few years now and seems to be the best of the Roomba line if user comments are anything to go by.

With this said, there is an initial teething period when you first get a Roomba when it might not work as you expect or you are still getting used to it. The 500 series Roomba has many of the problems from the previous models ironed out, For example, it does not ram into items in a room, rather it slows down and only bumps into them gently.

The Roomba 560 has improved brushes which allows it to be more effective in picking up all sorts of dirt and dust on various floor surfaces. It will work on wood, carpets and even vinyl floors. It can even transition from carpet to wood and vice versa. When it makes the transition, it can detect the change in surface material and adjust the cleaning mechanism accordingly.

It does not tangle on the tassels at the end of a carpet either. This is another improvement on previous versions. It is referred to as anti-tangle technology and may also help it negotiate other obstructions such as cords and cables. Although you shouldn't let it deal with items like this as it may cause damage to the Roomba or to the items that are attached to the cable. In fact it is suggested that you move any clutter before letting the Roomba 560 vacuum robot loose.

The Roomba 560 can be programmed to do the cleaning on a set schedule or you can set it off manually. Some users of the appliance suggest that they program it to run at night and let them wake up to a clean home. Others prefer to have more control over when it runs so that they can de-clutter the room beforehand.

The Roomba 560 also comes with the virtual lighthouse devices that allow you to set certain rooms to be cleaned. There are two lighthouses that direct the vacuum cleaner to them. Set the lighthouses in a room a piece and the cleaner should do both rooms.

Another improvement of the 500 series is the cliff sensor. This is for cleaning around stairs so that it does not go over the edge and fall down the stairs. It also works on first floor landings using the same principle.

Once the Roomba 560 has finished it's cleaning, the appliance returns to a recharging dock automatically so that it is ready for the next scheduled run or whenever you next need it.

There is some maintenance needed to keep the cleaner running smoothly. For instance, just like any other vacuum cleaner you need to empty the dirt tray. You may also have to clean the brushes every few times. Cleaning tools are supplied for this task. Dirt and grime around the Roomba sensors may also have to be removed from time to time so that it does not interfere with the decision making of the vacuum robot.

Check out this video demo of the Roomba 560 at work...