iRobot Scooba reviewed by PCMAG: receives 3.5 out of 5 stars
PCMAG has an early, hands-on review of the iRobot Scooba which should be generally available starting next month. You know, the heavier, taller, and wider followup to the hot Roomba vacuum which will prep, wash, scrub, and then dry your floors. Besides putting you in charge of a robotic drone, its biggest selling point is the fact that it applies only clean water to floors instead of just pushing around the defiled Mr. Clean via the ol' mop-n-bucket. While they found the Scooba to clean your floor "better than a mop" they were a bit miffed by the cost of the $400 unit plus the fact that you're locked into buying only the Clorox cleaning solution — anything else "could damage the Scooba and void the warrant." Also, unlike the Roomba, cleaning the Scooba after each use "takes time" with up to four removable parts to clean in addition to the gunky bottom of the Scooba itself. While PCMAG finds the device to be a "smart, powerful, effective solution" for cleaning floors, they think it'll be an "uphill battle" selling to a public who generally can't be bothered with scrubbing their floors in the first place.
[Thanks, Dave Zatz]
