iRobot Roomba Vac 2 Essential robot vacuum + AutoEmpty dock (Q0520) - Black

Roombas are quite possibly the most popular robot vacuums on the market and that is because they are always quality products. This particular Roomba I would say is more on the entry level side, and it may only do one job, but it does that job well. It’s not as smart as other Similar products, but that’s OK, it’s still roams around and does what it’s supposed to. Downloading the app and connecting your Roomba to your phone is very easy, the step-by-step instructions will show you exactly how . With the press of a button on the Roomba itself, or through your app, you’re able to get things started, your Roomba will sweep your floors and if you give it enough time, it will do a good job. It’s got your typical sensors to move around, but this particular model moves around by bumping into things, it is designed this way. Once it bumps into something, it will try to look for a way around the obstacles. this is part of the entry-level I was talking about, other similar products have better sensors that can see other obstacles and move around them, this particular Roomba also does not map your rooms. It just moves and sweeps moves and sweeps. Once it is done, or you tell it to, it will go back to its homebase, and empty out its contents, it will also charge itself. Inside the homebase is a dust bag that must be cleaned out whenever it gets full. You can manually empty out your Roomba by flipping it over, and removing the wastebasket and emptying it out that way. Overall, my Roomba performs very well and I am very happy with it and would recommend it to anybody looking for an entry level cleaning robot that isn’t overly complicated.

The iRobot Roomba Vac 2 Essential is a robot vacuum that sweeps both hard and carpeted surfaces. Out of the box, set-up is fast and easy. All that must be done is to remove the bumpers from the vacuum, plug in the charging dock, and set the vacuum in the charging dock. The vacuum does not come with a charged battery, so it cannot be used right out of the box. Once fully charged, I simply pressed the button on the top of the vacuum and it began to map and sweep my room. When using the Roomba to sweep a room, I have to pick up any large pieces of debris and move anything from the floor that may cause it to get trapped in a particular area, or that it may get stuck on. This took some trial and error for me to learn what the behavior of the Roomba would be. When the vacuum gets stuck, it will rotate in a circle for quite some time without signaling that it is stuck, so I felt the need to pay a small amount of attention to it the first time it was running, so I could learn where it would get stuck. While sweeping, it has a small brush that rotates to the side to sweep debris into the path of the suction. This does an excellent job of getting most items smaller than a quarter. When it senses a particularly dirty area, it spins in a circle to ensure that area is clean before it moves on along its previous path to continue sweeping the entire room. At one point it sucked in a sock from under the sofa. It continued sweeping for several minutes, but did eventually sense that there was an issue. It stopped and loudly announced that it had an error, along with the corresponding code number. I was easily able to remove the sock and once I put it back down and pushed the button, it started again right away and continued on as before. I was impressed by how long the battery lasted. It was sweeping for a couple of hours before I went to bed. It became trapped while I was sleeping and did not make it back to its dock. When I placed it back in its dock, it did not empty its dust bin on its own, but this may have been due to the battery being low. The dustbin of the vacuum is really small. I was surprised by how small it is, because the piece that pulls out of the vacuum is considerably larger, with only a small area for holding the dirt. I look forward to trying the vacuum again once the battery is charged to see if it is able to complete a map of my room and return to its dock on its own. Overall, the vacuum did an excellent job of sweeping my room. The bristles allow it to reach areas that it would have otherwise, such as along baseboards and against furniture. I was concerned that there would be dirt in these areas, but I was satisfied by its performance. It also did an excellent job of transitioning from the hard floor to the rugs. It didn’t get stuck on any rugs, not even the small, light ones in my kitchen. It did a good job of sweeping the rugs, as well as the hard floor. I would recommend this vacuum to anyone with carpet or hard floors for regular tidying. However, I do not think the suction is strong enough, nor the dustbin large enough, for this to be the only vacuum in the house, if I had any carpeted floors. I think carpets would need a more thorough sweeping once every week or two, but the Roomba does an excellent job of tidying and sweeping up small debris

We already own a Roomba j7+ with a self-emptying dock, which has a camera, maps your home and has some special features in the app. Given that this model is much less expensive - but basically includes all of the main features, including a fancy dock, I figured there must have been some trade-offs that I’d only really find upon picking this up… I’m happy to report that it really can do most of what I love from the fancier model - all the main capabilities remain and I’m happy with them. The biggest difference being how it’s navigates. We’ve had several Roombas that find their way with the help of a camera that can help it locate itself and navigate in a structured way. This model, in contrast, claims to clean in straight lights, just without this camera. I was skeptical, but hopeful. As I watched this Roomba navigate, it did just fine! - It may have taken a bit longer, sometimes coming back to clean little nooks and crannies it missed while it ran in straight lines back and forth through the rooms (~think toe kicks in the kitchen that were indented from the protruding fridge, for example). I was throughly impressed that it remembered these places and came back to get them later. I assume it’s forming another kind of map with just enough information for it to find its way. It’s in no way random, it finds it’s way in clean passes, just with less tech and a bit more time. But you won’t find all the bells and whistles here, so whether I would recommend this model depends on your situation. This bot doesn’t have the ability to avoid pet waste, avoid areas set via the app, or see cables on the floor, so you’ll want to pre-plan for this one a bit more (something I generally already do) It’s brush bar is also a bit different than most of the higher end Roombas. Those have double rubber beater bars that are great for all floors, especially cleaning carpets. This essential model has a soft-bristle bar which I see performing best on hard floors, first and foremost. It doesn’t have the strength to separate carpet fibers in the same way. The map it creates is also just for viewing after a run - You’ll still get info on how long it ran, etc. but you cannot send this model to clean a specific room as it doesn’t identify them or allow naming. You can, however, benefit from seeing its activity remotely and starting a generalized cleaning from the app. Now for some more upsides… This Roomba has a much bigger bin than my j7+, while I don’t think too much about this capacity now that these have self-emptying docks, it is nice to see. To empty, this model actually backs up to the charger, possibly allowing for this greater capacity. The other thing I love is how quiet it is. We own another earlier high-end model that has a camera, but was so loud that we never wanted to run it. This one is quiet enough that I can continue working in the same room with it, it’s great! Overall, I’m very impressed. Once you have a model with a self-emptying charging station, you’ll never want to go back. It’s that convenient... and much less messy. So having that here in such an inexpensive model is a game-changer. Next is cleaning power and how quiet it is. It excels at both - offering several suction levels while remaining much quieter. Finally, navigation. It does this perfectly (in my testing) while taking a little longer to finish - a tradeoff I’m fine with. This model comes at a good time. The marketplace for robotic vacuums has increased in competition over the last few years, with some latching onto other technologies that Roomba does not have - the largest being Lidar. But here’s the thing, Lidar just seems over-hyped in the robotic vacuums world, IMO - navigation in a home seems reliably doable with other technologies, and this is no exception - these aren’t self driving cars afterall. I’ve had several friends buy those models, only to have the Lidar break or freak out, making their bots useless. My Roombas, on the other hand have never let me down - they do their job and find their way equally well without it. It’s also from an American company and the original robot vacuum innovator. I like putting my money in companies that are doing good work and not just copying others. With this model, I’m convinced that they’re on the right path. I may still prefer my j7+ for areas of my home (where the cats are), but this quiet essential model with its self-emptying base is perfect for another part of our home. ___ The Good Stuff ___ - Good suction and performance - Great navigation despite limited sensors - Quiet - Self-emptying base station is a must! - Inexpensive for the value and convenience you get ___ The Less Than Good Stuff ___ - No pet waste or cable detection - Only simple, non-actionable maps in the App - Speaker is louder and lower quality than the higher end models (when chiming on charge or starting a run) - Best for hard floors, not carpets, beater bar more simple than higher end models.

The Vac 2 Essential is an affordable capable little vacuum. Standard design that's simple and clean. The dock looks very smart and despite being tall to house the dustbin, doesn't feel bulky. Setup in the app was very easy. Scan the qr code and you're off to the races. It was found immediately and once you're connected to the network you can start using it with the app or smart assistant. If you've got a spill of some kind you can have it perform a spot clean. Otherwise when you run it it'll just make it's way around your floor. Unlike older roombas this doesn't just bounce around randomly. It starts to zig zag line by line methodically. If something is in it's way, it'll hug around it and then continue on. It handles different elevations with easy. It goes over the kitchen fatigue floor mats without issue as well as transitions between carpet and floor Once it's finished it'll return to dock and empty itself. You can monitor bag life as well as brush life within the app. You can also recall it early through the app or with a smart command to charge early or if you don't want it to run the whole floor. It does not mop, so have a dry floor, but that's standard for this price point. It also doesnt map rooms for targeted cleaning but for those that don't need it and don't mind closing doors, you'll he fine Overall a great, simple vacuum for those that don't need a lot of extra bells and whistles

The iRobot Roomba Vac 2 Essential is a solid choice for those seeking a straightforward, no-frills robotic vacuum cleaner. Designed for simplicity, it is particularly well-suited for homes with simple floor plans. While it lacks advanced mapping capabilities, this can be seen as a feature rather than a drawback for users who prioritize privacy—there’s no camera on board, ensuring no visual recording of your home. This makes it an excellent addition to an Airbnb or rental property, as it allows you to maintain a clean space while respecting guests’ privacy. The lack of mapping means the vacuum occasionally bumps into furniture, particularly thin items like barstool legs. It’s not the most graceful navigator, but it still manages to clean effectively. If you have multiple iRobot devices, the iRobot app provides seamless integration, allowing you to manage all units conveniently in one place. For hosts managing multiple properties, this feature could be particularly valuable. However, note that this model has a very basic set of functions: its primary tasks are to vacuum everywhere or to empty the bin when prompted. The unit arrives ready to use with one pre-installed bag in the receptacle and includes a handy cleaning tool stored under the bin lid. This thoughtful inclusion helps keep the vacuum's heads clean, ensuring optimal performance over time. Whether for a personal home or a short-term rental property, the Roomba Vac 2 Essential is a dependable, budget-friendly option. Its ability to operate while you’re away and its privacy-conscious design make it a smart choice for maintaining cleanliness without compromising peace of mind.

I have a few different brands of robot vacuums that do everything from auto detect areas that need more cleaning to vacuum and mop in one pass, so my expectations were already somewhat high when I picked up the iRobot Roomba essential robot and auto empty dock. This review is based on a week of use on tile and hardwood and some of the challenges I had with this vacuum. In the box is the auto empty dock, the robot, vacuum bag, and instructions. Setup is relatively easy, using the iRobot app over your wifi network. To get started you can either set a schedule with start times or you can hit play from the app and set a cleaning duration. There is a third option that I didn't test which is using location and/or smart assistant so it only cleans when you are away or when you ask it to via the assistant. Either way your option is limited to run time only. This version does not have a floor map, so there are no excluded zones, and no ability to target areas. This caused two issues for me, first I cannot exclude areas with low clearance furniture which means that 100% of the time I can expect the vacuum to be stuck when it gets to that area. The second issue is that I have high traffic areas that I want vacuumed more frequently than others, but due to lack of map or zoning I'm not able to select. It feels like this vacuum is a throwback to the 2010 models, it runs in straight lines until it hits something, pivots, and tries again. I have a 300 sq ft room with a table, 4 chairs, and a cat tree, I've watched the vacuum spend 30 minutes bumping around between the table and chairs, breaking loose and then getting stuck again. At this point, I'm not sure how long it will take the vacuum to completely clean this room. Ok, so it's clear this vacuum isn't for me, but to be a little less biased, I want to call out what it does well. First, it has four levels of suction: a low / quiet / low battery use mode up to a maximum suction, noticeably louder, and fast battery depletion, then a medium and high mode that split the difference between the two extremes. The suction is good on wood, tile, and low pile rugs, enough to pick up cat litter versus flinging it everywhere. You can set a schedule and/or run time, so there is some ability to meet your needs for scheduling. The docking and auto empty are a tossup, I find that with the dock being lightweight, the vacuum will move it when docking and 25% of the time will angle it such that it cannot dock without intervention. This is likely an easy fix by adding in a floor grip, moving to a rug, or seating the dock against a wall. The vacuum does self empty well and the collection bag is large enough that it will likely take well over a month to fill if it ran every day. Lastly, and the thing I like about all Roomba's is that the wear parts are all replaceable, so your roller, filter, and bag can be changed as needed. Bottom line, this vacuum isn't for everyone. I think it would be great for smaller spaces with limited furniture, it's also good for a single room where it can be contained by closing the door. I can also see this being good for open floor plans with few obstructions, as it does run in a straight line very well, at least until it runs into an obstacle. On the flip side, if you want control of where, when, or what it vacuums, or if you have a lot of obstacles, this isn't the best product for your space.

If you're looking for a quieter robot vacuum that you need to empty less frequently, this is a solid option. Setting this up was pretty easy, they aren't a ton of things to assemble and the app walks you through it and does most of the work for you. I appreciated the minimal packaging as well. I think it took less than 15 mins to be up and running once I opened the box. This is primarily used on the main floor of a two story house that has carpet and hardwood. The carpet is newer so I was worried it would sense the change in flooring as a ledge or a staircase but the robot is pretty smart and handles the change smoothly. It's kind of entertaining to watch it work it's way around objects. I was pleasantly surprised that this isn't as loud as other models/brands I've used in the past as I didn't want the dog to be afraid of the vacuum or the noise. This has great suction and leaves satisfying vacuum lines as it goes across the carpet. It seems to itself stuck less compared to other vacuums we've tried out and I love that this has a little emptying bag in the home base. I do feel this will probably need to be emptied more often than the recommendation as it will be dealing with pet hair and fill up faster. My only complaint would be the bag this empties in is smaller than I expected and it sometimes seems to takes longer to do the cleaning than other days. In general though I think this is a good option for someone who would like a reliable easy to use app and quiet robot vacuum.

I have owned a handful of these robotic vacuums over the past few years so I have a good idea of what I like and what I don't like. This Roomba has some really good things but had one significant flaw during my first week with it. Pros: - It cleaned very well! Sometimes robot vacuums don't have the best suction power but this model impressed me in that regard. - The app is user friendly and helped me set the vacuum up quickly and easily. You can adjust the suction power in the cleaning preferences menu. I like to always keep it on "maximum". It will be louder with this setting, but will clean better. - The vacuum navigated under tables and between chair legs quite well. Collision detection seems good so I didn't have to worry about table legs getting banged up. I've had other vacuums that get stuck under tables and chairs but this one performed well in that area. - It comes with an extra filter! Not all robot vacuums do this but it is really appreciated when they do. Cons: - The vacuum had difficulty finding its home base on numerous occasions. I'm hoping that a future firmware update might be able to fix this. I made sure it had the latest updates available but still had issues navigating to the base. This vacuum is a good buy if they can fix the home navigation issue with a patch in the future. It performed very well for me in every other way.

I have always loved robot cleaners and decided to try this one as it was within a great price range for me. Unfortunately, it was not even worth it at the price level that its currently placed at. Perhaps if this was under $100 it would raise it to 4 stars. Unpackaging was nice and simple, it comes partially charged however recommend to fully charge it before running it for the first time. The setup of the software was average, it is limited functionality. This device does not map the house but does provide a "cleaned path". Honestly the app is very important because you need to modify the settings to get it to function at the optimal settings. For example, it is important to change the suction setting of low to high suction in settings. The app does provide a "Product / Brush Roller Health" however feel that its more based on a timer than actually sensing when service is needed. Speaking of sensors, this product has a very limited sensor, it is unable to detect the difference between hard floor and carpet. It also doesn't know how to get around objects if it bumps into one side, for example a table leg. It only has one circular brush so it can miss objects that are not in its direct path or along a wall edge. The largest challenge is this does not have the ability to set barriers for "no go" zones. It will just keep going outsize of your wanted zones or run into areas you do not wish it to go into. Also, another large challenge is its very susceptible to small cords / toys and struggles locating docking station upon return. Honestly, if you are looking for a good budgeted cleaning robot I recommend another product. This one feels they cut too many corners to make it cheap.