Suitable for bare floors and carpets, the Dyson upright features a 14-inch cleaning path and edge-cleaning bristles. A foot pedal switches off the brush roll for bare floors, and the nozzle automatically adjusts for various carpet heights. For above-floor cleaning, the vacuum also comes with a cleverly stowed, 17-foot quick-release hose with a reversible extension-wand handle. Onboard accessories include a crevice tool, a dusting brush, an upholstery attachment, and the Animal turbo tool. Designed for lint and stubborn pet hair, the turbo tool features an air-powered brush bar to extract hair from furniture, stairs, pet beds, cars, and other tight spaces.

Made from the same material used in crash helmets, the vacuum is unquestionably durable. Plus, the design only puts 4 pounds of weight on the handle, so pushing and turning is easy. This model comes with a 35-foot power cord and a limited two-year household warranty. It also includes a carpet care kit--a canister of Groom Zorb odor-absorbent carpet cleaning powder and a bottle of Dyzolv spray for spills and stains.

Setting up your Roomba for its first sashay through the living room is fairly easy. You'll want to move any clothing, papers, cords, and fragile items off the floor before you start. You may choose to set up the Virtual Wall unit, which emits a beam to redirect the Roomba, keeping it out of unwanted areas. Make sure the rechargeable battery is fired up by checking the indicator light, set the Roomba in the center of the room, and press the corresponding button for a small (10 by 12 feet), medium (14 by 16 feet), or large (15 by 20 feet) room. When Roomba starts cleaning, it travels around the floor in a spiral pattern. When its bumper touches a wall, Roomba follows the wall for a short time, utilizing its spinning side brush to move objects away from the wall and into the vacuum's path. Then Roomba crosses the room in straight lines. It repeats this pattern until its cleaning time has elapsed, providing maximum cleaning coverage.

Although it may look more like a Frisbee than a vacuum, the Roomba cleans carpet, wood, linoleum, and tile, and comes with many of the usual vacuum accoutrements. The agitator brush roll picks up large debris, sucking it into the removable particle bin with filter. An edge-cleaning brush helps get into corners and angular areas. All the brushes and compartments can be removed for regular cleaning maintenance, and the unit comes with two replacement filters. Additional Virtual Wall units, battery packs, and a rapid charger can be purchased separately. The Roomba is covered by a 90-day parts and labor warranty.