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Test drive with the Scooba

The cleaning process is gross, but we hope it works

Michael Kanellos Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Michael Kanellos is editor at large at CNET News.com, where he covers hardware, research and development, start-ups and the tech industry overseas.
Michael Kanellos
Results of first cleaning

One of the best parts about living with the Scooba, the hardwood floor-cleaning cousing of the Roomba from iRobot, is discovering that you live like a hillbilly. This gray water comes from a test drive of a Scooba on my kitchen floor. But it's only a few days after the cleaning lady was here.

Still, it's sort of interesting to know how filthy your floor is. (Weirdly, founder Helen Greiner said seeing the water is one of her favorite things about it too.) The lint trap also pulls up some interesting crumbs and old bits of cereal. I'm still in the process of doing a full review, but thought I'd give you a foretaste. Given the early results, my guess is that recent dry-cleaning alternatives won't present much real competition.