Vroom has two meanings in my life as a mom:
- H often says, "vroom" or a version of it, when he's playing with his cars and trucks, particularly when he lines them up in order, bumper to bumper, on the tv stand in the living room.
- I no longer have to touch the dry, wet, or somewhere-in-between (most of it falls into this category) toddler leftovers that wind up in H's seat, on the floor beneath his seat, in his stroller, or anywhere else within a 20 foot radius of my Vroom vacuum.
As a member of Mommies Clique, I was recently given the opportunity to try the Vroom Solo out in my home.
H-P Products, the maker of the Vroom, has a long history of making vacuums, and also has a version of the Vroom available for use with central vacuum systems at $199.
I installed the Solo under my kitchen sink. It only took about 15 minutes and most of my stuff fit back in on top of and around it. The Vroom even includes a small piece of lining to make it easier to use its surface as a shelf. The instructions say NOT to use the outlet that is associated with your garbage disposal, but that was my only choice without rewiring, so I unplugged the disposal and flipped the switch. And vroom, Vroom. My first test of the Vroom convinced me to relocate our family's (read: my toddler's) eating location to take advantage of the Vroom's capabilities. Some highlights:
- This is a STRONG vacuum. It was able to "unstick" food items from the table and the floor and H's seat. I did love the strength for the most part. My only challenge was that with all of its sucking power, it actually sucked on to my son's seat, making it a little harder to get the actual garbage out of his seat. It is also very LOUD, which I assume is directly related to its strength, not a huge inconvenience, but I definitely don't receommend using it during nap time.
- The hose has a 24 foot radius. This was great. I was able to clean around my entire island, up to the edges of the kitchen, and on the counter tops themselves with ease. The hose was a bit tight with the first several uses, but did loosen up over time.
- It turns on and off withOUT the push of a button, and the hose retracts easily. You can just pull the end of the hose out of its holder to turn it on, and put it back in to turn it off. The holder does need to be in the right position for the auto on/off to work...I think this is a safety feature, and is accomplished with a flick of the wrist as you take the hose in and out.
- Vroom comes with simple instructions for installation, with the suggestion that you actually mount it into your cabinet. Because I wasn't sure of the best place for it in our house (and now, we're actually planning a move), I didn't do any of the mounting and it still worked like a charm.
I would recommend the Vroom to friends with children and friends who spend a lot of time and effort in the kitchen with or without children. It is not a cheap product, but I think it makes a lot of sense for people who spend a lot of time making a lot of mess in the kitchen (or other targeted area(s) in your home). I could also see the Vroom being hugely helpful to people with crafting rooms or areas.
Go to the Vroom web site to see a video of the Vroom in action and to register to win your own Vroom!
