Customer Ratings & Reviews

My son has been coding and playing with this since it arrived last Friday. He already had exposure to scratch website and has beginner level understanding of block coding. While scratch helped him to get into the world of coding, I feel he is more interested in this one as it draws in real-life based on the code you provided. The robot itself looks well made. It has multiple sensors to make sure it doesn't fall off etc. It connects to a computer via bluetooth. There is whole library available at edu.irobot.com. It has information for all levels. So, there is a whole lot of stuff that you can program with this little guy. It also seems to have a feature where it can stick to a white board. I was not able to test this feature. I think this will be more useful in a school like setting. Overall, I think it is a good basic robot to get your kids interested in programming. In the virtual environment of today, it can be a fun family game/activity instead of computer/video game.

My kids love tinkering around with the latest gadgets and they like to build things with bricks and legos and if you throw in something you can build that turns into a robot, thats even better. I love iRobot products and I own the Roomba s9 and its an awesome product. This device allows the kids to build this device in different ways and then pair it with an app to combine all sorts of features to make it fun and interactive. I dont want my kids playing on iPads all day or video games and this takes them in a different direction plus it throws code learning in which is intuitive and a cool way to get your kids to embrace technology. Really cool device and I would highly recommend!

WOW! I am so impressed. Right out of the box I could tell this would be an awesome experience for my kids (and me). You will need to let it charge fully before using, but it does not take too long to charge. While it is charging you can download the APP to your iOS or Android device. Once it is charged you open the app and it begins looking for the iRobot. You get to name your device. From there you go through introductory tutorials on your device to learn the basics of getting started. These are super quick but I strongly recommend watching them. Now you are ready to begin coding. There are 3 levels of coding. Level one is super straightforward and for your true beginners or younger users. There are challenges that walk you through each step along the way so you get to see the iRobot in action. You drag and drop the images of what you want it to do (go straight, turn, blink lights, or play a beep for instance). You learn to edit those images along the way too. Level 2 you advance into building blocks and using a few words to code and make iRobot do what you want. Level 3 is you step up to full language coding. This is a must have for anyone. Learning to problem solve, think ahead, and if/then statements is a foundational skill everyone should have and this teaches it to you in a fun and engaging way. You can code the iRobot to write or draw images or letters. it even has magnets so you can attach it to a whiteboard on the wall and it will still work. AMAZING!!!!!

The iRobot Root rt0 coding robot is a great learning tool for a child who is interested in coding. Or perhaps never knew he or she was interested. The robot is very simple and easy to use, and the coding program offers multiple levels of programming complexity, starting with simple objects and moving up towards text. Using the app, connecting and controlling the robot was quick. You will, however, likely have to charge the robot up for a while before using. (Thankfully it uses the newer and sturdier USB-C rather than the Micro-USB.) The app is across platforms, but the bigger the screen, the better--it can be a little crowded and harder to read on a phone, and it was too easy to accidentally drag a command to the wrong place. The best thing about it early on is that with the app it was simple for my kids to try out a command and immediately see results. That low bar for entry into use is probably one of the best things about it--the ability to jump right in is a major plus. They were able to easily get it going, moving through patterns, playing music, etc. I personally like that the robot is functional looking and not made to anthropomorphic or made to look like a cutesy animal. Honestly, I think this broadens the appeal. Overall, going forward, this product has good growth potential for a child. They can get into easily, and after having mastered the simple object coding, they can move on to more complex ideas. I'd recommend this to anyone who had a child interested, or potentially interested, in coding.

My 9 yr old son got into coding this past year because he liked the Mario maker game and that exposed him to the creation aspect of it. He's since been doing online video game classes. Exposing him to a real device like this for him to try coding opened new possibilities he didn't know he could do. The Root bot is small and cute, but offers many possible ways for him to use it. He likes how easy the app is to drag and drop icons as opposed to writing everything out. It wasn't difficult for him to learn right out of the box. The app allows you to preview the functions before you send it to the bot which preserves battery and helps with trial and error. There are 3 levels of coding difficulty: icons, icon with print, and written code. He started making it move, bump into obstacles and go around them, and play happy birthday. When I mentioned he could make it write, he was blown away. We looked at the PDFs supplied by the iRobot site and had it write his name with the included green dry erase marker on the included whiteboard. Surprising how long it takes to get the bot to do something as simple as writing letters. A completely different approach to coding when you see the results put to real world use instead of on a screen.

I picked up this unit for my 11-year-old daughter who is a big fan of STEM-related education and activities. She's already built a number of kit-based robots including a Lego-based one that solves a Rubik's cube puzzle. So this seemed like a good buy. This robot operates based on coding commands through the iRobot Coding App. Because my daughter is more advanced than most when it comes to coding, we opted to use the highest level language which is full-text coding but the app supports a more basic graphic block-based coding approach as well (actually it supports 3 different levels of coding language). I like the options, especially if you're dealing with a first time coder. It's important to build up your comfort level and that's a nice way to do it. I also like the flexibility of being able to add the Root Brick top accessory that allows you to customize the look of the robot using building blocks. It's a fun way to customize the robot.

I received the Root at no cost for an honest review. After letting my elementary school child mess with it for a few days and watching him figure it out on his own, I have to say, I am quite pleased. Having zero prior knowledge before receiving it, the app makes learning coding very intuitive. It starts you off with instructive buttons that act as commands, sort of like puzzle pieces you place in sequence. As you progress through the program, you begin to see more complex algorithms, but they make sense because of the foundational knowledge you just learned. I was also surprised that the Root produces sounds as well as lights. These sounds can be manipulated to any tone on a scale, and you can even make music with the option of different types of notes (quarter note, half note, etc). Additionally, the marker feature is cool, and the root can draw stuff on an white board that is included in the package. When root is moving and not using the marker, it will raise the holder so the marker is not dragging. Overall, I think that root is good not only for children, but also for adults with zero experience. It made learning coding fun, and with the broad range of activities on the app, you are bound to find one you really like. Lastly, even though you're learning, it feels like a game, which makes it even more appealing to kids who like tablet games. Highly recommended.

My son loved the iRobot - Root®. As soon as it was in his hands, he took it our of the box and had it up and running in no-time. He absolutely loved it. The setup was just like any other similar device: download the app, follow the steps, and you are ready to go. It comes with a dry-erase marker, eraser cloth, and a foldable whiteboard for your child to draw on. One place where we did have some issue on was having the marker stay in place in the robot. It keeps popping back out, so we just used a slim dry-erase marker. This is a simple "coding" robot, so it will definitely be great for younger aged children. The robot sings, has a nice looking color display, and it says its name in robot language haha. My son loves the ability to draw things using this robot. He has really been enjoying it. Aside from the issue with the dry-erase marker, this iRobot - Root® robot would make a nice gift for the coming holiday season.

My daughter loves loves loves this robot. She is 7 and has loved making it draw fun shapes. It works great and only takes a little bit to get the hang of it. BUT, I wish the online educational tools were more organized, and instructions were downloaded on the first page.

I'm a huge proponent of robotics and programming curriculum for kids. My kids are going through the FIRST series of programs where they were exposed to LEGO robotics and my oldest is now starting into actually constructing robots in the FIRST Tech Challenge. To bolster my youngest's interest in programming and robotics, I decided to give the Root RT0 a try. In the box, you get the Root RT0 robot, a USB-C to USB-A charging cord, a dry-erase marker, a fold out dry-erase mat, some reusable static cling stickers, and a micro fiber erasing towel. There is also a legal/safety guide and a really basic user's manual that has 8 frames of illustrations, and a handful of words like an IKEA assembly guide. I was a little disappointed there is no charging block included and surprised that it took such a long time to charge with my 15 Watt charger. On the bottom of the robot there are two wheels. The front has two bump sensors. And the top has the remaining sensors like 4 touch sensor pads, light sensors, and gyroscopic sensors as well as various lights. In the center, there is a hole to insert an uncapped dry-erase marker. I tested the robot with standard Expo markers and they worked just fine. Also on the top are 10 magnetic dots to accommodate certain accessories. One of the accessories I'm interested in is the LEGO compatible brick plate so you can build LEGO creations that go on top of the Root RT0 robot. I was disappointed to learn that I selected the wrong robot. I should have gotten the Root RT1. The RT1 has an eraser pad, magnets on the bottom to draw on magnetic white boards (even vertically), a color sensor and has a white top instead of a clear top to enable further dry-erase marker decorating. The associated app can be easily found in the App Store or Google Play. Connecting the Root robot is straightforward and handled within the app. That means, you don't need to go into your Bluetooth settings to pair the robot to your phone. Within the app, you have the option of going to several tutorials or jumping into a program. However, there are several tutorials that require an enrollment into a premium program that costs $5/month. I really don't like paying a subscription fee for tutorials. There are several programming functions that had me scratching my head as I started learning the interface with my kids. After a little investigating, I realized the differences between the RT0 and RT1 robots. My kids suggested that the app should eliminate those functions and tutorials when its connected to an RT0 robot. I really like the different programming interfaces. The first level is a drag and drop programming interface that keeps things very linear. The second level is more like the Scratch programming language, it is also a drag and drop programming interface, but allows greater control and provides a deeper concept of functions. Finally the third level is actual text coding which provides much greater control. As a child progresses from one level to the next, they can flip between the levels to see how each level handles the same command. So if you've programmed something in Level 2, you can instantly flip to Level 3 to see how the code handles the same actions. While you can use the app on a phone, I highly recommend using a tablet to program the Root robot with. And while you can use a laptop, make sure it's one with a touch screen to make it more intuitive for younger learners. After going over the basics, my kids played with it for a couple hours on their own. They got it to draw shapes, write out words, programmed the sensors as triggers for actions, got it to play music and flash lights. In the near future, I will be going over the concept of loops so that they can draw repeating patterns like flowers or using the Root robot to make Spirograph-like drawings. But be aware that the Root robot's wheels and underbody may smudge dry-erase drawings as it passes over recently drawn lines. In the end, I would recommend other parents go for the Root RT1 robot instead. It has more sensors which allows you to do more things. It would then cause the included stickers to make a little more sense with the overall kit. I would also recommend that iRobot include the brick plate in with each robot kit. It unlocks a better play experience for any kids with some LEGO bricks. I also would recommend that iRobot re-think the premium tutorials subscription model. If they really want to encourage adoption of this robot as a learning tool, they should make it free.