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The Roombus Nest Home Is a Put-Me-Anywhere Tiny: Smart, Affordable and Very Tough

Whether on financial considerations or out of concern for the environment, more people are getting into alternative housing. It now includes anything from van conversions to floating houses, off-grid-capable tiny homes and RVs, prefabs, and container homes.
Roombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordable 17 photos
Photo: Roombus
Roombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordableRoombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordable
The Roombus Nest fits in just perfectly.

The Nest is a prefabricated home that will start deliveries later this year, courtesy of California-based startup Roombus. The goal is to deliver a versatile, highly customizable prefab house that is smart and sustainable but also very tough and affordable. The Nest is not a container home, and Roombus seems to go to great lengths to stress that on the official website.

On paper, the Nest is nothing short of perfect. A small house that is smart and elegant, affordable to get and to run, packed with everything you need and future-proof, and with a price tag that doesn’t make you cry yourself to sleep at night – what is there not to love? You’re probably anticipating this, but the fact that it doesn’t exist yet could be one thing.

Roombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordable
Photo: Roombus
The Nest was introduced in late 2021 and should have gone into production in February 2022, with the first units going out to reservation holders the following month. From what we can see on the Roombus social media channels, no one has yet taken delivery of a Nest unit, and the timeline has been tentatively pushed back to September when the first units will become available for viewing. Roombus has a showcase unit, the Mono, for viewing in Torrance, California, but they note that it’s not illustrative of the layout of the production model.

The official website remains as it was months ago, showing just renders of the Nest and no additional info, with the exception that the “buy” button has been deactivated due to high demand. If you want a Nest, you have to submit a request for an invitation and then wait patiently for it to come in the mail. Roombus explains the lack of updates by saying that their focus right now is on delivering the units to the early-bird backers and investors, and a new round of reservations will open soon.

On that positive note, a more thorough look at the Nest is a must because, as noted above, it sounds like the ideal tiny home on paper. Dubbed the “put-me-anywhere house,” the Nest has a rigid steel frame, premium insulation, and 4-layer glass, so the need to heat or cool it is reduced. The glass is “tough composite burglarproof layer,” and the Nest is earthquake-resistant, hurricane-proof, and fire-resistant. It’s the Chuck Norris of prefab homes.

The Nest will be offered in three sizes with different layouts: the Pico, which is the smallest and offers 240 square feet (22.3 square meters) of living space, the Nano, which is 336 square feet (31.2 square meters) and represents “the best use of 336 sq-ft in the history of 336 sq-ft!,” and the Solo, which is 480 square feet (44.6 square meters) and will have two options in regard to the position of the kitchen.

Roombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordable
Photo: Roombus
With the exception of the Pico, the models will have a living area, a kitchen with full-size appliances, a bathroom, and a bedroom. Roombus doesn’t rule out customizing the units, whichever model you choose, in terms of finishes and furnishes, adding a rooftop deck, and even stacking more units to create larger structures.

The highlight of the Nest is that it will be smart and, because of it, cheaper to run and more sustainable – healthier, too, because it will include air quality sensors and filters. Each unit will come with connectivity to the Roombus app, allowing full remote control over features; remote unlock, smart lights, smart climate control, powered windows, smart ceiling speakers, set the mood, multiple user profiles, guest access, and enhanced security will be done at the touch of a button.

“Made for Happiness. Committed to the environment,” Roombus says of the Nest. “People need healthy and happy spaces to live, work and play. We're helping people thrive through thoughtful human-centered design, precision engineering and IoT technology.”

Roombus Nest comes in three sizes and six different colors, is smart, tough and affordable
Photo: Roombus
There’s no denying that people need homes that are all these things, but how much exactly would a home that makes them happen cost? Prices for the smallest Nest unit start at $59,000, while the Nano starts at $69,000 and the Solo at $89,000. Another innovation on Roombus’ to-do list is the option to rent, as highlighted in the video below by vlogger Kerry Tarnow, at the 6.18-minute mark: it was deactivated with the “buy” option but was offered with prices starting at $550 a month.

If there’s one thing to take away from this presentation is that Roombus is one of those startups to keep an eye on. It might just be the next big thing on the prefab tiny home market, but it has to deliver on all these amazing promises.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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