A Roomba with mop? Not exactly.
Braava is the equivalent of the Roomba for mopping.
Let’s see in this quick guide all the information
you need to choose
the best Braava for you in 2023.
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Roomba with mop or Braava series
There are many options of robot vacuums with mopping capabilities, however, iRobot (the company behind the Roomba vacuum cleaners) has chosen to create a dedicated robot for mopping. The company promotes bundles of the Roomba and Braava robots to offer a complete solution for your vacuum and mopping needs.
Let’s see the main features of the Braava series and their pros and cons to determine which is the best option for you.
Braava jet 200 series
The Braava jet 240 Robot Mop is the on-budget alternative of the Braava robot mops. It has an affordable price, however, it doesn’t have advanced features such as smart navigation or a Smartphone App to control it. Moreover, it is not suitable for large spaces. It is most ideal to keep clean kitchens and bathrooms or small apartments.
The compact design allows it to maneuver very well in small places and to mop in hard-to-reach-places. In addition, It has three different clean modes; wet, dump, and dry to adapt to different circumstances.
Operating it is very easy. It is just to fill the water tank, put the correct pad according to the clean mode, and push the “clean” bouton.
On the other hand, since there is no possibility to schedule this robot mop and does not have a dock station, you’ll need to handle and take care of it more than a robot vacuum. Certainly, you’ll need to place it at the start point and in the end, take the battery out to charge it and store the robot.
Features of the Braava 200 series
Understanding the features and the functionalities of the Roomba with mop, or Braava Robots mop, is very important. Certainly, it will allow you to realize the differences between the various series and determine which is the better option for you.
Jet Spray
The main feature of the 200 series is the Jet Spray. As the Roomba with mop robot mop advances in its cleaning cycle, it throws a jet of water to loosen dirt and stains without spraying furniture, rugs, or walls.
Vibrating clean head
Another nice feature is the vibrating cleaning head, which in conjunction with the water jet, attacks dirt and stains for better cleaning.
Cleaning modes
The 200 Series uses three different types of pads (identified by different colors) according to the desired cleaning mode. There is no need to set up the robot. It automatically detects which pad is installed and sets the appropriate cleaning mode.
iRobot offers for the Braava 200 series single-use pads and washable ones (microfiber). Whatever option you use, keep in mind that you must buy them regularly which increases the cost of operation of this Robot Mop.
Wet mopping:
Triple-pass coverage is similar to how you would mop yourself. The Roomba with mop robot mop moves forward a short distance to one side, backs up slightly, moves forward again, then drives to the other side, alternating as it cleans the area. This is the ideal mode to deal with stains, but it uses water and battery the most. It can clean up to 200 square feet.
Damp sweeping:
The Roomba with mop robot advances a short distance, then backs up in a straight line, continuing this back and forth pattern as it cleans the area, resulting in a gentle but thorough cleaning. Using this cleaning mode, the robot mop uses less water and it can clean a bigger area. Up to 250 square feet.
Dry sweeping:
The Roomba with mop robot swiftly moves forward in a straight line for single-pass coverage, sweeping without using any water. In this mode, it can also clean up to 250 square feet of the area.
At this point, maybe you’re wondering if the dry sweeping clean mode can replace a robot vacuum (link). If you only need to clean light dirt and do not have carpets, maybe it can replace it. A robot vacuum is much better to deal with heavy dirt and debris. Besides, the Braava throws more dust into the air which can affect people with allergies.
Navigation
The 200 series doesn’t have advanced smart navigation. It means it doesn’t map the surroundings. Instead, it follows a pattern to cover the area at each cleaning cycle.
The Roomba with mop robot starts to clean as far as it can to the right until it encounters a wall or other barrier. If the Braava robot mop finds edges, chair legs, and other obstacles, it will clean around them and then return to its original path and resume cleaning.
It will continue to the area in front and to the right of where it started. It will stop cleaning and will return to where it started when the cleaning job is done.
Virtual wall mode
It is possible to create an invisible barrier (Virtual Wall) to prevent the robot from cleaning part of a room or a different floor type.
To activate Virtual Wall Mode, place the robot vacuum at the start point and press and hold the CLEAN button.
Pros and Cons of the Roomba with mop Braava 200 series
The main advantage of this series is the price, the most affordable of the Roomba products. This is an important factor because Roomba with mop robot vacuums are not cheap. However, you don’t get the most advanced features and technologies of the brand present in the other, more advanced series.
- Compact design, perfect to reach hard places and manoeuvre in thigh spaces.
- Easy to operate. Just one button to start the cleaning cycle.
- Affordable.
- Virtual walls mode to create an invisible barrier.
- Small coverage area.
- You need to replace the cleaning pad often, which means more maintenance and cost.
- No charging stations. You’ll need to remove the battery to charge it.
- It is not possible to control it with a smartphone app.
- Maps and virtual barriers are deleted after each cleaning.
The 200 series is the
best Roomba with mop Braava for you in 2023 if:
- You want to have more time and make less effort to keep your floors well mopped and clean.
- You want a robot specialized for mopping and get clean every day in your kitchen and bathrooms.
- It is your first experience with a robot mop.
- You trust in the creators of Roomba vacuum cleaners and you want the affordable option of the robot mop Braava models.
- You live in a small apartment.
- You want to do regular maintenance sweeping or mopping between more deep-cleans.
Braava 300 series:
The Braava 380t Robot Mop is the next step in the Braava models. It is more expensive than the Braava jet 240 Robot Mop but you get more coverage and more run time, which makes it suitable for large spaces (the 200 series is appropriate only for small spaces).
The navigation is also different. The Roomba with mop Brava 300 series needs the help of an accessory called “NorthStar Navigation Cube” that you place somewhere in the room you want to clean. The cube will give the Robot Mop a point of reference for navigation so that it can find its way around the room and complete the cleaning cycle. To clean more than one room, you’ll need more than one NorthStar, and the extras are sold separately (link).
Like the 200 series, the 300 series don’t have advanced features such as smart navigation (mapping the surroundings and record them) or a Smartphone App. It means there is no schedule option and you need to place it at the start point. At the end of the cleaning cycle, you’ll also need to return the robot mop to the dock station to recharge.
To get the more advanced options, you’ll need to upgrade to the Braava m series which is significantly more expensive.
Features of the Roomba with mop Braava 300 series
Cleaning modes
The 300 series has two cleaning modes, sweep (dry) and mop (wet)
Sweep mode:
In this mode, the Roomba with mop Braava 300 series uses the Multi-Purpose Cleaning Pad. This is a magnetic cleaning pad that attaches to the bottom of the robot and holds the dry-cleaning cloth (white color) used for dry sweeping.
Mop mode:
In this mode, Roomba with mop Braava 300 uses the Pro-Cleaner Cleaning Pad. it also magnetically attaches to the bottom of the Braava and holds the wet cleaning cloth (blue color). This cleaning pad has a small built-in reservoir tank that contains the water used for moping.
Cleaning cloths:
The Roomba with mop Braava 300 series can use disposable cloths. It is compatible with most disposable dry and pre-moistened cleaning cloths in the market, but the better option is to use Braava microfiber cloths that can be rewashed and reused. White cloths are for dry sweeping and blue textured cloths are for mopping.
Navigation
Roomba with mop Braava 300 series cleans your home in sections, first cleaning areas to its right and later returning to areas to its left.
In dry sweep mode, it moves ahead in a straight line, then cleans back and forth in parallel lines. It is ideal for picking up dust, dirt and hair.
In wet mop mode, it uses a special back-and-forth action, similar to the 200 series. It moves forward a short distance to one side, backs up slightly then moves to the other side, alternating to the left and right as it progresses forward.
This mopping action helps dissolve and pick up the deeper dirt and grime on your floors. Braava 300 series automatically adjusts to a smaller cleaning area in Mop mode to optimize cleaning while the cloth is wet. When finished, Braava returns to where it started and self parks.
If it encounters chair legs, furniture, and other obstacles, it cleans around them and continues its cleaning pattern. it also detects area rugs and raised transitions to the carpet so it can avoid driving onto them.
North Star cube Navigation
The Cube acts as a beacon, emitting a signal that guides the robot’s cleaning. It acts also as a reference to the maximum cleaning range. As Braava 300 series gets to the edge of its range (such as going out of the room or far from the NorthStar Navigation Cube) it may drive back toward the NorthStar Navigation Cube to confirm its position before continuing. The Robot mop builds a new map each time it starts a new cleaning cycle but retains its map if paused during the cleaning cycle.
Roomba with mop Braava 300 series can still clean without a NorthStar cube present, however, the cleaning area will be much smaller, and it will not be able to perform edge cleaning in each section. Once Braava has completed its run, you can move the Cube to clean a different part of your home.
Using Braava with multiple Cubes:
You can use multiple North Star cubes (sold separately) to expand how far Braava cleans in a single run. Just place the extra Cubes in rooms or areas next to the area covered by the first Cube. The Cubes should typically be between 20 and 25 feet from each other for the NorthStar coverage to overlap. Braava will automatically clean from one Cube to another.
Pros and Cons of the Roomba with mop Braava 300 series
The main advantage of this series is the price, the most affordable of the Roomba products. This is an important factor because robot vacuums are not cheap. However, you don’t get the most advanced features and technologies of the brand present in the other, more advanced series.
- Quiet.
- Easy operation.
- Suitable for large spaces.
- Washable microfibre pads. You can reuse them to reduce operating costs.
- Sometimes it can take a while to connect with the cube navigation.
- Control and scheduling options are not available.
- It doesn’t return to the dock station when the battery is low.
The 300 series is the
best Roomba with mop Braava for you in 2023 if:
- You want to have more time and make less effort to keep large spaces well mopped and clean.
- You want an affordable option from the creators of the Roomba to mop large spaces
- You want to do a regular sweeping or mopping maintenance between more deep-cleans of large spaces.
Braava m series:
The Braava jet M6 Robot Mop is the premium option from the Braava models. It is also the most expensive, but you get the following nice features you don’t find in the other Braava models:
- Schedule options: With the iRobot HOME app you can order to start to clean from anywhere, customize cleaning preferences, see in a map where you robot mop has cleaned, and order it to clean specifics rooms
- It is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home to control the robot mop with voice commands
- Advanced smart Navigation: The Braava m series can map its surroundings, record them and adapt to your home
- It is compatible with virtual wall barriers
- It is suitable to clean multiple rooms
- The Braava m series returns to the docking station to recharge and once done, resumes the cleaning cycle to finish the job.
- It can communicate with the Roomba i and s series. When the Roomba finishes, it sends the order to the Braava m series to start mopping.
As you can see, you get a lot for your money. Additionally, the m series is the Robot mop that needs less attention and is more autonomous, so it takes less effort and time on your part for the moping job.
Features of the Roomba with mop Braava m series
Jet Spray
Precision Jet Spray loosens dirt and sticky messes without spraying furniture, rugs, or walls.
Cleaning modes
The m series has two cleaning modes, sweep (dry) and mop (wet). Just attach the right cleaning pad (dry or wet) and the robot automatically selects the cleaning method (video)
The Roomba with mop Braava m series moves methodically across the floor, with some overlap from one pass to the next, like the others Braava series, to ensure that every spot on the floor is cleaned at least three times. If you want a quick clean or a deeper clean than this default setting, or if you want to adjust the amount of water sprayed, you can change your cleaning preferences from the iRobot HOME App.
vSLAM® technology
It uses an optical sensor to create a detailed map of its surroundings that allows the Roomba with mop Braava m series to navigate according to the layout of the room and the obstacles that it finds on its way. With this technology, it is also possible to configure “Keep-out zones” for better control.
Imprint® smart technology
The robot mop learns your floorplan and adapts to your home, using the vSlam Technolgy. Once the robot has learned your home layout (after a few cycles) and you have labelled your rooms, you can choose which rooms to clean (or the entire floor) and when with the iRobot HOME app. You can configure also Keep Out Zones to control areas that you want the robot mop to avoid.
Imprint® Link Technology
It allows Roomba i7+ and Roomba s9+ to communicate with Braava jet m6 robots to automatically clean in sequence – vacuuming and then mopping.
Pros and Cons of the Roomba with mop m series
The main advantage of this series is the price, the most affordable of the Roomba products. This is an important factor because robot vacuums are not cheap. However, you don’t get the most advanced features and technologies of the brand present in the other, more advanced series.
- Quiet
- It returns to the docking station to recharge and after it resumes the cleaning job
- Suitable for large spaces and multiple rooms
- Imprint link technology: it can clean in sequence with the Roomba vacuum cleaners i7 and s9
- Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home assistants
- Expensive
- Needs to replace the cleaning cloths often, which means more maintenance and cost
- Washable pads are expensive
- In some situations, it is not able to clean deep stains
The m series is the
best Roomba with mop Braava for you in 2023 if:
- You want to have more time and have an effortless solution to keep your floors well mopped and clean
- You want to control and schedule your robot mop with a smartphone app or with voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
- To use in combination with the i and s series using the imprint link technology for a complete vacuum plus moping solution
- You want the option, from the creators of the Roomba, to mop and get clean an entire level or multiple rooms of your home.
- You want to do a regular sweeping or mopping maintenance between more deep-cleans of large spaces and multiple rooms.
Compare the Roomba with mop Braava series models
| Braava jet 240 | Braava 380t | Braava jet m6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
|
| Braava Essentials | |||
Run time  | 180 min | 150 min | Recharges and resume |
| Water Tank Capacity | 150 ml | 120 ml | 450 ml |
| Sweeping coverage | 200 sq ft / 18.5 m2 | 1000 sq ft / 92 m2 | Multiple Rooms |
| Mooping coverage | 150 sq ft / 14 m2 | 350 sq ft / 32.5 m2 | Multiple Rooms |
| Ideal areas to clean | Kitchens and bathrooms | Large spaces | Multiple Rooms and large spaces |
 Advanced Features | |||
| Precision Jet Spray |  |  | |
| Auto-return Charging | | | |
| Smartphone App | | | |
| Scheduling by time | | | |
| Scheduling by room | | | |
| Amazon Alexa Google Home | | | |
| Anti-drop & anti-collision sensors | | | |
| Clean Map™ Reports | | | |
| V-Slam Technologie: Cleans an Entire Level | | | |
| Imprint® Smart Mapping | | | |
| Imprint® Link Technology | | | |
| | |
|
| Braava jet 240 | Braava 380t | Braava jet m6 |
Do you want to explore the options for Roomba vacuum cleaners? Check our guide: Best Roomba for you in 2023
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Disclaimer: Roomba and the Roomba logo are trademarks of iRobot Inc. or its group companies.
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