Just weeks after announcing its restructuring and a new ownership deal with China-based manufacturer Picea, iRobot has announced the launch of a new compact robot vacuum and mop – the Roomba Mini Robot Vacuum and Mop and AutoEmpty Dock (Let's just go with the Roomba Mini from here). This small robot vacuum cleaner has now hit the UK and European markets, demonstrating that iRobot has renewed its focus on the core Roomba business amid its financial woes.
Measuring 9.64 in (24.5 cm) in diameter, iRobot boasts that the Roomba Mini has 70 times the suction power compared to the older 600 series, making it a great addition to any home struggling with dust and debris. It also features Carpet Boost technology, which allows it to detect carpet surfaces and increase its suction power to extract dirt that has ingrained itself in the fibers. The robovac can also clean wet surfaces using disposable lemony-scented mopping pads.
With its ClearView LiDAR system, the Roomba Mini can map a space in under 10 minutes. It will vacuum all mapped areas, and when it switches to mopping hard surfaces, it will automatically avoid rugs. So there's no need to move them unless you want the Roomba to clean under them.
Unlike premium models like the Roomba 505 series that effectively aim to clean the whole house with advanced dual-pad mopping, the Roomba Mini takes a more specialized approach. Since the robovac is quite small (roughly half the size of the Roomba 105), it can get into hard-to-reach areas where a full-size model like the Roomba Combo j7+ would turn back, such as tight spaces, narrow corners, and underneath beds and furniture.
The AutoEmpty Dock takes up 33% less floor space than the docks of other cleaning robots and empties its contents into an AllergenLock bag. And here's where the Roomba Mini further justifies its hands-off cleaning claim – the bag can seal away and hold dirt, debris, and grime for up to 90 days. That means the only time you have to replace the bag is once every three months.
You can control the robovac through the Roomba Home app, voice commands via Alexa, Google, and Siri, or you can just press buttons up top and watch it go. The app- and voice-based controls require a Wi-Fi connection, while the button does not. But the Roomba app is where the magic is, because it allows you to map up to three floors, set cleaning schedules around your needs, and even target specific rooms.
The Roomba Mini, which comes in pink, mint, white, and black, was originally meant for Japan, where homes are much smaller. iRobot launched it there in mid-February, and the black version sold out almost immediately. But the company quickly realized it can adapt well to different floor plans, making it ideal for European homes as well. It launched all four colors of the cleaning robot in Europe last week, with a price tag of £379 in the UK (around US$500, though iRobot has not announced any plans for availability in the US).
Source: iRobot
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