Mopping robots
January 1, 2018 6:40 PM Subscribe
Do you have experience with mop robot products? Tell me.
We are happy with our Roomba and are thinking of getting a robot mop. We get that it won't replace mopping (as our Roomba doesn't fully replace manual vacuuming), but we have a black and white tile floor that looks filthy about 20 minutes after being mopped, so having an auto medium-good mop 3 days a week to augment weekly (or, let's be real, every 2-3 week) real mopping, it would make a big difference.
So do you have a robot mop, and if so, is it good enough to make an improvement?
FYI we're planning to buy second hand (have been happy with our second hand Roomba) so probably will be buying a slightly older model.
We are happy with our Roomba and are thinking of getting a robot mop. We get that it won't replace mopping (as our Roomba doesn't fully replace manual vacuuming), but we have a black and white tile floor that looks filthy about 20 minutes after being mopped, so having an auto medium-good mop 3 days a week to augment weekly (or, let's be real, every 2-3 week) real mopping, it would make a big difference.
So do you have a robot mop, and if so, is it good enough to make an improvement?
FYI we're planning to buy second hand (have been happy with our second hand Roomba) so probably will be buying a slightly older model.
I got the Mint awhile back, and I was not thrilled -- similar annoyances to those of thatone.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:17 PM on January 1, 2018
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:17 PM on January 1, 2018
We have the iRobot Braava as well and have had pretty much the same experience described by thatone, except we haven’t sold it yet.
posted by notyou at 7:19 PM on January 1, 2018
posted by notyou at 7:19 PM on January 1, 2018
I have a Braave Jet too, probably a 240 as well from the images. I have all the same complaints as thatone. This model is more like a toy than a useful object but I dunno maybe the more expensive or newer models work better. The concept is certainly great; if mine were even a little bit more effective I'd be a big fan, even with all the setup work it needs to get started.
posted by bleep at 7:20 PM on January 1, 2018
posted by bleep at 7:20 PM on January 1, 2018
Mint was fine, but no great shakes. Now that you mention it, tho, if I could have programmed it to only do the one room with a tile floor that would have been wise. It's much quieter than the Roomba. We had the attachment that made it map the room, but never used it. Current models may have thst built in...
If Anker makes this device and you can program it to do just that one room every day, I might find that worthwhile. We sold our Mint. Prolly should have kept it for the purpose you are asking about, it just never occurred to me!
posted by jbenben at 7:47 PM on January 1, 2018
If Anker makes this device and you can program it to do just that one room every day, I might find that worthwhile. We sold our Mint. Prolly should have kept it for the purpose you are asking about, it just never occurred to me!
posted by jbenben at 7:47 PM on January 1, 2018
I looked into this a while ago and eventually decided on a steam mop instead for my tile floors. The Bissell in the Wirecutter review is simple and very lightweight so is enough less painful/more effective than regular mopping that I do it more than I ever did regular mopping. I am all in favor of robotic household help- I love my Roomba- but to me the steam mop seems to be less hassle than keeping a only-semi-effective robot running regularly. YMMV, and don’t use it for anything other than sealed stone and (real, non-vinyl) tile but it has been a good compromise for me.
posted by charmedimsure at 7:58 PM on January 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by charmedimsure at 7:58 PM on January 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
I won a Mint in a raffle several years ago and it has served us well. It does require prep and some supervision, but I've been very pleased with it. I use it on the lineoleum floor in my kitchen and the floor definitely looks better afterward.
posted by mogget at 8:25 PM on January 1, 2018
posted by mogget at 8:25 PM on January 1, 2018
My parents have one of these. I opted for a cordless Hoover Floormaster. Bissell makes one too. It works a LOT better for a very minimal amount of extra work.
posted by fshgrl at 12:18 AM on January 2, 2018
posted by fshgrl at 12:18 AM on January 2, 2018
I loved my roomba and thought a scooba would be great. Nope. I have all tiles downstairs and while the gaps with grout aren't big, it really seemed to notice them and the thump thump thump drove me insane. I gave mine away and got a steam mop. So much quicker and so much quieter.
posted by kitten magic at 12:26 AM on January 2, 2018
posted by kitten magic at 12:26 AM on January 2, 2018
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Mint. It's very old, and has run almost every day for several years. I LOVE it. I am absolutely amazed at what it is able to clean, because it looks completely feeble as it mops, gently moving back and forth. And yet ... most stuff comes up. Like any robot, it's incomplete. But I've got a dog who tracks in mud, plus two cats, a kid, and a busy lifestyle on a lake, and it keeps my house quite clean. I could not live without it. (Okay, I could, but really, I don't want to.) It's mopping right now. It's almost silent, rarely gets stuck, and entertains the pets.
In the winter, when the mud comes in, I run it almost every day. In the summer, it's more like once a week. It can't be programmed, but that doesn't bother me, as it only takes 30 seconds to set up. You need to take the water container off the mop before charging it, so it doesn't drip and short. It also works for sweeping, and I definitely use it daily for that year round.
The only place it doesn't work is my living room which is poured concrete with really big troughs grooved in for decoration. The troughs are big enough that it thinks it's at an edge and won't cross them. This is an unusual flooring, however. My Mint (named Truman) doesn't fall off steps, get caught on rugs, etc. It's absolutely reliable.
I've also had excellent customer service from Roomba in supporting it. I replaced the battery once, buying it directly from Roomba (they gave me a discount), and that worked easily.
posted by Capri at 11:25 AM on January 2, 2018
In the winter, when the mud comes in, I run it almost every day. In the summer, it's more like once a week. It can't be programmed, but that doesn't bother me, as it only takes 30 seconds to set up. You need to take the water container off the mop before charging it, so it doesn't drip and short. It also works for sweeping, and I definitely use it daily for that year round.
The only place it doesn't work is my living room which is poured concrete with really big troughs grooved in for decoration. The troughs are big enough that it thinks it's at an edge and won't cross them. This is an unusual flooring, however. My Mint (named Truman) doesn't fall off steps, get caught on rugs, etc. It's absolutely reliable.
I've also had excellent customer service from Roomba in supporting it. I replaced the battery once, buying it directly from Roomba (they gave me a discount), and that worked easily.
posted by Capri at 11:25 AM on January 2, 2018
I love my Roomba and was delighted when I was given a Scooba a few years ago, but I don't use it often because it's just as easy to use a Wet Swiffer, which gets the floor comparably clean.
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:44 PM on January 3, 2018
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:44 PM on January 3, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
- It needs assistance every time before it starts (new cleaning pad, hot water, placement in the room) so it can't run on a schedule by itself. THIS IS THE BIGGIE.
- It doesn't apply pressure, so it doesn't actually scrub the floor. My floor never got particularly clean. It was more like a dusting. (And yes, I was using the most-intensive cycle on a not-very-dirty floor.)
- Stupid design means you have to install the battery every time you use it. (The battery goes into a wall charger.)
- It is slow, and I was using it in a very small room.
I found it annoying and sold it on craigslist. Good luck in your search for cleaner floors! :)
posted by thatone at 7:11 PM on January 1, 2018 [1 favorite]