Review of iRobot Roomba s9 + and Braava jet m6 cleaning robots: pair skating

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One robot is good, and two is better. Especially if it's a couple of iRobot Roomba s9 + robotic vacuum cleaners and Braava jet m6 robots,

who understand each other without words. Have robotic vacuum cleaners really learned how to communicate and interact? How effective is such a tandem? What kind of animals are they in the end? We will understand in today's pair review.

What is it?

iRobot Roomba s9 + is the flagship robot vacuum cleaneriRobot company. Designed for dry cleaning. This is the heir to the Roomba i7 + model that we already wrote about. It also has a docking station for dumping garbage.

iRobot Braava jet m6 is the most correct namerobotic mop. This device can perform both dry and wet cleaning, but does not suck in debris like a vacuum cleaner, but wipes surfaces like a mop. In its series, it is also the most top-end and fresh device at the moment in the iRobot line of floor polishers.

What are they interesting for?

Mind and quick wits. More specifically, the ability not only to clean well, but also to do it together with the help of Imprint Link technology. And at the same time managed through a cloud service and a mobile application with support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT.

Also interesting are the updates in s9 + compared to i7 + (not just the processor frequency was increased there, I hope) and the implementation of wet cleaning in m6.

What is in the box?

More precisely, “in the boxes”, because we are considering two devices at once. I’ll clarify right away that I got presales, and in future deliveries they may differ slightly.

In a large box - Roomba s9 +. There is a vacuum cleaner itself, a Clean Base docking station, a garbage bag for the station, a spare filter, a spare side brush, a power cord, brief and detailed paper instructions, a warranty card.

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Robot Vacuum Cleaner iRobot Roomba s9 +

The docking station is similar to the one that comes withRoomba i7 +. This is a special feature of the model: a heavy and stable tower 49 cm high, inside which is located a bag for collecting garbage. The impressive weight gives the station stability, which further simplifies parking the vacuum cleaner.

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A special feature of Roomba trim levels with a plus sign: a large dust collector station

Box Braava m6 almost four times smalleraffected by the lack of a large docking station. But, of course, there is a small station, as well as the robot itself and a set of textile consumables. Among the latter - rags for wet and dry cleaning. In addition, there is a set of disposable napkins for each type of cleaning, they can be purchased separately. There is also a small bottle of detergent for wet cleaning. Power cable, manual, warranty.

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Our test equipment Braava jet m6

The docking station consists of a stand (justplastic panel) and the main module with a power connector and a parking sensor. Relative lightness and compactness have a minus: the robot can touch and shift the station in the process of work, because of which it will park longer. Like an ordinary robot, in general.

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IRobot Braava jet m6 Docking Station

Rags and napkins are marked: different arrangement of slots on the mounting panel. Thanks to this, the robot determines which rag is currently installed and on the basis of this decides on the type of cleaning. Additional removable panels with rags and napkins can be purchased in the company online store.

What does it look like?

Robotic. At first glance, all devices of this class are similar to each other, but it’s worth a closer look and a lot of nuances appear.

Let's start with Roomba s9 +. The vacuum cleaner has evolved markedly compared to its ancestor i7 +. The round shape has turned into a D-shape, this improves the contact of the device with the walls, simplifying cleaning along the baseboards. When moving, a flat part of the body looks forward, it is also a soft touch bumper. Dimensions 32x31x9 cm.

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iRobot Roomba s9 +: top view

The dust cover is round, golden in color,opens up when you press the side button, resembles a CD player. The main color of the case is traditionally black, both at the robot itself and at the station. Around the perimeter of the lid is a ring of LEDs that, with their blinking and changing colors, indicate the status of the device. In the center of the front part there is a “periscope” for orientation on the ground.

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From the controls on the top panelThere are three round buttons. Big Clean for starting cleaning and two small ones for spot cleaning and returning to the base. Given the functionality of the mobile application (let's talk about it later), this is enough.

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There are only three control buttons on the body of the robot cleaner

There are also changes below. The side brush (this black propeller in the upper left corner) has become smaller, it now has five “blades” instead of three in i7 +. The brush itself is offset very close to the edge of the vacuum cleaner body for better cleaning in the corners.

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Arrangement of elements on the bottom panel of Roomba s9 +

The design of the main brushes has also changed; theybecame longer compared to brushes in i7 + and moved from the center of the device closer to a flat edge. This even purely geometrical allows you to increase the active area of cleaning, but the brushes between the models are incompatible. However, it is unlikely that someone will need to use old brushes on a new vacuum cleaner, unless they were purchased for the future. Let me remind you that these are not ordinary brushes with protruding bristles, but rollers with a soft rubberized surface.

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The brushes are quite soft, they do not damage the delicate flooring, but do not like solid objects

The wheels are similar to the previous ones in Roomba i7 +, and the charging contacts are located closer to the center, near the Automatic Dirt Disposal hole, through which the vacuum cleaner dumps the collected garbage to the base.

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Port for dumping garbage from the inner container to the dock

On the sides, nothing interesting appeared. There are air vents on the rounded rear.

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This is what Roomba s9 + robot vacuum cleaner looks like from all sides

So, let's move on to Braava m6. The first thing that catches your eye is white. Like black, of course, it is universal and suitable for everything, but it is difficult to say that both devices under consideration are decorated in the same style. Rather, they are like yin and yang, you can not confuse.

The shape is square with rounded corners, optimized for cleaning along walls. This square is relatively small: 27x25x9 cm.

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Of the controls - the same three buttons.

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To start cleaning, click on the Clean button. Do not confuse?

A round lid in the center allows access not to the dust collector (it is not there), but to a removable water container.

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The front is a spring-loaded soft-touch bumper. In the center is the hole of the water spray.

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There are no brushes on the underside. Replaceable rags or napkins are installed in the guide rails with their plastic panels. Between the runners on the case is a sensor that recognizes the type of panel used. At the corners of the front side are oblong sensors for determining the height difference. During operation, the base vibrates with the napkin and due to the special design of the nap in the wet napkin (a mixture of hard and soft hair), difficult spots are cleaned.

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Braava jet m6: bottom view. Charging contacts are visible at the top of the photo.

What can they do?

Carry out a comprehensive cleaning of the roomin several ways. But let's start in order. After unpacking, we connect the docking stations of both devices to the mains, put the robots on charge (the minimum takes 20 minutes, full - about two hours) and download the mobile application. You can do without it, starting the work by pressing the large Clean button, but this is boring, because any budgetary robot vacuum cleaner can do it.

So we’ll download the application,iOS and Android are supported. After installing, choosing a country and agreeing with the licensing conditions, we create an account in the iRobot cloud service or enter the data of an existing one, if you already have one. Thanks to this, the control of robots will be available from anywhere in the world where there is Internet. Next in the application you need to add our robots. In the process, you will need to specify a password for the Wi-Fi access point so that the robot can connect to the network, as well as physically initialize the device by simultaneously pressing the Home and Spot buttons on the case. The whole procedure occurs with detailed step-by-step prompts of the application, it will be difficult to make a mistake.

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IRobot Setup Wizard illustrates the process with fun animations

Robots work without problems like with networks2.4 GHz band and 5 GHz band. In addition, the application uses Bluetooth on the smartphone, supposedly to more accurately determine the position. After completing the setup, the robot reports in human language: "Your robot is fully configured." Yes, yes, there is a speaker in it, and the robot takes the communication language from the settings of the mobile application (there is Russian, there is no Ukrainian yet).

Roomba does not require any special preparations before the first launch, in addition to installing a trash bag in the dock.

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Docking station with garbage container allows you to forget about cleaning the built-in vacuum cleaner container

But Braava needs to fill the tank with waterand installing an appropriate rag or cloth. You can do without filling the tank with water if dry cleaning is expected. By the way, the rough definition of "rag" is least suitable for dry cleaning panels. This is such a piece of faux fur, soft and pleasant to the touch. Panel for wet cleaning harder.

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Reusable cleaning panels for Braava jet m6: left for wet cleaning, right for dry

So, the devices are prepared, the applicationinstalled, robots added. You can immediately send them into battle, or you can train them first. By training we mean a test "trip" during which the robot will make a map of the room. This card can be viewed in the application, give it a name, split into rooms, configure restricted areas. By the way, in the kits there are no “virtual walls” familiar from past models. Previously, to protect the cat food bowl from the robot vacuum cleaner, it was necessary to install a special beacon device that creates a virtual wall for the robot. Now it’s even easier: the boundaries of the forbidden areas can be set on the map in the application. It is very convenient. Paranoids were also taken care of, the function of creating cards can be turned off in the "Confidentiality of cards" section.

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Configuring restricted areas in the application is much more convenient than buying and installing hardware virtual walls

The application will help and introduce robots to each other for further collaboration.

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Roomba, meet this Braava!

We return to the robots and start training. There are several points to note. Firstly, despite the fact that both devices under study can work in conjunction, they should not be forced to run simultaneously in the same room. This will lead to incorrect construction of maps (in addition, Roomba is afraid of water, because it is a robot for dry cleaning) and the manufacturer clearly indicates this. Secondly, I dreamed that two robots make a map of the room twice as fast. Alas, nothing like that. Shared cards are not provided. Both Roomba and Braava are trained independently. Of course, they need separate instructions, because the same restricted areas may differ. If nobody should touch the cat bowl, then the carpet in the living room can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner and it is pointless to wash with a mop. But nevertheless, both robots could comprehend the configuration of the room itself. One training or work session is not enough to map. A map is created, but the system shows that this map has not been fully studied, but by a certain percentage. For a complete study, you need several drives.

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One of the operating modes of LED indicators. Stylish. The color of the display also changes and matters: when you return to the base, blue, with an error, red

Let me remind you that we are running the training mode ononce, sequentially, on each of the robots. Or do not drive away, let them learn in the process. In this case, we remove everything superfluous from the floor, open the mobile application, select Roomba and press the large Clean button. Here it is also possible to indicate that after cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, you should also perform cleaning with a mop performed by Braava. Moreover, if we already have 100% studied maps divided into rooms, then we can give exact instructions to whom to clean in which room.

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Opposite each card, the percentage of its development by the robot is displayed.

Go! Rumba vigorously sets off, collecting dust and small debris. A thick carpet with a long pile lying on the floor climbs without problems. Moreover, it clearly determines that the carpet needs more attention than parquet and vacuums it especially carefully. He also cleans the corners of the room with special pedantry. The flat surface of the front allows you to get close to the walls and cabinets. The robot is noisy, but not like a regular vacuum cleaner. The classic roar of a turbine on takeoff is heard only when Roomba is standing on the base and cleans the dust bag. This takes a few seconds and the volume may exceed 60 dB. And during cleaning - no more than 50 dB in the immediate vicinity of the device. In the application settings, you can select the reduced power mode for night cleaning, however, the robot will not be able to completely hide its work in a quiet night house, it's still a vacuum cleaner.

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There are few settings in the iRobot application

You need to understand that robotic vacuum cleaners are a priorituned not so much to speed as to thorough cleaning. There are special algorithms for this. For example, the proprietary Dirt Detect system detects particularly dirty areas (they are marked with dark green dots on the map) and the robot makes an additional pass through them. If there is a lot of work, then by the time of direct cleaning, you should also add charging. When discharged, the device will automatically go home to the station and after recharging will continue to work from the place where it stopped. Moreover, a smart approach is used here: thanks to smart charging technology, the device is charged exactly enough to last until the end of cleaning, and not necessarily to 100%. A full charge of Roomba s9 + lasts about two hours of continuous operation. Braava is almost as hardy (a “female mop” after all, feminine?), Although autonomy also depends on the selected cleaning parameters. The plus sign in the name of the Roomba s9 + model, as in previous versions, indicates the presence of a dust collector station, and this is still very cool. The dust tank inside the vacuum cleaner is small, cleaning it every time is too lazy. Knowing this, Rumba dumps (or rather, blows out) the garbage into the drive at the station, and then continues to work. It is assumed that the bag is enough for 30 such discharges, but during testing I failed to fill it to the brim.

Let's get back to our cleaning. Roomba finishes his party and returns to base. Immediately after that, Braava takes over. She is in no hurry to immediately wash the floor, walking first in dry mode. In general, I got the impression that these two robots have completely different characters. Roomba is faster, Braava is more thorough. However, visually the speed when moving is about the same. Robots accelerate in the studied free areas and slow down in corners and near obstacles. Pets accustomed to housework and buzzing toys treat cleaning robots wary, but generally calm. Although this, of course, depends on the temperament of your pets and their previous experience with similar techniques.

During wet cleaning, the Braava jet m6sprays water from the nozzle on the front panel, and then passes through the wetted area of the surface with a rag. You can add detergent to the water, a small bottle with it is included. The manufacturer does not recommend pouring anything into the tank (bleaches, soap solutions, vinegar, wax polishes, etc.).

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Minifigures not included

Braava is not a vacuum cleaner and works much quieter than Rumba. When wet cleaning at the moment of spraying water, a characteristic buzzing is heard. In the settings, you can choose the cleaning mode: thorough (optimal), intensive (focus on quality) or long-term (reduced power for the sake of cleaning a large area in a reasonable time). In addition, the amount of liquid sprayed can be adjusted.

How does it work?

Oh, I think in the previous section I got carried away and alreadyhe told everything about it. Although not, let's talk a little about the nuances and quality of cleaning. Robots seem to be familiar with the commandments of Asimov and do not harm people. They are smart enough to stop by touching the bumper of obstacles. The touch force is designed to check whether the robot can move the obstacle or not. The low thresholds in the doorways of the robots overcome calmly thanks to the spring-loaded wheels. Robots also do not fall from the stairs, the height difference under the wheels is monitored by individual sensors. Fun fact: robots park in different ways. Roomba in front and Braava in the back.

As for the quality of cleaning as such, it,Roomba and Braava working together are excellent. Of course, Braava is effective only on hard surfaces like parquet, tile or linoleum. Although the carpet with minimal pile, you can also walk with a dry cloth. In general, build on what you yourself would decide to clean with a mop or similar tool, the principle here is the same. Braava cannot remove a large amount of spilled liquid, the consequences of a pipe breakthrough will have to be eliminated without its help. With super complex pollution, traces of dried oil paint, requiring stain remover stains, this technique also can not cope. Here you need either manual intervention, or some industrial-grade equipment, and Roomba and Braava - solutions for everyday cleaning of not very neglected rooms.

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And here is how the surfaces of replaceable reusable wet and dry wipes Braava jet m6 look

Still, of course, it is advisable to avoid getting intosolid objects inside the robotic vacuum cleaner. Coins, nails and other pieces of iron can at least ruin soft brushes, and in the worst case, disrupt the device. Oh, and do not scatter lego details on the floor, although what kind of advice ...

If you carefully read the text beforeplaces, you probably came to the same conclusion as me. Cleaning robots are best given the opportunity to work hard during your absence. Home - while you are at work, and office ones can be taught to work at night. Now let's talk about this.

What are the smart features?

The capabilities of the devices are fully disclosed whenwork with the iRobot mobile application. In addition to the fact that Roomba s9 + and Braava jet m6 can work in conjunction, as described above, they can be programmed to perform cleaning in certain rooms at a certain time and day of the week. The mobile application will inform you of what is happening with the help of system notifications.

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Moreover, Amazon Alexa support is claimed,Google Assistant and IFTTT. I will tell you a little more about integration with the latter. To get started, you need to log in to IFTTT and bind your iRobot account to it. After that, we have access to a set of ready-made recipes. If desired, you can design your own. Three triggers are available: start of work, shutdown and emergency (robot stuck). By triggering these triggers, you can automatically assign any existing actions in the system. And for other system triggers, you can run actions available for iRobot devices. Five such actions are available: starting the robot, stopping, pausing, returning to the docking station and cleaning a specific room selected from the list. Thanks to this, you can collect fairly sophisticated automation recipes such as "start cleaning in the living room if the last member of the family left the house before 12:00." In general, the geolocation chip (when someone came or went) seems to me the most practically useful, because robots can clean up in your absence. For her and a number of other chips, the presence of the IFTTT mobile application on your smartphone is required. Another interesting recipe is “pause the robot when I answer the call.” Very appropriate, because robots, although quiet, are not soundless. Of course, it’s possible to start cleaning using Twitter, without this anywhere

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Possibilities of integrating iRobot devices with IFTTT service

Imprint Link technology description manufacturertalks about integrating with Amazon Alexa, right down to managing phrases like "Alexa, ask Roomba to clean the bedroom and Braava jet to mop the kitchen." It sounds cool, but I couldn’t check it. A small but nice feature is the robot search function. If he suddenly got lost somewhere under the closet. We go to the settings, click "Location of the robot" and the device gives a sound signal by which it can be found.

What do you need for care and maintenance?

There are no specific requirements. It is clear that you should regularly conduct a visual inspection of the devices, especially from below. At Roomba, we check the condition of the brushes and wheels, and also, if necessary, wash the dust collector. Collected hair can be wound around the brushes, it is advisable to carefully cut them, and not pull them out of the meat from a soft roller. If anything, damaged brushes can be replaced with new ones, they can easily be removed for cleaning or replacement. The side brush (the one with five blades) is unscrewed with a screwdriver.

Braava jet works with interchangeable rags andnapkins. As the name implies, they need to be changed from time to time. Wash, dry and replace as you wear. In general, the principle is similar to caring for a regular rag or floor mop. The manufacturer also recommends paying attention to cameras, sensors and contacts: they should be wiped when dirty, so as not to disrupt the coordination of movements and other functions of the device (this also applies to Roomba). In general, the white color of the case requires some attention, if only to maintain beauty.

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In the dry residue

Roomba s9 + and Braava jet m6 impressalmost uncompromising system for automatic cleaning of premises for a home or small office. Cleaned efficiently, in several ways, quite autonomously. Simple but flexible. A docking station with a trash can minimizes contact with dust collected. Perhaps I would like something similar for a robotic mop, some kind of automatic system for replacing, spinning, washing and drying rags. Although I can imagine how such a device would affect the price tag of the device. Speaking of prices. Both robots are new at the moment. On the Ukrainian market, the official price of Roomba s9 + has not yet been announced; on the American site, the device is priced at $ 1,400. There, the Braava jet m6 costs $ 500, and in Ukrainian stores the top robotic mop can already be bought for 16,900 UAH. Not cheap. However, do not forget that we are considering flagship models with maximum capabilities. Roomba s9 + will compete primarily with its direct ancestor Roomba i7 + (here the price factor may be decisive), and, possibly, with top models of more “household” brands like Samsung and Miele. And the Braava jet m6 in the presence of the iRobot robotic vacuum cleaner is definitely the best choice, it is an ideal couple with centralized control. The question remains open whether to buy two devices instead of one. It makes sense to invest in the acquisition of such a system if there is a sufficiently large cleaning area. Moreover, if hard coatings prevail on this area, which must be removed with a vacuum cleaner and a mop.

4 reasons to buy Roomba s9 + and Braava jet m6

you need high-quality dry and wet room cleaning;
this room is large and covered mainly with hard surfaces;
at the same time, one wants to participate in the process as little as possible;
and manage it from one application (or from Twitter, that is, by voice, well, in general, you understand).

3 reasons not to buy Roomba s9 + and Braava jet m6

one type of cleaning is enough for you, which one device can handle;
You are using a device from another manufacturer and do not want to change the ecosystem;
the room that needs to be cleaned is small, and it is easier to do without such equipment at all.

Roomba s9 +

Flagship iRobot Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Top robot vacuum cleaner with maximum features. It is equipped with a base for dumping garbage, has an updated design of the body and brushes, makes a map of the room and is managed through a cloud service.

Hoover

iRobot Braava jet m6

Valuable assistant for mopping

Robot mop for dry and wet cleaning. It perfectly complements the capabilities of the vacuum cleaner and can work in conjunction with other iRobot devices.