Home-cleaning robot maker iRobot (IRBT) has introduced a new, lower-cost floor-mopping robot that it hopes will help it expand in an underpenetrated market.
The Bedford, Mass.-based company on Tuesday debuted the Braava Jet mopping robot. The $199.99 robot is designed to mop hard floor surfaces in high-traffic areas like kitchens and bathrooms. It features a vibrating cleaning head, water jet spray and replaceable cleaning pads. The compact robot promises to lift dirt and stains in even hard-to-reach places like under kitchen cabinets and around toilets.
IRobot is a leader in the carpet vacuuming market with its Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners, which cost $374.99 to $899.99. It has targeted hard-surface floors as a market ripe for expansion. It previously approached that market with premium Scooba floor-scrubbing robots, which cost up to $599.99, as well as cheaper Braava floor-mopping robots.
IRobot has discontinued its Scooba line in favor of Braava. It will sell two types of Braava robots: the new Braava Jet 240 and the Braava 380T, which costs $299.99. The Braava 380T is designed to clean larger floor areas than the Braava Jet.
The Braava Jet uses special disposable cleaning pads for wet mopping, damp sweeping and dry sweeping. IRobot also is selling reusable, washable cleaning pads.
“IRobot is focused on significant growth opportunities in the consumer robotic technology market,” iRobot CEO Colin Angle said in a statement. “To capitalize, we will continue to diversify our home robot offerings, identifying new product categories ripe for growth and exploring other opportunities within the connected home.”
IRobot stock was up 2% in afternoon trading on the stock market today, near 34.
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