
Narwal - Freo Z Ultra
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Jan 28, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
305
140
"significantly worse object avoidance than than the Dreame x40 and L40 ... The best feature of the L40/X40/p10 pro ultra is that they have class leading object avoidance so you don't have to pick up your cat's toys or prep your house every time you want to run the robot meaning you can run it on a daily schedule which will keep your house cleaner. ... I run my X40s daily and they never get stuck on cables, cat toys and other random junk that ends up on the floor."
"The obstacle avoidance is also very good and I only have the pet in house setting on for pet messes and it recognizes my fake dog poop all the time and drive around it."
"The unit was an upgrade from a Roomba S9. That unit did a good job of vacuuming but was very prone to having problems with obstacles. For example, it would launch itself up onto the circular rod -like bases of several of my chairs and become stuck there. They Roborock 10R correctly recognized all of the bases as something to avoid. Some of them get labeled as chair bases and others simply as wires. It has avoided every obstacle."
452
153
"I run it once a day, and mop a couple times a week. ... In fact, my wet/dry floor vacuum just died so its pulling even more work right now as it's the only real mop I now have, other than a Swiffer."
"My GOD am I glad I did. I had no idea how much I had been missing! ... We have 2 dogs and a cat, and live more rural. That means dirty paws folks, and a lot of them. The mopping and vacuuming has been no short of amazeballs. Not amazing. Amazeballs."
"The current champ of perfectly sparkling clean floors. ... Have 5 dogs tracking in dirt all day? Run this mop and go eat off the floor. That's how clean it is. ... Step aside spinny & vibration mops, this constantly clean roller mop is the champ. ... The mopping ability is light-years ahead of the Curv. ... The continously cleaning of fresh water is where is truly unique. ... You will be delighted and shocked on how amazing this E28 is. Its truly incomparable to any roborock. Get ready to start eating off your floors 😁😉"
173
33
"I have also had 0 hair wrap. Both my old Roomba and Shark id have to clean the rollers weekly."
"The Anti-Tangle brush is actually Anti-Tangle. All my previous vacuums would get hair tangled in a single run - I'd clean them at least once a week (neato way more) to get all the hair out. After 24 hours, I see 0 hair stuck. Not one. ... That being said I LOVE the anti-tangle brush. 3 Months and I haven't had to clean the brush one time. It's literally perfect for me."
"I haven’t had any issues with tangles on the rollers ... Honestly, I think it’s doing really well considering I have long hair and shed a lot. ... The split roller on the E28 really works."
132
14
"It did a perfect job so far, I only have to empty/fill the water tanks in the station once a week (the robot vacuums the whole flat everyday and mops the flat twice a week)."
"We have four roborock S7’s running in our 5,000 sqft office. ... Bought them since they first came out years ago. ... They run every day. ... Only last year did we replace the battery for all 4. ... Other than that, no issue at all, rock solid, very pleased that we also have them for our homes too."
"What I really love is how little effort it takes—the base cleans and dries the mops on its own, so I barely have to lift a finger."
241
83
"It’s is SO MUCH more quiet than the s7 it ramped up the suction power from 4000 to 19000 yet I can let it clean my office room while being in a call now."
"Extremely quiet compared to our last one to the point where we can have it running while my partner is in work meetings (besides emptying water and dust bin, but that is 10 seconds of loud x 2)."
"pads that lift on carpet so you can run it while the baby naps"
Disliked most:
8
12
"I don't want to spent $1400+ on a vacuum with a fucking mop because 90% of the 2nd floor is carpet."
"Carpet everywhere."
"The Q5 struggles with any elevation differences: it struggles to get over thin rugs or floor transition strips"
0
2
"Also I didn’t like how much data the Narwal sent to servers. ... In the 2 weeks I had it, my firewall logs showed the Narwal sent over 20 GB of data. ... I had the remote video disabled so assume it was for vision AI analysis. ... Still, it shouldn’t need to send that much data."
"Also I didn’t like how much data the Narwal sent to servers. ... In the 2 weeks I had it, my firewall logs showed the Narwal sent over 20 GB of data. ... I had the remote video disabled so assume it was for vision AI analysis. ... Still, it shouldn’t need to send that much data."
"My firewall said the robot sent 2.5 GB to Narwal after a cleaning on Sunday. ... That bothers me, but I don't know that any of the Chinese manufacturers are strong for privacy."
8
18
"The freo z is a good model but a water hog. You have to change the water so often that it's a deal-breaker for me. ... Now they have a kit so you can wire it to your water line and you don't have to change it anymore but that's 200 bucks."
"I can’t get it to mop at all because it keeps throwing an error saying the clean water tank is empty when it isn’t. ... I’ve swapped tanks with identical ones from other Narwal models, gone through every troubleshooting step, and still no luck. ... At this point I have no choice but to send it back and order a replacement"
"the Freo needed to be refilled ALL THE TIME. like, after every mop run. That’s refilling the clean water and dumping the dirty water. Hard pass."
4
3
"Shoestrings, socks and blankets hanging down will likely be a problem. Even if it manages to avoid them once, there’s no guarantee it’ll avoid them the next time."
"doesn't get close enough to the kick boards in the kitchen"
"edge coverage and vacuuming are iffy at best"
0
1
"Their replacement accessories are ridiculously priced (look elsewhere)."
"consumables are higher for the Narwal's"
I went with the Narwal Freo Z Ultra after comparing a few options, and it’s been a game-changer. It handles fur and mixed floors easily, and the self-cleaning base makes upkeep effortless. I looked at Roborock and Qrevo too, but the Freo felt more refined for daily use. With Prime Day around the corner and big discounts expected, now’s a great time to grab it.
I got the Narwal Freo Z Ultra, and I've been really impressed with it. It's got this great feature where you can control the water output precisely, so you don't have to worry about it leaking or dispensing water when you just want to vacuum. Plus, the mapping and navigation are top-notch, and it handles pet hair like a champ. It's a bit of an upgrade, but it's worth it if you want a hassle-free cleaning experience.
I got the Narwal Freo Z Ultra a few months ago, and it’s honestly been a game changer. It vacuums and mops without leaving streaks, and it’s been great on shiny floors. What I really love is how little effort it takes—the base cleans and dries the mops on its own, so I barely have to lift a finger. It usually goes for just under £1000, but with Prime Day discounts, now’s probably the best time to get one.
My enthusiasm is based on three factors. The first is never having to change the water. The second and arguably more important one is that this is the only robot I've ever tested that never got clogged. If you live with animals or kids, you have to breathe larger than Cheerios on your floor. And no matter what anyone says, almost every robot in the world struggles with debris that size. But I could show you video of the 3i literally eating everything on the floor. It was insane to watch. Those two front. Sweepers are the most efficient that I've ever seen. Just fantastic. And then the third is that the mop which is a roller actually extends out as opposed to a number of robots that have gotten into rollers but they don't extend. I mean I know it sounds like I'm paid by the company but I assure you, I am not. It was just the best unit I've ever used and I've held on to it.
It's a toss-up under these conditions. The freo z is a good model but a water hog. You can read my review of it. You have to change the water so often that it's a deal-breaker for me. Now they have a kit so you can wire it to your water line and you don't have to change it anymore but that's 200 bucks. So now we're talking about the cost of the freo plus the water line kit versus the l40. I keep recommending the l40 not because I thought it was a really great premium robot. It was a just fine premium robot. But when you compare it to other $500 robots, it blows them out of the water. So tldr, l40 ultra.
Oy. First, you're doing great... I suffer from the same problems which is why I got into robots. And they DO help. my mood is so much better just seeing the clean floor. I do think it'll help with that. It'll still need SOME intervention, so set expectations right. but... that's ok. its going to get much better. Generally, i would say that as crappy as it is, you get more when you pay more. but that doesn't mean you NEED more... some features are just nice to have, not essential. So don't feel you NEED the 3i S10 or the Saros 10. You can get away with less. So my main concerns are the pet accidents and the cooking messes. My vacuums struggle most in the kitchen, because I drop stuff while cooking, and while it can deal with small stuff (under the size of a cheerio) bigger stuff is an issue. Also, very few mops are good enough to get out kitchen stains on their own. But I have another solution for that! If you can clean up the bigger stuff, you'll be a lot happier w the robots performance. On the pet messes... almost every vacuum out there, certainly the ones you mention, have poop avoidance. So you're good. Urine is different.... but on some level, you want the robot to get those, anyways. I don't like the Eufy bots. Ive explained why over and over again, but that's also just me. Lots of people are super happy with them, but that won't make me recommend them. I love the S8 MaxV Ultra, and its universally liked in the industry, so that's not just me. I feel like the Saros 10 is an incremental improvement over the S8, so its worth a few extra hundred bucks, but not like, 700$. I LOVE the 3i... but people have rightful concerns.. its a new company. Its VERY heavy. its a tall robot. I'm very, very happy with it, and its gotten very good reviews from other outlets like vacuum wars and tom's... so I feel pretty good about it, but I like it for you for a different reason. Its autonomous. You don't ever have to change the water, and it vacuums up EVERYTHING. ALL THE THINGS. big, small, whatever.
# [Under $300](https://amzn.to/48R0G4J) Generally speaking, I think its rare you find a great robot at this price, and I've discussed why there's some sense in [not spending the money on real discount robots](https://www.whatrobotvacuumshouldiget.com/2025/06/20/are-budget-robot-vacuums-worth-buying/). Still... there are a few gems worth looking at, as more expensive models drop under this threshold. If you've got a smaller place, or a place with many floor objects, try a Switchbot. Because they're so small, they can get between chair legs and make a small radius around things. Switchbot just doesn't get enough attention, IMO. Lots of people purchased the K10+ Pro on my recommendation during Prime Day and have posted about how happy they are. The 11 made the tower smaller and improved some other specs, but is mostly the same model. The perfect apartment, studio, or office vac. Performs spectacularly well as a vacuum, particularly given the price and stats, but it is ONLY a vacuum. If you're more concerned about a mop, get the 3i. (its great at both, to be clear, but it has the best mop of the bunch). I really like the 3i brand, they're not new, they've been making robots for other companies for years. The G10 is stripped down from premium models, but it had the same sweeper>roller design that is so effective on the higher end models. If you're looking for a carpet forward model, Eureka is the only legacy vacuum brand that successfully transitioned to robots that work. While no brand has great customer service anymore, there's a benefit to Eureka being US based. No waiting 24 hours for a response. |**Model**|**Original Price**|**BDD Price**|**Discount**| |:-|:-|:-|:-| |[SwitchBot Robot Vacuum K11+](https://amzn.to/4mOxq1O)|399.99|224.99|44%| |[3i G10+](https://amzn.to/48znS7N)|$449.99|$269.99|40%| |[Eureka E20 Plus](https://amzn.to/4mOwQBd)|449.99|299.99|33%| # [Under $500](https://amzn.to/4o4MPMA) Were seeing some amazing deals in this price band. That L40 Ultra has dropped from the original price of $1499 to under $500. So many people have been grabbing this model since Prime Day and most of them report being quite happy. While it wouldn't have been my favorite at a higher price, at this price, you're getting a premium model at an absurd sale price. I absolutely love the 3i current line up. The vacuum and mop are both fantastic and the app-easy. This is basically my top pick (3i S10 Ultra) minus the dehumidifier. The P10 still has the great sweep/roller design and gets up debris no other brand can without getting clogged. Get this one if you're concerned about larger debris. The Eureka is better than it should be. I loved the sweeper design, it moved debris off hard floors and carpet very effectively and would be my pick for carpet. Rarely got stuck on anything or reported errors, and it was just really reliable. I recommended this model during Prime Day, and got a lot of good feedback from folks who picked it up. |**Model**|**Original Price**|**BDD Price**|**Discount**| |:-|:-|:-|:-| |[Dreame L40 Ultra](https://amzn.to/48Rswhk)|$799.99|$469.99|41% | |[Eureka J15 Ultra](https://amzn.to/4gUYACY)|699.99|489.99|30%| |[3i P10 Ultra](https://amzn.to/4h1Sy3y)|$1,099.99|$469.99|55%| # [Under $750](https://amzn.to/4nypaUV) Roborock has won my loyalty over the past few years by producing consistently reliable robots, and the S5A is no different. A variant of the Qrevo line, with spinning mop heads that extend. While Roborock may produce an absurd number of models, and the S5A is no exception, they are reliable for an exceptional app experience, with intuitive setting locations, great support and good hardware with easy to find replacement parts. The L40S is the best of both worlds. A premium vac, at a not premium price for now. This is the model with the best balance on this list, of vacuum and mop. It improves over the L40 in the previous band with better nav and suction. Finally, if you want to emphasize mopping, Narwal does it really well. My two issues w this model are that it uses a ridiculous amount of water and there's a giant button on top of the machine your pet or kid will want to bop. If you don't mind refilling a lot, and you dig into the settings to lock the button (or don't have kids/pets) this is ideal. |**Model**|**Original Price**|**BDD Price**|**Discount**| |:-|:-|:-|:-| |[Narwal Freo Z Ultra (White Version)](https://amzn.to/46IEhUI)|$1,499.99|$550.00|63%| |[Roborock Qrevo Edge S5A](https://amzn.to/46ZYXI5)|$999.99|$649.99|35%| |[Dreame L40s Ultra](https://amzn.to/4o5ARCv)|$1,099.99|$749.99|32%| # [Under $900 ](https://amzn.to/4oad9oS) From the day it was released, I thought the Curv was a steal, most of the premium features of the S8 line, at a better price with improvements to the sweeps, extending out beyond the robot. The CurvX improves on the Curv with higher Pa and better nav. I do think its a better vacuum than mop. The X9 is a better mop than vacuum. but other than getting clogged here and there, was generally a good vacuum, and this is a reasonable price for it. Eureka is the best surprise this year. The J15 line is consistent and reliably performing. I love the sweeps, its a very effective mop and carpet cleaner and offers US based support. |**Model**|**Original Price**|**BDD Price**|**Discount**| |:-|:-|:-|:-| |[Ecovacs x9 Pro Omni](https://amzn.to/46CySzK)|$1,599.00|$899.00|44%| |[Eureka J15 Max Ultra](https://amzn.to/46UkK3x)|1199.99|$899.00|25%| |[Roborock Qrevo CurvX](https://amzn.to/48PvS4j)|$1,499.99|$899.99|40%| # [Over $900 ](https://amzn.to/48OKBMY) In this band are my top two recommendations. Let's start with my favorite robot of all time (a BIG statement). 3i has been making robots for other brands for a while, but the 3i is their first flagship. The S10 Ultra blew me away and became the only robot I've ever kept after testing. It will vacuum anything, without getting stuck or clogged. I mean, giant pieces of mulch. No problem. It cleans water on its own and generates more from the air, so it truly is set it and forget it. Totally autonomous. I've been yapping about it for months, and of everyone who bought it during Prime Day, I'd say people were split, 60/40. Most loved it, but some complained of a musty smell, which makes sense, since the unit is basically a dehumidifier (that's how it generates water). I've had mine for 6 months and don't notice a smell in a very wet state (Oregon), but it seems like something worth noting. So let's talk about the Flow. I tested the Dreame and Narwal roller mops, (and previously, the Eufy roller mops). Everyone is obsessed with roller mops, but the Flow is the first one I recommend. The flow improves on the Freo Z and X by not needing to be refilled constantly, and the vacuum improves over all other Narwal models. I still don't think roller mops are the end all/be all, so I wouldn't recommend dropping $1500 of this model, but I do think the Flow is worth buying at this sale price. |**Model**|**Original Price**|**BDD Price**|**Discount**| |:-|:-|:-|:-| |[3i S10 Ultra](https://amzn.to/4o7hKIe)|$1,899.99|$1,099.99|42%| |[Narwal Flow](https://amzn.to/3IxMoLX)|$1,499.99|$1,099.99|27%| If you're looking for ALL the models on sale for Big Deal Days, they're [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/RobotVacuums/comments/1nvsulx/every_robovac_on_sale_for_amazon_big_deal_days/) or s[ee all sales models at once](https://amzn.to/4nt1sJH). For some context, I [write about robovacs](https://www.reddit.com/r/RobotVacuums/comments/1l48fms/i_write_about_robot_vacuums_for_a_living_ama/) both for an online pub and my own site, and we get access to prices beforehand, so long as we don't share them before brands ask us (embargo). I shared similar information and advice for [Prime Day](https://www.reddit.com/r/RobotVacuums/comments/1ljl8wd/prime_day_deals/), and people were generally pretty [happy](https://www.reddit.com/r/RobotVacuums/comments/1m0sjou/amanda_amanda_amanda_the_dreame_l40_is_amazing/) w the recommendations from the feedback. Feel free to ask questions. I'll also produce a list of recommendations per price band in another thread. I'm not sure these are ALL the deals out there, but these are what's been released to me (that's off embargo). These are affiliate links, I had mod permission (I assume, still).
Hey. Because you're all hard floor and you named some specific features, I thought I'd talk through this with you. So, Pa is important, sure, but I'm testing robots with absurdly high Pa (over 20k) that miss a lot of debris, and then there's the Switchbot K10+ which has almost no Pa and gets most stuff up. I believe, strongly, that Pa matters less than people think (and marketing people at big brands agree, they keep upping Pa because consumers name it as their main decision making factor). What matters is the design and location of the sweeps in relation to the roller. I say all this because on hard floors, you see ALL the cat hair and litter... so that design is even more important. Navigating around toys: easy. Everyone does it well. Cords? No one does it well. Debris management: 3 months in between changing the bag isn't a big deal. I think you'll be fine. mova v50- low end parts. dreame L50- wasn't bad, but thought the vacuum left a lot to be desired. narwal freo z10, narwal freo z ultra- opposite of no maintenance. you'll be refilling the water every day. eufy e28-has the right sweep/roller design, but was riddled with errors and leaks roborock qrevo curv s5x. dreame x50- good option. [https://lifehacker.com/tech/dreame-x50-ultra-robot-vacuum-review](https://lifehacker.com/tech/dreame-x50-ultra-robot-vacuum-review)
The freo x and freo z our water hogs so don't buy one unless you're okay replacing the water and dumping the dirty water after every single mopping run in a small house and mid-run on a big house.
Narwal Is the only robot that even attempts to clean the baseboard but the only thing the frio z or x does is run a muff along it. It doesn't actually clean. It's a duster. And the frio x and z have some other problems. Notably they are water hogs and you have to refill the water all the time. After every single run.
Narwal Freo Z Ultra
Brushes sides and corners just fine with two brushes that reach past the body, and is literally the best mop in a robot. Actual mops don't have onboard water tanks either.
I have the e25 and the Freo z ultra both installed in my home right now. In my experience, the Narwal clears the e25 by a long mile largely due to its superior navigation (e25 gets stuck in between furniture legs that are about the width of the robot, always trucks over furniture legs that lay low to the ground), quietness when drying wet mop (e25 emits an annoying buzzing sound while it drys), less maintenance due to lack of onboard dirty water tank, and expanded features and customization in the app. Bonus is the Narwal was purchased from Costco. For mopping, yes the Narwal requires more visits to base for mop washing due to lack of onboard water tank, but in terms of mopping effectiveness, I feel like they are neck and neck.
Agreed. Qrevo Master's obstacle avoidance is absolute trash. It may as well not exist at all. I had Narwal Freo Z Ultra before this and I kind of regret returning that and getting this. The only thing I hated about the Narwal was not having an onboard water tank and not having extending floor sweeping arm, but obstacle avoidance on it was top notch. Never got stuck on anything. Qrevo is so dumb in comparison. Even if it detects something, it will still push it around because it has no clue where the obstacle exactly is. Having to get all the cords, objects off the ground is no different to what I was doing when I was using 1st gen xiaomi robot vac. I ran the vacuum this morning after I left and made sure to clean up everything from the floor but somehow this damn thing got something stuck in its main brush. Seriously frustrated with this product.
Narwal freo z ultra. Using since last 1 year. There have been some hiccups but overall very happy with it
If you really need good obstacle avoidance then the narwal freo z ultra is one of the best. Most robots that mop have a carpet sensor to prevent wetting rugs/carpets. Plus they can raise the mop pads or leave them at the base automatically. What’s your budget and what region/country are you located? Is your house multi story?
If obstacle avoidance is important then you should look at the narwal freo z ultra if it’s in your price range.
Mine was $1500. I got it for $500 off on prime day last year. So $1k I guess. Wonderful purchase I love it. It's super quiet, it vacuums and mops. It uses ai to learn the cleaning area, avoid obstacles and hazards. I've literally never had an issue with it. You can set it to zone clean or room clean, tell it what types of floors are in what areas. I've never had to do that though because it identified them automatically. It cleans baseboards. It's self cleaning all I have to do is empty the dirty water tank and refill the clean water tank at the base station. Floors look spotless after it's done. Narwal Freo Z Ultra if anyone's interested. It's currently $849 on Amazon for prime day
I have the Z Ultra. It definitely does a much better job than my roomba S9+. There are definitely some features wanting. For example the app sucks and you need to remap the floor if you want the bot to access a new area that you unblock. But in actual operation of the vacuum and the mop. Unbelievable improvement. Even when not mopping it is intelligent to notice a mess and dry mop it up to avoid damaging vacuum. I also wish the mop system was more efficient or had a bigger tank. Just making sure to “vacuum then mop” rather than”vacuum and mop” seems to help a lot. Additionally it avoids and gets stuck 1/15 times even without cleanup. With my roomba a it would get stuck 13/15 times WITH cleanup.
I have been using NARWAL Freo Z Ultra for 6 months. I'm satisfied with it so far. Mopping performance is great. It does a pretty good job for Obstacle Avoidance, except for some little issues like detecting things like cables.
I totally get it — the fur and muddy paw prints drive me nuts. I got the Narwal Freo Z Ultra and it’s been clutch. Super strong suction, dual mops, avoids obstacle — I just run it daily and it keeps the place clean without me doing much.
I brought my Freo Z Ultra during Black Friday after searching some YouTube reviews. I liked that! Cleaning performance is great. The object avoidance algorithm is slick.
We like our Z Ultra. Brought this one nearly 8 months ago. Narwal always shows a great performance in mopping. And the quietness is a bonus.
I’ve actually been using the Narwal Freo Z Ultra for about 7 months now, and I’m honestly super happy with it — especially when it comes to obstacle avoidance (which was a huge concern for me too).It uses a dual-camera system + dual AI chips, so it’s surprisingly smart at dodging stuff. I’ve got a dog too, and between toys, cords, and the occasional… accident 😅, it’s done a great job steering clear. I haven’t had any “poopocalypse” incidents since switching.Also love that it separates dirty and clean water tanks for mopping (dry/wet separation is legit), and it’s really quiet when it runs — I barely notice it. Can’t speak for the Dreame X40 Ultra, but from my own daily use, the Freo Z Ultra has been totally worth it.
I have been using NARWAL Freo Z Ultra for 6 months. I'm satisfied with it so far. Mopping performance is great. It does a pretty good job for Obstacle Avoidance, except for some little issues like detecting things like cables.
i have a small dog too, so i get the concern — hair builds up fast. i’ve been using the narwal freo z ultra lately and it’s handled the shedding pretty well. the brush doesn’t really get tangled, and it cleans the mop by itself which is nice. not perfect, but for mostly hard floors and some rugs like you mentioned, it’s been solid so far.
My situation is pretty similar. I have one dog, rugs, and the floor is always a mess, though mine are wood instead of tile. I’ve been using the Freo Z Ultra for about 8 months and it’s been great. The obstacle avoidance is really solid and it picks up pet hair really well. Definitely worth a look if you’re dealing with the same kind of chaos.
I’ve had the Narwal Freo Z Ultra for almost a year. It’s been great. Picks up dirt well, mops fine, and rarely gets stuck. One thing I really like is the obstacle avoidance, works better than I expected. It does use a bit more water than I expected, but that’s never been a big deal for me, I don’t mind that. Feels worth it for how clean the floors get. No major issues so far. Would recommend if you want something that just works.
Consider Narwal. I bought one for each of my two floors and they performed extremely well.
We like our Z Ultra. Brought this one nearly 8 months ago. Narwal always shows a great performance in mopping. And the quietness is a bonus.
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