Here's another package... Who arrived this time? Come on, let's see...oh, it's a robot vacuum. Will this model be the only one that fully meets my expectations? Let's take it out of the box and try it!

Narwal Freo X Ultra robot vacuum is additionally packed in a transport box. The weight of this entire package is as much as 17.8 kg. The manufacturer thought about the customers' backs, so they installed holes in the sides to make this box comfortable to carry.

Unboxing

After opening the package, you are greeted with the following contents: instruction manual, power cord, robot vacuum, two side cleaning brushes, two garbage collection bags, plastic trash can, two fabric wash cloths, main rubber suction brush, charging/service station. 

When the station is opened, its contents: two clean/dirty water containers, each holding 4 liters of water, Narwal's lemon and basil liquid cleaner.

Assembly quality

Two side brushes, which are included in the kit, fit into the robot. Each side has its own different color. Garbage collection containers can be of two types: rigid plastic or disposable plastic bags. The bags look really thin and small, but according to the manufacturer, one is enough for up to 7 weeks.

There are also two triangular washcloths that fit at the bottom. They stick firmly with stickers on the bases intended for them, which can then be easily placed on the robot itself. These cloths have small bristles. After removing the robot from the package and placing it on the ground, its free movement of the wheels is immediately felt. This is only a huge plus if you need to carry it to different rooms or floors.

The main dust roller that rotates at the bottom of the robot has bristles. In comparison, the manufacturer of Roborock has abandoned them and uses a fully rubber roller. Narwal indicates that the percentage of hair collected with them is higher. It will be interesting to try and compare how it is in reality.

The Nawal Freo X Ultra pump is white gloss. On top of it are two buttons: home and on/off. Also, the latter button can stop or restart the cleaning program. To remove the dust box, the top cover must be removed. Most other robot pump manufacturers install a lift-off cover, this one just comes off completely.

The charging/service station is also in glossy white. Both the station and the robot do not feel like they are made of cheaply molded plastic. Everything looks solid and reliable. Two buckets of different colors are placed in this station. Transparent for dirty water, purple for clean. Also, liquid detergent settles rigidly next to them.

A black screen with 4 buttons is installed at the top of the station: return home, start/stop, enable/disable Freo Mind function, enable/disable wet cleaning. The buttons are tactile, they light up beautifully when touched. In the rear part of the station there is an electrical outlet.

Functionality

The Laser Vision Sensor installed in the front of the robot, together with the sensors on the side, provides a 360° scan of the environment, allowing the robot to calculate and create an optimized cleaning path. This navigation and object avoidance system is called LiDAR 4.0.

According to the manufacturer, it can detect objects from 1 centimeter in size and bypass them at a distance of 5 millimeters. The 5x infrared sensors at the bottom will prevent the robot from falling down the stairs. An ultrasonic carpet detection sensor is also installed in the front part of the bottom.

Freo Mind is a feature that uses advanced artificial intelligence technology and sensors to optimize the cleaning process. Advantages of this function: automatically adapts to different floor types to ensure more efficient cleaning. Also, the system analyzes the level of floor contamination and determines the appropriate cleaning intensity and mode. 

This means that the robot can automatically increase the suction power or change the cleaning method if it detects more dirt. The previously mentioned LiDAR 4.0 technology is used for navigation, which tries to avoid obstacles on the road with the help of built-in sensors.

Water regulation. The system can regulate the amount of water used for washing the floor, depending on the type of floor and the level of contamination. This helps prevent excessive water use on sensitive floor surfaces. 

Edge cleaning. When this function is enabled, the robot will clean the edges more thoroughly, but the cleaning time may be longer. There are two options: "everything" or "smart". The "everything" mode will clean constantly and uniformly, regardless of the type of floor. "Smart" will adapt to the floor and the level of dirt.

Washing of cloths. With the help of this function, it is possible to choose how many square meters the robot must return to its station to wash the cloths. After washing, it continues its work. A total of 4 options are available: 8 m², 10 m², 12 m², or in front of the next room.

Pumping

For this test, some of the accumulated dirt was shaken out of the robot's plastic dust box. To see how he would cope with the challenges, the dirt was shaken out on the carpet and on the floor next to him. So we wanted to know how it would behave with the angle of the carpet and how much dirt would be removed from various places. It is also worth noting that the "Freo Mind" function was activated for both the first and second runs.

This is where this "smart" feature is disappointing. She didn't really detect the more heavily soiled areas, so a fair amount of the dirt stayed on both the carpet and the floor. After the second run, the situation improved, but the desired result was not achieved. For the third run, the smart function was turned off and MAX suction was turned on. After this run, the dirt visually remained about ~10%, which was right at the edges of the carpet.

Wet cleaning

A cocoa drink was used in this test. It is poured on the tiles and slightly dried to check how the dried stains are washed away. The instruction says that when washing tiles, "Narwal" presses its cloths with a force of up to 12 Newtons, and a wooden surface with a force of up to 7 Newtons (for comparison, a 1 kg body weighs 9.8 N on the surface of the earth).

After the first run, only those spots that were denser and more dried remained, but the rest is only barely visible... After the second run, it is completely clean. It is also worth noting that AI (Artificial Intelligence) mode has been enabled. Of course, it is possible to manually determine how many would pass through the same place together, but this would not be a realistic test/trial.

Avoiding objects

Objects of various sizes were used for this test. According to the manufacturer, the pump should see an object larger than 1 centimeter and go around it at a distance of at least 5 millimeters. However, the result was quite different from what the marketing claims.

In this test, two objects were touched: small children's sunglasses and a toy bowling pin. The robot did not see the glasses at all and ran over them completely. I had to brake it so as not to scratch or break it. The bowling pin was touched and pushed away. All other objects remained in place.

What did we like?

Compared to the Roborock S7 and Q8 Max Plus models, the Narwal robot seems to move much more nimbly. This is likely due to the wheels turning more easily. It is precisely because of them that it is more convenient to take it out of the charging station or to push it somewhere if necessary.

Washing function. Rotating wash cloths are a technology that ensures a higher percentage of dirt removal. Compared to the previously tested Roborock S7 Max Ultra model, this Narwal turned out to be much more efficient and effective in washing.

The noise level of the Narwal robot is also lower. This model produces about 60-70dB of noise at maximum power. Compared to Roborock S7 Max Ultra, its noise level is 67-74dB. The difference is not very big, but it is noticeable to the ear. In the video below, the noise is emitted while the robot is cleaning the cloths at the station.

Minimalist design. As for the stop, it looks elegant and modern enough. Perfect for any home. All water containers are hidden and covered under the lid, which allows you to maintain a neat and aesthetic appearance at home. No buttons are visible if the screen is not touched.

What we didn't like?

It is not convenient to empty or fill the water tanks. The handles on the top are great, but they are designed to carry the container empty or full. Filling with water and holding this handle is awkward and difficult to hold. If the container is placed in the sink or bath, this problem no longer exists. However, when emptying the accumulated dirty water, if it is opened while holding this handle, a large part of the water will spill out in the wrong place. An additional handle on the side would be a convenient solution.

It seems that the manufacturer did not take into account the screens of different phone models. With iPhone 13, not all texts fit on the screen. Some of the texts are bitten or otherwise not displayed nicely. This shortcoming doesn't make a big difference to the functionality, but it would be nice to have a proper UI rendering.

Both during testing and in general use, the pump sometimes got stuck somewhere, that is, it started to rotate around its axis. During the first test, when various items were placed, there was also a bar stool on the carpet. When cleaning this room before the test, the robot did not get it.

During the object avoidance test, the robot got stuck at that spot. A similar situation also happens after washing, when the robot starts moving to the same place where it finished washing. Only after starting from a stop, it always stumbles over a nearby object. In this situation, the intelligent obstacle avoidance system based on artificial intelligence is disappointing - it seems that it is driving only according to the previously drawn path.

If the house to be cleaned has several floors, in order to clean the next floor, you need to carry not only the robot, but also the entire station, because the robot has to wash the cloths. If only the suction function is used, there is no such problem, it is enough to indicate the desired map. It is inconvenient to switch maps, because you have to "walk quite a long way" before switching to the desired one. There is also no option to rename the primary map, it will always be "Main map". 

The slightly larger body does not allow you to crawl under some cabinets. Narwal body height is 10.7 centimeters, S7 - 9.65 centimeters, Q8 MAX Plus - 9.65 centimeters, S7 - Max Ultra 9.65 centimeters. There are cabinets in both the bathroom and the living room, under which the long-reigning Roborock S7 can crawl, while the Narwal cannot.

Is it worth buying?

The Narwal Freo X Ultra is one of the more advanced robots on the market. It is characterized by good functionality and a stylish, modern design. This robot can vacuum quite well and wash the floor perfectly. Although the performed tests showed that vacuuming is not its greatest strength, but if it is vacuumed regularly, the robot will perfectly cope with this task.

Narwal Freo X Ultra's efficient automatic cloth washing and drying system allows you to spend as little time as possible doing housework yourself or taking care of additional maintenance work for such a robot after this preparation. 

Comparison with other models

Roborock S7 Max Ultra. Both models have suction and floor cleaning functions, advanced navigation and high-capacity batteries. However, the Roborock S7 Max Ultra has a slightly louder performance at maximum power. Also, this model has a separate dust collection system, so there is no need to pull the robot out of the station to empty the garbage collection container. Also, the Roborock name is more known as a manufacturer of quality pumps.

iRobot Roomba Combo j7+. Both models can both vacuum and wash floors and feature advanced navigation systems. The Roomba Combo j7+ has more advanced features in terms of artificial intelligence and obstacle detection. Small objects such as wires or "property" left by pets are more noticeable to this model. The j7+ also uses the iRobot Genius platform, which allows you to control and adjust the operation of the robot in great detail through the app. However, the Roomba doesn't have as well integrated floor cleaning as the Narwal, as it lacks an automatic mop cleaning system.

ECOVACS Deebot X1 Omni. Both Narwal and ECOVACS have advanced floor cleaning features, including mop cleaning and drying. The Deebot X1 Omni features increased suction power and additional features such as voice control. The design is also modern, but the Narwal has a bit more appeal due to its minimalist aesthetic.

Each robot has its pros and cons, so the final choice depends on personal needs and available budget.