All technologies that make life easier are constantly changing, improving and growing. The same story is with robot vacuum cleaners - their choice today seems almost endless. While some manufacturers are trying to offer as many artificial intelligence functions as possible, others are focusing on simplicity and a good price-performance ratio. It is in the latter category that the Mova E40 Ultra falls. 

I spent a couple of weeks testing this robot both in the office and at home on various surfaces - tiles, laminate and carpets. It had to deal with everyday dust, dirt brought from outside and dried stains. Let's see if the Mova E40 Ultra can become that invisible helper that will make you think about vacuuming and mopping your floors much less often. 

Unpacking and first impressions

The unpacking process is very similar to other higher-end robots. Here, practically everything is already assembled, so all you have to do is attach the mops, fill the clean water tank, connect the dock, and let the robot map out your home. 

Often the first impression of the products we review is good, but the Mova E40 Ultra surprised me - in a good way. Both the dock and the robot itself seem to be made of high-quality plastic, and I have no complaints about the quality of the assembly. The first thought was very simple - does this model really cost 400 euros? 

The station has large tanks for clean (4.5 l) and dirty water (4 l), so you will have to refill or empty them less often. In terms of overall package and assembly quality, the Mova E40 Ultra left a more solid impression than I expected. 

App

The first start of the robot does not take long. The MOVAhome app, through which the pump is controlled, also has Lithuanian, which is still quite a rare thing. Connection is simple, and during the first run, the E40 Ultra creates a map of the house quite quickly. Of the previously tested Narwal pumps, I cannot say that any of them did this job noticeably faster. The rooms themselves were recognized quite accurately, and very few additional corrections were required.

If you've used a robot vacuum cleaner app from another manufacturer before, everything will be familiar here. The main window shows a map of the house, and you can choose one of three cleaning modes - the entire house, individual rooms, or a marked area. After choosing a cleaning area, all you have to do is specify whether the robot should only vacuum, only mop, vacuum and mop at the same time, or first vacuum and then mop the floor. 

I also liked the fact that you can assign separate settings to each room. For example, you can choose higher suction power and more water in the kitchen, and use a quieter mode in the bedroom. Everything is laid out logically, so even when using the app for the first time, you don't have to search for the necessary functions for a long time.

However, this is where the biggest difference from more expensive models begins. The Mova E40 Ultra does not have advanced artificial intelligence functions, so you have to choose the cleaning scenarios yourself. The robot does not analyze the condition of the floor itself and does not change the cleaning plan based on the situation.

Pumping

The MOVA E40 Ultra did not disappoint with its suction quality. It picks up everyday dust, crumbs, or pet hair without any major problems. One thing that pleasantly surprised me was the robot's work along the edges of carpets. It moves slightly onto the carpet and vacuums not only along the edge, but also forward and backward, thus better collecting dirt that accumulates at the edge of the carpet. I have not seen such functionality in Narwal vacuum cleaners. However, I would still like a longer or retractable side brush in the corners, which would better reach hard-to-reach places.

The E40 Ultra also does a good job with carpets. The suction power is more than enough for everyday cleaning - shorter-pile carpets are even slightly fluffed, so you can not only feel but also see that they have been vacuumed. However, you should not expect deep carpet cleaning from this model. Hair or sand that is entangled in longer-pile carpets is not always completely removed.

The main rubber roller is not resistant to hair wrapping. After a few cleanings, it already shows a lot of hair wrapped around it, so I occasionally have to remove them manually. This is not a big problem, but I miss the automatic detangling solution here. 

Floor washing

The floor cleaning results are really good. The robot cleans tiles and laminate well - it removes everyday dirt or light stains without any major problems. However, you shouldn't expect it to replace manual washing in more complex situations. Old stains or more stubborn dirt, such as dried dog poop, still remain on the floor. 

One of the most popular solutions is a side-extending mop. When cleaning along walls or skirting boards, the robot holds it close to the edge, so there are no dirt lines along the walls. During cleaning, the mops are constantly moistened in the water tank inside the robot, so even when cleaning a larger area, the moisture remains uniform from start to finish. It is true that on glossier tiles, streaks sometimes remain visible after washing, but this is also influenced by the selected mop moisture setting. 

The MOVA E40 Ultra can lift the mops as they move across carpets, but there is one caveat to note. If the mops are already damp, they can still touch medium- or long-pile carpets. Therefore, if you have more carpets in your home, it is worth planning the cleaning areas more carefully or considering their location.

Navigation and obstacle recognition

The navigation left a mixed impression. The map is created accurately, the rooms are recognized correctly, and the vacuum cleaner itself moves around the house logically and does not follow random routes. It is not afraid to crawl under furniture, if only it physically fits there, and when it encounters an impassable place, it does not start spinning in one place for a long time - it simply continues cleaning in other areas and later returns to check the missed places. 

However, obstacle recognition is not as advanced as in more expensive models. For the test, I tried various small obstacles - a piece of paper, a PS5 controller, keys, an unwound and twisted charging cable, and a phone with a bright pink case. The only thing that remained unmoved was the PS5 controller - the robot did not recognize other objects and simply ran over them. It seems that everything that is below about 3 cm in height becomes practically invisible to the E40 Ultra. As a result, before starting cleaning, you should still remove smaller objects from the floor - LEGO parts, toys, wires or other small objects. 

On the other hand, the robot copes well with larger obstacles. It easily recognizes furniture, walls, or other larger objects, and in my case, it even calmly drives around a sleeping dog without waking it up. The robot notices obstacles that suddenly appear, for example, when a person is walking, quickly enough and reacts in time. 

Stop

The MOVA E40 Ultra station is visually one of the larger solutions of this type, so before installing it in your home for the first time, you really have to think about where the most suitable place for it will be. On the other hand, larger dimensions also have advantages - larger water tanks fit inside, so they need to be filled or emptied less often.

In terms of functionality, the station does everything you would expect from a modern robot vacuum cleaner. It automatically sucks dirt from the robot into the bag, rinses the cloths and dries them after cleaning. Maintenance is also not complicated - the main parts are easily removed, so they can be easily cleaned if necessary. This solution is not unique in higher classes, but it is less common in this price category, so MOVA earns a big plus for such automation.

What could be better?

Although the MOVA E40 Ultra offers a lot for its price, there are still a few compromises. The biggest difference from more expensive models is the lack of advanced artificial intelligence functions. The robot does not analyze which areas are dirtier, does not change the cleaning plan according to the situation, and does not make decisions for the user. This is not a necessary feature, but after using higher-end models for a longer period of time, you will realize that such additional automation in everyday life is really convenient. 

The MOVA E40 Ultra is also not the quietest robot I've tested. Compared to the more expensive Narwal models, its operation is more audible, especially when using higher suction power. Another practical observation - the robot does not always easily overcome higher thresholds, so in homes with different floor heights it is worth paying attention to their height. According to the manufacturer, the maximum overcome height is up to 22 mm, although during testing it also overcame a 27 mm threshold, albeit with a slope. 

There are also a few improvements that could be made in the cleaning department. It would be helpful if the robot could maneuver around obstacles more actively and better reach hard-to-reach places, such as deeper spaces under furniture. However, it is important to remember that these compromises are quite logical considering the price of the E40 Ultra. It does not have all the features of the more expensive models, but for everyday use it provides practically everything you would expect from a modern robot vacuum cleaner. 

Verdict

The MOVA E40 Ultra is not a robot vacuum cleaner that tries to compete with much more expensive models in absolutely every area, but for its price it offers a lot. Good suction quality, effective daily floor cleaning, a convenient app and a fully automated station allow you to forget about most of the usual household chores.

Of course, there are compromises - there are no more advanced artificial intelligence functions, small object recognition capabilities are not as good as in more expensive models, and in some situations competitors operate more quietly or intelligently. However, most of these differences are most noticeable when compared to much more expensive robots. The strength of the MOVA E40 Ultra lies not in a single outstanding feature, but in its overall price-performance ratio. It is not perfect, but if you are looking for a robot that will vacuum, wash the floors on its own and does not require much maintenance, this model is one of the stronger choices in its price category.