Narwal, who have been in a hurry, have probably forgotten what it means to take a breather. The Z series flagships Z Ultra and Z10 Ultra, which were barely released, are already in the past. In today's review, the latest creation of this manufacturer is Narwal Flow.

While the Z series robot vacuums were quite similar to each other, Flow takes a different path. There are no longer two round mops, but a roller-like rotating mop that cleans itself during washing. The suction power reaches as much as 22,000 Pa, which is even ~22% more powerful than the Z10 Ultra. Sounds impressive - but is it really worth investing more and choosing Flow over the Z series? Let's evaluate.

What's in the box?

The Narwal unpacking experience remains as good as before - everything is neatly, safely and thoughtfully arranged. Although the corner of the box was damaged during transportation, the contents were not damaged. Inside, all the necessary accessories for at least a couple of months of use are included: an extra dust bag and floor cleaner for the station, a dust container and a spare filter for the robot itself.

First impressions

First, let's start with the Flow station. It has changed - there is no longer a control screen, only a single physical "Start" button. Personally, this is more than enough, since all functions are accessible via the Narwal app. 

However, the station has lost its automatic detergent refill, so you will have to add it manually every time. This is a small but noticeable inconvenience, especially compared to the Z series. Also, the additional access track, which quickly got scratched in previous models, has finally disappeared. Apart from these changes, the design of the station remains little changed and has the same elegant Narwal flavor.

The robot vacuum cleaner itself has also changed. The protruding LiDAR sensor on the top is gone - it has been moved to the back of the body (captures at an angle of about 180°), so Flow now fits under lower furniture. Two cameras remain at the front for navigation. 

The side brushes are flexible, so hair doesn't get wrapped around them during operation. The main roller seems to be unchanged, and judging from my experience, that's great - hair and dust practically never remain on it.

The biggest innovation, of course, is the rotating cleaning pad with an integrated water tank in the pump itself. The pad is constantly moistened and cleaned during operation, so the Flow should be very effective at dealing with fresh spills. The pad is easily removed, can be washed or replaced with a new one.

App

Narwal Flow is controlled via the Narwal Freo app - the same as in the Z series models. Connecting to the pump is simple and is done with the help of a wizard. A map of a 68 m² apartment is created in 5 minutes and it is quite accurate. After minor corrections, the robot pump is ready for the first work in 10 minutes.

It is important to note that by default, Flow skips carpets, so if you want them to be cleaned, you need to mark them as manual. The app interface remains clear and simple: you can choose to vacuum, mop, or both, adjust the intensity, humidity, and other options. Freo Mind's automatic mode works great - most of the time, you don't need to change anything.

Obstacle avoidance

Removing the 360° LiDAR is a decision that won't please everyone. While it allows the Flow to navigate under lower obstacles, it makes navigation less accurate. Some competitors (Roborock, Dreame) use retractable LiDAR, and I really think that would have been a better compromise.

Nevertheless, after spending a good month with the Narwal Flow, I haven't noticed any major problems with navigation. The pump doesn't encounter animals or people, but object recognition is worse than in the Z series. For example, a bicycle was recognized as a mirror, and curtains as a wire.

For a more serious challenge, I placed a few items in the room - a TV remote, keys, toys and a charging cable. When I started vacuuming in that area for the first time, the vacuum cleaner simply... "splattered" everything. In reality, such things don't happen, so I'll write it off as a misunderstanding. Several further tests correspond to reality - the items are barely pushed or touched. 

One of the strangest things is hitting the leg of the kitchen table, which is located just a few centimeters from the threshold. It seems that the entrance to the room follows a pre-recorded trajectory - however, this is not an isolated case, but it happens every time you go to the kitchen.

Also, if an obstacle prevents the robot from entering a room during cleaning, Narwal Flow will not return to it. If this is not the last room it has cleaned, I would like the robot to try to enter again. 

Pumping

Judging by the rich suction sound alone, the Narwal Flow seems to be able to vacuum even the longest-pile carpets perfectly. In reality, the performance is reminiscent of the Z10 Ultra - the vacuum is fully sufficient for daily cleaning, but from time to time you will need to join in the cleaning.

The biggest problem is the accumulation of dirt on the floor near the edges of the carpet. Even after the most powerful vacuuming, a significant amount of dirt remains. Much less dirt remains if vacuuming is done carefully level (cleaning in two directions).

The short-pile carpet is vacuumed perfectly - I can't find a single hair or dust left behind. The vacuuming of hard floors is simply impeccable. Nothing is left after cleaning, and the slightly longer side brush on the right side helps collect lighter dust from the corners (sand or pebbles remain). 

Washing

Washing - this is where Flow comes into its own. To make it easier to talk about it, I would like to distinguish two different categories of dirt. First, there are freshly spilled liquids (coffee, ketchup, jam), and second - dried dirt (buckwheat, food residue).

The Flow spinning mop seems to be designed specifically for the first category. I spilled coffee and ketchup on the kitchen tiles for testing, and as a result I expected an even more „smeared” floor. I probably couldn’t have been more wrong.. Don’t believe me? Watch this video:

The Narwal Flow has a bit more difficulty with the second category. Everything that gets on the kitchen floor is cleaned, but dried-on dirt remains. I can't say that the vacuum cleaner is not capable, because the same dirt is difficult to scrape off with a fingernail. Overall, dried-on dirt is cleaned similarly to the Z series.

What did we like?

One of the Flow's strongest features is its battery. While I haven't had a single battery drain with the Z series, I have to admit that 9 percent battery drain after 50 minutes of use is impressive.

While the vacuuming results are impressive, mopping is where the Narwal Flow really shines. It picks up all the freshly spilled liquids, and unlike the Z series, even after the wettest mopping, the floor remains barely damp. This is great for those with pets who like to leave their paw prints.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the automatic washing of the cloth. Ketchup, jam, or other thick liquids do not matter at all. After washing and drying, it looks like new.

What we didn't like?

This is the first Narwal pump that beeps from time to time, as if it has just pulled into a stop. This happens no more than 3 times a day. Although it is not a loud signal, it is annoying. I managed to find more users on the Internet who have encountered such a problem, although with different models. Apart from cleaning the contacts (which does not help), it is not easy to find a solution to the problem.

Due to the container in the pump itself and the constant cleaning of the cloth, the Flow uses significantly more water than the Z series. While one refill is enough for the latter pumps to wash ~10m² at least 6 times, the Flow only manages to do it 3-4 times. It is not difficult to refill the water more often, but you also need to remember to add floor detergent (which happened more than once).

My biggest concern is the integrated water container in the pump itself. There is no way to remove it, and the pump itself washes it out. Knowing how hard the tap water is, I can only hope that there will be no limescale in the pump and everything will work as it should…

Verdict

Narwal Flow is a robot vacuum cleaner designed for those who often have „liquid accidents“ in their lives. Spilled coffee, juice or a dog bowl? Flow overcomes such challenges with ease. Its rotating, self-cleaning mop perfectly copes with wet liquids and everyday dirt.

However, if you are looking for a robot that is primarily a vacuum cleaner, with washing as an additional function - look no further than the Z series (Z10 Ultra or Z Ultra). These models vacuum very similarly, but have better navigation with 360° LiDAR and automatic detergent refilling, and cost less.

The Flow's strength is its innovative floor cleaning and spill cleanup. But as a general purpose vacuum, it takes a half-step back. It's a great choice for those who value cleaning efficiency.