Robot vacuum cleaners have begun to climb in popularity post-COVID era. Besides maintaining hygiene to limit the spread of bacteria and viruses, the adoption of a work-from-home environment has compelled us to keep our space clean and neat all the time. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into household appliances has assisted major brands in loading their robotic vacuums with cleverer sensors. These machines have become less of a luxury and more of a necessity with several noteworthy features like mapping capabilities, self-cleaning mechanisms and cameras.
Xiaomi-backed Dreame, which manufactures a range of smart home devices, recently unveiled the Dreame L10s Ultra to this competitive market. Priced at Rs. 74,999 in India, this robotic vacuum cleaner can self-empty and self-clean and provides automatic dust collection, mopping, and drying support.
However, it’s discounted and sold at a much lower price on Amazon now (Rs. 58,999), so keep an eye out for this e-commerce listing, making it an even more interesting purchase.
Is the Dreame L10s Ultra worth considering over the competition? Find out in this review.
Dreame L10s Ultra: What’s in the box
The retail box of the Dreame L10s Ultra is quite heavy as it comes in a package weighing around 13 kilograms (the base station weighs 8.9 kilograms while the robot weighs 3.7 kilograms). Besides the robot and base station, the box includes two rotating mop pads, a bristleless rubber brush, a filter cleaning brush, a power cord, a multi-surface floor cleaner and a dust bag. The brand has packed an additional dust bag with the device. Dreame claims that one dust bag will be used for up to 60 days of cleaning, but you might have to buy more later, they are priced at 4,199 for four and a set of new accessories (a roller brush, two side brushes, two filters, six mop pads and two dust bags) costs Rs. 7,990. Given the overall price, a few more additional accessories could have been included.
Dreame L10s Ultra Review: Design
Setting up the Dreame L10s Ultra is painless. Mop pads can be connected to the built-in magnets, while side brushes can be clipped to the underside of the unit. After filling and inserting the fresh water tank and the cleaning detergent, the base station can be plugged into a power source. The device can be controlled remotely using Dreamehome or Mi Home apps. Alternatively, you can connect it to the Wi-Fi to access it with Alexa and Google Home.
The Dreame L10s Ultra has a premium round design with a white finish and a front-mounted camera for navigating through the rooms. The disc-shaped cleaning robot features a raised module for the inbuild LIDAR at the top for the navigation system. It has three buttons at the top: Spot Cleaning, Power (or clean) and Dock, and these can be used to perform the core functions without the need for a mobile phone. It has a flexible bumper and includes a laser distance sensor (LDS), AI visual sensor and line laser sensors. They recognise blocks in the way and show them on the map.
Dreame L10s Ultra Review: Setup, Mapping
In the first run, the Dreame L10s Ultra creates a 3D map for the floor spotting obstacles using its AI-backed RGB camera and 3D structured light. It memorises different paths, bedrooms, living rooms and dining areas by detecting walls, cupboards or pieces of furniture on the floor. We can create multiple maps for multi-floor houses and set no-go zones from the phone through the paired app. The robotic vacuum cleaner took approximately five minutes to map a 1200-square-foot apartment. It is considered part of my bedroom as a dining area in the first run, still, the mapping is impressively accurate.
Dreame L10s Ultra features an AI-backed RGB camera and 3D structured light
Dreame L10s Ultra Review: App
The paired app of Dearme L10s Ultra is loaded with customisation options. The main screen of the app displays the charge and cleaning status of the robots. You can schedule cleaning cycles, vacuum or mop or do both in specific rooms or zones and create no-go zones for areas that you don’t want to be cleaned. It can be sent to a specific room for vacuuming, mopping or doing both tasks simultaneously. Users can moist level and suction power. These can be regulated according to each area; isn’t that smart?
The main screen of the Dreamehome app displays the charge and cleaning status of the robots
Dreame L10s Ultra Review: Cleaning and performance
The key highlight of Dreamebot L10s Ultra is the self-cleaning mop and auto-emptying system. The robot automatically dries the mops and adds water and a cleaning solution. The station automatically refills detergent and water and supplies the robot hoover with liquid for the mopping function via a small tank. It is equipped with AI features and smart navigation to avoid collisions with walls and obstacles. To stop kids from getting their hands on the vacuum cleaner, you can activate the child lock by pressing and holding the Leave and Dry buttons on the base station. Also, while setting up, it asks questions about pets to enhance cleaning and avoid potential pet accidents around the house during cleaning tasks.
The onboard camera of Dreame L10s Ultra gives the status of cleaning while you are away. I found it effective when it gets stuck in a rug or gets trapped between the tangled straps of my crossbags. This doubles as a security camera and would benefit particularly pet owners. You have to set a four-digit activation code to set up the built-in RGB camera. It offers two-way audio, letting you prompt it to vacuum while you’re away at work. It cleans an area of three metres in two minutes.
The AI sensors of Dreame L10s Ultra allow it to run on carpets as well. Compared to normal rolles, it effectively picks up loose dust from small mats, thanks to the 5,300Pa suction power and bristleless rubber brush. It lifts its mop when detects carpet or mat. There are multiple alternatives with better suction power, but this is enough to pick up dirt in a regular household I felt. It sometimes changes its suction power to remove debris from carpets. The device does get very noisy at this point, and I still hear it at work, even from a different room. The loud noise is the major problem with setting the vacuum at the highest suction. The station is, though, quiet enough. The bot loudly speaks out what it is doing while starting or returning from the dock to clean the mops or recharge the battery. Additionally, the robot’s location can be viewed on the map while the cleaning is underway. It can be located easily.
Dreame L10s Ultra has a rubber brush instead of one with bristles
As a person with waist-length hair, I would praise Dreame for choosing a bristleless rubber brush, as it ideally prevents hair from getting tangled and stuck around the brush. The side brush, though, often gets wrapped around by strands, which I cleared after a few runs. So, it is supposed to work effectively with pet hairs. It automatically detects the change in floor type while running. The robot recognised ceramic tiles in my utility area with coarse textures while running and adjusted the behaviour accordingly.
Dreame L10s Ultra Review: Maintenance
The Dreame L10s Ultra’s base station’s water tank has a 2.5-litre capacity while the robot carries 80ml water, therefore, it doesn’t go to the base station frequently while cleaning unless the battery is running low in the middle of a cleaning task. After mopping, the robot winds its way back to the charging station and mops get cleaned automatically at the dock with cold water to eliminate odour. This could be less effective than using hot water. The dirt will then reach the dirty water tank of the base station and this can be manually removed. After cleaning mops will be dried with hot air. Using Dualboost 2.0 technology, the device blows air into the robot’s dust box and vacuums it into a dust bag in the station. This dirt is stored in a dust bag in the base station and can be manually emptied when notified. Dreame claims one bag will last up to 60 days of cleaning and I was not near to full in two weeks of testing. Other maintenance includes opening the brush tray, removing it and cleaning up the dirt accumulated on the sides.
For charging, the Dreame L10s Ultra drives onto the docking station. The app shows battery life and the battery lasts up to 160 minutes in vacuuming and mopping the 800 carpet area (1,175 sqft) of the flat without requiring a charging break. It is worth noting that uncluttered rooms give the perfect vacuum and mopping job.
Dreame L10s Ultra Review: Verdict
If you’re looking for a fully automated robot vacuum mop that doesn’t require any cleaning effort on our part, consider the Dreame L10s Ultra, which comes with less manual maintenance. The self-emptying feature adds a hefty sum to the price tag but it is justifiable considering the existing functions from even premium models (Dreame L20 Ultra). The vacuuming and mopping functions are effective, and the robot hoover offers the option of using it as a moving surveillance camera. Though the robot costs Rs. 74,999, be aware that there are ongoing costs with this robot, such as accessory replacements and an approved cleaning solution. If you have mostly carpeted floors at home, this wouldn’t be a great choice. For people with bigger homes with different types of floors and pet parents with shedding animals, it’s worth considering. If you can in terms of the price tag, the L10s Ultra is among the best options you can buy today.
You can also check for affordable options from brands such as Xiaomi and Eureka Forbes if you are low on budget.
Dreame L10s Ultra
Price: 74,999
Rating: 8/10
Pros:
- Effective vacuum cleaning and mopping
- Self-emptying
- Onboard camera
- Smart mapping
- User-friendly app
Cons:
- Expensive
- Loud
- Extra accessories are not available
- Self-cleaning with hot water is missing