Finally, a Robot Vaccuum/Mop I Actually Like
The AI revolution is here, whether we like it or not, but at least it's given us better robot vacuums. Narwal, a home cleaning robotics company, is releasing a new automated mop-plus-vacuum. The Narwal Flow uses an AI chip in the vacuum and one at the docking station to do all your mapping and data processing locally. That means the $1,500 Narwal Flow "thinks" on its own, without going to the cloud for instructions. But can it think and clean critically like a human?
I've been putting the device through its paces for the past few months to find out myself. It promises to be the all-in-one hands-free cleaner. The reality is that it can be the main tool in your cleaning arsenal—the most high tech one at that—but like all franchise players it requires a strong supporting cast and crew.
If you buy on Amazon now, you can apply a coupon at checkout for $200 off the asking price. Do I find it worth $1,300? In short yes, but don't expect it to be life changing. It still has limits.
- Automatically maps out your home
- The best robot mop I've used
- Smart cameras with real time object detection
- Programming consistently works and notifies me updates
- Self emptying, self cleaning dock
- Vacuum misses big pieces of crumbs and dust consistently
- Can't get into as many corner crevices as some competing robovacs
How much of a pain in the ass is it to set up? That's my first question with any new piece of fancy tech. Fortunately, getting the Narwal Flow unboxed and all the proper parts attached wasn't time consuming. Once it was plugged in, I pressed the dock's start button, and it automatically began mapping. The robot ran around my apartment with its camera and (staying out of my bathroom for some reason) constructed a map of the space, accurately zoning my small space into the four rooms that make it up.
You can press a button on the dock, or the robovac itself, to start and stop a cleaning cycle, but any direction more complicated than that happens on the app. It's a mandatory download if you want to get your money's worth out of any Narwal device.
The Flow has four settings: vacuum, mop, vacuum and mop, or vacuum then mop. Pretty self explanatory stuff. If you want a quick clean, vacuum and mop is better, but vacuum then mop will give you a more thorough clean. On the app, you will be able to see your Narwal's map, battery level, and cleaning history. This is also where you can program cleans and set weekly schedules, a feature that's a must for a device I mostly use when I'm not home.
When I'm at the office and the Narwal starts running a cycle, I get a heads up on my Apple Watch. I get another notification when it finishes, or if it gets stuck for any reason. One day, I forgot to do the usual morning routine of picking up and I got a 3 p.m. alert that my Narwal was stuck eating my dog's pee pad. Alas, some robot vacuum struggles die hard.
Cleaning TestsSo, how's my life been now that I've been using the Narwal Flow multiple times per week? The same except now I come home to shiny floors every Tuesday and Thursday. In my cleaning tests, I've found the Narwal Flow to be a high-powered robot mop first and a robovac second.
As a vacuum, it has good features but failed to impress on overall cleaning prowess. The Flow is equipped with a pretty advanced camera that will detect objects in real time. It will detect messes and identify bigger objects to avoid, even if something just fell off the counter. For smaller obstacles, as well as lips and doorframes, the Flow has an impressive amount of maneuverability. It just goes up and over with no manual lifting required.
While it's side brushes promised to get in my crumby kitchen corners, the result was an amateur job. In general, I found the vacuum feature's crumb and dust catching abilities to pale in comparison to a real vacuum.
All of this makes me feel like the true value here is the mop. The mop head extends out from the below the sides of the robot to get better angles and corner coverage. It can get in nooks and corners that the vacuum's brushes aspire to, and it's done a uniform job every single time I've ran it so far.
Then there's the dock, which I think is the coolest part. The self cleaning features are noisy, but the dust bag is deceptively spacious, and I haven't had to change mine yet. All the maintenance required for the mop is to fill the tank with clean water and solution when it's empty. Then you empty the dirty water out when its full. It makes what used to be the most complicated part of owning a robot vacuum refreshingly simple.
Final Verdict: It's a Better Mop Than a VacuumI love having a mop-vacuum combo that I can run remotely, from wherever, whenever. The Narwal Flow is built on great tech and it features a mop that really gets the job done... I only wish I could speak as highly about the vacuum. It can navigate an obstacle-filled home like a champ, but the actual dust busting leaves something to be desired. It's a nice addition to the modern smart home, but I'd keep a Shark or Dyson around for furniture along with a broom for quick passes in stubborn corners.
- Automatically maps out your home
- The best robot mop I've used
- Smart cameras with real time object detection
- Programming consistently works and notifies me updates
- Self emptying, self cleaning dock
- Vacuum misses big pieces of crumbs and dust consistently
- Can't get into as many corner crevices as some competing robovacs
esquire
