Narwal Freo robot vacuum and mop combo review

In the ever-evolving landscape of smart home cleaning solutions, the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo emerge as promising contenders. This robot boasts an intelligent self and home cleaning system using technology known as Dirt Sense and its Freo Mode, a sophisticated cleaning technology that takes the guesswork out of maintaining your living space. Using both and more features discussed in this review, the Narwal Freo excels in maintaining home cleanliness through its superior vacuuming and mopping capabilities. 

The Narwal Freo comes with a base station that serves as a multifaceted hub, with various functions that enhance the overall cleaning experience. This central unit takes care of essential tasks, including charging the robot, storing the floor cleaning solution, and managing both clean and dirty water tanks. Using Narwal Freo’s Dirt Sense technology, the base station also intelligently assesses the level of dirt on the mop pads. After every mopping session, it sanitizes them through high-speed spinning and dries them to avoid bacteria growth.

While the Narwal Freo may not top the charts in terms of suction power (tops at 3,000 Pa), hands-off maintenance (manually dispose of dust bin), or the most advanced app (can only store one map), it stands out in effectively maintaining your home's cleanliness. Read on to see how it got on in my studio, then head to our best robot vacuum buyer's guide to see where it sits.

Alex Pamias

Alexandra Pamias has been reviewing household appliances for two years as a freelance writer. She has tested everything from robot vacuums to fans and air fryers. 

Alex reviewed this robot vacuum from her studio apartment where she lives with her partner.   

Narwal Freo: Key specs

Narwal Freo: Setup & assembly

The Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo showed up in this pretty hefty box, and I had to do some serious packaging material cleanup. I loved how setting it up was a breeze – the robot came with a big sheet of paper with simple, quick start instructions and a manual, too, for a deeper dive into all things Narwal Freo.  I stuck to the quick-start guide first but eventually peeked into the manual when I got a bit lost. For example, I couldn't figure out where to attach the floor cleaning solution inside the base station. Overall, props for the easy setup, but not so happy about the packaging sustainability since I had to toss quite a bit of material. 

A quick note about the manual: you can find an even more detailed electronic manual by scanning the QR code on page two. This will take you to the most helpful manual I have ever seen for an electronic device, with various categories and subcategories. I recommend reading the whole thing to really understand all the Narwal Freo’s capabilities. The electronic manual also has pictures and how-tos for everything you need to know. 

The set-up included finding a spot for the base station with enough space for the Narwal Freo to maneuver in and out, attaching the floor cleaning solution to the inside of the base station and adding water to the clean water tank, attaching the two side brushes to the robot and finally downloading the Narwal app to get started. 

Setting up the Narwal Freo in the app is also a very easy thing to do. All you have to do is download it and use Bluetooth to pair your robot to your app. This will allow you to access customization of cleaning plans, set up no-go areas, merge/split rooms, adjust suction power and moisture level, and more! Other household members can also download the app and control the robot if the primary user agrees via the app. It flagged that the robot is not compatible with 5G, so you will have to connect to a 2.4G network during setup.

The first time you use this robot vacuum and mop combo, it'll map out your home, which will then show up on your app. Once mapped, you can divide your home into separate rooms, designate no-go zones, and choose floor types for each. If you don’t want to bother with the app and prefer the robot to clean your entire mapped home every time, you can simply use the touch screen at the top of the base station to select a cleaning mode for the entire mapped home. 

Narwal Freo: Price & availability

Retailing at $1,399.99 on the Narwal website and Amazon, the Narwal Freo is now available to purchase at a discounted $1,199.99. When you buy it from the Narwal website, you get the floor cleaner for free. 

Narwal introduced two new vacuum models that will be coming out later this year at CES: the Narwal Freo X Ultra, Narwal Freo X Plus, and Narwal S10 Pro. The Narwal Freo X Ultra (retailing at $1,399.99, too) will be an improved version of the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop, which I reviewed for this article. The other two models will be available for under $500 each but will not have a base station. 

Overall, considering how well the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo performs at vacuuming and mopping, plus the convenience of a base station that auto-cleans the mops as needed, the high price point is not unwarranted. Users do have to empty the dustbin manually, which makes this robot vacuum not as hands-off as it could be. 

Score: 4/5

Narwal Freo: Design

Upon first glance at the Narwal Freo base station, I couldn't help but be reminded of a robot I had seen on TV, specifically EVE from the movie WALL-E. The design incorporates soft and cute elements with rounded edges and a clean white color (the sole available option). The robot vacuum, measuring 13.8 x 13.8 x 4.1 inches, resides inside the base station, which is 16.3 x 14.6 x 17.1 inches, when not in use. While it does take up a considerable amount of space, the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop effectively utilizes that space with its myriad of features.

When you touch the touchscreen on the top of the base station, you're greeted by a charming round cartoon version of a narwhal, inviting you to initiate the robot in Freo mode. You can access the other cleaning modes (Vacuum Mode, Mope Mode, Vacuum and Mop Mode and Vacuum then Mop Mode) by swiping right. While the design is visually appealing, the white color tends to accentuate accumulated dust over time, making it more visible. You might find yourself needing to wipe down the robot and station more frequently due to this visibility issue.

The Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop boasts a remarkable feature in its versatile base station. Beyond just charging the robot, this station acts as a central hub for housing the water supply essential for mopping, as well as the cleaning and drying of the mops. Utilizing its advanced Dirt Sense technology, the robot intelligently gauges the dirt level on the mops and initiates a high-speed spinning action. This process involves a precise mix of water and the floor cleaner for optimal cleaning results. 

To ensure peak performance, it's crucial to fill the clean water tank, empty the dirty water tank, and install the floor cleaning solution in the base station before starting a cleaning session. While the base station does not remove the debris collected in the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop’s dustbin, you can easily remove the bin from the robot itself and dump the dirt into the garbage. 

I recommend using the Narwal app to get the most out of the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo. This allows you to customize your cleaning preferences, whether it's focusing on a single room or cleaning your entire home. When opting for modes other than Freo Mode, you have the flexibility to fine-tune settings such as the number of times the robot covers an area, suction power, and mopping humidity. Additionally, the app enables you to schedule individual or recurring cleaning sessions, providing a convenient way to maintain your home's floors. 

Despite the many positive aspects of the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop's design, a drawback surfaced when I discovered it could only store a single map. This limitation renders it unsuitable for homes with a duplex or two-story structure, as you would need to remap your home every time you want it to clean a different floor.

Score: 4.5/5

Narwal Freo: Performance

The feature that Narwal considers to be the number one selling point for this robot vacuum and mop combo is its Freo Mode. This intelligent cleaning mode employs advanced algorithms and sensors to ensure optimal efficiency and comprehensive cleaning. With this feature, the Narwal Freo can intelligently determine the frequency needed to clean a dusty room and estimate the duration required to eliminate dust and dirt from its mops.

During my initial use of the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo, I decided to put the Freo Mode to the test. After mapping my apartment, I was eager to assess how effectively the robot would clean my diverse floor surfaces using its Dirt Sense technology. I also wanted to gauge Narwal Freo's ability to adapt to mop humidity and downward force, ensuring it was adjusted appropriately to prevent any potential damage to different floor types.

The first cleaning session was a success! The Narwal Freo was vacuumed and mopped for 25 minutes. It detected more debris and stains on the kitchen floor, which resulted in the robot going over the same area in that room twice as opposed to the single cycle in the entryway. After the Freo Mode cleaning session, I immediately noticed that the stains on the kitchen floor and crumbs from my lunchtime sandwich were gone. While some harder-to-reach spots like corners and under the counter retained a bit of debris, I was genuinely impressed by the extent to which the robot efficiently cleaned my space.

After putting it through its paces with all the available cleaning modes, I was just as impressed with the alternatives as I was with the Freo Mode. Notably, the most effective vacuuming session came from utilizing the highest suction power, prompting me to opt for that setting most of the time. Surprisingly, even with the maximum suction power and mopping humidity, the Narwal Freo maintained ample battery life, even after revisiting the same area multiple times. At its loudest, the robot registered 64 dB.

I tested the efficiency of the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo at picking up different types of debris: caster sugar, sprinkles, and oats. I find that most robot vacuums tend to fail the caster sugar test, and the Narwal Freo was no exception. On Vacuum Mode, at the highest suction power, the robot left behind most of the sugar, spreading it around and even leaving a little trail on its way back to the base station. I tried again on Vacuum and Mop mode, and all it did was dissolve the sugar, making all my kitchen floors sticky instead. 

Image 1 of 2

It aced the oats test, flawlessly collecting every single oat on the floor. Even when you anticipate it might overlook an oat or two, it impressively goes back to ensure nothing is left behind. I noticed the importance of having dual brushes on either side of the robot; they efficiently directed all debris toward the suction area, ensuring thorough cleaning with no room for oversight.

Cleaning and maintaining the robot vacuum and mop combo and the base station is as easy as it is to use. Narwal recommends emptying the dustbin within the robot at least once a week, which you can do by opening the top cover of the robot and pulling out the dustbin. After that, it’s as easy as pushing a button, letting the debris fall into the trash can, and reinserting the dustbin into the robot. The filter should be cleaned every two weeks and replaced every three months. The base station sanitizes the mops after every mopping session using high-speed spinning, the floor cleaning solution, and gentle heating to prevent the growth of bacteria. But the mops should be replaced after a max of three months to make sure your floors are mopped efficiently.

The base station conveniently accommodates the floor cleaning solution, clean water tank, and clean water tank. Once it has gone through an entire tank of clean water, the app sends an alert prompting you to dispose of the dirty water and replenish the clean water tank. Notifications are also provided when the floor cleaning solution is running low, which can be easily bought from Amazon if/when you need it.

At one point I had to move around furniture in rooms that it had already mapped. If you make any significant changes in the location of big items, Narwal recommends remapping your home so that the robot vacuum accurately cleans your rooms. This process was very easy and I’m happy to report that there were no issues at all.

Overall, the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo left a positive impression on me with its advanced cleaning technology and straightforward maintenance. Though it may not be as effective in capturing dust in corners or picking up finer debris like sugar as I had hoped, it still stands out as an excellent robot vacuum mop that deserves a spot in your home.

Score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Narwal Freo?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How does the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop compare?

When compared to other robot vacuums with mopping capabilities and smart cleaning base stations, the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop is positioned at a relatively higher price point. The Yeedi Mop Station Pro, priced at $699.99, shares some functions with the Narwal Freo but goes further by self-emptying the dustbin into the cleaning station and providing multi-floor mapping. Despite this, the Narwal Freo's design is unquestionably more aesthetically pleasing than the Yeedi Mop Station Pro. 

The ECOVACS' DEEBOT X2 OMNI Robot Vacuum and Mop has a similar SRP as the Narwal Freo, retailing at $1,499.99, and offers more features. For example, its max 8000Pa suction power surpasses the Narwal Freo’s 3,000Pa suction power. DEEBOT’s version also has a more advanced app. However, when it comes to effectiveness during vacuuming and mopping, I found that Narwal’s technology was superior, delivering a super cleaning.  

How I tested the Narwal Freo

I used the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop for two weeks, testing all the modes available. I used the vacuum to clean up the natural buildup of hair, debris, and dust and also tested it using controlled experiments with oats, sprinkles, and sugar. I cleaned hardwood floors and rugs with the Narwal Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop.

See more about how we test.

First reviewed: January 2024