At a glanceExpert's Rating
Pros
- Advanced navigation and object identification system
- Mop unit reaches into edges and corners
- Very high suction power
- Extensive customization options
Cons
- The price
Our Verdict
The DreameBot L20 Ultra has advanced features and powerful artificial intelligence. A large battery and a big dust bin and water tanks in its base station enables it to operate for long stretches virtually maintenance free. It left our floors virtually spotless after its vacuuming and mopping runs. Dreame expects to fetch a high price for this smart appliance, but not one that’s out of line with its performance.
Best Prices Today: Dreame L20 Ultra
Previously considered a cheaper alternative to Roborock, Dreame is now at least as advanced as that brand in terms of product development and innovation. That notion is emphasized by its new top-of-the-line model, the DreameBot L20 Ultra.
The robot vacuum cleaner space is constantly evolving. Just a couple of years ago, it was all about who could provide the smartest navigation system, including accessibility and whether the robot could recognize and avoid obstacles. After that, it was a competition to see who could offer the smoothest solution with an automatic emptying station.
An almost clinically accurate object identification system made sure not a single cord, sock, or other small object got sucked into the DreameBot L20 Ultra.
Now, the focus is on the mopping function, with the simpler solutions of a refillable container with an accompanying cloth that you manually attach to the back of the robot increasingly being replaced by much more advanced options in the top models. That’s a good thing, because that dragging-mop-cloth solution honestly feels dated.
This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robot vacuums.
So far, the most efficient solution is to have dual spinning mops, a feature Dreame offered early on. In fact, Roborock didn’t have an answer for this innovation until it introduced its Q Revo last year. Dreame has now taken that tech to a new level, as I’ll describe in a bit.
The Dreame Bot L20 Ultra cleans and dries its mop pads in this alcove in its dock.
Andreas Bergsman
The DreameBot L20 Ultra comes with a docking station and offers virtually hands-free automated floor cleaning. It empties the robot’s built-in dust container when needed, refills its water tank, and takes care of the dirty water after the robot has finished mopping parts of or the entire home. It also cleans the mops when needed and dries them with hot air at the end of each cleaning session.
Its base station takes up a lot of space
All these functions also mean a large base station–the largest I’ve encountered–to accommodate a 3.2-liter dust bag, a 4.5-liter clean-water tank, and 4-liter dirty-water tank. Measuring, 23.8 x 16.7 x 19.6 inches (HxWxD), you’ll need plenty of room to set it up in your home. On the bright side, it’s at least attractive–as base stations go.
The robot itself doesn’t look as distinctive: It’s round with an elevated module on top housing a laser-based navigation system (LDS). There’s a camera in front of the unit that uses artificial intelligence and 3D structured light to continuously identify and avoid obstacles.
Dreame’s app offers plenty of customization options.
.Andreas Bergsman
Installation is completed in a few minutes. Once you’ve filled the water tank and fitted the round mops, it’s time for a first round of cleaning, during which the robot will simultaneously map your home. Once that’s done, you can merge or divide the rooms on the map and give them unique names. You can also add virtual walls and no-go zones where the robot shouldn’t travel into.
Dreame’s app is well done, with a plethora of settings to choose from. You can program the vacuum to leave its mops in its base station and only vacuum your hard-surface floors, rugs, and carpets before mopping, or you can have it do both at the same time, lifting its mop pads when it identifies carpeting. The vacuum can identify particularly dirty areas of your floors and automatically give them a second cleaning. The DreameBot L20 Ultra can also assess how dirty its mop pads are and how often they need to be cleaned.
Here you can clearly see how the right mop pad is angled towards the edge
.Andreas Bergsman
Nearly every robotic vacuum cleaner with a mopping function has problems cleaning edges and corners, so Dreame designed the DreameBot L20 Ultra so that its right-hand mop pad moves out an angle when its operating closes to walls and furniture. During my testing, the mop was almost able to reach all the way into corners.
Dreame’s navigation system identifies and avoids objects that could trap the robot while it’s cleaning.
Andreas Bergsman
The DreameBot L20 Ultra delivers 7,000Pa of suction power (compared to the Roborock S8+, which delivers 6,000Pa). Combined with the vacuum’s brushless rubber roller, it did an outstanding job of picking up all the dirt in its path, while an almost clinically accurate object identification system made sure not a single cord, sock, or any other small object got sucked in.
The DreameBot L20 Ultra is the most efficient floor-cleaning machine I’ve tested so far
Specifications
Model: DreameBot L20 Ultra
Tested: September 2023
Manufacturer: Dreame
Battery: 6,400mAh
Run time : Up to 260 minutes
Suction power: Up to 7,000Pa
Dust container: 0.35 liters onboard, 3.2 liters in the base station
HEPA filter: Yes
Water container: .08 liters onboard, 4.5 liters in the base station
Mapping: Laser (Lidar)
Communication : Wifi
Associated app : Yes
Map function: Yes
With room division : Yes
Compatible with Google Assistant/Amazon Alexa/Apple Homekit: Yes/Yes/Yes
Dimensions, robot : 4 x 13 x 13 x inches (HxWxD)
Dimensions, base station: 23.8 x 16.7 x 19.6 inches (HxWxD)
Price: $1,499.99
Editors’ note: This review was translated from Swedish to English and was originally published on TechHive’s sibling site in Sweden, M3.se.