I hated my robot vacuum - it was nothing but a hassle. That was until I tried one that changed my outlook forever - and I'll never go without again
- I was anti robot vacuum - until I tried the Narwal Freo X Ultra
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I bought a 'smart' robot vacuum in 2020 after daydreaming for months about a clean house that required little effort to maintain.
I named him Victor and thought he would he would save me hours each week knocking off one of my most hated tasks: vacuuming.
I lived in an old, dusty apartment with ancient carpet so it was a job that needed to be done every few days to keep the home feeling clean and me hay fever free.
Three weeks later I packed his things and kicked him out. He was more trouble than he was worth.
I spent more time rescuing him from under furniture, behind a fold in the rug he created or from clean corners that he kept on vacuuming.
I swore off the trendy gadgets, vowing never to invest in one again. That was until I met Neil, my shiny new Narwal vacuum.
When the team at Aussie robo-vac company Narwal offered me the opportunity to trial its newest model - the Freo X Ultra - I rolled my eyes. Here we go again.
But I was wrong.
My home has only grown more obstacles since 2020 with the addition of two kids, a dog and a bird.
I placed sauce, seed and corn flour on the floor to see how the robot would work under pressure
It did a great job - on the vacuum and mop setting - with just a smudge of cornflour left. I then ran the vacuum again with a vacuum then mop setting and it blasted through the missed spot
The new vac sat in its box in the corner, slowly collecting junk for more than a week before I decided to plug it in, certain it would fail me like the last one did.
I give all my vacuums male names. Neil felt like the ideal choice.
Neil caught me off guard.
He mapped the house, as they do. Then he vacuumed it, mopped it and deposited the dirty water and dust into his home station.
He then had a shower to make sure he would be ready for his next adventure.
Not only did he do a great job but he also didn't complain once.
He didn't get caught on my shag-pile rug, the kids' shoes, the chair legs, bird cage or floor cushions.
The app is easy to use - tells you how long the machine has been working - where it has cleaned and how long it has to go
I typically use the vacuum and mop setting which means the robot does both at once but the vacuum then mop setting is better if there are tougher spots
He even avoided moving targets including myself, a fast-footed five-year-old and a playful one-year-old Afghan Hound.
The robot, like many, is controlled using an app - where you can choose rooms or segments, whether you want a mop or a vacuum and when you want it to get to work.
I have been using it for about a month now and it is definitely matching the expectations I dreamed up before purchasing my first robot vacuum in 2020.
It hasn't completely eliminated my need for a stand alone vacuum or mop, which I think I will end up wielding once a month, but it has definitely reduced my workload.
Being able to set it to clean key zones like the kitchen and under the dining room table once everyone is tucked up in bed is key.
I let Neil vacuum and mop every night - something I have never been able to maintain manually alongside having a job and living my life.
I like that the dust bin is set to last six weeks of normal use as it compacts the dirt once it heads back to the base station.
The water needs a watchful eye as it is slightly frustrating when there's an alert to change it mid-clean and you aren't available.
I have been using Neil to mop most days, however, so I don't think it would be as big of an issue for most.
The Narwal comes with a base station that has water containers, and heating devices to keep things hygienic
The mop is washed and dried after each use
Narwal's cleaners have been described as 'game changing' by customers who claim the technology, design and quality of the job done make it feel like a much more expensive model.
And after living with my very own I can admit I have stopped rolling my eyes. The robot appears to 'look' where it is going, scouts the area during big jobs and exceeds with every clean.
I squirted tomato sauce, smeared mud, sprinkled flour and poured birdseed on my kitchen floor to see how the machine stood up - and was pleased with the result.
Just a smear of corn flour remained. This is likely because I chose the 'vacuum and mop' cycle. I repeated the clean with the 'vacuum then mop' option and it was perfect.
The vacuum can be purchased directly from Narwal and Amazon.
