This nifty suction robot truly shines if everything runs smoothly.
Enjoy the unadulterated world of the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, the unyielding, obstacle-conquering champion among vacuum mops. This bad boy boldly takes on high door thresholds and slinks under low furniture like a seasoned pro. When the cleaning dance is flowing smoothly, this luxury home helpmate excels at its job.
Vacuum bots can be a godsend, alleviating household duties left, right, and center. However, they often falter at reaching the nooks and crannies of your apartment, leaving dirt in their wake. Barriers such as high thresholds and low furniture can hinder their mission. But fear not, the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete is not one to back down from a challenge. So, we put it to the test to see if it lived up to the hype.
An All-Inclusive Station Gang
The X50 Ultra has earned its "Complete" title not just due to the abundance of accessories it boasts, but also because its workstation takes care of maintenance duties. Users will only need to swap out the dustbag, dispose of grimy water, and refill fresh water and cleaning fluid occasionally. The base station, like a trusty sidekick, handles the mop cleaning and drying when needed. The robot's parking spot also gets cleaned by the base station when the time comes.
This partnership worked like a charm in our extended hands-on testing, with only rare instances necessitating manual removal of minor dirt. Users even have the option to tweak settings such as water volume and temperature for a customized cleaning experience. The built-in UV light in the base station also promises bacteria elimination.
Climbing and Ducking, Nailed It
Impressive, but not groundbreaking. The extraordinary new feature of the X50 Ultra is the extendable legs with wheels, enabling it to leap over obstacles like door thresholds with heights up to 4.2 cm. It even conquers terrace-door-like steps that reach 6 cm.
To nimbly dodge beneath low furniture, the X50 Ultra even retracts its tower, where the lidar sensor is stationed. This sensor allows the robot to navigate rooms by using a stored map and enhanced bright spotlighting when darkness descends.
A Mapping Marvel
Before putting the X50 Ultra's features to the test, it must first traverse your apartment, mapping out dimensions, obstacles, and floor texture using a downward-facing camera. This process takes time but produces relatively accurate maps that the robot relies on for location awareness. Users can also tweak the mapped data in the corresponding app.
The robot can adapt to unknown obstacles encountered later in the cleaning cycle, such as when furniture is moved or pets scramble across the floor. However, it may struggle with smaller items or cables, especially if they're hidden beneath furniture, making their detection a challenge.
The X50 Ultra surpassed expectations as it effortlessly tackled high door thresholds and maneuvered under low furniture, proving itself as a reliable and efficient home helper. However, its cleaning performance had its shares of ups and downs.
Ups and Downs of Cleaning Performance
On smooth floors, the X50 Ultra truly shines. It effortlessly sucks up dust, rice, hair, and other debris. Corners and edges receive a thorough scrubbing through the extendable, rotating brush. The robot also wipes hard-to-reach corners when mopping, thanks to one of its mop pads. When it comes to light dirt removal, the X50 Ultra reliably delivers.
Regarding dried, sticky liquids like sauces, ketchup, or mustard, the robot encounter challenges, even after multiple passes. However, it leaves no coffee stains behind.
Rugged Challenges on Carpets
Despite boasting an impressive 20,000 Pascal suction power, the X50 Ultra struggles with short-pile carpets. While it leaves a few stubborn lint fibers on these surfaces, handheld vacuum cleaners may face similar problems. The key challenge lies in corners and edges, as the extendable brush remains inactive, often missing debris nestled next to skirting boards. Activating the brush within the app could be an efficient solution to this issue, in case Dreame decides to release such an update.
Otherwise, the X50 Ultra excels at switching between vacuuming and mopping in a seamless manner. When needed, it lifts the magnetically attached mop arms or temporarily places them in the station. The robot also drags along the brush rolls when making its way to or from a job. Should the brushed rolls ever need cleaning, the process is relatively straightforward. The combination of rubber brushes with and without bristles ensures impressive results.
The app housed within the X50 Ultra offers numerous useful features such as robust voice control (English only), the option to use Amazon or Google's assistants for scheduling duties, and the ability to view real-time footage from the robot's onboard camera. However, it requires user consent to store personal data on Dreame's servers, which may be a concern for privacy advocates. Additionally, it can transmit photos of pets or obstacles that its sensors identify in the user's home.
The X50 Ultra boasts excellent runtime, typically completing around 100 square meters per charge without issue, especially in standard mode. In much more demanding situations, it may pause and recharge at the station during its journey. Fully charging an empty battery takes about four hours.
Conclusion
The Dreame X50 Ultra Complete constitutes the uncontested champion in terms of conquering high door thresholds and navigating under low furniture. The extendable laser tower adds an extra layer of versatility, extending its capabilities even further. Maintenance is a breeze thanks to self-emptying and self-cleaning features.
However, its performance on carpets is less than ideal due to weak suction in corners and edges. Considering its current price of around 1400 euros, justifying the investment may be a challenge, especially when affordable alternatives exist. Overall, the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete offers plenty of appealing features that make it an enticing option for homeowners looking for a reliable and efficient cleaning solution.
To further assess the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete's capabilities, we conducted technical tests to gauge its performance on various surfaces and scenarios. These tests included scrutinizing its ability to tackle different types of debris, its effectiveness on high and low-pile carpets, and its susceptibility to common obstacles found in most households.
Despite its shortcomings on certain carpet types, the X50 Ultra outperformed in technical tests regarding its high door threshold clearing ability and its maneuverability under low furniture. Its extendable legs and wheels proved to be a significant advantage, allowing it to overcome these challenges with ease. Its precision navigation and mapping features also impressively adapt to changes in the environment, further enhancing its overall performance.
