If there’s one area around the house where humanity could use a helping hand from technology to help us keep up with mundane and tedious chores, it’s cleaning. With the hassles of daily life, especially in busy households, it’s hard to muster the energy to break out the broom and mop after a long week. Luckily, that’s where automated solutions like the Narwal Freo Pro come in.
This robot vacuum and mop hybrid is the company’s new mid-line model, more robust than the base Freo X but more affordable than the Freo Z Ultra or Z10. The unit consists of the actual robot itself and a base unit, which comes in an imposingly tall box. From the moment that box opened, however, the attention to detail was clear to see.
Setting up the Freo Pro was quite simple, with clear instructions and helpful diagrams. Some packaging is removed, two side brushes snap into place on the vacuum, and the clean water pail of the base unit needs to be filled, and then it’s ready to go (once you set up the obligatory mobile app, of course). Finding a suitable place to put the base unit took about as long as the actual assembly.
Once set up, your new cleaning robot friend is ready for its first exploratory run. With the included “Freo Mind” technology, the Freo Plus can map out your rooms as it goes around. A floor plan will materialize in the app, which you can tweak by indicating the flooring materials or furniture in each room, and the vacuum will adjust its routines accordingly. This “mind” also adapts to different variables, like how long it’s been since it last cleaned or mop humidity.
“While mopping, the Freo Pro operates with a quiet background hum, making up for the noisier vacuum function.”
I was impressed by how well the Freo Pro navigated the hazards in my home—coffee tables, pet hair, kids’ toys, crafting supplies haphazardly scattered, different flooring materials, and so on. Each time, it adapted commendably to unique situations, like a blockage that hadn’t been there previously, or a stubborn new food stain in the kitchen.
Now, I did have to intervene on some cleaning routines to get an errant pencil or tissue that stumbled into its path, but there were only two small instances where it stopped and demanded assistance before continuing. At least it did successfully avoid battering into objects in the process.
Part of this is owed to the unit’s design. The side brushes sweep back and forth, alternating between “V” and “II” shapes to clear things in its path, and to minimize hair tangling around the roller brush within. Dual mopping pads, in a subtly triangular shape, stick out just beyond the physical case of the vacuum to swing closer to edges as it passes by. The whole thing slides deftly around the floor with a trio of wheels. All in all, the unit itself strikes a solid compromise between physical size and power—not an obtrusively large, moving hazard patrolling your house, but big enough that it covers a good amount of ground well.
When it comes to vacuuming specifically, the Freo Pro boasts the highest suction power in its class, and I primarily tested it on linoleum and laminate floors—though it is suited for vacuuming carpets as well. That power comes in handy, though it is far from whisper-quiet. Naturally, it’s hard to find a vacuum that isn’t mildly disruptive, so that’s not surprising or disappointing in itself. To compensate, it can hold an impressive amount before the dust bag needs to be addressed.
“Narwal’s Freo Pro has proven a handy tool around the household, even if it’s not as purely automated as one might hope.”
The mopping portion is perhaps the true star of the show. This is where the Freo Pro operates with a quiet background hum, making up for the noisier vacuum function. Thanks to Freo Mind, it navigates the assigned areas in an efficient, zigzagging fashion (which is almost a show of its own to watch in the app). Narwal’s cleaning tablets are thankfully not heavily perfumed, like so many other cleaning products—so you almost have to look for the telltale shimmer of the floor to see that it’s actually working.
If it detects a particularly hard stain, it will detour to focus on it until it’s clean… and here’s where the rub kicks in. If all goes well, the cleaning process takes a reasonable amount of time. Typically, it took just under two hours to vacuum and mop approximately 900 sq ft, with one or two passes of the vacuum and two to four passes of the mop.
These routines might’ve been a decent bit shorter if the auto-detection hadn’t obsessed over some perceived stains that didn’t warrant the focus. Luckily, the battery capably holds out through sessions like this; if anything, it’ll be the clean water reservoir that requires user attention if a mop task goes too long, as a job of this size can use up a full tank. (By the same token, the mop-head cleaning routine back at the base can take a surprising amount of time.)
Technically, it can also be programmed to work on multiple floors, adjusting for different rooms through the app. As nice as it sounds, this isn’t practical in reality, especially with the need to return to the base often during mopping for water management. Lugging the base up and down stairs isn’t worth the benefits (nor does the company approve of this). Similarly, I’m not likely to take the robot to a different level to vacuum often, though it’s nice to know the option is there.
(And one final quibble for Canadian users: the cleaning tablets aren’t as readily available as one might hope; unfortunately, Amazon is the most reliable supplier at the time of this writing. Mercifully, a lot of tablets come in one box.)
All of that being said, Narwal’s Freo Pro has proven a handy tool around the household, even if it’s not as purely automated as one might hope. With a little bit of forethought—preparing the fresh water tank, emptying the dirty water tank after use, and ensuring the area is as tidy as possible—it can take a lot of the strain out of keeping the house presentable.
I admit I balked at the size of it at first, given the size, layout, and chaos of my home, but was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked in the space. While those with larger, more open floor plans may see even more benefits, the Freo Pro can still make a difference in smaller operating areas, integrating seamlessly in tighter, well-traveled living arrangements.
- The Ultimate Long Hair Nemesis: Revolutionary DualFlow Tangle-Free System ensures zero hair tangles througout the robot cleaner to deliver a uninterrupted cleaning and zero maintenance. Narwal Freo Pro is perfect for homes with pets or long-haired family members.
- Powerful 8,500 Pa Suction for Deep Clean: Narwal Freo Pro effortlessly lifts dirt, dust, and pet hair from carpets, rugs, and deep crevices. Powerful suction of the robot vacuum making it the ultimate choice for thorough.
