I Discovered a Robot Vacuum and Mop That Even Cleans Baseboards (It’s Incredible!)

As a cleaning editor, I test a lot of cleaning products and tools. For instance, I’ve tested at least a dozen robot vacuum cleaners alone, all at varying price points and with different features too. And over the last several months I’ve been trying out a robot vacuum and mop from Narwal that’s been seriously impressive. I’ve been aware of Narwal for some time, but this was my first time testing products from the brand. Here’s what you need to know about the Narwal Freo Z Ultra, and why I — spoiler alert! — ultimately recommend it.

The Narwal Freo Z Ultra is a robot vacuum and mop that works across all surfaces (floors, carpets, rugs). It uses LiDar navigation to scan your home and create a detailed map upon setting it up and can be controlled by Alexa, Siri, or Google Home. Available in galaxy silver or space gray colors, each Narwal Freo Z Ultra comes with a base station, dust bag, baseboard rag, floor detergent, mop cloths, side brushes, and a zero-tangling silent roller brush.

The Narwal Freo Z Ultra is powered by AI, which means it makes real-time decisions to react fast. With dual 136 degree cameras and AI chips, it knows to avoid obstacles and even notes in the map (with a picture!) what was in the way, adapts to varying messes and surfaces (like a rug) it encounters, and is totally self-cleaning (it dries and cleans itself with adaptive hot water mop washing). It has 12,000 pascals of suction power yet operates quietly, a zero-tangle brush and side brushes, dual scrub mops, plus a baseboard rag because yes, it cleans vertically too! 

The setup and mapping for the Narwal Freo Z Ultra was straightforward and easy. I liked the overall sleek look of the base station and felt like it wasn’t as bulky as other robot vacuum and mops I’ve tested. It was ultra-quiet when operating and self-cleaning, even when the dust bin was being emptied. Now, here’s what I thought about its performance.

I liked how the Narwal Freo Z Ultra would adjust to any surface or obstacle it encountered. Cord in the way? It’d snap a photo and navigate around it so you could see in the app why it avoided something in its path. I thought that was really smart. Additionally, it would adjust its vacuuming power based on the surface it was on — stronger on carpets and rugs, for instance — and the zero-tangle brush has been 100% effective thus far in my house (which is major, as my hair plus my dog’s hair have taken down a number of robot vacuum cleaner brushes).

However, my favorite feature was the fact that it cleans baseboards while it vacuums the floors. It uses a baseboard rag you attach to the robot and Edge-Swing technology to rock back and forth and thoroughly clean the baseboards whenever it approaches a wall. Baseboard cleaning is an often-forgotten cleaning task, but the Narwal Freo Z Ultra will always remember to get to it so you don’t have to worry about this at all. 

As for the mopping, well that’s where the Narwal Freo Z Ultra really shines. It delivers high-intensity mopping with dual-scrub mops that mimic hand-cleaning, and it actually applies downward pressure to get stains out. Plus, the mop brushes lift when it goes over a soft surface, like a rug or carpet. 

The mopping takes longer than you’d expect because it’s so thorough. I’d even say that its mopping capabilities have been the best in any robot vacuum and mop I’ve seen so far. The specially formulated floor cleaner that comes with the Narwal Freo Z Ultra can be used on all floor types, is pet-safe, and doesn’t have any strong scents, which is a plus in my book, as I’m sensitive to strong fragrances.

Even though it’s a self-cleaning tool, you still need to clean the Narwal Freo Z Ultra and its base station from time to time. The Narwal Freo Z Ultra does such a thorough job mopping that the water tanks need to be filled up often. Additionally, you have to use a floor detergent that the brand sells, but it’s not expensive, doesn’t need to be replaced super frequently, and it can be purchased on the company site or on Amazon. 

If you’re in the market for a robot vacuum and mop, then I definitely recommend looking into the Narwal Freo Z Ultra. Any high-tech robot vacuum cleaner is an investment, and this one is no different. I love how the Narwal Freo Z Ultra cleans floors and baseboards, plus delivers thorough mopping. 

You can purchase the Narwal Freo Z Ultra on the Narwal website, Amazon, or Best Buy for $1,299 (there’s a $200-off coupon on the company website and Amazon).

Buy: Narwal Freo Z Ultra, $1,299