Dreame L40 Ultra: The Brilliant Vacuum Cleaner and Mop Combo

The Dreame L40 Ultra is a powerful robot vacuum cleaner and mop that delivers exceptional performance on both carpets and hard floors. With its impressive suction power, hot water mopping system, and advanced AI navigation, it stands out as one of the most versatile robot vacuums on the market. However, it does come with a few quirks, particularly when it comes to its carpet settings.

Key Features of the Dreame L40 Ultra

• Type: Robot vacuum cleaner and mop with self-empty and self-clean station.
• Mopping: Dual spinning microfibre cloths with hot water and detergent for tough stains, and the ability to lift or remove mop pads for carpet cleaning.
• Navigation: AI-powered camera for detecting stains and avoiding obstacles.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Great value for the features it offers.
• Powerful mopping with hot water washing.
• Can lift or remove mop pads for carpet cleaning.

Cons

• A bit too eager with carpet detection, which may require some manual adjustments in the app.

Design and Features

The Dreame L40 Ultra comes with a self-emptying and self-cleaning dock, a feature that’s becoming more common in high-end robot vacuums. The dock has a 4.5-litre fresh water tank for cleaning the mop pads and a 4-litre tank for dirty water. For those looking for full automation, there’s even an optional Water Hookup Kit that connects the dock to your home’s water supply and drains.

Another standout feature is the detergent tank, which uses Dreame’s cleaning solution to sanitize the mops and improve cleaning performance. This is a feature usually reserved for more expensive models, such as the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra or the Eufy Omni S1 Pro.

Smart Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance

The Dreame L40 Ultra uses LiDAR for navigation and has an AI-powered camera on the front to detect dirt and avoid obstacles. This combination allows it to navigate efficiently around furniture and other common household items like cables and shoes. The camera also helps the robot identify stains, allowing it to target specific areas for more intensive cleaning.

Advanced Mopping System

The dual microfibre mop pads spin to agitate and lift dirt, while the robot can lift or completely remove the mop pads to avoid wetting carpets. This feature is especially useful for homes with a mix of carpet and hard floors. The system uses 65°C water to clean the mop pads, ensuring that they are sanitized and ready for the next cleaning cycle. The hot air drying feature prevents bacteria and odor build-up.

For homes with pets or long hair, the TriCut brush is a game-changer. It channels hair into the bin, preventing tangles and making maintenance a breeze. There’s also a SideReach brush that extends to clean edges and corners more effectively.

Performance

The Dreame L40 Ultra excels in both vacuuming and mopping. In tests, it performed exceptionally well on carpets, removing nearly all traces of dirt and dust, thanks to its 11,000pa suction power. On hard floors, it picked up all debris in a single pass, and the mopping function was able to handle tough stains like dried coffee and red wine with ease.

However, it did struggle a bit with edge cleaning on its first pass, but this was easily corrected by enabling the vac and mop mode, which allowed the robot to use its extendable mop pads to clean right up to the edges.

Battery Life and Noise

The Dreame L40 Ultra boasts a battery life of up to 194 minutes on its lowest power settings. Even on higher settings, it has enough battery to clean large areas without needing to recharge. The only downside is that it’s a bit louder than some other models, measuring 71.3dB during operation.

Control and Customization

The Dreamehome app allows you to control and customize the cleaning process. You can set no-go and no-mop zones, choose specific rooms for cleaning, and even customize the cleaning mode for each room. The app also gives you 32 water level settings for the mop, although this level of granularity may feel excessive for most users.

One of the more impressive features is the Stain Recognition mode, where the robot uses its camera to detect stains and intensively mop those areas. This feature, combined with the Auto-recleaning mode, ensures that your floors are spotless without requiring manual intervention.

Should You Buy the Dreame L40 Ultra?

If you’re looking for a robot vacuum that offers flexibility, power, and advanced cleaning features, the Dreame L40 Ultra is a fantastic choice. Its ability to lift or remove mop pads makes it ideal for homes with mixed flooring, and its powerful mopping system can handle even the toughest stains.

However, if you’re on a budget or don’t need all the advanced features, there are more affordable options available, such as the Roborock Qrevo Slim.

Final Thoughts

In a crowded market, the Dreame L40 Ultra stands out for its combination of powerful suction, advanced mopping capabilities, and smart navigation. While it may not be the cheapest option, its flexibility and performance make it worth the investment for those who want a high-quality robot vacuum cleaner and mop combo.

For those looking for a more budget-friendly option, check out our guide to the best robot vacuum cleaners.

FAQs

What does the Water Attachment Kit do?
This optional kit connects the docking station to your home’s water supply and drains, allowing for fully automatic water refilling and dirty water disposal.

How long does the battery last?
The Dreame L40 Ultra can run for up to 194 minutes on its lowest power settings, making it suitable for cleaning large areas without needing to recharge.