This Threshold-Climbing Robotic Vacuum Overcame Each Impediment in My Dwelling

CNET’s key takeaways

• No robotic vacuum has really solved the problem of multilevel cleansing with out requiring you to bodily transfer it between flooring.
• This robo-vac can do it, for the high-end worth of $1,700.
• You will not discover one other robotic vacuum with its options for lower than $1,000 proper now.

The entire level of proudly owning a robotic vacuum is so you do not have to do the cleansing your self. However that was by no means the case at my home — partly due to what I name my “Ikea chair problem.” I’ve seen many robo-vacs get caught on the backside of one in every of my chairs, which has an unusually formed base. It is only one impediment amongst many in my residence, which can be full of pet hair, paw prints and three teenage sons who depart issues mendacity round in all places. 

Fortunately I am the product growth design engineer who oversees operations at CNET’s testing lab, and after the Dreame X50 robotic vacuum was named CNET’s best for obstacles and pets, I received to see the way it carried out in real-world circumstances at my place. 

Nicely, it conquered the Ikea chair. It was truly fairly entertaining to observe because the Dreame X50 struggled, regrouped after which used its auxiliary climbing arms to recover from the chair’s base, and that was simply one of many instruments in its arsenal. 

Watch this: Comply with These Ideas for Shopping for a Robotic Vacuum in 2025

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My expertise with the Dreame X50 Extremely robotic vacuum

Efficiency-wise, the Dreame X50 Extremely was usually strong. It began with a full deep clear, then vacuumed and mopped on its second run. In the course of the app setup, I informed it I had pets, so it emptied its dustbin a bunch throughout the first run. I discovered it to be fairly sensible about lifting its mops whereas vacuuming the carpet. 

It took 123 minutes to finish its work round my residence. The mopping operate was surprisingly efficient, tackling muddy paw prints on my vinyl plank flooring in addition to I may myself with a stick mop. And I used to be notably impressed with its object avoidance; it navigated round sneakers, cords and even my two canines with out situation. 

Setting it up was a breeze: The app was intuitive and the standard of the machine’s construct felt sturdy, though with so many transferring elements — like its auxiliary climbing arms and decreasing turret — I query its long-term sturdiness.

One key function that actually stood out was the tangle-free curler. In my residence check, evaluating the Dreame X50 to my older Roborock Q5 after cleansing a big space rug, the distinction was hanging. The Roborock was clogged with hair, whereas the Dreame’s curler was utterly clear. This can be a large benefit over rivals, which regularly wrestle with pet hair. That is one other one in every of my massive exams — I name it my “Nice Pyrenees problem” — and the Dreame X50 handed with flying colours. 

My household rapidly grew accustomed to it zipping round, and it grew to become nearly like one other member of the family — quirky and generally just a little confused, however general very useful. In the long run, watching it conquer obstacles like the bottom of my Ikea chair, the place different robots get caught, was not simply efficient. It was truly enjoyable to observe. 

The specs

• Worth: Roughly $1,700 (at full worth)
• Options: Tangle-free curler, climbing arms, navigation turret, mopping with base cleansing, object avoidance.
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi
• Mapping: Fast mapping, room and flooring detection.
• Navigation: Digicam and lidar.
• App: Dwell view, customizable settings, pet photographs.
• Cleansing: Vacuum and mop combo.
• Base Station: Mop cleansing and drying, tanks, cleansing resolution spot.
• Cleansing Time: Slower than some.

CNET’s shopping for recommendation

The Dreame X50 Extremely is feature-rich, splendid for pets, obstacles and object avoidance. It is best if you need superior navigation and mopping, and are keen to pay additional for options just like the climbing arms and decreasing turret. Nevertheless, it is not the best possible at pure vacuuming, particularly on carpets, and the software program generally is a bit quirky. Nevertheless, the excellent news is that Dreame is making the expertise extra inexpensive, with the threshold-hopping capability filtering to different fashions, together with the brand new Aqua 10 series and L40s Ultra series.

At its full worth of round $1,700, the Dreame X50 Extremely is a really costly robotic vacuum. In case you extremely worth its distinctive options just like the climbing capability and superior furnishings navigation, then it could possibly be definitely worth the funding. Nevertheless, if you happen to’re primarily involved with uncooked vacuuming energy or are on a tighter finances, there are more cost-effective options. It is a luxurious product, and the worth aligns with its premium options.

For higher carpet vacuuming efficiency and a cheaper price level, the Ecovacs Deebot T30Sor the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus each carried out higher on carpet and pet hair exams during CNET’s lab testing. Whereas all three have vacuum and mopping performance, the Ecovacs Deebot T30S ($1,400 with a stick vac included) or the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 ($600) are each cheaper than the Dreame X50 Extremely ($1,699). It is value declaring although, that the Dreame X50 Extremely is likely one of the few robot vacuums we’ve tested at CNET with the flexibility to climb over objects, surmount areas and decrease itself underneath furnishings. 

To see how the Dreame X50 compares with different fashions, try our record of the best robot vacuums out there now.