Premium Features in a Budget Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuums nowadays are expected to do more than just vacuum; they can map rooms, mop floors, respond to voice commands, empty themselves, detect pets or people, and even avoid pet waste on the floor. Although these features are often reserved for top-of-the-line models, they're starting to appear in mid-range options as well. The Dreame L10s Plus settles in as a decent mid-level option by offering coveted high-end features without sacrificing the core function of vacuuming. For $549, you're likely to be satisfied with the value if you disregard the mop feature on this robot vacuum and consider it as a powerful vacuum with various premium features.
Overview of the Dreame brand
I was eager to try the L10s Plus because Dreame is known for its strong presence in the robot vacuum market. However, the brand offers numerous models each year, making it difficult to distinguish among them. Apart from the L10s Plus, there's also an L10 Pro, L10s Ultra, L10s Pro Gen, and the L20, with just minor differences between them. By investing a few more dollars, you may get additional vacuum power, longer battery life, or improved AI obstacle recognition, for instance. The L10s Plus has one of my favorite high-end features - a self-emptying tower for the vacuum (but not the mop). Some extras include two removable mop pads and a tiny water reservoir on the robot itself.
Impressive high-end features
I found setting up the L10s Plus on the Dreame app a breeze. The process was simple, and the robot connected to Wi-Fi with relative ease. A notable advantage of Dreame products is that this model is compatible with all smart assistants and can be seamlessly integrated into my Google Home setup. This means you can create automations involving your robot. Schedule a cleaning session after dinner or in response to your pet going through a doggie door. I was particularly impressed by the mapping options in the app, as they were as extensive as those on the most expensive robots I've tested. You can create rooms and zones, customizing the map to your liking. The map generated by LiDAR was surprisingly accurate after just one run. You can customize the cleaning settings for the vacuum and mop, as well as the path the robot will follow, whether quick or slow deep clean. The app also provides useful information about when to replace parts and various control options, including kid locks and 'Do Not Disturb' schedules. I especially loved the remote control option, which made it much easier to retrieve robots stuck in awkward places without having to manually retrieve them.
Reliable performance for medium-sized debris
As a vacuum, I was impressed with the L10s Plus's performance. While it may not be as rugged as the high-end Roborock models I've tested, I thought it did a good job cleaning small to medium-sized debris without getting stuck. The robot managed to pick up a coin or screw and continued cleaning; however, it struggled with dog toy fluff, so you'll need to clear your floor of such items beforehand. I couldn't discern a regular pattern in the robot's movement across the floor, which isn't peculiar as many sweeping robots follow unique algorithms. The L10s Plus reached about 95% of the floor, leaving a few scattered spots uncleaned. However, manually pressing the clean button and positioning the robot in those spots allowed the device to locate and add those points to its cleaning map for future runs. The L10s Plus did well on tile and low-pile rugs, excelling on high-pile carpets and sailing over low thresholds. The self-emptying feature into the tower worked efficiently, evacuating the entire chamber throughout my test. Despite the focus on the vacuum's power on the floor, the power of the tower to empty the debris container is equally important in my opinion.
The mop feature is not worth it
The water tank on the mop isn't significantly larger than other models, and the feature didn't seem worth the extra cost. It also doesn't empty itself, so you need to remove the mop pads and dump the water whenever you're done. Therefore, the vacuuming capabilities and other premium features are what make the L10s Plus stand out and are certainly worth the price. As long as you're not prioritizing the mopping function, the L10s Plus is a reliable option with great vacuuming performance.
The Dreame L10s Plus mop's downfall lies in its implementation. The way robot mops operate differs greatly: premium versions feature separate containers for clean and unclean water, with the tower providing the robot with clean water and washing it while removing the dirty water. In some instances, mops operate like Swiffers, involving attaching a mop pad and having the robot move it across the floor. Dreame L10s Plus occupies a middle ground. It has a (very) small water container on the robot, necessitating frequent refills for a single cleaning session. The device sports two rotating mop pads, alike those in higher-end models, and the water saturates the mop pads as the robot maneuvers. In terms of mopping, the performance is average, and I grew exasperated by the need to stop the machine frequently to replenish the reservoir. The spinning brushes, in my personal opinion, are not as efficient as mop pads in removing stains from the floor. The low agitation and insufficient saturation resulted in the removal of only moist clutter during the mopping. It might be practical to keep the mop tank filled in case of quick spot cleaning, but it's impractical to consider using this mop regularly.
A fantastic value when considering it merely a vacuum
Some of my preferred floorbot recommendations entail disregarding certain features because the remaining advantages surpass them. The Switchbot K10, for example, is my favorite vacuum but a poor mop. If your budget is under $600, I deem the L10s Plus a great bargain to obtain a good vacuum accompanied by some of those advanced features, even if you utilize the mop solely for spot cleaning.
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The Dreame L10s Plus Vacuum Review demonstrates its value as a tech product, offering high-end features like self-emptying capacity and compatibility with smart assistants at an affordable price, making it a standout mid-range option in the market.
The tech-savvy user will appreciate the advanced mapping options in the Dreame app, allowing them to create customized cleaning paths and schedules for the L10s Plus.
