Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra: Design and workmanship
Robotic vacuum
The Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra belongs to Narwal's latest generation of hybrid robots and features a classic round design with a 35,5 cm diameter. A LiDAR tower sits atop the robot, which, unlike many current competitors, is not retractable. This gives the robot vacuum a height of 10,96 cm, which somewhat limits its use under flat furniture.
Visually, a matte plastic finish in white or gray creates a modern, almost space-age look, which also proved relatively resistant to fingerprints and dirt in our tests. The build quality and gaps are consistently clean, underscoring the premium character of the Freo Z10 Ultra.
The front is equipped with a dual camera, supported by a small LED. This allows the robot to detect obstacles even in the dark. On the underside sits a floating main brush with zero-tangle technology. The brush is conical and open on one side, preventing hair from getting caught in it. This system is supported by two side brushes that also sweep dirt toward the center.
Instead of traditional round mops, the Z10 Ultra uses special triangular pads. To better reach edges and corners, it can extend the mop to the right side in the direction of travel. It automatically detects carpets and raises the mop by up to 12 mm to keep the fibers dry.
Station
The station also has a more futuristic look than many other manufacturers' models and features a clean design. A small touchscreen display on the top allows basic functions like start, stop, and parental controls to be controlled directly from the dock. This is especially useful when your smartphone isn't handy.
Recessed handles on the sides make it easy to transport the station, but once set up, it's almost impossible to move due to its weight (11,3 kg) and wide design (43,1 x 46.2 x 38,8 cm). The magnetically held front panel sits securely and doesn't feel wobbly when opened. Directly behind it are a 2,5-liter dust bag and the cleaning agent reservoir.
The water tanks are accessible by opening the top. The fresh water tank holds 4,5 liters, and the waste water tank 4,05 liters. All tanks are neatly integrated, but the color coding seems a bit vague and can be confusing at first.
After each use, the mops are washed in hot water up to 75°C and then dried with hot air. UV sterilization and electrolysis water can also be activated to reduce germs. A real plus is the removable base tray. Instead of laboriously wiping the station by hand, it can be easily cleaned under the tap.
What's missing is a cable management system on the back, which is why the power cable can't be wound up and usually dangles visibly next to the station. Overall, however, the dock has a modern and high-quality feel.
Delivery
The scope of delivery is more generous than many competitors. In addition to the robot and the docking station, it includes two dust bags (one pre-installed), a spare filter, mop pads, side brushes, and a bottle of cleaning solution. Also included is a camera cover that can be used to conceal the front sensors if desired.
Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra: App and Operation
The Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra is controlled via the Narwal app, which is available for iOS and Android. Its range of functions is extensive and covers everything you'd expect from a premium robot.
In addition to the classic map view, you can save up to four floors, which can be divided into rooms and (no-go) zones. Individual settings such as suction power, water volume, and cleaning frequency can be defined for each area.
In addition to the 2D map view, there's also a 3D map view and several special modes. If you specify the grain direction of the floor when cleaning rooms, the robot will mop floorboards or tiles precisely along that line. EdgeSwing cleans particularly thoroughly along edges, while adaptive modes like DirtSense or DeepClean automatically adjust the water flow, pressure, and sweeps to the level of dirt.
Narwal has also thought of pet owners. A special Pet Mode ensures gentler obstacle avoidance, more intensive cleaning around food and water bowls, and breaks when your dog or cat is in the cleaning area.
The app also offers a camera function that allows you to view a live image. This allows the robot to be used for short video calls or to quickly check in on your home.
The function is protected by a four-digit PIN, and the camera can be covered with the included cover if necessary. According to Narwal, all data is processed exclusively locally, for which the company has received TÜV Rheinland certification for data protection.
In addition to the app, the robot also works with common voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. Narwal is also announcing its own voice assistant, "HeyNawa," with more than 30 commands. At the time of testing, however, it was not available in the app. According to Narwal, the feature will be added very soon with a firmware update.
Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra: Navigation and obstacle detection
For navigation, the Freo Z10 Ultra combines a LiDAR turret with a dual front-facing camera with LED lighting. This allows it to quickly create precise maps and reliably navigate even in darker rooms. A detailed base map is created on the first trip. In my 80 m² apartment, this took less than five minutes in testing, which is an above-average speed.
In everyday life, it moves confidently through rooms, neatly maneuvering around furniture, and thoroughly cleaning surfaces. While it occasionally makes unnecessary extra laps in more complex environments, this rarely occurred in our testing.
Certain surfaces were problematic. The robot mistakenly identified a flat, very dark plastic mat in the hallway as a carpet. In such cases, it lifts the mops and avoids the area. Annoying when that's where it's supposed to be mopping.
To reduce sensitivity on such surfaces, there's a "Stairless Mode" setting. This allows the robot to climb over obstacles more easily, but also no longer detects steps.
The Freo Z10 Ultra excels at object recognition. According to the manufacturer, it can distinguish over 200 different objects, including very small obstacles as small as 5 mm. It reliably detected cables, socks, and similar tripping hazards in tests.
The app lets you view the detected objects, including photos. A very practical feature that even caused a chuckle in my case, as my alpaca doorstop was promptly classified as a pet.
Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra: Suction and wiping performance
Saugen
With 18.000 Pa of suction power, the Freo Z10 Ultra appears to be a powerhouse, at least on paper. In practice, it also performs exceptionally well on hard floors. With few exceptions, bread crumbs after breakfast or cat litter next to the bowl disappear reliably, and thanks to the conical zero-tangle brush, it also picks up hair without tangling.
It also vacuums well on carpets, although deeper-seated particles are not always removed from the fibers as effectively as is the case with top models from Roborock or Dreame.
Wipe
Its real strength lies in mopping. In our tests, the triangular pads usually removed coffee stains or sauce splashes on the first try. More stubborn grease stains, however, require a second or third pass. Its extendable mop arm allows it to get a bit closer to baseboards, but in very tight corners, a narrow strip sometimes remains. Finally, on carpets, it lifts its mops by up to 12 mm, ensuring they stay dry.
The adaptive control in Freo or DirtSense mode automatically adjusts the water flow, pressure, and speed to the level of dirt. In high-traffic areas like the hallway, it specifically visits specific areas multiple times and releases more water, while operating more efficiently in cleaner rooms. In practice, however, this mode proves to be quite thirsty.
In my small apartment, it regularly emptied the entire 4,5-liter fresh water tank in just one sweep. This in itself ensures clean floors, but for longer absences or multiple sweeps in a row, it's recommended to deactivate the automatic function and adjust the moisture level manually. This allows the robot to complete more sweeps without constantly refilling.
Station
The all-in-one station is similar in design and functionality to those of other manufacturers, but offers additional features such as UV sterilization and electrolyzed water. Another advantage is the automatic detergent dosing. The detergent is contained in a special cartridge and is automatically mixed with the fresh water.
Less pleasant are the ongoing costs for the special cleaning agent. Two 580 ml bottles cost around €35 online, which can add up in the long run. While one fill lasts several weeks, those looking to save money can pour a mild floor cleaner into the water tank themselves.
In our tests, the mops were washed and dried reliably by the station, so that even after several cycles, no unpleasant odors developed. The drying intensity can be adjusted to two levels, allowing for either a quieter, longer drying time or a faster, slightly more noisy drying time. The removable base tray also makes cleaning the station extremely quick and easy.
Reach
In terms of range, the Freo Z10 Ultra offers good area coverage per charge. Depending on the suction level and mopping ratio, the battery life typically ranges between two and three hours, which corresponds to approximately 200 m². For combined jobs, it returns to the main unit for recharging and continues cleaning. A full charge takes up to four hours.
