The Dreame X40 Ultra is the latest contender in the high-end robot vacuum market, promising powerful suction, smart navigation, and fully automated cleaning. With a sleek design and a slew of features, it aims to take the hassle out of floor cleaning. But with a premium price tag — sells at Rs 1,29,900 (available at Rs 94,999 on Amazon) — does it truly justify the cost, or is it just another gadget that looks impressive on paper? From tackling usual dust to navigating cluttered spaces, we put the X40 Ultra through its paces to see if it’s the dream (pun intended) hands-free cleaning solution—or just a very expensive way to avoid sweeping.
Design and build quality
The Dreame X40 Ultra sports a sleek, modern design with a circular shape and a glossy finish. It measures approximately 13.8 inches in diameter and 3.8 inches in height, making it compact enough to navigate under most furniture. The build quality feels solid, with durable materials that suggest it can withstand regular use. The vacuum comes with a docking station that serves as a charging hub and a self-cleaning base for the mop pads. The station is relatively large, so you’ll need to allocate sufficient space for it.
Cleaning performance
The X40 Ultra is equipped with dual rotating mop pads and a powerful suction system, making it capable of handling both dry and wet cleaning tasks. It offers a maximum suction power of 12000 Pa, which is among the highest in the robot vacuum market. This level of suction is effective for picking up dirt, dust, and debris from various surfaces, including carpets, hardwood, and tiles.
Somehow it is still fascinating to see a robot doing the rounds of your home. Setting up isn’t that painful but takes about 10-odd minutes to put the mopping pads, cleaning solution and getting it ready.
Once set up, you can through the app get a mapping done of your place. The robot goes through your entire house scanning for furniture or any other obstacles. The mapping process takes close to 12 minutes but can be longer depending on the area of your house.
The X40 Ultra uses LIDAR navigation combined with AI-powered object recognition to map and navigate your home. It creates accurate maps quickly and allows for room-specific cleaning schedules and no-go zones through the companion app. The navigation system is generally reliable, though it occasionally struggled with very dark or reflective surfaces.
The object recognition feature is a notable addition. It can identify common obstacles like shoes, cables, and pet waste, and adjust its path to avoid them. However, it’s not foolproof and sometimes missed smaller objects or misidentified them.
The mopping function is one of the standout features. The dual mop pads rotate at high speed, applying pressure to scrub stubborn stains. The vacuum also supports customisable water flow settings, allowing you to adjust the amount of water dispensed based on the floor type or cleaning needs. In testing, it performed well on light to moderate stains, though heavily soiled areas required multiple passes or manual intervention.
The vacuum’s brush roll is designed to minimise hair tangling, which is a common issue with robot vacuums.
The X40 Ultra operates at noise levels ranging from 60 dB in quiet mode to 75 dB in turbo mode. While it’s not the quietest robot vacuum on the market, the noise is manageable and comparable to other high-performance models. The self-cleaning base, however, can be quite loud during the mop pad washing process.
Battery life and charging
The vacuum is powered by a 6400mAh battery, which provides up to 180 minutes of runtime on a single charge in quiet mode. In turbo mode, the runtime drops significantly, but it’s still sufficient for most cleaning sessions. When the battery runs low, the vacuum automatically returns to the docking station to recharge and can resume cleaning from where it left off.
The self-cleaning base is a real game-changer! It automatically washes and dries the mop pads after every use, and it even empties the dustbin. But, it does need some TLC, like emptying the wastewater tank and refilling the clean water tank.
App and other features
The Dreamehome app is easy to use and lets you customise everything. You can set up cleaning schedules, mark off areas you don’t want the vacuum to go, and change the suction and mopping settings. Plus, it keeps track of what you’ve cleaned and reminds you when it’s time to do maintenance. Oh, and it works with voice assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, so you can control it all with your voice.
Regular maintenance is required to keep the X40 Ultra performing optimally. This includes cleaning the brush roll, emptying the dustbin, and refilling the water tanks. The self-cleaning base also needs periodic cleaning to prevent mold and odor buildup. While the vacuum reduces the frequency of manual tasks, it’s not entirely maintenance-free.
What we think
The Dreame X40 Ultra is a feature-packed robot vacuum that delivers strong cleaning performance and advanced navigation capabilities. Its dual mopping system and self-cleaning base are standout features that add convenience. However, the high price tag and ongoing maintenance requirements may not appeal to everyone. If you’re willing to invest in a premium cleaning solution and don’t mind the upkeep, the X40 Ultra is a solid choice. For those on a budget or looking for a simpler option, there are more affordable alternatives available.
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