INTRODUCTION

   Robot vacuum cleaners may have all but taken the market by storm these past few years but how many of you actually know that they were first introduced in some markets (USA and Japan come to mind) well over 25 years ago? Strangely enough however even though many of us saw them parade from our TV screens in many popular movies of the late 90's i guess none of us actually cared enough to even ask what their purpose was (we were just teenagers after all). As expected, 25+ years later robot vacuums have gone through numerous technological improvements and so unlike early models of that time they can actually perform cleaning tasks such as vacuuming and mopping very effectively. After the very successful crowdfunding campaign for their T10 robot vacuum back in 2019 Narwal decided to further improve it by listening to input from both the media and their customers and the result is the brand new Freo Robot Vacuum and Mop.

   Narwal is known for using its cutting-edge technology to get the top-tier cleaning job done from start to finish, with the objective of bringing flawless floors to users. The company has obtained more than $26.18 million in Series A, B, and C financing to date. Its investors include Sequoia Capital, Hillhouse Capital, Byte Dance and more. Gathering with over 400 researchers and scientists from across the globe, Narwal has made numerous breakthroughs in multiple fields and won a number of international awards, including the Edison Gold Award, honoring innovation, and Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2020.

   Just like with every other top model in the market the Narwal Freo uses LiDAR navigation with LDS laser mapping algorithms and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technologies to move around, avoid obstacles and create a valid 3D map of the area. Narwal has also equipped the Freo with a brushless motor that sports a suction power of 3000Pa, 360 degrees sensors (anti-fall/edge cleaning/TOF/ultrasonic), dual height adjustable triangular shaped mopping pads (spin at 180RPM, deliver 12N downward force and retract when the Freo is not in mop mode), 480ml dustbin, retractable side brushes, retractable roller brush and a 5200mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack which according to Narwal can keep the Freo going for up to 3 and 1/2 hours. Thanks to its sensor array the Narwal Freo can be used in automatic mode (Freo/DirtSense technology) to decide just how many times it needs to clean a room for optimal results. Just like their previous T10 model and even the X1 OMNI by ECOVACS what makes the Narwal Freo truly unique however is its docking station which is not only for charging the robot but also for providing fresh water and washing the mopping pads when needed. To achieve that Narwal uses their exclusive formulated floor cleaner (which is mixed with the clean water) together with dual air tunnels and a drying heat of 40 degrees (which according to them inhibits the growth of bacteria and protects the fabric of the mopping pads). A round LCD touch display located on top of the docking station allows the end user to control the Narwal Freo directly and without the need of the Narwal Freo Android/iOS app. Still via that app you can control modes, schedule cleaning, customize cleaning routines, manage accessories, generate cleaning reports, rename rooms, set no-go zones and much more. So, let's see what the 2nd Robot Vacuum by Narwal brings to the table and whether or not it deserves a place in your home and/or office.