Welcome to Vacuum Wars and our in-depth review of the Dreame L40 Ultra Robot Vacuum Mop Combo. After purchasing the L40 Ultra and putting it through a series of rigorous tests over the past few weeks, we believe it’s one of the best robot vacuums we’ve evaluated recently. It not only outperformed the more expensive Dreame X40 in almost every category but also boasts nearly every new feature available on modern robot vacuums today.
While there are some important negatives to consider, unless major quality control issues arise in the future, the Dreame L40 is poised to rank very high for a long time on the Vacuum Wars Top 20 Robot Vacuum list. So, let’s dive into the details and see what makes the Dreame L40 stand out.
Dreame L40 vs. Dreame X40
The Dreame L40 and the older, more expensive Dreame X40 are very similar machines. However, the L40, which we’re reviewing today, is significantly more affordable. The main differences between the two models are that the X40 has slightly more official suction power and slightly hotter water to wash its mop pads.
Despite these minor differences, the L40 offers almost identical features to the X40, with very few obvious exceptions.
Dreame L40 Pros
Outstanding Vacuuming Performance
The Dreame L40 excels at the fundamentals of vacuuming hard floors and carpets. It effortlessly swept up all the debris we tested it with on both surfaces. Moreover, it performed above average in deep cleaning carpets, effectively removing deeply embedded debris like sand. In this test, the L40 achieved essentially the same score as the X40.
Innovative Side Brush and Suction Power
One notable feature is its automatically extending, liftable side brush, a rare addition that significantly improves its ability to sweep debris from corners.
Furthermore, in our tests, its suction power was above average, as was its airflow—both numbers closely mirroring those of the Dreame X40.
Exceptional Battery Life
The L40 Ultra boasts an impressive battery life. Dreame claims it can run for 194 minutes on low power, which is higher than average. In our battery efficiency test, where we run the vacuum on different power settings over a fixed floor plan, it achieved the highest score we’ve seen yet—an average of 2.2 minutes per percentage point, nearly double the average amount.
Superior Mopping Abilities
Mopping is another area where the L40 shines. It uses two spinning mop pads with electronically controlled water dispensing to clean hard floors. The mop pads automatically lift up 10.5 mm when the vacuum senses carpets, keeping your carpets dry and enabling it to mop hard floors and vacuum carpets in the same run, dramatically improving efficiency.
Additional mopping features include MopExtend, where the mop pad automatically extends for better coverage, and RoboSwing, used to get under some hard-to-reach places. Both features can be turned on and off or modified in the app.
Like the X40, the L40 allows you to leave the mop pads behind when vacuuming carpets, using a series of magnets. This ensures the mops won’t get the carpets wet.
And lastly, in our new dried-on stain mopping test, the L40 outperformed the X40, scoring 119, which is higher than average and significantly better than one of the leading electric floor mops, the Bissell CrossWave.
Advanced Automated Charging Station
Another significant advantage of the L40 is its automated charging station. In addition to automatically emptying its dustbin into the included bag, it washes its mop pads with hot water, dries them with hot air, and refills the mop tank with clean water and a cleaning solution of your choice.
The charging base also features a rare self-cleaning mechanism, utilizing a mechanical tray with spinning squeegees to keep the bin clean from hair and debris.
Effective Obstacle Avoidance Technology
The L40’s obstacle avoidance technology is impressive. It uses a camera, structured light, and crossed infrared beams to recognize and avoid household objects. An LED light on the front allows the camera to see in dark places.
In our five obstacle avoidance tests, including our new torture test, the L40 was significantly above average, tying for second place overall in the obstacle avoidance category. While the Dreame X40, which uses a slightly different system, slightly outperformed it in this area, the L40 was very close behind.
Reliable Navigation and Mapping
In terms of navigation, the L40 performs well. It uses a spinning LIDAR sensor on top to map and navigate around your home. In our tests, it was slightly above average in efficiency and coverage. It consistently mapped our floor plan in about 5 minutes and vacuumed and mopped in about 43 minutes, faster than the average of 66 minutes.
We did notice it missed one of the rugs on the floor plan consistently, possibly due to it being a longer pile rug. Adjusting settings in the app might resolve this issue.
Feature-Rich App
The Dreame app is another highlight, offering all the features of its main competitors. It includes virtual barriers and extensive customization options, such as how frequently it empties its dustbin or washes the mop pads—useful for homes with pets.
Speaking of pets, it also offers live video monitoring using its camera, allowing you to check on your pets without the vacuum running. The app has a great score on the iOS store, though it has a lower rating on the Android store for some reason.
Dreame L40 Cons
Hair Tangling Issues
Despite its many strengths, the L40 does have some drawbacks. We’re currently developing a new system to score robot vacuums on pet hair pickup and hair tangles, and the L40 did not perform well in these new tests. In fact, it had more hair tangled on the 7-inch hair test than any other robot we’ve tested so far, and it wasn’t particularly effective at picking up pet hair from carpets.
Fortunately, there’s an easy solution. Dreame sells the Tri-cut brush separately for the L40. When we used the Tri-cut brush, it achieved the best scores on these new tests among all robots we’ve tested. If you have pets and deal with a lot of hair, purchasing the Tri-cut brush is a significant upgrade.
Noise During Mop Pad Washing
Another issue we experienced was an odd noise when the L40 was washing its mop pads—a lot of squeaking, which we assumed was coming from the self-cleaning mechanism. It might need oil or maintenance. Since the L40 is so new, we can’t confirm if this is an isolated issue or a common problem. Hopefully, as more reviews come out, we’ll get a clearer picture and possibly a fix.
Conclusion
After tallying all the scores, the Dreame L40 is currently ranking number two on our Top 20 Best Robot Vacuums list, which is an amazing achievement given its price point. We wouldn’t be surprised if it overtakes the number one spot soon when we update our algorithm to include the new tests.
Final Thoughts
The Dreame L40 Robot Vacuum Mop Combo is an outstanding machine that offers premium features at a more affordable price than its predecessor, the X40. While it has some minor issues, particularly concerning hair tangling, these can be mitigated with the Tri-cut brush accessory. Its exceptional vacuuming and mopping performance, advanced obstacle avoidance, and convenient automated charging station make it a strong contender for the best robot vacuum on the market.
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