The Quick Verdict: Narwal Flow 2
The Narwal Flow 2 is one of the most advanced robot vacuums we’ve tested, with a Visual Language Model, dual HD cameras, strong obstacle avoidance, fast navigation, and a premium self-cleaning dock. It performed well in vacuuming, pet hair pickup, anti-tangle testing, and threshold crossing, earning a place on our Top 20 Robot Vacuums list. Its main weakness was mopping performance, where our controlled stain tests were lower than expected, though real-world use after a firmware update looked more promising.
Best For
- Early adopters interested in advanced AI object recognition
- Homes with pets, toys, and floor clutter
- Mixed-floor homes with hard floors and carpet
- Buyers who value premium dock automation
Pros
- Visual Language Model with dual HD cameras
- Above-average obstacle avoidance and fast navigation
- Strong vacuuming and perfect hair-tangle results
- Robust rolling-track mop and premium dock features
Not Ideal For
- Buyers focused primarily on stain removal
- Users who want the strongest app experience
- Budget-conscious shoppers
- Those who prefer proven software over newer AI features
Cons
- Dried stain and coffee-only scores were low
- App ratings are not especially strong
- Early user feedback mentions mapping and connection issues
- Onboard dustbin is smaller than average
👉 Check current price on Amazon or see how it compares to our Top 20 Robot Vacuums
The Narwal Flow 2is Narwal’s latest flagship robot vacuum and introduces several notable upgrades, highlighted by its Visual Language Model (VLM) system with dual HD cameras and a 10-TOPS AI processor that can recognize a virtually unlimited range of objects, detect items as small as 5 mm, and even locate valuables such as keys and wallets. In testing, it excelled at obstacle avoidance, avoiding 20 of 24 obstacles, and delivered above-average navigation efficiency despite its unconventional cleaning pattern. Vacuuming performance was another strength, with a powerful 31,000 Pa suction rating, airflow slightly above average, 84% sand removal in the carpet deep-clean test, excellent flattened pet hair pickup, and perfect anti-tangle results with 0% hair wrap in the 7-inch hair test versus a 26% average. Additional advantages include robust mopping hardware with a self-refreshing roller mop, 10 mm mop lift, edge extension, strong threshold crossing up to 38 mm, an excellent multifunction dock, Matter compatibility, and extensive app features. The main drawbacks were mopping performance, which scored just 68 points in the dried-on stain test compared to a 108-point average, and concerns about app reliability, with some users reporting mapping and connectivity issues. Despite these weaknesses, the Flow 2 earned a place on our Top 20 robot vacuum list. See additional info
Price as of June 15, 2026
Auto Empty Station: Self Empties Debris | Washes Mop Roller | Washes Mop Roller with Hot Water | Dries Mop Roller | Dries Mop Roller with Heated Air | Self Cleaning
Mopping: Lifts Mop Roller on Carpets | Extending Mop Roller for Hard to Reach Areas
Hardware: 40mm Threshold Crossing | Removes Hair from Brush Roll
Performance: Carpet Boost Settings | Stain Detect
Mapping / Navigation: Multi Level Maps | Virtual Barriers and No Go Zones
Obstacle Avoidance: Unknown Objects Recognized
Pet Features: Live Video Monitoring | Pet Checkup or Similar
Controls: Third-Party Voice Control Options
| Scores | Narwal Flow 2 | Average Robot Vacuum Tested |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum Wars Overall | 3.91 | 2.58 |
| Features | 4.0 | 3.28 |
| Mopping Performance | 2.66 | 2.39 |
| Obstacle Avoidance | 4.08 | 3.29 |
| Pet | 4.60 | 3.42 |
| Navigation | 4.28 | 3.05 |
| Battery | 4.03 | 2.17 |
| Performance | 3.72 | 3.56 |
| Official Battery Life: 275 Minutes | Navigation Type: Embedded Lidar |
| Official Suction Power: 31000 Pa | Dust Bin Size: 300 ml |
| Obstacle Avoidance Type: Dual AI Cameras, LED, & Structured Light | Objects Recognized: Unlimited* |
| Multi Level Maps: Yes | Virtual Barriers: Yes |
| Detergent Capacity: unknown | Disposable Bag: 2.5L |
Narwal Flow 2 Review
We got a first look at the latest Narwal premium flagship robot vacuum and mop combo, the Flow 2, when we attended CES earlier this year. It has a range of upgrades from aesthetics to intelligence compared with the original Narwal Flow.
One of the most important changes is in the robot’s visual system, which has access to a Visual Language Model that theoretically gives the Flow 2 unlimited object recognition. This opens the door for several possibilities, such as helping to find lost keys or other valuables and enabling scenario-based cleaning strategies.
We bought one and put it through several tests over the last few weeks to see how the Flow 2 stacks up in the competitive premium robot vacuum market. In this review, we’ll go over how this model performed in our independent tests and reveal at the end how it fared in our Top 20 robot vacuum rankings.
Narwal Flow 2 Features and Design
Starting with the basics, the Flow 2 sits at the top of the Narwal robot lineup, with the most premium features and automations the brand has to offer.
The Flow 2 has a new look, with a major aesthetic change that includes an ambient light on the dock with three standby options, plus another light on the robot that changes color based on its status.
Visual Language Model and Object Recognition
The headlining feature of the Flow 2 is its Visual Language Model, or VLM system. This combines with dual HD cameras to allow the robot to identify a basically limitless number of objects. You can turn on a “Valuables Protection” feature in the app that lets the robot identify things that may have fallen on the floor, such as keys or wallets, and pin their location on the map.
Scenario-based cleaning includes pet care and baby care modes, so the robot can decrease noise in a nursery or perform a more focused clean in pet zones.
The system has an AI chip rated at 10 TOPS for faster data processing, and Narwal says it can detect objects as small as 0.2 inches, or 5 mm.
Obstacle Avoidance Test Results
In our obstacle avoidance test, the Flow 2 did very well. Between our standard test and torture test, the Flow 2 avoided 20 out of 24 obstacles, which was above the 16-object average. The original Flow avoided 18 out of 24.
Navigation and Cleaning Efficiency
Navigation was another pro. The Flow 2 uses a combination of LiDAR and side structured-light sensors to map and route its path, and it has an interesting way of moving through a room. Narwal claims this system enables the robot to clean the floor more like a person might, and you can see some of that behavior as it moves around. Instead of relying only on long rows, it works in smaller zones with a lot of back-and-forth movement.
That movement pattern seems like it might hurt navigation efficiency, but the Flow 2 scored much higher than average in that test. It covered 0.8 square meters per minute, compared with the 0.71 average and the original Flow’s 0.52.
It also finished vacuuming and mopping the studio floor plan in 38 minutes, matching the original Flow and beating the 56-minute average.
On the whole, this was a smart robot, and it looks like Narwal’s efforts here are paying off. With machine learning and a powerful processor, it’s also possible that it will improve further as the technology matures.
See also: How Vacuum Wars Tests Obstacle Avoidance
Vacuuming Performance
Another pro was that it was a good vacuum. The official suction rating is competitive at 31,000 Pascals, and in our suction bench test, it measured 1.92 kPa, nearly double the 0.99 kPa average. Airflow was also slightly above average at 18 CFM, compared with the 17 CFM average.
The vacuum did well in its main task of sweeping debris of various sizes from the surfaces of both hard floors and carpets without scattering or leaving debris behind. In our carpet deep-clean test, where we embed fine grit into medium-pile carpet and then measure how much the robot can remove, it performed above average by removing 84% of the sand. The average is 78%.
Pet Hair Pickup and Hair Tangle Results
The Flow 2 also did very well in our flattened pet hair test, where we press 2.5-inch hair onto carpets to see how well the robot can pick it up. It scored 88%, which was above the 82% average.
The main single brush has bristles to agitate the floor and a tapered anti-tangle design that sends hair and debris into the dustbin. The side brush is also designed to resist tangles and reverses direction to reach into corners.
In our 7-inch hair tangle test, the Flow 2 performed perfectly, with zero hair wrapped around the brush or axle. That was much better than the 26% average.
While the onboard dustbin is a little smaller than average at 300 mL, it is larger than several other flagships we have seen this year, so that is a hardware advantage for homes with a lot of pet hair or bulky debris.
Mopping System and Hot-Water Track Mop
The mopping features are robust. The Flow 2 uses a rolling-track-style mop pad that continually refreshes itself with hot, clean water at 140°F, or 60°C. That is a temperature upgrade over the original Flow, which used 113°F water.
It also squeegees dirty water into an onboard dirty-water tank integrated into the robot’s body. While the tank cannot be removed, it does have an agitator inside to help prevent grime from building up. Mops that refresh themselves like this are very good for processing wet spills because they collect liquid messes instead of spreading them around on the floor like traditional spinning pads or flat pads can.
The track design is also an advantage because it gives the mop more surface contact with the floor than a cylinder roller. The mop can lift 10 mm so the robot can clean a mixture of hard floors and carpets in a single run without getting carpets wet. It uses 12 Newtons of downward pressure and can extend to the side for cleaning along walls and furniture.
The mop’s actual performance was more complicated, which we’ll cover shortly.
Threshold Crossing
Threshold crossing was another pro. The official threshold limit for this robot is 40 mm for a tiered threshold and 30 mm for a single threshold. In our test, the Flow 2 crossed a 32 mm threshold without any problems, and it was even able to cross a 38 mm threshold on the second try.
Based on those results, we believe the Flow 2 should be able to handle its standard single-tier limit of 30 mm without problems.
Base Station and Dock Automation
The base station for this robot is a major pro. The dock washes the mop at 212°F and dries it with warm air at 104°F, or 40°C. It now also has automatic detergent dispensing for refilling the robot’s water tank.
It has very strong auto-empty suction that was able to empty the robot’s dustbin completely, storing debris in a 2.4-liter disposable dust bag. Narwal is also supposed to introduce a reusable dust bag for the base station in the near future. The dock dries and sanitizes the bag so that any moisture that gets in during cleaning will not cause mustiness or clogging.
There are three light options on the base, including a fire-color animation, a purple-color animation, and a static night light. While the lights do not affect performance, they are pleasant, and they can be disabled completely if needed.
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Narwal App Features
App features are a pro overall. The Narwal app has controls for scheduling, room customization, cleaning settings, no-go zones, and other robot control features.You can set the robot to vacuum carpets before it wets the mop for more dry protection, and you can set a carpet-intensive mode that makes the robot cover the carpet in two passes.
The robot is Matter-compatible and has an onboard voice assistant for commands.
Narwal App Drawbacks
There are a few things about the app that we consider drawbacks. While the app itself is feature-rich, it is not a favorite among users on Android or iOS. The Flow 2 is still a little young to have a large number of negative reviews, but the few we do see often cite mapping issues and difficulty getting the robot to connect.
Mopping Performance Test Results
Mopping performance in our tests was a con, but there is an important footnote, so keep reading. The original Flow was very strong in our mopping tests, so we were surprised when the Flow 2 produced some low numbers.
In our dried-on stain test, it scored 67.5 points, which was below the 108-point average. We tried it again with our newer coffee-only test, but it did not do better there, scoring 34 compared with the 94 average.
It did get a good water penalty score, leaving only 0.25 grams of water behind, which was much better than the 1.07-gram average. But overall, the Flow 2 landed right around average in its combined mopping score, with a 20.4 compared with the 20.31 average.
Real World Mopping Results
One of our writers is currently using the Flow 2 in her home, and she reported a significant firmware update after the robot left the studio. She used the Flow 2 in her kitchen on dried stains and was happy with how the floor looked afterward.
We do not know whether the firmware patched an existing issue or whether the informal home environment was simply not as challenging as our studio tests. In any case, our real-life experience was much better than the test results suggested, so that is worth taking into account.
Final Verdict: Is the Narwal Flow 2 Worth It?
In spite of some drawbacks, the Narwal Flow 2 was able to land a spot on our Top 20 Best Robot Vacuums list. Its intelligence upgrades are genuinely innovative, especially the Visual Language Model system, valuables detection, scenario-based cleaning, and object recognition potential.
It also performed well in many of our most important tests, including obstacle avoidance, navigation efficiency, suction, carpet deep cleaning, pet hair pickup, and hair tangle resistance.
The main concern is mopping. In our lab tests, the Flow 2 was not as strong as expected, especially in dried stain removal. However, our later informal home experience after a firmware update was better than those results suggested.
Overall, the Flow 2 is a smart and capable premium robot vacuum and mop combo with some of the most advanced intelligence features we have seen so far. It is going to be interesting to see how this technology matures and where Narwal takes it next.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Narwal Flow 2 have obstacle avoidance?
Yes. The Narwal Flow 2 uses a Visual Language Model system with dual HD cameras, and in our testing it avoided 20 out of 24 obstacles.
How much suction does the Narwal Flow 2 have?
Narwal lists the Flow 2 at 31,000 Pa of suction. In our suction bench test, it measured 1.92 kPa, which was nearly double our current average.
Is the Narwal Flow 2 good for pet hair?
The Flow 2 performed well in our pet hair testing. It scored 88% in our flattened pet hair test and had zero hair wrap in our 7-inch hair tangle test.
How well does the Narwal Flow 2 mop?
Its mopping results were mixed. It scored below average in our dried-on stain and coffee-only stain tests, but it left very little water behind and performed better in later informal home use after a firmware update.
Does the Narwal Flow 2 clean carpets?
Yes. It can lift its mop 10 mm over carpets, and it removed 84% of embedded sand in our carpet deep-clean test, which was above average.
Does the Narwal Flow 2 have a self-emptying dock?
Yes. The dock auto-empties the robot’s dustbin into a 2.4-liter disposable dust bag. It also washes and dries the mop and includes automatic detergent dispensing.
What is the biggest upgrade on the Narwal Flow 2?
The biggest upgrade is its Visual Language Model system, which gives it advanced object-recognition potential and supports features such as valuables detection and scenario-based cleaning.
Did the Narwal Flow 2 make the Vacuum Wars rankings?
Yes. Despite some drawbacks, the Narwal Flow 2 landed a spot on our Top 20 Robot Vacuums list.
Narwal Robot Vacuum Buyers Guide – 2026
Our Narwal Robot Vacuum Buyer’s Guide explains the differences between models so you can easily compare features and prices. We cover everything from the best budget-friendly Narwal vacuums to the most advanced systems with self-cleaning docks and smart navigation. Whether you’re upgrading or buying your first robot vacuum, this guide will help you choose the best Narwal robot vacuum for your home and budget. See the Guide
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Narwal Flow 2
