The Narwal Freo Z10 costs 899 euros and is positioned as a cheaper alternative to the Z10 Ultra. With 15,000 Pa suction power, AI navigation and the EdgeSwing system for edge cleaning, its “little brother” is aimed at price-conscious buyers. But can the cheaper Freo Z10 convince in practice? In our Narwal Freo Z10 test, we put the robot through numerous test drives and put it through its paces. The result: The snow-white cleaner works purposefully and thoroughly, but also has its quirks.
Narwal Freo Z10: The technical data at a glance
| Category | Specification |
| Suction power | 15,000 Pa (max), 4 suction levels |
| Mop system | Dual mop rotating, EdgeSwing extendable |
| Navigation | LiDAR + AI dual camera (NarMind Pro) |
| Object recognition | Over 200 object types |
| Overall height | 10.77 cm |
| Mop lift | 12 mm automatic for carpets |
| Battery life | 185 minutes (manufacturer’s specification) |
| Dust container | 350 ml |
| Water tank | 300 ml |
| Station – dust bag | 2,500 ml (up to 120 days) |
| Station – water tanks | 4,100 ml fresh water / 3,200 ml waste water |
| Special features | DualFlow Tangle-Free, 75°C mop wash |
| App control | Narwal app, Alexa, Google, Siri |
| Noise level | 55 dB (mop mode) |
| Price RRP | 899 € RRP (300€ cheaper than Z10 Ultra) |
Positioning: The sensible middle ground
At €899 RRP, the Freo Z10 is positioned as an alternative to the €300 more expensive Z10 Ultra. Narwal has dispensed with some premium features such as electrolyzed water or perfect obstacle detection in the cheaper model, but has retained the most important functions. This makes it interesting for anyone who wants premium cleaning but is not prepared to spend over 1,000 euros.
First impression: stylish look, solid workmanship
Visually, the Freo Z10 hardly differs from its big brother. The elegant white design with subtle silver accents cuts a fine figure here too – as long as it is clean. After a few cleaning trips, the light-colored casing naturally shows dust and dirt more quickly than darker competitors.
The workmanship is impressive across the board. The robot’s housing looks very robust, the slightly rough plastic has a pleasant feel and looks really good. This conveys value and solidity. We did not discover any flaws during quality control.
With a diameter of 35.5 cm and a height of 10.77 cm, it corresponds almost exactly to the Z10 Ultra. The permanently mounted LiDAR tower prevents it from driving under very flat furniture – a typical compromise for laser navigation that has to be accepted in this price range.
Scope of delivery: Neat without exaggeration
Narwal packs everything you need into the box without overdoing it. The scope of delivery includes:
- Freo Z10 robot in white
- All-in-one station
- Power cable for the base station
- 2 side brushes (both are used at the same time)
- 2 mop pads already mounted on the robot
- Dust bag
- HEPA filter
- Bottle of floor cleaning agent
- Cleaning tray for the station
- Transparent ramp
- Quick guide and user manual
It’s solid, but much less lavish than the Z10 Ultra. All the essentials are there – that’s all you need to get started.
The station: Compact with all the important features
The all-in-one station has a high-quality finish and has all the important functions. With its compact dimensions and practical carrying handles, it integrates well into the household and can be moved around easily if required. Although the white design quickly shows signs of dust, it looks much less bulky than its black competitors.
The touch controls on the front edge are particularly successful. The three illuminated buttons allow important functions such as start/stop, mop wash or robot recall to be controlled directly at the station. Operation is intuitive and responds reliably.
The front cover can be easily removed for access to the dust bag and detergent cartridge. The only point of criticism is that the transparent ramp is only clicked into place and occasionally slips out when the station is moved.
Setup and first steps: uncomplicated start
Commissioning is straightforward. Set up the station, fill the water tanks, download the Narwal app and scan the QR code from the Quick Start Guide – after around ten minutes, the Freo Z10 is ready for use. The app guides you through the setup step by step and explains all the important points even to less tech-savvy users.
The first mapping run through our 50 m² test apartment took around 5 minutes. A clear strength is already apparent here: the robot works very purposefully and hardly wanders around. There are no endless search trips or haphazardly circling around as with other models. However, the subsequent map editing is less well thought out than with more expensive models. The price difference is noticeable here – rooms can be customized, but the functions are not quite as sophisticated.
Navigation and intelligence: Clever AI with minor weaknesses
The heart of the Freo Z10 is the NarMind Pro system with LiDAR navigation and dual camera technology. According to the manufacturer, the two AI cameras on the front recognize over 200 different types of objects – from shoes and cables to animal hair.
In practice, this works reliably for the most part. Cables are recognized and avoided, furniture legs are touched gently but never rammed, shoes and other obstacles are navigated around with ease. The collision-free navigation works well – serious collisions are rare.
Problems arise with flat objects: A dog’s play rope was simply dragged along and pulled across the apartment. Particularly amusing in our test: The clever robot skillfully maneuvered itself over a table leg under a table, but was unable to get out because a chair was blocking the way. It was unable to find its original way back over the same table leg – this shows clear weaknesses in its route planning.
The room layout usually works well, minor corrections are occasionally necessary and can easily be made in the app.
Suction performance in the practical test: Decent, but not outstanding
At 15,000 Pa, the Freo Z10 delivers solid suction power. This is 3,000 Pa less than the Z10 Ultra, but in practice it is completely sufficient for the vast majority of situations. Crumbs, dust, pet hair, cereal – practically everything disappears reliably into the dust container.
The adaptive suction power control is practical. If the robot sees dirtier areas, it slows down and vacuums more powerfully. It works well in practice and is really thorough, but takes longer.
The anti-tangling system does an excellent job. The side brushes run backwards if necessary, loosen tangled hair and transport it to the main roller. From there, they are sucked away directly. Even with longer hairs, the roller remained surprisingly clean. Only very rarely did anything get caught.
The two side brushes help to sweep up the dirt. One weak point: they do not extend, which means that corners are not reached perfectly when vacuuming. This is a shame for a 900-euro robot, but it’s bearable.
Mopping function: The real strength of the Freo Z10
This is where the Narwhal really comes into its own. The mopping function is definitely the highlight of the Freo Z10 and clearly sets it apart from the competition.
The EdgeSwing system is the killer feature of the Freo Z10. The right-hand mop can extend sideways and reach places that other robots leave to the left. This makes a noticeable difference to models with fixed mops. In our practical test, the Freo Z10 really did manage to reach almost all edges after three passes. The triangular Reuleaux mops work with good contact pressure and leave visibly clean results. This system only reaches its limits with more stubborn dirt on the edges – but which robot can do this perfectly?
The Freo Z10 analyzes the degree of soiling and adjusts its cleaning behavior accordingly. Heavily soiled areas are approached several times, while the water supply and contact pressure are increased for stubborn stains. Freo mode takes care of most settings automatically and makes operation particularly easy. However, sensitive floor areas such as parquet must be defined manually – the robot does not automatically recognize which floors are too sensitive for intensive wet cleaning.
In our endurance test with dried tomato sauce, the Freo Z10 achieved very respectable results. After two passes, all traces were removed except for minimal residue in tile joints.
The big but: laminate problem
An important point for laminate owners: the average water output is definitely too much. In our test, the Freo Z10 left streaks on the floor – it didn’t look nice. The amount of water can be reduced in the app, but then it doesn’t get really clean.
Laminate owners are therefore faced with the choice of either experimenting and fine-tuning a lot or settling for mediocre results. For tiles and robust hard floors, on the other hand, the system works perfectly.
Station and self-cleaning: Convenient fully automatic
The all-in-one station does its job really well. Measuring 43.1 x 42.7 x 46.2 cm and weighing 11.3 kg, it is compact enough for most corners, but still equipped with all the important functions. After each mop run, the mops are automatically rinsed with hot water at up to 75°C and then dried with warm air – the result is clean, dry and odor-free mops.
The automatic dust emptying works reliably. According to the manufacturer, the 2.5-liter dust bag should last 120 days – but only infrequent users are likely to achieve this. Depending on the size of the home and usage, 30-80 days is more realistic. One small point of criticism: if you mop regularly, you have to refill the water tank more often than expected. Despite the decent 4.1 liters of fresh water, refilling is necessary every two to three days with daily use.
App and operation: Functional with minor flaws
The Narwhal app offers all the important functions for controlling the Freo Z10. As already mentioned in the mapping section, the user interface is clear, but not quite as sophisticated as on more expensive models.
The most important app features:
- Precise mapping with automatic room division
- Individual schedules per room
- Different cleaning modes (vacuuming, mopping, combination)
- Freo mode for automatic adjustment
- Restricted zones and virtual walls
- Live tracking during cleaning
- Maintenance instructions and consumables status
- Voice control setup
Voice control with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri works reliably for basic commands, but you still have to use the app for more complex actions.
A brief word about the battery life: At 55 dB, the Freo Z10 works pleasantly quietly and easily manages our 50 m² apartment in a cycle of around 40 minutes thanks to 185 minutes of battery life.
Maintenance and follow-up costs are manageable
The maintenance effort is kept within pleasant limits. With daily use, the water tanks need to be refilled every 2-3 days and the mop pads need to be put in the washing machine once a week – that’s it for regular maintenance.
Occasionally, “major” maintenance work is required: Change the dust bag in the station (depending on usage patterns), replace the HEPA filter (every 6 months) and replace the side brushes (every 6-12 months). The main brush should be cleaned briefly every month. Practical: The app provides information on the current status of all consumables and indicates when they need to be replaced.
The Freo Z10 remains reasonable in terms of follow-up costs. Dust bags cost around 2-3 euros each (depending on the brand), replacement mop pads are available in packs of 4 for around 25 euros. It’s just a shame that the cleaning cartridge has to be completely replaced and cannot be refilled.
Competitor comparison: Strong position in the 900-euro class
In the almost 900 euro class, the Freo Z10 fights against established models such as the Roborock S7 or Dreame L10s Pro Ultra. Compared to the Roborock S7, the Narwhal scores with significantly better edge cleaning, quieter operation and more modern AI navigation. In return, Roborock has the more proven software, a larger community and, in some cases, better suction power.
Compared to the Dreame L10s Pro Ultra, the Freo Z10 shows its strengths in more intelligent dirt detection and the EdgeSwing system for edge cleaning. Dreame counters with an established market position and proven software.
Overall, the Freo Z10 offers a very well-balanced package in its price range with real unique selling points in the mopping function.
Our verdict: A good deal with a few minor compromises
First of all: The Narwal Freo Z10 is a successful compromise for anyone who wants premium wiping functionality but doesn’t want to spend over 1,000 euros. The EdgeSwing system really is a unique selling point, and for 899 euros you get around 90 percent of the performance of the Z10 Ultra.
However, the savings are noticeable in several areas: Obstacle detection isn’t perfect, mapping is less sophisticated and water delivery is problematic for sensitive floors. If you can live with that, you get a very decent household helper with real strength in edge cleaning.
Recommended purchase: A clear recommendation for households with robust floors looking for a good robot vacuum mop under 1,000 euros. Perfectionists and laminate owners should rather go for the more expensive Ultra or the established competition.
VORTEILE
- EdgeSwing system for very good edge cleaning
- Quiet operation (55 dB)
- Determined, fast and thorough cleaning
- Anti-tangling system works well
- High-quality workmanship and feel
- Compact station with carrying handles
- Fair price (~€300 below Z10 Ultra)
NACHTEILE
- Water output too high for laminate floors
- Navigation with occasional weaknesses
- Less sophisticated mapping
- Side brushes do not extend
- German translation sometimes bumpy
- Cleaning cartridge cannot be refilled
- Drive-on ramp occasionally slips out
Fazit
The Narwal Freo Z10 positions itself as an affordable middle ground with real strengths in edge cleaning. The EdgeSwing system works much better than the competition and the workmanship is impressive. However, the navigation is occasionally weak and the water release is problematic for sensitive floors. A solid compromise for the price, but with noticeable compromises compared to premium models.
