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Narwal Move: two-minute evaluate
The Narwal Move is a high-end, self-emptying hybrid robotic vacuum with an particularly uncommon and spectacular mopping system. I’ve been testing one out for the previous fortnight, and the efficiency is such a combined bag that coming to a definitive conclusion is hard. On one hand, its mopping is among the many better of any robovac I’ve examined. The mop pad is mounted on a large curler, which extends outwards to achieve into corners, and makes use of sizzling water to scrub each your ground and itself. The system works remarkably nicely.
The Move’s vacuuming talents are additionally sturdy, and it carried out very nicely in TechRadar’s standardized assessments. It’s not solely very highly effective (as much as 22,000 Pa of suction), however cleverly adjusts the pace of its rotating aspect brushes to stop dry particles from being flung throughout arduous flooring. It additionally carried out very nicely at in my impediment avoidance assessments. There don’t appear to have been any damaging outcomes of putting in the LiDAR module behind the bot as an alternative of in a raised puck on high. The profit is that the general profile is comparatively shallow, which implies the bot can clear beneath low furnishings.
However, the Move often let itself down. Throughout one cleansing process, it spilled a considerable amount of particles from its mud bin onto the ground, regardless of being set to mechanically empty itself into the bottom station. The robotic then drove over the mess, lifting itself off the bottom sufficient to set off its cliff sensors, and requiring assist. One other time, it repeatedly did not enter a room and, regardless of not vacuuming a single sq. centimeter, returned to its charger and declared the duty successful.
The app can be so filled with adjustable settings that it’ll doubtless really feel intimidating to robovac rookies – a problem compounded by quite a few examples of poor translation. I’ve little doubt these points could be addressed by software program updates, and I used to be in the end nonetheless very impressed by the Move’s cleansing efficiency. The basics are sound, it simply wants slightly finesse to achieve perfection.
That’s the brief model – learn on for my full Narwal Move evaluate, together with an in-depth take a look at the design, efficiency and worth for cash, plus the way it compares to the remainder of the most effective robotic vacuums available on the market.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Narwal Move Robotic Vacuum & Mop (White) at Amazon for $1,499.99
Narwal Move evaluate: worth & availability
Checklist worth: $1,499.99
Launched: August 2025
Accessible: US
The Move launched in August 2025, and a month later its worth fell from $1,499.99 to $1,299.99. That’s for what Narwal calls the fundamental dock, which comprises a mud bag and tanks for clear and soiled water. A smaller dock that plumbs into your water provide for a full hands-off expertise prices $1,599.99, however was discounted by $200 throughout the pre-order part.
Presently, the Narwal Move is simply accessible within the US. The model hasn’t introduced plans to deliver the Move to the UK simply but. Nonetheless, it’s accessible in some European nations, together with Germany, for €1,299 with the usual dock and €1,499 for the smaller, plumbed-in dock. These costs had been lower for a restricted time at launch to €899 and €1,099 respectively. The Move shouldn’t be presently accessible in Australia.
Even on the new, decrease record worth, the Narwal Move is firmly within the premium worth bracket for robotic vacuums. It sits above different high-end robovacs, just like the $1,099 Ecovacs Deebot X8 Professional Omni, however under the lofty $1,599.99 beneficial retail worth of the Roborock Qrevo Curv. Nonetheless, reductions are widespread within the robotic vacuum market, so in lots of circumstances you’ll be capable to take record worth with a pinch of salt.
If you happen to’re comfy with the concept of a four-figure vacuum – one thing we’ve all needed to get used to as their options and efficiency proceed to develop – then the Move looks like good worth. That is very true once you begin digging via the spec sheet and the numerous, many pages of options and settings accessible within the app. Issues like the usage of sizzling water with the mopping system – to scrub the ground, not simply the pad itself – and an extending, track-based mop assist the Move stand aside. I’ll come again to those options in additional element later.
Like different robotic vacuums, the Move would require substitute elements over time. Examples embody mud luggage and detergent for the mopping water, and the spinning aspect brushes will also be changed in the event that they put on out or break. Narwal sells a package of elements that features two mops, two filters, a substitute curler brush, three mud luggage, two bottles of detergent, two pairs of aspect brushes and different equipment. Nevertheless it’s slightly costly, at $259.99.
Worth for cash rating: 4 out of 5
Narwal Move specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Max suction:
22,000Pa
Robotic diameter:
13.8in / 35.1cm
Robotic top:
3.7in / 9.5cm
Dock dimensions (W x D x H):
16.9 x 15.6 x 18.2in / 43 x 40 x 46.1cm
Mud bin quantity (base):
2.5L
Water tank quantity:
Requested
Base kind:
Cost, auto-empty, wash mop pads with sizzling water, dry mop pads with sizzling air, refill clear water, self-clean
Max threshold clearance:
1.6in / 4cm
Mop kind:
Curler observe with sizzling water mopping
Mop pad lifting:
0.5in / 1.2cm
Max runtime:
190 minutes
Narwal Move evaluate: design
Hybrid robotic vacuum with LiDAR built-in to provide a shallower profile
Observe-style curler mop that may lengthen, with sizzling water mopping
Complete dock with sizzling water mop cleansing and self-clean cycle
The Narwal Move is a robotic vacuum cleaner and mop with a self-emptying cost station that additionally cleans and drys the built-in mop. In addition to emptying the robotic’s onboard mud bin, the cost station empties the robotic’s soiled water tank and refills it with clear water. For an much more hands-off method, there’s an choice that has a dock that may be plumbed in (I didn’t take a look at this model).
(Picture credit score: Future)
The usual base station is complete. It’ll care for basic items like charging the bot and emptying the mud, but additionally duties like refilling the onboard water tank, washing the mop pads with sizzling water and drying them with sizzling air. It’ll even clear itself, rinsing the soiled water tank and pipes with sizzling water. It’s a disgrace, then, that there’s no computerized detergent dispenser; as an alternative you simply add cleansing answer to the clear water tank.
I like how the robotic is housed virtually solely contained in the cost station, as an alternative of protruding out the entrance when parked. This makes for a neater look, and means the system takes up much less ground area than some rivals.
As with different robovacs, the Move asks for loads of free ground area across the base station, although. Formally, it’s best to maintain 18 in / 45cm free to every aspect and in entrance of the dock. This isn’t crucial although, so you possibly can put the dock in a nook of the room (or subsequent to a kitchen cabinet, as I’ve) and the robotic will nonetheless drive out and in simply high-quality.
(Picture credit score: Future)
The underside of the robotic homes a rotating, anti-tangle brush, a pair of spinning aspect brushes, two wheels that promise to carry the robotic over thresholds as much as 1.57 in / 4cm tall, and a reusable mopping pad.
Not like another robotic vacuums, the Move’s spinning LiDAR unit is housed inside the physique as an alternative of mounted on high, which reduces its top to three.74 in / 9.5 cm, which is on the shallower aspect for a robotic vacuum and means it’s capable of drive beneath low furnishings.
When in use, the mop pushes down onto the ground with a drive of two.7 lbs / 1.22 kg to assist it scrub at filth and dried-on stains, whereas grime is scraped off, and the pad is fed with clear water. The mop makes use of water warmed to 113F / 45C whereas in use, then lifts by 0.47in / 1.2cm to maintain away from carpet and rugs.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Not like another robotic vacuums, the rotating aspect brushes of the Narwal Move don’t pivot outwards to achieve additional into corners. As a substitute, there’s a intelligent mechanical answer: one brush on every sweeper has a hinge midway up. When the bot approaches the sting of a room, the sweeper adjustments path of rotation, inflicting the hinge to open up and lengthen the attain of the comb.
The mop does lengthen outwards, getting it nearer to partitions however not fairly inside touching distance.
Setup
Organising the Narwal Move is comparatively fast and straightforward. The spinning brushes clip into place, then it’s only a case of choosing a great spot for the charging station, filling the water tank, letting the robotic cost its battery, and utilizing the Narwal app to attach the robotic to your Wi-Fi community. After that, you’re prompted to ship the Move out on a mapping mission, the place it rapidly drives round, with out cleansing, and makes use of its imaginative and prescient system to map your property.
The Move carried out this rapidly and did a good job of splitting the ground plan into rooms. It even appropriately labeled the kitchen and front room, noticed how the latter is carpeted, and positioned icons to characterize a eating desk, chairs and couch. I needed to regulate a number of the wall places, then break up the hallway and downstairs rest room into two rooms, however this course of is all fairly intuitive.
(Picture credit score: Future)
The Move additionally noticed a few obstacles – a cable and a few footwear – and marked them with related icons on the ground map. Narwal says the Move can acknowledge 200 various kinds of objects this manner – and sure, that features pet mess. This technique was inconsistent, because it later mistook a stainless-steel kitchen bin for a mirror and labelled a single desk leg as ‘other’ regardless of beforehand including the identical desk and chairs to its map of the kitchen. As much as 4 maps could be saved, which is useful when you stay in a multi-storey home as an alternative of an condominium.
Lastly, the Move gives sensible house integration and assist for voice instructions by way of Siri, Alexa and Google Dwelling. Nonetheless, there’s a little bit of clunky Chinese language-to-English translation happening right here, which might make some settings nonsensical. That apart, I like with the ability to ask Alexa to ‘clean the kitchen’, for instance, or arrange a Siri Shortcut to regulate the Move.
Design rating: 4.5 out of 5
Narwal Move evaluate: efficiency
Robust vacuuming and wonderful mopping once you get the settings proper
Occasional navigation failures
Impressively thorough self-cleaning from the dock
Narwal suggests the Move is greatest left to suppose for itself. It’s because, whereas there’s numerous granular customization of cleansing schedules and mopping methods to sink your enamel into, Narwal’s synthetic intelligence, known as Freo Thoughts, could be summoned to do the pondering for you.
The AI adjusts the cleansing technique based mostly on the room and the way a lot filth there may be. It’ll regulate the suction energy, mopping water utilization, cleansing frequency and different variables on the fly, and work particularly arduous on more durable stains.
(Picture credit score: Future)
That is most evident when tasked with mopping dried-on stains, which the robotic will scrub at repeatedly, typically with a number of journeys again to the docking station to scrub the mop and seize extra heat water, earlier than the job is completed.
The Move’s intelligence and navigation abilities are largely good, driving very near partitions however not often crashing into them, and cleansing in neat, straight strains.
Nevertheless it isn’t good. On one event the Move pushed a chair about 12in / 30.5cm throughout the kitchen ground, then seemingly acquired caught, uncertain of the place to go or easy methods to get again to its charger. I used to be additionally dissatisfied to see how the Move as soon as dropped a considerable amount of particles onto the carpet after cleansing, and one other onto its personal dock when returning to base. The robotic could be set to empty its bin both after each clear, or intelligently based mostly on how full it’s, however in neither situation ought to the bin be overflowing. These minor hiccups apart, throughout common use I discovered the Move to scrub very nicely certainly.
Vacuuming assessments
Now for the particular cleansing assessments. I began by difficult the Narwal with a combination of crushed digestive biscuit and flour on a wood ground. I set the robotic to its lowest suction setting and requested it to hoover the world simply as soon as, and with what the app refers to as ‘standard coverage precision’, as an alternative of the extra meticulous choice.
I began on the bottom of 4 suction settings (that is known as ‘Quiet, and lives up to its name, reaching just 58 dB.) Most of the debris was collected after a single pass. But, while the Flow managed not to flick dirt around the room, as some other robovacs are guilty of, larger pieces of food were missed, and there’s little doubt I may have carried out a greater job with a handheld vacuum or a dustpan and brush. The bot then returned to its dock and disinfected the inner bin. I measured this course of at 42 dB; noticeable in a quiet room, however solely barely louder than a fridge.
I repeated the take a look at on the subsequent suction degree, known as Regular. This picked up extra particles, however nonetheless left some behind – and I additionally observed how the robotic left two sizable trails of crumbs on the entrance to its charging dock. I then chosen the best setting, known as Tremendous Highly effective, however earlier than beginning the app prompt I attempt ‘Vortex suction power’, which was beforehand hidden however, the app stated, was appropriate for the present space I used to be cleansing. Vortex suction is far louder, at 76 dB, however did a wonderful job, choosing up virtually all the crumb combine and abandoning just a few faint trails.
As a last take a look at, I scattered some extra of the crumb combine and this time chosen the Narwal Move’s Freo Thoughts setting, which guarantees to intelligently regulate relying on the atmosphere and filth degree.
The robotic drove in a extra meticulous method, however left fairly a number of patches of crumb in its wake, plus some trails of particles unfold round by its tank tracks. Actually, I used to be anticipating slightly higher right here. As is nearly all the time the case with robovacs, the most effective method is to have it vacuum your complete room twice, slightly than deal with a single space from which it’s more likely to flick filth. This method produced the most effective outcomes.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Subsequent, I repeated this take a look at in a carpeted lounge. Surprisingly, the robotic repeatedly did not even depart the kitchen, but twice proudly informed me it had accomplished the duty (and said the way it had cleaned 0.0 sq. meters within the app).
After the third failure, I requested it to hoover your complete lounge as an alternative of a customized zone. This additionally failed, and – after deleting the map and creating a brand new one – I found the Move had designated the lounge carpet as an space to ‘Cross’ as an alternative of ‘Clean’. That is supposed for rugs, creating the choice to keep away from them, however on this case it meant the robotic refused to enter the room. A notification explaining this could have been useful.
Picture 1 of two
Crumb combine on a carpeted ground earlier than the suction take a look at(Picture credit score: Future)
… and the outcomes of the crumb take a look at(Picture credit score: Future)
Subject resolved, and even the bottom suction mode did a improbable job of vacuuming the carpet, with solely very small patches of the crumb combine left behind. It was a formidable efficiency, and I appreciated how, even in ‘standard’ protection precision, the Move methodically drove twice throughout the chosen zone. I repeated the duty utilizing Regular suction with two vacuuming cycles, and the carpet was cleaned completely.
Picture 1 of 4
Oats on a carpet forward of suction take a look at(Picture credit score: Future)
All of the oats cleared away after the suction take a look at(Picture credit score: Future)
Oats on a wood ground earlier than the suction take a look at(Picture credit score: Future)
… and the outcomes(Picture credit score: Future)
For my subsequent take a look at, I used oats to see how the Move carried out with bigger particles. On a tough ground it handed with flying colours, even with the bottom suction degree. Essential right here is how the Move’s rotating aspect brushes fluctuate their pace relying on the duty, so as an alternative of flicking the oats round – as many different robovacs do – the Move slowed down and picked up virtually the whole lot.
On carpet I noticed equally spectacular outcomes, with only a single go on the bottom suction sufficient to go away the ground completely spotless.
Mopping assessments
Subsequent, the mop take a look at. For this I examined the Move with some spilt water, then a number of drops of ketchup smeared throughout a wood ground and left to dry. For each mopping process, the bot first cleans its mop with sizzling water inside the bottom station, then units off. The Move did a terrific job of wiping away the spilt water, with out pushing it round and creating extra mess, however the rotating aspect brushes are dragged via the liquid (and, later, the ketchup too), so may begin to scent over time.
The Move’s Freo AI operate didn’t scrub on the ketchup as a lot as I’d hoped, and as an alternative returned to base after one go with out correctly cleansing the world.
Picture 1 of three
Water and ketchup on a tough ground, prepared for the mopping take a look at(Picture credit score: Future)
.. after one go(Picture credit score: Future)
… and after two passes(Picture credit score: Future)
I attempted once more – this time with the mopping set to ‘meticulous’ and with elevated water utilization to assist loosen and take away the ketchup stain – and the ground was left spotless. Price noting is how the Move comes with a bottle of detergent, however that is added manually to the bottom station water tank, as an alternative of being administered mechanically, by way of a separate tank, as is the case with some premium robovacs.
Particularly spectacular is how the mop makes use of sizzling water to scrub the ground, then is itself washed with extra sizzling water and dried inside the bottom station after each process. Remarkably, even after a number of weeks’ use and the ketchup take a look at, the mopping pad nonetheless appeared like new.
Impediment avoidance assessments
Lastly, impediment avoidance. I tasked the Move with vacuuming my lounge and positioned a shoe, a sock and a USB cost cable in its method. The robotic did a wonderful job of avoiding each object, whereas nonetheless vacuuming very carefully to every of them.
(Picture credit score: Future)
I used to be notably impressed by the way it dodged the cost cable, since most robovacs fail at this take a look at. The app confirmed an icon of a cable on the map, however surprisingly didn’t determine the sock and shoe.
Efficiency rating: 4 out of 5
Narwal Move evaluate: app
Some poor Chinese language-to-English translations
A ton of settings to discover – in truth, an awesome quantity
Drains telephone battery rapidly when left open
The Narwal app is a fancy beast, filled with adjustable options and settings. It’s designed properly although, and many of the menu system is logical sufficient, though some questionable translation into English can have you scratching your head.
Ideally, you’d depart the Freo Thoughts AI to work the whole lot out for you. However I discovered the Move vacuumed greatest when configured to carry out two cycles with sturdy suction and the protection precision set to meticulous. Mopping labored greatest when set to 2 cycles, with regular water utilization and, once more, the meticulous protection mode.
Past that, there are pages and pages of settings to learn via and tinker with. There’s even a setting to extend suction energy to compensate for residing at excessive altitude, a graph to point out the ‘health index’ of the mud bag over time, and three choices for a way intensely the mop is dried. A ‘simple mode’ that strips out most options could be welcome.
Picture 1 of three
(Picture credit score: Narwal / Future)
(Picture credit score: Narwal / Future)
(Picture credit score: Narwal / Future)
Extra helpfully, you possibly can create and save as much as 4 maps, so utilizing the Move throughout a number of flooring is feasible, and there’s a web page exhibiting you when every consumable accent will want changing.
One of many app’s greatest options is how shortcuts could be created for widespread cleansing duties. I made one known as After Meal, which is configured to hoover your complete kitchen with regular suction and two passes. These shortcuts stay on the house web page of the app, and start with a single faucet.
It’s a great app, however there’s an excessive amount of happening for the common person. I’d urge most patrons to take handbook management of the varied cleansing capabilities, see what works greatest in your house, then arrange a handful of shortcuts to suit your use case. I desire this method to counting on the Freo AI and trusting the robotic to all the time do the proper factor. Lastly, I observed the Narwal app runs fairly sizzling and rapidly depleted my iPhone battery when left open.
Do you have to purchase the Narwal Move?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Attribute
Notes
Score
Worth
Costly, however justified at the very least partly by an in depth characteristic record and customarily very sturdy efficiency.
4/5
Design
Hybrid robotic vacuum and mop with built-in LiDAR and increasing, track-style curler mop. Complete dock.
4.5/5
Efficiency
Vacuuming is powerful, mopping wonderful, and the dock’s cleansing capabilities are impressively thorough. Let down by occasional bugs and navigation points.
3.5/5
App
Properly designed, however overflowing with far too many options and settings and a few poor translation into English. A useful resource hog that makes your telephone run sizzling.
3.5/5
Purchase it if…
Don’t purchase it if…
How I examined the Narwal Move
I arrange the Narwal Move and used it as my very own vacuum cleaner and mop for a few weeks, earlier than conducting a collection of particular assessments. In the course of the preliminary interval, the Move was tasked with vacuuming and mopping your complete floor ground of my house. I experimented with the Move’s capacity to create extra maps, and used it to scrub my first ground bedrooms and loos too. The particular vacuuming, mopping, navigation and impediment avoidance assessments are outlined within the Efficiency part above.
First reviewed September 2025
Narwal Move Robotic Vacuum & Mop: Value Comparability
