Dreame Aqua10 UltraRoller

Not long ago, we reviewed Dreame's Matrix10 Ultra, a flagship model that really impresses thanks to ground-breaking new technology that pushes the entire market forward, but which you certainly pay for. However, the launch also had the effect of making Dreame's product portfolio even more confusing.

You now have the Matrix10, the existing flagship X50 Ultra and the Aqua10; three products that apparently represent their own respective series, but which both have distinctive features and similarities.

Today, we are looking at the Aqua10 Ultra Roller, and although the name and Dreame's conceptual line-up could really use some streamlining, there is no denying that the Chinese manufacturer really has a handle on the basics when it comes to designing a robot vacuum cleaner.

Okay, so what is the Aqua10 Ultra Roller like? It weighs 5.8 kilograms, has a commanding suction power of 30,000Pa, is equipped with Dreame's LiDAR setup consisting of AI cameras, 3D ToF sensors, and more to ensure better scanning and solid object recognition, and it can cross obstacles (such as door frames or skirting boards) up to 8 centimetres high.

It's therefore competitive in every way, and at a price of around £1,100 at the moment, it's being introduced at a slightly lower price than some of the, to put it mildly, gigantic flagships. The Matrix10 Ultra is impressive, but it also costs more than twice as much, and you don't get twice the power...

What distinguishes the Aqua10 Ultra from the X50 Ultra in particular is that it is more floor-washing oriented. It can hold the same approximately four litres in the base station, and it can also hold roughly the same amount of water on board, as well as use 100-degree hot water cleaning to disinfect and reduce maintenance in the long term.

However, underneath you will not find two rotating mop pads, but instead a single roller, an "AqualRoll", which extends under the entire unit from side-to-side. This receives a continuous supply of water from the tank and rotates at a higher RPM and with sharper scrubbing than the aforementioned pads. The result is quite clear: a better result. This is especially true for more stubborn stains, as it's clear that the AqualRoll goes deeper and "scrubs" more.

No, we are not yet at the point where a robot vacuum cleaner can fully replace a proper floor wash, where human hands press down with a floor mop and really scrub the floor. But the Aqua10 does a better job than the average robot vacuum cleaner, and at a fairly reasonable price.

This is combined with the fact that Dreame continues to have one of the best app ecosystems, which is both well-designed and responsive. However, it should also be said that you won't really find a bad or unoptimised app among the established players on the market. Ecovacs, Roborock, and even DJI Home work quite solidly.

The only real complaint is that a central "roller" tends to wind up hair relatively quickly, but it can also be easily removed so that hair that has become entangled can be removed. This does mean a little more maintenance, but other than that, this is one of the best robot vacuum cleaners you can get for around £1,000, so if you're looking for something in the mid-range, the Aqua10 Ultra comes highly recommended.