Dreame L40 Ultra review: beyond expectations

MSRP $1,500.00

“The Dreame L40 Ultra is one of the best robot vacuums for both hard floors and carpet.”

Pros

Eye-catching design
Automatically removes mopping pads
Swinging side brush and mop
Impressive navigation skills

Cons

Less suction than competitors

The Dreame L40 Ultra was officially revealed during IFA 2024, serving as the successor to the popular Dreame L20 Ultra. I had the opportunity to test out the new device in the weeks leading up to its debut, and I can say with confidence that it’s one of the best robot vacuums I’ve ever used. Nearly everything that made the L20 Ultra great has been improved for the Dreame L40 Ultra — including enhanced suction, improved roller brushes, and an extendable side brush for improved reach.

It’s still quite expensive at $1,500, but the Dreame L40 Ultra defied my expectations and is a serious challenger to other robot vacuums from Roborock, Ecovacs, and iRobot.

Quick setup

Like most robot vacuums, setting up the Dreame L40 Ultra takes just a few minutes. After downloading the app, plugging in the docking station, and syncing the robot to your smartphone, you can start a mapping run of your home. The mapping process was incredibly accurate — but if you need to make changes, you can tweak the layout in the Dreame mobile app

The Dreame app is also where you’ll set schedules or modify its performance by adjusting different suction levels, setting restricted areas, or allowing it to automatically change settings for the task at hand. In short, installing and using the Dreame is simple, quick, and intuitive (as you’d expect from a $1,500 vacuum).

Nightmare-free mopping

The Dreame L40 Ultra uses two rotating mops to clean hard floors — one of which is capable of swinging outward to better reach near baseboards and cramped spaces. This worked well during real-world testing, allowing the Dreame L40 Ultra to scrub spots missed by other robots. The device also lifts its main vacuum roller brush and side brush to ensure they stay clean and dry during mopping operations.

That’s not a commonly seen feature, and it serves a few purposes. The main advantage is keeping its brushes dry so they don’t track liquids onto carpet. As a bonus, it helps prevent moisture from mixing with the rest of your debris (which can often result in nasty odors over time).

Another big win for the robot is its onboard water reservoir. This means it can continually wet its mopping pads without needing to head back to the docking station. If your home is largely composed of hard floors, you’ll notice much faster cleaning times than with rivals don’t ahve an onboard water reservoir, as the robot won’t have to make constant trips back to its dock.

Coupled with an optional cleaning solution, the L40 Ultra is well-equipped to tackle tough stains.

For an even more autonomous cleaning, you can pick up the Water Hookup Kit to connect the docking station to your plumbing. This is great if you want a truly hands-free cleaning experience, though it’s by no means a necessity to enjoy the benefits from the L40 Ultra.

Enhanced vacuuming skills

Several robot vacuums offer more suction power than the Dreame L40 Ultra, but its 11,000 Pa is plenty for most types of floors. Even on the plush carpets in my living room, the robot had no problem pulling out trampled-down dog fur and other debris. Much of this is due to its Anti-Tangle Tricut Brush — a feature that helps it tackle hair, fur, and other gunk without getting clogged up.

One of the most useful features of the L40 Ultra, however, is its detachable mopping pads. Depending on how you set up your cleaning cycle, these can be automatically removed at the docking station before it heads out to vacuum. This prevents dirty mopping pads from dragging across the floor, a problem most robot vacuums have yet to fully solve. The mops can also retract 10.5mm, but homeowners with plush carpets will find it best to simply leave the mopping pads in the dock while vacuuming.

Automated maintenance

Rounding out the Dreame L40 Ultra is a docking station that handles most of your daily maintenance. Not only will it hold up to 75 days’ worth of dust from the vacuum, but it’ll clean the mop with hot water, dry the mop with air, and perform a rinsing of the docking station’s washboard with a duo-scraper system to ensure your robot isn’t sitting in a pool of dirty water while waiting for its next task. It’s a cool feature, and it’ll certainly help with the longevity of the device and limit any intense cleaning needed by its owner.

Verdict

The Dreame L40 Ultra isn’t quite as expensive as the $1,900 Dreame X40 Ultra, but it’s still a big ask at $1,500. However, there’s no doubt it’ll give you a premium robot vacuum experience, making it a decent combination of pricing and performance. The detachable mopping pads, impressive vacuuming skills, and customizable nature of the L40 Ultra make it an easy recommendation for almost anyone seeking a robust, highly automated robot vacuum. There’s plenty of competition from Roborock, Ecovacs, Narwal, Eureka, and iRobot, but the Dreame L40 Ultra deserves a spot on your shopping list.