Narwal S10 Pro wet & dry vacuum mop review

Over the years, I have reviewed many vacuums, including robot vacuums and even robot mops. But one trendy category I haven’t tried is wet and dry vacuum mops. The Narwal S10 Pro is one of the latest of this kind to hit the market. So, I gave it a go, and here’s how it performed!

What is the Narwal S10 Pro wet & dry vacuum mop?

As the name indicates, the Narwal S10 Pro wet and dry vacuum mop is an upright cleaning device that can both dry vacuum and wet mop floors. It’s cordless and offers 14,000 PA with 76AW suction efficiency. It also offers 17N of download mopping pressure to help remove even stubborn stains.

Key features of the Narwal S10 Pro

Active water cleaning system

There’s an active water cleaning system inside that uses 32 running water streams. Intelligent water spraying algorithms keep the brush moist throughout the cleaning process. Along with cleaning, it also disinfects surfaces.

AI DirtSense

The vacuum and mop separates liquids from solids for easy clean-up and emptying. AI DirtSense technology automatically detects the level of floor dirtiness and displays it on the colour LCD. The screen also shows handy notifications, including ones that are delivered by voice, too! It adjusts suction power and water dispensing levels depending on the dirt detected.

5 cleaning modes

The Narwal S10 Pro has five cleaning modes: Auto Mode, Suction Mode, Turbo Mode, Quiet Mode, and MAX Enhancement. Each is optimized for different use cases. In extreme situations, such as a big spill, use MAX Mode. This boosts power to increase cleaning efficiency by 200%.

Cordless design

The cordless design makes it easy to maneuver. The S10 Pro weighs under 10 lbs. and features self-propulsion.This allows it to glide across floors with little effort. It can lie completely flat at 180° for getting under tables, beds, and chairs. The edge-to-edge roller, meanwhile, can get as close as 6mm to the edge of floors and tight corners. This is also thanks to the tilting and rotating handle.

Battery life

You can get up to 50 minutes of battery life per use. That’s enough to clean a 3,200 square-foot home on one charge.

Self-cleaning mode

Once you’re done and the floors are sparkling clean, the Narwal S10 Pro can clean itself. Place it in its dock, press the “Self-Clean” button, and it begins a 10-part cleaning process that scrubs, cleans, disinfects, and dries the roller brush, pipes, and filters.

It uses electrolyzed water to accomplish this and afford germ-free cleaning. The brush rotates until all unwanted hair and stain residue is gone. It then dries itself in 30 minutes or less using both centrifugal dehydration and hot air at a temperature of 133 degrees.

Narwal S10 Pro wet & dry vacuum and mop unboxing

The specs and promises are all well and good. But it was time to try it out for myself. Setting up of the vacuum was simple: just click the handle onto the base, plug in the charging dock, and let it charge.

The first thing I noticed about this machine is that it’s heavy. This isn’t a big deal when cleaning since it’s self-propelled so it guides you along, much like a self-propelled lawn mower. But for lifting to another floor of the home, you’ll need some muscle to get it up and down stairs. It’s presumably for this reason that there’s no wall mount option for the dock either. So, you’ll need a dedicated spot to permanently park the S10 Pro and its dock when not in use.

Note that while the machine does vacuum debris as well as wet mop, it performs both in one, single process. Debris and dirty water are sucked into separate areas. This means you can’t use it just to dry vacuum carpeting or only to wet mop: it’s all or nothing. So, you’ll still need a dedicated vacuum for carpeted areas (if you have any). I did find, however, that it works nicely on a thin carpet runner.

Using the Narwal S10 Pro wet & dry vacuum and mop

There are a few things to note about this cleaning machine. Most important, it works well. While I had to do a few passes of the kitchen floor to tackle tougher stains, even when in Max Mode, my kitchen and bathroom floor tiles were pretty clean by the end.

I love that it does both vacuuming and wet mopping in one fell swoop. You’ll just need to fill the water tank before every use. Sometimes, if the floors are especially dirty, like after a spill, the vacuum will advise that it detects a dirty roller brush. It will then ask you to return it to the base for self-cleaning of the roll brush and pipelines.

You can run the quick self-clean process without drying if needed. Just press and hold the button for two seconds versus a quick press that does the whole she-bang. This ensures that you aren’t traveling through the home transferring dirt from one room to another.

High-tech features

This vacuum doesn’t work with an app nor does it have Wi-Fi connectivity. But it does have some pretty cool, high-tech features. Along with the automatic cleaning and drying process on the base, as well as AI DirtSense technology, it also supports voice commands. And they’re really enjoyable and helpful.

Handy voice commands (yes, it talks to you!) chime in if there’s an issue. It might be that you need to add more water to the tank. Maybe something isn’t connected properly. The roller brush might need cleaning. It identifies the problem and guides you on what to do next, like run a self-clean or dock to recharge.

The vacuum was able to sense that the space underneath my bathroom counter and the floor was not tall enough for it to reach under, and the voice assistant advised of this. It also realizes when you’re passing through a low landing and lets you know it’s adjusting suction accordingly. Neat!

How the self-cleaning process works

The pre-self-cleaning process

The clean-up process has both pluses and minuses. Don’t think it’s a matter of maneuvering the vacuum across the floor then docking it and you’re done. There’s some effort required on your part. The machine reminds you to clean the dirty water tank to avoid bacterial growth. You also have to remove the roller brush, which can be awkward since the machine is so heavy, and rinse it under water.

Then, remove the dirty water and debris bin as well as the filter to clean them, too. (Both the roller brush and filter should be replaced every six month or so. You do get an extra one of each in the box.) It’s great that solid debris and dirty water are sucked up separately. But it means emptying debris from the bin, dumping the dirty water from the latter portion, and cleaning out all receptacles once done.

Sometimes, you might find that small, solid debris falls from the bin to the dirty water receptacle. This happened with a tiny screw that happened to be on my bathroom floor. Luckily, I caught it before it went down the drain with the dirty water.

Self-cleaning

Once all that’s done (it sounds daunting but it should only take a few minutes), place the vacuum on the base. Then, push the button to run the self-clean cycle. This cleans and dries the vacuum/mop so it’s ready and disinfected for the next use.

The cleaning process is loud enough to disturb you if you’re in the same room. It’s as loud as if the vacuum is running. But it’s quick. The drying process to follow is very quiet. It’s more like the sound of a quiet fan in the background. That portion runs for about 30 minutes.

Even with the manual cleaning requirements, using the S10 Pro is still less effort than having to vacuum and mop the old-fashioned way. It’s also tidier than filling a bucket with soapy water and using a mop. But compared to a robot vacuum and mop for which you only need to wash the cleaning pad, it’s more work. (Those, it should be noted, also tend to be more expensive.)

Final thoughts on the Narwal S10 Pro

The Narwal S10 Pro vacuum and wet mop is an interesting, versatile, dual-function device. It’s not without downsides. Mainly, I wish you could adjust the mode and use it just to dry vacuum for carpeted areas. You can only perform both vacuuming and mopping at the same time. If you have both flooring and carpets in your home, you’ll still need a separate vacuum. I would recommend a lightweight cordless stick vacuum or a robot vacuum. You might also be better off spending more for a premium two-in-one robot vacuum and mop that can do both or one or the other.

But, even if it takes twice the time to run extra passes for a deeper clean, the process is smooth (pun intended) and you’re using a single machine with minimal effort. Albeit, with a few steps of clean-up needed after each use. If you’re OK with those simple clean-up steps, the self-cleaning that follows is a fabulous feature. I also love that the self-clean disinfects and dries the roller brush.

It’s also worth noting that if you have limited space between the floor and furniture, like a bed, couch, bathroom vanity, or dining room buffet or cabinets, you may be disappointed that it can’t slide under. You’ll need at least 3.5 inches of clearance for it to pass freely.

Who should buy the Narwal S10 Pro?

If you live in an apartment, condo, or home with all hardwood flooring and tiles, the Narwal S10 Pro will meet most of your floor cleaning needs. As a much heavier vacuum compared to typical cordless models, this isn’t an easy machine to take up and down stairs. So it’s best for homes without a lot of stairs, like single-level homes or bungalows. However, if you don’t mind a bit of a workout for your arms, this might not be an issue.

I would still recommend having a separate dedicated dry vacuum on hand for quick clean-ups as needed. But the Narwal S10 Pro vacuum is worth considering in addition to that. Even compared to some of the latest robot vacuums, it comes across as one of the most high-tech vacuums I have ever used. That’s thanks to the voice companion, colour screen, and sleek design.

Find the Narwal S10 Pro at Best Buy Online.