• The Narwal Flow 2 an AI-forward robot vacuum and mop that uses it

    From TechnologyDaily@1337:1/100 to All on Saturday, April 18, 2026 21:15:24
    The Narwal Flow 2 an AI-forward robot vacuum and mop that uses its smarts to determine how dirty your floor is, and the best way to clean it

    Date:
    Sat, 18 Apr 2026 20:00:00 +0000

    Description:
    Narwals 2026 flagship robot vacuum is outfitted with video cameras and super smart AI cleaning technology to work out the best way to tackle your home.

    FULL STORY ======================================================================Narwal Flow 2: two-minute review Ill be the first to tell you that I have had a hate-love relationship with robot vacuums. However, over the years, Ive watched as the technology has improved, resulting in better mapping, improved object avoidance, and exciting features. This is why I was all too glad to test the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum.

    Narwal introduced its 2026 flagship robot vacuum in January, which resulted
    in a lot of buzz. Its not the first robot vacuum to have dual cameras, but
    the way they work with the LM OmniVision AI Model feels like a big leap forward.

    During testing, I observed the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum recognizing the dirtiness of a floor and adjusting the suction and mopping capabilities.
    Plus, its ability to 'smart clean', or recognize which areas of your house need deeper cleans, and avoid and identify obstacles is next to none.
    Although I dont have pets or babies, the Pet Care Mode and Baby Care Mode are quite cool because they let the Flow 2 find your pet (and play with it), switch to quiet mode near cribs, and avoid crawling zones. The charging dock can wash and dry the roller mop with hot air, and automatically empties the vacuum's dust bim (Image credit: Future) Overall, I found the Narwal Flow 2 s smart capabilities very impressive, and its customization capabilities within the app particularly convenient. Its mopping capabilities are its best feature, and when paired with vacuuming, it does a great job of cleaning all floor types though it doesn't fare as well with edge or corner cleaning. The suction capability wasnt strong enough to pull super-fine materials like
    flour from a thick rug, but it did better than other robot vacuums Ive
    tested. I would have also liked it to be half an inch shorter so it could fit under my kitchen cabinets. The Narwal Flow 2 stands out in other ways too, such as its ability to climb over high thresholds, app and voice controls,
    and video feeds. The dock automatically empties the dust cup, and washes and dries the roller mop with hot water and hot air. I still think youll need a vacuum and a wet-dry vacuum on hand for deeper cleans or to reach spaces the robot vacuum cant go, but the Flow 2 will do a stand-up job at keeping your home pristine between deep cleans. The Narwal Flow 2 launched in the US in April 2026, with a premium price tag to match its high-end cleaning features. There are plenty of other great robot vacuums that are more affordable (even ones with cameras), but most dont have the AI capabilities of this model, which really set it apart from the competition. Narwal Flow 2: price and availability Price: $1,499 (about 1,100 / AU$2,100) Special price at launch: $1,099 (about 810 / AU$1,500) Launch date: April 2026 Availability: US The Narwal Flow 2 launched in the US on April 13, 2026, with a UK release
    expected at a later date. Although the list price for the robot vacuum and
    the base is $1,499, those who buy it during the launch can snag this combo
    for $1,099. Its available directly from Narwal and Amazon , but may expand to other third-party retailers later.

    The price makes sense considering that the Flow 2 is outfitted with high resolution cameras, a roller mop, and superb AI capabilities that lets it recognize shoes, cords, pets, and toys, and adjust the cleaning settings depending on the type of dirt, debris, or spill. The dock also has hot water and hot air-drying capabilities something that lesser models lack. We consider the Narwal Flow 2 to be a premium buy since it costs more than $800
    / 650 / AU$1,000 . Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
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    us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Our review unit came with one extra dust bag (Image credit: Future) Our review model came with cleaning solution and one extra dust bag. Accessory replacements are available from Narwal.

    Now the question remains, is this model worth $1,499? Considering all the features and control users have through the app, I would say yes. I just wish the edge and corner cleaning had matched my expectations. Perhaps an update will improve both settings soon. Value score: 3.5/5 Narwal Flow 2: design Circular robot vacuum and a self-emptying and self-cleaning base Anti-tangle mopping roller brush Dual high-definition cameras with a wide view The Narwal Flow 2 is a black, circular robot vacuum thats about 13.5 / 35cm inches in diameter and has the capability to lift over thresholds. At 3.7 inches / 9cm, the robot vacuum is relatively tall, and even though it can fit under my
    couch and bakers rack, it doesnt fit under my cabinets. The Narwal Flow 2 is relatively tall and can't fit under all items of furniture (Image credit: Future) It has a small rotating brush along the bottom edge that sweeps
    debris toward the zero-tangling floating brush, where the robot vacuum uses 30,000Pa to suck up debris. The Flow 2 uses a crawler mop for edges; think of it like a roller map that has been flattened so that its wide, long, and rotates, using 12N downward pressure to clean floors. The crawler mop can extend 1.8 inches / 5cm from the side.

    The robot vacuum comes with a black base thats 20.5 / 36cm inches tall, 14 inches / 36cm wide, and 17 / 43cm inches deep, and a cord that is 4.8 feet / 1.5m long. Separate clean water and dirty water tanks sit on top of a tank that holds the cleaning solution. Both the robot vacuum and the dock have filters. The Narwal Flow 2 has a crawler mop that can extend from the side
    for cleaning close to edges (Image credit: Future) The dock also features a dust bag that can last up to 120 days, and colored ambient lighting, which
    can indicate different things like when there is problem with the robot (eg flashing red lights).I

    n addition to LED lights on the robot vacuum itself, the Narwal Flow 2 has dual 1080p cameras with a 136-degree field of view. The robot vacuum uses cameras and AI to recognize objects or pets and either avoid them or note
    them on the map, captures video and photographs, and provides deeper cleanings. Design score: 4.5/5 Narwal Flow 2: performance Climbs tall thresholds and avoids objects well Solid job at vacuuming and mopping Truly hands-free experience and easy-to-use app I had no issue connecting the
    Narwal Flow 2 to Wi-Fi or the app. The robot mapped my house in 35 minutes. I had to split and merge a few rooms, but that was simple enough.

    As part of my testing, I utilized the robot vacuum like anyone else might letting it clean my entire house multiple times, directing it to specific rooms (like the kitchen after dinner), or to an area where Id made a mess (like near my sewing machine). In doing this, I found that the vacuuming and mopping capabilities of the Narwal Flow 2 were solid. The water output was perfect, and by that, I mean my floors werent too wet and they dried very quickly. One of my favorite aspects of this robot vacuum is the roller mop. Some brands opt for circular mop pads that spin, however, I always thought such pads just moved wet dirt and other materials around the floor before the robot had a chance to return to the base to wash the pads.

    The Narwal Flow 2 has a roller map thats wide (almost flattened), and as it rotates, the robot sends clean hot water to the mop so that its cleaning the mop as it cleans your floors. A 12N downward pressure of the roller mop also aids in removing stubborn or heavy messes. If the robot vacuum recognizes a significant spill, it will also return to the base to clean the roller before returning to clean the floor again. The Narwal Flow 2 was able to clear door thresholds easily (Image credit: Future) The robot easily climbed my thresholds some of which are two inches / 5cm high and avoided a lot of objects. In fact, I felt like it stayed too far from objects and edges at first, so I adjusted the cleaning to 'meticulous' within the app and was happier with the results.

    I also watched it avoid low overhanging areas like my kitchen cabinets. At least the robot vacuum had the ability to extend the roller mop 1.8 inches / 4.6cm under the cabinet. Still, it wasnt far enough to clean fully under the cabinet, so I had to use a vacuum to reach under there.

    The robot vacuum got stuck once on my bath rug, which has fringe, but that
    was the only object that it ever has any issue with. it avoided cords and shoes, and even noted them on the map. During testing, the Narwal Flow 2 managed to vacuum up all but one flower petal (Image credit: Future) While I could customize the suction power of the vacuum, I liked to keep it on Smart so that the suction adjusted based on the floor type and whether the robot sensed dirt or a mess. I liked that the robot vacuum used the LED light in
    low light areas to clean better. The Narwal Flow 2 didnt do well with suctioning large objects like medium-sized leaves from my poinsettia plants. This isnt that big of a deal as most robot vacuums (or vacuums) dont do well with suctioning larger items.

    Although I used the app most of the time to direct the robot vacuum, occasionally, I used one of the 34 voice commands. Sometimes I had to use the app because the commands are limited. For instance, I could tell it to clean my living room, but I couldnt say, Clean up the living room and the hallway. Combining commands wasnt possible.

    The robot vacuum took three hours to clean my entire 1,600-square-foot house, dropping to 31 percent in terms of the battery. In fact, the battery was only at 50% at the 2-hour cleaning mark. It took four hours to fully charge the robot vacuum, which is quick in my opinion.

    Overall, I was very happy with how well Narwal Flow 2 kept my house clean of dirt, debris, and kitchen scraps. That said, after running some cleaning tests, there are some areas where it could improve. Cleaning tests To begin
    my testing, I placed ground coffee, flour, and dried flower petals on my kitchen laminate floor and on my living room rug and utilized the vacuum-only feature to see how well the robot could suction different materials. I even made sure to sprinkle ground coffee under my kitchen cabinets, along the
    edges of my kitchen, and in the corners. Heres what I observed.

    In the kitchen, the robot vacuum increased suction automatically when it went over the flour and the dried flowers, but not over the coffee. It suctioned all of the coffee, all but one flower petal, and most of the flour. Unfortunately, the wheels of the robot vacuum moved a thin film of the flour around on the floor. Where it didnt succeed was suctioning coffee from the corners, edges, and under the kitchen cabinet. The robot's wheels moved a
    thin film of flour around the floor (Image credit: Future) To be fair, the robot couldnt fit under the kitchen cabinet. When it came to corners, the robot vacuum suctioned coffee completely in one corner, but not the other. It failed quite miserably with suctioning coffee grounds along the edges.

    As for the suction test on the rug, the robot vacuum automatically increased the suction to 'super powerful' when it recognized the material. On the first pass, the robot vacuum picked up some coffee grounds and flour but all of the dried flower petals. I also placed slightly damp poinsettia leaves on the carpet, and the robot vacuum did not pick them up but unintentionally moved them off the rug.

    I was disappointed at first, until the robot vacuum went over the coffee and flour three more times without me instructing it to do so. By the end, 98 percent of coffee grounds had been suctioned. A lot of the flour had been picked up, minus a small amount that had been pushed into the rug. In the
    end, I thought the suctioning capability on rugs was better than most robot vacuums. The robovac automatically switched modes when it detected that it
    was on a carpet (Image credit: Future) For the final test, I used the vacuum and mop features on my laminate floor. I covered the floor with flour, coffee grounds, a spilled glass of water, chocolate sauce, soy sauce, wing sauce,
    and creamer. The Narwal Flow 2 cleaned up the wing sauce, soy sauce, water spill, coffee grounds, and flour in a single pass. I was surprised by how smoothly it picked up the chocolate sauce since its a tough substance that dries quickly. (I test wet-dry vacuums and even many of them have issues with cleaning slightly dried chocolate sauce in two passes or more.)

    When it came to the creamer, the robot vacuum recognized it as a 'spill', which meant it cleaned it up in a single pass then returned to the dock to clean the mop. It then repeated this two more times cleaning that area and returning to the dock to clean the mop before it moved on. The floor was not sticky by the time the robot vacuum had finished. The Flow 2 picked up wet spills with ease, and left no residual stickiness behind (Image credit: Future) I also placed coffee grounds under the cabinet, in the corners, and along the edges to see if the mop and vacuum combo would result in better cleaning capabilities. When the robot vacuum passed near the cabinets, it extended the mop to the side, and while it picked up a bit, unfortunately,
    the roller mop couldnt extend far enough to pick up half of the coffee
    grounds under the cabinet

    When it came to corners, the robot vacuum had the same results using the vacuum and mop as it did during the suction only test. It cleaned edges
    better with the mop than without it, but the results werent as good as Id hoped. One edge was cleaned very well but a lot of coffee grounds were left along another edge. The robovac's performance was less impressive when it
    came to edges and corners (Image credit: Future) To sum it all up, Id advise utilizing the vacuum and mop features on hard flooring to maximize the cleaning process. The Narwal Flow 2 does an average job edge and corner cleaning. When it comes to carpets, it can pick up a lot of debris, though
    for the finest materials like flour, youll probably need a more powerful vacuum. Maintenance When it comes to the Narwal Flow 2 , there isnt much maintenance youll need to do daily or weekly. It took 16 uses of the robot vacuum before I was informed to refill the water tank and empty the dirty water tank.

    I would suggest going through the app when you first start using the Narwal Flow 2 to set up the maintenance how you see fit. Head to the Dock section
    and choose what kind of mop drying intensity you prefer (silent, strong, or smart), as well as how often you want the dust bin to be emptied (every time of execution or when the robot determines it needs to be emptied). You can even choose the noise level of the dust emptying.

    The base cleans the roller with 140-degree hot water and dries it completely with hot air. The dust bag holds up to 120 days worth of debris. In the future, Narwal may roll out a reusable dust bag. The debris filter is
    washable and should be cleaned once a month. Youll need to remove the bottom tray of the base and clean it out once or twice a month as lots of debris and dirt accumulates there.

    Within the app, you can keep an eye on which accessories need to be replaced and/or how much longer they will last. For instance, the zero-tangling floating brush on my testing robot is still good for another 144 hours of
    use. Performance score: 4/ 5 Narwal Flow 2: app Easy app with fantastic 2D
    and 3D mapping and insights Cleaning customization options (AI clean, vacuum and mop, vacuum then mop, vacuum, mop, and room customization) Video features and control through app I had an easy time using the Narwal app to set up the Narwal Flow 2 . Although there is a 3D mapping option, I preferred using the 2D option and had an easy time labeling the rooms and seeing things like rugs on the map. I ran into some issues trying to split my living room and study
    on the map. The rooms have a wide doorway with pocket doors, so I understand the robot thinking they are the same room, but when trying to split them, the map says in doing so the rooms are too small. This is odd considering that my bathroom is about a sixth the size of each of those rooms and it was considered its own room on the map.

    I tried to set up my corridor as a no-go zone (the floors are not sealed and cant be mopped), but unfortunately, when I did this, the robot vacuum wouldnt pass the corridor to clean the bathroom. Thankfully I was able to go around this with the room customization feature which allows me to customize the
    type of cleaning I want for each room. Therefore, I designed the corridor to be a vacuum-only space so that the robot vacuum would be able to reach the bathroom where I have it designated to be vacuumed and mopped.

    Within the app, I can choose to clean the whole house, certain rooms, or even specific zones within those rooms. I can also customize this further by informing the robot vacuum to vacuum and mop, vacuum then mop, vacuum only,
    or mop only.

    One of my favorite features is the Navo assistant that sits below the map offering insight on the cleaning or information thats relevant, like if the vacuum has gotten stuck. If you click it, the assistant shows you the voice commands that you can use with the robot vacuum and lets you adjust the language and voice tone. The app allows you to select whole rooms for cleaning, or just specific zones (Image credit: Future) The Dock button informs users of the dust bag status and touch-on-demand features like dock dust emptying, dust bag dry and disinfecting, mop washing, mop drying, and adjusting the ambient lighting effects.

    Users can watch a live video from the cameras on the Narwal Flow 2 . You can record or take videos, control the direction of the robot, and direct the robot to clean. There is also a Cruise feature that takes photos on a
    specific route through your house and stores them in the app.

    On top of scheduling cleanings and monitoring the cleaning history, you can also adjust the cleaning settings, from the suction power to the mopping humidity, coverage precision (smart, standard, and meticulous), and set
    things like intensive corner cleaning, priority cleaning for carpet,
    intensive carpet cleaning, intelligent room splitting and rewashing of the mop, high altitude mode, child lock, do not disturb feature, obstacle avoidance strategy, and smart object detection. Its also here where you can set up your Narwal Flow 2 with Alexa, Google Home, or Matter.

    The Pet-friendly Mode section is very extensive. Users choose which pets they have (cats, dogs, or both) and designate either easy cleaning in specific pet areas or enhanced cleaning in areas that were missed because pets were present. It also allows you to find your pet and/or play with your pet by attracting the pet to the robot with a specific sound. App score: 4.5/5
    Narwal Flow 2: specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

    Wattage (robot):

    65W

    Robot diameter:

    13.14 inches / 33cm

    Robot height:

    3.7 inches / 9cm

    Cleaning path width:

    Not specified

    Dock dimensions (H x W x D):

    17.7 x 14.1 x 20.8 inches / 45 x 36 x 53cm

    Dock cord:

    4.8ft / 1.5m

    Weight (robot + dock):

    33lbs / 15kg Narwal Flow 2: should you buy it? Swipe to scroll horizontally Narwal Flow 3 score card

    Attribute

    Notes

    Score

    Value for money

    A premium robot vacuum that is accurately priced for all the features you receive, though I expected better edge cleaning for the price.

    3.5/5

    Design

    A black circular robot vacuum with dual cameras that can mop and vacuum at
    the same time with a wide roller mop that can extend 1.8 inches. The robot
    can cross tall thresholds and returns to a base that cleans the mop with hot water and hot air.

    4/5

    Performance

    Automatically adjusts suction and water flow when it detects dirt, debris,
    and stains, and does a superb job with avoiding obstacles and smart cleaning. Edge and corner cleaning are average. Performs better when vacuuming and mopping hard floors. Suctions better on rugs than expected.

    4/5

    App

    The Narwal app offers a dearth of customization and cleaning options. Plus, you can manage the video features and monitor the dock or accessory life within the app or set up the robot to interact with your pets. There is
    little this app cant do.

    4.5/5 Buy it if You like a hands-free cleaning system that knows when the floor is dirty.

    The AI or smart cleaning capabilities of this robot vacuum almost feel like a person in the way it pays attention to detail. Its ability to increase the suction when it recognizes dirt or dust on the floor, or to go over a wet spill multiple times to prevent the floor from being sticky, is notable. You want a super high-tech robot vacuum. Not only does the Narwal Flow 2 have an app that lets you control every feature of this robot vacuum, but its outfitted with voice control and an integrated video camera that offers a
    live stream. Through the video, you can even control where the robot moves or see what your pet is up to when youre away. Best yet, the dock does all the daily maintenance for you. The AI system offers adaptive cleaning for pet or baby households, adaptive obstacle avoidance, 3D mapping capabilities, and a battery management system that enables fast charging. You dislike product maintenance.

    The dock self-empties the waste bin into a dust bag, adds water and removes dirty water from the robot vacuum, plus cleans and dries the roller with AI Adaptive hot water and hot air. Don't buy it if Youre a stickler for edge or corner cleaning.

    Unfortunately, the Narwal Flow 2 had mixed results when it came to cleaning along the edges or in corners. Sometimes it cleaned a corner thoroughly, and other times it didnt. The same could be said for cleaning along edges, though it seemed to do better cleaning edges when the mop and vacuum features were being employed at the same time. You love to use voice commands for everything.

    The Narwal Flow 2 has 34 voice commands, but they dont cover very specific cleaning commands. For instance, you could say first vacuum, then mop, or
    just Start vacuuming, but you cant command the Narwal Flow to vacuum my bathroom (though you can say clean up my bathroom) or clean my bathroom and then the kitchen. You want a super high-powered vacuum.

    The Narwal Flow 2 is a powerhouse when it combines the vacuum and mop features, however, its suction capability is still limited as most robot vacuums are. In our testing, it did a decent job in most areas, though it struggled with items like large leaves from plants or suctioning super fine materials from carpet or hard floors. Thanks to its AI capabilities, the
    robot vacuum will go over a section of flooring that it recognizes as being dirty multiple times and it can suction up quite a lot. Im not sure if there is a robot vacuum with a better suction capability (there are others with a 30,000 Pa and some that have 35,000 Pa), but if you have a lot of carpets, youd probably do better with an actual vacuum. Narwal Flow 2: also consider
    If you're not sure whether the Narwal Flow 2 is the right robot vacuum for you, here are two other options to think about. Roborock Qrevo Curv

    A robot vacuum and mop that delivers superb suction and great wet floor cleaning. It's the best robovac we've tested to date.

    See our full Roborock Qrevo Curv review Eufy X10 Pro Omni

    Another two-in-one robovac with excellent cleaning on all floor types, plus strong mapping and navigation.

    Read our full Eufy X10 Pro Omni review How I tested the Narwal Flow 2 I tested the Narwal Flow 2 for two weeks on my laminate and historic wood
    floors and medium-to-large pile rugs. To review all the vacuuming and mopping capabilities, I conducted several tests with various materials (water, chocolate syrup, soy sauce, coffee grounds, and flour) on different types of flooring to see how well the robot suctioned and cleaned the floor. This included testing different features like spot cleaning, video capabilities, mapping, voice commands, and so much more.

    Read more about how we test

    First reviewed March 2026 Narwal Flow 2: Price Comparison No price
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