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9:00 pm | February 10, 2024

One-Minute Review

iRobot’s Roomba Combo J9 Plus (stylized as Roomba Combo j9+) is almost everything you could want from an autonomous cleaning companion, and one of the best robot vacuums if your budget allows for it.

It takes everything that made the Roomba Combo J7 Plus great (we awarded that model four-and-a-half stars in our review) – such as the first of its kind retractable mop pad that folds down from the top of the robot, ensuring zero risk of it wetting your carpet, unlike bottom-mounted mops – and elevates it with improved object detection, more powerful suction, and a smart scrubbing mop (a feature that's since been added to the J7 models).

The upshot is that this sleek cleaning machine will clear pretty much all the dirt you throw at it, with iRobot saying the vacuum delivers “100% more suction power” than its previous models. At the same time, the Combo J9 Plus avoids pet waste and any objects you’ve left lying around that might cause it issues.

During my months of using the Combo J9 Plus, it has become stuck only once (on its first-ever clean), and a quick edit of the app’s map to label that area a Keep Out zone has meant in the dozens of cleans since it has managed to vacuum and mop my home and return to its self-emptying charging dock with zero issue.

Speaking of which, the Roomba Combo J9 Plus’ base is surprisingly stylish for a bin. A wood-effect top makes it look like (and it could be used as) a small table, meaning it would be fine to have it hiding in plain sight in your living room. That said, the noise of the vacuum emptying is a little loud, plus the base needs to be near an electrical outlet, and have a decent amount of space around.

The Roomba Combo J9 Plus Base in front of a sofa — The Roomba in its base (Image credit: Future)

The only slight disappointment for a robot vacuum at this top-tier level is that the base doesn’t clean its own mop pad. The upside is the base doesn’t store any dirty water, which can become smelly if it isn't changed regularly; and changing the mop yourself is hardly a hassle.

So, the only thing really holding back the Combo J9 Plus Roomba is its $1,399.99 / £1,249 price. As such, those on a budget would do well to keep their eyes peeled at sale time.

Roomba Combo J9 Plus: Price and availability

List price: $1,399.99 / £1,249

The iRobot Roomba Combo J9 Plus is available to buy online, and you can pick it up from either the official iRobot store or Amazon for $1,399.99 / £1,249. The good news for those on a budget is that we have seen it discounted during Black Friday and the January sales, for example, so be on the lookout for a deal.

For the price, you get a vacuuming and mopping robot, a self-emptying base that can refill the robot’s water, too, two mop heads, two AllergenLock bags, a spare filter, and an extra side brush for the first time you need to replace them.

If you want the self-emptying base but no mop then you can buy the Roomba J9 Plus for $899.99 / £949; or, the regular Roomba J9 with no self-emptying base or mop will cost you £699 (only available in the UK).

My advice is to get one of the Plus models with a base. Not having to remember to empty the Roomba every time is a major convenience. The Combo’s mop is certainly handy, too; but no matter what type of home you have, the base is worth the extra expense.

Whichever model you choose, be aware that there are ongoing costs with this robot vacuum. The self-emptying base station’s vacuum bags need to be replaced when they’re full; the rollers, brush and filter will need to be switched out every so often – the app will notify you when it's time – and if you want the mop to deliver a better clean then you’ll want to use iRobot’s approved cleaning solution instead of regular water.

Value: 4/5

The Roomba Combo J9 Plus cleaning a hard floor — (Image credit: Future)

Roomba Combo J9 Plus: Design

Stylish self-emptying and self-charging dock
Mop pad that won’t drag on carpet
3.4-inch / 8.7cm tall

The iRobot Roomba Combo J9 Plus shares a lot of design features with its sibling, the Combo J7 Plus, with the best of these being mop placement.

Unlike most robot vacs that raise the mop down from underneath the base, bringing a risk that the mop will brush against your rug when your robot passes onto the raised surface, the Combo J9 Plus’ mop folds down from the top of the vacuum. As such, there's zero chance it will catch on surfaces it shouldn't mop.

The only downside is that the vacuum isn’t able to clean or replace its own mop as some other robot mops. I didn't find this a major inconvenience, though.

The Roomba Combo J9 Plus mop revealed while it's in its charging base — The Roomba Combo J9 Plus mop (Image credit: Future)

Just like previous Roombas, the Combo J9 Plus is clad in an all-black plastic casing, with a gunmetal disc sitting at the center of the matte surface on the top side. Offset towards the front of the Roomba you’ll find the singular control – a button that can pause or start the robot when you press it mid-clean, or send it home on holding it down for a few seconds.

On the front side of the Roomba you’ll find its camera, and a protective plastic bumper that has some give so that both the robot and whatever it (gently) bumps don’t become damaged. Underneath you’ll find the brush that flicks dirt into the path of the vacuum rollers, as well as two bidirectional wheels and a swivel wheel that allow it to move in all directions.

At the back, you’ll find the robot’s dust bin and water container. The robot automatically empties its dirt and refills its water at the end of each clean – or mid-clean, if necessary – so you’ll probably never need to deal with it. That is, except to change the filter when the app notifies you to do so.

Size-wise, the Room Combo J9 Plus measures 3.4-inch / 8.7cm tall, and 13.3 x 13.3 inches / 33.8 x 33.9cm in length and width. So before picking this robot up you might want to measure your furniture to see if the Roomba can get beneath it and navigate around it.

The Roomba Combo J9 Plus base with its door open, in front of a sofa — The Roomba base when it's open (Image credit: Future)

The base station is also a fairly sizeable 15.9 x 16.1 x 12.2 inches / 40.5 x 41 x 31cm (h x w x l), and iRobot recommends you have 1.5ft / 0.5m on each side and 4ft / 1.2m in front. It isn't massive, but neither is it the smallest; and it needs to be situated near a power socket, too.

If you do have to place the base in plain sight in your living room, for example, then you’ll appreciate its stylish design and wooden-effect top; it really doesn't look like a bin at all. Do note that the robot vacuum is quite loud when it empties itself, although the sound is no louder than a regular vacuum cleaner and the process is pretty speedy.

Opening up the base reveals the large water storage tank. Those who mop frequently, and have a lot of hard floors, should expect it to last a month. I have fewer hard floors, so that one tank should last a few months. There's also a drawer containing the AllergenLock bag into which dirt is deposited. This will usually require emptying around every 60 days of cleaning – the LED on the front of the base will light up red when it needs emptying. There are also two shelves on the back of the door for storing spare Roomba parts such as the extra dirtbag, filter and brush head that are supplied with the vacuum at purchase.

Design: 4.5/5

Roomba Combo J9 Plus: Performance

“100% more suction power” than previous Roomba models
Smart scrub tackles tougher messes
Brush can flick larger debris around a bit before it’s vacuumed

The Roomba Combo J9 Plus is a cleaning powerhouse that’s able to suck up dirt and debris across a range of floor types.

iRobot hasn’t said how powerful its J9-series models are specifically, but does state that they have “100% more suction power” than its i-Series robots. Previously iRobot said the Roomba Combo J7 Plus came with merely “standard” cleaning power, so we’ve taken this to mean the J9 models are twice as powerful as that robo vac too.

In our tests, this boost in power saw the Roomba pick up all dirt and debris in its path. The only issue we found was that the brush can flick larger bits around, which can extend the time the robot vacuum spends cleaning. In addition, depending on the shape of your room and furniture placement, it won’t be able to get into every nook and cranny (although it does a pretty great job overall).

In addition to more powerful suction, the Roomba Combo J9 Plus and its J9 siblings arrive with Dirt Detective – some smart software that allows the robot vacuum to learn the areas of your home that get the dirtiest. With this information the vacuum will then turn on its high suction settings or scrub the floors a little harder in those areas.

Speaking of scrubbing, the Combo J9 models with a mop offer a smart scrub feature – that was also added to the Combo J7 models. Rather than simply dragging its mop over your hard floors, when the J9 Combo Plus cleaner detects a tougher stain, it will move back and forth over the area to scrub it clean.

The Roomba Combo J9 Plus smart scrubbing the bathroom — How smart scrub works on the Roomba Combo J9 Plus (Image credit: iRobot)

Those who want their robot to always deliver the most intense clean can even program the Roomba through the app to use its most powerful suction every time and / or do two passes of every room. Just note that this may mean the robo vac needs to recharge mid-clean, though.

You might also want to invest in some iRobot-approved cleaning solution if you want the mop to give your hard floors a deeper clean.

I'll add that this robot is also very reliable from the perspective that it’s able to clean with (almost) zero human assistance. In my months of testing the Roomba Combo J9 Plus, it has become stuck precisely once – it entered a small gap to go under a unit from which it then couldn’t escape. However, by adding a Keep Out zone in the app (more on that down below) it has never become stuck there again. The only other thing I had to do was remember to open the doors before sending it on a clean, and make sure my lights were turned on the light was low, since the Roomba can’t clean in the dark.

Performance: 5/5

Roomba Combo J9 Plus: App

Can program, schedule, and start cleans from anywhere
Analyze obstacles and adjust your map as necessary
Keep an eye on your vacuum’s health

The iRobot app is your one-stop shop for managing everything related to your Roomba Combo J9 Plus vacuum, and it’s super easy to use.

Setting up your vacuum is simple via the app, which takes you through the process step by step covering everything from connecting your robot, naming it, and creating your first map.

The iRobot app showing the robot vacuum's health, its cleaning stats and the main page — (Image credit: Future)

Once your map is complete, you’ll want to do a clean or two – and my advice is to make sure you’re at home while these initial cleans take place. The robot is pretty darn smart and able to avoid obstacles, but as I mentioned above, my cleaner did become stuck on the first clean. Once I'd rescued it, the Roomba completed its task, and adding the area to the Keep Out zone via the app has meant that this hasn't happened again.

Note that this robo vac can snap pics of obstacles it comes across, which you can either mark as another Keep Out zone, as a temporary obstacle that you can make sure isn’t in the way next time, or as an imaginary obstacle that the vacuum doesn’t need to worry about. After those first two test cleans, I’ve been happy to let the Roomba Combo J9 Plus clean while I’m out – and it has always does a great job.

You can also add No Mop and Clean Zones if you want the Roomba to only vacuum a hard surface in that area, and if you want the robot to take extra care cleaning that space respectively.

Lastly in the app, scroll down to the Product Health menu and you can inspect every detail of your robot vacuum’s components. Based on the number of cleaning hours your Roomba has performed, the iRobot app will estimate how long your components have left before they need to be replaced. This is super handy for keeping your Roomba in tip-top shape.

App: 5/5

Roomba Combo J9 Plus: Battery

Cleverly recharges itself when needed
Charge remaining only viewable in the app

In all honesty, the battery is a bit of a mystery to me since this robot vacuum handles charging itself.

Most of the time, the Roomba Combo J9 Plus cleaned my spaces without needing to recharge its battery mid-clean. However, the one time I had it clean every room twice on Max suction settings, it did need to return to base to top up the battery. Nevertheless, it did so without any intervention from me.

The Roomba Combo J9 Plus emptying its dirt and refilling its water at its base — How the Roomba Combo J9 Plus empties and refills itself (Image credit: iRobot)

Roomba Combo J9 Plus: Score card

Should I buy the Roomba Combo J9 Plus?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip Kit review: say “Halo” to a major smart home cinema upgrade

8:23 pm | January 23, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Comments: Off

Two-minute review

Nanoleaf’s 4D TV-syncing strip lights are a first for the brand, which is known best for making some of the best smart lights available. With Nanoleaf 4D, the brand has easily accomplished one of the best Ambilight alternatives and created some serious competition for established brands in the space such as Philips Hue and Govee.

The set is available in two sizes, one for screens up to 65 inches and the other for models up to 85 inches, and come in at a fairly affordable price of $99 / £89 / AU$189 and $119 / £119 / AU$229 respectively.

Out of the box, the Nanoleaf 4D kit consists of an LED light strip that is attached to the back of the screen and plugged into a control box, which in turn connects to a camera that detects the colors displayed on the screen. The kit illuminates the LEDs to match the picture on your screen, throwing the colors onto the wall behind the screen for a pleasing synchronized glow around the screen.

The camera can either be mounted atop the TV with the included armature, or placed on your TV table using its built-in stand, and those concerned about prying digital eyes around their home will be pleased to learn that the camera also comes with a magnetic privacy cover.

The screen camera of the Nanoleaf 4D poinging at the. screen — (Image credit: Future)

One of the slight niggles I found when setting up the lights concerned how the cables that connect the lights and camera to the controls are positioned. The rather vague instructions in the handbook encourage you to begin your light strip placement in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, meaning the wire for the lights trails from that corner, while the camera cable falls centrally.

This leaves you with a choice of either bending and sticking the light strip wire or having the control sit somewhere near the right-hand side of your screen, lest you run out of wire length to play with. All in all, although not a major issue, I value a neat home entertainment setup and this doesn’t necessarily facilitate that.

Installation is otherwise very straightforward, although you will need to remove your television from the wall to fit the lightstrip, and potentially need a second pair of hands if you’re a real perfectionist. I cheated as my test screen is on a stand! The kit comes supplied with corner mounting blocks which allow the strip to curve around the corners (rather than creating a loop out of the strip which would create problems in accurately matching the colours to the screen.)

The Nanoleaf 4D LED strip fitted to the rear of a TV — (Image credit: Future)

There are 10 color zones per meter and 30 LEDs per meter, and the strip can be cut to length at specific 10-centimetre intervals. This does mean you might end up with a gap or excess of the strip when they meet at the end, but a little trial and error with placement before sticking anything on will minimize this.

Once that’s done, simply peel off the tape backing and stick that strip down, and you’re all set. The strip does tend to peel away from the back of the screen where the two ends meet, but that’s easily resolved by applying some more double-sided sticky tape.

The Nanoleaf app is nicely laid out and works well most of the time, but can occasionally crash. Whilst I appreciate that all software has bugs, some sort of an error message would be nice. Having said that, the things that you can do with this software and the kit impressed me; the Nanoleaf 4D does all of the usual colored lighting tricks that LED strips do. But let’s face it, screen synchronization is what we’re here for.

The Nanoleaf 4D camera calibration setup — (Image credit: Future)

The app guides you through mapping out your TV lights, and once you’re set up, you can create your own scenes, or you can use the Magic Scenes feature to create a palette based on a mood or keywords (although I found that the latter favored washed-out hues).

You can choose between four settings (or dimensions, between 1D and 4D), which range from an ambient white glow to the aforementioned screen-matching lights akin to the gold standard Ambilight-style experience. It’s a little tricky to find clear guidance on what each of the dimensions does, so here is my take on it.

1D: White light that’s well suited to documentaries and general viewing

2D: Block color that’s great for ambiance, representing an average of the color displayed on-screen

3D: Splashes of color reflective of on-screen action, but not extending the screen

4D: Colors extend from the edges of the screen for full immersion

You can change the color settings by cycling through the controls or via the app.

Nanoleaf 4D features the same sound-reactive functionality boasted by its smart light siblings, and as a bonus, responds to sound far better than the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights I reviewed last month.

Once I had finished playing with all of the settings I played a few games and films and noticed that one side of the screen was not displaying the screen colors correctly. Further investigation revealed the problem; I needed to close a white door that was being reflected on the screen. You have a choice: either be mindful of the lighting and reflective objects in the room or spend between 4 or 5 times as much on a Philips Hue system for its HDMI linking.

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The Nanoleaf 4D — (Image credit: Future)

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The only feature I found myself missing is a perennial issue for non-HDMI smart screen lights – automatic screen detection. Call me lazy, but I’d prefer my lights to come on when they detect on-screen activity, rather than requiring me to use the app or physical control.

Overall, I’d say the Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit is a great low-cost alternative to the Philips Hue system that just edges out the other low-cost alternatives in several areas; it’s easy to install, well-designed and the results can be spectacular. This thing is so versatile and colorful that it made me want to get some Nanoleaf wall tiles to test their claim of the 4D’s ability to “extend the screen sync effects across 50+ Nanoleaf RGB lights”. Look, somebody’s got to do it…

Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit: price and availability

List price:

TVs & monitors up to 65-inch: $99 / £89.99 / AU$189.99
TVs & monitors up to 85-inch: $119 / £119.99 / AU$229.99
Camera only kit: $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$149.99

The Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip Kit are available directly from the Nanoleaf website, starting at $79.99 / $69.99 / AU$149.99 for the camera-only kit. You can also buy the camera-only kit from Amazon in the UK but curiously, not the full kit - however in the US, you can buy all three packages on Amazon.

The camera-only kit is a great cost-effective option which can be used with the Nanoleaf RGB LED light strip or any RGB light strip that has USB-C connection.

Value-wise, the Nanoleaf 4D is undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best value smart TV lights - the Philips Hue alternative for 75-inch and over TVs is nearly $100 / £100 / AU$300 more expensive at $249.99 / £209.99 / AU$509.95, and you'll need a Philips Hu bridge if you don't already have one. Govee's lights sit squarely in between but don't offer such consistency or smooth light performance as Nanoleaf.

The Nanoleaf 4D in its box — (Image credit: Future)

Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit review: Specs

Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip kit review: How I tested

I installed the Nanoleaf application and added the Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip Kit to Apple HomeKit
I tested all of the modes and scenes against different types of content (i.e. films, TV programs, Games) and resolutions
I tested each claimed feature e.g. “Reacts to music” where possible
I tested the kit under various lighting conditions.

I had already tested a pre-release version of this kit last year which was unfortunately defective and a very frustrating experience. The days that I spent trying to get it to work reliably were not wasted though as it gave me a good understanding of how the thing works and how it has been improved.

I was pleased to be able to make use of scenes in Apple Homekit which I could not get to work when I tested the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights last month. I switched off Bluetooth on my phone and ran all of the tests again to find out if there was any function that used Bluetooth and everything behaved normally.

The room I use to test things is the worst-case scenario for the Nanoleaf 4D screen mirror and lightstrip Kit as it is almost completely white. Everything gets reflected on the screen, especially in daylight which affects the colors that the camera detects. I was pleasantly surprised during testing to find that some of the reflection problems could be dialed out using a custom vibrancy set which allows you to change the values for Dynamic range, saturation, and white balance.

Tineco Pure One Station review: a little pricey, but worth the money

8:00 pm | January 19, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Comments: Off

Tineco Pure One Station: Two-minute review

It’s not difficult to instantly be drawn to the Tineco Pure One Station, given its unique navy blue and black colorway, and its elegant rounded aesthetic. At first glance, it looks like a premium cordless vacuum cleaner that will sit nicely in your living room, if you don’t have a cupboard or cabinet in which to store it.

You’ll love it even more, however, once you start cleaning your floors (and furniture) with it. Admittedly, there are a couple of niggles – specifically, the way the bottom of its power brush feels a little harsh on hardwood floors, and the fact that human and pet hair does sometimes become stuck on the dustbin door after self-emptying – but based on its overall performance and design, I'd say that this is one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners I’ve had the pleasure of using.

Tineco may be a lesser-known brand in the home appliance space, but it’s already proven that its products are just as capable, if not better, than its rivals from big-name brands. Testing it alongside the new LG CordZero All in One Cordless Stick Vacuum with Auto Empty (A931KWM), for example, I found the Tineco Pure One Station to offer better battery life, a bigger dust canister that gives you up to 60 days of dust storage, and a more lightweight design. And while it's admittedly $200 pricier than the LG model, it also comes with extra features that you won’t find on the LG, making it a better value for your money.

If you’re looking to invest in the best vacuum cleaner, the Tineco Pure One Station is certainly a strong contender, especially if your budget will stretch, you're looking for convenience, and are tired of being tethered to an outlet.

Tineco Pure One Station: Price and availability

How much does it cost? $799.99 (about £630, AU$1,200)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US only at the time of writing

If you’re looking purely from the perspective of price point, the Tineco Pure One Station may appear an expensive investment, even for a cordless vacuum. At $799.99 (about £630, AU$1,200), it’s hundreds of dollars more than other self-emptying cordless vacuum cleaners out there. My own Shark WANDVAC System costs less than half that price and the LG CordZero All in One Cordless Stick Vacuum with Auto Empty (A931KWM) I’m currently testing is about $200 less.

From a value standpoint, however, I'd say that the Tineco Pure One Station’s higher price tag is more justified, since it offers some features missing in cheaper self-emptying cordless vacuum cleaners, including the ability to clean the brush, tube, and filter every time it self-empties; the massive 3-liter dust canister, plus its voice prompts. Although, I do also feel that a greater number of attachments should have been included in the box.

Sadly for UK and Australian consumers, the Tineco Pure One Station is only available in the US at the time of writing.

Value: 4 / 5

Tineco Pure One Station: Specs

The Tineco Pure One Station comes with a robot vacuum and base station.

Tineco Pure One Station: Design and features

Elegant, rounded design
Lightweight with great maneuverability
Trigger placement could be better, power brush bottom harsh on hard floors

One of the many things I love about Tineco’s products is their design. While many of its cordless vacuums are reminiscent of Dyson models – a look that many cordless vacuums are adopting these days – Tineco adds elegance to its designs by giving products rounded edges and corners, and that’s very apparent on the Tineco Pure One Station.

From its base station to the actual vacuum unit, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any sharp edges on the Pure One Station, and those smooth lines give this model a more elevated look. Tineco, which has in the past opted for the white-and-black aesthetic, opts for a soft matte navy blue-and-black finish here, setting it apart from the rest of the crowd.

It’s also clear that Tineco didn’t cut corners when it comes to build quality. The Pure One Station is a well-constructed product that feels premium and robust, and is surprisingly lightweight for a vacuum that comes with so many features. I’ve recently moved apartments, and I had no issues picking up the whole unit – the vacuum, the base station, and all the attachments – and carrying it from one apartment to another (in the same building) without assistance.

It does take up space, however. It’s not that the Pure One Station is bulky; more that it's fairly tall and has a docking base with a large footprint. As such, I was a bit limited on where to store it in my new apartment.

There are a lot of design features here that I'd miss if I were to swap it out for another cordless vacuum. For example, both the vacuum and the base station include helpful LED displays to alert you of any errors, show info such as battery level and the amount of dust it’s detecting during cleaning (called the Dust Monitoring Loop, where the lights turn from blue to pink to magenta based on the level of dust), and as well as providing info on some settings. The LED display on the base station also includes a touch self-cleaning button, so you can manually activate self-cleaning mode.

It’s helpful, too, that the vacuum itself isn't only lightweight but also very maneuverable. I had no issues gliding it around my maximalist apartment or any problems reaching under my furniture, thanks to the fact that its power brush attachment can lay flat without lifting. I also appreciate that the brush is on the slim side – it means that I can go further under my low-clearance couch.

Unlike the Tineco Pure One S11, whose trigger has to be continuously depressed to keep the motor running (or you have flick the trigger lock, which is even more inconvenient), the Pure One Station’s trigger only needs to be pressed once to start the motor (and again to stop it), making it less of a hassle. However, there are two design details that had me miffed: first, you have to press the trigger twice to get the vacuum going when you’ve just taken it out of its base; and second, the trigger is located in a spot where you could accidentally press it. To avoid the latter during a cleaning session, you'd have to first move your fingers back behind the safety tab before you start cleaning.

I also wish that Tineco put the Auto/Max mode button closer to the handle. Its current placement means that you’ll need your other hand to press it, which can be annoying when you’re picking stuff up off the floor but also need to switch to Max mode. Another thing I'd change here is the floor brush itself. It’s a good brush, but it's devoid of any pads at the bottom and each of its wheels only has about a quarter-of-an-inch of rubber around them. That means pushing it across your hardwood flooring feels harsher and annoyingly loud – although, to be fair, it hasn’t scratched or damaged my floor in any way.

Don’t get me wrong; this is a beautifully and thoughtfully designed vacuum, and none of the niggles I just mentioned are deal breakers. But they're worth a mention if you’re someone who's easily annoyed by manufacturer's design decisions.

The dust bin on the vacuum itself has a capacity of only 0.3 liters, but this isn't an issue because, as soon as you put the vacuum back on its base, it will automatically empty the dirst it's collected into the base. And the base’s dust canister is massive, big enough to last up to 60 days before it needs emptying. In my entire month of testing, I’ve managed to fill up this second unit only half-way – and that’s with a 6-inch pot full of soil, which I had to clear up after my cat knocked the pot off a shelf.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Tineco Pure One Station: Performance

Great suction that can tackle small and large particles
Self-emptying process also cleans brush, tube and filter
Hair sometimes gets stuck on the dust bin door after self-emptying

Despite how the Tineco Pure One Station feels as you’re gliding across your hardwood floor, you can be assured of its performance. It presents impressive suction power that allows it to pick up particles large and small, from the tiniest bits of litter that my cats drag across my living room, to the heavier bits of dry food that often end up on my kitchen floor when they’re eating.

It also does an amazing job of sucking up all the dust and hair; in a city such as Los Angeles, where dust can gather not even 24 hours after your last vacuum, the Pure One Station is a helpful and efficient tool, especially since it usually takes me just one run to get a section clean. For that reason, I’ve come to rely on this (and its additional attachments) to “dust” my appliances and furniture (the mini power brush is handy for cleaning my couch and my bed).

As per usual, Tineco’s iLoop Smart Dust Sensor does a fantastic job of sensing and automatically adjusting suction power to Max mode when there’s more dirt and dust to be sucked.

The Pure One Station has a FurFree version that comes with a FurFree Kit that you can use to brush your pet to minimize the spread of pet hair and dander around your home. Unfortunately, mine isn’t that – I would have loved to test it on my shed-happy kitties, although I'm not sure how they’d react to me “vacuuming” their bodies. They already run for the hills the moment I take the vacuum off its base.

The vacuum is quiet in operation, registering an average of 67dB on Auto mode and around 70dB on Max mode on the decibel meter I was using. However, it isn't just the motor and suction that should be taken into account; unfortunately, the floor power brush tool, due to its lack of appropriate padding on the bottom, is also annoyingly loud as it rubs against hard flooring.

Thanks to its great maneuverability, the Pure One Station has proven to be adept at accessing crevices, rounding tight corners and ducking under furniture. However, it isn't the best vacuum cleaners I’ve encountered for sucking up those hard-to-reach small particles in those tight corners. For such areas, I've had to turn the vacuum so that the head is directly facing the dirt, which usually – although not always – does the trick.

The Tineco Pure One Station's base station is just as impressive; but it isn't perfect. Sometimes, after a self-cleaning process, I've found a clump of hair and dust hanging off the door of the dust bin. This doesn’t happen often – in fact, during my month-long test, where I used the vacuum almost every day, it happened three times. Nevertheless, it’s worth a mention.

However, this doesn’t take away from the fact that the Pure One Station has a pretty impressive self-cleaning process. I shed hair as much as my cats do, and I deal with a lot of dust in LA, but even after having used the vacuum for a month, the power brush is still blissfully free of tangled hair, and the filter is still devoid of dust.

This is because the base station doesn’t just empty the vacuum’s dust bin. During its self-emptying process, it also thoroughly cleans the filter, the power brush, and the tube, doing the maintenance work for you. And it’s extremely effective – not to mention, a major selling point for this product. If you hate the idea of having to clean your vacuum cleaner, honestly, this is the one for you.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Tineco Pure One Station: Battery life

Up to 60 minutes of battery life
Battery is not swappable

Sadly, unlike the Tineco Pure One S11, the Tineco Pure One Station doesn’t come with a swappable battery. While this defintely would have been welcome, it isn't so much of an issue because the Pure One station does offer a longer battery life than most cordless vacuums on the market. Running on Auto mode, it can last up to 60 minutes of use on a full charge – more than enough time to vacuum my floors, dust my appliances, and clean my bed and my couch.

Compare that to the LG CordZero All in One Cordless Stick Vacuum, which stops of short of having enough battery life for me to clean my bedroom, which I typically do last. I only wish that the Pure One Station charged faster: it takes about four to five hours to get to full charge.

Battery: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Tineco Pure One Station?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Tineco Pure One Station: Also consider

If the Tineco Pure One Station isn't for you, why not consider these other cordless vacuums?

How I tested Tineco Pure One Station

I tested it for a month
I used it to clean floors as well as appliances and furniture
I tested its features and tools plus checked its noise levels with the Decibel X app

I put it through Tineco Pure One Station through its paces on different types of hard flooring, as well as rugs, furniture and appliances, to see how it would measure up to the competition. I made notes of its cleaning and self-emptying performance, as well as its longevity, ease of use, and more.

I’ve been testing and reviewing vacuum cleaners, home appliances, and smart home devices for different digital publications for years. Currently, I’ve taken on the role of Interim Homes Editor for TechRadar.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed January 2024

Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S review: if you need a space heater, get this one

3:29 am | January 11, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home | Comments: Off

Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S: five-minute review

As an apartment-dweller, space heaters have always been a sore spot for me. Most of them are designed to sit on your floor or your table, adding to your clutter or just getting in the way. They're also loud and can be extra obnoxious if you or a pet knock them down accidentally – I'm sure most of us have gotten a near-heart attack at the sound of a space heater falling on its side. And unless they come with a remote, you have to get up and turn them on yourself, adding to the inconvenience.

Keeping warm in the winter months should not be this troublesome, but unless you have central heating (a lot of us don't), you're left to put up with such a pesky appliance – that is until it starts to warm up again and then we have to worry about finding a place to store it.

Fortunately, Dreo is here to the rescue. Not to make this smart appliance company, which by the way is fast-establishing itself as a trusted name in the appliance world, some sort of a hero, but it's found ways to address those aforementioned concerns with simple solutions. And the end result is the Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S.

The Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S is a space heater by any other name, but it takes its job to a whole new level, again simply by solving some of the core issues of even the best space heaters. Want it out of the way? It's designed to be mounted on the wall. Tired of having to get up to turn it on/off or change settings? You can ask Alexa or Google Assistant to do it instead. Worried about where to store it during the warm months? It's got a fan setting, so you can use it year-round!

Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S during testing — (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

That latter part is especially important, because it's part of Dreo's ethos – to produce smart appliances and smart home devices that can do the job of two or three products. This idea is something I'll be exploring later in a separate piece, but it's still important to highlight it here, because it's also an ingenious (yet effortless) way of minimizing not just your carbon footprint but also the amount of appliances you have in your home.

In a world where just about everyone is relying on so many electronic devices, and where brands just want to sell as many products as possible, regardless of whether or not there's a legitimate need for them, it's a valiant and admirable effort.

But the Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S is also more than all these things that it's trying to do – because it's also a fantastic product in its own right.

The WH719S has an unobtrusive silver-trimmings-on-white design that still looks appealing, as well as a relatively small frame, so that it doesn't dominate your home's aesthetic. If you're worried that it might ruin the look when placed on your wall, there's no need to fret – though bear in mind that you do have to drill four holes to mount and secure it. It's surprisingly lightweight – a friend of mine even commented on just how light it is after picking it up – so you can rest assured that it won't just fall off its mounting one day.

It also means that mounting it is easy and a one-person job. Plus, Dreo makes it easier still by including a mounting guide board with a level attached, which means I didn't need to measure anything; all I needed was my handy-dandy cordless power drill.

The only thing to keep in mind here is that the cord isn't that long, so you want to double-check its placement before drilling those holes and hammering in the wood screws. When choosing its location on the wall, I also wouldn't recommend mounting it too high, since hot air rises.

Of course, the smart heater does have oscillation. Its vent can go up and down to spread the heat around, and it has three set angle settings as well. I have my review unit mounted higher on the wall as I don't have a good lower spot to put it, so I often have its vent set at a 90- or 120-degree angle, which works pretty well for heating up my living room. I also like that when the heater is off, that vent closes shut to minimize the dust that comes through and gathers inside (Los Angeles, my city, is a pretty dusty area!)

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Above the vent are six touch buttons for power, timer, temperature adjustment and more, but I rarely use them since the smart heater supports voice commands via Alexa or Google Assistant and app control. The touch buttons are very responsive, however, and are useful if the heater is within easy reach anyway or if you don't know what command to say to your voice assistant for the setting you need.

Just above the buttons is a nice and decent-sized LED display that tells you pretty much everything you need to know about what settings the heater is on. Dominating that screen is the temperature, which switches from your target heat to the ambient temperature, depending on what you're doing. You'll also see the mode the heater is currently on, whether or not it's connected to your Wi-Fi network, the vent angle and more.

Honestly though, I rarely ever use the display apart from checking what the ambient temperature is, because the Dreo app, which works on all of the company's smart products, gives me everything I need to check the status of the heater and, more importantly, control it.

The Dreo app is beautifully designed. It's intuitive to use and easy to navigate, but still offers complexity by way of the things you can do to control your device. It's definitely one of my favorite smart home apps.

Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S on the Dreo app — (Image credit: Future)

On the app, the smart heater has two main tabs: Heat and Fan Only, giving you the option of switching to just fan when it's a warm day. The Fan Only functionality only lets you change the fan angle, at least for now. After all, the main focus of this appliance is to heat up your space. And for that, the Dreo app offers a whole slew of modes, setting and adjustments.

You can, for example, select a heat mode but still tweak the target temperature yourself, set schedules for when you want it to turn off and on (I've got mine set to turn on at 6pm, for example, and turn off around 9am), turn the panel sound on/off, toggle child lock, and enable open window detection. Honestly, for a space heater, there's a lot that you can do with it.

The app is also not its only smart feature. The Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S works with Alexa and Google Assistant, which means one thing: voice control! I've only tested it with Alexa, but it has proven to work incredibly well with it. It responds to my voice commands within a fraction of a second and every single time. In fact, it responds much faster than my smart light bulbs.

It's also intuitive in its responses. For example, instead of me saying "Alexa, set the heater's fan angle to 120 degrees", I just say "Alexa, set the heater to 120", which is less of a mouthful.

All those features would be for naught if the Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S wasn't effective at its main function, which is to heat up a space, but you need not worry about that. It heats up my living room well and fast, especially for a space heater. I'm the type of person who hates closing my windows, because I still do like a bit of fresh air coming in even in the dead of winter, and this heater manages to keep things comfortable. It even copes when I have the sliding door to my balcony open, though I wouldn't recommend this as it'll keep your energy bill up.

What's more, it's definitely quieter than all the other space heaters I've owned over the years and even the built-in AC unit in my apartment. It still has the hum, but it keeps that to a minimum that I barely even notice. Sometimes, I have to look at the unit to check whether or not its running – it's that quiet.

It's rare to see a product that has very few disadvantages or flaws, but that is the case with the Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S. Apart from the fact that its cord is a little on the short side and it's not powerful enough for large rooms, this is a pretty well-rounded smart home appliance that not only does what it's supposed to but also comes with some advantages that elevate it above the rest of the space heaters on the market, even the ones that come with smart home functionality.

And for Dreo to turn the simplest and most basic appliance into one that many of us would not want to live without is pretty ingenious.

Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S: Price and availability

How much is it? $129.99 (about £100, AU$190)
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Currently only available in the US

The Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S is, at the time of writing, only available in the US – although the way Dreo is fast expanding, I'm sure it won't be long until they'll make it available in the UK.

It'll set you back $129.99 (about £100, AU$190), which may seem a little steep for a space heater, but remember that you're getting a lot of conveniences here that you won't see on other heaters. For all that it offers, I'm actually surprised it's this affordable.

Value: 5 / 5

Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S: Specs

Should I buy the Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S: Also consider

How I tested the Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S

I tested the Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S for a month
I mounted it in my living room where it stayed throughout testing
I made sure to test all of its features

Having spent more or less a month with the Dreo Smart Wall Heater WH719S keeping things comfortable in my living room, I've gotten to know the product pretty well, giving me a deep insight into its performance and features. Writing this review, therefore, was pretty easy as the smart heater and I are besties at this point.

I did make sure to test all of its functionalities, however, for a fair and impartial review, noting any quirks or flaws it may have, then comparing everything it had on offer with its price tag.

I've been a smart home devotee for a few years, with Philips Hue light bulbs being my very first smart home device. I've also been testing smart home devices, from smart lights and smart speakers to smart appliances like robot vacuums and heaters, since owning my first light bulbs.

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Withings Body Scan: One-minute review

The Withings Body Scan sets a new benchmark for the capabilities of modern smart scales. It's both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, has a build quality and design that sets it apart from the pack, a clear and responsive display, and can provide more in-depth analysis of a user's body composition and physical well-being than its major competitors like Eufy, Wyze, Fitbit and Garmin.

When used with the Withings Health Mate app, the Withings Body Scan can not only provide you with an analysis of your body composition, the ratio of fat-to-muscle-to-bone that makes up your body but also outline where your measurements sit in comparison to healthy averages. Using this information, it can identify trends in changes to your measurements over time, letting you know if you're gaining or losing weight and how you compare to averages for your age and gender.

For those needing specialized data readings – for example, if you are pregnant or an athlete – the Withings Body Scan can adapt its measurement methods accordingly, to ensure readings are as accurate as possible whilst remaining safe and impressively efficient for the user. In pregnancy mode, it'll tell you the approximate size and weight of your baby depending on how far along you are.

The Withings Body Scan's key drawback for most people will be the price tag. Sitting at nearly £200 more than the next-cheapest Withings smart scale, there aren't that many reasons to spend that much more on a scale. However, if you are looking to take a deep dive into your body composition, take steps to improve your long-term health and habits, or are a keen fitness enthusiast looking to get the most out of your workouts, the value-for-money will show itself in the long run.

Withings Body Scan: Specifications

Withings Body Scan: Price and availability

$400 in the US
£350 in the UK
Only available via resellers in AU territories

The Withings Body Scan is on the considerably pricier side for a smart scale. However, the unique measurements and level of accuracy you receive for the price mean that if you're looking for an all-in-one health station, it's almost understandable.

The Withings Body Scan is currently available for $399.95 / £349.95, Users in Australia can't get it from Withings directly, so prices may vary there.

Value score: 3.5/5

Withings Body Scan: Design

Withings Body Scan smart scale on wooden surface — (Image credit: Rob Dunne)

Stylish and robust
Handles up to 200kgs of weight
Wall mount for handle included

As with all products that come from Withings, the Withings Body Scan is an undoubtedly stylish and robust device. You can get the Withings Body Scan in either a white or black color, both of which feature lighter banding across the scale which is used to send small electrical signals through your body to gather your body measurements.

The Withings Body Scan features a 3.2-inch color LCD display, measures 12.8 inches in both length and width, and only comes 1.1 inches off the floor thanks to its extremely thin base pads which run along either side. These also help give the Body Scan a very sturdy feel across the base when taking measurements. The device also uses a tempered glass panel on the front of the scale, and weighs around 4.8kg overall, giving the device a premium feel despite the plastic used across the underside of the scale.

Thanks to the tempered glass front, as well as the overall sturdiness of the build of the Withings Body Scan, the smart scale can handle weights up to 200kg / 440lbs / 31.5 stone, all while retaining the device's impressive 50g/0.1lb weight reading accuracy.

Some of the key design features of the Withings Body Scan revolve around the handle which acts as one of the key improvements over other Withings body scales. The handle, and its on-scale holder, are made of the same plastic used across the rest of the device, and use a well-braided cable to attach one to the other.

The handle and cable are light enough that you should experience no issues while holding them, whilst also not being so light that they feel cheap or underdeveloped. The electrodes on the handle are also usefully positioned to allow easy access for your thumbs on both sides.

Given the importance of the handle to the improved metrics the Withings Body Scan can provide, these steps have been well considered, even to such an extent that, with your smart scale, you also receive a wall mount for your handle, which means should you struggle leaning down to reach it from the scale itself, you can simply mount it to the wall and use it from there.

It should be noted, however, that should you choose to mount your handle to the wall, Withings asks that you set this up in the app to ensure the device still gives as accurate readings as possible. This is a simple enough process and takes a matter of seconds.

Design score: 4/5

Withings Body Scan: Features

Withings Health Mate stats — (Image credit: Future / Rob Dunne)

The features of the Withings Body Scan smart scale are where the device really comes into its own. To give you a sense of just how much the Body Scan does whilst you're on the scale, here's everything your smart scale is measuring while you're stood on that piece of glass, it measures:

Weight
BMI
Basal Metabolic Rate
Metabolic Age
Segmental body composition analysis including:
- Muscle Mass (across five zones)
- Fat Mass (across five zones)
- Bone Mass
- Visceral Fat Index
- Lean Mass
- Water Mass
Nerve health
ECG
Pulse Wave Velocity
Heart Rate
Vascular Age

And that's before everything else you can integrate into the app! If you integrate your Apple Health, Google Fit, or most other fitness apps, your Withings Health Mate app can become a hub for everything from your vascular age to your sleep quality, you can keep all your data in one place and utilise it to better your daily routines, workouts, sleep, eating and long term health.

When testing the Withings Body Scan, the only two of the many measurements above that we struggled with were Pulse Wave Velocity and Vascular Age. These measurements required a slightly more specific positioning on the scale which proved tricky to master, and the scale required five complete readings before it could start giving you data, which resulted in a greatly reduced amount of data compared to other areas.

Getting all of this data is one thing, understanding it is another, and this is an area where, once again, Withings has hit the nail on the head through the Health Mate app. Through the app, not only are you able to turn on recommended zones and see average data and how you compare to the average in each measurement, but you can also find guides explaining what each measurement means, so if, say, you don't understand what vascular age means, you can find a guide explaining everything you need to know about where it should be, and how it can be improved.

If you are working with a trainer or health professional, you're also in luck, as the app allows you to create a shareable report of your health that you can give to anyone who might benefit from it, a simple, but effective addition to the app.

Features score: 4.5/5

Withings Body Scan: Performance

Simple and efficient setup
Eight different profiles full of detail
Export data to/from Apple Health or Google Fit

Straight out of the box the simplicity and efficiency of Withings products is as present as ever. Setting up the device takes a matter of minutes through the Withings Health Mate app. If you are new to Withings and don't have an account, the setup of an account plus getting your Withings Body Scan ready takes a maximum of 15 minutes.

In that time, you'll also be able to import health data from services such as Apple Health or Google Fit, as well as receive a full tutorial on how to properly use your new smart scale and set some goals in the app.

There are a wide array of tutorials available on additional features within the app, some of which – the at-a-a-glance health improvement score and library of how-to workout/recipe/health management content – are unfortunately locked behind a Withings+ subscription. This costs $9.95 / £9.95 / around AU$18 per month, but none of it affects the usage of the scale in any way – still, it'd be nice to have after spending this much on a smart scale.

Once your Withings Body Scan is set up, utilizing it for not only your own, but your family's health is simple. The device can support up to eight profiles, which it can automatically detect. If however, a number of you are of similar weights, the device shows each profile as a list, which you scroll through by balancing on the foot of the direction you wish to scroll, so to go along the list, you simply need to put your weight on your right foot.

Withings Body Scan black on wooden surface — The Withings Body Scan also has a black variant (Image credit: Daniel hessel)

The process of attaining your measurements takes around a minute, most of which is taken up by one of the unique features of the Withings Body Scan, the 6-lead ECG (echocardiogram). The ECG takes 30 seconds to complete and is one of the key benefactors of the Body Scan's unique handle.

Each step of the measurement process is displayed for you on the 3.2-inch display, showing you the results of each test as they are collected, as well as some general daily info such as weather and air quality. You can customize the steps your Body Scan shows on the smart scale through the app, meaning if, understandably, you don't want to know the weather when you're weighing in, you can remove that from your slides.

The display (and device) are noticeably responsive, and the bright LCD makes it easy to see everything you need as and when it comes up. Once you are finished, your results will already be waiting for you in your Withings Health Mate app, meaning it's quick and simple to access the more in-depth data with no waiting around.

Overall, using the Withings Body Scan is extremely simple, everything you want to know can be seen on the smart scale itself during your weigh-in, and more detailed information can be found in the app once you are finished. The accuracy of measurements taken is extremely high, with weight having an accuracy of up to 50g/0.1lbs thanks to the four weight sensors spread across the scale, as well as featuring patented position detection technology and 'Position Control' technology. The Body Scan's segmental body composition capabilities are equally impressive thanks to the device's BIA (bio-electrical impedance analysis) multifrequency technology, which during testing was able to provide consistent results across five different bodily segments.

Performance Score: 4/5

Withings Body Scan: Scorecard

Withings Body Scan: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Withings Body Comp

As the next offer down from Withings, the Body Comp offers a great alternative for those looking to access the various benefits of the Withings Health Mate app whilst sacrificing some of the more accurate and more detailed measurementsView Deal

Garmin Index S2

An alternative suited to Garmin users. The Index S2 offers a number of Garmin-tailored features, for a reduced price, whilst sacrificing some of the accuracy and detailed measurements offered by the Withings Body ScanView Deal

Vieunite Textura Digital Canvas review: a digital frame on steroids

6:35 pm | January 4, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home | Tags: UK | Comments: Off

Vieunite Textura Digital Canvas: Two-minute review

Digital photo frames are pretty popular – that's if our best digital photo frame guide is anything to go by. However, there's another breed of super-charged digital frame that taps into the NFT / online art community, and that's where the Vieunite Textura Digital Canvas comes in.

Actually, with regards to its size, function and price, the Vieunite Textura sits somewhere in the middle: it's way bigger than a digital photo frame such as the Aura Mason Luxe, but it's dwarfed by the larger versions of the Samsung The Frame TV.

Beyond displaying your own photos and videos, the Vieunite Textura also offers an entry point to puchasing online art or enjoying free digital art, and in that regard there isn't another product quite like it – I'll get further into that later.

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Vieunite Textura digital canvas on a wooden table by a window displaying a seascape photo — (Image credit: Future)

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Vieunite Textura digital canvas on a wooden table with seascape picture — (Image credit: Future)

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Vieunite Textura digital canvas on a wooden table by a window displaying a vivid portrait — (Image credit: Future)

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The Vieunite Textura is a 27-inch framed digital display that's equally at home placed freestanding on a sideboard – as you would a photo frame (see picture above) – or mounted on a wall as you would a piece of art. However, depending on your preference of placement, you could also consider the Textura too small for a wall and too big for a sideboard. It arrives in only one size, which is a shame.

What's undisputed is the quality of the Vieunite Textura's display and frame. It gives a natural look to vibrant paintings, photos and videos, with an anti-glare (and easily cleaned) surface that offers clear viewing from a variety of angles. Brushstrokes are vividly rendered, and colors faithfully reproduced.

The display quality is in another league to entry-level digital photo frames. Plus, of course, you get to enjoy images on a much larger scale; most digital photo frames are 10 inches to the 27 inches of the Vieunite Textura display.

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Closeup of the screen texture and glare of the Vieunite Textura digital canvas — Taken from the side of the frame against bright window light where glare is impressively controlled (Image credit: Future)

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Closeup of the screen texture of the Vieunite Textura digital canvas — (Image credit: Future)

The frame, too, is well crafted. Arriving with an internal mount and recess, it's available in Walnut, Pine, Birch or a Black finish. I had the Walnut version of the Textura, which was perfectly suited to my old-school front room.

In the box you'll find everything you need to precisely mount your frame to a wall. This includes a self-adhesive paper template for horizontal or vertical orientation that features markings that indicate where to drill, plus screws and a spirit level, too.

I chose not to mount the frame on the wall (it being a loan for review, after all), instead choosing to rest it on a sideboard in my front room. Nevertheless, if you're looking to affix it to a wall, installation appears to be pretty straight forward.

A swivel mount allows your choice of orientation – portrait or landscape – while the mount and frame are designed to trail the power cable out of the frame's underside. The frame needs constant power, and the cable is in white only, so may prove an eyesore if you have more vibrant colored walls. Of course, this also means you'll need a power socket nearby.

There's a basic speaker on the back of the frame for any videos with sound, although don't hold out too high an expectation for audio quality.

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Closeup of the frame corner of the Vieunite Textura digital canvas on a wooden table by a window — (Image credit: Future)

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Closeup of the outside frame corner of the Vieunite Textura digital canvas — (Image credit: Future)

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Closeup of the recess for the wiring of the Vieunite Textura digital canvas — (Image credit: Future)

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Closeup of the rear mount of the Vieunite Textura digital canvas — (Image credit: Future)

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Closeup of the speakers of the Vieunite Textura digital canvas — (Image credit: Future)

Initial setup is fool-proof. Download the Vieunite app (see screenshots, below) and pair your smartphone or tablet with the frame using the QR code provided. That's it, and it's now that the fun begins.

On offer is a generous selection of free artwork that you can upload to your Textura frame. During my review period, I found that new artworks were being added everyday. You'll also find a paid-for section; Vieunite has an active online art community, buying and selling artworks through the app. Unlike NFTs, you don't own the art, but you gain access to it for display in your Textura frame.

Artwork costs only around £4 ($5 / AU$9) per piece, although if you don't like the idea of forking out extra then there's plenty of free stuff from which to choose. You can also join the community and sell your own art, via the "Becoming an Artist" section in the app. When I'm confident enough with my own photos, I might give that a go.

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Vieunite app screenshot of various online art available — (Image credit: Future)

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Vieunite app screenshot of the online art available — (Image credit: Future)

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Vieunite app screenshot of user profile and frame settings

(Image credit: Future)

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Vieunite app screenshot of various frame settings and adjustments — (Image credit: Future)

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Vieunite app screenshot of user photos loaded and the schedule feature — (Image credit: Future)

Of course, I was keen to load my own images for private viewing. From vibrant portraits to natural landscapes (see the sample images) I was keen to test how faithfully the Textura renders those digital files.

I'd describe the color and saturation as natural and faithful, whereas others might be over saturated, or – on the flip-side – dull. The Textura displays images how they should be displayed, looking natural in daylight to the point you'd think it was a print, yet vibrant in low light (see the comparisons, below).

Note that I did experience quirks with loading my own photos. First, you need to remember this is a 16:9 aspect ratio display; helpfully, the app gives you the option to crop. But when you crop through the app, the resolution of the image drops and there's a tiny white border on the top and bottom. A quick workaround is cropping your images to 16:9 before you import them, which resolves both issues.

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Vieunite Textura digital canvas on a wooden table by a window displaying a vivid portrait, at night — (Image credit: Future)

In addition, neither did I have much luck with the scheduling feature, which is supposed to offer the ability to curate a slideshow of your choice of artworks or photos and videos, as well as selecting on and off times – for example – to conserve power at night. I'll update this review if I work out the issue.

Those aside, I've been super impressed by the quality of the display, and even more so by what the Vieunite Textura Digital Canvas represents – access to an online art community for a seriously low prices. Sure, the frame itself is pretty pricey, especially given the low prices of today's TVs, but it represents something more for art lovers and those looking to share their art, too. The fact that you can upload your own images is the icing on the cake.

Vieunite Textura Digital Canvas: Price and release date

Available in the UK for £490
Worldwide shipping available

The Vieunite Textura Digital Canvas costs £490 on the Vieunite website (around $620 / AUS$915 ) and is available now. Unlike many other digital canvases, there’s subscription-free access to a decent choice of downloadable artworks, plus there’s pay-per download options, too, with prices starting at £3.99 (around $5 / AUS$9) per download. At the time of writing, you can bag a £50 discount by following Vieunite’s Instagram, which brings the price of the Textura down to £440. Shipping in the UK is free, and worldwide shipping is available, too, with the cost calculated at checkout. Right now, the website notes worldwide shipping is free for a "limited time only".

Vieunite Textura digital canvas: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Vieunite Textura Digital Canvas: How I tested

Several weeks as a permanent fixture at home
Displaying Vieunite community art, plus my own digital photos and videos

I had the Vieunite Textura in my home for several weeks, during which time the digital display was always active, day and night.

I’ve downloaded free artworks from the Vieunite gallery, plus I’ve uploaded my own digital photos and videos, and displayed them in both portrait and landscape orientation.

I’ve tried the various display functions available through the app, adjusting brightness levels and image duration settings.

First reviewed December 2023

Ultion Nuki Plus smart lock review: the best UK smart lock just got better

1:20 pm | December 28, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Home Security Smart Home | Tags: UK | Comments: Off

One-minute review

The Ultion Nuki Plus is a premium, high-security device that easily sits among the best smart locks, packing some incredibly useful features and, crucially, fixing some of the woes we had with the more basic and slightly cheaper Ultion Nuki smart lock.

Like the previous model, the Ultion Nuki Plus is born of a collaboration between secure lockmaker Ultion and smart lock genius Nuki. By and large, the two products are pretty similar - but the benefits of the newer version far outweigh the admittedly significant price increase.

The less expensive version of this smart door lock does let you remotely check if your door is locked - as long as you also purchase a Nuki bridge. The bridge plugs into an available electrical socket and connects to the lock using Bluetooth. Aside from the irritation of having to spend more of your hard-earned cash, it can be troublesome if you don’t have an available socket within Bluetooth range of your front door (probably due to all the bridges required for other smart home devices). Looking at the older model, I found myself asking, “Why don’t they just add Wi-Fi to the lock?” Well, for the Ultion Nuki Plus, they did.

Setting up the Wi-Fi connection and geofence for the Ultion Nuki Plus is as easy as it should be, thanks to the excellent Nuki app. The geofence is a 100-metre detection ring around your door lock, and the lock is prepared when your phone is detected within the geofence area. It will only unlock fully once you are within the 10-metre Bluetooth range, and will also lock the door behind you when you leave the geofence.

The rechargeable battery pack is a welcome, sensible, and more sustainable addition that will pay for itself over time. It can be charged in situ (which is further evidence of good design), and I personally charge it from a power bank, but there’s no reason that it couldn’t be wired permanently, assuming you have a spare socket…

Ultion Nuki Plus fitted on a front door — (Image credit: Future)

Ultion Nuki Plus review: price and availability

List price: £379
Available on Amazon and Ultion website

The Ultion Nuki Plus is available for £379 in either black or white directly from Ultion, (not the Nuki website, as this product is UK-specific). Be aware that the Ultion Nuki Plus is not the same product as the Nuki Pro 3 available on Amazon.

This makes it £120 more than the basic Ultion Nuki smart lock, which, as mentioned, doesn’t include Wi-Fi connectivity or a rechargeable battery pack.

There are a number of packages and accessories also available from Ultion:

Value: 4.5/5

Ultion Nuki Plus review: specifications

Ultion Nuki Plus close-up — (Image credit: Future)

Ultion Nuki Plus review: design

Stylish, well-finished, and thoughtfully designed
Brushed steel dial for manual operation
Press button for semi-manual operation
In-situ rechargeable battery

With the Ultion Nuki Plus, the two-brand collaboration has dispensed with the “You can have any colour you want, so long as it’s white” mentality, adding black as an alternative option.

Otherwise, it’s much the same as the previous Ultion Nuki collaboration; it’s a good, sturdy, purposeful-looking door lock. The design features a square base (now hosting the rechargeable battery pack rather than 4x AA batteries), a plain box-like main body, and a round lock turn with a button in the middle of it. The new brushed aluminium dial and barrel are also an improvement in my view, adding a stylish edge.

The base of the lock is square, and a small switch beneath the unit opens its battery compartment. The top of the lock features a round lock turn, which has a button in the middle. A ring of light surrounding the button indicates the lock’s status: a full ring for a locked door and a missing segment for an unlocked door. Should any issues arise, the lock will flash red.

A lot of thought and design expertise has gone into the Ultion Nuki Plus. The box it comes in tells you something about the product you’ve just purchased; there are no brown papier mâché trays here. It looks like somebody cares.

Ultion Nuki Plus unboxing, showing the lock in its packaging with various instruction booklets — (Image credit: Future)

Given the limitations of current battery technology, Nuki has done well to try to blend this lock into the inside of your home. Yes, it’s bulky, but I feel that is in keeping with what it does; it is a lock, after all. Overall, the size of the unit is 300 x 60 x 60mm (not including lever handle).

Externally, it’s almost impossible to tell you’ve got a smart lock installed, however, the noise it makes when the door locks and unlocks is a bit agricultural, so it does advertise your security level to the person on the outside when you answer the door. I suppose this can be both a positive and a negative. Ideally, it would make the Star Trek “Ssschwika” door sound when the door unlocks, but hey, you can’t have everything.

Design: 5/5

Ultion Nuki Plus review: performance

Simple and well-designed app
Automatic locking works fantastically
Lock feels very secure and robust

It does not matter where you live once the front door is shut. But where you live does matter when it comes to securing your home.

I was unaware of just how woefully inadequate the lock and handle on my front door were until I had the Ultion Nuki Plus lock fitted. The Ultion Three-star Plus lock cylinder included in the package is most likely much more secure than your existing one.

If you’re not ready to trust the door to lock using geofencing, the door can be set to auto-lock in as little as 30 seconds. Just remember that the handle must be pulled up in all cases. It’s also worth pointing out that it’s still possible to unlock the door “old school” style with the keys provided. I still take a key with me; I just can’t get out of the habit.

Overall, I had little-to-no issues when testing the Ultion Nuki Plus, barring one very small bug where it became unresponsive after I forgot to lift the handle - I wasn't able to reproduce this, however.

It takes a few days to build confidence in the automatic locking but it is reassuring to see the notifications appear that the door has locked, particularly if you have your phone out for navigation in the car. Be warned, though; Apple Homekit requires you to confirm that you really want to lock your door, which is fine if you’re on foot, but less than ideal if you drive off in your car.

Ultion Nuki Plus in-app automation shown on iPhone printscreen — (Image credit: Future)

Apple, you are not only shooting yourself in the foot, you are emptying the whole magazine.

You can work around this if you already have a Homebridge device as part of your home automation suite by adding a virtual switch triggered by the geofence. Apple doesn’t regard the switch as a security device, so doesn’t run around in circles with its hair on fire whenever you try to use it. When you leave, it turns the switch on, and the switch turning on causes the door to lock. Simple (...not).

The previous non-Wi-Fi version was a bit hit or miss with automatic unlocking, tending to wait for you to fumble for your phone in your pocket and then unlocking just as you retrieve it, but I am happy to report that this version has worked flawlessly. Otherwise, in everything from its app to its features, the models perform almost identically.

A minor gripe is that the push button locking doesn’t work. It’s quite happy to unlock the door, but you need to rotate the dial to lock it. These things worked on the standard model so it should work on the Plus version.

Performance: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Ultion Nuki Plus?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Ultion Nuki review: Also consider

Ultion Nuki Plus not for you? Try out one of these alternatives...

How I tested the Ultion Nuki smart lock

I lived with the Ultion Nuki Plus as my main door lock for three months
I initially used the Ultion Nuki Plus exclusively through the iPhone app and Bluetooth.
I connected the Ultion Nuki Plus to my home Wi-Fi and added it to my Apple Homekit home automation.

I installed the Ultion Nuki Plus on my home’s front door and used it as my primary door lock for the entirety of my testing, connecting to the device via my iPhone. I used the app to control the lock, but also added it to my Apple HomeKit to test its automation.

I tested all of the lock features as advertised, and also stress-tested the device to see how meticulous you need to be in use. This involved testing how quickly and successfully the door lock triggered upon exiting the geofence, as well as real-world scenarios (e.g. “What happens when autolock is 30 seconds, I arrive home, leave the door open while I get my muddy shoes off on the door mat, etc.). I then tested how well the Ultion Nuki Plus recovered from these unexpected states and returned to normal service.

The device did fail to automatically lock once after I returned home. The indicator light was flashing, so I clearly neglected to lift the handle. However, the light continued to flash and the unit was unresponsive even after lifting the handle. Recalibrating the lock fixed it, and I have not been able to reproduce this issue.

All of the configuration options and features within the phone app were investigated and, where possible, added to my daily routine. The Ultion Nuki Plus was then added to Apple HomeKit to seek out configuration clashes between the Nuki app and home automation. Several automations were configured to assess if the Ultion Nuki Plus “played well” with other devices. The Ultion Nuki Plus was removed and added again to both my phone and home automation setup to test the consistency and reliability of the setup process.

Govee Curtain Lights: five-minute review

Smart light technology and designs just keep getting better and better, and Govee seems to be winning in that arena. The Govee Curtain Lights are another fantastic addition to our best smart lights list. And while the brand is currently promoting them as another offering in its smart Christmas light catalog, they deserve to be left up on your wall or windows – and not just 'til January, as that Taylor Swift song goes.

Truth be told, I'm kind of obsessed with the Govee Curtain Lights, and I'm not just saying that as a strong supporter of smart lights. They add a much prettier and much more romantic ambiance to any setting, whether that be my otherwise messy living room or your garden, that no other smart light – not even the recent smart string lights that recently hit the market – can replicate.

Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing — (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

That's not just because these are curtain lights, made of up 20 rows of individual string lights that all hang side by side like delicate willow tree stems. Although, if I'm being perfectly honest, that really does add to their appeal.

It's more than that, though. Like all the other smart light products in its arsenal, Govee made the Govee Curtain Lights to be incredibly customizable and capable of displaying millions of different colors and light scenes. What sets them apart from others is that using the brand's RGBIC technology, they're also able to display images using the 520 light beads embedded into each of those 20 strings.

Basically, you don't just get light patterns with them; you can actually create visual representations of things you see in the real world – falling leaves, pumpkin patches, Santa riding his sleigh, the face of your favorite pet, and you can do all that using your phone on the Govee app. That capability is a massive game-changer, especially to those folks who go all-out for Christmas.

They're not just for Christmas, however. Put them up in your reading nook, and they'll cozy up that space even more with twinkling warm lights. Set them in your dining space, and they can elevate the ambience not just for dinner parties but also during winter when morning tend to be dark and dreary.

Naturally, since they're customizable via the intricate Govee app, you can also choose from the many light presets that Govee has on offer, from simple groovy and rainbow swirl patterns to Christmas scenes that give you familiar images of the holiday season (a Christmas tree, a Christmas wreath, Santa's face, and more) to night scenes like a forest with fluttering fireflies and a spaceman doing a space walk.

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You would think that a smart light set as complex as this would be a little harder to install, but Govee also has a knack for simplifying things for the end user. Setting up the Govee Curtain Lights is so simple that I was thinking the whole time that I must have missed a step or done something wrong. But no; it's really as easy as putting up regular strip lights, if maybe slightly more delicate since you don't want to make the same mistake I made, and put my step stool over a light bead, stand on the stool and damage the bead.

The thing about curtain lights is that they're slightly harder to mount because they are heavier than regular string lights. Govee thought of that too by offering you three mounting options and providing you with all the tools you need for all three, giving you mounting flexibility. I choose to use the VHB gums provided, sticking the lights to my sliding door frame because I felt that was the easiest route for me. But you can also hang them on your existing string or rod using the included G4 hooks or on the seamless nails, all of which are included in the box.

If you also choose to use the VHB gums, you'll be glad to know that they've got impressive hold. I've had mine up for two weeks now, and not a single one has peeled off my sliding door frame.

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Each of the 20 string lights that make up the Govee Curtain Light is made well; light yet robust, made up of three thin wires inside that connect all the light beads and are encased in clear casing that kind of helps diffuse the lights illuminating from the beads while also not taking the focus away from them. It's an appropriate choice, as using an opaque cable jacket would have ruined the effect.

The cord for the plug, which itself is encased in a clear cable jacket, is amazingly long, maybe too long, but you can always coil up the rest of it if your outlet is nearby. Perhaps, there's a point to it, too – these lights can be used outdoors with their IP65 waterproof rating, so if you're setting them up in your garden, there's enough cable to reach your outdoor outlet. Just know though that the adapter plug is only at IP44, so you'll need to plug it in to an outlet with waterproof housing.

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I do wish that the light beads were a little bigger though; and I also wish that the strings lights weren't so far apart from one another. That would have made the images you create a little clearer.

Still, as they are, these lights are bright and vibrant, and they do paint a clear picture of the effect you're trying to achieve. You can see from the photos I took that people will know what they are – or at least, a chunk of them. I didn't actually try to DIY my own images because I simply did not have enough time to do so, but many from the Govee community have shared their own creations, and a lot of them are just fantastic.

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Fortunately for people like me who don't have the time to create, the Govee app has a long list of presets. My particular favorites are Forest Fireflies, which has moving yellow lights that represent the fireflies (it reminds me of all those warm summer nights I spent with my grandparents in the Philippines, where we'd see all these fireflies around), Rainbow Swirl, Love, Christmas Wreath, Moon, and the super neon Love Heart, which is so vibrant that it reminds me of Tokyo.

I also adore all the animal presets, especially the Fox, Jellyfish, and A Fishing Cat.

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As far as controls, the Govee Curtain Lights not only come with their own control panel, but also have app control and voice commands via Alexa and Google Assistant. As with all of Govee's smart light products, they're very responsive, taking a fraction of a second to respond when you're changing the lights on the app or with a voice command. It's all so seamless.

These smart light stunners are a fantastic addition to any home, especially if you're all about making it cozy and pretty. I know I'll be using mine every day and every night for the rest my life… well, at least until Govee produces an even better model.

Govee Curtain Lights: Price and availability

How much is it? $129.99 / £159.99 (about AU$190)
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Available in the US and the UK

For what they offer, the Govee Curtain Lights are actually more affordable than expected. I was expecting them to be a little over $200 / £200, but they're actually just $129.99 / £159.99 (about AU$190) – you can always count on Govee when it comes to making fantastic products that are more accessible in price than the competition. And, at the time of writing, they're also discounted in the UK for just £119.99. That's a lot more affordable than the Philips Hue Festavia String Lights, with its 250-light version costing a hefty $219.99 / £199.99 / $359.95.

Unfortunately for Australian customers, however, the Curtain Lights are not yet available in the region. However, they already have a listing on Amazon Australia, so it likely won't be long until they're available there.

Value: 5 / 5

Govee Curtain Lights: Specs

Should I buy the Govee Curtain Lights?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Govee Curtain Lights: Also consider

How I tested the Govee Curtain Lights

I tested the Govee Curtain Lights for a couple of weeks
I hung them over my sliding door
I tested their performance, features and customizations using Alexa and the Govee app

Testing the Govee Curtain Lights for two weeks, I had them hanging over the sliding door in my living room where my neighbors can admire their Christmas-themed images. Naturally, I tested many of Govee's other light scenes and presets as well as some of the ones that users in the Govee community created.

During this time, I noted their performance, not only in terms of how vibrant the colors and how bright the lights are but also in terms of how fast or slow they respond to app and voice commands.

Narwal Freo: One-minute review

The Narwal Freo offers everything you’d expect from one of the best robot vacuums. Beyond vacuuming, it has mopping, an intuitive app, long battery life, and a base station with auto mop-cleaning and an LCD touchscreen for extra control. But the question is, do these features deliver? Almost all of them do, except probably the most important one: vacuuming.

When it came to vacuuming, the Narwal Freo sucked, and not in a way that vacuums are supposed to. It failed to pick up debris during everyday cleaning tasks on carpeted and hard floors, leaving a larger-than-expected amount of hair, crumbs, and other dirt behind as it traversed my space, with its performance worsening over time. Edge brushes and other “special” technology did little to expel dirt from edges and corners, meaning you’ll want to grab one of the best vacuum cleaners to finish the job this device failed to complete.

Mopping on the Narwal Freo was a different story. The two oscillating mop heads did an excellent job cleaning up lighter dirt, spots, and grime. The robot vacuum also as a whole did a decent job navigating my space and freeing itself when getting stuck. It's not the best I’ve seen but on par with many robot vacuums I’ve tested. After mopping, my floors sparkled while the auto-mop cleaning on the base station made the entire process virtually hands-off.

Speaking of that base station, it’s bulky, but the unique LCD touchscreen on its lid is especially useful when you don’t want to use the app. However, the omission of an auto-emptying dustbin was shocking given the retail price. For more control over settings and cleanings, the app was great, and you can even save multiple maps, making it ideal for multi-level spaces.

The Narwal Freo is best for homes with lighter cleaning needs given the poor vacuum pick-up. However, it’s almost entirely hands-free and will leave your floors looking better than before with little effort on your part, removing a few chores from the list.

Narwal Freo: price and availability

How much does it cost? $1,399.99 / AU$1,999 (about £1,100)
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Available in the US and Australia

The Narwal Freo costs $1,399.99 / AU$1,999 (about £1,100). You can get it directly from the Narwal website or various retailers, including Amazon and Walmart. In Australia, it’s available on their website.

Given the price, this robot vacuum sits at the higher end of the market. Luckily, it offers many features to help justify that cost, including self-cleaning oscillating mops and an LCD touchscreen. Still, the lack of an auto-emptying dust bin is shocking. If you can grab it on sale, it will make the device a much better value. One small but much-appreciated detail is the inclusion of a floor cleaning solution, but it costs a pretty penny when that needs replacing.

Something like the Eufy Clean X9 Pro offers similar functionality to the Narwal Freo, including self-cleaning and oscillating mops, and it retails for $500 less, making it a better deal. But if you’re looking for almost everything a robot vacuum can offer in one convenient package, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra might suit you better. With it comes self-cleaning mops and the auto-emptying dust bin that the Narwal Freo lacks – although this impressive vacuum will set you back $1,599 / AU$2,699 (about £1,265).

Value: 3.5 / 5

Narwal Freo: specifications

Narwal Freo during testing — (Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)

Narwal Freo: Design and features

LCD touchscreen control panel on base station
Auto mop cleaning base, no auto emptying
Two oscillating mop heads

The Narwal Freo came in a massive, heavy box that was difficult to maneuver on my own. Upon opening, I was greeted with a large instruction sheet and began setting up the vacuum. The process took about 10 minutes, including downloading the Narwal app and connecting to Wi-Fi via a 2.4GHz band. It was fairly simple and similar to most robot vacuums.

The base station is a sleek white with rounded edges, but it’s quite bulky, measuring 14.6 x 16.3 x 17.1 in (370 x 415 x 435 mm). So, those living in smaller spaces may want to stay away from this device unless you’ve got a great spot to tuck it away. It’s also hefty, especially when the clean water tank is full and the auto-feeding floor solution is installed, meaning you won’t want to move the setup often.

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One glaring omission from the base station’s design is an auto-emptying dustbin, something I’ve seen on almost every robot vacuum in its price range. Instead, you get that floor solution that tucks neatly inside along with clean and dirty water tanks for the self-cleaning mops. That means you’ll need to empty the 480ml dust box on the robot vacuum itself, which can be annoying. However, the tray where the mops are cleaned is removable, so you can rinse it down if it looks or smells a bit grimy.

I might miss the auto-emptying dustbin, but this base added an excellent feature that I haven’t seen on a robot vacuum before: a control panel. It’s a round, color LCD touchscreen on top of the base station that lets you send the vacuum out to perform different tasks, displays alerts when something is wrong, and more. You don’t get as much control as on the app, but it’s great for those in your household who don’t have the app downloaded.

The robot vacuum is similar to others, with a large main roller brush featuring actual bristles, edge brushes, and various sensors throughout. It’s the same white as the base, so scuff marks began to show immediately after the initial use. There’s only one button on the device, giving you limited control unless you’re using the LCD touch screen or the app. The dust box is easy to remove, though I found that some contents would fall out in the process, which is annoying given the fact that there’s no auto-emptying dust bin.

My favorite part of the actual robot vacuum is the oscillating mops. You get two large, plush mop heads that rotate and adjust pressure based on the floor type. I’ve found that this type of mopping does a better job of cleaning floors than the vibrating mopping pads seen on most. After mopping, the base station cleans the mops and even dries them to prevent smelly bacteria growth.

I’ve mentioned controlling the vacuum via the app or the LCD touchscreen on the base, but you can also send the vacuum out to clean using smart home integration. It currently supports Siri voice control, and the Narwal app makes it insanely simple to set up – something I can’t say for other vacuums I’ve tested.

Design: 4 / 5

Narwal Freo: Performance

Easy-to-use app
Excellent mopping
Mediocre vacuuming

For its first task, I sent the Narwal Freo out using Narwal’s unique Freo Mode that detects the dirt in an area and cleans accordingly using “DirtSense Technology.” The vacuum and mops are both used in this mode. The device navigated my downstairs with relative ease, though it would occasionally get tripped up on rugs, eventually freeing itself without my help. After finishing cleaning a room, or sometimes more often, the vacuum would go back to the base and clean the mops. This process takes about two minutes. Then, it would go right back out, picking up where it left off cleaning.

Freo Mode left the floors cleaner than before, but the performance wasn’t perfect. Most of the spots from food spills and muddy boots got mopped up, though the mops that are supposed to lift on rugs and carpet wouldn’t always do so, soaking the edges of rugs. There was still debris left in the corners and edges of rooms, especially near the kitchen cabinets. Given this vacuum advertises a “Smart Swing” technology to combat this issue, I was disappointed the feature wasn’t better. The rugs also had some debris and dog hair left on them. It’s important to note that I have a fluffy dog constantly traipsing leaves and muck throughout the house, so this vacuum had its work cut out for it.

I did more intensive testing of the Narwal Freo’s vacuuming to see how it fared when cleaning up different sizes of debris. Using a large concentration of oats, sugar, and sprinkles, I tested its pick up on a hard laminate floor at the vacuum’s various speeds: quiet, normal, strong, and super powerful. I noticed that each suction level performed similarly.

Some of the oats and sprinkles got flung around in the first pass-through, but sending the vacuum out a second time saw most of the mess suctioned up. Some sprinkles got crushed in the process, and they were left behind. The sugar appeared to get vacuumed. However, upon closer inspection, there was some grittiness on the floor, and it took several passes to remove it.

I sent the vacuum back to the base after these tests—the robot vacuum successfully found the base and docked every time it finished a cleaning task. But on its way, it had to pass over several transitions, losing some of the contents of the dust box, and leaving a mess of sprinkles, and oats behind. Luckily, the robot vacuum increases suction when docking at the base, helping to prevent the dust box contents from falling out.

I performed these same tests on medium-pile carpeting, and unfortunately, the Narwal Freo’s performance was pretty pathetic. No matter the suction level and even with a second pass-through, most of the oats, sprinkles, and flour were left behind. I had to grab a cordless vacuum I was testing to pick up the mess the Freo left behind. So, if your home consists mostly of carpeting, I’d seek another robot vacuum option.

Its mops were also put through more intensive testing, as I spread yogurt, honey, and some of my morning coffee on the floor. I used all the mop water levels: slightly dry, normal, and wet mopping. Slightly dry tended to spread the mess around, but normal and wet mopping performed better. After the first pass, the coffee was gone, though the yogurt was smeared around while only some of the honey was removed. A second pass-through cleaned up the majority of the mess.

I love how great the mops perform. They’re perfect for cleaning up lighter spills and messes. When emptying the dirty water tank, I could see just how great they were working, as that water was nasty. Plus, even after several weeks of use, the mops look almost as good as new. They are white, so there are a few darker spots on them, but there’s no odor, which is a testament to the handy auto-cleaning and drying feature on the base station.

Beyond the more intensive testing, I observed how the Narwal Freo performed everyday tasks, whether it was in Freo Mode, Vacuum, Mop, or both.

Its navigation was on par with other vacuums I’ve tested. For the most part, it covered the entire area I had requested the robot vacuum to clean. The device would avoid objects like dog bowls and toys. But when it came to furniture and larger obstacles, it would skirt nicely around some or just fully ram others with no rhyme or reason. Sometimes, the Freo would get tripped up by an obstacle for several minutes, continuously running into it or spinning around it. I’ve found this to be a common issue with many robot vacuums. Wires would also get caught in the main brush from time to time–not a big surprise.

Speaking of the main brush, it has bristles, something many robot vacuums have done away with. That means it’s a hair magnet, and I had to clean it on multiple occasions. I also found the brush difficult to get back in place correctly after cleaning, a minor annoyance.

When it came to detecting debris, it was a hit or miss. Sometimes, the Narwal Freo would spot larger messes and pick them up immediately. Other times, it seemingly avoided the mess, never going back to clean up, proving the vacuum to be unreliable.

As the Narwal Freo vacuumed, it attempted to kick out debris from hard-to-reach places, corners, and baseboards using the edge brushes. Oftentimes, it didn’t successfully move the debris, and if it did move the debris, that debris never actually got suctioned up. This was a major disappointment, especially given the price.

In fact, I was truly shocked at just how mediocre the vacuuming performance of the Narwal Freo was. I’ll admit that my floors were full of crumbs, pet hair, leaves, and other debris, making them messier than the average household. But I was lucky if the Freo picked up a third of what was on the floor. Sure, larger crumbs and dirt were left, and that’s acceptable and often expected from these devices. However, small leaves, tiny needles from an artificial Christmas tree, and minuscule crumbs were left behind even after I sent the vacuum out multiple times.

I also believe the vacuum’s performance declined from when I first began using it. I tried to remedy the problem, doing everything from emptying the dust box after each use to cleaning the brushes and filter. Still, it failed to have a better pick-up. That poor vacuuming performance could be due to the 3,000Pa max suction level, which is pretty low considering the cost. Therefore, if your household has pets, kids, or just tends to get a bit grimier, I’d steer clear of the Narwal Freo.

Performance: 2.5 / 5

Narwal Freo: App

Easy to use app
Mapping uncomplicated

It was simple to start using the Narwal Freo. Before its first run, the robot vacuum leaves the base and creates a map of your space. The process was quick, and I had a relatively accurate map of the downstairs of my home, which is about 700 square feet with multiple rooms, in about 15 minutes. You can then edit the map, block off certain areas, and name rooms using the Narwal app. The map isn’t as intelligent as some I’ve used, but it should suffice for most.

A great feature of the Narwal App is its ability to save up to four maps. So, beyond the main downstairs map, I created two others. One map of my sunken family room and another of the upstairs. Mapping was uncomplicated, as you just needed to move the robot vacuum to the space and let it do its thing. However, you can’t select specific rooms to clean on the additional maps, as the app only allows you to highlight areas to be cleaned, which can be tedious.

However, the app as a whole is easy to use and took me only a couple of minutes to master. It lets you adjust vacuum settings, check when components need replacing, schedule cleanings, and more. When you don’t go through the app, you can always use the LCD touchscreen on the base, though you’ll have less control over the specifics of your cleaning.

App: 4.5 / 5

Narwal Freo: Battery life

Battery lasts over three hours
Takes less than 4 hours to recharge

The Narwal Freo is equipped with a 5,200mAh battery that lasts an impressive amount of time. Using Freo Mode, which includes vacuuming and mopping, the battery lasted over three hours. That was enough juice to clean almost 700 square feet of space three times. It’s the best battery performance I’ve seen in my robot vacuum testing.

When only using the vacuuming function, I found that the battery did deplete quicker. Still, it lasted long enough for multiple whole home cleanings. Of course, increasing the suction level did cause the levels to drop even faster.

After the battery dropped below 20%, it returned to the base for charging. There’s an option to send it back out to complete a task after it has reached a certain level of charge. And the battery gets back to 100% percent surprisingly fast, taking less than 4 hours.

Battery: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Narwal Freo?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Narwal Freo: Also consider

Not sold on the prowess of the Narwal Freo? Below are a couple of alternatives that you can consider.

How I tested the Narwal Freo

Tested over the course of several weeks
Used almost every mop and vacuum setting
Tested on various floor types, including carpet and laminate

I tested the Narwal Freo in my two-story home with floor types that include hardwood, medium pile carpet, tile, and laminate. There are also low-pile rugs throughout. I’d send the vacuum out multiple times per week using the different modes: Freo Mode, Vacuuming and Mopping, Vacuuming, and Mopping. The robot vacuum would do its thing, and I would only intervene if needed, observing how it handled obstacles, edges, and more.

Beyond the basics, I did more intensive testing of the device on both hard floor and carpeting to see how it handled larger messes of varying debris sizes. Using oats, flour, and sprinkles, I tested all the suction levels of the vacuum to see how well each setting vacuumed. I also spread yogurt, honey, and coffee on the floor to observe the mops' performance at varying water levels.

Although this is the first time I’ve tested a Narwal robot vacuum, I have reviewed plenty of others from top brands like Shark, Roborock, Ecovacs, Eufy, and more, so I feel confident in my experience using these devices.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 with grinder and milk frother review: retro, chic, and full of beans

4:30 pm | December 20, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: One-minute review

Smeg is known for making a host of brilliant home appliances, including some of the best blenders and best juicers, but it’s not exactly synonymous with high-quality coffee machines in the way the likes of Breville, De’Longhi and Gaggia are. So I was pleasantly surprised to find the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 with grinder and milk frother to be such a great all-rounder, and easily a contender for a place on our list of the best espresso machines; although considering how much we liked the Smeg ECF01 in our review, I perhaps shouldn’t have been.

The Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 costs $899.95 / £849.95 / AU$1,299.00. It comes with a built-in grinder and milk frother, and it’s a fantastic coffee maker for those who value both design and performance. Clad in a vibrant retro casing, this chic machine is a bold statement for any kitchen countertop – too bold for some, perhaps, in some of its more vibrant colorways – but nonetheless a thing of beauty.

The design is well thought out, from its detachable bean hopper to the round bevel on the top of the machine to house the tamper. Plus, some of its beginner-friendly inclusions, like the pressurized filters, make it an excellent choice if you’re upgrading from a bean-to-cup or pod machine to an espresso machine.

My biggest (and only) criticism? It’s messy to use, and not suitable if you’re someone who needs to quickly grab a coffee and bolt out of the front door in the morning. The grounds tend to spill over slightly, and moving the portafilter from the grounds deposit chute to the brew head involves pulling it out of a grip, which can lead to further spillage. Add to that the necessity to clean the steam wand and drip tray after use, and you’ve got a fairly fiddly process on your hands.

Still, if you love your coffee, but not quite enough to splurge on a barista-grade machine, the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 is an excellent choice for most caffeination stations.

The top of the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03, housing the bean hopper and tamp — (Image credit: Future)

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Price

List price: $899.95 / £849.95 / AU$1,299.00

The Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 is available for $899.95 / £849.95 / AU$1,299.00, and can be bought from Amazon as well as from regional third-party retailers such as John Lewis in the UK.

As well as the main machine, the EGF03 comes with a detachable bean hopper, a portafilter and basket, and a tamper. It’s available in a host of bright and fun colors: cream, pastel blue, pastel green, red, white and black.

It’s on the expensive side, especially compared to other espresso machines, but what you’re really paying that extra for with the EGF03 is its all-inclusive tool set and gorgeous design. That’s no bad thing, although it doesn’t soften the blow of the price too much.

Value: 4.5 / 5

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Specs

Close-up of the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 console — (Image credit: Future)

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Design

Retro 50s chic
Built-in frother and detachable hopper
2.5-quart / 2.4L water tank

If you haven’t already gathered, I’m a fan of Smeg’s iconic design, but in particular, I really appreciate the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 for its smooth blend of Italian coffee house and retro chic.

My review unit was in the red colorway, making for a striking centerpiece that demands respect, but the more muted color options are very approachable, and would blend seamlessly into most kitchens regardless of the retro design.

It’s fairly large at 17 x 17 x 13 inches / 44.3 x 44.3 x 34cm (h x w x d), occupying a fair amount of kitchen counter real estate – as I’ve mentioned, this machine isn’t exactly one for the faint of heart, but rather those endeavoring to leap boldly forth into espresso making. It’s pretty hefty at 27.3lbs / 12.4kg too, so you’ll want somewhere to keep it on the counter – you won’t want to be moving it around too much.

The Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 with the portafilter in-situ — (Image credit: Future)

The main body of the unit is a sophisticated die-cast aluminum with stainless steel accents, and rounded in that classic 50s retro aesthetic we know and love from Smeg. The face of the machine features a pressure gauge and its four light-up main controls: buttons for grinding one or two servings of espresso, and buttons for brewing single or double espresso.

Just below this console is where the magic happens. From left to right, there’s a handy slot to slot the portafilter into ready for fresh grounds, a 58mm professional stainless steel filter holder, and a stainless steel steam wand. Just below is the removable drip tray, behind which is a neat little compartment providing storage for its four filters, a cleaning disc, and a cleaning brush for flicking away granules.

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Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 portafilter filled with coffee grounds — (Image credit: Future)

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Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 bean hopper — (Image credit: Future)

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Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 — (Image credit: Future)

On top of the machine is a stainless steel surface to which you can attach the plastic bean hopper. There’s a raised circle that snugly houses the tamp, too, which is always a thoughtful inclusion.

The right-hand side features a petite stainless steel lever switch with three settings to control the steam wand: hot water, mild steam, and strong steam. On the left-hand side is a discrete on / off button (if you leave the machine on it’ll automatically switch to eco-mode after 10 minutes by default, and you can adjust this time).

Both the bean hopper and water tank offer copious space, meaning the Smeg espresso coffee machine EGF03 needs refilling a lot less often than other coffee machines I’ve tested.

Design: 5 / 5

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 making an espresso shot — (Image credit: Future)

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Performance

Easy to get great results
Grinder works well
Takes a lot of cleaning

After a slightly fiddly setup process, the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 is wonderfully easy to use, offering solutions for experienced espresso makers and beginners alike.

This all-in-one machine offers consistent results from bean to cup, but there’s still plenty of room for experimentation and customization.

Let’s start from the top – grinding your beans. There are 15 grind settings, which can be selected by turning the detachable bean hopper, and the grounds are ejected above the portafilter holder in the main console. Annoyingly, these aren’t deposited directly in the middle of the portafilter – a design oversight that will likely only bother the most perfectionist home baristas, but which is nonetheless worth mentioning. This machine utilizes steel conical burr grinders, which offer impressively consistent results by crushing the beans rather than slicing them, which improves the quality.

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 grinding coffee beans — (Image credit: Future)

Next up, it’s time to brew your espresso. Thanks to its dual thermoblock heating system the machine heats up nice and quickly, and you can adjust the temperature settings of the machine to your liking, as well as the infusion profile.

As with many manual and semi-automatic espresso machines, it takes a while to figure out how to reach the desired pressure (which on this Smeg machine sees the pressure gauge needle reach around the halfway point) depending on both the bean grind setting and how hard you tamp, but once you figure it out the results are wonderfully consistent. Or, for an easier route to quality coffee, you can try the pressurized filters – these are very beginner-friendly, enabling you to achieve wonderful crema with minimal effort. I found that I needed to have very fine, fairly gently tamped grounds with my coffee beans of choice to really make the machine sing and produce that all-important crema.

Frothy milk being poured into espresso made by the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 — (Image credit: Future)

Lastly, let’s talk about the steam wand. There are two settings, but I didn’t often find myself using the less frothy option, and I imagine the average user would be in the same camp. As with many aspects of the art of coffee making, there’s a learning curve when it comes to milk frothing, but Smeg’s steam wand is pretty intuitive. It makes one heck of a screeching sound if you don’t hit the spot just right, though, which I sometimes find unavoidable with my limited milk-frothing skills.

Overall the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 performs incredibly well; my main criticism is the amount of cleaning it requires. While a degree of cleaning is required with any espresso machine, it can end up eating a lot of time out of your morning routine.

Performance: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03?

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 placed on a kitchen counter — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Also consider

If the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 is not for you, here a couple of options to consider.

How I tested the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03

I used the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 for a month
I used it to make espresso and froth milk almost every day
I tested its variety of settings and features

I used the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 over the course of the month, making at least one or two coffees every day and frothing milk at least once daily.

Comparing it to other coffee machines I’ve tested, as well as my experiences with other appliances I’ve used, I assessed the ease of use, flavor, and maintenance needs of the machine. I used both its pressurized and unpressurized filters, and tried grinding the beans to different coarseness levels.

I’ve been reviewing home appliances for two years, but I’ve been testing and using tech regularly for most of my adult life. I’m a huge coffee nerd (and my partner is an even bigger one!) so I’m pretty comfortable judging flavor profiles and technical aspects of coffee machines.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

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