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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: | 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 fitted on a front door

(Image credit: Future)

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.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Govee Curtain Lights review: I’m obsessed
2:39 am | December 24, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Comments: Off

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. 

Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

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.

Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

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.

Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

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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Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing

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

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

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

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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Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing

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

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

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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Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing

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

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

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

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

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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Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing

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

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

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

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

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

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

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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Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing

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

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

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

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

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?

Govee Curtain Lights during author's testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

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.

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.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Narwal Freo review: the vacuuming and mopping robot vacuum you want to love
7:00 pm | December 21, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Robot Vacuums Smart Home | Tags: | Comments: Off

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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Narwal Freo during testing

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

(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)

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.

Narwal Freo during testing

(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)

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. 

Narwal Freo during testing

(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)

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. 

Narwal Freo during testing

(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)

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 during testing

(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)

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.

Narwal Freo during testing

(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)

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. 

Narwal Freo during testing

(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)

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 during testing

(Image credit: Future / Danielle Abraham)

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.  

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.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni robot vacuum and mop review: more than a gimmick
9:00 pm | December 19, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Robot Vacuums Smart Home | Comments: Off

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: One-minute review

The Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni robot vacuum’s claim to fame is its hot water mop pad washing. While it seems like a minor thing to hang your hat on, it does actually work (with some slightly gross side effects). But, it does much more than add this feature.

In fact, its performance is on par with many of the best robot vacuums whether it’s vacuuming or mopping. I appreciate the intuitive nature of the app and the solid mapping of this robot vacuum as well.

It does have some issues that are specific to it. For instance, you’re going to pay for that hot water mop pad washing. And, it creates a lot of dirty water that needs to be emptied regularly.

But, it still has its place, making cleaning generally much more convenient. I’ll let you decide whether it’s the best vacuum for you, but it’s not a hard one to recommend, especially if you use it in an area with mostly hard flooring. 

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: price and availability

  • List price: $1,099.99 / £951.65 / AU$1,799
  • Available in the US, UK, and Australia

While Ecovacs vacuums often get a nice sale, the going price of the DEEBOT T20 Omni is not cheap. At $1,099.99 / £951.65 / AU$1,799, it vies for flagship status alongside models like the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus, a very highly rated and expensive model that also adds in mopping.

At the very least, this Ecovacs vacuum is widely available unlike the US-only Yeedi Cube. However, the Yeedi Cube offers vacuuming and mopping for a relatively cheaper price of $699 (about £559 / about AU$1,054), not to mention that it’s regularly on sale as well.

Considering how expensive the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni is, it’s surprising that it doesn’t come with any cleaning solution. If you want to buy that as well, you’ll have to spend an extra $27.99 / £23.99 / AU$28.

  • Value: 4 / 5

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Specifications

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni during testing

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Design and features

  • Two side brushes and a single brush roll
  • Large base station with big clean and dirty water tanks
  • Has unique hot water mop pad washing as well as auto-empty

The Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni comes in a white and silver colorway with an all-white self-emptying charging station. The robot vacuum itself is of the circular variety that somewhat differentiates itself visually from other models by the fact that there’s a removable top plate which hides the dustbin – most robot vacuums have the dustbin accessible in the back of the unit.

It also has two side brushes to sweep debris in front of it compared to the single side brush many come with. While there’s just a single brushroll underneath, there’s up to 6000Pa of suction, which is more than enough, as we’ll discuss in the next section.

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni during testing

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

More uniquely, most robot vacuums that can mop use a single pad that’s dragged along the floor. Instead of going that route, Ecovacs has included two circular pads for mopping duties that actually rotate and apply downward pressure when in use. Plus, they can raise off the floor when needed, such as when in vacuum only mode or it goes over carpeting.

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Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni during testing

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
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Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni during testing

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

A big part of the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni’s design (and price) is that self-emptying charging station. It’s pretty large, about 22 and a half inches tall (57cm) and 17 inches wide (43cm) – certainly not ideal for smaller spaces. However, it’s big for a reason. It contains four liter clean and dirty water tanks for not only mopping but for cleaning the mop pads as this particular station uses hot water to remove oil and stains. 

This feature is apparently unique to the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni. The charging station will also dry the mop pads as well as automatically empty the contents from the robot vacuum’s dustbin so you don’t have to clean it out between cleaning sessions.

  • Design: 4.5 / 5

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni during testing

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Performance

  • Excellent vacuuming and mopping
  • Not so good with edges
  • Hot water mop pad washing creates a lot of dirty water quickly

While the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni is not unique in the fact that it both vacuums and mops, it’s a bit rarer in that it does both well. I’ve seen robot vacuums that have added mopping as a bit of an afterthought, and so end up leaving streaks and uneven results. That’s not the case here as the Ecovacs easily vacuums up dirt, debris, and lots of pet hair and does in an orderly pattern so it gets every inch.

Since the mopping pads apply downward pressure and spin, they actually scrub the floors. I ran it once after a dog had stepped in some poop and tracked it through the foyer. While major remnants had been cleaned up, the floor was still far from clean. After a pass from the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni, there was no sign of any mess.

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni during testing

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

While this robot vacuum does a good job of vacuuming and mopping, it does have the issue that all robot vacuums seem to have to a certain degree, it doesn’t do so well getting edges and corners. In fact, there’s a mode to improve that in the app but the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni will only do it once every seven days and only in auto or housekeeping mode.

When it comes to object avoidance, the execution is a little above average. It can avoid larger obstacles and doesn’t get stuck on any venting, but still gets tangled on cables and cords. While that’s worth noting, it’s also an issue that robot vacuums inherently have, just like the mediocre edge cleaning.

Back on the positive side, the hot water mop pad washing is a nice addition. It does mean that cleaning four rooms takes a couple hours to do as the robot vacuum regularly returns to the charging station to not only replenish on clean water, but to clean the pads properly. Having emptied the dirty water tank multiple times since I’ve started testing it, I can say that whatever is being washed out of the pads makes me wonder how clean the floors are when using other mopping robot vacuums that don’t have their mopping pads regularly washed.

Here, the base station does it for you. The only downside to it is that you have to empty the dirty water tank every few uses as it fills rather quickly.

  • Performance: 4 / 5

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: App

  • Great job mapping
  • Lots of adjustments on tap
  • Voice assistant support

When first using the Ecovacs app, you have to scan the QR code on the robot vacuum for setup. It’s a fairly intuitive process, much like using the app in general, and is followed by the robot vacuum scanning your space to create a map.

Possibly one of my favorite parts of the app is the fact that once the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni has mapped out the space, the app has intelligently and automatically segmented it into rooms, requiring minimal effort on your end (it did combine two rooms due to an open-floor layout). On top of that, you can view the map in 2D or 3D.

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni during testing

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Beyond its mapping capabilities, adjusting cleaning strength, combination of vacuuming and/or mopping, and which areas to clean is straightforward. And, if you do any menu diving, you can adjust how wet the mop pads get, the interval at which the robot vacuum returns to the station to clean the mop pads, and a whole lot more. There really isn’t anything missing.

If there’s one quibble, it’s the fact that despite this robot vacuum’s support for Alexa and Google voice assistant, only settings for its own voice assistant, Yiko, is easy to find within the app. So, integration with Alexa is a bit less intuitive (you have to go through the Alexa app to set up). At least, Yiko is very responsive whenever I ask it to clean a particular room or go back to the charging station.

  • App: 4.5 / 5

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Battery life

  • Has 190 minutes of battery life
  • Regularly recharges

While the battery life is rated at 190 minutes, you’ll probably never see the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni run for that long. Whenever I ask it to clean everything, it will go for maybe ten or fifteen minutes and then return to the base station to empty the contents, clean the mop pads, and charge back up.

Even if you manage to have it run for that long, 190 minutes is very good for robot vacuums. Many very good models last between 100 - 120 minutes. Still, the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni whenever it needs to so you don’t have to worry about running it, charging it, and then running it again.

  • Battery: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni?

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni during testing

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Also consider

Not sold on the prowess of the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni? Below are a couple of alternatives that you can consider.

How I tested the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni

  • Tested for a couple weeks
  • Tested both mopping and vacuum capabilities
  • Used on several types of flooring

To test the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni, I used it for a couple weeks to vacuum and mop the hardwood floors in my house. I also tested all the features listed in the app, from mapping to different levels of cleaning. 

I took note of how well the vacuum cleaned the edges of a room as well as around obstacles, not to mention running it over different surfaces including two different types of hard flooring and carpeting.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from air fryers and vacuum cleaners to laptops and audio equipment, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test. I also make sure that when I reviewed, I hold up a product to what it's supposed to do and whether it's worth the price.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Philips Hue Festavia string lights review: brilliantly bright but lacking identity
12:18 am | December 16, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Tags: | Comments: Off

Philips Hue Festavia: Two-minute review

If bold but minimalistic lights are your go-to at Christmas, or you just like the idea of syncing your Christmas tree with the rest of your smart lighting, then the Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights might be for you. Philips Hue’s lights are among the best smart lights, so it’s no surprise that the brand has ventured into string lights. While these smart lights were initially released in December 2022, there were a lot of issues with stock, and the lights were for indoor use only; you can use 2023’s edition outdoors, as well as in your home. 

Available in different lengths directly from Philips Hue as well as third-party retailers like Amazon (pricing detailed in the next section), these lights are marketed predominantly as tree decorations, but are weatherproofed and therefore also suitable for outdoor use. They offer much the same features and functionality as Philips Hue’s wider smart lighting line, as well as the robust design and build quality we’ve come to expect from the brand. 

Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights next to a felt polar bear.

Christmas has come b-early! (Image credit: Future)

However, if you want a little more from these lights – specifically features and functions you’d commonly expect from standard tree lights, you’ll likely find yourself disappointed.

The string lights are split into two halves, A and B. Both halves start in the middle of your tree, with the former working upwards and the latter downwards. It’s worth noting that because of this, if you’re using the lights to decorate something other than a tree, the power supply is situated in the middle of the light strip.

I opted against using Hue’s lights for my tree after careful consideration; they were ever so slightly shorter than what I needed for full coverage. The split strings can make them a little difficult to use for anything beyond tree decoration, but in my home, I used them to line two living room walls, which ended up giving a lovely effect. Each individual light is round, roughly 1.11 inches / 3cm long, and spaced 2.95 inches / 7.5cm apart. 

Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights

With the lights fully dimmed, the Festavia lights shine brightly (Image credit: Future)

Although Hue’s bulbs are remarkably bright, when I quickly trialed tree placement following Philips Hue’s detailed instructions on my  7.2ft / 2.2m tree, I realized the particular shape of my tree and its size wouldn’t do the lights justice in photos. That’s largely to do with the tree I bought this year, but I also prefer densely lit trees; the spacing of these lights makes them ill-suited for those who dislike darker voids on their tree. This is worth noting, as Philips Hue suggests that the 500-bulb version I tested offers coverage for trees over 7ft / 2.1m tall but, as mentioned, they proved unsuitable.

The black cord used to connect the lights also seems like a poorly thought-out choice when many string lights are green to match the tree or come in a choice of colors. Add to that the thickness of the wires, and it can be quite apparent when the lights are hung up. 

I did appreciate the Festavia string light’s brightness, which was just right for that gentle, homely feeling I want from festive lighting. If you did want to use them for anything else throughout the rest of the year, though, the max brightness might be a little low compared to Philips Hue’s strip lights. 

As with all Philips Hue smart lights, the Festavia string lights can be controlled using Philips Hue’s app via either a Philips Hue Bridge or Bluetooth connection. It’s superbly easy to set up, and from the app you’ll have access to almost all of the usual features and options, including the 16 million color options and six special effects: Candle, Fireplace, Glisten, Sparkle, Prism, and Opal. Personally, I favored Glisten (a bolder flickering off-white), Sparkle (gentler flickering off-white), and Prism (rainbow gradient), as both Candle and Fireplace were too fiery, and Opal was a bit twee with its pastel palette.

Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights

(Image credit: Future)

Plus, you can sync the Philips Hue Festavia string lights with your other bulbs, or with your entertainment, provided you’ve got a Hue Play HDMI Sync box for your TV or a Spotify account for music. 

Otherwise, these lights feel distinctly unchristmassy; it’s almost as if Philips Hue can’t decide if they’re regular string lights or festive ones. Yes, the profiles are great – but why are there only one or two settings versus the six or seven often included in dumb lights? Why can’t you adjust the colors, the speed, or design your own patterns?

For such a pricey product I felt rather let down by the Festavia lights’ lack of identity, but I’m nonetheless impressed as ever by Hue’s light quality and general features. With just some small software tweaks – and the option of different cable colors – these could easily be the smart lights of the future, and even worth their lofty price tag; but right now I’d say they’re only really worth it for the devout Philips Hue fan, given that other smart and colorful string lights exist at a much more affordable price, such as those from Twinkly and Nanoleaf.

Philips Hue Festavia: Price and availability

  • How much is it? $219.99-$359.99 / £109.99-£199.99 / AU$199.95-$589.95
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where is it available? Directly from Philips Hue and at Amazon

The Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights cost a pretty penny, there's no two ways about it. The three different string lengths have varied availability from region to region: 

When compared to more affordable options like the Nanoleaf holiday smart string lights, which are a lot more festive-first, this makes the Philips Hue Festavia extortionately priced.

  • Value:  3 / 5

Philips Hue Festavia: Specs

Philips Hue Festavia lights set up next to a polar bear plushie

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Philips Hue Festavia?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if... 

Philips Hue Festavia: Also consider

If the Philips Hue Festavia aren't for you, here are a couple of excellent alternatives

Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Govee Christmas String Lights

  • I used the Philips Hue Festavia lights to decorate my living room
  • I also briefly trialed them on my Christmas tree
  • I paired the Festavia lights with the Philips Hue app

I set the Philips Hue Festavia string lights up in my home, opting to use them to line my living room walls following a quick trial on my Christmas tree. I compared them to two sets of non-smart string lights to assess the brightness, color payoff, spacing and wire quality.

After decorating, I connected the Philips Hue Festavia to the Hue companion app, a setup I’m familiar with from testing smart lights over the past two years, and went to work testing out Philips Hue’s standard features on the lights. Additionally, I tried some of the Festavia-specific effects and the standard effects.

I’ve been testing smart home devices for two years, using my expertise and experience in tech testing and everyday use to assess the key strengths and weaknesses of products.

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.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Govee Christmas String Lights review: stylish smart holiday lights for economizing Yule-lovers
8:00 am | December 15, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Tags: | Comments: Off

Govee Christmas String Lights: Two-minute review

The Govee Christmas String Lights seem like a dream come true if you’ve grown tired of dealing with the nightmare that is the annual putting up (not to mention taking down and putting away) of the dreaded Christmas string lights.

For many of us, the holiday season is the joyous time of the year, even for those who don’t celebrate Christmas. But the tradition of putting up the tree – and all your holiday decorations, if you’re the type to go all out – is not all merry and bright. At least when you get to the part where you’re putting up those lights. Dealing with tangled string lights, bulbs burning out, and constant snagging may ruin the vibe and put a momentary damper on your holiday decorating merriment.

Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Not having to stress out about all that is the goal, and the Govee Christmas String Lights may just be an ideal solution. Govee opted for a twisted rope design with embedded light beads here – there are five individual wires or conductors, each of which is encased in a clear cable jacket, that are then twisted together in a rope-like manner, resulting in a string that’s about 4mm thick. In addition, instead of the traditional LED bulbs and sockets that jut out from the string, Govee opted for tiny light beads – embedded throughout the length of the string are 100 square lamp beads (200 if you get the 20m version), resulting in an elegant and unique look that I found attractive. 

Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

More importantly, it means that you no longer have to deal with the bulb sockets snagging or getting caught on the string or each other. In fact, the whole thing is less likely to snag and much easier to untangle – though you still have to deal with the string occasionally twisting in some parts. Taking the string lights down and putting them away is also a breeze. The lights even come with a plastic reel so you can just neatly coil them up and store them.

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Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
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Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

A couple of important things to point out here is that because this Govee string light doesn’t have that traditional design, it comes with minor disadvantages. Since the light beads aren’t jutting out, they won’t give you a randomized light placement effect. When wrapped around a tree, these lights naturally follow the spiral arrangement of the string. I don’t mind it much personally. However, I know that a lot of people prefer the former so it’s worth pointing out. 

Another disadvantage is that because of the clear cable jackets used, these string lights won’t blend in, especially if you have a green tree. That means that they will be very noticeable and may affect the overall look you’re trying to achieve.

Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Most traditional string lights give you 250 light bulbs for a 20m version that’s best suited for 6-foot Christmas trees. So you might be disappointed that you’re not getting as many light bulbs on the Govee Christmas String Lights, but I honestly do not think you’ll notice the difference. Plus, I found the light beads to be incredibly bright and vibrant, with the clear cable jackets also helping reflect their light, even if it’s only less than a centimeter on either side of each light bead.

Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

There is a control box with a power button that doubles as a reset button when you hold it down for 5 seconds and a mounting tape in the box if you’re seeking a more permanent setup. These lights may be designed specifically for holiday decorating, they’re great for year-round use as well if you want to light up your porch, your bedroom, or your garden, for example. It’s an addition that can come in handy from time to time, but seeing as these are smart lights, there’s almost no need for it.

That is, apart from its built-in mic. This mic allows for the lights to react to ambient audio, which is fantastic for syncing them to whatever music or movie is playing through your speakers. It’s a fun feature that I use quite often.

Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Of course, the easy setup is not the only reason to get these lights. Just like the rest of the lights in Govee’s catalog, the Govee Christmas String Lights have the same functionalities as the best smart lights on the market including app and voice control, scheduling, and a slew of customization options. That adds to their ease of use even more. Think about it: no more having to bend down and unplug or manually switch off your Christmas lights when it’s time for bed; you can simply set it to turn on and off at specific times of the day or when your smart speaker detects a person’s presence in the room. Or just ask Alexa to do it.

What's more, Govee has mastered the smart home functions of its lights so whether you're using voice commands or the app to control these lights, you can rest assured that it'll respond accurately within a fraction of a second. 

Before you can take full advantage of their smart functions, you do have to connect it to the Govee app as well as your Alexa app. While that is one more step, doing so is easy as pie since the Govee app makes it so. Because the app immediately detects the lights as soon as you plug it in, all you need to do is follow the steps on the app. Once it’s connected to the app, the Alexa app will automatically detect the string lights as well and ask you whether or not you’d like to add it to your device list.

Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Not to play favorites here, but the Govee app is probably my favorite smart light app of all. It’s so easy to use while offering a slew of features, from the music sync I mentioned above and the long list of light scenes to letting you create your very own light scenes and color schemes. It’ll also let you set brightness, set up timers, and use the Music DreamView feature to sync the Govee Christmas String Lights’ lighting effects with all your other Govee smart lights for an even more immersive experience.

Because these are, first and foremost, Christmas lights, these have Christmas-themed light scenes that aren’t available on other Govee smart light sets. Among those scenes are Christmas Tree, Sled, Christmas Gift, Candy Cane, Christmas Eve, Santa Claus, and Christmas Gift. If none of these appeal to you or are a good match for your holiday decorations, however, I recommend taking the time to design your own via the app’s DIY module. 

Combining these customizations with its other smart home conveniences makes the Govee Christmas String Lights an incredibly versatile smart home device that takes your holiday decorating to a whole new level. Thanks to them, it’s finally time to retire your old, and at times infuriating, Christmas string lights and make your holiday decorating an even more enjoyable experience.

Govee Christmas String Lights: Price and availability

  • How much is it? From $59.99 / £59.99 (about AU$90) 
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where is it available? Available in the US and the UK 

The Govee Christmas String Lights are more expensive than traditional string lights, many of which you can find for under $20 / £20 / AU$35. However, next to other Christmas lights with smart home functionality, they’re the slightly more affordable option. Coming in two lengths, they will set you back $59.99 / £59.99 (about AU$90) for the 33 ft (10m) option that’s best for Christmas trees 4 feet (1.2 meters) and shorter, and $89.99 / £89.99 (about AU$135) for the longer 66 ft (20m) that’s ideal for trees 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8m).

In comparison, the 66-ft (20m) Nanoleaf Matter Smart Holiday String Lights retail for $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180) while the Philips Hue Festavia String Lights of the same length cost a hefty $219.99 / £109.99 (about AU$330).

The Govee Christmas String Lights are now available in the US and the UK. However, they’re not available in Australia at the time of writing.

  • Value: 4.5 / 5

Govee Christmas String Lights: Specs

Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Should I buy the Govee Christmas String Lights?

Buy it if...

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Govee Christmas String Lights: Also consider

How I tested the Govee Christmas String Lights

  • I tested the Govee Christmas String Lights for a week
  • I used it on my little Christmas tree at home
  • I tested its performance and features using Alexa and the Govee app

While I don't have space in my apartment for even a four-foot Christmas tree, I did put up the Govee Christmas String Lights on the 1.5-foot tree that Govee had provided with the lights where it stayed during my week-long testing. During this period, I used the lights day and night to add a little holiday flair to my otherwise Christmas decoration-bare home. 

My testing included testing its smart home features, its response to voice commands and app control, and its ability to display the many light scenes available on the app. I also experimented with creating my own light effects and color schemes, making note of how accurately the lights would display them.

A big smart home fan, I've been a smart home user 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.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights review: driving home (automation) for Christmas
6:44 pm | December 14, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Comments: Off

Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights: One-minute review

LED Christmas lights have been around for a while now, filling our homes with potentially headache-inducing flashing festive patterns. Now, thanks to the wonders of home automation you can induce those headaches remotely, and in 16 million colors.

Joking aside, these smart Christmas tree lights are very good, which should come as no surprise given that Nanoleaf makes some of the best smart lights. While the Philips Hue Festavia lights come in three different lengths (depending on what region you’re in) the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights come in one size only: 66ft / 20m, with 250 bulbs split into two 33ft / 10m strips for easy tree decoration. However, they’re a lot cheaper – Hue’s alternative of the same size come in at $219.99 / £199.99 / AU$359.95 whereas Nanoleaf’s are $119 / £119. There’s no availability in Australia as of writing. 

Nanoleaf smart holiday string lights

(Image credit: Future)

The lights are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, but have a similar design flaw to the Festavia lights from Hue – the black wire. It’s such a silly oversight given that most people are decorating green trees, and it makes them a lot less discreet. Another similarity I’d rather not see is how sparse these lights are – they’re spaced 3.15 inches / 8 cm apart, so you won’t find it easy to achieve a densely lit tree with these lights.

The lights are controlled with Nanoleaf’s companion app, and I found the initial setup straightforward. After a while though, the application started to alert me that there was a firmware upgrade which then disappeared by the time I got to the screen used to update it.

When it did eventually find a more recent firmware and updated itself, the lights then became unavailable in Apple HomeKit. The situation was not resolved until I uninstalled the Nanoleaf app, removed the device from Homekit, and then reinstalled everything. I experienced similar black holes of wasted time troubleshooting software issues with the Nanoleaf 4D TV-syncing strip lights , but it’s worth noting that this may be attributable to the amount of change in my Home automation setup, and that both products were very new at the time of testing. However, these repeated issues do not inspire confidence in the quality of the software. I wasn’t able to test the selection of themes via HomeKit because the themes were simply not there.

Nanoleaf app print screens showing the Palette List and Color Picker

(Image credit: Future)

On the whole, though, the app is nicely laid out and uncluttered. The phone application comes with nine preconfigured scenes for you to select from, or you can create your own. Each scene consists of a palette of up to seven colors, and one of nine ‘motions’ (sequences). 

The scenes are very effective, and serve as a showcase for what’s possible with a little experimentation – and I found myself experimenting a lot. It’s commendable that Nanoleaf allows you to create your own scenes, although after experimenting with half a dozen of my own I couldn’t find a way to delete the ones that were rubbish. Also, some of the names of the scenes and palettes are the same, meaning it’s easy to get confused. 

It’s also possible to forgo the cycling patterns and have the lights react to sound via the microphone in the base unit, and you can also use a button on the wire to shuffle through the preconfigured scenes, which is a nice touch.

The ‘Crackling Fireplace’ theme certainly made me feel like breaking out the chestnuts – which is impressive, given that even if you had the most powerful microscope in the world, you would not be able to find my Christmas spirit. 

‘Jingle Bell Rock’ is also wonderful for its simple color choice, and is one of the two stock example schemes featuring sound-activated ‘motions’. The ‘Reindeer Gamer’ scheme is a nod to Nanaoleaf’s gamer roots, which worked well to entice me.

Nanoleaf smart holiday string lights wrapped around a racing chair

(Image credit: NAnoleaf)

I also found the set of nine Motions interesting and unusual; the ‘Organic’ light pattern, in particular, is very interesting, and I could imagine it being even more entertaining after a Christmas tipple. 

It’s worth mentioning the ease with which you can pack these lights away, and when you come to do this you’ll realize why splitting the lights into two lengths is the way to go. They bundle up very neatly, avoiding the yearly ‘tangled mass of wires in a biscuit tin in the attic’ scenario – it would be even easier if Nanoleaf implemented a feature that lit only the last bulb on each string, which would make taking it off of the tree so much easier.

Darth Vadar figurine holding the Nanoleaf smart holiday string lights

 “I find your lack of Christmas spirit disturbing.”  (Image credit: Future)

The sound-activated motions kind of work, but are limited by the microphone in the base unit. The base unit will probably end up on the floor, so it will respond to footsteps rather than any music playing through your speakers, which is a bit annoying. 

Placing the base unit next to a subwoofer works pretty well; however, there is a slight delay, and it doesn’t always do what you think it would do, but it’s good enough – and Killing in the Name by Rage Against the Machine was probably not the best choice of track to test the feature with, in fairness. There’s plenty of scope for creating a fantastic light show with this feature if you set the lights up around grandma’s chair for when she falls asleep snoring after the Christmas meal. 

Nanoleaf smart holiday string lights around a computer

(Image credit: Future)

Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights: Price and availability

  •  List price: $119 /  £119 

The Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights are available for $119 / £119 directly from the Nanoleaf website, and at the time of writing, they were discounted slightly. You can also buy them from Amazon.

This makes the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights significantly cheaper than their biggest competition, the Philips Hue Festavia, which come in at nearly double the price. Given that this product is arguably better for most users, I’d say that’s a huge win. As of writing, there’s no availability in Australia, but hopefully, that’ll be rectified in time for Christmas next year! 

Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights: Specs

Should I buy the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if... 

How I tested the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights

  • I installed the Nanoleaf application and added the lights to Apple HomeKit
  • I tested each of the nine preset scenes and created several custom palettes
  • I tested the features where practical

I wrapped the lights around several objects in my house (I don’t have a Christmas tree), and tried to imagine what would be important to a person whose interest in Christmas was greater than zero.

I unpacked and packed the lights away several times to test the likelihood of the lights and packaging lasting for several years – this is something that’s particularly important for devices that only get used once a year, and these are not cheap lights, although they’re versatile enough that they could be put to a more general use throughout the year. The lights passed this test.

I did not count all 16 million colors, but I can say that they’re bright and colorful. I was disappointed that I could not voice-activate the schemes through Apple HomeKit, but not disappointed enough to go to the trouble of making it work through an Apple shortcut or something. I can’t think of a scenario where voice activation would be of any benefit anyway, other than scaring the jingle bells out of Santa as he emerges from the fireplace.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Proscenic Floobot X1 robot vacuum cleaner review
3:00 pm | December 12, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Robot Vacuums Smart Home | Comments: Off

Proscenic Floobot X1: Two-minute review

The Proscenic Floobot X1 robot vacuum combines a stylish design with plenty of useful features, such as the ability to detect whether it’s on carpet or hard flooring and apply its cleaning tools accordingly, automatic room mapping, consistent mopping action and a self-emptying dustbox.

The latter’s UV light helps eradicate germs, as well as allowing the user to avoid getting their hands dirty. There are solid scheduling options, app-based tools for marking off areas to avoid, and a LiDAR camera and sensors that assist with object avoidance.

The 15cm-tall puck design is modest enough for the Proscenic Floobot X1 to slip under furniture to access and clean awkward spaces, but the rotating brush that flicks dust to dislodge it along the edges of a room doesn’t always result in the debris then being vacuumed up.

The best aspects are the remote control, and the smooth furrows the Floobot X1 ploughs when cleaning fairly large rooms, but some of the extras, such as the app scheduling and supposedly smart room coverage, are less convincing.

Object avoidance is generally good, with no issues encountered near stairs, but low-lying items such as stray laces and a tray containing pet food were not detected at all. The consumables cost for replacement dustbags is pricey, and the app had some setup gotchas.

However, we were generally impressed with the features for the money and would be happy to marshall this robot vacuum around an open-plan home, though we would not consider it among the best vacuums around.

Proscenic Floobot X1: Price and availability

  • List price: $499 / £399
  • When is it available: Available now
  • Where is it available: Available in the US and the UK

It’s definitely worth shopping around to get the best deal on a Proscenic Floobot X1. While the UK Proscenic website lists the Floobot X1 at £499, matching the $499 asking price on the US Proscenic website, you can save a lot by buying through Amazon. Here, the RRP is shown as £349 but Amazon UK will sell you the X1 for a great value £299 and Amazon US asks $399.  

  • Value score: 4 / 5

Proscenic Floobot X1: Specifications

Proscenic Floobot X1

(Image credit: Future)

Proscenic Floobot X1: Design

  • Smart charging station that supports self-emptying function
  • Straightforward remote control, on device on/off button and Proscenic app
  • Detailed scheduling and power options for mopping and cleaning

The Proscenic Floobot X1 arrives in a compact box that promises ‘smarter mapping, simpler mopping’. The bundled remote control delivers on this, with dedicated buttons for auto cleaning and mopping. You can operate the Floobot X1 in several ways: via the Proscenic app over Wi-Fi, via Bluetooth, using the remote control, or directly using the power buttons on the robovac itself.

Note that there are three Proscenic apps – you want the one that’s simply called ‘Proscenic’ which lists Floobot X1 in its device list. The app connects the Floobot X1 to your home Wi-Fi network as long as you have a 2.4GHz network, and then to your smartphone via Bluetooth. 

The package includes a charging station-cum-dustbin with a straightforward clip-together base plus spare consumables and brushes. Setup is via the app, which also has a link to a  visual ‘quick start guide’ though the branding here on and the Proscenic website designates the X1 as a Floobot.

Proscenic Floobot X1

(Image credit: Future)

Once you’ve clicked the two pieces of the charging dock base together and placed the charging dock on top you’re ready to plug in, and line up the Floobot X1 robot vacuum for its first charge. A quick glance at the schematic in the comprehensive User’s Manual reveals that the charging contacts are on either side of the dust box, and that the Floobot X1 should therefore be placed on the charging mat with the Proscenic branding facing the docking station. The correct positioning is confirmed when the vacuum’s indicator lights turn blue, which is followed by a brief musical and spoken greeting. The Floobot X1’s lights then turn green and flash to show that it’s charging. Once charged, the light turns a solid green. 

Suction-wise, there are four settings which can be instantly adjusted via the detailed Proscenic app: the maximum vacuuming power is 3000pa. A Pascal rating of 2,500 to 3000 is fairly standard for vacuum cleaner suction. while the sonic mop has three soak settings and can scrub up to 3000 times a minute. A single LiDAR camera governs the X1’s journey across your floors and helps it avoid unexpected items in its path. The lack of top-mounted cameras facilitates a low-profile design, but more cameras would surely have led to a more efficient route-map. 

The Floobot X1 comes with a dust bag already installed inside the charging station, with a second included in the box. When full, the Robot Vacuum will automatically wend its way to the docking station and position itself ready to empty the content of its dust box into the station’s 2.5-litre dustbin. Proscenic touts the usefulness of the self-emptying Floobot X1, which should be able to vacuum or mop up a month’s worth of dust and debris before the dustbag needs to be replaced. As well as minimising the amount of dust you need to deal with while engaged in the often unedifying process of emptying the dust bag into a larger dustbin, a UV light on the charging station deftly disinfects, neutralising pathogens and bacteria. These consumables cost just under £15 for six from Amazon or direct from Proscenic but can also be bought singly or in packs of three.

Another consumable cost is the mopping pads, two of which are provided in the box. You need to rinse and dry these pads between mopping sessions or when they become noticeably grubby, and once they’re worn out new ones cost £12 for four or £21 for a new consumables kit including a HEPA filter and new brushes. Proscenic also recommends that you tape off sharp edges that could damage the Floobot X1 – our stone hearth, for example – so factor in some preparation time for this, or price in some child-friendly plastic bumpers. You’ll also need to move anything that the X1 is likely to attempt to steer under, such as low-legged armchairs that don’t provide enough clearance for the Floobot X1 robo-puck.

  • Design score: 4.5 / 5 

Proscenic Floobot X1

(Image credit: Future)

Proscenic Floobot X1: Performance

  • Automatic carpet/hard floor detection
  • Average 45-minute runtime
  • Not very smart at navigation

In auto mode the Proscenic Floobot X1 trundles up and down in rows, eventually creating a map of where it’s been and any partial roomscapes its single LiDAR camera spies along the way [it spotted the beginning of our lean-to conservatory, for example, although the hard stop of the metal threshold prevented it from investigating further. 

Having first vacuumed the area we wanted cleaning, I put the Floobot X1 into mopping mode. This involved attaching its Velcro mopping pad and filling its water tank. Mopping was efficient and gave the floor a noticeable sheen. Slick stripes showed which bits had been mopped without being wet enough to slip up on. 

Charging takes several hours, with the progress indicated by two flashing green icons on the top of the Floobot X1; the white Wi-Fi indicator icon nestles between these. To connect your robovac to the home Wi-Fi network you need to open the Proscenic app (iOS or Android), select your model from the prefilled options, then press and hold the two green icons on the vacuum for several seconds. The Wi-Fi icon should light up and the voice assistant announce that the Wi-Fi connection has been reset. At this point you need to select the correct network from those that appear in the app and enter your Wi-Fi password. 

Once the vac is charged, you press the left button underneath the rocker pad on the remote control to initiate smart cleaning. With no indication of how much charge the Floobot X1 had before it claimed to be ready for use, it was hard to judge whether it was close to a full battery. In any case, we were surprised to find it managed only a five-minute burst of activity on our short-pile carpet before needing to orientate itself and head back to the charging pod. The charging dock dustbin has a generous 2.5l capacity, into which the Floobot X1 can discharge its collected contents for as much as a month before it needs to be emptied. Subsequent assays lasted up to 50 minutes after just 30 minutes to recharge, so we put that brief initial run down to a glitch. 

Proscenic Floobot X1

(Image credit: Future)

Having not previously provided any details of the room shape or obstacles, on resuming cleaning duties we noted that the Floobot X1 began vacuuming sections of carpet it hadn’t previously tackled, living up to its ‘smart’ label. The LiDAR function thus plays its part in ensuring the room is covered in a methodical fashion, without too much overlap or gaps in coverage. 

The first few times we tried the Proscenic Floobot X1 it seemed to go over the same couple of metres of carpet in a fairly erratic manner (our bumpy, ill-fitting carpet can’t have helped its navigation), abruptly changing direction 10cm or more from the edges. Subsequent forays were more successful, with the robovac deftly navigating along the skirting boards and around radiator pipes, chair legs and so on. We expected the metal door threshold to fox it, but it cleaned along its length and jauntily set off to the next room with challenges such as the stair edge to avoid tipping over. The long length of the open-plan landing suited the X1 better, efficiently vacuuming adjacent strips of carpet. I also noted that it began to consistently sweep along the carpet edges. Presumably having gained confidence about the room dimensions from its LiDAR camera it then judged it safer to nudge closer to its boundaries. 

During this session the Proscenic Floobot X1 began to judder and shake, and I assumed it was getting full. A few minutes later, however, a compact fur ball of hair and grot was emitted from the underside of the robovac, after which it resumed its smooth traverse of our obviously filthy carpets. This sensible approach to expelling chunks of detritus then leaves more space for smaller debris. 

Challenged with a carpet laden with crumbs, oats and sundry grot, the Floobot X1 performed well, first brushing aside many of these larger items before flicking them into its dust chamber.  The four-way control pad on the handheld controller can be used to pause and turn the X1 on the spot. I found this handy when I wanted to get it to brush the edges of a kitchen cabinet where a strip of dirt had accrued. It’s also a good alternative to the spot-cleaning function, which successfully and efficiently brushed aside peanuts, biscuit crumbs and oats before sweeping them into its internal dustbin, but also distributed some of them over a broad area. In total, the Proscenic Floobot X1 dispensed with 87% of the oat mix we challenged it to vacuum up, but left to run on auto came back later and collected all but 3% of the remainder as it worked successive furrows across the room. 

Progress around a narrower, more cluttered room was a little erratic, but the floor ended up much cleaner, and the Floobot X1 dealt with every obstacle, from trailing cables to rogue slippers and tricky desk undersides. 

Having left the Floobot X1 to charge overnight, vacuuming time was approximately 45 minutes, with three minutes of residual power used to seek out and return to the docking station. In this instance the robovac had traversed from its original location out onto the landing and ended up vacuuming half of the neighbouring bedroom, which meant that it ran out of power before locating the charging station. A point to note is that when it comes time for the Floobot X1 to return to base to recharge or empty its internal bin, it will get hopelessly lost if you’ve switched off the charging dock at the wall for any reason – it needs this beacon to find its way back. 

The Proscenic Floobot X1 will undoubtedly leave your home cleaner, neatly mopped and scrubbed. It operates reasonably quietly with an average decibel rating of 54dB (46dB in mopping mode) except when rumbling and shaking before expelling a pellet of debris, or for the few seconds when it returns to base and very loudly dumps performs its self-emptying routine. A brief 86dB interruption more than compensates for trudging round your house vacuuming by hand, of course. 

This robot vacuum seemingly works better in more open-plan spaces where it can execute neat rows of cleaning and exhibits less blind man’s buff behaviour while navigating awkward corners. There is little time advantage to the promised smart functions once the Floobot X1 has mapped out your rooms but the option section off or prioritise rooms is useful. Edges are generally tackled fairly well, but we recommend using the remote control to get up close to areas that need a dedicated scrub. This wouldn’t be our first choice of robot vacuum for mopping remotely but it works well for scheduled vacuuming if you’ve first decluttered (and remembered to move the tray containing the cat’s food and bowls – yes, you can imagine what happened there!).

  • Performance score: 3.5 / 5  

Proscenic Floobot X1

(Image credit: Future)

Proscenic Floobot X1: App

  • Needs dual-band or 2.4GHz router
  • Cannot initiate mopping remotely if Floobot X1 is docked
  • Strong scheduling, partitioning and power setting options

We had a few issues getting the Floobot X1 to maintain a Wi-Fi connection. When trying this in the older of the two houses in which we tested the vacuum we assumed it may have been down to an older Wi-Fi router, but at home we have a four-month-old Community Fibre gigabit broadband router and needed a few attempts to set it up, and after a few days between vacuuming bouts we also needed to reconnect to the home network. 

Arguably, if you’re at home anyway and have already let the Floobot X1 go through the process of mapping out the rooms on that floor you could just as well use the remote control to start it.

The app can be used to schedule particular days, times and rooms once you’ve partitioned off areas. Mopping as well as vacuuming can be scheduled, but it’s worth noting that the Floobot X1 sees the landing pad it sits on while docked as a carpet, and will not commence mopping from there. Instead, you get an in-app message stating that it needs to be moved off the carpet in order to mop. You therefore need to charge it ahead of time, then fit the mopping pad and place the vacuum on the bare floor if you want to schedule a mopping session while you’re out. 

Using the app you can define rooms and areas to be cleaned or avoided, partition areas, and set the power level, or the amount of water the mop should use. The app will also show up errors such as the Floobot X1 being offline, or detecting a carpet when the mop mode has been selected. There’s a handy ‘find’ option too, should your robot vacuum have got lost or stuck under the couch. It’s also helpful that the app shows the charging status, but we were less impressed at having to manually reconnect to the network a day after last using the Floobot X1, leading us to revert to the remote control for most uses. 

  • App score: 3.5 / 5 

Should I buy the Proscenic Floobot X1?

Proscenic Floobot X1

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy if...

Proscenic Floobot X1: Also consider

If a robot vacuum isn't for you, why not consider these other vacuum options?

First reviewed December 2023

Enabot Ebo X review: an adorable, albeit frustrating companion bot and security camera
8:49 pm | December 11, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Home Security Smart Home | Comments: Off

One-minute review

If you’re in the market for an amped-up indoor camera, this is just the gadget for you. The Enabot Ebo X is one of the most advanced home security devices on the market – if you’re willing to blow the budget.

It’s far more than just a security device though. This feature-packed robot companion will look out for your entire household, navigating from room to room to monitor your home, pets, and family members. Compared to a standard, fixed security camera, bots like the Enabot Ebo X offer unparalleled flexibility.

Of course, you could go down the route of just buying an armory of security cameras for whole-home monitoring – but this will still come at a cost, especially when you factor in that these products more commonly leverage subscription fees for storage and advanced features.

The Ebo X is larger than its Enabot Ebo SE and Air siblings, measuring 6.6 x 6.6 x 6.9 inches / 16.8 x 16.8 x 17.6cm, and designed to be less a plaything for pets and children, and more a companion and security device for the whole family. 

And I think it would be great at it, too, if only the application and user guidance weren’t so poor, and if Enabot had just spent a bit more time making the software work for the bot. Unfortunately, the Ebo X is plagued with poor user experiences: whether it’s the poorly optimized in-built Alexa feature, the lack of personality, the low-effort app, or the lack of sufficient user guidance, the Ebo X can feel like a bit more hassle than it’s worth at times.

However, there’s still hope here. I loved the design and hardware used for the Ebo X (barring the Harman AudioEDX speakers), and software is a whole lot easier to fix than hardware. If Enabot can revisit the Ebo X software instead of moving straight ahead to their next exciting home companion bot, it’s got a real fighting chance of taking on Amazon’s Astro. 

Enabot Ebo X unboxed, with the robot, plug, instruction manual and base all on display

(Image credit: Future)

Enabot Ebo X review: price and availability

  • List price: $999 / £999 GBP / AU$1,699 

The Enabot Ebo X is a pricey gadget that’ll set you back $999 / £999 / AU$1,699, but it does have a distinctly premium look and feel that go some way towards justifying the price. It’s currently available exclusively through the Enabot website, but given that some of Enabot’s other products are available from third-party retailers, it’s likely the Ebo X will make an appearance at more stores soon. 

Plus, when compared to its biggest competition, the yet-to-be-released Amazon Astro, which is set to cost $1,449.99 when it goes on sale to the general public (availability and pricing for the UK and Australia are still to be confirmed), the Ebo X is fairly reasonably priced, as eye-wateringly expensive home robot companions go. However, as I write this review, there are a fair few software issues and intelligence flaws that really bring down the value of the product in my opinion, so I’d say it’s missing the mark price-wise right now. 

The Enabot Ebo X comes in a neat foam crate, which opens to reveal the bot itself, the dock, the power supply, and an instruction manual. 

Value: 4/5

Enabot Ebo X in the floor, turned on and with its camera out

(Image credit: Future)

Enabot Ebo X review: design

  •  Gorgeous, futuristic spherical design 
  •  Cute LED expressions 
  •  Two impressive self-stabilizing wheels 

The adorably rotund, spherical Enabot Ebo X is beautifully designed and robust, with Enabot opting for a futuristic yet approachable look reminiscent of both Wall-E’s Eve and Big Hero 6’s Baymax.

It’s essentially a sphere 6.6 inches / 16.8cm in diameter, with two self-stabilizing wheels on the bottom and a camera on top. It’s fairly large compared to many of the home robot companions currently available, but still a little smaller than Amazon’s upcoming Astro. It’s pretty robust, too, and can comfortably take a knock or two if the V-Slam navigation is on the fritz for some reason.

The top half of the bot is black, and when it’s powered on it illuminates with an adorable pair of customizable LED eyes, the color of which can be changed in the app. There’s also an LED strip running around the seam dividing the top and bottom sections, which serves as an indicator for the status of your robot companion, and on its sides are the Harman AudioEFX speakers. On the rear, you’ll find another speaker and a microSD slot. 

On top of the bot is its 8MP, 4K UHD pop-out camera, which is stabilized and can be angled for optimal visibility. There are also volume controls on the camera compartment’s lid, which don’t illuminate and so are very easy to miss. The camera can be stowed by pressing it down into the bot, and there’s also a privacy button, which mutes the microphone and turns the display red when pressed.

The Ebo X is self-stabilizing, whizzing around on its two wheels, and it can even rotate (albeit slowly) on the spot, and turn tight corners when navigating. It can also adjust its viewing angle, tilting backward and forwards to afford itself better visibility, which is very useful given the robot’s height.  

The base is pretty simple and understated, and very compact, adding only a couple of inches/centimeters to the overall bulk of the robot when docked. On its underside is a sticky, anti-slip pad, which is a nice touch to keep the Ebo X secure. 

Design: 4.5/5

Enabot Ebo X camera view

(Image credit: Future)

Enabot Ebo X review: performance

  •  Great-quality footage, but odd perspective 
  •  Audio is nothing to write home about 
  •  Struggles to traverse rugs and some room thresholds 
  •  Commands and features are spotty at best 

Having the Enabot Ebo X whizzing around my home during testing was a real delight at first, but once the novelty had passed there were some software major flaws that I really hope are purely a result of the product still being fairly new. 

First off, the 4K UHD 8MP camera quality is pretty impressive, especially its infrared night mode. The ability to control the camera angle with such granularity is excellent, but the low vantage point does take a little getting used to – thankfully, it has great vertical adjustment. Still, if you want to check up on pets that can access higher spots around the home you’d be better off positioning a stationary camera to cover those areas.

The two-way audio is nice and clear too, but the Harman AudioEFX sound quality is distinctly ‘meh’, and I’d only really recommend using the Ebo X for audio if you’re in a pinch or really want a speaker that follows you, especially if you’re an audiophile. There’s very little richness to the sound, with next to no bass, and songs sound very muddy, especially if the Ebo X is on carpet. It’s fairly loud, but not pleasant at higher volumes. Vocals sound robotic (and yes, I’m allowing for the fact that this thing is actually a robot), and there’s very little definition in musical dynamics too – so given my love of ballads and rock music, the audio component here is a definite miss.

There are multiple privacy features allowing you full control over your Ebo X. As mentioned, you can press down the top compartment to fully stow the camera, but you can also angle the camera to face downwards, use the red button on top of the robot to mute the microphone, and toggle the robot’s sleep mode within the app. I really liked the variety here, which gives users a lot more freedom to customize how they and their homes are monitored. 

Given the Ebo X’s expressive LED face design, I was really excited to see what kind of personality the bot had been programmed with. However, I was a bit disappointed with what I found. 

It will randomly come out with some cute catchphrases, especially when it says things like “I must be [sic] very happy if I could live here.” If you pick it up, it’ll say “Woah, it feels like I’m flying”, and it’ll also occasionally verbally update you on its status. But other than that, the bot is pretty bland. 

Enabot's other robots didn’t come with Alexa built in, and thus had a much more distinct identity. There are remnants of this in the Ebo X – a completely different voice pipes up to exclaim “Ebo!” when it’s powering off, for example – and it makes some really cute sounds when you command it to move in certain directions. While Alexa’s on-board presence is much appreciated in terms of the intelligence it brings to the Ebo X, overall it just takes some of the fun out of the design and concept of the bot.

Also missing compared to the previous generations are the tricks and commands available in the Ebo SE and Air, which make this bot feel a bit too utilitarian. 

Enabot Ebo X bugging and spinning

At least it looks cute when it bugs out and spins in panicked circles. (Image credit: Future)

You’ll need to connect the Ebo X to Alexa to unlock much of its functionality (we’ll get into that shortly), and even then the list of abilities is fairly watered down. At the time of writing, you can command the robot to stand up, sit down, follow, recharge, freeze, and capture an image of a smiling face, but it can be fairly slow to register commands, sometimes taking 5-10 seconds to execute. It’ll respond to either “Ebo Ebo” or “Alexa” – I prefer the former to avoid confusion with my other Alexa home speakers. 

Most of these commands work fine, but there are some that just lead to frustration. For instance, when I used the ‘follow’ command the bot repeatedly lost me, ambling around my room aimlessly until I reigned it back in, and if I sat down while this mode was active it kept wheeling about, banging into my chair and sofa. This bot just has no chill, clearly. Asking the Ebo X to play music is also very much a case of trial and error, and only works with Amazon Music unless you connect to the device via Bluetooth or the Alexa app to play from other music streaming services.

Two features Enabot has been keen to highlight in its marketing are fall-down and crying detection, which are useful for monitoring more vulnerable members of a household. These work pretty impressively, though as you’ll discover below in the app section of this review, they’re a minefield to set up. Still, if you can muddle through the poor user experience, these features are well worth the hassle.

Navigation-wise, the bot is, generally speaking, fairly accomplished, but nowhere near what most homes will need. It managed (just) to mount my low-pile carpet when automatically navigating, but it just can’t handle my slightly rounded threshold, meaning it regularly got stuck in the hallway of my apartment until I came to its rescue and encouraged it to charge full speed over the boundary. When the bot has a low battery, it’ll navigate its way back to the charger, although if you’ve not mapped your home this can take an absolute age. It’s pretty good at not ramming into things, though (at least when you’re not using the ‘follow’ command), so at least you won’t need to worry about cleaning robo-skull fragments off your floor any time soon.

Performance: 3.5/5

Enabot Ebo X app printscreens

(Image credit: Future)

Enabot Ebo X review: app and features

  • User experience and setup aren’t great 
  • Customization features 
  • In-app Alexa controls are limited 

The app is, arguably, the worst thing about the Enabot Ebo X from start to finish, which is a real shame as I think it massively tainted my experience during my testing. 

My main criticism is the utter lack of guidance. The setup is pretty clunky, and the QR code in the included physical instructions didn’t even work. Once you’re in, you get a quick glimpse of the voice commands you can use through Alexa – make sure to screenshot these, because you won’t find them anywhere in the app otherwise.

On the app’s main hub page you can see a live feed from the Ebo X, from which you can toggle its sleep mode, or tap into the window to control the bot manually. There’s very low latency in these live controls, and the feed is clear and crisp. From here, you can take snapshots or videos of Ebo X’s surroundings, which will be saved to the onboard SD card, as well as to your phone if you’ve granted it permission to do so. You can also command the bot to return to its charging station, follow you, and patrol your home.

From the Security section on the main hub screen you can set up automations and map your home. Under the ‘My Task’ tab there are a number of suggested automations, or you can start from scratch by pressing the ‘+’ button in the upper-right hand corner. This is, at best, a tedious trial-and-error exercise in IFTTT-esque formatting, with highly limited and oddly organized triggers and results. There’s very little guidance on how to best use these tasks, and in fact I had to default to the reviewer’s guide sent to me by Enabot to set up the fall-detection automation. 

The mapping is similarly baffling, though more so because the bot just goes about it in a really bizarre way compared to other robot devices I’ve tested, like some of the best robot vacuums. I had to repeat the process several times to get a map somewhat resembling my home. Once completed, you can set up zones to keep Ebo X out of private spaces or isolate specific areas for observation.

Also accessible from the home screen is the Ebo Album, which stores videos and cameras captured by the bot and stored on its SD card, as well as a puzzlingly barren Alexa section, and a Joint Login section where you can add users to the app and set up facial recognition for you, your Enabot co-owners and other household members not registered on the app. 

In addition to the hub page there’s also a separate tab for the robot’s settings, where you can switch up the lights, brightness, volume and other Ebo X preferences. 

Under the final tab are the app settings, where you can find help and tips for controlling the Ebo X – if you can make head or tail of them. Once again, details are sparse, and you’ll likely end up going your own way to figure out whatever it is you need to know.

To connect the robot to Alexa you need the Alexa app, and you need to set up an Enabot account and then enable the Enabot skill in the Alexa app; this is a pretty clunky process, and I’m confused as to why there’s not more information on how to optimize Alexa’s presence in the bot on the app. 

App: 3/5

Should I buy?

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How I tested the Enabot Ebo X

  •  I used the Enabot Ebo X as my main home security device for three weeks 
  •  I tested all of its voice commands and app controls 
  •  I set up automations and trained its mapping feature for my home 
  • I tested the speakers with a variety of songs (Fleetwood Mac, Radiohead, Muse, Dua Lipa) as well as the onboard microphone. 

For my three-week testing period, I used the Enabot Ebo X as my primary home security device, mapping my home and setting up various automations to see how well it performed. 

Using the app, I explored all of Ebo X’s settings, changing its colors and configurations as well as testing how easy it was to customize the bot. I used its live feed mode, and experimented with its two-way audio and live recording, assessing the quality of the camera and footage captured. To test the speakers I listened to a variety of music of different genres, and compared the sound quality to various speakers around my home. Lastly, I tested the object recognition and navigation of the bot to see how well its AI and camera worked in tandem.

I’ve been testing smart home devices for two years, and referenced my previous experience both with robotics and smart cameras to assess the quality and value of the Ebo X.

Psync Camera Genie S review: smarter than your average smart home security cam
9:00 pm | November 12, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Home Security Smart Home | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

One-minute review

The Psync Camera Genie S is a new indoor home security camera with an AI-infused twist, and it could remedy a host of pet peeves you have with your current home security devices.

While I don't consider myself paranoid, I do have, at any given time, at least three of the best home security cameras surveilling my home. I've gotten used to all the alerts that usually let me know one of the cams detected some movement. The details are scant and because I am too cheap to play for cloud-based storage and services, I can almost never see said "movement".

The extent of detail most webcam image analysis offers is usually "person detected,"  "movement detected," or "sound detected."

Psync, though has a different idea with something it calls "ViewSay", featured on its new Psync Camera Genie S indoor smart home camera.

ViewSay uses GPT algorithms (actually a visual language model or VLM) to analyze the movement or any activity within the security camera's field of view to offer detailed descriptions of what's happening in your home. It's a very new implementation of this technology and the messages I've received over the last week have been almost uniformly hilarious. Psync's AI rarely gets the description right but I love how hard it tries.

Some users may not be thrilled that the AI-based image analysis (which will cost $0.99 a month) is done in the cloud using one frame of the video, but the good news is that the data is encrypted when it's stored on Amazon Web Servers (AWS) for analysis.

Leaving aside this kitschy highlight, this is a rather adept home security cam. It's compact, easy to set up, and is the rare webcam with a motorized remote control that lets you change its point of view (left and right or up and down) via the Psync app and from anywhere in the world. It can even, thanks to that physical versatility, track moving objects.

There's support for smart home majors like Amazon Alexa and Google but not for Apple HomeKit and, more distressingly, Matter - though full Matter support rollout for cameras doesn't come until next year, so there's hope yet.  

Even so, $34.99 for a Webcam with 32GB of onboard storage, LED lights for night imagery, remote control, and auto-tracking capabilities adds up to a nice starter home security webcam.

Psync Camera Genie S

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Psync Camera Genie S review: price and availability

  • List price: $34.99 (32GB) $39.99 (64GB)
  • $0.99 for AI features
  • Available in the US only

At just $34.99, the Psync Camera Genie S is among the more affordable home security cameras, falling in line with the WYZE Cam Pan v3 but without the outdoor capabilities. Of course, the WYZE Cam doesn't include any form of GPT intelligence.

Psync launched the product on November 1, 2023, and it's available online at the Psync website.

The box ships with the security cam, a USB-3-to-USB-C cable, and a power adapter (there's no battery option). There's also 32GB of internal storage.

Value: 4/5

Psync Camera Genie S: specifications

Psync Camera Genie S

Psync Camera Genie S folded (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Psync Camera Genie S review: design

  • Compact
  • Local storage
  • Lightweight
  • Rubberized bottom with tripod mount

I wouldn't normally say this, but Psync Camera Genie S is cute. Yes, it's a bit lightweight and boxy, but its ability to turn and look at whatever it's tracking adds a bit of life and, yes, might lead you to anthropomorphize it.

Where most modern smart home security cams are all curves and smooth lines, this is like a set of white blocks. There's a white base that houses the speaker and activity light (blue for live), and the L-shaped head that unfolds from the body and can point its small face, featuring an HD+ camera (it captures up to 1944 x 2592) and four LED lights, wherever you choose, or it can auto-track moving objects.

There are microphones and a speaker for conducting two-way communication but the speaker is also used to deliver messages from the Psync device. It can tell you, for example, that you have an incoming call.

Open, the security cam is 2.09 in. x 2.09 in. x 4.41 in. Folded, it's 2.09 in. x 2.09 in. x 2.41

Despite its diminutive size, this lightweight security cam isn't prone to sliding or falling over; there's a nice grippy rubberized base to keep the Psync Camera Genie S in place. If you want to attach it to a tripod, the base also includes a tripod screw mount.

I also appreciated that the included power cable is long enough to stretch it from an outlet near the floor to a window more than halfway up the wall.

One of my favorite Psnyc Camera Genie S tricks, however, is what it does when you power it down (through the app). It says "shutting down" and then folds into a near-perfect cube.

Design: 4/5

Psync Camera Genie S

Psync Camera Genie S base (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Psync Camera Genie S review: performance

  • Can detect and track motion
  • AI does its best to ID scenes
  • 2K video is sharp

Psync Camera Genie S interface

(Image credit: Future)

The best smart home devices are not just easy to use, they make setup a breeze. Psync's Camera Genie S fulfills that mission with a no-brainer setup through the app which (after one firmware update that virtually every new smart home hardware needs) had me keeping an eye on my home in no time.

The app is fairly well organized and should be obvious to even the most novice users. Most of the screen is filled with video feedback. The first thing I noticed is the relatively narrow field of view, especially compared to the indoor camera competition; it's just 84.9 degrees. However, the remedy to this narrow viewport can be found on the app, which offers a thumb-pad-style control for the camera's remote control features. The camera can tilt vertically by 135 degrees. More crucially, the entire camera can rotate a full 350 degrees on its round base.

Initially, I used these controls to look around a room from wherever I was. I've often been frustrated that I left an indoor home security camera pointing in one direction when a sound was coming from another. With the Psync camera, I can pan or tilt the camera to look directly at the action. There are no voice controls, despite its compatibility with Alexa and Google compatibility, but that's not too uncommon in cameras.

The other option, though it's hidden under a sub-menu, is the ability to let the camera track action on its own. When I turned this on and I walked in front of the camera, it would look me up and down and turn to watch me.

The default 2K resolution camera provides video and images you can zoom in on to see additional detail. Of course, the higher-resolution imagery might eat up your local storage a bit more quickly.

Psync Camera Genie S

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Next to the 2K camera is a series of four LEDs that it calls the "Spotlight". Instead of night vision, you can turn on these LEDs to illuminate a dark room. You can also control the brightness level and even set a schedule for the Spotlight. I'd prefer actual infrared night vision and the ability to turn on when the camera detects motion, but then you shouldn't expect that technology in a $34 indoor smart camera.

The app lets you switch to event view and then swipe vertically through all previously captured events. You can also save any of the videos to your phone camera roll and then share them more broadly.

Of course, the marquee feature is the new AI-based image analysis that translates into a description of what Psync Camera Genie S is spotting through its camera. Psync will charge $0.99 a month for this privilege and, to be honest, I'm not sure yet if it's worth it.

I got a ton of alerts from the camera and the majority of descriptions were comical. It could usually identify a human but often said they were carrying something, such as a basket when they weren't. It said an entire family was sitting around my dining room table when it was empty, and it misidentified scenes as well as objects. My favorite might have been when it was looking at my backyard and shed and said, "A person is walking past a garage with a motorcycle parked inside, and a child is playing in the yard." The backyard was empty, my shed was closed, I don't own a motorcycle, and no one was in my backyard.

Generally, Psync's powers of observation were average at best. It did eventually properly identify my wife standing in our living room looking at her phone, but that was a rare hit.

To be fair, these are early days, and I suspect that this AI will get smarter and more effective in identifying people, places, and things.

Performance: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Psync Camera Genie S indoor camera?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Psync Camera Genie S review: Also consider

Decided against the Psync Camera Genie S? Why not check out these alternatives...

How I tested the WiZ Indoor camera

  • I tested the Psync Camera Genie S for two weeks in my home
  • I set it up in various rooms in my house and allowed the app to send me alerts based on what the camera detected.

I used the Psync Camera Genie S for two weeks in my home, monitoring my kitchen, living room, den, and backyard (through a window). 

I had the benefit of using a system whitelisted for access to the $0.99-a-month AI features. this meant all of the object and motion detection descriptions I received were quite descriptive, if not always accurate. 

I compared the camera to the other indoor and outdoor cameras I have throughout my home.

Read more about how we test.

First reviewed November 2023

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