The Redmi 15 4G was initially launched last month, and today the brand has reached out to us to let us know that it's finally made it to the UK. You can have one with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for £159. If you want 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, you'll have to pay £189.
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It's available in three colorways: Sandy Purple, Titan Gray, and Midnight Black. It comes with a 6.9-inch 1080x2340 LCD screen with 144Hz refresh rate, 288Hz touch sampling rate, 850-nit peak brightness, and Gorilla Glass 3 on top, and it's powered by the Snapdragon 685...
You could say I’ve had a busy past few days – between rocking the AirPods Pro 3 and fully reviewing the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch SE 3, I’ve also been daily-driving the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
It’s finally a proper upgrade for the most rugged, go-anywhere, climb-every-mountain Apple Watch. In 2024, it got a slight spec bump and a fresh paint job, but for 2025 Apple’s really rounding out the Ultra 3 in a way that makes it a compelling upgrade for folks with the first or second generation Ultra, especially the former.
I’m still in the midst of testing, so consider this my review-in-progress, and my early impressions of the Apple Watch Ultra 3, beyond the environs of Apple Park and the launch event. TechRadar’s Senior Fitness & Wearables Editor Matt Evans – himself a smartwatch aficionado – will also be weighing in soon, putting the Ultra 3 (and himself) through a battery of fitness, health, and exercise tests.
Apple Watch Ultra 3: Price and availability
$799 in US
£749 in UK
AU$1,399
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is available for $799 / £749 / AU$1,399. This is the same price as its predecessor in most regions, although the Ultra 3 is slightly cheaper in the UK – the Apple Watch Ultra 2 cost £799 in the UK, so the Ultra 3 is better value there.
Apple Watch Ultra 3: Design
(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)
Same 49mm case as Ultra 2
Slightly larger screen
Recycled Natural or Black Titanium finishes
In the same way that Apple is sticking with the rounded 'squircle' look of previous iterations for its Series 11 smartwatch, it’s clear that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is sticking with its tried-and-tested design here. It still offers a supersized 49-millimeter display in a thicker, more durable titanium body.
The Ultra 3 comes in Natural Titanium or Black Titanium, and I’ve been testing the latter, which looks especially sleek. You can pair it with a custom-match Ultra Milanese Loop – a personal favorite band of mine – with one of the new 2025 options, like the Trail Loop, which now features reflective material on the edges, or with older bands that fit the 49mm / 46mm / 44mm sizes.
One change Apple made here is using a 3D printing process to build the case from recycled titanium, though you won’t notice any difference in appearance. The display, however, is seriously improved. Like the Series 11 – and the Series 10 before it – the Ultra 3 now boasts an always-on Retina OLED display with an LTPO3 panel, giving it finer control over the refresh rate for additional smoothness in motion. This shines with watch faces like the new Flow, Waypoint, or Exactograph.
It also enables wide-angle viewing, so even when glancing to the side you have a better chance of reading what’s on the display – I’ve found this especially helpful when checking notifications with my arm extended or in low brightness. Apple has also slimmed down the bezels by 24% all around. While noticeable when comparing the Ultra 3 to the Ultra 2 side by side, it’s most apparent when viewing maps – like hiking trails – or photos on the 49mm display.
The Ultra 3’s display can flex its brightness from as high as 3,000 nits in peak sunlight to as low as 1 nit in darkness. Much of the interface uses the Liquid Glass design language introduced in watchOS 26; and even though it looks snappy, it’s also plenty fast for handling actions thanks to the S10 chip inside.
It still charges with the same magnetic puck included in the box, but now supports faster charging.
Satellite connectivity for communication makes a lot of sense on a device that you’re likely to be wearing into areas without cell service, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the first Apple Watch to support satellite connectivity.
The headline feature Apple announced at its September launch event was Emergency SOS via Satellite, and while I hope you never need it, I did get a demo at Apple Park. Much like the iPhone’s satellite connectivity, it walks you through the process of sending an alert: identifying the issue, guiding you on how to point your wrist for a satellite connection, packaging the info, sending it into orbit, and beaming a response back down.
In the demo, we triggered SOS on the Ultra 3 by dialing 911. Once it realized there was no grid connection, it began sending an emergency text via satellite. The watch guided us through a questionnaire – we selected “lost or trapped,” confirmed it was just us, and noted no active injuries. This is especially handy if you’re lost on a trail. As a final step, you can also notify emergency contacts.
The watch then instructed us to move our wrist left until it locked onto a satellite. At that point, it packaged the watch’s location, questionnaire details, and the linked medical ID. A relay center receives this data and can send messages back down.
This was, of course, a demo, but it shows how impressively the system works. Notably, it can sometimes transmit data without you moving your wrist, which could be helpful if it’s triggered as a backup during crash or fall detection.
Emergency SOS via Satellite is available for free for two years in the United States – though Apple has a history of extending that – and in the UK and Australia, it’s also free, along with the additional Find My features, which also operate via satellite. I was able to test Find My myself, but in the US, Find My and Messages require an active cellular plan.
(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)
With Find My, you can send a basic message (with a character limit) via satellite and even update your Find My location. You’ll go through the same process of moving your Ultra 3 into the right path of a satellite as it passes overhead. With Find My, you’ll know the location was updated this way via a satellite icon on the map next to the person.
Satellite connectivity is a genuinely useful addition to the Ultra 3, and I’m keen to test the Messages and Find My functions more. Beyond this, the Ultra 3 also gets a number of new features as part of watchOS 26, including the Liquid Glass interface, new apps like Notes, and a new Wrist Flick gesture.
Just like the Series 11 and SE 3 – as well as some older models that can run watchOS 26 – the Ultra 3 also gets the new Sleep Score. This builds upon the watch’s ability to track sleep and detail time spent in each stage but now quantifies it with a score from 0 to 100. I’m really enjoying this feature so far, and it feels like it’s about time it arrived here.
The Ultra 3 also adds Hypertension Notifications, meaning that on a rolling 30-day basis, the watch can alert you to potential hypertension (high blood pressure) and recommends you see a doctor for a full diagnosis. This feature is FDA-approved for use in the US.
While the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is technically getting an upgrade to the S10 chip, it’s mostly a repackaged version of the S9 chip found in the Ultra 2. The good news is that the Ultra 3 still feels just as responsive as the other new Apple Watches and competing smartwatches on the market. I think you’d be hard-pressed to slow it down.
This is paired with a new 5G antenna and redesigned antenna band visible around the outer lip of the watch. Apple says it’s more efficient than the previous onboard antenna, and can use two bands at once when needed to improve reception.
Apple also redesigned the internals of the Ultra 3, and thanks to that, there’s a bigger battery inside. Apple rates the Ultra 3 for up to 42 hours with normal use, and I’ve easily been hitting a long day and a half with sleep tracking before noticing a meaningful drop in battery life. It’s simply a powerhouse, and I’ll be testing it more, including the Low Power Mode that can stretch runtime to a remarkable 72 hours.
It's been a hectic release cycle for Apple's wearables, with the heart-rate monitoring AirPods Pro 3, the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch SE 3 all dropping at once. However, we're here to talk about Apple's flagship fitness powerhouse: the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
It’s finally a proper upgrade for the most rugged, go-anywhere, climb-every-mountain Apple Watch. In 2024, it got a slight spec bump and a fresh paint job, but for 2025 Apple’s really rounding out the Ultra 3 in a way that makes it a compelling upgrade for folks with the first or second generation Ultra, especially the former.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 has been tested extensively, both at Apple Park and beyond the environs of the launch event. TechRadar’s Senior Fitness & Wearables Editor Matt Evans and US Managing Editor for News, Jacob Krol, have pulled double-duty on this review, testing it to develop a complete picture of how the Apple Watch Ultra 3 operates as a daily driver. Spoiler alert: it's great.
Apple Watch Ultra 3: Price and availability
$799 in US
£749 in UK
AU$1,399
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is available for $799 / £749 / AU$1,399. This is the same price as its predecessor in most regions, although the Ultra 3 is slightly cheaper in the UK – the Apple Watch Ultra 2 cost £799 in the UK, so the Ultra 3 is better value there.
It's the most expensive Apple Watch, and 5G comes as standard, with no option to downgrade unlike other models. Whether it's good value entirely depends: if you're a casual exerciser or gym-goer looking to stretch your budget, this is more watch than you'll need and we'd advise you to get the Series 11 or SE 3.
If you're an outdoor enthusiast looking for a top-flight watch with a longer battery life, this is a terrific option.
Value score: 4/5
Apple Watch Ultra 3: Design
(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)
Same 49mm case as Ultra 2
Slightly larger screen
Recycled Natural or Black Titanium finishes
In the same way that Apple is sticking with the rounded 'squircle' look of previous iterations for its Series 11 smartwatch, it’s clear that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 rocks its tried-and-tested design here. It still offers a supersized 49-millimeter display in a thicker, more durable titanium body.
The Ultra 3 comes in Natural Titanium or Black Titanium, and I’ve (Jake) been testing the latter, which looks especially sleek. You can pair it with a custom-match Ultra Milanese Loop – a personal favorite band of mine – with one of the new 2025 options, like the Trail Loop, which now features reflective material on the edges, or with older bands that fit the 49mm / 46mm / 44mm sizes.
One change Apple made here is using a 3D printing process to build the case from recycled titanium, though you won’t notice any difference in appearance. The display, however, is seriously improved. Like the Series 11 – and the Series 10 before it – the Ultra 3 now boasts an always-on Retina OLED display with an LTPO3 panel, giving it finer control over the refresh rate for additional smoothness in motion. This shines with watch faces like the new Flow, Waypoint, or Exactograph.
It also enables wide-angle viewing, so even when glancing to the side you have a better chance of reading what’s on the display – I’ve found this especially helpful when checking notifications with my arm extended or in low brightness. Apple has also slimmed down the bezels by 24% all around. While noticeable when comparing the Ultra 3 to the Ultra 2 side by side, it’s most apparent when viewing maps – like hiking trails – or photos on the 49mm display.
The Ultra 3’s display can flex its brightness from as high as 3,000 nits in peak sunlight to as low as 1 nit in darkness. Much of the interface uses the Liquid Glass design language introduced in watchOS 26; and even though it looks snappy, it’s also plenty fast for handling actions thanks to the S10 chip inside.
It still charges with the same magnetic puck included in the box, but now supports faster charging.
Satellite connectivity for communication makes a lot of sense on a device that you’re likely to be wearing into areas without cell service, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the first Apple Watch to support satellite connectivity.
The headline feature Apple announced at its September launch event was Emergency SOS via Satellite, and while I hope you never need it, we have used the demo version available on the watch. Much like the iPhone’s satellite connectivity, it walks you through the process of sending an alert: identifying the issue, guiding you on how to point your wrist for a satellite connection, packaging the info, sending it into orbit, and beaming a response back down.
In the demo, you trigger SOS on the Ultra 3 by dialing 911, 999 or your country's emergency code. Once it realized there was no grid connection, it began sending an emergency text via satellite. The watch guided us through a questionnaire – we selected “lost or trapped,” confirmed it was just us, and noted no active injuries. This is especially handy if you’re lost on a trail. As a final step, you can also notify emergency contacts.
The watch then instructed us to move our wrist left until it locked onto a satellite. At that point, it packaged the watch’s location, questionnaire details, and the linked medical ID. A relay center receives this data and can send messages back down.
This was, of course, a demo, but it shows how impressively the system works. Notably, it can sometimes transmit data without you moving your wrist, which could be helpful if it’s triggered as a backup during crash or fall detection.
Emergency SOS via Satellite is available for free for two years in the United States – though Apple has a history of extending that – and in the UK and Australia, it’s also free, along with the additional Find My features, which also operate via satellite. I was able to test Find My myself, but in the US, Find My and Messages require an active cellular plan.
(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)
With Find My, you can send a basic message (with a character limit) via satellite and even update your Find My location. You’ll go through the same process of moving your Ultra 3 into the right path of a satellite as it passes overhead. With Find My, you’ll know the location was updated this way via a satellite icon on the map next to the person.
Satellite connectivity is a genuinely useful addition to the Ultra 3, and I’m keen to test the Messages and Find My functions more. Beyond this, the Ultra 3 also gets a number of new features as part of watchOS 26, including the Liquid Glass interface, new apps like Notes, and a new Wrist Flick gesture.
Just like the Series 11 and SE 3 – as well as some older models that can run watchOS 26 – the Ultra 3 also gets the new Sleep Score. This builds upon the watch’s ability to track sleep and detail time spent in each stage but now quantifies it with a score from 0 to 100. I’m really enjoying this feature so far, and it feels like it’s about time it arrived here.
The Ultra 3 also adds Hypertension Notifications, meaning that on a rolling 30-day basis, the watch can alert you to potential hypertension (high blood pressure) and recommends you see a doctor for a full diagnosis. This feature is FDA-approved for use in the US.
While the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is technically getting an upgrade to the S10 chip, it’s mostly a repackaged version of the S9 chip found in the Ultra 2. The good news is that the Ultra 3 still feels just as responsive as the other new Apple Watches and competing smartwatches on the market. I think you’d be hard-pressed to slow it down.
This is paired with a new 5G antenna and redesigned antenna band visible around the outer lip of the watch. Apple says it’s more efficient than the previous onboard antenna, and can use two bands at once when needed to improve reception.
Apple also redesigned the internals of the Ultra 3, and thanks to that, there’s a bigger battery inside. Apple rates the Ultra 3 for up to 42 hours with normal use.
Features score: 4/5
Apple Watch Ultra 3: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Battery life better than described
Very accurate heart rate
New Sleep Score is nice to have
Matt here! The Apple Watch Ultra 3 performs as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 did during extended testing: it’s simply good to use on a day-to-day basis. The screen is easily brightened, and at max intensity it makes other watches with otherwise-bright AMOLED screens seem dull. Sorry, Garmin Venu 4, you just don’t quite cut it here.
Speaking of, now I’ve had the opportunity to test the Apple Watch Ultra 3’s fitness credentials, I’m happy to say they pass muster. I tested it against an industry-standard heart rate monitor, the Polar H10, during a 20-minute stationary cycle and a 45-minute run, also comparing the GPS readings from the latter against a Garmin watch.
The Ultra 3 is successful in all respects, especially during heart rate monitoring. During both tests, the Ultra 3’s heart rate readings cleaved very closely to the Polar H10, with only 1bpm difference in the ‘average heart rate’ metric and very similar-looking graphs. I’ve not yet tested it underwater, but given that we had a diver conduct a test with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and rated it fine for recreational dives, I’d be very surprised if anything changed here.
The Sleep Score being added to Apple Watches was long overdue, and it’s nice to see more contextual information available on the Apple Health app. The feature is really supported by the Ultra 3’s longer battery life, which during testing, allowed me to leap out of bed and into the day without needing to charge the watch at all. Apple’s battery life claims of 42 hours are accurate even with normal use, including a 45-minute run. With careful use and low-power mode, it’ll easily last several days.
I’ve not had to test the emergency satellite communication for real, but the demo features as described above work a treat. Really, it’s been a great experience, as you’d expect: I’ve loaded the watch up with my favorite third-party apps (Strava, Audible, Spotify, AllTrails, all the usual suspects) and it’s just a really solid daily driver with accurate metrics and a longer-than-ever battery life. If you’re looking to really push the watch’s capabilities, the extreme sports functionalities are there if you need them.
(Image credit: Future)
Performance score: 5/5
Apple Watch Ultra 3: Scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Value
The most expensive Apple Watch, and more than most will need.
4/5
Design
Utilitarian and functional, with the best display in smartwatches.
5/5
Features
Great, but not a huge amount to separate it from the Ultra 2.
4/5
Performance
Taken on its own merits, outstanding in every respect.
5/5
Apple Watch Ultra 3: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
You want the best Apple Watch
This is the top of the range, bar none, so if money is no object the Ultra 3 is the one to get.
You’re an extreme sports fan
Want satellite messaging in the wilderness, or a working dive computer without paying for a specialist device? The Ultra 3 has you covered.
You want more battery life
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 packs almost double the battery life of the Apple Watch Series 11, and more than the Ultra 2.
Don't buy it if...
You’re a casual exerciser
For most runners, hikers or gym bunnies, this is more watch than you’ll ever need.
You’re not intending to add to a data plan
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is 5G capable by default, and you’re paying for the extra infrastructure.
You don’t use an Apple phone
It sounds obvious, but if you’re not already using or intending to switch to iPhone with this purchase, you may as well get a Garmin or Samsung Galaxy Ultra.
Also consider
Garmin Fenix 8
The best system-agnostic adventure watch you can buy.
Both Jacob and Matt, who share credit on this review, tested the Apple Watch Ultra 3 during and after its launch period. We wore it constantly, draining the battery down and charging it back up, and Matt performed fitness tests against a Polar H10 heart rate monitor and other smartwatches. We loaded the watches with third-party apps, tested its demo satellite navigation feature, and wore it to bed to determine Sleep Scores.
Hailing from parent company, Xiaomi, Dreame is fast becoming a popular sub-brand with an extensive product lineup. Ranging from wet-dry vacuums, air purifiers, robot vacuums (including a robot lawnmower), cordless stick vacuums and hair dryers, Dreame has it all, and across different budgets, too.
While its high-end robovacs are items to dream about (pun intended), as you can see in our Dreame X50 Ultra review, I’m in love with a much cheaper product that helps me clean up after my pets. The affordable Dreame U20 has become my lifesaver, combining Dyson-like tech with the signature Dreame style. It’s a versatile and lightweight cordless vacuum that delivers great performance for an exceptionally low cost, as it’s very frequently discounted.
Its color scheme belies its budget price point – available in a gorgeous gold and beige colourway, the Dreame U20 looks far more premium than its $249.99 / £250 / AU$399.99 price point suggests.
What I found even more impressive is its suction. For the price, its 120AW power isn’t bad at all, which isn’t too far off the Shark Cordless Detect Pro’s 123AW of suction, and yet it was more than enough to clean my pup’s fur off my sofa and carpets well. Needless to say, it handles hard floors very easily, making it a candidate for being one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners.
It comes with the standard attachments, including a multi-surface brush head with LED blue lights to illuminate dark areas, a mini motorized brush for cleaning upholstery, a crevice tool and a removable battery that's rated for up to 60 minutes.
Realistically, though, you'll get no more 37-40 minutes when using the two motorized attachments on the lowest suction, but that's fine for smaller homes – I can easily vacuum my living area, two bedrooms and two bathrooms within that time. However, if you mostly have carpets, I found it can take longer to get it clean as you may need to go back and forth a few times, thus consuming more battery. The only battery indicator on the U20 is a tiny light on the end cap, which is hard to see while in use, and it blinks when it’s running low. There’s also no quick charging here, and the vacuum can take up to 3.5 hours to fully recharge.
The only other downside to this otherwise great buy is that the dustbin capacity is only 0.5L, meaning you might need to empty it frequently if you have a large home with pets. If you don't need any more bells and whistles, the Dreame U20 is easy to recommend as a top-notch budget cordless vacuum cleaner.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Dreame U20 review: price & availability
List price: $249.99 / £250 / AU$399
Availability: Sold in the US, UK and Australia at third-party retailers
The Dreame U20 can be picked up in the US at Target for a list price of $249.99. It’s also available on Instacart, with supplies stocked at Costco and other smaller retailers. It is currently not available on Dreame's US store.
In the UK, the list price is £250, and you can pick it up from Amazon UK or Curry's, but again, the vacuum is currently unavailable at the brand's UK store.
For customers living in Australia, Amazon AU lists it for AU$399.99, but it's typically discounted to AU$199.99. Even in Australia, the U20 isn't available on the Dreame website.
The Dreame website lists 27 countries where its devices are available, including the U20. If you're having trouble finding the product, check their website to see if it's available where you live.
Even at full price, the Dreame U20 represents superb value for money, particularly if you can find it at a discounted price. Admittedly it's a very basic model, so if you want a touch more suction, Dreame has other mid-range models, with the Dreame R20 review scoring very well for balancing price and performance.
Value for money score: 5 out of 5
Dreame U20 review: specs
Type:
Cordless stick vacuum
Bagless:
Yes
Weight:
7.27 lbs / 3.3kg
Bin size:
0.5 liters / 500ml
Max runtime:
60 mins
Charge time:
3.5 hours
Tools:
Multi-surface brush head, motorized mini brush head, wide combination crevice tool and extension rod
Power:
120AW
Dreame U20 review: design
Compact cordless stick vacuum in a lovely color scheme
Five attachments, including LED multi-surface brush, mini motorized brush and combination tool
Can be used as a stick vacuum or a small handheld vacuum
I’m new to the world of vacuum testing, with just one other for sister site Tom’s Guide under my belt. Needless to say, the Dreame U20 has been quite the dream, especially when it came to design. For me, the gold and beige colorway was a winner, a stray away from the typical grey or black of other competitors. It lends the affordable vacuum a classy look.
Other than that, the Dreame U20 has a stock-standard design which allows it to become a handheld unit quickly for cleaning cars, sofas, mattresses and, hey, even dog beds. To pair with the handheld unit, there’s a motorized mini brush in the box that would be handy for said dog bed and the sofa. It could even be used on carpeted stairs.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
It has a trigger, like most Dyson models, but you don’t need to keep this pressed at all times to run the machine – you just need to click it on and off. There’s just one other control button on the motor’s end cap to change suction modes and that should be easy to reach for most users with the thumb when holding the U20.
The main floor-cleaning attachment is called the Multi-Surface Brush, which features LED blue lights that help illuminate the floor in front of the brush head but don’t highlight miniscule dust particles like Dyson’s Fluffy tool does. And that’s OK because it still helps you see in dark areas – for example, I was able to see scattered kitty litter in an unlit bathroom.
The other attachment in the box is a combination crevice tool, but a wall-mount kit also ships with the vacuum in case you want to stow it away in a convenient place without compromising floor space.
Weighing 3.3kg / 7.27lbs, the Dreame U20 isn't exactly lightweight (in comparison, the Shark Cordless Detect Pro weighs 2.7kg / 5.9lbs), but it's still very easy to push around. It measures 16cm x 30cm x 68cm with the extension rod attached.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
The 120AW motor is capable of running at three different speed modes, indicated by three lights on the end cap of the motor. You can switch between the speed settings (low, medium and high) by tapping the button directly below the lights and switching it on by using the trigger. For most cleans, I found I tended to flick between medium and high, especially when cleaning carpets.
According to Dreame, the U20 motor has a multi-layer filtration system that captures up to 99.9% of fine dust and particles. Its HEPA filter also keeps debris out of the air and inside the bin while vacuuming, which is pretty standard for any cordless vacuum cleaner these days.
For its price point, the 0.5L bin is quite standard, but it'll likely fill up fast if you have, say, a two-bedroom or larger home with pets, meaning you'll need to make more trips to empty it. The bin has a handy sticker on the front (which I did refer back to many times) that indicates how to insert or remove it to empty, and its as simple as pushing the button on the base and twisting the canister clockwise. After detaching, all you have to do is unscrew the filter from the container to remove the debris – finer dust or crumbs fall out easily, but you may need to get your fingers inside to remove clumps of hair from the bin.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
The detachable battery pack could be handy for some users as you can clip it into the wall-mount attachment and begin charging it while you’re emptying the vacuum for example. However, if you’re a renter who can't drill holes into your wall – like me – you can leave the battery attached to the U20 and keep the vacuum propped up against a wall or in a cupboard for topping up.
It lacks an LCD screen to show suction modes or time remaining before the next charge. Instead, the battery life is displayed by a small vertical light on the pack itself, which flashes when it needs charging. It's unfortunate that it faces forward, so it’s not visible to the user, and neither is it a very noticeable light – and this is my biggest complaint with the Dreame U20 as there were a few instances where the machine shut down mid-clean during my testing.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
The U20’s multi-surface brush head is quite similar to many floor-cleaning attachments from other brands, but it features blue LED lights on the front that illuminate two small triangular sections of the floor immediately in front of the brush head. While it looks similar to Dyson’s green dust-illuminating light on the Fluffy Optic, this blue light doesn’t highlight invisible dust on the floor, but I found it’s bright and vivid enough to help walk around in a dark room without bumping into things. Case in point: it perfectly showed scattered kitty litter in an unlit bathroom that was, at the time, pitch dark.
The brush also has V-shaped bristles with comb-like teeth – in my experience, this not only prevents tangles effectively, but can pick up human hair and pet fur from low-pile carpets just as well.
This brush head is quite flexible, rotating 90º around chair legs and furniture. It’s also not as large as you’d find on other (more expensive) vacuum cleaners and I found it can get into corners, which is particularly helpful in my pet hair-filled home.
My favorite attachment, however, is the motorized mini brush, which clips in just under the bin for handheld use. It’s just right for sucking up fur from my couch and cushions – it’s both maneuvrable and anti-tangle.
If it wasn’t for the missing display to check battery life, I’d say that Dreame would deserve top marks for the U20’s design.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Dreame U20 review: performance
Excellent maneuverability
Impressive performance on hard floors and low-pile carpets
Lower suction than competitors but still tackles pet hair well
I've spent a few months with the Dreame U20 (as of publishing this review) and I still can’t get over how impressive its maneuverability is. The 90º rotating main brush head makes it very easy to clean around chair legs and furniture and I had no trouble handling the 3.3kg / 7.2lbs vacuum. That said, if you are using the extension tube to clean ceiling corners, the U20 could begin to feel heavy for some users quickly.
The controls are well placed, which are as simple as pushing the end cap button to select the speed and hitting the trigger underneath. And as I’ve mentioned previously, there’s no need to keep the latter depressed continuously for power like a Dyson.
Speaking of power: sure, we could ask for higher suction than its 120AW, but given its price point, it’s hard to argue with what it has. If you do need better performance, you could consider the Dreame R20 (if it’s available where you live), but I found the U20 does an admirable job nonetheless. It can struggle on some carpets as you will need to go over a particular spot multiple times to get a deeper clean, and I've found myself needing to push with full shoulder force on occasion.
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(Image credit: TechRadar)
Throughout my testing, the Dreame U20 impressed in more ways than one. I performed TechRadar’s standard tests for vacuum cleaners, sprinkling a smattering of oats and tea from a bag on both my hardwood and carpeted floors. As an extra measure, I also made sure the floors had extra pet debris – i.e. kitty litter and fur – which were my two motivations for purchasing the U20 in the first place.
During the hardwood mess test, the U20 performed remarkably well on the lowest speed setting in picking up most of the oats. I needed to boost the speed to the second (or medium) setting to do another pass to pick up every last speck of oats, though, but that left the hard floor entirely clean.
As for the tea, the U20 did a better job, sucking it all up in one go on the low setting, so it handles lighter and smaller dirt better than larger debris. It was the same for pet hair on hardwood – all strands got sucked up in one pass on the low setting. The vacuum struggled a touch with kitty litter, leaving a few specks behind on hard floors in a single pass, but it was cleaned up in the second go.
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I wasn’t expecting as impressive a performance on carpets, but the U20 did better than I had anticipated on a low-pile carpet in my tests, quickly removing the oats and tea dust from a bag in one pass on the low suction setting. It will, however, struggle with medium and high-pile carpets, particularly if the dust and debris is deep-seated, although loose dirt will come away if you give the area a few gos with the U20.
In terms of pet hair on carpet, the U20 did indeed struggle at the lowest setting, leaving more than a few strands behind after the first pass. The U20 performed the best with pet hair on the same low-pile carpet at maximum suction, and didn't require several passes to get the job done. The kitty litter yielded a similar result to the hardwood floor test, but I needed to boost suction again to pick up every last piece.
While it can tackle low-pile carpets with ease, pet hair embedded in medium- or high-pile carpets will remain even after several passes – you can expect about 80% off the fur to be sucked up from these kinds of flooring.
As a pet mum, it was important to me to own a vacuum cleaner with a tangle-free brush, as I’ve often painstakingly cleaned out wads of hair from cleaning attachments of older machines. I was thrilled to find that the U20's V-shaped bristles were especially impressive at leaving no evidence of entanglements. That's made ongoing maintenance of the vacuum easier.
This sentiment also rang true for the mini motor brush when cleaning my couch and cushions. It does, however, require several passes when using the handheld motor and mini brush to clean up pet hair due to its smaller footprint, but it still worked a treat.
The U20 collects a nice volume of hair in its 0.5L bin, and I have particularly enjoyed how easy it is to empty the bin with a twist of the base. If you are a pet owner with a shedding furry friend, then I would recommend the U20 for a quick, daily tidy-up, but you might want to consider other pet-focused vacuum cleaners, like the Shark Stratos Pet Pro (IZ400), as they usually have a larger-capacity bin and boast more suction power.
Despite its relatively lower suction and smaller bin, the U20 performs very well, given its budget price – it's very easy to recommend for quick clean-ups.
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Dreame U20 review: battery life
Average battery life for an affordable cordless vacuum
3.5-hour charging time
Expect shorter runtimes if the floor is dirty
According to Dreame, the U20 has a battery life of up to 60 minutes on a full charge, and takes around 3.5 hours to top up from practically empty. Take that number with a pinch of salt, as it indicates runtime when using non-motorized tools, which in this case is the combination crevice attachment only.
With a motorized head like the main floor cleaner and the mini brush, I found that it lasts a maximum of 37 minutes on its lowest setting – and there’s no dynamic suction here to drain the battery faster. At TechRadar, we've tested over a hundred vacuum cleaners over the last decade, and we've found that the average battery life for a budget cordless vacuum is around 40 minutes, which puts the U20 on par with others, including the Dyson V8 .
Higher the suction, the faster the battery will drain, of course and, in testing, I got about 17 minutes of runtime on a full charge when set to maximum. That’s not bad, considering some premium models like the Dyson V15 Detect can give you lesser runtime on Boost mode (about 8 minutes on a dirty mid-pile carpet), although it automatically adjusts suction power to suit the amount of dirt it detects.
So while the U20 has average battery runtime, I’d recommend it for smaller homes or something for the shed, perhaps.
Battery life score: 4 out of 5
Should you buy the Dreame U20?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Often on sale, the U20 is an excellent budget option with great performance.
5/5
Design
The color combination makes it look premium, and its attachments are useful. It would have been good if there was a better way to gauge battery life.
4/5
Performance
Great for everyday, quick cleaning, even of pet hair, on hard floors and low-pile carpets, but it may struggle on particularly dirty mid- and high-pile carpets.
4.5/5
Battery
Rated for up to 60 minutes, but expect about 35 minutes in real-world use on low power.
4/5
Buy it if...
You need something to quickly clean up after your pet
The U20 handled masses of pet hair quite well, thanks to its V-shaped multi-surface brush head.
You want something easy to maneuver
It might be heavier than the likes of the Shark Cordless Detect Pro (which weighs around 2.7kg / 5.9lbs), but its swivelling main brush head makes it very easy to move around, particularly on hard floors.
Don't buy it if...
You live in a large home
With average battery life for its price point, the U20 is better suited for smaller areas or homes that don't require extensive vacuuming.
You want the latest vacuuming tech
The U20 doesn't house the most advanced features, it even misses out on an LED screen to display battery life. If you don’t want something this basic, you’ll need to look elsewhere and spend more money.
Dreame U20: alternatives to consider
Product:
Dreame U20 (reviewed)
Shark Cordless Detect Pro
Dyson V8
Weight:
7.27lbs / 3.3kg
6lbs / 2.7kg
3.48lbs / 1.58kg
Bin volume:
0.5L
0.4L
0.54L
Max runtime:
60 mins
40 mins
40 mins
Accessories:
Multi-surface brush head, motorized mini brush head, wide combination crevice tool and extension rod
Duster, crevice tool, optional auto-empty dock (costs extra)
2 x floorheads, Hair screw tool, Combination tool, Crevice tool
Shark Cordless Detect Pro
The Shark Cordless Detect Pro costs a lot more than the U20, but it has better suction and, you can opt for the additional auto-emptying dock, which is handy as the onboard bin canister here is very small. However, it's often discounted and, until it was displaced by the Shark PowerDetect, it used to be our pick of the best cordless vacuum for most people.
Despite receiving a newer upgrade in September 2025, the older Dyson V8 is still a strong choice, especially since this too can be had for a good discount. It boast good performance and suction, with up to 40 minutes of runtime on its standard setting. It's extremely lightweight at 1.58kg / 3.48lbs, but it lacks some of the useful features of newer Dyson models, and it might not always represent the best value for everyone.
TechRadar adopts a strict testing regime for all its products so potential buyers know exactly what they're getting. To comply with the testing, I used the machine for a few months before putting it through some rigorous carpet and hard-floor tests using common pantry items, such as tea and raw oats. I also took into account the device's ergonomics, design and overall experience to determine my final verdict.
The V16 Piston Animal is Dyson's new flagship stick vacuum, and it boasts a number of upgrades over its predecessors. Based on specs, this is the best Dyson vacuum you can buy. I've been busy testing it for three weeks to see how it matches up to the rest of the best cordless vacuums around, and it's a tale of two halves.
Let's start with the good bits. The dust compactor works extremely well and is a logical, solidly useful addition. It gives you more cleaning time without having to empty the bin, and when you do come to that part, the same mechanism expels the contents easily, with no need for fingers to get involved.
Dyson has redesigned the attachment mechanism so that you can connect and release attachments on the end of the wand without having to bend down. This seems like an effort-saver, and should also help those with mobility issues, although it does mean this vacuum isn't compatible with older attachments.
Generally speaking, the cleaning power is excellent, and the Auto mode has been improved so it now offers intelligent adjustment of not only suction power but also brushroll speed, based on floor type and dirt levels.
However, despite various technical improvements, the V16 unfortunately performed worse in our suction tests than both the Gen5detect and V15 Detect – the two previous flagship models. Specifically, it failed to pick up fine particles as efficiently, and it had a tendency to push large debris around rather than sucking it up.
That poorer performance, I think, is down to the floorhead, which has been given a big old redesign, and which is the source of my other big complaint with the V16. While the conical rollers do work well to prevent hair tangles, Dyson has also tapered the front of the floorhead so it comes to a slight point. That's a pain when you're trying to clean along the straight edge of a room, and especially so in situations when you can't approach from the side.
A couple of final notes before I crack on with the finer details of my tests. This is officially the first app-connected Dyson cordless, but at time of writing there weren't any in-app settings to explore. There's also a Submarine version available, with an extra mopping floorhead included (not reviewed here).
That's the short version; read on for my in-depth Dyson V16 Piston Animal review.
The V16 Piston Animal was unveiled at the start of September, and is on sale now in territories including the UK and Australia. It will be available in the US, but not until sometime in 2026.
The regular version has a list price of £749.99 / AU$1,349 (the US list price will be released closer to the launch date). A Submarine version is also available, with an extra mopping floorhead, at a list price of £899.99 / AU$1,599.
For comparison, this model's predecessor, the Gen5detect, costs £769.99 / AU$1,549. The model below that, the V15 Detect, is £649.99 / AU$1,449.
Those prices position the V16 firmly in the premium price bracket, and make it one of the most expensive vacuums on the market. It's interesting to note that it's actually slightly cheaper than the Gen5detect in the UK (although that older model will attract more discounts). Perhaps Dyson feels it has reached the limit of what people will realistically pay for a vacuum cleaner, no matter how many advancements it crams in.
In its favor, I will say the V16 looks and feels premium. It has been meticulously designed and is packed with features – including some you can't find anywhere else on the market.
That said, it's a lot to spend on a vacuum, and for many people it won't be worth it. Personally, I'd keep an eye out for a discount on a V15 or Gen5detect.
Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5
Dyson V16 Piston Animal specs
Weight (total):
7.5 lbs / 3.4kg
Weight (body only):
4.9 lbs / 2.2kg
Bin size:
1.3L
Max runtime:
70 mins
Charge time:
3hrs 30
Dimensions (H x L x W):
10.2 x 51.1 x 9.8 inches / 25.9 x 129.8 x 25cm
Filter:
99.9% to 0.1 microns
Max suction:
315 AW
Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: design
Redesigned anti-tangle floorhead with conical rollers
Manual compression lever on bin
Automatic power and roller speed adjustment based on floor type
The V16 Piston is a premium cordless stick vacuum with a number of useful features, many of which are new to the Dyson lineup.
Key amongst the new additions – and the reason for the 'Piston' in the name – is a compression lever on the dust cup. This can be pushed down to squish dust and hair and increase dustbin capacity, and is also designed to wipe fine debris off the inside of the cup, and to be helpful in efficient emptying.
The red lever on the dust cup compresses dirt and helps with emptying (Image credit: Future)
A second addition is the red cuff at the top of the vacuum's wand. This can be pushed down to release the floorhead without the need for you to bend down.
The docking section of the floorhead, meanwhile, sits upright at an angle, so you can also snap it onto the wand from a standing position.
This model features a completely redesigned floorhead (Image credit: Future)
Speaking of the floorhead: this looks very different to anything I've seen before. Rather than being tube-shaped, the rollers here are conical.
The idea is that the tapering shape shifts long hair down to the narrow end, where it can be sucked up, rather than leaving it to tangle. As usual, there's a slider on the front to enable you to adjust air intake as required.
This floorhead – known as the All Floors Cones Sense, if you can remember all that – is designed for both hard floors and carpet, and is kitted out with a laser to illuminate dirt that might otherwise be missed.
A screen provides information (Image credit: Future)
There's a small screen on the machine itself to deliver information, including which mode you're in and how long you have left on the battery.
More impressively, it'll also provide you with real-time reports on the size and number of particles you're sucking up, as you clean. Yes, really. This works with the V16's 'Auto' mode, where the vacuum will automatically adjust suction and (newly) brushroll speed based on the kind of floor it's on and how dirty it is.
The main body of the vacuum is on the heavier side for a cordless vacuum, but Dyson has added a padded section above the hand grip for comfort.
The finish on this model is also matte rather than shiny, which makes it less likely to rub when you're using it for long periods and your hands are slightly clammy. It switches on with a button rather than a trigger, and the battery is removable and swappable.
This is apparently the first Dyson vacuum to be properly 'connected'. The companion app should provide cleaning summaries and offer advanced setting options, although during my test period (after the official launch) neither were available. I assume they'll filter in during later software updates.
(Image credit: Future)
Detail tools will vary slightly depending on which model you opt for, but there are a couple of notable upgrades.
The Hair screw tool now has a rubberized band across the front to help loosen hair that's 'stuck' to upholstery fabric. Hidden inside the wand, meanwhile, are two stubby Crevice tools – one at the top, attached to the main part of the vacuum, and the other at the bottom of the wand, revealed if you remove the floorhead.
Because of the redesigned docking mechanism, none of the tools are compatible with other Dyson stick vacuums.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: performance
Dust compaction is great, and lever makes emptying super-easy
Suction excellent, but not notably different to previous models
Angled floorhead is a pain for vacuuming the edges of rooms
Let's start with suction performance. In general use, it felt like this vacuum packed plenty of oomph. I tested it out in a four-floor house with hard floor, plenty of carpets, and a black Spaniel, and it had no trouble sucking up impressive volumes of dust, dirt and hair. In Auto mode, I could hear the power and brushroll ramping up and down as I moved into different areas and onto different floor types.
I found the on-screen dust reports as mesmerizing as ever – they've been redesigned here so they work on a traffic light system (green for clean, yellow for okay, orange for acceptable, red for 'oh my goodness your home is disgusting') which is more useful at a glance than the previous color system, which was seemingly just based on what looked cool.
The real-time dust reports now use a traffic light color coding system that's more useful at a glance (Image credit: Future)
Officially, the V16 has the most suction of any Dyson stick vacuum, due to improvements under the hood. During day-to-day use, I didn't notice a difference in cleaning power compared to the V15, which is what I usually use in this house. That vacuum is two models down from the V16 – despite what the number might suggest, the Gen5detect sits in the middle.
Unfortunately, when I did some side-by side cleaning tests comparing the V16 to its two predecessors, the newest vacuum actually performed the worst. I'll get into this more in the Suction tests section below.
Moving on to comfort. The V16 feels a little weighty in the hand, but the padded section above the grip helps boost comfort, and the fact it has a matte finish also means it's less likely to rub if your hands get a little clammy in longer use.
My 5ftAustralian colleague found it was too tall for her to comfortably use – at 5ft 8in I had no issues, but perhaps worth noting if you're on the shorter side.
The padded handhold makes the V16 more comfortable to hold for long periods (Image credit: Future)
I'm in two minds about the button operation. For longer cleaning sessions, it's nice not to have to continually compress the trigger, but for quick cleanups, it's a bit cumbersome to have to keep a hand free to turn the machine on and off (you can't reach the button with your gripping hand).
I also preferred the bigger buttons found on older models. Dyson seems on a mission to make the buttons on all of its appliances teeny tiny, and there's no benefit to the user.
The angled floorhead makes cleaning edges tricky (Image credit: Future)
I'm also not sold on the new floorhead. The front long edge of the floorhead comes to a slight point rather than being straight – and this means that you can't approach the edges of rooms front-on.
Instead, you have to go in from the side, and that quickly becomes very annoying, because it makes cleaning in spots where you can't approach from the side (for example, under the desk pictured above) very difficult.
Otherwise, it pivots well but feels a little harder to push than previous Dysons (and other vacuums I've tested).
(Image credit: Future)
The quick-release works well and is an effort-saver, but the joints in general feel stiffer than on other Dyson stick vacuums I've used. It's also a shame that existing attachments won't work with the V16.
More of a success is the dust compactor. This is a solid win; the mechanism works a treat, and means you can fit in more cleaning without having to make so many trips to the trash.
It also makes it far easier to empty than most cordless vacuums I've used – including previous Dyson models. Press down the lever and everything in the bin is ejected, with no need to go in with your fingers afterwards.
Suction tests
For a more objective overview of the V16's suction capabilities, I ran TechRadar's standard suction tests. First, I sprinkled a teabag's worth of dry tea and a handful of oats on a carpeted floor. The idea here is to see how well the vacuum copes with fine and chunky debris.
After a single forward and backward pass in Auto mode (I could hear the suction increasing over the spillage) most of the oats were gone – although some pinged about a bit – and there was a fine strip of tea left where the center of the floorhead had passed. This is a good result – the tea test is purposefully very challenging. After a few more passes in Auto mode, everything was cleared.
Image 1 of 2
The tea and oats before the suction test... (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2
... and after one forward and backward pass in Auto mode (Image credit: Future)
I then repeated the same test on a hard, tiled floor, with surprisingly poor results. Although the tea was whisked away in a single forwards pass, quite a few of the oats were pushed into a pile in front of the floorhead, or behind it when I tried to pull it back over them.
I then lifted the floorhead to position it on top of the spillage, and oats sprayed everywhere. The V16 coped well with picking up single oats after this mini-explosion, but any more than that proved a struggle.
Image 1 of 3
Oats on and tea on the hard floor before the suction test (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 3
The V16 cleared the tea but pushed some of the oats into a pile... (Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 3
... and then spat them over the floor when I lifted the floorhead (Image credit: Future)
Next, I did some side-by-side testing with the previous two models – and here the V16 fared worse still.
Below, from left to right on screen, are the V16, the Gen5detect, and the V15 Detect. On the floor are piles of oats and then loose tea. In the test, you can watch as I vacuum the oats and first pile of tea with each vacuum in Auto mode,then the second pile of tea in Boost mode.
The V16 is the last vacuum to clean each pile, and it leaves a strip of tea in both Auto and Boost modes, and scatters the oats a little. In contrast, both the V15 and Gen5detect clear all the piles with a single pass.
Edges
I also tested how well the V16 cleaned along the edges of rooms. As I've already stated, the shape of the front of the floorhead makes this trickier than it usually would be.
For this test, I put a pile of tea and oats along the edge of a room, and approached from the side. The V16 did a solid job of capturing the spillage, even the bits right next to the edge. The crevices seemed to help with the pooling issue, by providing a break in suction.
(Image credit: Future)
Hair
The V16 is specifically designed to be great at dealing with long hair – up to 25 inches / 63.5cm long, actually. That's part of the reason behind the 'Animal' in the name... although I don't know many pets with hair that long, unless someone out there is keeping a horse in the house.
I tested it out on my own hair, which is around armpit length, and also the (much shorter) hair of my Cocker Spaniel – and the good news is that I didn't end up with any hair tangled around the conical rollers. But here's the thing: I never had issues with hair tangling around the rollers on Dyson's old-style floorheads, either.
I've regularly used both a Gen5detect and V15, and both are perfectly good at avoiding hair wrap, at least with hair of my length. Perhaps those with truly Rapunzel-like locks will benefit from the supercharged detangling on offer with the V16.
I was also supplied with longer, synthetic hair to try out on the V16 in the Dyson labs in Malmesbury. Here, I found it worked very well when the hair was laid out neatly in front of the machine, but when faced with a clump of hair it tended to get stuck – either in the space behind the cones, or in the 'corner' of the suction tube.
App
The V16 Piston Animal is the first of Dyson's vacuums to be truly app-connected; older models can be connected to the MyDyson app, but only as a hub for How-to videos and explainers.
You should be able to use the app to change settings on the V16 (including toggling the laser on and off, and changing how Auto mode behaves), and view a cleaning summary.
Unfortunately at time of writing I didn't have any adjustment options available in my app, and my cleaning wasn't being recorded. I assume software updates down the line will add the promised app functionality.
Performance score: 3.5 out of 5
Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: battery life
Up to 70 minutes of cleaning in Eco mode; ~17 mins in Boost
3 hours 30 mins to recharge
Removable and swappable battery
In the lowest mode (Eco) the V16 can last a quoted 1 hour and 10 minutes before needing to recharge. That's the same as the previous model (the Gen5detect) and up there with the longest runtimes on the market. There's also a Boost mode, which is just for the toughest of cleaning tasks. In my tests, the V16 lasted 16 minutes and 49 seconds in Boost.
Of course, most people aren't going to be using Eco mode or Boost mode on the regular. They'll be using Auto mode. This is probably the best feature, from a battery life point of view, because it means the machine is only using just enough power to clean effectively, based on the needs of the situation.
Recharge takes a quoted 3 hours and 30 minutes, which is a whole hour less then the two models below it in the Dyson lineup.
Finally, the V16 has a removable, swappable battery. That means you can, if you want, buy a backup battery to hot-swap for longer cleaning sessions. It's also good news for overall longevity, because on cordless vacuums it's often the battery that starts to fail first.
Battery life score: 5 out of 5
Should you buy the Dyson V16 Piston Animal?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Ultra-premium, with high build quality and truly innovative features.
3.5 / 5
Design
Advanced stick vacuum with lots of unique features such as dust compression, quick-release tools and an anti-tangle floorhead.
4.5 / 5
Performance
Strong suction and the compression is very useful, but the floorhead is poorly designed for edges, and the V16 performed worse than older Dysons in my suction tests.
3.5 / 5
Battery
Up to an 70 minutes per charge, with strong runtimes in Boost mode too, the V16 is up there with the best in terms of battery.
5 / 5
Buy it if...
You have a big home with lots of dust
The advanced automation capabilities, dust compaction and easy-release attachments come into their own when tackling big cleaning tasks.
You have trouble with hair tangling
With its conical rollers, the V16 really brings out the big guns when it comes to preventing hair tangling. If you've found other vacuums' anti-tangle functions can't handle your home's hair, this might be the model for you.
You want a 2-in-1 vacuum and mop
The V16 has an optional Submarine floorhead that you can add on to tackle hard floor mopping (this costs extra). It's one of only two vacuums in the Dyson lineup to have this option – the other is the V15s Detect Submarine.
Don't buy it if...
You want the edges of rooms ultra-clean
The new-style floorhead comes to a slight point at the front, which means to clean flush to the edges of rooms you'll need to reorientate yourself and approach from the side. The V16 is not compatible with older Dyson floorheads.
You're on a budget
The V16 is very expensive, and there are plenty of cheaper models that'll do just a good as cleaning job, day to day, for most people. Features such as the dust compaction are great – but you'll need to decide if they justify the extra cash. (If I was spending my own money, I'd probably go for a V15 Detect.)
There's a V15 or Gen5detect available
These two older Dyson cordless vacuums proved more effective at clearing both fine and chunky debris in my tests, so if you can find one for less than the price of the V16, I'd recommend either over this model.
Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: alternatives to consider
Model:
Dyson V16 Piston Animal
Dyson Gen5detect
Shark PowerDetect Cordless
Weight:
7.5 lbs / 3.4kg
7.7 lbs / 3.5kg
8lbs / 3.7kg
Bin size:
1.3L
0.77L
0.7L
Max runtime:
70 mins
70 mins
70 mins
Charge time:
3hrs 30
4hrs 30
4 hours
Filter:
99.9% to 0.1 microns
Whole-machine HEPA filtration
Felt + Washable Foam Filters plus HEPA Filter
Max suction:
315 AW
280AW
Not stated
Dyson Gen5detect
The Gen5detect is the model down from the V16 Piston in the lineup. It has the older (better) floorhead, but lacks the dust compactor and the Auto mode adjusts suction but not roller speed. It's an outstanding cleaner, packs tons of power and is easy to maneuver.
This is currently the best Shark vacuum based on specs. It's significantly cheaper than the Dyson (and feels notably less premium) but still boasts some cool automation features – including the ability to boost suction on the relevant side of the floorhead when approaching the edges of rooms.
I tested the Dyson V16 Piston Animal in a four-floored house with lots of carpet, plus tiled and engineered wood floors. It's home to one long-haired and one short-haired human inhabitant and a Cocker Spaniel.
I ran a series of standard suction tests to see how it could handle fine (dry tea) and chunky (oats) debris on hard floors and carpet. I also ran the same tests alongside two older Dyson stick vacuums to see how the three compared. I also assessed how the V16 dealt with hair and cleaning along the edges of rooms, and timed how long it took to run the battery flat and recharge it again.
Aside from the controlled tests, I also used the V16 regularly for a fortnight, to get a general feel for how easy it was to wield, how effectively it cleaned and if there were any niggling issues. I downloaded and explored the app, and tested the different functions available there.
CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller: one-minute review
The CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controlleris a brand-new guitar controller for use with rhythm games like Fortnite Festival, Rock Band 4, and Clone Hero. CRKD was founded by former Red Octane staff who were responsible for the Guitar Hero series' controllers, and as such this feels very in line with the peripherals for those games, taking on the best elements of each to make one of the best guitar controllers I've ever used.
It comes in two variants, the LP Black Tribal Encore Edition and the LP Blueberry Burst Pro Edition. The Black Tribal edition comes with standard fret buttons and a mechanical click strum bar, with a slightly gaudy tribal design. Meanwhile, the slightly more expensive Blueberry Burstis functionally the same guitar but with mechanical frets, a Hall Effect strum bar with haptic feedback, and a blueberry burst design. If you prefer one set of buttons over another, the necks are interchangeable too.
On top of those two versions, each version has an Xbox edition, which makes it compatible with Rock Band 4. The multi-platform edition does work with Xbox through the KeyJam mode, however, it acts as a keyboard, meaning it is compatible with Fortnite Festival through button mapping but not Rock Band. The multi-platform edition works with Switch, PC, PlayStation 3-5, and Android too.
The guitar itself feels great to hold; it takes on the form of the fan-favorite Gibson Les Paul design that was previously used with Guitar Hero 3, while the strum bar is longer and easier to pinch, like the "Genericaster" design from Guitar Hero: World Tour and Guitar Hero 5 (my personal favorite guitar controller of all time). It lacks the lower fret buttons found on Rock Band guitars and the PDP Riffmaster; however, a separate neck attachment is being released later with this option.
(Image credit: Future)
CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller: price and availability
Prices range between $114.99 / £109.99 / AU$199 and $134.99 / £129.99 / AU$224
Available in the US via the CRKD website
Available in the UK via CRKD, Argos, and Amazon
Available in Australia via JB Hifi
The CRKD Les Paul launched in June 2025, with the Xbox editions set to release in late September. The price is higher based on whether you have the Xbox-compatible edition, with the Blueberry Burst version being more expensive than the Black Tribal one. However, the Blueberry Burst is only $10 / £10 / AU$25 more expensive, while buying the mechanical frets separately is $39.99 / £39.99, so I would personally go with the Blueberry Burst.
While you may be able to get the PDP Riffmaster on sale now, its regular price is more expensive than the Blueberry Burst, with the CRKD being what I feel is the better guitar (however, this more likely comes down to your preference between Guitar Hero and Rock Band-style instruments).
CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller review: Specs
Price
$114.99 / £109.99 / AU$199
Dimensions
9.96 x 29.13 x 1.37in / 253 x 740 x 35mm
Compatibility
Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, Smart TV, PS3, PS4, PS5 (Xbox in Fortnite Festival only)
CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller review: design and features
Guitar controller designed for rhythm gaming
Based on the iconic Gibson Les Paul Guitar
A dial allowing you to program different profiles
As the name suggests, the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller is based on the iconic Gibson Les Paul guitar. This design was previously used for the Guitar Hero 3 guitar controller, with this one being roughly the same size.
The two available versions are Black Tribal and Blueberry Burst. Black Tribal is a black plastic base with a glossy black tribal design on top of it. While it's appropriate, as the mid-2000s was the perfect time for guitar controllers and tacky tribal designs (shoutout to the tribal Game Boy Advance SP), I frankly think this design is ugly. Blueberry Burst, on the other hand is fine looking; the actual blue burst design is nice and akin to its namesake guitar, but it's a decal that looks a bit low quality at close inspection.
Meanwhile, since the necks are detachable, both are just regular black plastic with small lights up the neck. These will light up in a color corresponding with which fret button you press.
The guitar features a d-pad on the top of the neck and two sticks. One is a little dial that is clicked in as your start button, and while it's not the end of the world, it can be a little awkward to pause with it. Meanwhile, there's a tone switch-style stick on the upper half of the guitar, which has a ring of buttons around it, allowing you to access the face and trigger buttons.
Under the strum bar is the whammy bar – which allows you to earn extra points when playing sustained notes – and the CTRL button, which is typically bound to Star Power activation. While not as long as the one found on the Genericaster, it's placed well so it's very easy to hit with your wrist and not compromise your strumming.
While not a complete game-changer, the mechanical frets and Hall Effect strum bar found in the Blueberry Burst edition feel fantastic, and given the price isn't significantly higher, I'd recommend going with that version over the Black Tribal.
(Image credit: Future)
CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller review: Performance
Solid battery life
Works right out the box
Comes with custom profile dial, customisable via the CRKD mobile app
The CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller works straight out of the box with either a USB-C cable connection on PC or via a 2.4GHz dongle (both of which are included with the guitar). You can also use Bluetooth to connect to devices that can't support a USB option. From my month of testing, only the Blueberry Burst edition has run out of battery with me using it for at least 15-20 hours without charging it out of the box.
There's a knob that acts as the on switch when pressed and features a dial that allows you to use one of 9 profiles (the first four being preset to default settings and the Fortnite Festival difficulties). These bindings can be changed via the CRKD mobile app, with the Blueberry Burst edition allowing you to alter the level of sensitivity and haptic feedback on the strum bar.
This is essential for Fortnite Festival. While the default mode is usable in the mode, the CTRL button is mapped to the Select button, which opens a menu in Fortnite. You can't remap this in-game, so you'll need to turn the dial to number two to make it work in Fortnite's pro modes.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller?
Buy it if...
You want to play guitar games or Fortnite Festival's Pro Mode If you want to play these classic rhythm games, then you'll want a guitar controller to go with it. It's wide range of compatibility makes it a solid choice for any game you want to play across PC, PlayStation, and Switch, with the Xbox version working for Rock Band 4 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
You were a Guitar Hero diehard This guitar was made by the people behind the Guitar Hero instruments and feel spot on to the classic instruments. I had my Ratatouille food critic moment playing this for the first time as it took me right back.
Don't buy it if...
You liked the Rock Band guitars better While both were plastic guitars, Guitar Hero and Rock Band have very different feeling guitar controllers. Ultimately if you preferred the Rock Band guitars, the PDP Riffmaster is the way to go for you.
CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller review: Also consider
Still not sold on the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller? Here’s how it compares to the other guitar controllers on the market.
CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller
PDP Riffmaster
CKRD NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition
Price
$114.99 / £109.99 / AU$199
$129.99 / £129.99 (around AU$199)
$59.99 / £59.99 / AU$119.95
Dimensions
9.96 x 29.13 x 1.37in / 253 x 740 x 35mm
10.51 x 21.38 x 3.23in / 543 x 267 x 82mm
5.9 x 3.5 x 0.78in / 150 x 88 x 20mm
Compatibility
Multi: Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, Smart TV, PS3, PS4, PS5
Xbox:Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Android, Smart TV, iOS
Xbox: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
PlayStation: PS5, PS4, PC
Nintendo Switch, PC, Steam Deck, iOS, Android, Smart TV
PDP Riffmaster This is a great alternative becauseCRKD was founded by former RedOctane staff – who created the original Guitar Hero controllers – as such, CRKD’s model feels in line with those games. If you preferred the feel of the Rock Band controllers back in the day, you're going to want the PDP Riffmaster. However, I personally find Rock Band buttons unsatisfying, so CRKD is my go-to.
CKRD NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition This is a great alternative if you're unsure about rhythm games and don't want to drop over $100 on a full-blown guitar controller. The NEO S is a solid controller in its own right, and the guitar attachment allows you to play these games, albeit with a smaller control method. It doesn't stand next to the full-blown ones, but it's a solid entry-level guitar controller.
How I tested the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller
Tested for around 20-25 hours
Used to play YARG and Fortnite Festival on PC
Used both editions of the guitar
I've been using the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controllersince I received it in early August 2025 (so around a month). I did play a decent amount of Fortnite Festival (especially when they added the Power Rangers theme song), but I've mainly been playing YARG, which is a fan-made recreation of the Rock Band games, allowing you to import custom songs to the game.
I played a variety of songs and genres with it, from the likes of some of my favorite bands, Ween, They Might Be Giants, and Jellyfish, to harder rock bands like Iron Maiden, Mastodon, and Primus. I also played a selection of game soundtracks (mostly Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Guilty Gear Strive) and some outright goofy stuff like Weird Al Yankovic, the South Park movie soundtrack, and the Spider-Man 2 pizza theme.
Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: two-minute review
The days of traditional ‘analog’ doorbells connected via wires to an internal chime are fast coming to an end. Increasingly, people are turning to video doorbells, which will send an alert to your mobile phone when someone comes to the door. They will even act as an intercom so you can talk to whoever is there whether you are in the house, walking the dog or sitting on a beach.
Like its predecessor, the Blink Video Doorbell doesn’t come with its own indoor chime. Instead, you can pair it with a Blink Mini 2 camera (sold separately) or connect via the Alexa app on your phone to a Fire Stick or Amazon Echo Show. This will allow you to see who is at the front door on your TV screen/multimedia display or you can get a voice message via your Amazon Echo Dot when someone presses the doorbell.
Alternatively, it may be possible to connect existing doorbell wiring from the Blink Video Doorbell to a legacy indoor chime providing its rated between 16 and 24 volts. Batteries are required for use whether you use existing doorbell wiring or not.
The Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) uses three AA lithium batteries (Image credit: Chris Price)
What I like about Blink devices is just how easy they are to add to an existing system. I’ve already got several Blink cameras around the house so adding one more was simply a case of scanning the QR code on the back of the device and adding it to the home set up. However, if you’ve never installed a Blink camera before you will need to download the app (Android or iPhone) as well as connect the sync module provided to your broadband router (this acts as a hub for up to 10 Blink security devices).
Unfortunately, as the one supplied isn’t compatible with local storage via a connected USB flash drive, you will need to pay a monthly subscription for storing video footage and accessing the latest features – see subscription options below.
When it comes to mounting the video doorbell on the door there are two options. You can either use the standard flat mount or a wedge mount if you are placing it on a door architrave. As I was replacing the previous Blink video doorbell (Gen 1) I was hoping I could re-use the mount from that one to save time on installation. However, that wasn’t possible because this unit is a slightly different size.
Instead I used the black mount provided for the black video doorbell supplied by the manufacturer (a white version with white mount is also available). At least I didn’t have to screw two new holes in the wood as they’re positioned in the same place on the mount as the previous version.
Installing the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) is very straightforward, particularly if you already have other Blink devices at home (Image credit: Chris Price)
Once installed, controlling the camera is simply a case of using the Blink app. One of the main differences between this model and its predecessor is the camera’s lens, in particular the aspect ratio. Whereas the previous model offered a more conventional 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio with 1080p resolution, the new video doorbell boats a square 1:1 aspect ratio with improved 1440p resolution.
It also offers a larger field of vision (150 degrees horizontal and 150 degrees vertical) compared to 135 degrees horizontal and just 80 degrees vertical on the previous model. The result is that not only is it possible to get a head-to-toe image of someone coming to the door, you can also view the ground – handy to see any deliveries that have been left outside your front door.
The in-app setup process is very simple (Image credit: Chris Price)
Certainly the 1:1 aspect ratio does take a little bit of getting used to, especially the square shape on the Blink home page next to all of the other more conventional widescreen cameras. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that, because the field of view is so much bigger than its predecessor you will need to reduce the device’s sensitivity, especially if you are paying for the Blink subscription with AI-powered Smart Detection.
Otherwise, you may well record every person and vehicle that goes past your house as well as those who come to the door. Not only will this severely reduce the lifespan of the batteries, it is also highly annoying to get pointless alerts every few minutes.
Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: subscription options
There are two different subscription plans available depending on the number of Blink devices you own, and which features you require.
Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: price and availability
List price $69.99 / £59.99 (about AU$110)
Launched August 2025 with Sync Module
Currently available in UK and US (not Australia)
With its second-generation video doorbell, Blink has managed to maintain the same $69.99 / £59.99 price point as the original video doorbell (you can now buy the earlier model for under £30 on Amazon in the UK without the sync module). Really, it’s exceptional value for money, much cheaper than a Ring video doorbell device, despite the two companies sharing Amazon ownership.
However, it's not available in Australia at the time of writing, and it’s worth bearing in mind that if you want to benefit from the full functionality of the device, including the ability to store video clips, you will need to pay for a subscription costing from $3 / £2.50 a month. That’s because - unlike the first video doorbell which incorporated a sync module with the option of adding local storage – it’s not the case with the second-generation model.
You won't be able to store videos recorded by the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) on the Sync Module Core (Image credit: Chris Price)
Instead of the Sync Module 2, the second-generation Blink video doorbell features the more basic Sync Module Core. Personally, I find that a little bit cheeky, but then at least the monthly subscription fees are cheaper than most of the rivals (Ring subscription plans start at $4.99 / £4.99 a month).
In addition to unlimited cloud video storage, the Blink subscription package includes Blink Moments which stitches together multiple events from multiple cameras into one video. Then there’s AI-Powered Smart Detection which tells you whether the camera has captured a person coming to the door/walking past your house, or a vehicle in your driveway/driving along the road. To reduce the amount of footage captured, which can be quite overwhelming, we recommend reducing the device’s sensitivity and also editing the ‘motion zones’ (areas of the frame that are active or private).
Value score: 4/5
Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: design
Easy-to-install mounting bracket
Chunky design
Available in white or black
Blink cameras are renowned for being some of the most compact and lightweight devices on the market. However, the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) is a little bit of an exception. Tipping the scales at 4oz/113g, it’s both heavier than the first-generation model (3.2oz/91g) and also a little thicker too at 1.44in/36.6mm compared to 1inch/27mm.
Image 1 of 2
The Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) is a little bulkier than its predecessor (Image credit: Chris Price)
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The Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) is a little bulkier than its predecessor (Image credit: Chris Price)
The main reason for this, of course, is that the new model incorporates space for three AA lithium batteries whereas the original model featured just two batteries. In turn, this means that battery life is much longer though it’s unlikely to be as long as the two-year lifespan that Blink’s marketing suggests.
Like its predecessor, two colour options are available (white or black) and there are two types of mount – one for placing flat on the door frame and another for mounting on a door architrave. Using the standard mount with the screws provided, it only takes around five minutes to install wirelessly, although if you are connecting to existing doorbell wiring the process is much longer. Since there's no built-in chime, you'll need to connect it to Alexa devices or buy a Blink Mini 2 camera to hear the doorbell indoors.
It only took around five minutes to install the doorbell with the included mount (Image credit: Chris Price)
Looks-wise, the second-generation model is a little different from its predecessor with a larger oval shaped button in the middle, compared to the round button on the first generation model. Recording is also more subtle with a small blue light on the top right indicating when video is being captured, rather than the area around the central button becoming illuminated in blue.
When the button in the centre is pushed by a visitor, it illuminates white and a message is sent to the connected phone telling you ‘someone is at the door’. As with the first-generation model, the doorbell sits inside a bracket but can be removed for changing batteries etc. by inserting a small metal ‘key’ in the base. It is also rated IP-65 weather resistant which offers greater protection against the elements than the previous model which was only IP-54 rated.
Design score: 4/5
Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: performance
Good image quality (especially in Best mode)
Stable video connection
Overly sensitive camera
There’s no question that when it comes to performance Blink has upped its game with this second gen model. The first one was certainly OK, but not as good as some of the admittedly more expensive video doorbells from companies such as Ring. However, in nearly every respect, the Gen 2 model offers better performance than its predecessor.
Not only does it have a wider field of horizontal view (150 degrees compared to 135 degrees for the first model), it also offers a 150-degrees vertical field of view for a perfectly square 1:1 aspect ratio image. At first I thought that was a bit odd, but having used it for a little while it’s incredibly useful. Not only can you see an entire head-to-toe image of someone at the door you can also see if a parcel has been left on your doorstep.
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The new square aspect ratio makes it easier to see both visitors and packages (Image credit: Chris Price)
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The new square aspect ratio makes it easier to see both visitors and packages (Image credit: Chris Price)
Whereas the previous model offered 1080p video resolution, the second-generation model boasts improved 1440p video resolution. Three video quality settings are on board (Best, Standard, and Saver). I settled on Best as it’s good to be able to see details more clearly although this will obviously reduce battery life. The second-generation model also offers improved night vision.
Of course, it’s not all good news. The downside of the camera lens being much bigger is that it also collects much more footage – too much. Blink cameras are known for being sensitive anyway and this latest model is no exception.
Even with privacy zones set up, I found it necessary to dial the sensitivity right down to avoid false alerts (Image credit: Chris Price)
With motion sensitivity set to five, I found the camera was recording around 100 events a day, most of them of people walking their dog past the house or delivery vans going by. Even with the ‘privacy zones’ set up to block out the extremes of the frame (including areas of sky) the camera was still extremely active. In the end it was necessary to reduce sensitivity to just two out of 10 so it only captured people actually coming to the door.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning the sync module. Whereas the previous model included the Sync Module 2 with a USB socket so you could insert a USB flash drive for storing video clips, this model comes with the Sync Module Core without local storage. Essentially this means if you want to store video clips you will need to pay a subscription of at least $3 / £2.50 a month.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Should you buy the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core?
Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) score card
Attribute
Notes
Score
Value
This video doorbell represents pretty good value for money. Even the monthly subscription charge for premium features is around half the price of some devices.
4/5
Design
Available in black or white, the Blink doorbell is a much bulkier model than its predecessor. It is accompanied by a small sync module which connects to your router.
4/5
Performance
Although the motion sensor is a little overly-sensitive, performance is very good indeed particularly the 1:1 aspect ratio for ‘head-to-toe’ video capture.
4.5/5
Overall
When it comes to performance Blink have upped their game with improved quality images and longer battery life. Just a shame the supplied sync module can’t be used for storing clips.
4.5/5
Buy it if
You already have a Blink camera
The software makes it easy to use the video doorbell as part of a Blink home security system comprising indoor and outdoor cameras.
You want a wide viewing angle
One of the main benefits of the latest Blink camera is the head-to-toe viewing angle so you can see whoever comes to the door and the parcels that are left on the doorstep.
Don't buy it if
You need a separate chime indoors
The Blink doesn’t come with a chime so you will need to turn up the volume of the device or rely on either a separate Blink camera or connect to Alexa-enabled device.
You don’t want to buy expensive batteries
With this model you will need to buy three expensive Lithium AA batteries. Blink claims up to two years’ battery life but it’s likely to be a lot shorter.
Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: also consider
Product
Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module
Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 1) and Sync Module
Yale Smart Video Doorbell and Doorbell Chime
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus
Subscription price
From £2.50 a month
From £2.50 a month
From £3.50 a month
From £4.99 a month
Viewing angle
150 degrees horizontal
135 degrees horizontal
154 degrees horizontal
150 degrees horizontal
Network connection
Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)
Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)
Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)
Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)
Audio
Two-way audio
Two-way audio
Two-way audio
Two-way audio
Video
1440p Full HD resolution
1080p Full HD resolution
1080p Full HD resolution
1536p Full HD resolution
Power
Battery
Battery
Mains or battery
Battery
Hardware price
£59 (with Sync Module Core)
£59 (with Sync Module 2)
£129 (video doorbell), £29 (chime)
£129 (video doorbell), £139 (with basic chime)
If you're not sure whether the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core are the right combo for you, here are two other options to consider.
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus
Amazon-owned Ring has firmly established itself as the ‘go to’ company for video doorbells. It offers several models including this wire-free model which also features a head-to-toe view.
A solidly built video doorbell, the Yale device offers good image and sound quality. However, streaming recorded content and speaking to people at the door can be a little slow.
How I tested the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core
I used the doorbell every day for 10 days
I installed it myself
The doorbell was set up on the front door facing towards the road
To test a video doorbell properly you need to use it as part of your home system. Fortunately, I already have other Blink cameras so adding another one was particularly straightforward. But even if I didn’t then downloading the app would have been easy enough.
Installation takes around 15 minutes or so, requiring a screw driver to attach the mount to the door frame before positioning the camera in place. It’s roughly the same size as the previous one, in terms of length and width, so thankfully I didn’t have to worry about unsightly screw holes all over the door frame.
The new Blink Video Doorbell is roughly the same height and width as its predecessor, so I didn't have to worry about messy screw holes when I upgraded (Image credit: Chris Price)
During the period of testing, I really began to appreciate the device’s head-to-toe viewing. I get a lot of deliveries, so being able to see if they have been left on the doorstep when I’m out is handy. Another bonus is the additional power that having another AA battery brings.
Whereas the previous model relied on two lithium AA batteries that had to be changed every three months, this one has three. However, I think it’s extremely unlikely these will last two years as Blink claims in its marketing blurb. I’m pretty sure I’ll be changing the batteries again in six months time given how sensitive the camera’s motion sensor is!.
For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.
The Segway Navimow X3 Series robot lawn mowers are built specifically for sizeable lawns. And when I say sizeable, I mean sizeable – the range covers lawns from 0.5 acres / 1,500 square meters right up to a massive 2.5 acres / 10,000 square meters. To make them suitable for such vast spaces, these bots are designed to operate quickly, efficiently and accurately, with batteries capacious enough to allow for long mowing periods, without having to make the arduous journey back to the dock to recharge.
To see if this lawnbot could deliver on these promises, I sought out the largest yard I knew of. The lawn at my sister's home, measures around 1,000 square meters / 0.25 acre (although Segway sent me the X350, which is designed for even larger areas still). The first thing I was struck by is the speed of the mower. It rolls along at quite the pace, navigating with confidence, even when traversing under trees.
The lawnbot itself is really quite large (and the same size as the other X3 Series models), but if you have a lawn big enough to need one, that's not going to matter so much. It feels solid and high quality, with a friendly orange and grey color scheme and slightly retro-feeling dot-matrix screen to provide key information.
(Image credit: Future)
A big reason as to why the experience of using the Segway Navimow X3 Series is so enjoyable is down to the design of the companion app. It's intuitive to use, walking you clearly through all the steps required to complete each process, and providing background information – rather than leaving you to figure things out by yourself. There are plenty of setting options to explore, and planning a schedule is straightforward.
In terms of performance, I had no issues. Throughout the test period, the bot behaved exactly as I'd hoped, mowing neatly and within boundaries, taking a logical route and never missing any spots. It also reliably avoided medium (soccer ball-sized) obstacles, although it did mow over a satsuma-sized ball (understandable, given it was sitting below camera height). Since this bot is two-wheel drive rather than four-wheel, it might struggle with especially rough terrain; but for the average yard, it will be absolutely fine.
Overall, a very strong recommendation for those looking for an efficient, fuss-free mower to take care of larger lawns. That's the short version; read on for my full Segway Navimow X3 Series review.
Segway Navimow X3 review: price & availability
List price: from $2,299 / £2,199
Available: US, UK, AU
Launched: Spring 2025
The Segway Navimow X3 Series was unveiled in spring 2025, and is available to buy in various countries including the US, UK and Australia. You can only purchase direct from Segway Navimow in the US, and in general these lawnbots aren't stocked widely online (you won't be adding one to your Amazon Prime order). Instead, you might need to check the Segway Navimow site for distributors local to you.
When it comes to pricing, brace yourself: the Segway Navimow X3 Series doesn't come cheap. The cheapest in the lineup costs $2,299 / £2,199 at list price, and the priciest is $4,999 / £4,299. That's a significant investment, and if you don't have a large yard – or a yearning for ultra-speedy mowing – there are plenty more affordable alternatives. However, for those in need of large-scale mowing, the Navimow's pricing isn't too far away from what you'd pay elsewhere on the market.
Let's say you want something for a 1-acre / 3,000m² lawn. The Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD 3000 costs $2,499 / £2,549 at list price, and the Navimow X330 is $2,799 / £2,599. The LUBA 2 has slightly more advanced features all round, including all-wheel drive and two cutting decks, which makes it a better-value buy at full price. Nevertheless, both are excellent, advanced, high-quality lawnbots.
Overall, my experience with the Navimow X3 series was extremely positive, and it felt well built and thoughtfully designed, so I think for large lawns it's worth the investment.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Segway Navimow X3 specs
Segway Navimow X350 (reviewed)
Segway Navimow X315 (cheapest)
Recommended lawn size:
1.5 acres / 5,000m²
0.5 acre / 1,500㎡
Cutting width:
9.3in / 23.7cm
9.3in / 23.7cm
Cutting height:
0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm
0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm
Drivetrain:
2-wheel drive
2-wheel drive
Incline ability:
50% / 27 degrees
50% / 27 degrees
Waterproof:
IP66
IP66
Lawnbot size (L x W x H):
27.5 x 21.7 x 12.1in / 69.8 x 55 x 30.7cm
27.5 x 21.7 x 12.1in / 69.8 x 55 x 30.7cm
Lawnbot weight:
43.7 lbs / 19.8kg
43.2 lbs / 19.6kg
Charge time:
80 mins
60 mins
Mowing time per charge:
200 mins
120 mins
Cutting blades:
6
6
Segway Navimow X3 review: design
Available in versions with different batteries for different lawn sizes
On-bot info via a screen, and cameras on three sides for obstacle avoidance
Comes with RTK receiver (option to add a second) and charge station
The Segway Navimow X3 Series is a big bot for big lawns. There are a few options in the lineup, all of which are identical in design and specs, except the ones at the top end of the range have a bigger battery and as such are suitable for larger areas. These are the options:
Model
Recommended mowing area
Runtime per charge
Charge time
X315
0.5 acre / 1,500m²
120 mins
60 mins
X330
1 acre / 3,000m²
160 mins
65 mins
X350 (tested)
1.5 acres / 5,000m²
200 mins
80 mins
X390
2.5 acres 10,000m²
240 mins
100 mins
Moving on to the lawnbot itself, and the brand has opted for a friendly look, with a dark gray and bright orange color scheme, and a dot matrix screen to provide key information in real time. On test I found this limited in its practical usefulness, although it is quite fun. There are physical buttons for Go, On/OK and Return to charge, plus a big emergency stop button. However, for the most part you'll be controlling the bot via the companion app, which I'll cover in detail in a separate App section below (there's also support for voice control via Alexa or Google Home, if you prefer).
(Image credit: Future)
The Navimow X350 is rather large, and for the times you might need to manually maneuver it, Segway has added a big handle around the rear of the bot. Unfortunately, there's no grip area at the front – so unless you stick your hand in the charge slot, which goes against an important lesson I learned as a toddler, you'll need to make do with crouching and dragging rather than picking it up.
It's fairly common for modern lawnbots to come equipped with a camera for object identification and avoidance, but the X3 Series has not one, but three: one at the front and one on either side, delivering a 300-degree field of view. Alongside one of the side-mounted cameras you'll find an Expansion Bay section, where you can attach add-ons. There's an edge trimmer attachment that already exists in a few countries (I didn't test this), and open API access means if you have the skills, you can create your own additions.
Also hidden somewhere on the top is a compartment for a tracker, should you wish to add one for added security reasons (there's also an out-of-bounds alarm, lift alerts and GPS tracking to guard against theft).
(Image credit: Future)
There are two main wheels, plus two smaller wheels at the front. Since this bot is a two-wheel drive machine, it isn't designed for very uneven terrain, although it can still handle slopes up to 50%, and will be more than up to handling the average yard (or football field).
Flip it over and you'll find the cutting deck, which consists of six blades mounted on a rotating disc, which can be raised or lowered automatically via the app (it can cut at heights of 0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm). The whole thing is designed to avoid the mechanism becoming clogged up with cuttings. Like most lawnbots, there's no grass collection here – instead you're meant to use it regularly enough that the tiny cuttings end up mulching back into the lawn. The Navimow delivers a generous cutting width of 9.3in / 23.7cm.
(Image credit: Future)
Additional components
The X3 Series is at least partially reliant on satellites for navigation, so in the box you also get an RTK receiver to improve the accuracy of the satellite information. You'll need to find a good spot for this – ideally it needs to sit somewhere high up, with a wide, uninterrupted view of the sky. Since I was only borrowing this machine, I just stuck it on the provided lawn-mount spike, and it worked remarkably well even in this sub-optimal position, as you'll learn in the Performance section. You can purchase a secondary antenna to act as backup if you have an especially large lawn.
(Image credit: Future)
You're also provided with a charge station, where your lawnbot will return to juice up. This needs to sit on flat ground, with access to a power source.
The lawnbot is IP66 rated, which means it's resistant to both water (everything apart from complete submersion) and dust. Even so, I tend to think a plastic garage roof is a good idea for a little extra protection from the elements in the long term.
(Image credit: Future)
Features
Let's look quickly at what's going on under the hood. Like most modern lawnbots, the X3 Series doesn't require boundary wires, but instead uses a combination of RTK satellite navigation, cameras and sensors to find its way around (here's more on how lawnbots navigate, if you're interested).
To ensure the bot always knows where it is, even when being used on a palatial lawn, Segway has introduced a number of navigation upgrades. The RTK system has been improved and can apparently deliver 40% better observation, to keep it moving in potential blind spots such as narrow pathways or under rooftops.
(Image credit: Future)
Inside, two complementary wayfinding systems work together to help the bot find its way about: VSLAM, which relies on recognizable visual cues; and VIO, which is great for new, featureless areas. All of that, added to the wide field of view provided by the three onboard cameras, should mean this bot is an absolute pro when it comes to navigation.
Design score: 5 out of 5
Segway Navimow X3 review: performance
Neat, thorough and very speedy mowing
Confident, accurate navigation, even under trees
Strong obstacle avoidance, although can't spot very small items
Let's start with setup, which I found fairly painless. There's a bit of self-assembly required of the base station and RTK receiver, but if you hook up the app first then it walks you through the process quite clearly (there's also a paper instruction booklet, if you prefer). The app also guides you through the mapping process.
My test lawn has unclear boundaries and tree coverage, so I opted to create a map manually, by remote-controlling around the perimeter of the area I wanted mowing and then editing the results in-app. I found the process straightforward. If you have a very simple lawn, you'd use AI Assist Mapping, where the bot will automatically map the area for you.
The first thing I was struck by when I started mowing was how speedy the Navimow proved. I was promised efficiency, and the Segway Navimow has delivered. The X3 rolls confidently along at an impressive pace compared to other bots I've tested.
I mostly used the Standard speed for my tests, but bumped it up to Efficient at one point but couldn't really notice a difference. The app states that it's 0.2m/s faster in this mode, which would be noticeable over time if you were mowing an especially large lawn.
(Image credit: Future)
I was also very impressed by navigation. My test lawn has a number of large trees, which I thought might cause the X3 to get lost – especially given the RTK receiver was just stuck in the ground, rather than elevated above the trees and buildings, as it really should be. However, all the test-runs were free of issues. The bot made its way around confidently, covering the full lawn in a logical pattern. It also accurately avoided a no-mow zone I'd set up in the center of the lawn, on a patch of ground that had recently been re-sown with grass seed. I guess whatever Segway Navimow has done to "improve the RTK performance by 40%" has worked.
(Image credit: Future)
I also ran a couple of specific object avoidance tests by placing large (a toddler's ride-on car), medium (soccer ball) and small (a tangerine-sized ball) obstacles in the X3's path. It had no issues spotting the car or football, duly skirting around each one, even when I kicked the football about to try to confuse it, but the smallest ball met a grizzly end beneath the X3's blades.
We've yet to test a lawnbot at TechRadar that can spot small obstacles such as this, so it isn't a particular failing on Segway Navimow's part. However, it's worth noting if you have, for example, a dog that likes to poo in your yard, and you don't want to spend an afternoon cleaning it out of wheel crevices.
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
Segway Navimow X3 review: app
Lots of useful explanations and info, with diagrams
Plenty of fine-adjustment options
Well laid out and easy to navigate
From the off, I was super-impressed with the Segway Navimow app. It provides plenty of information and clear explanations – often with diagrams – to walk you through everything from setup to how to map. Other lawnbot apps I've tested use opaque language and leave you to mostly figure things out for yourself, which can be especially confusing if it's your first robot lawn mower.
(Image credit: Segway Navimow / Future)
Here, however, everything is logically laid out and easy to navigate. There are also plenty of options to fine-tune your mowing. There's a straightforward schedule-maker, where you can select days, times and zones for cutting. You can also choose between three mowing speeds (Quiet, Standard and Efficient) and grass length (20-70mm, in increments of 5mm).
(Image credit: Segway Navimow / Future)
There's a section for Map management, where you can split, add or remove sections, or add no-go zones (or, as Segway Navimow whimsically calls them, "BioLife Islands"). It will let you select where you want to start on the map, with the bot cleverly driving itself over to your chosen spot, and then the app will guide you to drive the new boundary line using remote control. I found this process straightforward and logical – again, not always a given.
Segway Navimow also offers a range of "Advanced" features, too. There's an "Animal friendly" mode that will see the bot stop if it spots an animal and take a new route so as not to disturb it, rather than just skirting around it. You can also toggle on "Traction control" for particularly muddy or challenging terrain.
App score: 5 out of 5
Should you buy the Segway Navimow X3 Series?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Very much a premium lawnbot, but performance and features help justify the investment.
4 / 5
Design
Rather large, well-built lawnbot with RTK station and charge dock. Two-wheel drive and cameras to the front and both sides, plus a dot matrix screen on the bot itself.
5 / 5
Performance
Neat, fast, efficient mowing. Confident navigation even in challenging conditions, and solid obstacle avoidance (bar very small objects).
4.5 / 5
App
Extremely usable and well designed, with plenty of useful, clear information.
5 / 5
Buy it if...
You have a massive lawn
The Navimow X3 series is designed specifically to cover large areas quickly, efficiently and without getting lost.
You need something easy to use
The Segway Navimow app guides you through the setup and mapping processes and provides you with useful background information – perfect if this is your first lawnbot.
Your grass grows quickly and needs to look neat
This is a very efficient mower, so it will come into its own when faced with a fast-growing lawn.
Don't buy it if...
You have a small / medium-sized yard
This bot is for big lawns – if you're mowing an area less than 0.5 acre / 1,500m² (or even around that size), there are plenty of cheaper, smaller options that will suit the job better.
Your lawn is very uneven
For challenging terrain, you might need an all-wheel drive model such as the Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD (the Segway Navimow is two-wheel drive).
Segway Navimow X3 review: alternatives to consider
Segway Navimow X330
Mammotion Luba 2 3000
Mammotion Yuka Mini S (US) / Yuka Mini 600 (UK)
Recommended lawn size:
1 acre / 3,000m²
1 acre / 3,000m²
0.15 acres / 600㎡
Cutting width:
9.3in / 23.7cm
15.7in / 40cm
7.5in / 19cm
Cutting height:
0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm
1-2.7in / 2.5-7cm
0.8-2.4in / 2-6cm
Drivetrain:
Two-wheel drive
All-wheel drive
Two-wheel drive
Incline ability:
50% / 27 degrees
80% / 38 degrees
50% / 27 degrees
Waterproof:
IP66
IPX6
IPX6
Lawnbot size (L x W x H):
27.5 x 21.7 x 12.1in / 69.8 x 55 x 30.7cm
27.2 x 20.2 x 27.3in / 69 x 51.3 x 27.3cm
20.7 x 16.3 x 11.1in / 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1cm
Lawnbot weight:
43.7 lbs / 19.8kg
41 lbs / 18.6kg
23.4 lbs / 10.6kg
Charge time:
65 mins
120 mins
90 mins
Mowing time per charge:
160 mins
190 mins
55 mins
Cutting blades:
6
12
5
Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD Another hi-tech, premium bot for large yards, the LUBA 2 has the edge if you need something for especially challenging terrain. It boasts all-wheel drive, two cutting decks working in tandem, and the ability to handle steeper inclines.
Mammotion Yuka Mini If you have a much smaller yard, check out this more compact option. The app is nowhere near as intuitive as Segway Navimow's, nor are there as many features or fine-tuning options, but it's still a very capable mower and comes in at a far lower price.
I tested the X350 model of the Segway Navimow X3 Series. I used it for several weeks in the garden of my sister's home. The test lawn measures around 1,000 square meters, and has unclear borders and several large trees. I set up the bot myself from scratch, following the instructions in the app, including constructing the charge station and RTK receiver. I mapped the lawn into different mowing zones and added no-mow areas. I assessed the lawnbot based on the neatness and speed of mowing, accuracy of navigation, and general ease of use. I also explored the different options in the app to see the extent to which I could fine-tune settings, and ran object avoidance tests using different-sized obstacles. I then compared all of my findings to other lawnbots I've used, while also weighing everything up against the price to gauge whether the bot offers good value for money.
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table integrates an air purifier with a tabletop, a wireless Qi charger, a colored ambient light, and a fragrance diffuser.
It has a list price of $269.99 / £299.99, and can be purchased from SwitchBot and Amazon; however, there appear to be very regular discounts on the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table, and at the time of writing, it’s on offer for $175.50 / £180.
Replaceable filters cost $39.99 / £44.99, and will need to be replaced roughly every 6-12 months, depending on use, so it’s important to factor this extra cost in.
(Image credit: Future)
Setting up the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was fairly simple but a little fiddly, on account of the little electrical connector I needed to plug in before putting the tabletop in place.
It’s a good height for having next to the couch or bedside, and the built-in wireless charger proves particularly useful in these cases. The onboard controls are a little tricky to see due to the tabletop, but I found myself using the SwitchBot app to control the purifier most of the time.
The simple-to-use companion app was pleasingly responsive when operating the air purifier and offers air quality data, scheduling, and a timer, which are all good features to have.
(Image credit: Future)
During testing, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table quickly detected and cleared dry shampoo contamination. While it didn't immediately remove fragrance, it was cleared fairly quickly once I intervened and increased the fan speed myself.
It operates quietly in sleep mode, and is only as loud as light traffic when on top speed. Pet Mode didn’t operate as I’d expected, but the overall low volume of the purifier meant that it didn't bother my cats. I also found the fragrance diffuser to be efficient in lightly fragrancing the room after I’d applied drops of fragrance oil to the pop-out pad.
Overall, this is a good price for a multi-talented and Matter-compatible air purifier with an efficient companion app. If you’d like to explore other air purifiers we recommend, I suggest taking a look at our guide to the best air purifiers.
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: price & availability
List price: $269.99 / £299.99
Available now in the US and UK
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is available to purchase from the official SwitchBot website and Amazon, and has a list price of $269.99 / £299.99.
The list price sounds pretty high considering the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table only detects and reacts to PM2.5; however, there appear to be regular discounts on offer on the SwitchBot site and at Amazon, so it’s common to find it available at a lower price. For instance, at the time of writing, the Air Purifier table has 35% off in the US, and 40% off in the UK at SwitchBot, knocking a considerable $94.50 / £120 off the list price, and lowering the cost to $175.50 / £180.
(Image credit: Future)
There’s a cheaper model available too, the SwitchBot Air Purifier, which includes most of the features mentioned in the following review, just without the tabletop and wireless charging. This has a list price of $219.99 / £239.99 but, as with the Air Purifier table, this price is often discounted, and it’s listed at $119.99 / £139.99 at the time of writing.
Both models use the SwitchBot Air Purifier Filter, which has a list price of $39.99 / £44.99. As with all HEPA filters, this will need to be replaced on occasion, with SwitchBot advising a lifespan of 6-12 months depending on usage and air quality, so it’s important to factor in this regular cost.
Taking into account the convenience and additional features of the Air Purifier Table, and that it’s very regularly available for less than its official list price, I would say that you’re getting good value for money here.
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: design and features
4-in-1 air purifier, wireless charger, fragrance diffuser, and ambient light
Simple to set up, but a little fiddly
Detects and reacts to PM2.5 contamination
It feels like they were having a “yes” day in the SwitchBot office when they came up with the concept of the Air Purifier Table, like every idea thrown out was met with an enthusiastic nod. But somehow they found a way to make it work.
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table consists of an air purifier with a tabletop, as one might expect, but it also boasts a wireless Qi charger, a colored ambient light, and a fragrance diffuser. It made a useful little side table next to my couch, and the built-in Qi wireless charger proved handy for keeping my iPhone or Motorola Moto Buds+ earbuds topped up, which was a nice bonus feature.
Does an air purifier really need all these things? Perhaps not, but I appreciated the thought, and found these extra features useful, so you may do, too.
(Image credit: Future)
The air purifier is capable of detecting and reacting to PM2.5 (particle matter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller), but it is also capable of filtering VOCs and odors, thanks to the HEPA and activated carbon filter. This filter sits within the base of the machine, behind a washable pre-filter, both of which can be easily accessed by removing the outer panel.
Setting up the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was a little fiddly, as there are two parts of a little electrical connector between the purifier and the table top that need to be connected together. Once this was done, it was a case of rotating the table top until it clicked into place. There were four little screws that were meant to be screwed into the purifier underneath the tabletop for extra reinforcement, but this seemed basically impossible, even with my tiny hands, so I had to leave them.
(Image credit: Future)
There are a number of controls on the top edge of the purifier, underneath the tabletop, to use when you’re within reaching distance, or you can use the companion app to control the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table. The onboard controls include a button to change between the air purifier’s three modes: Auto, Pet, and Sleep, a button to cycle through the three fan speeds, a child lock, and a timer.
The controls were a bit tricky to reach, as they’re somewhat hidden underneath the tabletop. It wasn’t easy to change the settings unless I was sitting down and had a better view, although this wasn’t such a problem once I’d used them for a while, and it made more sense to use the app to adjust the settings, anyway.
Design score: 4 out of 5
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: app
Responsive and simple to use
Can set schedules and timers
Shows current and historical air quality data
The SwitchBot companion app is simple to use and houses a good range of features and air quality data insights for the price of the appliance. It proved very responsive over the weeks I used it, making it easy to switch modes or power on or off.
It clearly displays the air quality reading on the dashboard, using ratings from very good to bad, along with a numerical reference that relates to the number of micrograms of PM2.5 per meter cubed.
The app also provides historical data in graphs spanning either the last 24 hours or 30 days. This meant I could view which hour any spikes in air contamination occurred over the last day, and see what the minimum and maximum readings were each day over the last month. It would have been nice to have access to a 24-hour graph for previous days of the month, but this is only a small niggle, really.
(Image credit: SwitchBot / Future)
I could also set schedules within the app, either as a one-off occurrence or repeating on particular days and times. There’s a timer function, too, which offers both hours and minutes, up to 12 hours, so I could leave it running for exactly 11 hours and 26 minutes, if I really wanted to.
Finally, the care and maintenance section told me how many hours of life were remaining on the filter, and how many hours I’d been using it for. At this moment, it’s telling me that I’ve used it for 184 hours, and I’ve got 4,136 hours left. This section also advises that the pre-filter should be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner every two to four weeks, which is all handy info to know.
App score: 4.5 out of 5
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: performance
Quick contaminant detection and clearing
The noise didn’t disturb my rescue cats
Subtly fragranced the air
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was pleasingly responsive when I tested it by spraying dry shampoo from roughly two feet away. It took just a few seconds to detect the contamination, with the PM2.5 reading increasing to 619 micrograms per meter cubed in thirty seconds.
In this time, the fan speed increased in order to tackle the detected contamination, and took a further thirty seconds to return the air level to “good”, and back to “very good” in less than two minutes from the initial detection.
As it tackled the contamination so quickly, and therefore returned to its lowest setting, it didn’t do much to tackle the lingering fragrance of the dry shampoo in this time, though this is standard for air purifiers incapable of reading the ambient levels of VOCs in the air. This doesn’t mean that it doesn’t capture VOCs, however, as the HEPA and carbon filter is capable of doing so, but it needs to be manually set back to a higher fan speed to do so efficiently. I upped the fan speed to level two, and could no longer detect the fragrance after about fifteen minutes.
(Image credit: Future)
On the subject of scents, the built-in fragrance diffuser worked better than I was expecting. I’ve encountered this feature before with my beloved GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite, though it was one of the rare sources of disappointment, as it wasn’t very efficient. Things were a bit more positive when it came to the diffuser in the SwitchBot, however; I could detect a good amount of the fragrance from the oils I’d placed on the pad.
One important thing to note regarding fragrance or essential oils and pets is to please make sure you do your research on whether any oils you plan to use are safe, as some can prove toxic to our furry friends.
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was very quiet when in sleep mode, measuring just 26dB from two feet away, which is quieter than a whisper. It was therefore very easy to sleep next to, and so I’d have no concerns using the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table as a nightstand.
(Image credit: Future)
Pet Mode worked a little differently than I expected. On the SwitchBot site, Pet Mode is described as using a softer air supply to prevent disturbing pets. In practice, I found that enabling it just seemed to bump the fan speed up to two, regardless of the air quality, which was already good. Nonetheless, neither of my rescue kitties seemed bothered by the 49dB volume, and were happy to come up and have fusses right next to it.
At its top fan speed, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table gave a reading of 55dB, making it a little louder than the Blueair Blue Pure Mini Max, but seeing as this is still only as loud as light traffic, it’s perfectly acceptable.
Overall, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is an efficient air purifier for the price, and a handy little side table and phone charger.
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
Should I buy the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table?
Section
Notes
Score
Value for money
Provided you purchase it at what appears to be a regularly discounted rate, you’re getting a good little air purifier and some fun additional features for the price.
4/5
Design & Features
There’s a lot packed into this little table, thanks to its air purifying, charging, and fragrance diffusing features. The setup was a little fiddly in places, but easy enough overall.
4/5
App
The companion app was simple to use and responsive. It gave some insights into any spikes in contamination throughout the day, plus min and max readings over the past thirty days.
4.5/5
Performance
The air purifier reacted to and tackled contamination quickly during testing, and dealt with the odor left over, once I’d manually upped the fan speed.
4.5/5
Buy it if...
You want a smart purifier Having the SwitchBot app made it really easy to control and schedule the air purification, and it proved responsive and informative during testing.
You’ll make use of the extra features If you happen to need a new side table or nightstand with built-in wireless charging, then the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is a great way to feed two birds with one scone.
You want a purifier with auto-detection It’s always useful to have an air purifier that can be left to its own devices, and the automatic detection and reactivity to PM2.5 means the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table will jump into action on its own accord.
Don't buy it if...
You want VOC detection Unsurprisingly, considering its price point, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table doesn’t detect or react to VOC contamination. If you’re looking for something that does, and you have a little more to spend, I highly recommend checking out the Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09 instead.
You just want an air purifier If you’re not bothered about having an extra side table or a wireless charger, then you’re probably better off opting for the standard SwitchBot Air Purifier and saving some money.
You want it to deal with odors unaided As it only detects and reacts to PM2.5 contamination and deals with it quickly, the fan isn’t running high enough for long enough to tackle odors. Therefore, manual intervention is required by turning up the fan speed until the odor is gone.
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: Also consider
Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i This delightfully lightweight air purifier offers simpler on-board controls, with one touch button to cycle through the three fan speeds, and auto and night modes. There’s a handy companion app that allows for easy control, along with air quality data based on the ambient levels of PM2.5. BlueAir has cleverly made the pre-filter part of the aesthetic, opting for a washable fabric covering, making this air purifier more pleasing to the eye. If you’d like to find out more, check out my full Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i review.
GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite This is another favorite of mine, and makes for a great desktop option. Similar to the BlueAir above, it’s simple to control with a touch button to cycle through the fan speeds and modes. One such mode is the custom mode, which was great, as it allowed me to run a customized routine. The Smart Air Purifier Lite can be controlled via the fantastic Govee Home companion app and voice control, too. For more information, why not take a look at my full GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite review?
How I tested the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table
I tested the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table for a few weeks
I explored the different modes and features
I tested its detection and reaction speeds
I passively tested the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table by having it next to my couch for a few weeks. I used it as a side table, charged my iPhone and earbuds, and made use of the fragrance diffuser and ambient lighting.
I tested out all of the different modes, like Sleep mode when I napped on the sofa, and Pet mode when my rescue cats were about. I explored the app and made use of the various features.
I tested how fast the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table would react to and clear contamination by spraying dry shampoo around two feet away. I also monitored the readings on the app during this time.
For this review, I tested the UK version of the Levoit CirculAir. A version with the same product code is available in the US, but there are minor differences compared to the UK model, including fewer fan speeds and slightly different onboard controls.
The Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan, also known as the Levoit Pedestal Air Circulator Fan in the UK, might be the best fan I've tested. I’ve been seriously impressed with the strong performance, convenience, and quiet operation.
This fan can be configured in two ways: either at full height or shorter, by simply unscrewing a section of the stand. This lower height is a little bit tall for use on a tabletop, but perfect for circulating air from heaters or floor-standing air conditioners.
(Image credit: Future)
It offers automatic horizontal and vertical oscillation, which makes for great air circulation, and also makes it really easy to fine-tune the position of the airflow just using the remote. The only thing it’s missing here is the option to select different oscillation ranges; instead, it's limited to 90 degrees horizontally and 120 degrees vertically.
On the front of the stand there’s a well-lit LED screen that displays the selected mode, and either the fan speed or the ambient temperature. Below this are the onboard touch controls (which vary slightly depending on region), and the CirculAir can also be controlled with the easy-to-use circular remote, which is magnetic for convenient storage on the back of the air circulator.
(Image credit: Future)
The airflow proved impressively strong during testing, and I was very grateful for it during a recent heatwave. Even at its lowest speed, I could feel a good breeze from 8ft / 2.4m, and I ran out of space to back up any further at 18ft / 5.5m away when the fan was at its top speed of 12, so it’s clear it has super-strong airflow when running full blast.
Despite its strength, the CirculAir runs satisfyingly quietly. I measured a volume of just 29dB from around 2ft away on fan speed one, 37dB at speed five, and 51dB at speed 12. This means it can operate with whisper-quiet volume at its lowest speed, and only gets as loud as moderate rainfall.
All this for a not-too-painful price tag: this fan is available to purchase at Amazon at a list price of $89.99 / £119.99, but I've already spotted a few discounts, so you might be able to avoid full whack. That's the short version; read on for my full Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan review.
Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan review: price & availability
List price: $89.99 / £119.99
Availability: US and UK
The Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan, AKA the Levoit Pedestal Air Circulator Fan in the UK, has a list price of $89.99 / £119.99, and is available at VeSync in the US, and at Amazon in both regions.
This is a good price considering the impressive performance the Levoit CirculAir delivered during testing, but I recommend keeping an eye out for offers, too, as there appear to be fairly regular deals available at Amazon. For example, at the time of writing, there’s a 10% limited-time deal knocking the price down to $80.99 in the US, and the price was regularly dropping to below £95 in the UK a couple of months ago.
I’ve tested the UK model, and while the model number is the same in the US, there are some slight differences, which I make note of in the following sections.
Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan review: design & features
Automatic vertical and horizontal oscillation
2 height options and 4 fan modes to choose between
Onboard touch controls and remote control
The Levoit CirculAir is a pedestal air circulator with two height options, so it can be placed on the floor or a tabletop. I personally found its shorter height to be a little taller than I’d prefer for a desktop fan, but this is a good option to have if you happen to be short on floor space. This shortened height could also prove useful if you wanted to, for example, position the fan in front of a heater or floor-standing AC unit, as it would be more efficient at circulating the heated or cooled air from that position.
I found it satisfyingly easy to get the Levoit CirculAir setup in either configuration – it was a simple case of screwing the poles together and into the base. The base is just the right weight: heavy enough that the fan felt sturdy on my medium-pile living room carpet, but not too heavy to move it around when required.
(Image credit: Future)
There are two ways to control the Levoit CirculAir: by using the circular remote or the large touch panel on the front of the stand. The remote was just the right size; small enough to be easy for me to hold and reach all the buttons, but large enough that the buttons were well-spaced and the icons were easy to read.
The large LED panel has a generous screen that displays either the fan speed or ambient temperature, as well as which mode the CirculAir is currently set to. The controls vary slightly on the UK model from the one in the US, but all controls are accessible on the remote in both regions.
(Image credit: Future)
The number of fan speeds also varies slightly between regions, curiously, with 12 fan speeds on offer on the UK model I tested, but only nine in the US. There are a few different modes that can be cycled through: Normal mode (where I could choose the fan speed), Turbo mode (which amps up the fan), Sleep mode (which silences the responsive beeps and dims the display), and Eco mode (which makes use of the CirculAir's internal temperature sensor and adjusts the fan speed to suit).
Unlike most desktop fans, the Levoit CirculAir boasts automatic vertical oscillation, along with the standard horizontal oscillation. There isn’t the option to choose the degree of oscillation, sadly, so it’s either 90-degree horizontal oscillation and 120-degree vertical oscillation, or nothing. I did have the choice to use just one or the other, or both, though. Not only does this range of oscillation equal better air circulation, but it also means that it could be set to just the right angle from the comfort of my couch using the remote, which I loved.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan review: performance
Easy to use, responsive controls
Super strong airflow
Satisfyingly quiet operation
Controlling the CirculAir was straightforward, as the touch buttons on the well-lit display were simple to understand and responsive, as were the controls on the remote. I really liked that the remote control could be magnetically clipped onto the back of the air circulator, as this made it really easy to store and retrieve.
The Levoit CirculAir has delightfully strong airflow, and I found it to be a real help cooling me down during a recent heatwave here in the UK. In fact, it has the strongest airflow out of the fans I’ve tested to date, to the point where I wasn't able to confirm how far the air travelled when it was running at its top speed, as I ran out of room at 18ft / 5.5 meters.
The airflow strength was great at lower speeds, too, as I could still feel a pleasantly cooling breeze from an impressive 8ft / 2.4m away at speed 1, and 15ft / 4.5m at speed 6, which means it reaches further at half power than the Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09 does at full blast.
(Image credit: Future)
I love it when a fan has an automatic mode, and 'Eco mode' (as it's called in the CirculAir's case) came in particularly handy during the recent heatwave. The CirculAir adjusted the fan speed in response to the rising ambient temperature throughout the day, though I found it to be much more conservative in terms of the fan speeds it applied compared to my current favorite air circulator, the MeacoFan Sefte 8in. This is good news for energy saving, though, and doesn’t make it any less efficient, really, considering the concentration of air kicked out even at the lower fan speeds.
The volume levels were pleasingly quiet, especially when taking into account the CirculAir’s punchy airflow. I got a reading of just 29dB from about 2ft away on fan speed 1, 37dB at speed 5, and 51dB at speed 12, so it was whisper quiet at its lowest, and only as loud as moderate rainfall when running at top speed.
(Image credit: Future)
Its low volume meant I had no problem at all sleeping with it toward the foot of my bed. I really appreciated the automatic vertical and horizontal oscillation at nighttime, too, as being able to control both with the remote meant I could get the angle of the airflow exactly where I wanted it without needing to get up and manually adjust it.
After testing, I have no complaints about the Levoit CirculAir. It was easy to use and responsive, and it operated at low volumes while delivering impressively strong airflow.
Performance score: 5 out of 5
Should I buy the Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan?
Section
Notes
Score
Value for money
This air circulator’s fantastic performance and versatility make it great value for money, but it’s always worth keeping an eye out for discounts.
5/5
Design
With 2 height options, automatic horizontal and vertical testing, plus responsive controls with clever remote storage, there’s plenty of versatility.
4.5/5
Performance
The airflow is seriously strong, and yet the CirculAir runs pleasingly quietly. The automatic oscillation proved particularly convenient.
5/5
Buy it if...
You want strong airflow This air circulator certainly packs a punch! With impressively strong airflow even at its lower speeds, verging on ridiculous when running at full blast.
You want automatic cooling The CirculAir’s Eco mode is a handy feature to have when the ambient temperature fluctuates, as it’ll adjust the fan speed to suit.
You want a fan with adjustable height Having two different height options is great, whether you want to move it from the floor to a table, or you want to get the most efficient air circulation, depending on the position of your heater or air conditioner.
Don't buy it if...
You want something smart If you love your smart tech and prefer to operate things from your phone, then this won’t be the air circulator for you.
You’re looking for a desk fan Even at its shortened height, the CirculAir is a bit too tall, and the airflow is likely too strong to be a personal fan.
You want to fine-tune the oscillation Unlike fans like the Dyson Cool CF1, which offers angles of 15 to 70 degrees, the Circulair doesn’t have the option to fine-tune the range of the oscillation.
Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan review: Also consider
32.3-37.6 x 12.6 x 13.4 in / 82-95.5 x 32 x 33.9cm
Weight
12.7lb / 5.8kg
12.2 lb / 5.7kg
12lb / 5.4kg
Shark FlexBreeze This is a great option if you like the idea of taking your fan outside and making use of its misting attachment on sunny days. It can be used as a pedestal or table fan, plus it can run cordless, and our reviewer was pleased with the battery life. It only has five fan speeds, but it still delivers airflow that can be felt up to 70 feet away. If you’d like to learn more, check out our full Shark FlexBreeze review.
Meaco MeacoFan 1056P Another impressively quiet fan, this height-adjustable air circulator proved a hit with our reviewer. It delivered a great performance when tested during hot weather, and proved pleasingly quiet, even at higher speeds. This is another fan with clever fan storage, too, as the circular remote magnetically clips to the front. To find out more, have a read of our full Meaco MeacoFan 1056P review.
How I tested the Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan
I tested the Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan for a week
I tried out the different modes and features
I tested its volume and how strong the airflow was
I used the Levoit CirculAir Oscillating Fan in our photo studio, my home office, and my bedroom over the course of a week. I evaluated the assembly process and build quality closely before using it passively and in specific tests that allowed me to assess the available features.
I tried the CirculAir at both heights, oscillating, and static. I tested out the different modes, particularly Eco mode, to see how the CirculAir would respond to fluctuating temperatures.
I assessed the airflow by checking the distance I could still feel a cooling breeze on the top, middle, and lowest settings. I used a decibel meter on my iPhone to check the noise levels, taking the readings from around 2ft / 600mm away, ensuring the fan wasn’t blowing directly into the microphone.
