German manufacturer Bosch has been a long-standing name in home appliances since it released its first refrigerator back in 1933. So, it's no surprise that the company finally took the plunge into the lucrative air fryer market with the release of the Bosch Series 6 Air Fryer.
You'd perhaps forgive Bosch for having some teething issues with its first-ever air, but the Series 6 has very few. Instead of prioritizing a surplus of extra cooking programs, modes, and features, the Series 6 offers a more streamlined experience, focusing on the quality of life features and cooking programs the average user needs rather than unnecessary add-ons.
The Bosch Series 6 doesn't have dozens of modes, but those it does offer produced consistently good results (Image credit: Vic Hood)
There are eight cooking programs, which cover the most typical food types cooked in an air fryer: Keep Warm, French Fries, Poultry, Meat, Fish, Vegetables, Bread, and Small Pastries (because who doesn't love an air-fried croissant?) We found each program to cook food consistently well, though some tweaking may be required for taste, especially when it comes to meats.
These programs are straightforward to use thanks to the air fryer's clear touch controls, while a handful of quality-of-life features make the Series 6 a joy to use. Its illuminated drawer and window allow you to check food without letting out heat, its Shake alert lets out clear, loud chirps, and its included grill rack and skewers allow you to grill food with ease. It's also generally easy to clean with minimal elbow grease and fairly compact given its 7.2-liter capacity.
The included grill rack and skewers make cooking easy (Image credit: Vic Hood)
While the Series 6 is a great appliance overall, it's not perfect. It's one of the louder air fryers this reviewer has tested (hitting 68dB in some cases), and removing the aforementioned metal grill rack and skewers from the basket safely can prove a bit of a struggle. We'd also have loved for the aforementioned grill rack to be securable within the basket to prevent rubbing on the non-stick plate. We also found that it struggled to balance keeping chicken moist inside while crispy outside.
These are minor issues, however, and the Bosch Series 6 Air Fryer provides an excellent experience otherwise. Though it is perhaps more suited to smaller households or those who only wish to cook one food item at a time.
Bosch Series 6 air fryer: price and availability
Price: £159.99 (roughly $212.58 / AU$329.16)
Available in the UK, but not available in the US and Australia
Unfortunately, this appliance isn't currently available in the U.S. or Australia, but those in the UK can purchase it from Bosch directly or a range of trusted third-party retailers, such as Argos and Amazon.
If its current price tag is a little over your budget, don't fret. Regular discounts at Bosch and other retailers see this air fryer's price dropping to around the £100 mark, saving you nearly £60 on the usual RRP.
Value score: 5/5
Bosch Series 6 air fryer: specifications
Review model
MAF671B1GB
Number of baskets
1
Number of cooking programs
8
Cooking programs
Bread, Fish, French Fries, Keep Warm, Meat, Small Pastries, Poultry, Vegetables
Extra functions
Shake signal
Smart control
No
Wattage
1,800W
Capacity
7.6 quarts / 7.2 liters
Temperature range
104F-392F / 40C-200C
Time range
1 min-2 hours, up to 8 hours on keep warm or 40C-80C
Dimensions (including handles)
12.4 x 12.2 x 15.3in / 314 x 309 x 388mm
Dishwasher-safe
Yes
Weight
13lbs / 5.9kg
Bosch Series 6 air fryer: design
7.2-liter capacity, but fairly combat
Illuminated drawer basket with window
Removable handle
Comes with metal grill rack and five skewers
The Bosch Series 6 offers a 7.2L capacity in a relatively compact design (compared to its competitors). The body of this air fryer is glossy black, with a silver rim around the top, a single drawer basket, and a removable handle. The touchscreen interface is easy to use, with the temperature adjustable in five-degree intervals.
The drawer is illuminated, meaning a light (which you can turn off and on at the touch of a button) comes on when you remove it, and thanks to an oven-like window, you can easily check your food without stopping the cooking process.
The drawer is illuminated, and the fryer has a clear window so you can check on your food during cooking (Image credit: Vic Hood)
The included physical user manual is thorough, making it easy to set up and use this appliance – even if you're a beginner. A physical food guide is also included, which provides a rough cooking guide and tips for each of the air fryer's eight programs. We do wish the food guide were slightly more detailed and included more food types, especially when it comes to cooking vegetables.
The food guide does come with a QR code, though, that leads you to a Quick Start Guide that features a handful of excellent recipes for this specific air fryer. We just wish there were more of them.
The basket and its crisper plate are dishwasher-safe, though we generally prefer to hand-wash anything with a non-stick coating (Image credit: Vic Hood)
This air fryer also comes with a metal grill rack accessory and five skewers that fit into the grill rack. These are a welcome addition for grilling, but we found removing the hot grill rack difficult after cooking due to the depth of the basket and its metal design. We also wish the grill rack could be locked into the basket's plate to avoid it moving around and potentially damaging the plate's non-stick coating long-term.
While the 7.2L basket is a bit bulky, it's easy to hand wash with minimal elbow grease – though, inside the window is slightly trickier to reach. Fortunately, the basket and its plate are dishwasher-proof, though we at TechRadar tend to recommend hand washing anything with a non-stick coat.
The main design drawback of this air fryer is its volume. We logged a max 68dB reading when the appliance was running at its maximum temperature, making it loud enough that we couldn't hear our kitchen TV and could hear it from our living room next door. This is particularly loud for an air fryer (based on those we've tested) and several decibels louder than the 63dB Bosch claims.
Design score: 4/5
Bosch Series 6 air fryer: performance
Quality performance across cooking programs
Useful Shake alert
Some foods could be crispier
We found the Bosch Series 6 air fryer performed consistently well across its eight cooking programs: Bread, Fish, French Fries, Keep Warm, Meat, Small Pastries, Poultry, and Vegetables.
We started our testing with 500g of frozen fries , utilizing the air fryer's French Fries preset, while tweaking the time slightly as recommended by the food guide. After 23 minutes, we had fairly evenly cooked fries (a couple were slightly over for my taste), but overall, the fries were fluffy inside and golden outside.
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A couple of the frozen fries were slightly overdone for my liking, but for the most part they were golden and crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside (Image credit: Vic Hood)
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Home-made fries turned out well too, and unlike some other air fryers, the Bosch didn't burn the ends (Image credit: Vic Hood)
Following the frozen fries, we tried 700g of handmade fries, soaked and with one tablespoon of oil, on the same setting, using the exact preset time and temperature. Again, the fries were fluffy inside and golden outside but could have been a little crispier. Unlike other air fryers, however, the Bosch Series 6 didn't leave our fries with overdone ends – a common issue we've encountered with testing.
Next, we tested the grill and skewer accessories. We loaded up each of the five skewers with chicken, onion, tomato, and peppers – but may have overloaded them a little as the five skewers struggled to fit beside each other. My advice: make sure your cuts of veggies and meat are smaller to avoid this.
Make sure the meat and vegetable pieces threaded onto the skewers aren't too large (Image credit: Vic Hood)
The skewers sit on indents in the grill rack, which is placed in the basket. We've mentioned our issues with the grill rack generally, but despite the overcrowding, we found our skewers cooked well on the Poultry preset, though some of the vegetables were becoming overdone and the chicken slightly overdone, so we had to remove them a few minutes early. You likely need to adjust this timing based on what you skewer.
We also tried cooking a couple of chicken breasts on the grill rack (with some seasoning and a tablespoon of oil) on the Poultry preset. They came out slightly dry and with not quite enough crisp on the outside for our taste, but overall very tasty.
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Chicken turned out tender, though the outside wasn't quite as crisp as I would have liked (Image credit: Vic Hood)
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Chicken turned out tender, though the outside wasn't quite as crisp as I would have liked (Image credit: Vic Hood)
We had this same crisping issue with drumsticks prepared using a Bosch recipe and dry-rubbed wings (my go-to Cosori recipe), both cooked well and were juicy inside, but the skin didn't crisp up quite enough. The pre-baked petit pains we cooked on the Bread preset, too were soft inside, but not quite crunchy enough outside.
The Bosch recipes are a great starting point for this air fryer, and we particularly enjoyed its roasted cauliflower and egg omelette muffin recipes (both turned out perfect). The apple turnover recipe, while very tasty, resulted in turnovers with overly soggy bottoms – though that's likely down to chef error on my part.
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Roasted cauliflower turned out brilliantly (Image credit: Vic Hood)
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Bosch's recipe for omelette muffins was a success as well (Image credit: Vic Hood)
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Apple turnover wasn't such a success, but that may have been due to user error (Image credit: Vic Hood)
Other presets may require some tweaking of the timings. Sausages on the Beef preset were slightly underdone after seven minutes, which may be down to the fact that they were chunky Cumberlands.
Vegetables, too, like most air fryers, require some experimentation. The food guide isn't very detailed on how long to cook certain vegetables and just covers "Grilled Vegetables." While this was the perfect preset for my chantanay carrots, my broccoli, onions and peppers needed to be removed early to avoid becoming too charred. Again, this is something we've encountered with several air fryers.
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Our sausages were a little underdone at the end of the cooking time, but that may be because they were particularly chunky (Image credit: Vic Hood)
Now, if you've read our air fryer reviews before, you'll know we love an air fryer that can bake. The Bosch Series 6 can manage that feat for small cakes and muffins, so we used our usual Ninja muffin recipe with the Muffin preset to test its capabilities. It was perhaps the best result I've had for this test, with the muffins perfectly golden on top, not too dry inside, and little to no overspill.
Overall, the Bosch Series 6 performs brilliantly; however, you may need to experiment a bit to get the right balance of crispness and doneness for certain foods.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Should you buy the Bosch Series 6 air fryer?
Bosch Series 6 Air Fryer report card
Attribute
Notes
Score
Value
This air fryer is excellent value for its price tag, and thanks to regular sales, you can pick it up for closer to £100.
5/5
Design
The design is pretty compact for its 7.2L capacity, plus it's easy to use and clean. While the accompanying grill rack and skewers are welcome accessories, we wish they could lock into the basket plate and were easier to remove after cooking. This is also one of the louder air fryers we've reviewed.
4/5
Performance
Performance across all eight cooking programs is solid, though some foods could be slightly crispier on the outside. You may need to experiment a bit for optimal results on certain presets.
4.5/5
Buy it if
You want a decent capacity air fryer, but haven't space for a dual-basket
The Bosch Series 6's 7.2L capacity is pretty sizeable, and while it's not compact enough to be counted as a small air fryer, it's nowhere near as big as some competitors. Plus, the handles are detachable, making it slightly easier to store.
You're looking for a solid, budget air fryer
With its £159.99 price tag, the Bosch Series 6 is already great value for money, but regular discounts see that price knocked down to roughly £100, making it an ideal choice for those on a £100 budget.
You want a streamlined air frying experience
The Bosch Series 6 is a great entry-level air fryer for those who want a straightforward, streamlined experience. It comes with enough features to make it pleasant to use without overwhelming you with extras.
Don't buy it if
You want to cook more than one food at once
The Bosch Series 6's capacity means you can fit a decent amount of food in, but if you've got a larger household that plans to make larger quantities or food or you want to cook more than one type of food at once, you may struggle with this.
You want a bunch of extras
This is down to personal preference. While this air fryer comes with a grill rack, it only air fries, and the cooking programs cover the basics. If you want features like smart control, synced cooking, or different cooking modes (like grilling and steaming), then this may not be the best choice for you.
How I tested the Bosch Series 6 air fryer
I used the Bosch Series 6 air fryer for a week, cooking a wide variety of foods including fries, sausages, fresh vegetables, and pastries. I tested all the air fryer's various modes and cleaned the air fryer in line with the instructions provided in the manual. For more details, see how we test, rate, and review products at TechRadar.
For this review, I tested the Mini 600 UK version. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.
The Mammotion Yuka Mini is a relatively compact, simple and affordable robotic mower for small to medium-sized lawns. There are a few different options, but for this review I tested the Mini 600 (called the Mini S in the US) for yards that are 0.15 acres / 600㎡ in size.
While it's far from the fanciest lawnbot on the market, it handled various obstacles impressively well. My parents' yard comprises uneven areas, trees, awkwardly placed beds, and a brook; but none of these posed an issue for the Yuka Mini during tests. It navigated accurately, avoided unexpected obstacles impressively well, and never got lost or tried to take a swim.
I was also extremely happy with the mowing itself. It left the yard looking far neater than if I'd cut it manually, with the grass evenly trimmed and faux-stripes created by the logical mowing route. It operated quietly enough that I could happily read a book nearby, and while not exactly lightning-fast, it has proved sufficiently speedy to tackle the lawn size for which it's designed in an efficient manner.
The impressive performance is hampered somewhat by the brand experience. The app feels basic and a little unintuitive. The instructions provided for setup aren't clear enough for lawnbot newbies – who should also note that finding a good spot for your charge station and RTK receiver is key. During tests I also found the bot would sometimes lose connection, needing to be carried back to within Wi-Fi range before it could be instructed.
Nevertheless, once I'd managed to get everything up and running, I found myself forgetting the minor pain of setup very quickly. I really can't overstate how much time and effort this little bot has saved over the past few weeks, and the lawn looks neater than ever. Overall, for the price it's a very solid investment.
That's the short version; read on for my full Mammotion Yuka Mini review.
(Image credit: Future)
Mammotion Yuka Mini review: price & versions
List price: from $1,099 / £849 / AU$1,499
Launched: February 2025
Available: US, UK, AU, Europe
In the US, you have a few options in the Yuka Mini range. The equivalent to the model I've reviewed here is the Mini S, which costs $1,099 and is designed for yards of 0.15 acres / 600 square meters in size. Alternatively, you can opt for a H-series model, which can deal with taller grass. In that line is the Mini 600H for $1,099 or the Mini 800H for $1,299.
In the UK and Australia, you have the Mini 600 (reviewed here) for £849 / AU$1,499. If you have a slightly larger garden, you can go for the Yuka Mini 800 for £1,049 / AU$1,899. I've spotted discounts in all territories; it's not too difficult to avoid paying full whack if you're patient.
While not an especially cheap purchase, I think it offers decent value for money. Build quality is solid and performance is reliable, and this compact lawnbot really is a big effort-saver.
In terms of rival brands, Husqvarna's bots are geared towards larger yards. At time of writing, it has its Automower 115H (which can mow up to 0.4 acres) for $699.99, then prices hop straight up to $1,999.99 for the Automower 415X (up to 0.37 acres).
The Eufy E15 is suitable for yards up to 0.2 acres and is much pricier, at $1,799.99 / £1,499. However, it's a different kind of bot because it uses self-drive car tech rather than satellites to navigate, and therefore is significantly easier to set up.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Mammotion Yuka Mini specs
Product:
Yuka Mini S (US) / Yuka Mini 600 (UK)
Recommended lawn size:
0.15 acres / 600㎡
Max lawn size:
0.2 acres / 800㎡
Cutting width:
7.5in / 19cm
Cutting height:
0.8-2.4in / 2-6cm
Drivetrain:
2-wheel drive
Max zones:
15
Incline ability:
50% / 27 degrees
Waterproof:
IPX6
Lawnbot size (L x W x H):
20.7 x 16.3 x 11.1in / 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1cm
Lawnbot weight:
23.4 lbs / 10.6kg
Mowing area per charge:
0.04 acres / 150㎡
Charge time:
90 mins
Mowing time per charge:
55 mins
Mammotion Yuka Mini review: design
Relatively compact, lightweight bot with five cutting blades
Comes with an RTK receiver and charge station (garage roof is extra)
AI-equipped, front-mounted camera for object avoidance
The Mammotion Yuka setup comprises three elements: a charge station, an RTK receiver and the lawnbot itself.
Let's start with the robot. It's fairly compact in size, with a plastic upper shell and two chunky, deep-tread wheels to help it traverse uneven ground. On the top is a large control panel that includes a knob to manually adjust cutting height, some simple press buttons, and a big red emergency stop button. There's also an AI-powered camera to help with object identification and avoidance. The whole thing is waterproof to IPX-6 (i.e. it will be fine even in a downpour).
Flip it over and you'll find two smaller front wheels and a spinning cutting deck that holds five ultra-sharp blades. Mammotion has thoughtfully included a ridged grip section at the front and back – well away from those blades – to enable you to safely and securely pick up the robot, if you need to move it past an area that isn't accessible by driving. It's compact and light enough that most able-bodied people should be able to carry it without too much trouble.
The battery tucks in the back of the bot and is detachable, should you need to replace it further down the line.
(Image credit: Future)
The charge station is where the bot returns to dock. It's a black plastic base with raised charge contacts, and plastic ground screws are provided to secure it into the ground. It's potentially worth investing in a "garage roof" to provide protection; despite being waterproof, prolonged exposure to the elements will surely limit the lawnbot's lifespan in the longer term.
You'll want to think about where the charge station will live before buying. It can't go just anywhere, but the literature that comes with the lawnbot isn't great at explaining this. The charge station needs to be somewhere relatively flat, with a clear route to mowing areas, and access to a power outlet. While it doesn't need line-of-sight to the lawnbot (it will communicate via radio signal), it does need at least some view of the sky, so that the bot can talk to the satellites when docked. I struggled to find somewhere suitable initially.
(Image credit: Future)
Finally, the RTK station. This essentially helps make the satellite positioning data more accurate, and is important if you don't want your bot to end up in a flower bed. It looks like a small-ish rounded dome with an antenna protruding downwards – not too obtrusive, but I set it up in my parents' garden and the feedback from my mum was that she wished it wasn't white, because it sticks out too much and spoils her view. (I think she has a point.)
You'll also want to figure out where the RTK station will live before making your purchase. It's best positioned high up, with a clear view of the sky in as many directions as possible. It also needs to be connected to a power source.
There is an option that means you don't need to install the RTK receiver. The Yuka Mini can map and navigate using a "NetRTK and 4G module" – at the time of writing it's free to use, but this added functionality typically comes with a subscription fee. I did not test this option, and I'm not sure if it's suitable for any garden or if there are requirements.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Mammotion Yuka Mini review: performance
Neat, even cutting and impressively quiet in use
Navigation was accurate throughout my testing period
Setup and initial use can be confusing if you're not familiar with lawnbots
Moving on to how well the Yuka Mini performed in practice. I'll start with setup, and the results of my cutting tests.
Setup
The Yuka Mini was the first robot lawn mower I'd tested, and I found initial setup rather painful. Information is lacking from Mammotion (I feel this area could do with improvement), so if you're in this boat too, prepare to do a bit of independent research before embarking on setup. The key things are to find a good spot for your charge station and RTK receiver, as I've discussed above.
With that done, it's a case of mapping your space. There are two options here: manual (for complex mowing areas) and automatic (for simple areas with clear boundaries). My parents' yard, where I tested this bot, includes various grassy areas. The main one includes uneven areas of green, large mid-lawn beds, and has a brook running down one side, so I mapped it manually.
This involved driving the bot carefully around the perimeter of the lawn, using my phone as the remote control. Once I was done, I added no-go zones around any fixed obstructions (trees, beds, patio areas) within the lawn, again by driving over and around them. If you're used to robot vacuums, this mapping process feels much more old-school, but there's no denying it's pretty fun.
(Image credit: Future)
The yard at the front of the house is simpler, with no waterways for the bot to fall into, so I took a chance on automatic mapping. I was impressed – the lawnbot mapped the space quickly and figured out the borders of the beds accurately. Note that you can't map very small areas.
I added routes between connected areas, to enable the bot to find its way back to the base. For some areas – for example, that front yard – it wasn't possible to create a path back to the charge station. I was still able to map and mow these areas, but I had to carry the robot back to the charge base area once it was done, and it would yell at me that the robot was tilted as I did so.
(Image credit: Future)
Cutting and navigation performance
I was very impressed with this robot's cutting performance. It mowed each lawn zone neatly and evenly, leaving faux stripes in its path. It appeared to take a logical path, too, mowing in parallel lines over the main body of each lawn area and then looping around the perimeter to catch the edges.
There were very occasionally narrow strips between lines that remained uncut, but these could be taken care of by remote-control mowing after the task was complete, or (more commonly for me) left to be caught on the next mowing session.
The Yuka Mini also proved very quiet in operation, and significantly quieter than a traditional mower. I was able to happily sit on a sun lounger on the patio and read my book while it took care of the adjacent lawn – surely, the ideal scenario anyone is hoping for when they purchase one of these.
(Image credit: Future)
Once everything was set up properly, I didn't encounter any issues with navigation; the lawnbot never got lost or ended up somewhere it should not be, and it reliably returned to its base once a task was complete – or if it ran out of juice mid-mow. It had no trouble traversing really quite steep ground, and was able to mow quite close to the sloped edge of the brook without taking a dip. (Initially, I left a large border for fear the Yuka Mini would go for a swim, but once I'd used it for a while and seen how well it navigated, I shifted the perimeter closer to the water.)
Object avoidance is solid, too. If I stood in front of the bot while it was mowing, it would duly pause and make its way around me before continuing.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Mammotion Yuka Mini review: app
App is fine but on the basic side, and lacks some fine-tuned controls
Not the most logical layout, with some functions hard to find
Functional, once you've figured out the quirks
Most control for the Yuka Mini comes via the companion app. Overall I found it fine, but not amazing. I'm more used to testing robot vacuums, and in comparison to most of the robovac apps I've used, the Mammotion app felt a little clunky and simplistic. Settings aren't always where you'd expect to find them; there were some spelling errors in the text (not the end of the world, but indicative of a lack of care); and the instructions weren't always clear.
For example, the bot is apparently designed to straddle the edges of paths, so you don't end up with an uncut border. I expected this to be an option you could toggle on or off in the app, but it's not. (It's only suitable for paths that are perfectly flat, and the ones in my test yard don't fit this requirement.) There's a decent range of adjustment options, but they're a little tucked away and not accessible if the bot has lost connection to the internet.
The map is also very simplistic; just a cutting area, with nothing else specified. I imagined you might be able to indicate a tree, a flower bed or a pond – if not to adjust how the lawnbot behaves at that border, then at least to help you understand where you are on the map. This is not an option, however.
I found if I was a long way from the lawnbot, the app would regularly lose contact. If the robot wasn't cutting at the time, I'd have to carry the bot back to within Wi-Fi range before I could instruct it. If it was cutting at the time, it would continue on with its task, but I couldn't watch its progress. This felt a little risky, although I guess I'd only be getting very basic information anyway.
All that said, once I'd figured out where things were, the app was usable and did what I needed it to. Middling marks.
App score: 3 out of 5
Should you buy the Mammotion Yuka Mini?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Not cheap, but relatively affordable in the market, and there are deals to be had. Product feels high quality.
4 / 5
Design
Relatively compact and lightweight lawnbot. Navigates using satellites and an RTK receiver, although there is also a paid-for 4G navigation option.
4.5 / 5
Performance
Neat, quiet and thorough mowing, and reliable navigation and object avoidance. Setup a little confusing.
4 / 5
App
Rather basic, slightly unintuitive and lacks fine controls, although generally does what you need it to do.
3 / 5
Buy it if...
You have a small to medium-sized yard The Yuka Mini I tested is designed for spaces of around 0.15 acres / 600㎡ in size, and there's also a version for up to 0.2 acres / 800㎡. The relatively compact design won't overwhelm a smaller yard.
You're looking for something affordable A lot of lawnbots cost thousands, whereas this bot is far more affordable – especially if you snag one of the semi-regular deals.
Don't buy it if...
You want the crème de la crème of the range This little bot performed great in my tests, but it isn't as advanced as the Mammotion Luba 2, which has all the latest bells and whistles you could hope for.
You have a very large yard The bot I tested is designed for yards of around 0.15 acres / 600㎡, although alternatives in the Yuka Mini range can manage up to 0.2 acres / 800㎡. There are plenty of options that cater to bigger yards, offering wider cutting decks and longer runtimes, if that won't suffice.
You're a total technophobe I found setup a little painful, and the basic app and lack of clear instructions from Mammotion don't help. If you want a lawnbot that will do it all for you, take a look at the Dreame E15.
Mammotion Yuka Mini: alternatives to consider
Mammotion Yuka Mini 600
Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD 1000
Recommended lawn size:
0.15 acres / 600㎡
0.25 acres / 1,000㎡
Max lawn size:
0.2 acres / 800㎡
0.3 acres / 1,012㎡
Cutting width:
7.5in / 19cm
15.7in / 40cm
Cutting height:
0.8-2.4in / 2-6cm, mechanical
1 - 2.7in / 2.5-7cm, motorized
Drivetrain:
Two-wheel drive
All-wheel drive
Max zones:
15
10
Incline ability:
50% (27°)
80% (38°)
Waterproof:
IPX6
IPX6 & IPX7
Lawnbot size (L x W x H):
20.7 x 16.3 x 11.1in / 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1cm
27.2 x 20.2 x 10.7in / 69 x 51.3 x 27.3cm
Lawnbot weight:
23.4lbs / 10.6kg
37.7lbs / 17.1 kg
Mow time per charge:
55 mins
120 mins
Mammotion LUBA 2 robot mower
The LUBA is an altogether fancier, more tech-packed option from Mammotion. There are various versions that can manage large yards, and it offers longer runtimes and four-wheel drive for trickier terrain.
I set up the Mammotion Yuka Mini in my parents' yard, which includes three main grassy areas. There are various obstacles, including patio areas, beds in the middle of the lawn, trees and a brook. I set it up using the instructions provided (supplemented by my own research, when that didn't go to plan), mapped the area, and ran several mowing tests over the course of a few days. It was then used as the primary mower over the course of the month that followed, with me visiting regularly to check on progress. I assessed it based on the neatness of cutting, accuracy of navigation, and ease of use.
The Philips LatteGo 5500 Series is a compact fully automatic espresso machine that's a solid choice for couples and individuals. It has a relatively small water tank and bean hopper that's perfect for making a couple of cups, so you won't have large quantities of coffee and water going stale.
The built-in ceramic grinder offers some super-fine grind settings, and with just a little adjustment you should be able to brew consistently well-extracted espresso, which you can enjoy alone or as the foundation of over 15 different drinks. The most popular options (such as cappuccino and americano) are accessible via buttons beside the color display, while others can be found by tapping "other drinks" and selecting either hot or iced beverages.
It's worth noting that the LatteGo 5500 Series doesn't offer cold coffee extraction. Instead, you're prompted to add six to eight ice cubes to your cup, and the machine pours over a shot of hot espresso (followed by cold-foamed milk, if appropriate for your chosen drink). The results are OK, but you don't get the same mellow flavor you do from coffee infused using cold water, and the melting of the ice means drinks usually made without water can taste weak.
The LatteGo milk system works well, producing a thick and creamy foam from plant or dairy milk (Image credit: Future)
For me, the most interesting feature is the LatteGo's automatic milk-foaming system. Unlike most other coffee makers I've tested, the 5500 Series has a milk carafe that clips onto a steam nozzle on the front of the machine, and is designed to be filled while attached.
This might seem odd at first, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Not carrying containers of milk across the kitchen means less risk of spillage, and this carafe isn't intended for storing milk in the fridge between brews. Instead, it has markers on the side that show you exactly how much to add for different drinks, meaning there won't be any left at the end, and the carafe can be washed out, ready for next time (either by hand or in a dishwasher). It's a smart system for making just one or two drinks.
You do have to be very careful with how you position your cup, though. There's no way to adjust the LatteGo system's spout, and your cup needs to be further forward on the drip tray than you'd expect. Move it over the red water-level indicator, then a bit further still to avoid your milk spilling over the edge.
Overall, this is a well-made bean-to-cup machine for small households (or ones with just one coffee-drinker), and it does the basics very well. It wouldn't be my top choice if you want to make cold drinks regularly, however. For that, you'd be better opting for a machine that can handle cold extraction, so your drink isn't watered down. Take a look at my list of the best cold-brew coffee machines for some suggestions.
Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: price and availability
List price $1,099.95 / £649.99 / AU$1,194
Available globally
Often discounted in the UK
The Philips LatteGo 5500 Series is available globally, and has a list price of $1,099.95 / £649.99 / AU$1,194 (although it’s often reduced to £549.99 in the UK). It’s the top-tier model in the LatteGo series, with 20 hot and cold drink options compared to 12 drinks for the less expensive 4400 Series. You’ll find all today’s best deals on the LatteGo 5500 Series listed below.
That price is about standard for a compact bean-to-cup espresso machine, and is roughly the same as the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch. However, the La Specialista Touch offers greater control over brewing options, along with both manual and automatic milk-foaming.
Value score: 3.5/5
Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: Specifications
Name
Philips LatteGo 5500 Series
Type
Fully automatic bean-to-cup espresso machine
Dimensions (W x H x D)
9.7 x 14.6 x 17in / 24.6 x 37.1 x 43.3cm
Weight
17.6lbs / 8kg
Water reservoir capacity
1.9qt / 1.8 liters
Milk frother
Yes (automatic)
Bars of pressure
15
User profiles
4 (plus guest)
Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: Design
Well suited to individuals or couples
LatteGo system is easy to use and clean
Simple button-based interface
At just 9.7 inches / 24.6cm wide, the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series is one of the narrowest espresso machines I’ve tested to date. It's ideal for tucking into small spaces – particularly because the water tank slides out of the front, so you only need to access the side of the machine when it’s time to clean the brewing group.
Although it has four user profiles (plus a guest option for visitors), this machine is best suited to individuals or couples who only want to make one or two drinks at once. Its 1.9qt / 1.8-liter water tank is quite small, and the optional (but recommended) water filter supplied with the machine takes up quite a lot of space, effectively making it smaller still.
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The LatteGo 5500 Series has quite a small water tank, which is fine for single people and couples (Image credit: Future)
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The water filter supplied is quite large, and uses a considerable amount of the tank's capacity (Image credit: Future)
At first that sounds like it could be a problem, but when you’re only making a couple of drinks at once it’s fine, and refilling the tank regularly is always a good idea. Most of your coffee is made of water, so you want to keep it fresh.
As the name suggests, one of the LatteGo 5500 Series’ key features is its milk system, which comprises a small carafe that pushes onto a steam nozzle on the front of the machine. Unlike every other automatic espresso machine I’ve tested, you fill this container while it’s attached to the machine. This feels odd at first, but it actually makes sense; no carrying containers of milk across the kitchen means no potential for spillage.
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The LatteGo system has just two removeable parts, and is easy to keep clean between uses (Image credit: Future)
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The milk carafe is filled while attached to the machine, which is quite unusual (Image credit: Future)
Markings on the side of the carafe show how far to fill it for different drinks, whether you’re preparing one or two cups. The idea is that you’ll use all the milk in one go. Unlike most other machines (such as the Jura J10, for example), the LatteGo’s carafe isn’t airtight. Nor is it intended to be stored in the fridge with milk inside between uses. Instead, you add just the amount of milk you need, then wash it out for next time (either by hand or in the top drawer of the dishwasher) to keep everything fresh.
The bean hopper doesn’t have a huge capacity either. Again, this is no bad thing for a machine intended for just one or two people, because it means you won’t have unused beans hanging around for too long.
The hopper has a tinted plastic lid to help stop light degrading the flavor compounds in the beans, and an airtight seal to keep them fresh. The seal also helps muffle the noise of the machine’s ceramic grinder. Indeed, this espresso machine is one of the quietest I’ve tested, with both the grinder and milk system making very little noise.
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The LatteGo 5500 Series has a fairly small bean hopper, which means individuals and couples won't have to worry about lots of beans going stale (Image credit: Future)
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The grind size is adjusted using a small dial in the hopper (Image credit: Future)
The grind size is adjusted using a small dial inside the hopper. I would have preferred this to be on the outside for accessibility, but that’s a minor quibble. For me, the bigger issue was the height of the hopper, which made it tricky to open and refill when the machine was under a cabinet. The machine is quite light, but if you don’t have much headroom, you’ll have to shimmy it out when it’s time to refill.
Just in front of the hopper, you’ll find a chute for adding a scoop of pre-ground coffee if you’d like to switch to something different, such as decaf for after lunch.
The drip tray is nice and deep, which again helps to avoid spillage, with a pouring spout at the back for easy emptying, plus a level indicator so you can see at a glance when it’s time to empty it. There’s also a deep detachable container for used coffee grounds, and the LatteGo 5500 Series will alert you when it needs emptying.
The drip tray has high sides to prevent spillage, and there's a generously-sized container for used coffee grounds (Image credit: Future)
This alert will appear on the machine’s TFT display, which is surrounded by a set of buttons that provide quick access to the most popular drink options. The rest are accessed by pressing the "More drinks" button, which presents you with a choice of two lists: one for hot beverages, and one for iced.
Selecting the "Setting"' button will reveal more comprehensive brewing options, including the ability to change the temperature, plus various energy-saving settings such as toggling the lights above your cup, and determining how long the machine should wait before powering off.
It was refreshing to see that the machine’s packaging was mostly cardboard, with only a few plastic bags for components. Even the best coffee makers are often packaged in large pieces of polystyrene
Design score: 4/5
Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: performance
Brews well-balanced espresso once grinder is dialled in
Iced coffee isn't cold-extracted
LatteGo milk spout is somewhat awkward
The LatteGo is very simple to use, and the buttons around the display will be all most users need on an everyday basis. Select a beverage, and you’ll be able to tweak a few options to determine the strength and volume of your drink, then the machine will handle the rest.
There’s no equivalent of De’Longhi’s BeanAdapt system for configuring the brew settings to suit your chosen coffee, but adjusting the grinder and tweaking the options when preparing your coffee should allow you to create consistently well-extracted espresso.
Each time you change the brew settings for a drink, your adjustments will be saved to the currently selected profile (red, blue, yellow or green). You can switch between profiles by tapping a button on the left of the screen, and there’s an extra guest profile, so visitors don’t accidentally override your custom cappuccino settings.
There are four colored profiles to store custom drink preferences, plus a guest profile so visitors don't override your favorites (Image credit: Future)
You can use the LatteGo system with any type of milk you choose. During my tests, whole and full-fat dairy milk foamed well, as did oat milk – although the results were less impressive when using one of the iced drink options, which dispense cold milk. An iced cappuccino had some foam on top, but not very much compared to the same drink brewed hot.
I particularly like that the LatteGo system is so easy to keep clean. The carafe comes in two parts, which are easy to unclip, and there are no awkward tubes to clean. Milk never enters the body of the coffee machine either, so you don’t need to worry about bacteria breeding inside.
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It's easy to adjust the volume of drinks to suit different-sized cups (Image credit: Future)
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The machine works well with both plant-based and dairy milk (Image credit: Future)
My biggest complaint about the LatteGo 5500 Series (and it’s one that’s easily avoided) is that you can’t change the angle of the milk spout, so you have to position your cup just right to avoid milk spilling down the side. The perfect position is much further forward than you might expect, and your cup needs to be completely covering the red level indicator on the drip tray.
It helps to use quite a wide cup for your milky beverages; otherwise, you may not be able to position it just right for both the coffee dispenser and the milk spout, causing one or the other to miss.
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You can't adjust the angle of the milk spout, so it's essential to position your cup just right (Image credit: Future)
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The correct position for your cup is further forward than you might expect (Image credit: Future)
Iced coffee is one of the biggest trends in home espresso machines right now, so it’s no surprise that the top-tier LatteGo comes with plenty of options for chilled beverages. Select one and the machine will tell you how many ice cubes to add to your glass or cup, then pour coffee and milk on top.
However, it’s worth noting that the espresso used in the LatteGo 5500 Series’ iced drinks isn’t actually brewed cold. It’s hot, and relies on the ice to bring the temperature down. This means it doesn’t have the same mellow flavor profile as true cold-extracted coffee, and you may find that your drinks taste watered-down due to the melted ice. You can get around this problem by increasing the strength of the shot, but it’s something to be aware of.
The machine doesn't make cold-extracted espresso, instead dispensing hot-brewed espresso onto ice cubes to make chilled drinks (Image credit: Future)
Performance score: 4/5
Should you buy the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series?
Attribute
Notes
Score
Value
Typical price for a fully automatic espresso machine, but there are other great options available more cheaply if you shop around.
3.5/5
Design
Very compact and well suited to small households. Milk nozzle position can't be adjusted,.
4/5
Performance
Easy to use and maintain and brews excellent espresso. Hot drinks are very good, but iced options are diluted by hot espresso melting ice cubes.
4/5
Buy it if
You're brewing coffee for one (or two)
If you're only brewing in small quantities, a large bean hopper and water tank will just allow the beans and water to go stale. This compact machine is a smarter choice, and the LatteGo system helps you measure out only the milk you need.
You have a small kitchen
This is a particularly narrow machine, and you don't need to access the sides to remove the water tank, so you can push it up against a cabinet without any issues.
Don't buy it if
You want cold-brewed coffee
The LatteGo 5500 Series makes perfectly acceptable iced drinks, but the espresso is extracted using hot water and cooled by pouring it over ice. For mellow coffee extracted using cold water, take a look at my list of the top three coffee machines for cold-brew.
Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: also consider
If you're not sure that the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series is the right coffee maker for you, here are two other options for your consideration.
De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic
If you're serious about iced coffee, the Primadonna Aromatic offers true cold extraction that creates a similar flavor profile to coffee steeped overnight in the fridge. It also has two milk carafes (one for foaming hot milk and one for cold) – and you can adjust the angle of their spouts. No puddles of milk here.
Looking for something more stylish? The KF6 is a great-looking bean-to-cup machine with a sleek, streamlined chassis and simple touch controls. It brews sublime espresso too, but it's a pricier proposition than the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series.
I used the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series with my favorite espresso blend from a local coffee roaster, bought fresh that week. I tested the water hardness using the strip supplied in the box, and fitted the water filter in the tank following the instructions provided. I used fresh water each time I began using the machine.
I tested the LatteGo system using fridge-cold whole and semi-skimmed dairy milk, as well as barista oat milk.
I tested the machine's various hot and cold drinks, using the amount of ice specified by the machine for chilled recipes.
The Quersus ICOS.2 is a striking gaming chair with a few unique features that help it stand out even more in the homogeneous gaming chair space.
The slender frame and sharp angles certainly look different, but despite this, the ICOS.2 remains quite formal. True to the brand’s claim, it wouldn’t look out of place in an office.
Overall build quality is quite good. The velvet upholstery on my review unit was incredibly soft, eclipsing even the best gaming chair fabrics in terms of feel. The wheel base is a highlight, although some of the plastics in other areas are less impressive, and the arm rests are prone to wobbling.
There are a few unconventional features on the ICOS.2. For a start, there’s no head pillow, but rather an integrated, adjustable headrest. I personally found this very comfortable, but its lack of give and inability to lower it to neck-level might deter some users.
Another unique aspect of the ICOS.2 is the ability to slide the seat base back and forth – an adjustment usually absent from gaming chairs. Naturally, you can also adjust seat height, and the minimum setting is pleasingly low to the ground – but the maximum will likely prove disappointingly short for tall users.
There’s also no traditional recline function on the ICOS.2. What you get instead is a tilt function that allows the backrest to lean back to a large degree, with a generous amount of resistance adjustments. There’s also a dial to lock and unlock the tilt angle in position. In my view, this tilt function does a fine job of making up for the omission of a recline system.
Integrated lumbar support is featured in the ICOS.2, too, which can be adjusted for height and depth. The range for the latter is good, and the dial is very easy to use, even while seated. The height range is more limited, and you seem to sacrifice lumbar depth the lower down it goes, which isn’t ideal.
Overall comfort is good, with plenty of padding and space on both the seat and the backrest to remain comfortable for long periods.
Assembling the ICOS.2 was a straightforward process. It came in two boxes, both neatly packaged, and included a large handle with two magnetically attachable hex keys. I could attach the seat to the backrest while both laid on the floor, which made the process easier.
At over £600 (it's unfortunately only available in the UK and EU right now), the ICOS.2 is mighty expensive, eclipsing even the biggest names in the business. And despite its standout features, I don’t think it’s better value than the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022, for instance, which is still the leading light in the gaming chair world.
(Image credit: Future)
Quersus ICOS.2 review: Price and availability
£649 (around $870 / AU$1340)
Available in UK and EU only
Expensive end of the market
The ICOS.2 costs £649 (around $870 / AU$1340) and is available now in the UK and EU, in one size only. Various colorways can be had if you opt for the fabric upholstery, but the faux leather finish is currently only available in black. You can also personalize the headrest for an additional £25. The chair comes with a five-year warranty, which is very competitive.
However, the ICOS.2 is on the more expensive end of the gaming chair spectrum, and considering the competition in this space, it's a big ask. It costs more than the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022, which we think is the best gaming chair around, and I don’t think the ICOS.2 beats it on every front.
If you’re looking for a budget option, the Corsair TC100 Relaxed is one of the best in this regard. It’s comfortable and well-designed, although some parts don’t exactly feel premium – but that’s to be expected at this price.
Quersus ICOS.2 review: Specs
Price
£649 (around $870 / AU$1340)
Dimensions
54.7 x 29.1 x 22.7in / 139 x 74 x 55cm
Max user weight
330lbs / 150kg
Min seat height
17.7in / 45cm
Seat width
20.9in / 53cm
Recline angle
140 degrees
Warranty
5 years
Material
Leatherette, fabric (velvet)
Quersus ICOS.2 review: Design and aesthetics
Unique look and features
Cheap in places
Flimsy arms
The ICOS.2 sets itself apart from other gaming chairs with its streamlined figure. The seat and backrest are much thinner than you might expect, and the various sharp angles wouldn’t look out of place on a stealth jet.
At the same time, though, the ICOS.2 is also quite understated, especially in the monochromatic finishes. Quersus pitches this chair as being suitable for both gaming and working environments, and I think it’s struck this balance well in terms of design.
The velvet finish I had in my review unit felt super soft. It’s also water-repellent and seems fitted to a high standard. However, certain aspects of the ICOS.2 feel a little cheap by comparison. Many of the plastics don’t look or feel as expensive, and the sharp rim of the backrest frame where it meets the upholstery is an oversight.
Some of the adjustment levers are a little flimsy, although thankfully, this doesn’t affect their operation. The lateral wobble of armrests is a little more concerning, although this shouldn’t present a problem under normal usage. They feel more plush and forgiving than many other armrests, which is good since you’ll be in constant contact with them.
The wheel base also seems built to a high standard, with its metal construction feeling sturdy yet light, at least compared to others. I appreciated the rounded ends of the spokes, too, as these make it somewhat less painful if you stub your heels into them.
The casters complement the base well: their gloss finish and hollowed-out centers are nice touches, and they’re also conducive to smooth glides – although there’s more grip than you might expect on carpeted surfaces, which helps to keep the chair stable.
(Image credit: Future)
Quersus ICOS.2 review: Comfort and Adjustability
Seat base depth adjustments
No recline, only tilt
Shallow height adjustments
Despite the perceived lack of padding, the seat of the ICOS.2 provided me with enough cushioning to remain comfortable in it for extended periods. It’s also wide and there are no side bolsters, which means it should accommodate a variety of body shapes and seating styles with ease.
The backrest is just as soft and comfortable, and the bolsters here open out wide, so I didn’t feel hemmed in, and there was no danger of knocking them with elbows – a pet peeve of mine with gaming chairs.
One of the unique features of the ICOS.2 is its headrest. Rather than including a separate pillow, head support is integrated within the backrest and can be adjusted for height by sliding it up and down. There’s no lever or button to hold down while doing this, though, which means it requires a fair amount of force to make these adjustments.
Although it doesn’t protrude all that much compared to more traditional gaming chair head pillows, I still found it comfortable and supportive; in fact, I was thankful for the minimal protrusion, as I often find pillows too thick.
One of the drawbacks of this system, though, is the lack of versatility. With head pillows, you can place them lower down if you wish to give your neck more support. You can also remove them altogether if you find them uncomfortable. Neither of these options is available to you here.
What you think might be the recline lever on the left side is actually used to slide the seat forwards and backwards. This is rather unique in the world of gaming chairs, and a welcome addition for those who prize good seating ergonomics.
If you want to recline in the ICOS.2, then you’ll have to use its tilt function instead, unlocked via a dial on the left. The seat only tilts back slightly, whereas the backrest tilts all the way to 140 degrees.
You can then lock the backrest into your desired position with said left dial. In effect, then, this tilt function replaces the more traditional recline function of other gaming chairs, and it does a good job of doing so – although some rocking still remains after you’ve locked the tilt mechanism in your desired position, so it’s not the most robust of mechanisms.
On the right, you’ll find the dial for adjusting the resistance of the tilt. I found this stiff to turn and awkward to reach, owing to the lack of outward protrusion. However, it does at least provide a generous range of resistance levels.
(Image credit: Future)
The ICOS.2 also features integrated lumbar support, which can be adjusted for both height and protrusion, which I’m always thankful to see, since some systems only allow for depth alterations.
A single dial is used for both adjustments, which is located on the back right-hand side of the backrest. I found it easy enough to reach and use while seated, although I can imagine some may struggle.
The dial has an ergonomic shape that helps with twists, and the subtle rubberized finish makes it easy to grip. It turns much easier than the tilt resistance dial and other lumbar dials I’ve experienced. It feels more like loosening or tightening a screw, becoming less resistant the further inward the lumbar retracts.
The range of depth adjustments it offers is good, too. And unlike other integrated lumbar systems I’ve experienced, the one on the ICOS.2 doesn’t feel as sharp; it seems to offer more cushioning than is typical.
To adjust the height of the lumbar, you pull out the dial first before turning. As with the depth adjustments, these turns feel easy to make, although the range of positions is limited. Also, when the lumbar is at its lowest position, it feels as if the depth retracts somewhat, leading to a feeling of less support.
The seat of the ICOS.2 can go lower to the ground than many other gaming chairs I’ve tried, but it might not rise enough to meet the needs of taller folk. This is disappointing considering Quersus’ claim that the ICOS.2 has a universal fit, and suggests that a larger version won’t be coming.
The arms on the ICOS.2 can be adjusted across four dimensions. Their height range should be sufficient for most to get comfortable, but the width range is quite limited; personally, I would’ve liked them to be able to move inwards more.
There are no levers or buttons you have to hold when moving the arms inwards or outwards, back and forth, or when rotating their angle. This means adjusting them requires a fair amount of force, which causes rather loud clicks as various mechanisms ratchet through their notches. As a result, it feels quite clunky to make these adjustments.
One positive aspect of the arm rests, aside from their aforementioned padding, is that they can easily be removed and replaced with other designs, varying in their shape and material, which Quersus says it’s currently in the process of creating.
Quersus ICOS.2 review: Assembly
Assembling the ICOS.2 proved to be relatively easy. The unit came in two separate boxes that were very neatly packaged, and included is a large handle and two magnetically attached hex wrenches
I managed to build it solo without trouble. You can attach the seat base to the backrest while both are resting on the floor, which alleviates one of the most laborious aspects of putting together a gaming chair.
One of the hardest parts of the build was attaching the casters to the seat base, as I found the fit quite tight. But this is a minor grievance, all things considered. The chair isn’t too heavy, either, at least when compared to other gaming chairs.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Quersus ICOS.2?
Buy it if...
You want an integrated headrest I really liked the adjustable headrest, offering enough support and adjustability to get comfortable.
You want to adjust seat depth Not many gaming chairs allow you to alter the seat depth, which ergonomists will tell you is an important aspect to consider.
Don't buy it if...
You want to save money There’s no doubt that the ICOS.2 is expensive, even by gaming chair standards, and there are better value alternatives if you don’t need the niche features
You want a traditional recline While the tilt function admirably makes up for the lack of a traditional recline, some might not like it.
Quersus ICOS.2: Also consider
If the ICOS.2 doesn't sound right for you, here are some alternatives to consider instead:
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Still the undisputed king of the gaming chair world, the Titan Evo 2022 does it all: it has the looks, build quality, and comfort levels to satisfy any gamer. It isn’t cheap, and certain editions carry astronomical price tags, but no gaming chair has yet been able to topple the Titan Evo 2022 from its perch.
Corsair TC100 Relaxed If you want to spend considerably less on a gaming chair, the TC100 Relaxed is one of the best in the budget category. Its build quality might not be up to the standards of its peers, but for the money it’s an admirable chair that offers sufficient levels of comfort to enjoy gaming for long periods.
I tested the ICOS.2 for a few days. I made sure to make all of its available adjustments, and tried various seating positions and styles to comprehensively assess its performance across different scenarios.
I have been gaming for decades, and during that time, I’ve used a number of gaming and office chairs, ranging from budget affairs to premium offerings. I have also reviewed a number of gaming chairs, too, ranging in their designs and price points.
If you're tired of personal smoothie makers that struggle with ingredients tougher than milk and bananas, the Beast Mighty 850 Plus could be the best blender for you. Rather than running on a rechargeable battery like many of its rivals, the 850 Plus is mains-powered and has a considerably more powerful motor, paired with a tough blade unit.
That means you won't be able to blend a protein shake in the changing room after a gym session, but if you're interested in making green juices and fresh smoothies using tough fruits and vegetables, it'll produce much smoother and more palatable results.
During my tests, it turned kale, oat milk, and blueberries into a very drinkable beverage with no flecks of leaf to get stuck in my teeth. It also totally blitzed frozen blackcurrants, eliminating the gritty seeds that usually make them a troublesome ingredient.
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus can tackle ingredients that lesser blender leave in lumps (Image credit: Future)
The disadvantage of this power is that the 850 Plus is relatively noisy. However, a single blending cycle is enough to tackle just about anything you can throw at it, so you'll only have to endure the noise for one minute.
This is an attractive appliance that comes in a range of colors, so you can pick one to suit your kitchen. (I chose white, but black, muted blue, and sand are other options.) It comes with three different-sized blending vessels (the small one is particularly good for salad dressings), plus a choice of lids for carrying your creations on the move.
The vessels have ridges on the sides that look interesting, but can be an issue if you're using a sticky ingredient like peanut butter, which can get a bit stuck. Beast supplies a long-handled cleaning brush to remove this debris, but almost all the components are dishwasher-safe, and I found this a much easier way to get everything squeaky clean.
Beast Mighty 850 Plus: price and availability
Available in the US and UK for $149 / £149.99
Beast Health also offers a more affordable model and a premium one
Costs more than most personal blenders, but is more powerful
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus is available direct from Beast, and from third-party retailers, including Amazon, for $149 / £149.99. At the time of writing, Beast Health blenders aren't available in Australia. You'll find today's best prices listed below.
The 850 Plus sits in the middle of Beast Health's range of personal blenders. If you want something a little more affordable and don't mind sacrificing some power and accessories, the Beast Mighty 650 costs £119.99 and is only available in the UK.
The company's top-end model is the Beast Mega 1200 Plus, which is priced at $199 / £199.99. Extra blender vessels in various sizes are available to buy separately.
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus is relatively pricey for a personal blender (for example, the Ninja Blast Max and Nutribullet Flip are both around $89.99/£89.99), but the price difference is understandable considering what you're getting for your money. The 850 Plus has a more powerful motor than those other two, and runs directly from the mains rather than a rechargeable battery. It also comes with a bigger set of accessories, including three different-sized blending vessels.
Value score: 4.5/5
Beast Mighty 850 Plus: design
Stylish blender with three vessels and a choice of lids
Controls are very simple to use
Ingredients can stick in ridges after blending
Dishwasher-safe components
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus is a particularly stylish blender with a large base that houses its powerful motor and a set of three blending vessels with ridged sides. It comes in a variety of colors, including Cloud White (shown here), Mist (slate blue), Sand, and Carbon Black.
Its vessels have capacities of 415ml, 638ml, and 786ml; the larger two are ideal for smoothies and protein shakes, while the smaller one works well for portions of salad dressing or sauce. You also get a screw-on lid, a drinking lid with a carry cap and straw lid, two drinking straws, and a set of two cleaning brushes (a large one for the vessels and a small one for the straws).
The 850 Plus comes with three blending vessels and an assortment of lids (Image credit: Future)
The large brush is particularly useful if you plan to wash the blender vessels by hand because ingredients (especially sticky ones) have a tendency to accumulate in the grooves on the sides. Many personal blenders can be cleaned by adding water with a squirt of dish soap and running a blending cycle, but the Beast blender needs more thorough cleaning.
Thankfully, the blade unit, blending vessels, and caps are all safe to wash in the top drawer of a dishwasher. and came out perfectly clean during my tests. The only parts of the blender that aren't dishwasher-safe are the base unit and the straws.
Unlike some personal blenders we've tested here at TechRadar, the Beast 850 Plus doesn't have a rechargeable battery. This means you can't use it to blend ingredients on the move, but the fact that it runs directly from the mains means it can offer more blending power than portable smoothie makers.
Its controls are very simple to use, with a large yellow power button at the back and a 'blend' button on the front. Pressing this button once will pulse the blender, and holding it briefly will initiate a minute-long blending cycle.
Design score: 4.5/5
Beast Mighty 850 Plus: performance
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus lives up to its name, with the best blending performance of any personal smoothie maker I've tested to date.
I started by testing the blender with a particularly tough ingredient: mixed frozen berries. These pose two challenges: first, frozen strawberries are essentially big chunks of dense ice that many blenders struggle to break through, and second, blackberries and blackcurrants are full of tiny seeds that can leave a smoothie feeling gritty in the mouth if not completely blended.
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Gritty blackcurrant seeds are no challenge for the powerful motor and tough blades of the 850 Plus (Image credit: Future)
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One of the lids has a hole for a drinking straw (two of which are provided with the blender) (Image credit: Future)
I added a good handful of the frozen fruit to the blender along with oat milk and a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and was pleasantly surprised when a single minute-long blending cycle obliterated even the largest strawberries to create an icy shake, while also obliterating the gritty seeds.
The 850 Plus crushes ice cubes equally well, and one blending cycle turned a double shot of espresso with ice and milk into a perfect iced coffee.
I also tried the 850 Plus with our standard testing smoothie – Nutribullet's Banana Kale Blueberry Freeze, which often poses a challenge for blenders due to its high content of fibrous green veg. I added the ingredients to the largest blending vessel, then ran a single blending cycle to see how well everything was combined.
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TechRadar's standard test smoothie includes generous amounts of raw kale (Image credit: Future)
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A single blending cycle produced a smooth and palatable drink, with no flakes of kale (Image credit: Future)
Some blenders (such as the Nutribullet Flip) require a second cycle to break up the kale, but the 850 Plus thoroughly blitzed all the ingredients first time, creating a very drinkable smoothie with no flecks of leaf to stick to my teeth.
The blender averaged around 80dB at the start of a blending cycle. dropping to 75dB once the ingredients started to break down. This makes it one of the loudest blenders I've tested to date, which can be explained by its more powerful motor, but is worth bearing in mind if you're particularly sensitive to noise.
Performance score: 5/5
Beast Mighty 850 Plus: also consider
If you're not sure that the Beast Mighty 850 Plus is the right blender for you, here are two others to consider.
Nutribullet Flip
The Nutribullet Flip has its blades and motor in the lid, meaning you can easily carry the whole appliance wherever you go. Its smooth design makes it hard for ingredients to become stuck, and it generally works well, though it didn’t handle tough kale and frozen strawberries as well as the Beast Mighty 850 Plus.
One of the most powerful portable blenders available right now, the Ninja Blast Max makes light work of most ingredients and can be carried around for blending on the move, making it ideal for post-workout protein shakes.
One of the more expensive personal blenders I've tested, but you're getting a lot for your money.
4.5/5
Design
Very stylish and supplied with three different sized vessels. Ingredients can get stuck on the ridged sides, but the cups are dishwasher-safe.
4.5/5
Performance
Makes light work of difficult ingredients like fibrous vegetables and frozen fruit with a single blending cycle. Quite loud, but very effective.
5/5
Buy it if
You want serious power
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus has a lot more blending power than the average smoothie maker, so it's a great pick if you want to use more challenging ingredients than protein powder and bananas. Frozen fruit and tough veggies are no match for its motor and blades.
You value versatility
This blender's different-sized vessels make it great for more than just drinks. The smallest one is particularly good for whipping up salad dressing and cold sauces.
Don't buy it if
You want to blend on the move
The 850 Plus doesn't run from a battery, so you'll be restricted to blending in the kitchen. If you want to whip up a shake at the gym after your workout, take a look at the offerings from Nutribullet and Ninja instead.
You're watching the pennies
This is a premium personal blender. You're getting a lot for your money, but if you're on a tight budget, then there are cheaper, though less powerful, alternatives available.
How I tested the Beast Mighty 850 Plus
I used the Beast Mighty 850 Plus for a week, making a variety of recipes, including TechRadar’s standard banana, blueberry, and kale smoothie, which we make with all the personal blenders we test.
I used the blender to tackle ingredients I knew to be particularly tough, including large frozen berries and ice, making sure to select the most appropriate blend setting each time.
I measured the volume of the blender during use with a decibel meter app on my phone.
If you're tired of personal smoothie makers that struggle with ingredients tougher than milk and bananas, the Beast Mighty 850 Plus could be the best blender for you. Rather than running on a rechargeable battery like many of its rivals, the 850 Plus is mains-powered and has a considerably more powerful motor, paired with a tough blade unit.
That means you won't be able to blend a protein shake in the changing room after a gym session, but if you're interested in making green juices and fresh smoothies using tough fruits and vegetables, it'll produce much smoother and more palatable results.
During my tests, it turned kale, oat milk, and blueberries into a very drinkable beverage with no flecks of leaf to get stuck in my teeth. It also totally blitzed frozen blackcurrants, eliminating the gritty seeds that usually make them a troublesome ingredient.
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus can tackle ingredients that lesser blender leave in lumps (Image credit: Future)
The disadvantage of this power is that the 850 Plus is relatively noisy. However, a single blending cycle is enough to tackle just about anything you can throw at it, so you'll only have to endure the noise for one minute.
This is an attractive appliance that comes in a range of colors, so you can pick one to suit your kitchen. (I chose white, but black, muted blue, and sand are other options.) It comes with three different-sized blending vessels (the small one is particularly good for salad dressings), plus a choice of lids for carrying your creations on the move.
The vessels have ridges on the sides that look interesting, but can be an issue if you're using a sticky ingredient like peanut butter, which can get a bit stuck. Beast supplies a long-handled cleaning brush to remove this debris, but almost all the components are dishwasher-safe, and I found this a much easier way to get everything squeaky clean.
Beast Mighty 850 Plus: price and availability
Available in the US and UK for $149 / £149.99
Beast Health also offers a more affordable model and a premium one
Costs more than most personal blenders, but is more powerful
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus is available direct from Beast, and from third-party retailers, including Amazon, for $149 / £149.99. At the time of writing, Beast Health blenders aren't available in Australia. You'll find today's best prices listed below.
The 850 Plus sits in the middle of Beast Health's range of personal blenders. If you want something a little more affordable and don't mind sacrificing some power and accessories, the Beast Mighty 650 costs £119.99 and is only available in the UK.
The company's top-end model is the Beast Mega 1200 Plus, which is priced at $199 / £199.99. Extra blender vessels in various sizes are available to buy separately.
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus is relatively pricey for a personal blender (for example, the Ninja Blast Max and Nutribullet Flip are both around $89.99/£89.99), but the price difference is understandable considering what you're getting for your money. The 850 Plus has a more powerful motor than those other two, and runs directly from the mains rather than a rechargeable battery. It also comes with a bigger set of accessories, including three different-sized blending vessels.
Value score: 4.5/5
Beast Mighty 850 Plus: design
Stylish blender with three vessels and a choice of lids
Controls are very simple to use
Ingredients can stick in ridges after blending
Dishwasher-safe components
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus is a particularly stylish blender with a large base that houses its powerful motor and a set of three blending vessels with ridged sides. It comes in a variety of colors, including Cloud White (shown here), Mist (slate blue), Sand, and Carbon Black.
Its vessels have capacities of 415ml, 638ml, and 786ml; the larger two are ideal for smoothies and protein shakes, while the smaller one works well for portions of salad dressing or sauce. You also get a screw-on lid, a drinking lid with a carry cap and straw lid, two drinking straws, and a set of two cleaning brushes (a large one for the vessels and a small one for the straws).
The 850 Plus comes with three blending vessels and an assortment of lids (Image credit: Future)
The large brush is particularly useful if you plan to wash the blender vessels by hand because ingredients (especially sticky ones) have a tendency to accumulate in the grooves on the sides. Many personal blenders can be cleaned by adding water with a squirt of dish soap and running a blending cycle, but the Beast blender needs more thorough cleaning.
Thankfully, the blade unit, blending vessels, and caps are all safe to wash in the top drawer of a dishwasher. and came out perfectly clean during my tests. The only parts of the blender that aren't dishwasher-safe are the base unit and the straws.
Unlike some personal blenders we've tested here at TechRadar, the Beast 850 Plus doesn't have a rechargeable battery. This means you can't use it to blend ingredients on the move, but the fact that it runs directly from the mains means it can offer more blending power than portable smoothie makers.
Its controls are very simple to use, with a large yellow power button at the back and a 'blend' button on the front. Pressing this button once will pulse the blender, and holding it briefly will initiate a minute-long blending cycle.
Design score: 4.5/5
Beast Mighty 850 Plus: performance
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus lives up to its name, with the best blending performance of any personal smoothie maker I've tested to date.
I started by testing the blender with a particularly tough ingredient: mixed frozen berries. These pose two challenges: first, frozen strawberries are essentially big chunks of dense ice that many blenders struggle to break through, and second, blackberries and blackcurrants are full of tiny seeds that can leave a smoothie feeling gritty in the mouth if not completely blended.
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Gritty blackcurrant seeds are no challenge for the powerful motor and tough blades of the 850 Plus (Image credit: Future)
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One of the lids has a hole for a drinking straw (two of which are provided with the blender) (Image credit: Future)
I added a good handful of the frozen fruit to the blender along with oat milk and a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and was pleasantly surprised when a single minute-long blending cycle obliterated even the largest strawberries to create an icy shake, while also obliterating the gritty seeds.
The 850 Plus crushes ice cubes equally well, and one blending cycle turned a double shot of espresso with ice and milk into a perfect iced coffee.
I also tried the 850 Plus with our standard testing smoothie – Nutribullet's Banana Kale Blueberry Freeze, which often poses a challenge for blenders due to its high content of fibrous green veg. I added the ingredients to the largest blending vessel, then ran a single blending cycle to see how well everything was combined.
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TechRadar's standard test smoothie includes generous amounts of raw kale (Image credit: Future)
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A single blending cycle produced a smooth and palatable drink, with no flakes of kale (Image credit: Future)
Some blenders (such as the Nutribullet Flip) require a second cycle to break up the kale, but the 850 Plus thoroughly blitzed all the ingredients first time, creating a very drinkable smoothie with no flecks of leaf to stick to my teeth.
The blender averaged around 80dB at the start of a blending cycle. dropping to 75dB once the ingredients started to break down. This makes it one of the loudest blenders I've tested to date, which can be explained by its more powerful motor, but is worth bearing in mind if you're particularly sensitive to noise.
Performance score: 5/5
Beast Mighty 850 Plus: also consider
If you're not sure that the Beast Mighty 850 Plus is the right blender for you, here are two others to consider.
Nutribullet Flip
The Nutribullet Flip has its blades and motor in the lid, meaning you can easily carry the whole appliance wherever you go. Its smooth design makes it hard for ingredients to become stuck, and it generally works well, though it didn’t handle tough kale and frozen strawberries as well as the Beast Mighty 850 Plus.
One of the most powerful portable blenders available right now, the Ninja Blast Max makes light work of most ingredients and can be carried around for blending on the move, making it ideal for post-workout protein shakes.
One of the more expensive personal blenders I've tested, but you're getting a lot for your money.
4.5/5
Design
Very stylish and supplied with three different sized vessels. Ingredients can get stuck on the ridged sides, but the cups are dishwasher-safe.
4.5/5
Performance
Makes light work of difficult ingredients like fibrous vegetables and frozen fruit with a single blending cycle. Quite loud, but very effective.
5/5
Buy it if
You want serious power
The Beast Mighty 850 Plus has a lot more blending power than the average smoothie maker, so it's a great pick if you want to use more challenging ingredients than protein powder and bananas. Frozen fruit and tough veggies are no match for its motor and blades.
You value versatility
This blender's different-sized vessels make it great for more than just drinks. The smallest one is particularly good for whipping up salad dressing and cold sauces.
Don't buy it if
You want to blend on the move
The 850 Plus doesn't run from a battery, so you'll be restricted to blending in the kitchen. If you want to whip up a shake at the gym after your workout, take a look at the offerings from Nutribullet and Ninja instead.
You're watching the pennies
This is a premium personal blender. You're getting a lot for your money, but if you're on a tight budget, then there are cheaper, though less powerful, alternatives available.
How I tested the Beast Mighty 850 Plus
I used the Beast Mighty 850 Plus for a week, making a variety of recipes, including TechRadar’s standard banana, blueberry, and kale smoothie, which we make with all the personal blenders we test.
I used the blender to tackle ingredients I knew to be particularly tough, including large frozen berries and ice, making sure to select the most appropriate blend setting each time.
I measured the volume of the blender during use with a decibel meter app on my phone.
I’ve tested quite a few brands of robot vacuums in the last decade, but this is my first Narwal. I was quite excited to try it out as I’ve read good things about the company’s previous robot vacuums from TechRadar’s other reviewers. That includes our Narwal Freo Z Ultra review, where it “smashed [its] mopping tests”.
The Narwal Freo Z10, a slightly cheaper version of the Freo Z Ultra, is very much cut from the same cloth – it too is a fantastic mop but, like its more expensive sibling, carpets are not its forte. Actually, I will go so far as to say that vacuuming in general isn’t its forte.
It’s 15,000 Pa suction looks good on paper, but it took two consecutive vacuum runs at its highest suction setting for it to pass my vacuuming tests. And that’s just hard floors. It struggles even more on carpets, although if you are patient, it will clean about 80% of hair off the fibers, but that’s not a lot considering there are other robot vacuums I’ve tested recently that do a better job.
The other big issue with the vacuuming is the self-cleaning of the onboard dustbin. Even though I can hear it say “self-cleaning started” and it makes the appropriate noises, dust and debris from several vacuuming sessions just kept compacting inside the onboard bin to a point where I had to pull out the hair and dirt myself to increase suction.
And while its anti-tangle brushes do what they promise, I found that the hair strands it invariably misses sucking up from hard floors get collected by the mop pads as clumps that I have to pick up myself.
So while I question the Freo Z10’s vacuuming prowess, I can’t fault its mopping – and the evidence is there to see in the color of the dirty mop water. The kind of tiles I have in my apartment require high waterflow rates, and the Narwal Freo Z10’s Wet Mopping setting was perfect – however, this mode guzzles water. I had to refill the clean water every time I did a full-home cleaning. If you have wood floors, though, you shouldn’t need to worry as the lower water settings will treat the planks kindly.
While I didn’t mind refilling fresh water in the middle of a cleaning session, I can’t quite forgive how basic the map in the app is. It can be edited, of course, but that’s fiddly to do if your rooms aren’t precisely placed squares or rectangles.
Even that is a small issue compared to my experience with single-room cleaning. This defaults to the Customized Mode option in the app and I think it's badly named. The assumption would be that you can set up custom cleans here (those are, in fact, saved as Shortcuts, by the way), but you have to keep editing it for every room clean you want to do – your living room may not need as much cleaning as your dining room, for example, and switching from one to the other means you’re constantly editing that mode.
Then there’s the Freo Mind automatic cleaning mode which, in theory, uses AI to determine the best clean for the room or full house, but oh boy, does it get it wrong most of the time. During my testing, it invariably cleaned my living room multiple times before moving on to do just a basic cleaning in the rest of the apartment. In one such session, it mopped the living room four times, the dining room twice, while the entry hallway and the home office got just a single mop!
The one really good thing about the Freo Z10 is its intelligent use of detergent. It automatically takes some only when it thinks a floor space needs deeper mopping. This automatic detergent use happens in the Freo Mind mode and I could tell when it was using the soap by keeping an eye on the dirty-water tank for suds after each room’s mopping was done over multiple sessions.
Despite its excellent mopping capabilities, it’s hard to get over the fact that the onboard dustbin doesn’t self-empty properly and the app isn’t well thought out either. For just a robot mop, it’s priced too high.
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Narwal Freo Z10 review: Price & availability
First shown at CES in January 2025; released April 2025
Available in the US and Australia, but not in the UK
List price: $1,099 / AU$1,999
Despite being cheaper than the flagship Narwal Freo Z Ultra (which retails for $1,499/ AU$2,499), I can’t really say that the Freo Z10 is ‘affordable’ at its full price of $1,099 / AU$1,999. I can’t even say it’s competitively priced because it’s not quite the efficient cleaner I was hoping it would be.
The only other robot vacuum cleaner that comes in at this price point that I would recommend is the Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni (£799 / AU$1,749), but it isn’t widely available and it's got no detergent dispenser. This cheaper Deebot even beats out the Freo Z10 in terms of performance too, vacuuming and mopping well, although the Narwal is the better mop despite boasting higher suction (15,000 Pa vs 11,000 Pa).
If you want more intelligent features, which the Freo Z Ultra can provide, you’re obviously going to need to spend more. For example, the Dreame L40 Ultra available in the US and the UK with 11,000Pa suction has a list price of $1,499.99 / £999 (unavailable in Australia), but take it up a notch and the 12,000Pa Dreame X40 Ultra with detachable mop pads will set you back a whopping $1,899 / £1,299 / AU$2,799. Similarly, the Eufy Omni S1 Pro, with its interesting slimline design but with a maximum of 8,000Pa of suction costs $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,699.
Of course, as with any all-in-one robot vacuum, you will also need to take into consideration the ongoing cost of maintaining the Freo Z10. Replacement dust bags will cost you $19.99 in the US for a set of two, while it’s AU$29.99 for a set of three Down Under. Similarly, when it comes to replacing the mop pads, a pair will cost you $19.99 / AU$39.95. That said, each dust bag will last you up to 120 days and the mop pads a lot longer.
What you might require more frequently will be the detergent, which will set you back $29.99 / AU$59.95 for the 19.6oz/580ml pack. Again, I say ‘might’ need frequently – this will depend on how often the machine thinks it needs to use soap on your hard floors. So that 19.6oz/580ml bottle might well last months.
• Value score: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Narwal Freo Z10 review: specs
Suction power:
15,000Pa
Onboard bin capacity:
Up to 1L (compressed)
Dust bag capacity:
2.5L
Clean water tank capacity:
4.5L
Dirty water tank capacity:
4L
Reservoir capacity:
N/A
Mop lift:
12mm
Noise level:
up to 55dB
Battery capacity:
5,200mAh
Runtime:
up to 210 minutes
Charging time:
up to 2.5 hours
Dimensions (L x W x H):
Robot = 355 x 350 x 107.7 mm; base station = 431 x 426.8 x 461.5 mm
Weight:
Robot = 4.6kg; base station = 11.3kg
Narwal Freo Z10 review: Design
Curvy but solid base station
Robot tucks right inside base station
Features a detergent dispenser
The Freo Z10 robot vacuum isn’t very different from other vacuum bots, featuring a small turret on top to house some of its sensors, and it's quite similar to the one supplied with the Narwal Freo Z Ultra. The main difference between the two siblings is that the Freo Z10 lacks the camera that the Ultra model has.
I do love the curvaceous look of the base station, though, which is unique to the Freo line. It’s quite different.
What I didn’t expect is how heavy the whole thing would be to take out of the box it came in. You see, the robot is already tucked inside the base station in the packaging, so you’re essentially trying to lift about 11 kilos in one go out of the box. Other robot vacuums come with various parts packed separately, making them easier to set up out of the box.
Well, if you’re prepared to haul out a heavy machine, the rest of the setup is simple. You just need to fit the cleaning tray inside the base station, slip the robot in, then attach the base station extension ramp.
Compared to some other robot vacuums I’ve tested recently, the Freo Z10's base station is broad, so be sure you have enough space around it for the robot to safely maneuver in and out of the base station.
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
What sets the Freo Z10 apart from many other brands is that it has two side brushes rather than just one. Both feature two tufts of bristles, but one has them placed closer together, while the other is further apart.
The side brushes turn at different speeds sometimes, depending on what the Freo Z10's DirtSense technology is telling it, or if it’s along a room edge. On paper, the varying speeds should help it push hair and dirt more effectively towards the central bar brush under the robot, but in reality, that doesn’t work as well as I had hoped (more on this in the Performance section).
The central bar brush is anti-tangle and, in the six weeks I’ve used the Freo Z10, I’ve never had to clean it. It pulls everything into a small onboard dustbin that, unlike other such robovacs, doesn’t have a lid, but the filter can be taken off for cleaning.
While it’s supposed to self-empty each time it finishes a vacuum run, I found that dirt just kept compacting inside and I had to manually pull it all out via the two holes (one facing the bar brush, the other towards the base station) as it was beginning to affect the suction.
The mop pads are slightly triangular in shape to help them get into corners, which they do better than most of the rounded mop pads on other similar robovacs.
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
The curvaceous base station features a deep cavity that practically engulfs the entire robot when it’s docked, something I haven't seen on any other brand of robot vacuum I've tested. I like that the bot is barely visible, it's a clean aesthetic.
As with similar models, the base station has the capability of emptying out the onboard dustbin into a 2.5L dust bag which, incidentally, is supposed to compact the dirt to accommodate about 3L. As I’ve mentioned though, the self-empty did not work for me and the dust bag remains nearly empty even after six weeks of use at the time of writing.
Beside the cavity for the dust bag is space to fit a bottle of detergent and one comes in the box – the Freo Z10 will automatically take detergent only when it’s needed, which is an intelligent function I appreciate.
On the top of the base station are a few buttons that allow you to control the robot without needing to reach for your phone each time. And under the top cover are two plastic tanks – one for clean water and the other for the dirty mop water.
With some silver accents on the white unit, the Freo Z10 is a well-designed robot vacuum – I just wish it performed as good as it looks.
• Design score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Narwal Freo Z10 review: Performance
Excellent mopping and good obstacle avoidance
High suction on paper doesn’t translate in performance
Auto-emptying of dustbin doesn’t work; mops get washed even when not used
Starting off with using the Narwal Freo Z10 was a wonderful experience – it connected to my home’s Wi-Fi instantly and was set up within a minute, ready to map my apartment.
Mapping took about six minutes for the one-bedroom space, but I have to admit I wasn’t quite enamored with the final map that was created (more on this later in the App Control section).
The test space for this review, which measures approximately 40sqm, includes wall-to-wall carpet in the bedroom, with the rest being tiled floors throughout.
The Freo Z10’s first cleaning run was fantastic! It did a decent enough job on the carpet (although I have tested others that did slightly better), but I was thrilled with how well it mopped.
Vacuuming
My initial vacuum run with the Freo Z10 was satisfactory, so I went into full testing mode with high expectations from its 15,000 Pa of suction.
It has four vacuum settings – Quiet, Normal, Strong and Super Powerful – and you can choose to have it vacuum up to three times in a single session. One thing I have to note right up front: even on the Strong setting, the Freo Z10 is comparatively very quiet. It’s only when you switch to Super Powerful that it truly makes its presence felt.
In my testing, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the Quiet and Normal settings as it barely sucked up anything – hair strands and visible dust remained on the hard floors and carpets looked untouched. Strong, though, is fine for hard floors, although I found it needed to be set to Super Powerful for the best possible vacuum on carpets.
Case in point: while performing TechRadar’s standard tests of vacuuming oats and tea on carpets and hard floors, I found that the Freo Z10 needed two sessions in the highest suction setting to pick up all the oats from tiles, but I could still see some tea on the tiles (to be fair it’s tea from a bag, so fine particles). I also sprinkled some talcum powder to test suction of very fine particles and it wasn’t able to do a good job even after two passes. I had to use my Dyson V15s Detect Submarine to clean the remaining tea and talcum powder off the tiles.
It was a similar experience on carpets, although here it even struggled to clean up the larger oats pieces too. In the bedroom, where my hair collects on the carpet fibers each day, it managed to clean about 80% of the strands, so a little disappointing compared to the Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni and the Roborock Qrevo Edge I've previously tested in the same area.
Long story short, I’m really not impressed with the Freo Z10’s vacuuming prowess, but it works in a pinch if you need a quick job done before guests arrive – provided the onboard dustbin isn't already full to reduce overall suction.
Mopping
Interestingly the Freo Z10 robot doesn’t have a water reservoir onboard – it just goes back to the doc to repeatedly wet its mop pads. Despite that I was quite impressed with how well it mopped – a pleasant relief after seeing its lack of vacuuming strength.
Its slightly triangular mop pads can manage to get into corners, but temper your expectations for corner cleaning as there's just not enough pressure exerted on the edges of the mop pads to be effective. On the rest of the floor though, the 8 Newtons of pressure it exerts can mop up dried and wet stains well, although the waterflow rate you choose will determine how well.
On the kind of tiles I have in my apartment, the Wet Mopping option was best for dried-up dusty stains and wet sauce spills. A single run was good enough to clean up the former but I found it sometimes needed to be run twice in an area to clean up the latter. It's a slightly different story if there's dried sauce spills on the floor – three turns in the Wet Mopping mode did the trick during my testing, although it will depend on what exactly it's cleaning up.
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
For everyday mopping, however, I found the Normal waterflow option to work well and, if you have wood floors, the Low setting will treat them kindly.
One thing to note though: the Freo Z10 guzzles water much more than other robot vacuums I've tested, particularly on the Wet Mopping mode, and I had to refill the clean-water tank every time it did a full-house mop. It's not a deal breaker because it really does a good job.
Another thing to keep in mind about its mopping is related to its lack of vacuuming: because it doesn't always pick up all the hair or fur from a floor, I found the mop pads gather the strands and leave them on the floor as damp clumps. Not ideal at all and that means it's hard to recommend it for households with pets.
Navigation and obstacle avoidance
Complementing the mopping is the Freo Z10's obstacle avoidance. It's the first robot vacuum that I've tested that was able to avoid cables in its path. While it tried to swallow up a very slim Lightning cable for an iPhone, it easily avoided three other USB-C cables I put in its path while testing.
Anything a little bigger and that's an even easier job for the Freo Z10 to avoid. Footwear, slim furniture legs, even little tea-light holders (I have a floor-height shelf under my entertainment unit that most robovacs climb onto) are all left in peace. However, beware the sock on the floor – the Freo Z10 will try and swallow little booties or no-show socks, like practically every other robot vacuum.
Its navigation is a mixed bag, though. It's fine as long you don't move things around after its map has been created, but shift a chair even a little bit and it does tend to get confused.
I noticed this first when I left a large package in a corner that was cleaned on a previous run. While it avoided banging into the box, it moved around it a few times to figure out it couldn't get to that space it had previously roamed. To test this again, I moved my living room chairs a little (just by a couple of inches) and, lo and behold, the precise back and forth movement the Freo Z10 usually employs was messed up and that also meant it went around in circles a few times before getting back to its dock after its job was done.
It never got lost during my testing, but it definitely doesn't quite like things out of place.
Base station performance
Like many other similar robovacs, the Freo Z10's base station is multipurpose, requiring minimal human intervention and, for the most part, that's true. All you need to do is remember to refill the clean water as needed and empty out the dirty so it doesn't begin to grow its own little ecosystem.
It's mop washing is arguably the best I've seen in any robot vacuum. Even after six weeks of use, the mop pads still look quite pristine despite the color of the dirty water being, well, very dirty. I was impressed with the Deebot T30 Omni's washing, but this surpasses even that. Narwal's use of hot-water washing and hot-air drying is very effective indeed.
This could perhaps be attributed to the fact that the mops get washed even if they didn't get used. Every time I did a vacuum-only run (whether it was a single room or the full house), the mops always got washed. I hadn't experienced this with the previous robovacs I'd tested, so it took me by surprise. This also meant that the base station was consuming more power than was necessary as the hot-air drying can take a few hours.
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Another feature I appreciate here is the 'disinfecting' of the bin and dust bag. It uses hot air to keep things dry so as to avoid growing bacteria and fungus inside and, after weeks of use, there's no smell anywhere to indicate otherwise.
Now, I can forgive the excessive mop washing I suppose but, as I've already mentioned, the lack of self-emptying of the robot's dustbin is worrying. Where most robot vacuums return to their docks to repeatedly empty their bins in the middle of a vacuum run, the Freo Z10 doesn't – it waits till the job is finished to do so. I can hear the robovac say "self-cleaning started" and the base station suction can be heard but, obviously, no emptying takes place and this subsequently starts affecting the suction power of the bot.
Maintenance of the unit involves needing to refill and clean out the tanks and, every few days, washing and drying the filter on the bin of the bot. What should be minimal intervention, however, also included emptying the bin myself after a few uses, which is far from ideal.
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Battery life
Narwal says that the Freo Z10's 5,200mAh battery will run up to 210 minutes on a single charge, but that of course depends on what settings you use.
Despite having it set to max suction (Super Powerful in the app) and at the highest waterflow rate, I found the Freo Z10 could do a single full-house vacuum-then-mop session without needing to go back to the mains to charge.
It needed to top up when it was set to 2x vacuum and 2x mop in the Meticulous cleaning pattern.
The Freo Z10 runs all the way down to about 5% before making its way back to the base station and, in my case, juices up till it's about 45% to complete a job if may have left unfinished.
So when it comes to battery life, I really can't complain.
• Performance score: 3 / 5
Narwal Freo Z10 review: app control
Basic map that's fiddly to edit
Able to save plenty of Shortcut routines
Freo Mind AI mode is not efficient
If there's one thing all robot vacuums have in common is a subpar app experience. I've said this before with the Ecovacs app and a colleague has complained about it with Dreame too. The only brand that has a wonderful, albeit over-the-top, app experience is Roborock.
Sadly the Narwal Freo app can't compete with Roborock and is even more disappointing than the Ecovacs Home app.
Now, don't get me wrong, it's perfectly functional, but the map is very basic and if your home isn't divided into near-perfect squares and rectangles that align well, it's hard to edit the map to accommodate rooms perfectly. In my case, I couldn't edit the entry hallway in my apartment to the correct size, which I was able to do in the Roborock and Ecovacs apps.
That's not a deal breaker, to be honest, and the Narwal Freo app actually does one thing better than Ecovacs – offer a Shortcuts list that accessible from the device's home page. You can set up several routines in this list and it makes for quick and easy access for frequently used cleaning runs (for example, carpet-cleaning only or after-dinner cleaning).
(Image credit: Narwal)
What's confusing is a Customized Mode within the app that it defaults to when you pick a room or zone cleaning. While I can see why it's there, it's rather annoying as you constantly have to edit that one option for each room or zone clean.
Case in point: I clean my dining room more often than the rest of the apartment but each run has different requirements. I might have set it to do a vacuum-then-mop session one afternoon, but the next time I might want just mopping and I have to edit the Customized Mode for each. The next day I might need to vacuum my bedroom only (which is carpeted) and I have to delve into the Mode to change things.
It doesn't take long, but when using it every day or two, it does become rather annoying. Other brands have a more seamless room or zone cleaning app experience in my opinion.
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(Image credit: Narwal)
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(Image credit: Narwal)
Like other premium robot vacuums released in the last year or two, the Freo Z10 also features an AI mode called Freo Mind. In theory, this automatically picks the best cleaning option for your home based on previous sessions but, in reality, I found it to be very inefficient.
In the six weeks of testing, it has cleaned my dining room more than any other space in the apartment, but it doesn't leverage that knowledge. Instead, it chooses to do multiple cleaning sessions in my living room, which hardly ever gets dirty (the dining room is where everyone congregates), but does maybe one or two cleans elsewhere.
This means it's using up its battery life, so chances are it will take the entire day to finish cleaning a home when set to Freo Mind as it will need to repeatedly charge itself. It will also require you to refill the clean water repeatedly if it mops one space multiple times.
After trying out Freo Mind a few times, I gave up on it and never went back – Narwal will need to work on it to make it a little more efficient.
• App score: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Should I buy the Narwal Freo Z10?
Attribute
Notes
Score
Value
It's not cheap, but compared to similar options, it's well priced. However, taking its overall performance into account, it's an expensive mop.
3.5 / 5
Design
It's a well-designed, sturdy robot vacuum with a curvaceous base station that I'm personally fond of.
4 / 5
Performance
While its mopping and obstacle avoidance are good, the basic task of vacuuming isn't its best attribute. Moreover, the lack of self-emptying is concerning.
3 / 5
App control
With a fiddly map, an annoying Custom mode and subpar Freo Mind performance, the Narwal Freo app needs work.
3.5 / 5
Buy it if...
Mopping is important to you
If there's anything the Narwal Freo Z10 does better than many other robot vacuums, it's mop. Moreover, its mop washing is one of the best I've seen.
You have a lot of things lying around the house
Home owners with clutter on the floor will appreciate the Freo Z10's obstacle avoidance. Sure, it might swallow up a tiny Lego piece, but it's one of the few robovacs I've tested that doesn't get tangled up in cables.
Don't buy it if...
You want good vacuuming prowess
Mopping might be the Freo Z10's forte, but the basic task of vacuuming is questionable, especially since I found the self-emptying isn't what it's advertised to be. If you have pets, you'll want to look elsewhere for a better robot vacuum.
You want an efficient robot vacuum
The whole idea behind a premium robovac is automated cleaning, but Narwal's Freo Mind isn't the best option to use, so you will need to set up several routines. Moreover, constantly washing mops even when they haven't been used isn't the best consumption of power.
You want a seamless app experience
Most robovacs don't have a good app, but Narwal's Freo is arguably one of the most basic ones I've used.
Narwal Freo Z10 review: Alternatives
Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni
If you can find the Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni where you live, I think it's one of the best-value robot vacuums you can get, and it's often discounted too. It has all the essential features of a premium robovac, and an interesting design as well, and performs well for a bot that has a maximum of 11,000Pa of suction Read my in-depth Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni review
Narwal Freo Z Ultra
If it's a Narwal you have your heart set on, you might be better off spending the extra cash on the Z Ultra as it performed better in our tests. While vacuuming carpets isn't its thing, it still aced its mop tests. Read our in-depth Narwal Freo Z Ultra review
How I tested the Narwal Freo Z10
Used three times a week for six weeks
Set up different custom routines and performed room cleans
Tried different suction and waterflow settings
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
As previously. mentioned, I tested the Narwal Freo Z10 in an apartment with mixed flooring, which gave me a good opportunity to assess both vacuuming and mopping prowess.
I tried all four suction modes and the different waterflow rates for both options, I set up various Shortcuts (or custom routines) and tried room cleaning too. I also delved into the settings in the app to adjust various options, particularly for the base station, and repeatedly checked the dirty-water tank for detergent use.
I also conducted TechRadar's standard tests for both vacuuming and mopping, scattering oats and tea from a bag onto both a carpet and tiles, and allowing a dollop of ketchup to dry.
I've previously tested several robot vacuums, including two in 2025 prior to the Freo Z10, giving me plenty of experience to compare performance and user experience.
First impressions account for a lot, and I think I was expecting far less from the Wiz Gradient Floor Lamp based on its freshly out-of-the-box appearance. As its shaft and base are composed entirely of relatively lightweight plastic, the build has a feel that almost borders on flimsy. Undisturbed, the lamp stands perfectly fine, but if you have a pet or a little one tearing through your living space, it’s not difficult to imagine them sending the lamp toppling. So, keep that in mind when deciding where to place it.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
While it may not feel premium, the lamp doesn’t feel so cheap that I’d worry about its lifespan. I reckon the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp could withstand years of clumsy folks knocking it over. So, unless you particularly value the feel and finish of metal, a plastic smart lamp gets the job done just fine. Actually, it does a lot better than just fine: the seven-segment RGB LCD creates a fabulous wave of color across the room that transforms the mood of the space surprisingly well.
In terms of brightness, the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp lags behind equivalent products from its competitors. For reference, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro is 2,100 lumens, whereas the Philips Hue Gradient Signe sits at 2,500. Your initial instincts might tell you ‘bigger means brighter means better’, but that’s not strictly true. Given that this variety of floor lamp is meant to be placed in a corner and used as ambient light that washes across the walls, you’re not necessarily going to be looking for an output that’s particularly blinding.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
I respect that it’s actually quite difficult to conceptualize exactly how bright 1,000 lumens are, so I'll try to give you some point of reference: it’s enough to provide solid task lighting for an entire medium-sized room. Given that a WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp is very unlikely to be granted the role of ‘big light’ and is instead mainly for localised mood lighting, I’d say 1,080 lumens is perfectly adequate. Maybe those other lamps are compensating for something.
Historically, I’ve not been a big fan of operating smart lights with their associated apps. Obviously, I’ll hop on to do day-one setup and to tweak settings, but by and large, I much prefer importing devices into the Home app or controlling them using my Alexa. But after using WiZ’s app, I was struck by how few ‘smart home app sins’ it actually committed. The UI is clean and easy to navigate, and there aren’t any obtrusive popups, unsubtle attempts to get you to buy more products, or superfluous social features.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
In fact, the sole problem I had with the app was when trying to pair my device for the first time. When you set up a device manually, it prompts you to define your device type. Apparently, the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp falls under the category of a luminaire. Listen, I’m big enough to admit it: I had no idea that luminaire was just a synonym for light fixture. And so, when I saw that category on the app, I assumed it referred specifically to the WiZ Luminaire Mobile Portable Light – and I feel like the icon of a stout little table lamp just led me further astray. This might be a me-specific problem, and maybe I just should pick up a thesaurus more often, but I really wouldn’t be surprised if you also spend 10 very confused minutes trying to register your lamp as a LED strip.
Alongside the usual combination of static and dynamic light displays, the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp also has a music sync feature. Well, it does with a little help. The device doesn’t have a microphone of its own, so it relies on you to open your app and use your phone’s mic instead. Crucially, that means that your music has to be coming from another audio source than your phone. Placing my phone beside a speaker to control my lamp felt a tad too much like a Rube Goldberg machine for my liking, and frankly, the whole process felt a bit silly.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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But if I’m being honest, I think music sync can afford to be silly. After all, it – at least in my experience – is a sort of novelty that you might pop on during a house party or to be particularly annoying to the people you live with.
WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp: specifications
Designed for
Indoors
Connectivity
Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only), Bluetooth
Smart home compatibility
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Matter
Light color
RGBIC
Height
4.7 feet / 1.4 meters
Brightness
1,080 lumens
Color temperature
Color segments
7
WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp: price and availability
Price: £79.99 / $92.26 (not available in Australia)
Where to buy: WiZ website (available in the UK only), Amazon
You can pick up the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp on Amazon US for about $90. Unfortunately for stateside folks, it seems like the gradient version isn’t available on the WiZ site at the moment (don’t get it confused with the dual-tone floor lamp!). In the UK, the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp is available to purchase directly from WiZ and on Amazon for £79.99.
If you’ve been in the market for smart lights for any amount of time, I’m sure you’ve come across products from Philips Hue. After all, the brand delivers a premium ecosystem that consistently tops best smart lights lists. However, forking out $50 for a single colored smart bulb really isn’t for everyone.
As a more budget-friendly alternative to Philips Hue, I’m well familiar with Nanoleaf and Govee products – they’ve taken up some serious real estate in my apartment up to this point – but they aren’t the only company developing cut-price options for folks who love smart lighting. In fact, WiZ (whose products are made by Signify, the same parent company as Philips Hue) sits one rung further below those competitors in terms of price, dropping the barrier of entry to having a beautifully illuminated, smart living space impressively low.
Should you buy the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp?
Buy it if
You need a smart light that’s kinder to your wallet
It’s a little too easy to rack up a hefty bill when putting together your smart light setup. Thankfully, WiZ products are a more economical choice that allows you to add more goodies to your basket while still staying on budget.
You want ambient lighting
The WiZ floor lamp delivers intense luminescence up close, but that’s not really its intended use. It does its best work when faced up against a wall or a corner, where it fills your living space with a cozy, diffused glow.
You’re looking for a large light source
WiZ also has a number of smart lights that can be mounted on your wall or planted on your table, but if you want something that’s going to make a real impact in your living space, bigger is better.
Don't buy it if
You’ve committed to another ecosystem(without Matter integration)
Mixing and matching products is thankfully easier than ever, thanks to the Matter standard. However, you might own devices that aren’t Matter-enabled. In that case unless you plan to upgrade your entire set-up – buying a new smart light outside of your chosen ecosystem is probably not worth the trouble.
You really value a premium finish
While the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp is a pretty top-notch product for under $100, WiZ had to cut corners somewhere. Thankfully, that’s mostly resulted in superficial downgrades; but still, some folks really appreciate the look and feel of the finer things in life.
WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp: also consider
While you’re shopping around, you’ll probably want to check out some alternatives. The Philips Hue Gradient Signe and Govee Floor Lamp Pro are sort of like the bougee cousins to the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp: sporting very similar features and form factors, albeit at a more premium price.
WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp
Govee Floor Lamp Pro
Philips Hue Gradient Signe Floor Lamp
Price
$92.26 / £79.99
$199 / £219
$329 / £279
Designed for
Indoors
Indoors
Indoors
Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Bluetooth, Zigbee
Smart home compatibility
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant & Matter
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant & Matter
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant & Apple HomeKit (Matter compatible if used with Hue Bridge, sold separately)
Height
1.4m / 4.7ft
1.7m / 5.5ft
1.4m / 4.7ft
Brightness
1,080 lumens
2,100 lumens
2,500 lumens
Color temperature
2,200K-6,500K
2,200K-6,500K
2,000K-6,500K
How I tested the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp
I trialled both automatic and manual setup methods
I operated the lights using voice commands, Apple’s Home app, and the Wiz app
I tested the device’s music sync and automation functions
For three weeks, the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp sat pride-of-place in my home office, where it illuminated my walls with both dynamic and static light effects almost daily. My primary means of operating the lamp was through voice commands to my Amazon Alexa, but I also activated it using the WiZ app and Apple Home app.
In evaluating the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp, I made a direct effort to compare it to other floor lamps on the market, as well as to the broader array of experience I had with smart lights in general. For more details, see how we test, rate, and review at TechRadar.
Founded in 2020, Casabrews hasn’t been around for very long, and so, it really hasn’t had its chance to shine among some of the best espresso machines. That said, it has cultivated some buzz on platforms like TikTok, thanks to the brand’s mix of affordability and aesthetics.
The Casabrews Ultra takes things one step further and provides additional options for refining your espresso. I appreciate the approach of Casabrews developing a low-cost semi-automatic espresso machine that’s a kind of gateway into making great coffee at home. However, the espresso it yielded quite literally left a bad taste in my mouth.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
It’s true that a bad workman blames their tools, but ultimately, when I found myself about five hours deep in searching through subreddits and forums for a solution to my awful coffee, I realised that I was likely at the point where any actual customer would’ve sought out a new machine.
All in all, the Casabrews Ultra sits in a bit of an odd no-man’s-land, given that it asks for far too much of a casual, beginner user but delivers far too little customization and control for a hardcore coffee hobbyist. With some upgrades and a good deal of experimentation, the Casabrews Ultra could be someone’s espresso machine of choice, but I encountered far too many insurmountable problems during my testing period to be able to recommend the machine wholeheartedly. After the unfortunate loss of my old espresso machine, I’ve been on the hunt for a worthy replacement. But I can’t say the Casabrews Ultra will be inducted into my daily coffee routine anytime soon.
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: price and availability
List price: $249.99 / £199.99
Available in the US and UK
Discounts available at the Casabrews website
Like the rest of Casabrews’ product lineup, the Casabrews Ultra is a pretty budget-friendly option. The machine will set you back less than $250, which is definitely on the low end of things for a semi-automatic espresso machine with a steam wand attachment.
You can purchase the Casabrews Ultra directly from the Casabrews website, often with a welcome discount to make it an even more affordable option. For example, at the moment, you can pick it up for $215. Third-party retailers like Walmart and Target are worth checking out for deals, too.
If you’re based in the UK, you can take advantage of the savings on Casabrews’ website too. In terms of third-party retailers, your main option is Amazon.
Value score: 4/5
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: specifications
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine
Type
Semi-automatic espresso machine
Drink options
2 (single and double espresso)
Pump pressure
20 bar
Water tank capacity
2.3 quarts / 2.2 liters
Steam wand
Yes, manual
Size (H x W x D)
12.99 x 12.2 10.31 inches / 330 x 310 x 262mm
Weight
13.55lbs / 6.15kg
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: design
Large, but attractive machine
Stiff steam wand articulation and portafilter
Useful floater in drip tray to indicate water level
When compared to other models from the brand, the Casabrew Ultra has a wider footprint, which is not great for tiny kitchens, but it certainly helps it look the part of a fancy espresso machine. Atop the machine is a little cup warming setup. Despite being a handy addition in theory, the cup warmer doesn’t actually transfer enough heat to achieve its one and only function. I found it much more effective to just use the machine’s hot water dispenser to prepare my cups.
The articulation on the steam wand is stiff, but it was nothing compared to the portafilter. I found it unusually difficult to twist it into place on the group head, even without any grounds in the basket. In fact, during my first few uses, I started to think that there may have been some debris on the shower screen or a warped O-ring gasket, causing the level of resistance I was getting.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
After doing some investigating and disproving this theory, I just kind of resigned myself to accepting that the whole thing was just threaded really bloody tight, and so, making my coffee in the morning would be an unwitting workout for the rest of my test period. All that said, as long as I planted my non-dominant hand on the machine for leverage and let out a little grunt (yes, I’m almost certain that makes me stronger), I could mostly overcome that problem.
Outside of these stiff components, I have very few complaints about the build quality of the machine. Included with the Casabrews Ultra are baskets for one-cup and two-cup espresso: two pressurized and two unpressurized. The light plastic tamp/scoop tool serves far better as a scooper than it does as a tamper, so thankfully, a sturdier tamper is included as well.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
Another feature I appreciate is the floater in the drip tray. This buoyant little nugget of red plastic provides a clear indicator of when to empty liquid in the tray. Admittedly, it’s pretty bad form not to give the machine a cleanout daily, but who hasn’t forgotten to empty their drip tray for a week and discovered what looks like the contents of a petri dish? Just me?
Design score: 3/5
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: performance
Recommended coffee dosage is much too high
Strange metallic taste (even when just used to heat water)
Steam wand works well once you're used to it
I was willing to accept that a $250 machine wouldn’t produce the kind of coffee worth swishing around your mouth and plotting on one of those coffee taster flavor wheels. What I wasn’t prepared for were quite so many shots that were ‘spit-it-in-the-sink’ bad.
My very first shot with the Casabrews Ultra was under-extracted, with minimal crema and a taste that wasn’t at all what I had come to expect from my chosen beans. Knowing that these tell-tale signs might mean that my water was travelling through the grounds too quickly, my first instinct was to up the dose of coffee loaded in the basket.
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The problem with that was – despite my leaning on the lower end of what the manual recommended for a double espresso – my basket was already basically overflowing. With each shot I had pulled so far, the puck touched right up against the shower screen and, in most cases, even stuck to it. Thankfully, the Casabrew Ultra allows for reprogramming shot volume and temperature, so I could play around with those variables in the hopes of achieving something drinkable (or even tasty, if I’m lucky).
Unfortunately, while the quality of my extraction improved, shot after shot, I was presented with a pretty foul battery-like taste that I couldn’t totally camouflage with milk or by diluting into an americano. Light roasts are notoriously difficult to dial in, so I started to think that maybe I was presenting the Casabrews Ultra with too steep a challenge.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
However, with payday too far off on the horizon, I couldn’t quite justify another bag of specialty coffee that I likely wouldn’t actually drink. As a compromise, I picked myself up a bag of Lavazza Rossa, a cheap but reliable medium roast that I used to chuck in my espresso machine as a teen prior to having adult money. It’s a sort of rich, chocolatey, everyman’s coffee that doesn't require too delicate a touch.
The Lavazza beans were pre-ground, which didn’t bode well for me achieving anything professional barista level, but at this point, I just wanted some coffee I could get through a full cup of without wincing. Besides, thanks to the pressurised basket, I could produce a shot with a nice faux crema even with beans that were technically a little stale.
The results were a familiar taste marred by an awful chemical, metallic note. I swapped in bottled water just in case the problem was Bath’s hard tap water, but it did very little to resolve the issue. Cleaning the shower screen, flushing, descaling – nothing seemed to do the job.
(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
At one point, I served my partner cooled water that had run through the Casabrews Ultra to gauge his reaction (yes, I did this without warning; I never said my test process was ethical.). Lo and behold, he wanted to know why it tasted so metallic. It’s funny you’d ask, James. I was wondering about that exact thing.
Finding myself over 220g of beans down and yearning for a good coffee, I have to admit I was feeling pretty bitter. Given the 75% five-star reviews on Amazon, I can only assume this was an issue specific to the unit I tested or that the majority of customers use enough sugar and milk to hide any strange aftertastes. Obviously, the espresso-making part of the Casabrews Ultra is the main event, but it’s not all doom and gloom; the steam wand performed a whole lot better.
(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
I first learned to make microfoam using a knob-operated steam wand, and honestly, I had no experience using one that was controlled via a button until I tested the Casabrews Ultra. Its steam wand has a couple of seconds of delay after you activate it, and given you aren’t in control of how quickly the steam output ramps up, it can be a real learning curve getting used to the rhythm of the machine. What’s more, the delay makes purging the steam wand just that bit more of a pain.
After some experimentation (and a refrigerated pitcher to make it harder to scald my milk), I managed to adapt my technique to create a microfoam I was reasonably happy with, which sported a silky mouthfeel and a pleasant sheen. A few visible bubbles lingered, but I’d say a lot of that was down to me being out of practice. Besides, there’s always the option to go full rip and make some dry foam when I’m in the mood for a cappuccino …I just needed to make sure I got my espresso elsewhere.
Performance score: 2/5
Should you buy the Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine
Attribute
Notes
Score
Value
A low-cost machine with discounts available.
4/5
Design
A sturdy setup for the most part, but has some flaws.
3/5
Performance
For the most part, the Casabrews Ultra underperformed. Its espresso is a particular low point.
3/5
Buy it if
You’re big on milky coffees
Once you get the hang of it, the Casabrews Ultra’s steam wand is a solid performer that produces good microfoam.
You’re happy to give it a shot
Casabrew’s 30-day return window means that you’re not stuck using the Ultra if it just isn’t for you. View Deal
Don't buy it if
You want a machine from a legacy brand
Casabrews is something of a new kid on the block, and so there’s less information out there on troubleshooting, upgrades, or servicing.
You’d like a high-performing espresso machine
If you want a coffee that’ll get you out of bed in the morning, treat yourself to a machine that performs consistently and helps you get the most out of your beans.
You want a bean-to-cup machine
If you don’t fancy the hassle of seeking out a separate grinder, you’ll want to buy a machine that performs all those functions in one.
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: also consider
Not sure if the Casabrews Ultra is the right espresso machine for you? Here are two others to consider.
De'Longhi Linea Classic
Despite setting you back $50 less, the De’Longhi Linea Classic delivered far better results than the Casabrews Ultra. Its reviewer even said it might be the “one of the best espresso machines for new and experienced baristas”-- that’s some high praise.
The Delonghi Dedica Style is another great option for an espresso machine under $200. What’s more, if you want to save yourself the mess and trouble of puck prep, the Dedica Style also takes ESE pods.
My testing period for the Casabrews Ultra lasted three weeks, and during that time, I regularly made espresso and steamed milk to create drinks. Throughout this process, I alternated between using freshly-ground light roast beans from a local specialty coffee shop, and pre-ground medium roast commercial coffee. While operating the steam wand, I used chilled whole dairy milk, semi-skimmed dairy milk, or almond milk.
The main points of reference I had to compare the Casabrews Ultra to were the De'Longhi Scultura and the Breville Bambino.
Founded in 2020, Casabrews hasn’t been around for very long, and so, it really hasn’t had its chance to shine among some of the best espresso machines. That said, it has cultivated some buzz on platforms like TikTok, thanks to the brand’s mix of affordability and aesthetics.
The Casabrews Ultra takes things one step further and provides additional options for refining your espresso. I appreciate the approach of Casabrews developing a low-cost semi-automatic espresso machine that’s a kind of gateway into making great coffee at home. However, the espresso it yielded quite literally left a bad taste in my mouth.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
It’s true that a bad workman blames their tools, but ultimately, when I found myself about five hours deep in searching through subreddits and forums for a solution to my awful coffee, I realised that I was likely at the point where any actual customer would’ve sought out a new machine.
All in all, the Casabrews Ultra sits in a bit of an odd no-man’s-land, given that it asks for far too much of a casual, beginner user but delivers far too little customization and control for a hardcore coffee hobbyist. With some upgrades and a good deal of experimentation, the Casabrews Ultra could be someone’s espresso machine of choice, but I encountered far too many insurmountable problems during my testing period to be able to recommend the machine wholeheartedly. After the unfortunate loss of my old espresso machine, I’ve been on the hunt for a worthy replacement. But I can’t say the Casabrews Ultra will be inducted into my daily coffee routine anytime soon.
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: price and availability
List price: $249.99 / £199.99
Available in the US and UK
Discounts available at the Casabrews website
Like the rest of Casabrews’ product lineup, the Casabrews Ultra is a pretty budget-friendly option. The machine will set you back less than $250, which is definitely on the low end of things for a semi-automatic espresso machine with a steam wand attachment.
You can purchase the Casabrews Ultra directly from the Casabrews website, often with a welcome discount to make it an even more affordable option. For example, at the moment, you can pick it up for $215. Third-party retailers like Walmart and Target are worth checking out for deals, too.
If you’re based in the UK, you can take advantage of the savings on Casabrews’ website too. In terms of third-party retailers, your main option is Amazon.
Value score: 4/5
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: specifications
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine
Type
Semi-automatic espresso machine
Drink options
2 (single and double espresso)
Pump pressure
20 bar
Water tank capacity
2.3 quarts / 2.2 liters
Steam wand
Yes, manual
Size (H x W x D)
12.99 x 12.2 10.31 inches / 330 x 310 x 262mm
Weight
13.55lbs / 6.15kg
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: design
Large, but attractive machine
Stiff steam wand articulation and portafilter
Useful floater in drip tray to indicate water level
When compared to other models from the brand, the Casabrew Ultra has a wider footprint, which is not great for tiny kitchens, but it certainly helps it look the part of a fancy espresso machine. Atop the machine is a little cup warming setup. Despite being a handy addition in theory, the cup warmer doesn’t actually transfer enough heat to achieve its one and only function. I found it much more effective to just use the machine’s hot water dispenser to prepare my cups.
The articulation on the steam wand is stiff, but it was nothing compared to the portafilter. I found it unusually difficult to twist it into place on the group head, even without any grounds in the basket. In fact, during my first few uses, I started to think that there may have been some debris on the shower screen or a warped O-ring gasket, causing the level of resistance I was getting.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
After doing some investigating and disproving this theory, I just kind of resigned myself to accepting that the whole thing was just threaded really bloody tight, and so, making my coffee in the morning would be an unwitting workout for the rest of my test period. All that said, as long as I planted my non-dominant hand on the machine for leverage and let out a little grunt (yes, I’m almost certain that makes me stronger), I could mostly overcome that problem.
Outside of these stiff components, I have very few complaints about the build quality of the machine. Included with the Casabrews Ultra are baskets for one-cup and two-cup espresso: two pressurized and two unpressurized. The light plastic tamp/scoop tool serves far better as a scooper than it does as a tamper, so thankfully, a sturdier tamper is included as well.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
Another feature I appreciate is the floater in the drip tray. This buoyant little nugget of red plastic provides a clear indicator of when to empty liquid in the tray. Admittedly, it’s pretty bad form not to give the machine a cleanout daily, but who hasn’t forgotten to empty their drip tray for a week and discovered what looks like the contents of a petri dish? Just me?
Design score: 3/5
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: performance
Recommended coffee dosage is much too high
Strange metallic taste (even when just used to heat water)
Steam wand works well once you're used to it
I was willing to accept that a $250 machine wouldn’t produce the kind of coffee worth swishing around your mouth and plotting on one of those coffee taster flavor wheels. What I wasn’t prepared for were quite so many shots that were ‘spit-it-in-the-sink’ bad.
My very first shot with the Casabrews Ultra was under-extracted, with minimal crema and a taste that wasn’t at all what I had come to expect from my chosen beans. Knowing that these tell-tale signs might mean that my water was travelling through the grounds too quickly, my first instinct was to up the dose of coffee loaded in the basket.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
The problem with that was – despite my leaning on the lower end of what the manual recommended for a double espresso – my basket was already basically overflowing. With each shot I had pulled so far, the puck touched right up against the shower screen and, in most cases, even stuck to it. Thankfully, the Casabrew Ultra allows for reprogramming shot volume and temperature, so I could play around with those variables in the hopes of achieving something drinkable (or even tasty, if I’m lucky).
Unfortunately, while the quality of my extraction improved, shot after shot, I was presented with a pretty foul battery-like taste that I couldn’t totally camouflage with milk or by diluting into an americano. Light roasts are notoriously difficult to dial in, so I started to think that maybe I was presenting the Casabrews Ultra with too steep a challenge.
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(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
However, with payday too far off on the horizon, I couldn’t quite justify another bag of specialty coffee that I likely wouldn’t actually drink. As a compromise, I picked myself up a bag of Lavazza Rossa, a cheap but reliable medium roast that I used to chuck in my espresso machine as a teen prior to having adult money. It’s a sort of rich, chocolatey, everyman’s coffee that doesn't require too delicate a touch.
The Lavazza beans were pre-ground, which didn’t bode well for me achieving anything professional barista level, but at this point, I just wanted some coffee I could get through a full cup of without wincing. Besides, thanks to the pressurised basket, I could produce a shot with a nice faux crema even with beans that were technically a little stale.
The results were a familiar taste marred by an awful chemical, metallic note. I swapped in bottled water just in case the problem was Bath’s hard tap water, but it did very little to resolve the issue. Cleaning the shower screen, flushing, descaling – nothing seemed to do the job.
(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
At one point, I served my partner cooled water that had run through the Casabrews Ultra to gauge his reaction (yes, I did this without warning; I never said my test process was ethical.). Lo and behold, he wanted to know why it tasted so metallic. It’s funny you’d ask, James. I was wondering about that exact thing.
Finding myself over 220g of beans down and yearning for a good coffee, I have to admit I was feeling pretty bitter. Given the 75% five-star reviews on Amazon, I can only assume this was an issue specific to the unit I tested or that the majority of customers use enough sugar and milk to hide any strange aftertastes. Obviously, the espresso-making part of the Casabrews Ultra is the main event, but it’s not all doom and gloom; the steam wand performed a whole lot better.
(Image credit: Abigail Shannon)
I first learned to make microfoam using a knob-operated steam wand, and honestly, I had no experience using one that was controlled via a button until I tested the Casabrews Ultra. Its steam wand has a couple of seconds of delay after you activate it, and given you aren’t in control of how quickly the steam output ramps up, it can be a real learning curve getting used to the rhythm of the machine. What’s more, the delay makes purging the steam wand just that bit more of a pain.
After some experimentation (and a refrigerated pitcher to make it harder to scald my milk), I managed to adapt my technique to create a microfoam I was reasonably happy with, which sported a silky mouthfeel and a pleasant sheen. A few visible bubbles lingered, but I’d say a lot of that was down to me being out of practice. Besides, there’s always the option to go full rip and make some dry foam when I’m in the mood for a cappuccino …I just needed to make sure I got my espresso elsewhere.
Performance score: 2/5
Should you buy the Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine
Attribute
Notes
Score
Value
A low-cost machine with discounts available.
4/5
Design
A sturdy setup for the most part, but has some flaws.
3/5
Performance
For the most part, the Casabrews Ultra underperformed. Its espresso is a particular low point.
3/5
Buy it if
You’re big on milky coffees
Once you get the hang of it, the Casabrews Ultra’s steam wand is a solid performer that produces good microfoam.
You’re happy to give it a shot
Casabrew’s 30-day return window means that you’re not stuck using the Ultra if it just isn’t for you. View Deal
Don't buy it if
You want a machine from a legacy brand
Casabrews is something of a new kid on the block, and so there’s less information out there on troubleshooting, upgrades, or servicing.
You’d like a high-performing espresso machine
If you want a coffee that’ll get you out of bed in the morning, treat yourself to a machine that performs consistently and helps you get the most out of your beans.
You want a bean-to-cup machine
If you don’t fancy the hassle of seeking out a separate grinder, you’ll want to buy a machine that performs all those functions in one.
Casabrews Ultra Espresso Machine: also consider
Not sure if the Casabrews Ultra is the right espresso machine for you? Here are two others to consider.
De'Longhi Linea Classic
Despite setting you back $50 less, the De’Longhi Linea Classic delivered far better results than the Casabrews Ultra. Its reviewer even said it might be the “one of the best espresso machines for new and experienced baristas”-- that’s some high praise.
The Delonghi Dedica Style is another great option for an espresso machine under $200. What’s more, if you want to save yourself the mess and trouble of puck prep, the Dedica Style also takes ESE pods.
My testing period for the Casabrews Ultra lasted three weeks, and during that time, I regularly made espresso and steamed milk to create drinks. Throughout this process, I alternated between using freshly-ground light roast beans from a local specialty coffee shop, and pre-ground medium roast commercial coffee. While operating the steam wand, I used chilled whole dairy milk, semi-skimmed dairy milk, or almond milk.
The main points of reference I had to compare the Casabrews Ultra to were the De'Longhi Scultura and the Breville Bambino.
