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The Lavazza Assoluta is a quirky coffee machine that adjusts its own settings to suit your beans – provided you buy the right ones

4:00 pm | November 16, 2025

Lavazza Assoluta: two-minute review

The Lavazza Assoluta is a fully automatic espresso machine with an interesting selling point: when you scan the barcode on a pack of Lavazza beans using the smartphone app, the machine automatically optimizes its own brew settings to deliver optimally extracted, well-balanced coffee.

I was somewhat skeptical about how well this would work, particularly since the Assoluta only has two grind sizes (most machines have 15 or more. In practice, however, it does seem to work well. I tested two very different types of Lavazza coffee, and both times the machine extracted a shot of espresso in 30 seconds, which is pretty much ideal.

The downside is that brewing coffee using your own beans will be hit-and-miss (as Lavazza itself warns), so this isn't a machine for anyone who wants to delve into the world of speciality coffee from independent roasters.

Lavazza Assoluta espresso machine making milky drink — (Image credit: Future)

The Assoluta also has an unusual milk-frothing system, consisting of a large glass cup with a lid containing a steam wand and motorized whisk. Fill the mug with milk to the appropriate measuring line, push it under the coffee dispenser, choose a drink, and two minutes later you'll have a latte or cappuccino topped with rich, creamy foam. It works very well, but the lid can't be used with your regular cups. If there's more than one coffee-drinker at home, you might want to pick up another Lavazza cup so you can both enjoy a drink at the same time.

The Assoluta is advertised for £699.95 (about $920 / AU$1,400), but that price drops to £349.95 (about $460 / AU$700) when you also subscribe to Lavazza's coffee delivery service. Since the machine is specifically designed to work with Lavazza's branded coffee, this is a good option for regular coffee-drinkers.

Lavazza Assoluta: specifications

Name	Lavazza Assoluta
Type	Fully automatic bean-to-cup espresso machine
Dimensions (W x H x D)	8.7 x 14 x 17.1 inches / 22 x 35.8 x 43.5cm
Weight	22lbs / 10kg
Water reservoir capacity	1.6 quarts / 1.5 liters
Milk frother	Yes (in cup lid)
Bars of pressure	Not stated
User profiles	n/a

Lavazza Assoluta: price and availability

Available now in Europe
Australian release expected in early 2026
Not expected to launch in the US
Half price with a Lavazza coffee subscription plan

The Lavazza Assoluta is only available in Europe at the time of writing (November 2025), but is expected to arrive in Australia in early 2026. Lavazza currently has no plan to release the machine in the US.

The Assoluta has a list price of £699.95 (about $920 / AU$1,400) when bought alone, or £349.95 (about $460 / AU$700) when you also sign up to Lavazza’s coffee subscription service.

The subscription price is very reasonable, and cheaper than anything in my roundup of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines, but Lavazza’s website doesn’t actually seem to let you buy the machine alone at full price. I’ve enquired about this with Lavazza, and will update this review when I have more information.

Value score: 4.5/5

Lavazza Assoluta: design

Attractive and solidly made
Easy to clean and maintain
Fold-out tray for espresso cups
Glass cup has milk frother in lid

The Lavazza Assoluta is a large, but good-looking automatic espresso machine with a bronze-colored plastic case and bright LED control panel.

When the Lavazza Assoluta is switched on, a light on top illuminates to show its current status (ready to brew, brewing, connecting to Wi-Fi, or requiring attention). Turning the top of the bean hopper left or right will adjust the "aroma", changing the dosage of coffee for a stronger or milder drink.

Using dial to adjust aroma on Lavazza Assoluta espresso machine — Turn the dial on top of the machine a few degrees to adjust the "aroma" (or dosage) (Image credit: Future)

The bean hopper has a control for adjusting the grind size, but there are only two settings: fine and coarse. The finer you grind your beans, the longer it takes for water to pass through. Most espresso machines offer at least 15 settings so you can get exactly the right extraction time for your particular beans, so the fact that this machine offers only two is surprising.

The water tank is solidly made with a sturdy handle, but it’s worth bearing in mind that it lifts out of the back vertically, so you’ll need plenty of space above the machine. If you place the Assoluta under a cabinet, be prepared to slide it out whenever it’s time for a refill.

The left-hand side of the machine has a large panel that provides easy access to the Assoluta’s brewing group for cleaning, and the drip tray pulls out to reveal the dump box for used coffee grounds. The machine won’t warn you when this needs emptying; personally, I recommend doing this at the end of each day, cleaning the box and drip tray, and leaving them out overnight so everything has a chance to dry out.

Lavazza Assoluta espresso machine dispensing espresso — The Assoluta has a small flip-down drip tray for espresso cups (Image credit: Future)

The Assoluta has a small fold-out tray to hold an espresso cup, but if you want to make a milky drink then you’ll need to use the large Lavazza Trasparenza Collection mug supplied in the box.

Unlike most automatic espresso machines, which dispense foamed milk from a carafe, the Assoluta requires you to fill your mug with milk, then place a special lid on top. This lid contains a steam wand and electric whisk, which foam the milk for your lattes and cappuccinos before the Assoluta pours a shot of espresso on top.

Milky drink with thick foam prepared using Lavazza Assoluta — The milk-frothing system works well, but can only be used with Lavazza's own large glass coffee cup (Image credit: Future)

I’ve never seen a system quite like it before, and although it works (read on for more details), it means you can’t use your favorite mugs with the machine, and all your milky drinks will end up being quite large. The cup has minimum and maximum fill lines to indicate how much milk to add.

The fact that the machine only comes with a single mug also means that you’ll be drinking your lattes alone unless you purchase a second Trasparenza cup for $22.70 / £15 (about AU$30).

Design score: 3.5/5

Lavazza Assoluta: performance

Before using the Assoluta for the first time, you’ll need to install the Piacere Lavazza app on your phone, and connect it via Bluetooth. Many of the best espresso machines I’ve tested have their own apps, but these are usually pretty limited. They might allow you to update your machine’s firmware and view its instruction manual, but that’s usually it.

The Piacere Lavazza app is different. Once set up, give it permission to access your phone’s camera, scan the barcode on your bag of Lavazza espresso beans, and it will transmit the optimal brew settings to the Assoluta. The machine will then configure itself accordingly, selecting the ideal dosage and brew temperature. The only thing it can’t adjust itself is grind size, so you’ll need to do that by turning the dial inside the bean hopper as instructed.

Setting up Lavazza Assoluta machine in Lavazza app — Scan the barcode on your coffee with the Piacere Lavazza app to configure the machine (Image credit: Future)

As mentioned above, the Assoluta has just two grind sizes, so I was a bit skeptical about how well it would be able to cope with different bean types. After all, dialling in a coffee grinder is often one of the trickiest parts of making a well-extracted espresso, with even small adjustments making a big difference. However, when I tried it out with different Lavazza beans, I was pleasantly surprised.

The machine I tested came with a pack of Lavazza Espresso Barista Gran Crema coffee beans, and I bought an extra pack of Lavazza Espresso Italiano Classico to see how well it coped with both types. The Barista Gran Crema is made using a blend of light roasted arabica and robusta beans, while the Italiano Classico is 100% arabica and more similar to the coffee I usually choose at home.

Espresso brewed using Lavazza Assoluta espresso machine — Brewing a double-shot of espresso took 30 seconds with both Lavazza blends I tested (Image credit: Future)

I timed how long it took the Assoluta to extract a shot of espresso, and in both cases it took exactly 30 seconds from the moment the pump started, which is pretty much ideal. Although it was lightly roasted, I found that the robusta beans in the Barista Gran Crema gave the coffee a slightly more bitter, traditionally Italian flavor, while the Italiano Classico (which required the finer grind size) was fruitier and sweeter.

I’d have liked to try Lavazza’s whole range with the Assoluta if my budget allowed, but I was impressed at how well the machine dealt with these two very different coffees. The downside is that results with your own coffee are likely to be hit-and-miss. You might find that one of the two grind sizes works reasonably well, but if not, you’re going to be left with a disappointing shot of espresso - and Lavazza does warn you that this might happen. You can’t use your own grinder either, because unlike some bean-to-cup coffee makers, the Assoluta doesn’t have a chute for pre-ground coffee.

Lavazza Assoluta machine pouring espresso into foamed milk — The milk-foaming system works particularly well with full-fat dairy milk (Image credit: Future)

During my tests, the Assoluta’s unusual milk-frothing system worked best with full-fat dairy milk, and I attained the best results using the thick foam setting. You're instructed to place the lid on the cup so that its steam spout is opposite the handle. The lid never looks like it’s sitting completely flush with the rim of the cup, but in practice this doesn’t seem to matter; I never had any trouble with milk splashing out, even when using the maximum recommended quantity.

It will take about two minutes to foam your milk, after which the machine will pour your coffee through the top and bleep to let you know your drink is ready. Removing the whisk and steam pipe from the cup disturbs the foam and makes the top of your drink look a little untidy, but that’s a very minor quibble. Despite the long steaming time, the milk isn’t overheated, and the Assoluta creates consistently creamy, sweet-tasting foam.

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Creating custom drink using Lavazza app — Creating custom drinks in the Lavazza app is much easier than using a tiny touchscreen (Image credit: Future)

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Hot drink recipes in Lavazza app — You'll find various hot drink recipes in the Lavazza app, which will help you make them using the Assoluta (Image credit: Future)

Steaming and whisking the milk directly in the cup is unusual, but it means that you’re not limited to making coffee with the Assoluta – you can also use it to prepare hot chocolate following the instructions provided in the app, which is packed with recipes. They’re well worth perusing, and work in a similar way to the Cookidoo app for the Thermomix all-in-one cooker, taking you through preparation of your preferred drink step-by-step.

You can also use the app to create custom drink recipes from scratch, adjusting the coffee volume, temperature, aroma (coffee dosage), and milk thickness. The machine itself offers quite a small menu of presets, but the app makes it easy to tinker with brewing options, walking you through the process one step at a time.

Checking coffee consumption stats using Lavazza app — Worried you might be overdoing the caffeine? The Lavazza app keeps track of how much you're drinking (Image credit: Future)

If you're concerned that you might be drinking too much caffeine, the app even keeps track of your consumption over the past day, week, month, and year, with a breakdown of the type of coffee you tend to drink most often. It's a nice extra feature (and potentially eye-opening).

Performance: 4/5

Should you buy the Lavazza Assoluta?

Lavazza Assoluta score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	Very affordable if you also subscribe to Lavazza's coffee subscription service, but not available in the US.	4.5/5
Design	Good-looking and easy to clean, but milk can only be frothed using Lavazza's large lidded mug, plus the grinder has just two settings.	3.5/4
Performance	Brews consistently good coffee with Lavazza's own beans, and customizing drinks using the app is a breeze. You may not be able to achieve good results with other beans. Foamed milk is thick and creamy.	4/5

Buy it if

You like long, milky drinks

You can only prepare lattes and cappuccinos using the Trasparenza Collection Lavazza Mug, which is pretty huge. Great if you want to be able to wrap your hands around a big, warm drink for cozy nights in.

You want simplicity, but don't like pods

If you like the idea of using fresh coffee beans, but don't want the hassle of setting up a coffee machine perfectly to use them, the Assoluta does the calculations for you.

You want to make more than coffee

The Lavazza Assoluta's unusual milk-frothing system is ideal for making hot chocolate drinks, or making milky drinks infused with syrup.

Don't buy it if

You love experimenting with speciality coffees

The Assoluta is designed to be used with Lavazza's own espresso beans, and although you can use your own, the machine only has two grind sizes, so you have very little control when dialling it in.

You're attached to your own coffee cups

The Lavazza Assoluta's milk-frothing system only works with the large glass mug supplied with the machine.

Lavazza Assoluta: also consider

If you're not completely sold on the Lavazza Assoluta, here are two other espresso machines to think about:

Ninja Prestige DualBrew System

This machine gives you both, with a full-size filter coffee maker, a Nespresso machine, and a pull-out milk frother. It's extremely convenient, and particularly handy if you're bleary-eyed and sluggish in the morning.

Read our full Ninja Prestige DualBrew System reviewView Deal

Philips LatteGo 5500 Series

An excellent little bean-to-cup espresso machine for small households, and particularly easy to keep clean and fresh. It brews hot and cold, and offers an impressive menu of 20 different coffee drinks.

Read our full Philips LatteGo 5500 Series reviewView Deal

How I tested the Lavazza Assoluta

I tested the Assoluta with the Lavazza Espresso Barista Gran Crema beans that came packaged with it, as well as Lavazza Espresso Italiano Classico beans, which I bought myself. I made sure that all the beans in the hopper were finished before changing beans, to prevent mixing.

I installed the Piacere Lavazza app on my phone, and used it to choose the correct brewing profile for each type of coffee, then timed how long it took the Assoluta to brew a shot of espresso with each one.

Two bags of Lavazza coffee beans — (Image credit: Future)

I tested the milk frother with both plant-based and dairy milk, and used both regular and thick milk texture settings. I also tried different drink recipes from the Piacere Lavazza app, and used it to make custom beverages.

First reviewed November 2025.

This robot vacuum delivers impressive mopping, but there are some quirks to know about before you buy

9:30 am |

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

SwitchBot S20: two-minute review

The SwitchBot S20 is a hybrid robot vacuum with a particularly impressive mopping setup. While most robot vacuums feature flat mop pads that tend to spread spillages around, the S20 is equipped with a roller that's fed a continuous stream of fresh water, while any dirt is scraped off as it goes. The model also arrives with a comprehensive dock that not only empties the bot's onboard bin, but drains its dirty water tanks, refills the clean water tank and dries the mop pads, too.

I tested it out and was generally impressed, although a few quirks prevent me from recommending it as one of the best robot vacuums on the market right now. The mopping works as advertised, providing a more thorough clean than I've seen with most bots. Vacuuming is solid, too, while object detection and avoidance are perhaps the best I've encountered.

However, the S20 gets into a pickle if set to vacuum after it has completed a mopping run, when its roller is still a bit damp. In this situation, any debris on the floor is spread around, and no discernible vacuuming takes place. That's okay if your home's layout makes it easy to keep vacuuming and mopping completely separate (with the mopping last on the list), but I wouldn't recommend the S20 as a bot that can transition smoothly between the two tasks.

It's also rather noisy. I'd say it's louder than average in every cleaning mode, but the sound of it auto-emptying is especially alarming. For navigation the bot performed well, but did prove occasionally erratic – perhaps down to that ultra-sensitive object avoidance – and the app could be improved with a few tweaks.

At full price, this bot sits in the premium bracket, but hefty discounts are common and deliver much better value for money. If mopping is your priority and you spot a decent deal, the S20 could be a great buy.

A final note before I begin with my full SwitchBot S20 review. If you're here because you heard that SwitchBot makes mini robot vacuums, be advised that the S20 isn't one of those bots. The robot itself and the dock are full-sized, and also a little chunkier than average. Check out the SwitchBot K11+ if you're after a tiny home-helper that can tuck into tight spaces.

SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum in its dock — (Image credit: Future)

SwitchBot S20 review: price & availability

List price: $799.99 / £799.99
Launched: September 2025
Available: US / UK

The SwitchBot K20 launched in September 2025, with a list price of $799.99 in the US and £799.99 in the UK. At time of writing, there was a voucher on the SwitchBot US site to activate a 44% discount (taking it to $448) and one for 39% off on the UK sites (taking it down to £488). Given the availability of big discounts so close to launch, it seems likely that this bot will not be sold at full price very often.

There's also an "Auto-Fill & Drain System" version of this model, which you plumb into your home's water supply. It costs the same at ticket price.

At full price this is a premium robot vacuum, but those chunky discounts see it sit more middle of the pack. On paper, at the discounted price it's a decent value proposition, but just make sure you're happy to live with the various quirks before you take the plunge.

Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

SwitchBot S20 specs

Max suction:	10,000Pa
Robot diameter:	14.4in / 36.5cm
Robot height:	4.5in / 11.5cm
Dock dimensions (W x D x H):	14.9 x 8.5 x 18.1in / 38 x 21.5 x 46cm
Dust bin volume (dock):	4L
Water tank volume:	2.5L clean; 2.5L dirty
Base type:	Charge, auto-empty dust, empty dirty water, refill clean water, dry mop
Max threshold clearance:	0.8in / 2cm
Smart home compatibility:	Matter (Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home)
Mop:	Roller

SwitchBot S20 review: design

Rather large, hybrid robot vacuum and mop
Roller mop that's continually cleaned as it mops
Dock empties dust, dries roller and drains/refills the onboard tanks

SwitchBot is known for making tiny little robot vacuums, such as the dinky SwitchBot K11+, so I was quite surprised when I unpacked the K20 to find that it wasn't small at all. In fact, far from being scaled-down, this bot is on the chunkier side for a modern robot vacuum.

By way of example, the Roborock Qrevo Master (a not especially swish or streamlined robovac) measures 13.9in / 35.3 cm in diameter and 4.1in / 10.3 cm tall, whereas the K20 is 14.4in / 36.5cm wide and 4.5in / 11.5cm tall.

SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum next to much smaller K11+ — The SwitchBot S20 (right) next to the brand's dinky K11+ (Image credit: Future)

The headline feature is the mop setup. The K20 has a roller mop that applies 1kg of pressure to scrub dirt from your hard floors. The roller is continually fed with clean water as it rolls across your floor, while a scraper siphons off the grime and dirty water and holds it in a small secondary water tank. While the roller can't kick out to the side of the machine for edge cleaning, as some premium models offer, it's still a very modern mop setup.

SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum flipped over to show roller mop — (Image credit: Future)

The suction stats are good, too, topping out at 10,000Pa. Until recently, that was about the maximum you'd find anywhere. Nowadays, there are premium bots that can manage twice that; but 10,000Pa should still be ample for most people's needs. There's a fixed side-sweeper brush and a single rubber roller.

Many modern robovac brands are exploring ways to help their bots scale tall room thresholds, but not so much SwitchBot. The chunky wheels should enable the S20 to make its way over steps up to 0.8in / 2cm – and perhaps a bit over that, based on my tests – but beware if your home has thresholds beyond that figure.

SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum flipped over to show wheels, side-sweeper brush and roller underneath — (Image credit: Future)

On the top side of the S20 you'll find three physical buttons. One is your on/off, another sends the bot back to its dock, and the third I'm not quite sure about. In any case, you'll generally be controlling your bot using the companion app. It's also Matter-compatible, so you can control it using Alexa, Google Assistant and so on.

Close-up of top of SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum, with buttons and LiDAR puck — (Image credit: Future)

There's also the LiDAR turret – or rather the LiDAR SLAM, as a label informs me. SLAM is an older, less-efficient method of robovac navigation (here's more on LiDAR vs SLAM in robot navigation), but there's no mention of it anywhere else in the literature. This is bolstered by an AI camera mounted at the front, for object identification and avoidance.

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Dock for SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

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Front of SwitchBot S20 dock with cover removed to show dust bag and cleaning fluid — (Image credit: Future)

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Close up of dock section on SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

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Top side of SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum dock, with clean and dirty water tanks — (Image credit: Future)

The dock is designed to be able to take care of a number of maintenance tasks for you. It sucks the dust from the small onboard bin into a larger dust bag, drains the bot's dirty water tank and refills its clean one, and washes the roller and dries it with warm air (122ºF / 50ºC).

Unlike other similar models I've tested, the bot here docks only a short way into the base station, rather than driving right inside. I'm not sure exactly how it dries because the roller is hidden under the bot, away from the dock.

Design score: 4 out of 5

SwitchBot S20 review: performance

Excellent mopping and solid vacuuming, but a little noisy
Sensitive object avoidance; occasionally erratic navigation
Vacuuming with damp mop disastrous

Setup for the S20 was fairly standard. I performed a "quick mapping" run, where the bot ventured into all the rooms it could find, looked around a bit (without trying to clean them) and started to put together a map. No major issues here, although the bot did miss a room (I was confident it would find it later, and it did). I then edited the map and we were ready to start cleaning.

In terms of cleaning options, you can vacuum and mop together, just vacuum, or vacuum then mop. There are four suction modes (Quiet, Standard, Strong and Max) and Moist or Wet mopping modes.

Vacuum performance

To kick things off, I sent the bot off on a whole-floor vacuum, using the Strong suction mode, to get a general feel of its performance. My initial reaction was that it seemed noisier than other bots I'd used, with a vacuuming pitch that was a little irritating.

On the plus side, though, I could hear it ramping suction up and down as it moved from hard floor to carpet. When I paused and checked the onboard bin, I found plenty of dust and dog hair in there. The following auto-empty process was the loudest I've experienced in all my time reviewing robot vacuums.

SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum in reviewer's lounge — (Image credit: Future)

Now on to TechRadar's standard suction tests. I sprinkled a mix of dry oats, lentils (to represent chunky debris) and dry tea leaves (to represent fine debris) on a carpeted floor, and asked the bot to clean the area twice, in Strong suction mode.

It performed fairly well, sucking up the lentil/oat mix efficiently, and clearing a good amount of the tea as well. I followed up with an area clean in Max mode, which removed even more tea, leaving only a light sprinkling. This is a solid result – it's a purposefully tricky test.

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Dry tea and oat / lentil mix on carpet before the suction test (Image credit: Future)

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Carpet after 2 passes in Strong mode – A sprinkling of dry tea on a beige carpet — After two passes in Strong mode (Image credit: Future)

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Carpet after several passes – a light dusting of dry tea on a beige carpet — And the final result after a further pass in Max mode (Image credit: Future)

On hard floor, the test didn't go quite as smoothly. I ran my first hard floor test after I'd used the S20 for some mopping, and it was a disaster – by the time the S20 made its proud "Cleaning complete" announcement, there was tea, oats and lentils all over my kitchen floor.

Repeating the test on a different day, with the mop roller completely dry, yielded much better results. Although the bot flicked some particles about and left some in the grouting between tiles, it cleared most of the mess on the first pass.

With most robovacs, the mop pad(s) can either be removed entirely or will lift to traverse hard floors, but there's no such option here. It isn't the end of the world – you just need to make sure you save the mopping for the last task of the day.

Mop performance

I was dismayed and confused to see there isn't a "mop only" mode here, especially since it looks like this bot can do both things separately ("Vacuum then mop" is an option). The mopping here is more involved than usual – the bot isn't just feeding water onto the mop pads, it's also scraping them clean as it goes. Perhaps for that reason, the S20 emits a rather grating, droning noise when it's mopping.

It also takes quite a while for the roller to completely soak through – in my test, I found it had almost completed mopping my whole (quite large) kitchen before the striped track marks became solid. It isn't unusual for hybrid robot vacuums to take a while to get their mops properly wet – I usually like to remove the pad and wet it down myself before setting any bot out on a mopping run. That's more of a hassle here, though, due to the way it's attached to the bot.

SwitchBot S20 robot vacuum creating stripey lines with its mop — (Image credit: Future)

While mopping tests didn't go completely smoothly, I got good results in the end. First, I drizzled soy sauce and soy milk on a tiled floor, and asked the bot to do an area clean in Wet mode.

The first area clean was scuppered by the fact the bot seemed to identify the milk as an object to avoid. It skirted carefully around the puddle, smearing the soy sauce in the process, but not really achieving any actual cleaning.

After spreading the puddle of milk around a bit to blur the edges, it was more successful on the my second run (shown in the video below). It delivered on its promise of clearing the spillage rather than spreading it about, as can happen with flat mop pads.

Buoyed by my success, I also ran a test to see if it could clear smeared ketchup from the floor. Unfortunately, it didn't manage to make much of a difference to the mess after one pass in Wet mode. That's not unusual – it's a difficult test – but I had gone in with quite high hopes for the roller mop.

xxxx does the dock dry the roller successfully?

Moving on to navigation. Again, my experience was a little hit-and-miss. The SwitchBot S20 generally followed a logical up-and-down pattern, but there were plenty of occasions where it decided to – in the words of Fleetwood Mac – go its own way. It also had a little trouble clearing taller room thresholds, but managed them all in the end.

To test object avoidance, I placed a tissue box, shoe and charging cable on the carpeted floor in my lounge, and asked the bot to conduct an area clean. As you might have suspected from the its behavior in the mopping test, the S20 certainly has some object avoidance skills.

Shoe, cable and tissue box laid out for object avoidance test — (Image credit: Future)

It successfully avoided both the cable (unheard of) and the shoe, and after deciding it wouldn't fit between them, took a long route around the coffee table to complete cleaning on the other size of the requested zone. I've never seen that before. It wasn't quite perfect – it did push the tissue box right across the room – but it is still very solid performance.

Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

SwitchBot S20 review: app

Fairly easy to navigate
Some frustrating quirks
Part of a general SwitchBot app, for all the brand's products

The app is generally fine, with all the key adjustment options presented in a logical way. However, there are a few annoying quirks that stop it from being perfect.

I had a seriously frustrating time trying to divide the hall from the toilet, with the app refusing to give me the solid line required for an acceptable room division; it repeatedly bumped my adjuster off to elsewhere on the map. I managed to create a divider eventually, but it's on the slant, and not at right angles to any wall (to be clear, this is not the situation in real life).

Screenshots from SwitchBot app — (Image credit: Future)

Maps and rooms have an eight-character limit so you can't, for example, create a "Top floor". Oh, and there's no "Hall" or "Corridor" option within the room defaults – you can make one (just about, in the case of "corridor", and that pesky character limit) but I'm baffled as to why it isn't there in the first place.

Finally, because it's part of a general SwitchBot app for all the brand's products, you'll have to click through a couple of screens before you reach the robovac options. It's fine if you've bought into the SwitchBot ecosystem and have multiple products to control, but a bit annoying if you're using the robot vac on its own.

App score: 3.5 out of 5

Should you buy the SwitchBot S20?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Premium at list price but regular large discounts deliver decent value.	3.5 / 5
Design	Larger than average, with an advanced roller mop setup and comprehensive clean station.	4 / 5
Performance	Above-average mopping and decent vacuuming, but don't try to vacuum with a damp roller. Excellent object detection. Rather noisy overall.	3.5 / 5
App	Includes all the key information, presented logically, but there are a few annoying quirks.	3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

Mopping is your priority

The mopping here is a cut above average, and this bot will come into its own in homes with lots of tiled or lino floors that need regular upkeep.

You have other SwitchBot products

SwitchBot has a whole bunch of smart home products – if you're already in the ecosystem, it makes sense to stick with the brand for your robovac. The app is designed for all SwitchBot gadgets.

You spot a good deal

I wouldn't pay full price for the S20, but I've seen some strong discounts that make it much better value – especially if you want the roller mop, because these are generally only found on pricier models.

Don't buy it if...

You have a mix of hard floor and carpet

This bot operates best when the mopping and vacuuming are kept completely separate. If you want something that will switch seamlessly between the two tasks, there are other bots that will suit your needs much better.

You want a tiny robovac

If you're here expecting for one of SwitchBot's tiny robovacs, you're in for a shock – this one is not only full-sized, but it's actually chunkier than average.

You're sensitive to noise

This is one of the noisier bots I've tested, with the self-empty mechanism especially loud. One to avoid if you're noise-sensitive, or live with someone who is.

How I tested the SwitchBot S20

I used the SwitchBot S20 as my regular robot vacuum for a fortnight, to get a feel for how it performs day-to-day. I also ran a series of standardized vacuuming and mopping tests, to see how it would cope with spillages of all kinds. I dug into the app and assessed the different options there, as well as gauging how easy it would be to use and if things are presented in an intuitive way. I compared my findings to other robot vacuums I've tested, and weighed everything up against the cost to ascertain if the bot delivered good value for money.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners

First reviewed October 2025

This Shark upright might not be the fanciest vacuum in town, but in terms of cleaning power I can’t fault it

2:30 am |

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

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002: two-minute review

Product info

This is the vacuum on review:

Shark Stratos DuoClean PowerFins Hair Pro Upright Vacuum AZ3002

Shark can be erratic with its naming, so check the product code to make sure you're buying the model you think you're buying. There are similar but slightly different models available in the UK and Australia (I tested a US vacuum).

The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 is a corded upright vacuum that packs plenty of cleaning power. Although bulky and heavy compared to a stick vacuum, it has a modular design that means you can remove the bin and hold it in your hand, while you use the wand on a flexible hose to tackle cleaning tasks off the floor. In floor mode, it will propel itself forwards when switched on, making it easier to drive (although at times it did feel like it was running away from me).

I've been using this vacuum on-and-off for a little over a year, so I've had plenty of opportunity to try it out on different floor types and see how it copes with different cleaning challenges. I'd rate it amongst the best upright vacuums around. It sucks up large and fine debris with ease, and handles hair well, too. It comes with a range of tools that are useful for tackling detail work, and with the pod removed it's easy to slide the wand under furniture and clean thoroughly in tight corners and right up against baseboards.

The main floorhead is kitted out with headlamps to help you spot dirt and fluff in dark corners, as well as an odor-neutralizing puck to keep things smelling fresh. Underneath are two rollers that work in tandem to tackle different floor types – a softer roller helps polish hard floors, and a firm roller with rubber fins helps agitate carpet fibers.

It's not the most advanced Shark Upright, and lacks some of the special features of newer models like the Shark PowerDetect Upright – including an Auto mode, which I missed here. However, it's still an excellent all-rounder, and worthy of consideration if you're hunting for the best vacuum for your needs.

Shark Stratos Upright vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: price & availability

List price: $529.99
Launch date: Unknown
Availability: US

The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 launched several years ago, and is available to buy in the US. There are similar models in the UK and Australia, but with slightly different product codes.

At list price, this vacuum costs $529.99 on the SharkNinja website. It's also available to buy via third party retailers like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy.

That price puts it in TechRadar's mid-range bracket for vacuums in general, but is rather expensive in the context of corded uprights. It's a high-quality vacuum cleaner that works really well and comes with plenty of accessories, so I think the price is justified. There are cheaper, still capable, uprights on the market if it's out of your budget, though.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 specs

Type:	Corded upright
Weight:	22.7 lbs / 10.3kg
Bin size:	1.5 qts / 1.4 L
Size (H x W x L):	46.5 x 11 x 12.2 in / 118.1 x 27.9x 31cm
Filter:	HEPA, felt and washable foam
Max suction:	Not provided
Modes:	Hard floor, Carpet/low pile, Thick carpet/area rug
Cord length:	25 ft / 7.62m
Flexible hose length:	3 ft / 0.9m
Product code:	AZ3002

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: design

Modular design – can remove the motor section and hold in your hand
Floorhead for any floor type, and fitted with odor-neutralizing cartridge
Three suction levels to choose from but no auto mode

The first thing I noticed when unboxing the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 is the plethora of accessories. My review model came with a Crevice tool, Upholstery tool, and HairPro self-cleaning pet power brush for detail cleaning, plus an odor-neutralizer cartridge to slot into the floorhead. I found everything relatively easy to put together without needing to consult the manual.

As is almost always the case with upright vacuums, the Stratos AZ3002 is relatively bulky and heavy – especially compared to the best cordless stick vacuums on the market. However, here you can detach the pod that contains the dust cup and hold it in your hand while you use the wand on a flexible hose, which makes things like cleaning the stairs far easier.

This model is corded, so you'll need to deal with the relative inconvenience of having to unplug and re-plug as you clean. The cord is also shorter than I'd like, at just 25 ft / 7.62m.

One design feature I like is the ability to choose from three suction levels: one for hard flooring, one for low-pile carpet and one for thick carpet. A lot of corded uprights just have one setting, but I appreciate that I can customize the cleaning based on floor type here.

However, it's not the most advanced of the Shark uprights – the Shark PowerDetect Upright has an Auto mode whereby it'll increase or decrease suction based on how much dirt is on the floor. This vacuum will also amp up power when the vacuum nears the edge of a room, and has a floorhead that's designed to be able to pick up chunky debris when it's pulled backwards over it. None of those features are included on the Stratos Upright.

The main floorhead contains two motorized brushrolls that work in harmony to clean different flooring types. In the front is the soft roller, which picks up dust and helps polish hard floors. In the back is the PowerFins roller, which has rubbery fins to agitate carpet fibers, as well as helping to scoop up chunkier debris on hard floors.

One special feature which crops up on a number of the best Shark vacuums is an odor neutralizer cartridge. Here, it sits directly in the main floorhead, and can be rotated to raise or lower the intensity. I'm sensitive to some fragrances, but fortunately, on a low setting, the scent is not overpowering. It's a mild and clean fragrance. If you don't like this feature, the cartridge can be removed and won't affect the vacuum's actual performance.

The dustbin can hold 1.5 quarts / 1.4 liters of dust and debris at a time, which is far more than you'd fit into a cordless stick vacuum, but not as generous as you'll find on some upright models. However, it's nice and easy to empty: simply press the release button on the top of the pod and then push the level on the back to open the lid.

There are two types of filters in the vacuum: the HEPA filter, and the pre-motor filters (foam and felt filters), both of which will need cleaning semi-regularly and eventually replacing.

Design score: 4 out of 5

Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: performance

Great suction on both hard floors and carpet
Cleans under low furniture (sofas and beds)
Reaches into tight spaces and above floor places

I was impressed with the powerful suction of the Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum. The company does not specifically list the suction power, but it's strong enough to easily remove debris on both hard floors and carpeted surfaces. While relatively weighty, it also propels itself forwards when turned on, which makes it easier to drive – although sometimes, when steering, it seems like the vacuum is almost going to topple over.

On hard floors, the brushroll is so strong that sometimes, during my tests with instant grits, a few specs would scatter or fly away. This did not happen on carpet, or with heavier types of debris – and I'm not deducting any points for the few scatters.

Throughout my time using the Stratos AZ3002, I never had any issues with hair getting tangled in the brushroll system. I don't have pets, but this vacuum pulled up my own short hairs with ease, and in general I think it'd make a good vacuum for pet hair – corded uprights like this one almost always have more suction than cordless stick vacuums, and I was certainly impressed with this model's cleaning power.

To get a more objective view of the AZ3002's performance, I ran a series of suction tests. In my first test, I opened a packet of dry apple cider tea and scattered it on the floor. I chose the hard floor mode, and the Shark Stratos easily removed it in a single pass.

In the next test, I sprinkled some instant grits on the floor. Still in hard floor mode, the vacuum also removed most of the debris in a single pass. However, in the left side of the photo above, you can see that the vacuum also scattered some of the grits on the floor.

In the third test, I poured some of the instant grits along the edge of the floor to test how closely the Shark Stratos cleans there. The vacuum cleaner removed the vast majority of the grits when vacuuming sideways and those left were picked up when I vacuumed head-on.

On carpet, I performed the same tests with dry apple cider vinegar tea and instant grits. This time, I poured the tea and grits side by side. I switched the setting to carpet/low pile cleaning. The Shark Stratos made easy work of picking up both the tea and grits – one pass is all that was needed for both types of spillage.

I must admit that I don't always remember to switch modes when vacuuming, and I missed having an Auto mode where the vacuum cleaner would adjust itself automatically when going from one type of flooring to the other.

One of my favorite features is the ability to remove the pod and use the vacuum cleaner almost like a stick vacuum. In this configuration, I found it easy to clean under my sideboard as well as under my sofa, and the floorhead was able to clean right up to the baseboards. Such thorough cleaning isn't always a given with an upright vacuum, and I appreciated it here. I also found the vacuum's headlights helped me spot dirt in dark spaces.

I also tried adding the Crevice tool to the end of the main wand. This setup was great for cleaning dust from the HVAC vent covers on the ceiling, as well as in tight spaces like under and on the side of the refrigerator. I found the Upholstery tool very effective for cleaning throw pillows and curtains, as well as any upholstered furniture. Finally, I used the Pet power brush to clean my carpeted stairs.

In all of these scenarios, the Shark Upright Stratos did an excellent job of removing dust and debris in just one forward motion (although I tended to go forward and backward when cleaning anyway).

Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Top of the mid-range bracket, but sometimes discounted. Great features help justify the price.	4 / 5
Design	Bulky, but modular design makes it versatile and it comes with lots of detail tools. Lacks advanced features of other Shark uprights and cord is a bit short.	4 / 5
Performance	Strong suction on hard floors and carpet. Cleans under low furniture, and with attachments, it reaches into tight places and can be used on steps and upholstery.	4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You only plan to have one vacuum

The Shark Stratos Upright is equally effective on both carpet and hard floors, unlike some vacuum cleaners that do better on one or the other type of surface. With the attachments, you can also clean stairs, as well as upholstered items, and in tight places.

You worry about your hardwood floors

The soft roller head is gentle on hard floors so you don't have to worry about the vacuum cleaner being too rough and scratching the surface. As a bonus, the soft roller head also helps to buff the floors.

You don't like emptying the dust bin

The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 has a large dustbin so you'll likely never have to stop in the middle of a cleaning session to empty it. The push button mechanism means you don't have to touch the bin's contents, either.

Don't buy it if...

You struggle with bulky or heavy appliances

All in, this vacuum cleaner weighs 22.7 lbs / 10.3kg. Even with the self-propulsion and fact you can remove and hold the bin pod, it's rather heavy. If you struggle with heavy appliances, a stick vacuum might be a better fit.

You want low-effort cleaning

There are three suction modes here, but you'll need to toggle them manually. More advanced Shark Uprights have an Auto mode that'll do it for you.

You need to vacuum a lot of stairs

While the pod is removable, making it easier to clean stairs, the cord and hose can only stretch so far. A cordless stick vacuum is a better option for stairs.

How I tested the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002

I've had the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 for over a year, and used it on-and-off for months at a time in my two-bedroom home, which has a mix of carpet and hard floors.

For this review I used the Shark Stratos Upright as my primary vacuum cleaner for a couple of weeks, so I could determine cleaning effectiveness in the three modes. I also gauged how easy it was to maneuver the vacuum, and how easy it was to empty and maintain.

To measure performance more specifically, I conducted several tests on both hard floors and carpet, using dry tea and instant grits. I also tested how well the vacuum cleaner was able to clean up against baseboards, and how well it worked with the various attachments to clean stairs, upholstery, and in tight spaces.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed November 2025

I’ve been testing digital photo frames for years, and I’ve just found my favorite design – Pexar’s innovative rear-lit stunner

11:30 pm | November 15, 2025

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

Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame: review

The Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame is an innovative photo frame built on the third-party Frameo platform. While its premium styling and large, glare-free display are undoubtedly a visual treat, the feature most likely to draw admiring comments from visitors to your home will be the rear-facing wall light, described by the manufacturer Lexar as the ‘world’s first’.

If you’ve read any of my past reviews of digital photo frames built on the Frameo platform, you’ll be familiar with how easy the app is to use. Adding users is a cinch. You simply tap ‘Add Friend’ on the frame, and it generates a code. Once you or your loved ones have downloaded the app, you can enter the code, and you’re good to go.

Sending photos to the frame has been improved since I last used the Frameo app. You can still select up to 10 photos to send at a time or upgrade to the Frameo+ app for $1.99 / £0.99 a month or $16.99 / £7.99 a year to unlock unlimited sends. Once you’ve selected which frame you want to send the photos to, you can add captions and adjust their alignment. In a marked improvement over earlier versions of the app, you can now manually select the positioning of images in both landscape and portrait orientation, ensuring your snaps are cropped exactly how you want them.

Once my snaps were loaded on it, I was generally impressed. It certainly gives some of the best digital photo frames a run for their money. From a decent viewing distance, my black-and-white shots of the Puente Romano in Córdoba look crisply detailed. Up close, though, it doesn’t always look quite as precise – that’s an inevitable side effect of that larger screen size, which gives it a pixel density of 141 PPI, rather than the staggering 212 PPI of the Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame.

The Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch featuring a photo of an ornate cathedral ceiling in landscape orientation on a side table in front of a pink wall. — (Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Another area where it falls a little short of the excellent example set by its predecessor is color balance. One of the things that blew me away about the older Pexar frame was its impressively vibrant hues, but the Starlight looks more muted to me. Even compared to the screen of my iPhone 16 Pro – not a device notorious for its hyper-saturated colors – the Barbie pink of camellias or blazing gold of rhododendron blooms look more conservative and less exuberant. It’s not miles off the mark, but it’s just enough that photos look a little more subdued than I’d like.

Despite these slight missteps, the Pexar Starlight’s performance is still impressive, giving your photos plenty of pop. In a large part, this is thanks to the frame’s bright display and super-dynamic, contrasty pictures – even if the colors look a little duller from time to time, photographs I’ve uploaded still look bold and assertive, making for an impressive focal point in my living room.

Naturally, this is helped by the design of the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame, which is flat out gorgeous. That 15.6-inch screen is bright and almost entirely glare-free – honestly, it’s so unperturbed by all the artificial light in my office that it’s like it’s subject to some kind of quantum tunnelling effect where the light just passes straight through it.

The rear of the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch showing the power cable and stand, as well as its built-in lighting. — (Image credit: Future)

The frame is a bit of a stunner as well. Its wood grain finish is beautiful and feels delightfully tactile, while the bezels around the screen are nicely textured to mimic a proper mount. Admittedly, the plastic this is made from doesn’t feel quite as authentic as the paper-like effect on the Aura Aspen but the overall effect still gives it a more premium feel than the Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame before it.

Given its name, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that the biggest new feature of the Starlight is backlighting. I didn’t notice it a whole lot when viewing the frame stand-mounted or under bright light, but mounted on the wall or in the evening, it looks picture perfect. Honestly, it makes the frame a statement piece in its own right. I do wish there was an option to change the warmth of the backlight, though, as it can look a little cool for the kind of soft amber light I prefer after dark.

Ultimately, I feel like the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch is the difficult sequel to Pexar’s breakthrough album, the Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame. It’s more ambitious, more innovative and yet it compromises on a few of the things that made its predecessor such a hit. It still features pretty highly on my list of favorite digital photo frames but for $159.99 / £149.99 you can snap up its stablemate instead.

A closeup of the front corner of the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch, showing the wood-grain frame and the power button. — (Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame review: price & release date

Launched November 6, 2025
Retails for $349.99 / £349.99

Released on November 6, 2025, the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame is available in both the US and UK for a list price of $349.99 / £349.99.

While that’s not exactly cheap, it’s still reasonably priced. For example, the Aura Aspen costs $229 (around £175) for a smaller 11.8-inch display, though it does offer better pixel density and color reproduction. By contrast, the huge 27-inch Netgear Meural Canvas II will set you back a whopping $599.99 / £649.99 – for that spend, you get great features and better color, yet it has a much lower pixel density as a result of its bulk.

A closeup of the rear of the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch, focusing on its power button and rear light. — (Image credit: Future)

Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame review: specs

Dimensions	7.1 x 10.2 x 1 inches (180 x 259 x 25mm)
Display size	15.6-inch
Resolution	1920 x 1080, 144 pixels per inch
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Touch Screen	Yes
Sound	Built-in speaker
Orientation	Portrait or landscape
Storage	64GB
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, SD card, USB-A, USB-C

A closeup of the front of the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch, showing the wood-grain frame and the local time and weather. — (Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Should I buy the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	The Frameo app is easier to use than ever, thanks to new settings for cropping your photos.	4/5
Design	The Pexar Starlight is stunningly designed, with a gorgeous wood-grain frame, textured white bezels and that classy backlight.	5/5
Performance	Impressively bright and glare-free, the Starlight offers crisp, contrasty images – it’s just a shame its colors can occasionally look a little more subdued than other frames.	4/5
Value	With an increased price and build quality, the Pexar has also lost some detail and color accuracy, which is a real shame. But it’s still not a bad frame for this kind of spend.	4/5

Buy it if…

You want a bright, expansive screen
Not only does the Pexar Starlight offer a generous 15.6-inch screen, it’s also pleasingly bright, looking bold and eye-catching even in bright daylight.

You want a truly gorgeous looking frame
With its wonderfully tactile wood-grain finish and textured mount, this frame looks very close to its analog counterparts. But add that innovative backlight and you’ve got something that almost no frame currently offers.

Don’t buy it if…

You want the absolute crispest photo frame you can get
While the Pexar Starlight looks reasonably sharp, its 141 PPI pixel density is dwarfed by that of some frames on the market, such as the 212 PPI Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame.

You’re looking for striking, true-to-life color
The Pexar Starlight handles earth tones well enough but it’s a bit of shrinking violet when it comes to primary and secondary colors, lacking the vibrancy of some rival digital photo frames.

Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame review: also consider

	Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame	Aura Aspen	Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame
Dimensions	7.1 x 10.2 x 1 inches (180 x 259 x 25mm)	12.7 x 10.1 x 1.1 inches (323 x 257 x 28mm)	7.4 x 11.2 inches (18.9 x 28.4cm)
Display size	15.6-inch	11.8-inch	11-inch
Resolution	1920 x 1080, 144 pixels per inch	1600 x 1200, 170 pixels per inch	2000 x 1200, 212 pixels per inch
Aspect Ratio	16:9	4:3	5:3
Touch Screen	Yes	No	Yes
Sound	Built-in speaker	Built-in speaker	Built-in speaker
Orientation	Portrait or landscape	Portrait or landscape	Portrait or landscape
Storage	64GB	Unlimited cloud storage	32GB
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, SD card, USB-A, USB-C	Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi, SD card, USB-A, USB-C

Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame
If you care most about performance over style, Pexar’s previous digital photo frame is the one to go for. Thanks to its huge 2000 x 1200 resolution display crammed into a 11-inch screen, this Pexar rocks a whopping 212 PPI pixel density and is also capable of truly glorious color, with pinks, reds and yellows positively glowing in my photos. Read my full Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame review for more.

Aura Aspen
Alternatively, the Aura Aspen offers a fantastic sweet spot between both form and function. Its build is exquisite – its bezels have a matte, textured-paper effect that feels like real mount, while its body and stand are satisfyingly sturdy. Meanwhile, it still has an impressive display, rocking a 170 PPI pixel density and some of the best color accuracy I’ve ever seen. Read my full Aura Aspen review.

The rear of the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch showing a person's hands fitting its stand into the given slot. — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame

Tested over several weeks
Uploaded a range of color and monochrome photos
Have many years of experience working with photography

I spent several weeks testing the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame. To test out how easy it is to use, I first set up the frame and added several users to it. I then sent over a range of photos using the Frameo app, both individually and in large batches to see how easy the transfer process is, before tweaking the fit and alignment of each image.

I made sure I uploaded a significant variety of photos to test out how the frame’s display performed against different criteria. To test its resolution and contrast, I used a variety of black-and-white photographs, from mountains in the Scottish Highlands to Spanish architecture. When assessing its color performance, I used vibrant shots of blossoms, flowers and fireworks, comparing its color reproduction against the screen of my iPhone 16 Pro.

Not only have I tested over half a dozen of the best digital photo frames released over the last 18 months, I’m also a keen photographer, having snapped over 40,000 images on my Canon SLR and iPhone 16 Pro. On top of this, I spent over a decade working in print publishing, meaning that I have a keen eye for managing photography and assessing how it’s translated to another medium.

First reviewed: November 2025
Read more about how we test

I’ve been testing digital photo frames for years, and I’ve just found my favorite design – Pexar’s innovative rear-lit stunner

11:30 pm |

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

Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame: review

Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame review: price & release date

Launched November 6, 2025
Retails for $349.99 / £349.99

Released on November 6, 2025, the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame is available in both the US and UK for a list price of $349.99 / £349.99.

Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame review: specs

Dimensions	7.1 x 10.2 x 1 inches (180 x 259 x 25mm)
Display size	15.6-inch
Resolution	1920 x 1080, 144 pixels per inch
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Touch Screen	Yes
Sound	Built-in speaker
Orientation	Portrait or landscape
Storage	64GB
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, SD card, USB-A, USB-C

Should I buy the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	The Frameo app is easier to use than ever, thanks to new settings for cropping your photos.	4/5
Design	The Pexar Starlight is stunningly designed, with a gorgeous wood-grain frame, textured white bezels and that classy backlight.	5/5
Performance	Impressively bright and glare-free, the Starlight offers crisp, contrasty images – it’s just a shame its colors can occasionally look a little more subdued than other frames.	4/5
Value	With an increased price and build quality, the Pexar has also lost some detail and color accuracy, which is a real shame. But it’s still not a bad frame for this kind of spend.	4/5

Buy it if…

You want a bright, expansive screen
Not only does the Pexar Starlight offer a generous 15.6-inch screen, it’s also pleasingly bright, looking bold and eye-catching even in bright daylight.

Don’t buy it if…

Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame review: also consider

	Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame	Aura Aspen	Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame
Dimensions	7.1 x 10.2 x 1 inches (180 x 259 x 25mm)	12.7 x 10.1 x 1.1 inches (323 x 257 x 28mm)	7.4 x 11.2 inches (18.9 x 28.4cm)
Display size	15.6-inch	11.8-inch	11-inch
Resolution	1920 x 1080, 144 pixels per inch	1600 x 1200, 170 pixels per inch	2000 x 1200, 212 pixels per inch
Aspect Ratio	16:9	4:3	5:3
Touch Screen	Yes	No	Yes
Sound	Built-in speaker	Built-in speaker	Built-in speaker
Orientation	Portrait or landscape	Portrait or landscape	Portrait or landscape
Storage	64GB	Unlimited cloud storage	32GB
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, SD card, USB-A, USB-C	Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi, SD card, USB-A, USB-C

How I tested the Pexar Starlight 15.6-inch digital photo frame

Tested over several weeks
Uploaded a range of color and monochrome photos
Have many years of experience working with photography

First reviewed: November 2025
Read more about how we test

This multi-faceted wet-and-dry vac is the best I’ve ever used

2:30 am | November 12, 2025

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

Roborock F25 Ultra: two-minute review

The Roborock F25 Ultra is a premium cordless upright wet-and-dry cleaner that seeks to outshine the competition with its three USPs: a sanitizing steam function, grease-busting hot water mopping and adjustable power-assisted wheels.

And outshine the competition it does: this is the best wet-and-dry vacuum I've tested. On test, I found the steam function excelled at lifting dried grime and killing bacteria, while the hot-water mopping dissolved sticky kitchen spills with ease. Powerful suction makes it an exceedingly dab hand at sucking up liquid and debris spills like cereal, porridge, soup and wine. There's a built-in floor cleaning fluid tank for even dispensing, too.

Although rather heavy, the power-assisted wheels make the F25 Ultra super-easy to drive, and you can even hook up the companion app, lie it down and remote-control it under low-slung furniture if you desire. Once you're finished cleaning, a thorough self-cleaning mode takes care of the majority of maintenance. All the user has to do is periodically empty the contents of its dirty water tank into the toilet bowl.

While I would have preferred a full-width roller for true edge cleaning, the F25 Ultra is an excellent performer in all disciplines. Whether all this state-of-the-art tech is worth the asking price is open to debate but I'm personally very much smitten.

Roborock F25 Ultra wet-dry cleaner in steam mode — (Image credit: Future)

Roborock F25 Ultra review: price & availability

List price: $599.99 / AU$1,499
Launched: Fall 2025
Availability: US and Australia

The Roborock F25 Ultra was unveiled at IFA in September 2025, and is available to buy in the US and Australia. At time of writing, the Roborock F25 Ultra isn't available in the UK or Europe but I suspect it'll be launched this side of the Atlantic in due course.

At full price, it costs $799.99 / AU$1,499 – although I'm not sure it'll be sold at that price very often, because while I've been writing this review I've seen it for $599.99 and $549.99 in the US, and AU$899 in Australia. It's available to purchase direct from Roborock as well as via a range of third-party retailers, including Amazon.

That's quite a slice of cash for a hard floor cleaner given that you can find something similar without the bells and whistles for substantially less, including Roborock's base-level F25 LT which comes with the bare essentials like standard mopping and a slightly lower suction power of 20,000Pa.

Nevertheless, if you want a true state-of-the-art hard floor cleaner that covers all bases from sucking up spills to hot water mopping and hygienic steaming, the F25 Ultra is most definitely worth splashing out on.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Roborock F25 Ultra specs

Type:	Cordless wet-and-dry vacuum
Water tank volume:	Clean 1L, dirty 0.72L
Weight:	11.5 lbs / 5.2kg
Dimensions (H x W x D):	43.1 x 10.4 x 9.7 in / 109.6 x 26.5 x 24.6cm
Max runtime:	60 mins
Max suction:	22,000 Pa
Modes:	Sponge, Auto, Steam, Hot Water
Detergent dispenser:	Yes
Lie flat:	Yes (4.9in / 12.5cm tall)
Hot water cleaning temp:	187F / 86C
Steam temp:	356F / 180C
Self-clean cycle:	Yes (steam at 356F / 180C; water at 194F / 90C)
Self-dry:	Yes (5 min fast dry; 30 min quiet dry)

Roborock F25 Ultra review: design

Hot water mopping and new steam function
Power-assisted wheels and the ability to remote control via an app
LED headlamps, and can lie flat to the ground

I always get a bit excited whenever Roborock announces a new product (this brand makes some of the very best robot vacuums I've tested) and, believe me, this new addition to its F25 range of hard floor cleaners is definitely cause for a spot of childlike jumping up and down.

But it wasn't always like this. I remember Roborock's first attempt at making a hard floor cleaner. It was called the Dyad and it wasn't great, it must be said, mostly because it was cumbersome, difficult to maneuver, and it couldn't stand up on its own. I'm sure the latest range of Dyads have improved but I still can't see them holding a candle to the newer F25 range.

I've already tried out the Roborock F25 ACE, but this newer model excites me even more because it comes with a 356F / 180C steam function and hot-mopping feature. These are a godsend for blitzing ingrained stains that most hard floor cleaners' standard mopping functions may have trouble removing.

Roborock F25 Ultra broken down into its component parts — (Image credit: Future)

While it's difficult to muster up much enthusiasm about the styling of most wet-and-dry cleaners, for my money the models in the F25 range are the best lookers I've laid eyes on in a long time. Nevertheless, it's what goes on beneath the skin that matters most and in this regard the F25 Ultra trounces much of the opposition by dint of its three main USPs: the aforementioned steam function, the newly added hot mopping option and its adjustable power-assisted wheels.

But before I discuss these in detail, let's take a closer look at the design, starting with the floorhead. While the F25 Ultra's 720ml dirty water tank is housed on the main body like most wet-and-dry models, its fresh water reservoir is positioned lower down on top of the brushhead housing, and this not only lowers the weight on the handle while providing instant line-of-sight to its water level, it also reduces the body's overall profile which means it can be lowered parallel with the floor for reaching deep under low-slung furnishings like sofas and beds. In fact, there's a tiny wheel behind the handle section for this purpose, but more on that in a moment.

Close up of floorhead on Roborock F25 Ultra — (Image credit: Future)

The 870ml clean water reservoir features two sealed fillers, one for fresh water and a much smaller one for adding the contents of Roborock's supplied 200ml bottle of floor cleaning solution. Both liquids are mixed automatically during cleaning and you'll be pleased to learn that the floor solution lasts for many cleaning sessions. To fill the fresh water tank, simply grab its rose-gold handle while pressing on a latch behind to lift it off its plinth.

The F25 Ultra's floorhead measures 10.5in / 26.6cm in width. However, the cloth roller itself measures 9.8in / 25cm with 0.4in / 1cm of space at one outer edge and 0.2in / 0.6cm at the other. That's par for the course for most models of this nature, but I recently reviewed a Eureka RapidWash 730 that uses a split roller that runs the full width of the housing, even protruding a couple of millimeters beyond the housing on one side. I'd like to see other manufacturers adopt this innovative approach because it allows for cleaning right to the very edge.

According to the product blurb, the F25 Ultra's brush housing is equipped with 32 outlets for heating the water to 187F / 86C as it hits the roller, and six steam outlets delivering a volume of 2,000mg/min at a whopping 356F / 180C. The roller itself exerts a force of 33 Newtons – equivalent to 7.4 lbs / 3.36kg of deep scrub-ability – while a pair of ‘jaw scrapers' behind the roller help keep the floor streak-free and the roller tangle-free. The floorhead also has a set of bright LEDs that emit a purple hue for cleaning the darker recesses of a home.

Roborock F25 Ultra emitting steam as it cleans — (Image credit: Future)

The F25 Ultra comes with four main cleaning modes – Sponge, Auto, Steam and Hot Water. All modes are accessed via the mode button positioned on the main handle, along with the on/off button and another button for selecting the self cleaning function when the unit is placed in the charging dock.

Although confusingly named, Sponge mode is for sucking up large liquid and debris-based spills so you don't have to get down on hands and knees with a handful of paper towels. This single suction task is one of the main reasons why these wet-and-dry machines are so popular. Spilt bowl of cereal or bowl of soup? Check. Small water leak around the sink? Check. Dog sick in the kitchen? Check. You get the gist.

Close up of controls on Roborock F25 Ultra wet-dry vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

In Auto mode, the F25 Ultra uses a sensor to detect dirt and automatically adjust cleaning intensity to clear it. This mode leaves only a thin veneer of dampness in its wake and is the best option for light day-to-day mopping duties. But when the going gets tough, you also have the option of either hot water mopping or, for deep down germ-killing cleanliness, the power of steam.

In fact, you can tell that the machine is steaming because there's a plume of the stuff wafting up from the front like some special dry ice effect at a rock concert. According to Roborock, this steam function is also suitable for use on wooden flooring and I second that because I detected no tell-tale signs of damage on my floors.

Close up of control screen on Roborock F25 Ultra wet-dry vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

If you find pushing and pulling vacuum cleaners around a bit of a workout, you'll love this model's adjustable power-assisted wheels. With a brushless motor in each wheel and some AI-enhanced tech to govern it all, Roborock's SlideTech 2.0 system functions like a power-assisted electric bicycle. As soon as you push or pull the cleaner, the wheels instantly provide a level of self-propulsion that feels extremely natural while making the unit feel really light in the hand.

The adjustable power assistance also applies to the turns, giving the F25 Ultra the ability to effortlessly glide around furniture and walls with 70-degree steering. And unlike its predecessor, the F25 ACE, the motorized wheels are disengaged the moment you stand it up.

Couple this dextrous motorized ability with the wherewithal to remotely control the F25 Ultra via the excellent Roborock app and you have a hard floor cleaner that you can quite literally drive under the entire length of a super king bed by lowering the handle to the floor and steering it using the app's virtual joysticks.

Whenever you have finished a task, simply place the unit into its square tub-shaped dock and tap the self-clean button on the vac's handlebar to automatically engage the cleaning process which washes the roller and areas around it with hot water at temperatures between 194F and 356F (90C to 180C) before drying the roller with hot air at a substantial 203F / 95C. When it's finished cleaning, chuck the contents of the F25 Ultra's dirty water tank into the toilet bowl.

The Roborock F25 Ultra weighs 11.46 lbs / 5.2kg which is about average for a hard floor cleaner. While it's light enough for most able bods to haul up a flight of stairs, a carrying handle on the rear wouldn't have gone amiss.

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Roborock F25 Ultra review: performance

Stupendous suction power sucks up solids and liquids easily
Groundbreaking steam function clears even dried stains
Very easy to push, pull and maneuver

I tested this model in a number of disciplines. Firstly, I used it as a bog-standard mop on my engineered wooden flooring and was pleasantly surprised by how little water it left behind – just a thin perfectly uniform film with no streaking or signs of missed areas.

Some models I've tested have had a habit of leaving a small pool of water around the roller when turning the unit off. But, like the Eureka SpeedWash 730, this model gave a quick blast of suction just before it switched itself and I have no pools of water to report. I'm happy with that.

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Roborock F25 Ultra clearing a mess of egg, oats, ketchup and more from an engineered wooden floor — (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 4

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Image 4 of 4

My second test was using the Sponge mode to collect a nasty spill using a variety of wet and dry ingredients, including oats, ketchup, milk, a crushed biscuit and an egg for extra grunginess. Cleaning up something as disgusting as this the conventional way involves a pile of paper towels and a pair of Marigolds. But not with this gunk swallower, which I would say performed better than any model of this nature that I've so far reviewed. It quite literally sucked up every last vestige of the mess without leaving any sign that anything was there.

Roborock F25 Ultra lying flat on a wooden floor as it cleans — (Image credit: Future)

All I had to do was unclip the dirty water tank and empty its revolting contents into the toilet. Hint: there's a recessed yellow handle on top of the firm-fitting dirty water tank that's designed to release the lid. If you try to force the lid off, there's a very good chance of spilling everything all over your legs.

For my third test I switched it to hot water mopping and it took about a minute for the roller to feel warm. While I was a bit nervous of using this mode for too long on my wooden floor (hot water seeps more easily), I was mightily impressed by the results when I tested it on some ingrained stains left behind by the dogs.

My final test used the new steam mopping feature on two patches of dried soy sauce stains on my bathroom's tiled floor, but they may as well have been wet because the combination of steam and the fast-spinning roller obliterated both stains in a single pass.

It's good to know that, according to Roborock, the F25 Ultra's steam function is wooden floor-friendly. My floors are made from engineered wood and I've seen no evidence of any harm after using this model's steam function. (As an aside: the act of mopping wooden floors can leave them looking tired and a bit dull, but I've started using Bona Wood Floor Gloss Finish, which works a treat to counter any dryness and leaves a beautiful sheen. Here's more on how to clean a hardwood floor, if you're looking for some general guidance).

The Roborock F25 Ultra's self-cleaning system automatically washes the roller mop in hot water followed by an efficient drying sequence using wafts of hot air to keep odors and mildew at bay.

In terms of battery usage, Roborock states a running time in Auto mode of 'up to 60 minutes'. I sadly don't have the floor space to have kept it running in Auto mode till the battery ran out or my wooden floors would have been soaked and possibly damaged. However, I did test both the hot water and steam modes which use a lot more battery power and the hot water function gave me 20 minutes of mopping while the steam function continued to operate for another five minutes. I call that a very decent set of stats and more than enough time to cover three or four average-sized rooms using a mix of all three cleaning functions.

Performance score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Roborock F25 Ultra?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Expensive at full price, but discounts are very common. You're getting an awful lot of practical and efficient tech for your money.	4 / 5
Design	Fully featured and looks great too. A smidge away from 5 stars due to its fractionally short roller.	4.5 / 5
Performance	Exceptional in all disciplines, whether it's mopping the kitchen, cleaning up big spills or steam-cleaning the bathroom.	5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want something for tough stains

With its mix of powerful suction, hot water mopping and steam cleaning, the F25 Ultra can handle the toughest of stains and spills.

You aren't as nimble as you used to be

The F25 Ultra's power-assisted wheels make it feel light and easy to maneuver, and you can even remote-control it into awkward spaces.

You need something to sanitize floors

The steam function here is ideal for sanitizing flooring, as well as for lifting dried dirt.

Don't buy it if...

You just need something for light cleaning

There are cheaper, less powerful wet-dry vacuums that can handle day-to-day cleaning of hard floors.

You have lots of stairs

The F25 Ultra is quite heavy to carry, and if you're going to be mopping on different levels, you might want to opt for something lighter.

Roborock F25 Ultra: alternatives to consider

	Roborock F25 Ultra (reviewed)	Roborock F25 ACE	Dyson WashG1
Type:	Cordless wet-and-dry vacuum	Cordless wet-and-dry vacuum	Cordless wet cleaner
Water tank volume:	Clean 1L, dirty 0.72L	Clean 0.74L, dirty 0.72L	Clean 1L, dirty 0.8L
Weight:	11.5 lbs / 5.2kg	10.4 lbs / 4.7kg	10.8 lbs / 4.9kg
Dimensions (H x W x D):	43.1 x 10.4 x 9.7 in / 109.6 x 26.5 x 24.6cm	45.6 x 13.9 x 21.4in / 115.7 x 35.2 x 31.6cm	44.9 x 8.9 x 11.8in / 114 x 22.5 x 30cm
Max runtime:	60 mins	60 mins	35 mins
Max suction:	22,000 Pa	22,000 Pa	None
Hot water mopping:	Yes (at 187F / 86C)	No	No
Steam cleaning:	Yes (at 356F / 180C)	No	No
Self-clean cycle:	Yes (hot water, steam, hot air)	Yes (hot water, hot air)	Yes (cold water)
Detergent dispenser:	Yes	Yes	No

Roborock F25 ACE

The ACE sits lower down the F25 range. It's still an exceptional cleaner has most things the Ultra does, but lacks steam cleaning and hot water mopping.

Read TechRadar's full Roborock F25 ACE review.

Dyson WashG1

Dyson's wet cleaning effort relies on agitation and hydration to clear spillages and lift stains – there's no suction here. The WashG1 isn't as fully featured as the F25 vacuums, but it does have a clever separation system for solid and liquid waste.

Read TechRadar's full Dyson WashG1 review.

How I tested the Roborock F25 Ultra

I knew what to expect with the F25 Ultra since I reviewed its stablemate, the F25 ACE, earlier this year. Hence putting it all together and setting it up was a breeze.

The first thing I did was let it charge, before taking it for a spin in the kitchen to see how well it performed at general light-duty mopping. I then tried out the hot water mopping function on some dog stains followed by my main suction test using both liquids and solids. Finally, I tried out the steam function to see how well it removed a couple of dried soy sauce stains.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed November 2025

Tired of espresso machines you have to micromanage for great results? I tested one that satisfies coffee snobs with minimal effort

6:30 pm | November 8, 2025

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

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro: one-minute review

The Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is a manual espresso machine that allows you to channel your inner barista. Naturally won’t get automatic bean grinding or one-touch drinks brewing; this is a machine designed for those who like to get hands-on when crafting their coffee.

As espresso machines go, the E24 Evo Pro is a bit of a beast. This isn’t going to slip discreetly among your kitchen appliances; it'll dominate your worktop and, honestly, I’m not the biggest fan of its boxy, industrial design. On the flipside though, this bulky frame makes room for one of most capacious water tanks we’ve ever tested, at a whopping 2.2qt / 2.1 litres.

One element of its design I’m less forgiving of though is Gaggia’s stinginess when it comes to providing accessories. Packaged with the E24 Evo Pro you’ll get three filter baskets – a single-shot filter, a double shot filter, and a dual-walled filter – a steam wand with no elbow joint, and a pretty flimsy plastic tamp. That’s it: there’s no milk jug, no cleaning kit – none of the extras you might expect from an espresso machine that costs this much.

Given these design gripes, why have I rated the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro so highly? Because it makes it possible to consistently pour quality shots of coffee like many of the best espresso machines without needing to fuss too much over the details. Once I’d finely ground some beans and tamped the puck with medium pressure, the Gaggia expressed a beautiful double espresso for me without having to endlessly tweak the variables to achieve the right pressure. And it wasn’t just beginner's luck: lightning struck twice with my second shot, which was just as rich and smooth as the first.

I also found the steam wand easy enough to use, although it perhaps isn’t quite as forgiving as the rest of the machine. Finding the right angle was harder than it tends to be with an elbow joint, but once I’d got the optimum orientation and depth, I was able to foam up a beautiful dairy cloud to add to my coffee. Watch your fingers though: the steam wand doesn’t have a cold-touch design, so it gets seriously hot during operation.

While the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro isn’t exactly a budget banger – its list price of $549 / £549 / AU$999 puts it firmly in the mid-market category – its performance definitely makes it good value for money. Even without professional barista skills, I was able to pull shot after shot of consistently great coffee, and didn’t need to endlessly tweak variables to get the perfect espresso. Yes, I feel that at this price, Gaggia could afford to be less stingy with its accessories but, all in all you’ll get a very reliable coffee companion with the E24 Evo Pro.

A closeup of the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro's On, Espresso and Steam buttons. — (Image credit: Future)

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: price and availability

List price: $549 / £549 / AU$999

The Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is available now and it has a list price of $549 / £549 / AU$999. For your spend, you get a wide variety of choice: the E24 Evo Pro comes in a wide range of colorways, whether it’s Polar White, Cherry Red or Sunshine Yellow. Unfortunately, what you don’t get is a lot of accessories: it’s missing a milk jug, backflush disc or any kind of cleaning kit, which all feels a bit stingy.

Still though, when it comes to value, the above pricing puts the Gaggia somewhere in the middle of the pack. It’s neither a budget brewer like the surprisingly capable De'Longhi Dedica Duo nor is it as ludicrously luxe as something like the Smeg Mini Pro Espresso Coffee Machine. But for what you’re paying, it’s a pretty sound investment, despite the dearth of accessories – I found it easy to create consistently delectable coffee in a way even many of its mid-market rivals struggle to manage.

Value score: 4 / 5

A closeup of the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro's empty water tank, with two lenghts of plastic hosing clearly visible — (Image credit: Future)

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: specs

Name	Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro
Type	Manual espresso machine
Dimensions (H x W x D)	9 x 15 x 9.4 inches / 230 x 380 x 240mm
Weight	17.6lbs / 8kg
Water tank capacity	2.2qt / 2.1 liters
Steam wand	Yes, manual
Max pressure	15 bar

A closeup of the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro's steam wand. — (Image credit: Future)

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: design

Large-capacity water tank
Froths milk effectively
Missing some key accessories

The design of the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is a little brutalist for my taste. At 9 x 15 x 9.4 inches (230 x 380 x 240mm) it’s not the smallest machine, and I’d say I prefer the sleeker shape of Breville or De’Longhi machines personally. But I appreciate that for some people the solidity and presence of the Gaggia will be part of its charm, and at least it comes in a wide variety of colorways, from Lobster Red to Jungle Green.

At 2.2qt / 2.1 litres, the Gaggia’s water tank is substantial, offering a capacity that even outstrips many of the candidates on our list of the best espresso machines. Its drip tray is also pretty capacious, allowing it to catch quite a lot of spilled coffee, but its depth does cause some issues. It’s tall enough that it was genuinely difficult for me to squeeze even relatively squat mugs under the portafilter, and there’s no way to adjust its height, meaning a lot of the time you’re going to want to extract straight into espresso cups.

The range of accessories supplied with Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is pretty weak, with a few items conspicuous by their absence. Three filter baskets cater to most eventualities, with single-shot and double shot filters, while the ‘perfect crema’ filter makes it easy to pull easy shots even with coffee pods or coarser grinds. There’s also a tamper included, but no milk jug, so this is something to factor into your budget.

A closeup of the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro's accessories, including a plastic tamp, a scoop and removeable drain pipe. — (Image credit: Future)

Frankly, the tamper that comes with the Gaggia is pretty flimsy and plasticky. Personally, I want a tamper with some substance and heft behind it to make it easier to get an even tamp on your grounds. While it’s possible to get the job done with the tamper that comes in the box, I think you’ll likely want to upgrade to a better-quality option pretty soon after purchase.

The steam wand is a little better built, and its dual-steam-outlet design frothed the milk pretty effectively. It did take me a little while to find the right angle, as the arm merely swivels rather than using a ball-joint system, but once I did I was able to whip up a frothy cloud of foam fairly easily. One thing to watch out for though is that there’s no cool-touch design here. If you’re careless – which I am – it’s easy to catch your bare skin on the hot wand, which I did.

As an espresso machine, the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro naturally doesn’t come with quite as many features as some of its bean-to-cup rivals. It’s focused on pulling spot-on shots and foaming consistently frothy milk, not automated drinks dispensing and custom profiles, so you won’t be getting those kinds of innovative capabilities here. Aimed squarely at caffeine addicts who like to tinker with their grind and tamping to achieve the perfect extraction, it also doesn’t offer an integrated grinder, so be prepared to pick one up if you don’t already have one to hand.

Design score: 3.5 / 5

placeholder image — (Image credit: Future)

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: performance

Easy to pour really consistent coffee
Pretty quiet running
Drips a little after pump switches off

I’d been forewarned about the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro's leisurely warm up cycle, which is almost zen-like in its unhurriedness. But it’s not quite as long as some people make out. It took around 60 seconds to hit its target temperature when I first started using it – admittedly that’s slower than many machines, including my home machine, the Breville Bambino Plus, but not quite as bad as the five or 10 minutes I’d heard bandied around. And it takes less than 10 seconds on subsequent shots, which really isn’t that bad.

Once the Gaggia was up to temperature, I blitzed some beans to a fine espresso ground, tamped it with a medium firmness and stuck the filled portafilter in the machine. I honestly wondered if there might be some trial and error required to get used to the machine’s pressure and temperature. But right out the gate it expressed pretty evenly, with the espresso neither rushing out incontinently nor dribbling out in fits and starts.

I also tested how load its pump was using a sound level meter, clocking it at 66dB, which is seriously quiet. By way of context, the Smeg BCC13 is Quiet Mark certified and tops out at 67dB max. Admittedly our testing environment might not be quite as rigorous Smeg’s, but still the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro is quieter when running than many competing espresso machines.

The espresso itself was spot-on. It came out with a sturdy, persistent crema that was the perfect buff tone with the odd hint of caramel running through it. And the taste was genuinely pretty impressive: even on that first pull, I was able to produce something rich and refined, with just the right balance of bitterness and acidity, while there was none of the astringency you’d get from an over-expressed shot.

Wanting to be sure that I hadn’t just lucked out on my first cup, I ran it again, using the same fineness of grind and trying to tamp and run the machine at the same temperature as I had the first time. The second espresso was identical to the first, meaning you should be able to achieve fairly consistent results with this machine.

This time I did notice there was a little dribbling from the machine after the pump clicked off. It wasn’t immediately clear if it was just dripping from a slightly overtamped, waterlogged puck, so I ran the Gaggia again without the portafilter in place and it still seemed to drool when switched off. This only lasted for a few seconds, so it isn't a huge issue, but it does imply the Gaggia doesn’t have perfect control over its pump.

Scrubbing down the machine after use was more straightforward than I was expecting. Cleaning the steam wand requires you to give it a firm wipe down with a cloth and unscrew the tip before washing it under running water. Meanwhile, to clean the mesh screen, all I had to do was run the machine without a portafilter then wipe it down. Once you’ve switched off the machine, you can then wash out the water tank and wipe down the rest of the machine. All in all, while it sounds like a lot of steps, getting the machine spotless doesn’t take much of an investment.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

The top of the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro with a spotty blue and white mug on it. — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro?

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	While it’s not exactly budget priced, having tasted the coffee it produces I’m surprised it doesn’t cost a fair bit more.	4/5
Design	It has a slightly utilitarian design and few automated features, but its steam wand works reasonably well and it has some useful accessories, although also it's missing a few.	3.5/5
Performance	Takes a while to warm up but once it does, you can pull consistently excellent shots without much tinkering required.	4.5/5

Buy it if…

You want rich, refined coffee every time
Rather than having to tweak pressure, grind and tamping endlessly, it’s really easy to pull quality, consistent decent shots with the Gaggia without too much fuss.

You want a machine that’s nice and quiet
Not every coffee machine has to sound like a diving compressor. If you want caffeine on the QT, the relatively quiet 66dB Gaggia has got your back.

Don’t buy it if..

You want loads of automatic features
As this isn’t a bean-to-cup machine, you won’t get loads of fancy automatic drinks settings and customizable profiles. Instead it’s designed to help you craft your own coffee like a pro.

You want your caffeine hit quick
Given it takes 60 seconds to heat up and you’ll need to grind your beans yourself, the Gaggia might not be the best choice if you don’t want your latte to be late.

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: also consider

	Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro	Breville Bambino Plus	Smeg BCC13
Type	Manual espresso machine	Manual espresso machine	Automatic espresso machine
Dimensions (H x W x D)	9 x 15 x 9.4 inches / 230 x 380 x 240mm	7.6 x 14.3 x 12 inches / 194 x 362 x 304mm	336 x 180 x 433mm
Weight	17.6lbs / 8kg	10.8lbs ‎/ 4.9kg	19.8lbs / 9kg
Water tank capacity	2.2qt / 2.1 liters	2qt / 1.9 liters	1.5qt / 1.4 liters
Steam wand	Yes, manual	Yes, hands free	No, automatic
Max pressure	15 bar	15 bar	19 bar

Breville Bambino Plus
If you want an espresso machine that’s more economical in terms of both space and cash, yet offers just as sophisticated shot-pulling, Breville’s diminutive machine is a worthy alternative. Despite costing just $499.95 / £399.95 / AU$649, it makes great espresso while offering plenty of customization options with different milk temperature and textures. Read our full Breville Bambino Plus review.

Smeg BCC13
Should grinding beans, tamping grounds and frothing cow squeezings all feel like a little too much hassle, this bean-to-cup machine brews wonderfully consistent coffee and foams deliciously thick milk for cappuccinos and lattes. It’s not quite as adept at steaming non-dairy milks, and it does cost a fair bit more at $1,200 / £799.95 / AU$1,199. But as our full Smeg BCC13 review explains, it offers "perfectly brewed coffee and sweet, creamy foamed milk" every time.

How I tested the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro

I spent several days testing it
I poured multiple coffees in a row to see how consistent it was
I used the steam wand to foam multiple batches of milk

I used the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro regularly over a period of several days. To test the quality and consistency of its coffee, I poured multiple double espressos in succession, so I could assess how well the machine maintained its quality from drink to drink. I also used the steam wand to foam milk on several occasions, to test how well the boiler maintained its heat and how effectively the steam wand worked.

I also made sure I timed how long it took the Gaggia’s boiler to heat up initially and on subsequent runs, as well as using a sound-level meter to check how much noise it generated. Once I was done with testing, I also ran through the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro’s daily and long-term cleaning routines, to see how easy it was to clean and maintain.

When it comes to my own personal experience, not only have I spent years testing and writing about gadgets, I’ve been making and drinking coffee from espresso machines daily for more than two decades. I'm really only a fan of drinking coffee made of freshly ground beans – I'm not a pod person.

For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.
First reviewed: October 2025

Tired of espresso machines you have to micromanage for great results? I tested one that satisfies coffee snobs with minimal effort

6:30 pm |

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

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro: one-minute review

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: price and availability

List price: $549 / £549 / AU$999

Value score: 4 / 5

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: specs

Name	Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro
Type	Manual espresso machine
Dimensions (H x W x D)	9 x 15 x 9.4 inches / 230 x 380 x 240mm
Weight	17.6lbs / 8kg
Water tank capacity	2.2qt / 2.1 liters
Steam wand	Yes, manual
Max pressure	15 bar

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: design

Large-capacity water tank
Froths milk effectively
Missing some key accessories

Design score: 3.5 / 5

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: performance

Easy to pour really consistent coffee
Pretty quiet running
Drips a little after pump switches off

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro?

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	While it’s not exactly budget priced, having tasted the coffee it produces I’m surprised it doesn’t cost a fair bit more.	4/5
Design	It has a slightly utilitarian design and few automated features, but its steam wand works reasonably well and it has some useful accessories, although also it's missing a few.	3.5/5
Performance	Takes a while to warm up but once it does, you can pull consistently excellent shots without much tinkering required.	4.5/5

Buy it if…

You want a machine that’s nice and quiet
Not every coffee machine has to sound like a diving compressor. If you want caffeine on the QT, the relatively quiet 66dB Gaggia has got your back.

Don’t buy it if..

Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: also consider

	Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro	Breville Bambino Plus	Smeg BCC13
Type	Manual espresso machine	Manual espresso machine	Automatic espresso machine
Dimensions (H x W x D)	9 x 15 x 9.4 inches / 230 x 380 x 240mm	7.6 x 14.3 x 12 inches / 194 x 362 x 304mm	336 x 180 x 433mm
Weight	17.6lbs / 8kg	10.8lbs ‎/ 4.9kg	19.8lbs / 9kg
Water tank capacity	2.2qt / 2.1 liters	2qt / 1.9 liters	1.5qt / 1.4 liters
Steam wand	Yes, manual	Yes, hands free	No, automatic
Max pressure	15 bar	15 bar	19 bar

How I tested the Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro

I spent several days testing it
I poured multiple coffees in a row to see how consistent it was
I used the steam wand to foam multiple batches of milk

For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.
First reviewed: October 2025

This cordless upright vacuum blends power and portability – it’s perfect for small homes

9:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Tags: AU, UK, US | Comments: Off

Shark Freestyle Max: two-minute review

Product info

This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:

US: Freestyle Max SV2002
UK: Freestyle Pro / Freestyle Max SV2000UK
AU: Freestyle Max SV2000NV

For this review, I tested the US version. The UK version has also been tested by the TechRadar homes team. The only notable discrepancy between the different versions is that the US version has headlamps, and the UK and AU versions do not.

The Shark Freestyle Max is not your average upright vacuum. It's far lighter and more streamlined, and it's cordless too. After its launch in October 2025, I tested it out to see how it compares to both the best upright vacuums on the market and the best cordless vacuums.

In terms of suction power, I was very impressed. I used this vacuum in my 1600-square-foot home and it did a great job at cleaning fine materials and large debris from both hard floors and carpet-like rugs. It picked up everything in a single pass and got right up close to the edges of rooms, too.

The design is very basic but effective – you use your foot to press down on a big button on the floorhead to turn the machine on and off and switch modes. Charging happens via a dock, but this is about as compact as you can imagine – smaller than even the footprint of the vacuum itself. It's also incredibly affordable – pricing is lower than some of the best cheap vacuums on the market, but the suction power is up there with far pricier stick vacuums.

There are a couple of significant potential drawbacks. Firstly: battery life. The battery doesn't last longer than 20 minutes in hard floor mode and less than 12 minutes in carpet mode. That wasn't enough for me to clean my house in a single go without stopping to recharge (at least recharge is relatively quick at three hours). Secondly: the Freestyle Max is for use on floors only. There are no detail tools, and nor is there a flexible hose that enables you to use the vacuum to clean furniture, stairs, or up high.

If you can handle those drawbacks and are looking for a simple vacuum that packs the power of an upright but without the weight and bulk, the Freestyle Max is a great choice. Keep reading to get deeper insight into its pros and cons.

Shark Freestyle Pro cordless upright vacuum standing in front of its dock — (Image credit: Future)

Shark Freestyle Max review: price & availability

List price: $199.99 / £149 / AU$249.99
Launched: October 2025
Available: US, UK, AU

The Shark Freestyle Max launched in October 2025, and at list price in the US it costs $199.99, though it's often on sale – at time of writing, it was down to $149.99.

There's an almost-identical model in the UK, minus the headlamps, which costs £149.99 but was discounted to £99 at time of writing. Shark doesn't seem to have decided whether to call it the Freestyle Pro or Freestyle Max, so look at the product code (SV2000UK) to make sure you're getting the right one. The AU model doesn't have headlamps either, and costs AU$249.99 at list price.

It's a budget buy on the wider market, and with the typical discount, it's well priced, considering the strong suction power and the shorter battery life.

Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Shark Freestyle Max specs

Product code:	SV2002 (US) / SV2000UK (UK) / SV2000NV (AU)
Weight:	6.6 lbs / 3 kg
Bin size:	0.7qt / 0.7L
Max runtime:	21 mins
Charge time:	3 hrs 20
Size (H x W x L):	44.9 x 10.2 x 9.8in / 114 x 26 x 25cm
Modes:	Hard floor mode, Carpet mode
Cleaning path:	10.3in / 26.2cm
Headlamps:	Yes (US) / No (UK and AU)

Shark Freestyle Max review: design

Extremely lightweight for an upright, and cordless
Generous dust cup, foot-press button operation, and two suction modes
Basic but effective in design

Shark set out with the intent to create a more compact and lightweight upright vacuum, and it did just that with the Shark Freestyle Max. Aesthetics wise, the vacuum is white and gray with a modern sleek design.

The vacuum is very lightweight, clocking in 6.6 lbs / 3kg, which would be fairly light for a stick vacuum, let alone an upright. Unlike other vacuums, the button to change between the two suction modes is found on top of the vacuum head.

Tester pressing down the On button on the Shark Freestyle Pro cordless upright vacuum with her foot — (Image credit: Future)

To shift between the two modes, you press the button with your foot, and a blue or green light indicates which mode you're in. Look extremely closely and you'll see an icon to indicate that the more powerful 'green' should be used on carpet, whereas the lower-powered 'blue' is for hard flooring.

Tester removing the bin from the Shark Freestyle Pro cordless upright vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

The vacuum locks in place so it can stand up on its own. Although the vacuum can't lean back 180 degrees, it comes very close. If I had to guess, I'd say the vacuum leans to about 160 degrees, which is not quite as nimble as a stick vacuum, but still very decent. The US version also has a headlight on the front of the vacuum head to help users see in dim spaces. This isn't included on the UK or Australian versions.

The 0.7-quart / 0.7L dust cup can be removed from the vacuum pod and emptied with a lid release button. A debris screen and filter are located inside the dustbin. There are no additional accessories, nor a flexible tube that would allow you to break down the vacuum and use it to clean windowsills or in the corners of ceilings, à la something like the Shark Stratos Upright.

Dock for the Shark Freestyle Pro cordless upright vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

Rather unusually, there's a dock for charging. This is smaller than even the footprint of the vacuum, but a simple plug-in setup would probably be more convenient.

Setup took only a few minutes. I just had to click the wand into the vacuum pod, and the vacuum pod onto the floor nozzle. From there, I charged the vacuum, and it was ready to go.

Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Shark Freestyle Max review: performance

Very powerful hard floor and carpet suction, with excellent edge cleaning
Picks up fine materials in a single pass
Maneuverable for an upright but not as nimble as a stick vacuum

From the get-go, I was impressed with the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum, especially in terms of suction power. It may be a simple vacuum without smart features or app integration, but it did a great job cleaning fine material – like flour – and larger items – like crumbs and leaves. In fact, no matter if I used the bare floor or the carpet mode, it only took a single pass on rugs and hard floors for the vacuum to pick up all material, be it dirt or hair.

I tested both the front edge and edge cleaning of the vacuum and was very happy with the results. It cleans right to the edge. Unfortunately, if I tried to vacuum in reverse, larger debris like coffee grinds got stuck behind the wheels. It was better to do a forward pass over a mess for quick and efficient cleaning.

I've tested many vacuums over the years, and the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum feels a lot more powerful than others. With some vacuums, I need to use a Max or a Turbo mode to pick up large debris. The Freestyle Max isn't outfitted with those types of modes, but thankfully, you don't need them. The suction power of this vacuum outshone many cordless stick vacuums that I've tested in the past.

While not as powerful as bulkier, corded uprights, it's right up there with the priciest cordless stick vacuums when it comes to power. TechRadar's Home Editor Ruth tested the UK version side-by-side with the Dyson Gen5detect and found the cleaning power comparable with that model – all the more impressive considering that vacuum costs five times the price.

Tester using the Shark Freestyle Max cordless upright vacuum in her home — (Image credit: Future)

The compromise here is that because of the higher suction power, the battery on this vacuum doesn't last very long. I discuss more about the battery in the battery section, but for reference, I wasn't able to clean my entire house switching between bare floor and carpet modes.

I love that the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum is outfitted with a headlight, as it made it easier to see dust and dirt in low lit areas. If only the vacuum paused when locked upright. In terms of sound, the hard floor mode has a dB rating of 79. I measured an 83 dB rating during carpet mode. In my opinion, the vacuum isn't any louder than most.

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Tester using the Shark Freestyle Max cordless upright vacuum to clear flour from a hard floor — (Image credit: Future)

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Tester using the Shark Freestyle Max cordless upright vacuum to clear dry tea from a hard floor — (Image credit: Future)

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Tester using the Shark Freestyle Max cordless upright vacuum to clear flour from a carpet rug — (Image credit: Future)

The only other thing I should note is that the vacuum felt a little stiff in terms of maneuverability. Turning the vacuum left or right was not as smooth as I would have liked. While it's nimbler than your average upright vacuum, it's not as maneuverable as most stick vacuums I've used. At least it's lightweight, the vacuum head fits in relatively tight spaces, and it can lean back to about 160 degrees, making it easy to reach under my bed and low furniture.

Tester using the Shark Freestyle Max cordless upright vacuum to clean under a cabinet — (Image credit: Future)

Maintenance doesn't take long to complete. When the dust cup was full, I removed it from the vacuum pod and placed it over a trash can. Then I pressed the 'lid release' catch and the dust and dirt emptied. I was able to keep my hands clean. The debris screen and the filter – both located in the dust cup – need to be occasionally removed and washed with water, before air drying for 24 hours.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Shark Freestyle Max review: battery life

11 mins in Carpet mode; 21 mins in Hard floor mode
Takes about 3 hours and 20 mins for the battery to fully recharge
Battery not removable or replaceable

The battery life of the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum depends on which mode is being used. In higher-powered carpet mode, the battery lasted almost 11 and a half minutes, and in hard floor mode, 21 minutes.

Since I have both hard floors and rugs in my 1,600-square-foot house, I tested how long the battery lasted when switching between modes. I was able to clean my bare floors in 15 minutes. Then I switched to carpet mode to vacuum my rugs. The battery lasted only three more minutes, which was not enough time to fully vacuum one of my large rugs. The battery took about three hours and 20 minutes to fully charge. I let it charge for an hour, which gave it enough juice to finish vacuuming my rugs.

The Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum's battery life is far shorter than most cordless stick vacuums – many models can last up to a full hour in their lowest-powered mode these days, and it's rare to see a maximum runtime shorter than 40 minutes. This model won't fit the bill for those with bigger homes or lots of carpet. However, I see it as a strong choice for apartments, small homes, or anyone who just like having a vacuum to do short bursts of cleaning.

One final black mark against Shark here is that the battery isn't removable or swappable, as is the case with most good modern cordless vacuums. That means once the batteries wears out, you'll have to throw the whole machine away.

Battery life score: 2 out of 5

Should you buy the Shark Freestyle Max?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Very affordably priced, with performance up there with far more expensive cordless models. The compromise is short battery.	4.5 / 5
Design	Very basic in terms of features, but perfectly functional and well-built. Cordless uprights are very rare, so it fills that niche.	3.5 / 5
Performance	Very lightweight and maneuverable for an upright. Picks up fine and large materials in a single pass and offers impeccable edge cleaning.	4 / 5
Battery life	The battery doesn't last longer than 20 minutes, which is very short.	2 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a powerful vacuum for quick cleanups

The suction power of this vacuum is powerful, so much so that you can pick up small and large debris in one forward pass. It's not as sucky as the bulkiest corded uprights, but packs a real punch for a cordless.

You're on a budget

This vacuum has an extremely wallet-friendly price tag, and it's often discounted further. For the cleaning power on offer, it's a steal.

You have more limited mobility

Upright vacuums are typically heavy and bulky, but the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum is far more compact, lighter and easier to maneuver, but it still stands up on its own, making it a strong choice for those with limited mobility.

Don't buy it if...

You have a medium / large house or lots of carpet

The limited battery life – which is even shorter in the higher-powered mode – makes this vacuum a poor choice for larger homes or those with lots of carpet, unless you're only planning to use it for a room or two at a time.

You want to clean stairs or furniture

There's no configuration that lets you clean anything that's not flat floor. Most uprights have a flexible hose and detail tools for cleaning above the ground, but that's not included here.

You can handle a cord or a heavier upright

If you can deal with the extra weight and the inconvenience of a cord, there are uprights that deliver even more oomph, can be used for detail cleaning, and won't run out of juice mid-clean.

How I tested the Shark Freestyle Max

I tested the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum for a week in my 1,600-square-foot home, using it to vacuum my hardwood and laminate floors and two large rugs. Everything from how well it suctioned debris to the length of battery life and ease of movement was tested and considered when writing this review.

The UK version was also tested on-team in the TechRadar offices, where it was used on hard floor, mid-pile carpet and deep-pile carpet, and the suction power was compared to that of a premium Dyson stick vacuum.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed November 2025

This phenomenal smart lamp is giving serious aurora borealis vibes, and I can’t get enough of it

12:00 am |

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

Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp review

The Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp is a feature-packed smart light that combines practical lighting with vivid and eye-catching visual effects through preset scenes and custom settings.

Since its launch in June 2025, the Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp has been available to buy direct from Govee, as well as Amazon and other retailers. It has a list price of $179.99 / £179.99, which is great value for money considering how convenient and versatile it is.

Better still, at the time of writing, Govee is offering a discount of $30 / £30, taking the cost down to just $149.99 / £149.99, which is a fantastic price considering this is one of the best smart lights I’ve tested. There’s a similar deal at Amazon, lowering the cost to £149.99 in the UK, but it's just $20 off in the US, so it’s worth purchasing from Govee if you’re buying from across the pond.

The process of assembling the Uplighter was straightforward, although I suggest having someone assist with attaching the lamp section to the pole if you have limited shoulder mobility. Alternatively, if you have the floorspace, you can do what I did and prop up the pole with boxes so you can build the lamp on its side, but it’s much more of a faff than assembling it standing up.

While the Uplighter is pretty lanky at 66.9 inches / 170cm, it’s reassuringly stable thanks to its weighted base. It has a simple aesthetic when it’s not in use. The majority of its outer surfaces are plastic apart from the aluminium stand, which appears to have a powder-coated finish.

I can’t help but find the lampshade somewhat uninspiring when not lit up, but that’s simply because I’m obsessed with how pretty it is when the colors are flowing. Nonetheless, it has a nice finish, featuring a combination of clear and smoky black translucent plastics separated by a black band with a matte finish.

The downlight of the Govee Uplighter is casting light onto a bed. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell)

A little word of warning: the clear dome of the lampshade is easy to scuff. I accidentally scuffed mine when it gently knocked against the sloped section of my living room ceiling as I was testing the lamp’s stability. It’s not noticeable when the sidelamp is turned on, but I still recommend taking extra care when shifting the Uplighter about.

The Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp had me hooked in seconds with the bright and colorful effects that were projected from its ripple light. The color-shifting sidelight is a satisfying element too, especially for someone as addicted to color as I am. The downlighter proved satisfyingly practical, too, especially with its easy-to-adjust color temperature and brightness settings.

Govee states this lamp can emit up to 1000lm of brightness, and I can confirm that the downlighter makes for convenient task lighting. The uplighter’s brightness means that the ripple effects are beautifully vivid, even during the daytime, and it looks utterly fantastic when ramped up to 100 percent at night.

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The Govee Uplighter is projecting multicolored ripples of light onto the ceiling. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell)

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The Govee Uplighter is projecting ripples of blue and pink onto the ceiling. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell)

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At the time of writing, only two of the lamp’s elements can be used simultaneously, though I’ve heard murmurings that we may be able to enable all three in the future. This limitation isn’t really an issue, and I’m sure some may consider using all three lights as overkill; however, I’d love it if I didn’t have to sacrifice one of the colorful elements when using the downlighter.

In terms of onboard controls, there are two buttons located on the front of the pole, one for power and the other for switching between scenes and color temperatures. They work just fine, but I primarily use the Govee Home app or my Echo Dot (5th Gen) to control my Uplighter.

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Three screenshots show some of the features within the Govee Home app. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell)

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A close-up of the two buttons on the pole of the Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell)

The Govee Home app is the best app for smart lights I’ve used to date – and I’ve tested a bunch of them. After taking a few moments to sync with the Uplighter, the app gave me access to a range of device settings, including preset features, smart home assistant, and Matter syncing.

More excitingly, there’s a boatload of preset scenes to explore, from multi-colored aurora effects to floating mists from the ripple light, to themed side and downlighter combos. There’s plenty of opportunity to finetune the effects, too, with DIY and AI creation sections, along with adjustable speed settings on many of the existing scenes.

There’s also a super convenient auto-run feature, which is great to have, especially if you don’t own a smart home assistant – it allows you to assign different scenes and settings to specific times of the day.

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The Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp is projecting an aurora borealis effect onto a bedroom ceiling. — (Image credit: Cesci Angell)

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In summary, this is a fantastic, multi-functional lamp that makes an eye-catching feature, while also providing adjustable and convenient task lighting. So, if you love the sound of the Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp, I highly recommend purchasing one to experience its mesmerizing and colorful displays for yourself.

If you enjoy getting lost in captivating visuals to help you unwind, but you’re looking for something a little smaller, then I suggest checking out the Govee Table Lamp 2, which offers a huge range of stunning preset scenes, as well as a bunch of customizable settings. Better yet, if you happen to be looking for a smart speaker as well, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro comes with built-in JBL sound, and its larger size means there’s more space for all those calming colors to swirl about.

Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp review: Price and specs

Price	$179.99 / £179.99
Model	H60B0
Colors	RGBWW, RGBIC, WW
Lumens	1000lm
Color temperature	2700K-6500K
Dimensions	12.2 x 12.2 x 66.9 inches / 310 x 310 x 170cm
Connectivity	2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
App	Yes
Control methods	App, voice control, pushbutton controls
Additional features	3-in-1 lighting effects, dynamic ripple effect

Should I buy the Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp?

Buy it if...

If you love colorful lighting
Whether you’re a color addict like me, or you love unwinding by losing yourself in colorful, sensory-calming visuals, this uplighter will be right up your street.

You want a lamp that’s pretty and practical
With the downlighter’s adjustable temperature and brightness, Govee has struck the perfect balance between attractive lighting effects and practical task lighting with this floor lamp.

Don't buy it if...

You want a subtle floor lamp
While it works well as a task lamp, and the color-changing shade makes for a great feature, the standout feature of this uplighter is its vivid aurora-like projections.

You want a lamp that looks pretty when it’s off
I’ll be honest, I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel a bit here, as I don’t have many negative points on the Uplighter. However, if you’re not into simple, modern lamps, then you might not appreciate the look of this floor lamp when it’s not in action.

Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp review: Also consider

Nanoleaf Smart Multicolor Floor Lamp
If you’d prefer to wash your walls with color instead, and would rather be kinder to your budget, then this colorful column is the perfect choice. This easy-to-assemble wall washer was considered pleasingly sturdy by our reviewer, and its slim design makes it a more discreet option. Like the uplighter, there’s a range of scenes and DIY settings to explore, and it’s easy to control via its app and voice control via your smart home system. If you’d like to learn more, check out our full Nanoleaf Smart Multicolor Floor Lamp review.

How I tested the Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp

I used the Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp regularly over a few weeks
I tested the different features and customizable settings
I observed the brightness and visibility of the scenes in light and dark environments

I used the Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp to light up my bedroom and living room ceilings with colorful loveliness for a few weeks. I also used the downlighter as a gentle source of light in the evening, as well as task lighting whenever required.

I explored all of the Uplighter’s features, trying out the different preset scenes, creating my own, and experimenting with various lamp combinations.

I used the app regularly for customization, but I mostly used voice control to power it on and off, via my Amazon Echo Dot.

I used the Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp in my living room most days, and moved it to my bedroom so that I could enjoy the calming ripple effect lighting while lying in bed. I used it on sunny days and at night, so that I could assess how visible the effects were with various levels of ambient light.

First reviewed: November 2025
Read more about how we test

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Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro: one-minute review

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Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro review: design

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Buy it if…

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Buy it if…

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