Dreame DreameBot D9 Max Robot Vacuum Cleaner Review – Feature-rich option that gets the job done

Keeping your home clean can feel like a never-ending task, especially if you reside in Indian metropolitan cities prone to dust throughout the year. It is understandable, therefore, that Robotic Vacuum Cleaners sound like such a promising concept and have surged in popularity in recent years.

But how effective are they in practice, particularly the affordable and mid-range options? To provide a better perspective, we have been testing the Dreame DreameBot D9 Max, which promises powerful suction, mopping, LiDAR navigation, and many appealing features for a competitive price. If you are considering it as an option, we will try to answer all the questions you may have in this review to help you make an informed decision.

Dreame DreameBot D9 Max Specifications: 

• Suction power – 4000Pa
• Cleaning modes – Wet and Dry
• Dust tank capacity – 570 ml
• Water tank capacity – 270 ml
• Battery – 5200mAh
• Navigation and mapping technology – LiDAR
• Height above floor – ~10 cm (7.9+ 2 cm)
• Box content – Charging doc, side brush, cleaning tool, water tank, mop pad 
• Price – ₹29,999

Dreame DreameBot D9 Max Design and Maintenance

In terms of shape and size, the DreameBot D9 Max looks similar to most other robot vacuum cleaners that we have experienced. It is made of high-grade plastic that looks and feels premium and can resist scuff marks from the robot bumping into expected and unexpected obstacles rather well. The glossy top surface looks appealing but inevitably catches smudges during operation and maintenance. 

The protrusion of the LiDAR navigation sensor adds some extra height and prevents it from gliding under my bed, as some other robotic vacuum cleaners can. Still, this robot can easily clean underneath my sofa and coffee table. The 570ml dustbin capacity is above average compared to other options that support wet mopping. For my home, the capacity proved sufficient for 5 to 8 days of cleaning.

The 16.8cm main brush is located underneath and is further assisted by a floating V-shaped brush. If you use the D9 Max regularly, it will require weekly cleaning. This involves dislodging the hairs entangled in the main brush, washing the air filter, and clearing the bin. There are clear instructions on the vacuum cleaner, so you will be able to access all components easily. Weekly maintenance is relatively easy, save for the annoying part of removing the hair strands that coil around the main brush.

You can control the cleaner using voice commands (Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri), the mobile phone app, or the two physical buttons. The voice assistants only support basic functionality, and activating them isn’t as straightforward. On the other hand, the app is extremely intuitive and convenient and gives you several options to customize cleaning. The DreameBot D9 Max provides distinct and audible voice prompts to signify different events and actions, which are quite helpful.

Also Check: Deebot N8 Pro Review

Dreame DreameBot D9 Max Navigation and mapping 

The DreameBot D9 Max proved surprisingly adept at mapping my home. It does so automatically when you first run it and can also update and add more rooms or extend existing ones as and when it encounters new spaces later.

On the Dreame Home app, you can split or merge rooms on the map or mark ‘No-go Zones’ for regions like the bathroom area that you wish to avoid. The app lets you customize the cleaning sequence of different rooms or select particular rooms for cleaning. You can also map multiple floors after enabling the option from the app.

Once it is done with mapping, the cleaner can effectively navigate to where you want it to and can seamlessly return to its charging dock after cleaning or in case it needs to recharge its battery. The only time it got confused was when we had powered off the charging dock.

It is better if you keep the floor clear of obstacles, but that doesn’t mean the D9 Max can’t handle surprises. It proved quite resilient and can easily navigate over foot mats, drag away occasional slippers or shoes that obstruct its path, and even traverse a folded edge of a thick carpet. It can also easily manoeuvre between rooms with varying floor elevations. The DreameBot D9 Max can give itself a gentle jolt to cross barriers of up to 20mm in height.

Dreame DreameBot D9 Max: Cleaning Performance and Battery Life

The DreameBot D9 Max supports a maximum 4000pa suction capacity in the Turbo mode. By default the suction power is set to ‘Strong’ and the cleaner can automatically increase suction to Turbo when it cleans carpets or footmats (once the option is enabled in the app). If the floor is cluttered, the D9 Max will leave patches of unclean areas as it navigates around obstacles. In our testing, the D9 proved quite effective at picking dust and grime from corners and edges. We measured 75dB of noise while cleaning in the strong suction mode which is optimal. 

Edges of a room are cleaned first and then it proceeds with cleaning the inner region. Using the paired app, you can monitor all the action in real-time on your phone. For wet mopping, you will have to clip the water tank. Once attached, you can set water volume settings for mopping and the mopping pattern (intensity) from the app. 

The water tank capacity is again sufficient to mop 150 to 200 sq meters of floor area. The micro-fiber mopping pads are quite effective but you are strongly advised to clean them manually after every mopping session. Replacements are available on Amazon and cost Rs. 1290 for a pair. 

The bundled mop is of good quality and can effectively wipe a floor after dusting. We tested the mopping capabilities using dried ketchup on the floor, and the cleaner could not effectively mop it, which is understandable. The water tank can at times unhinge from the cleaner when it navigates challenging obstacles. Mopping perhaps isn’t the strong suit of the cleaner, but it is reasonably effective and quite useful for targeted cleaning of specific rooms.

The battery capacity is rated to last for 250 sq meters of cleaning. Honestly, the battery life was never a bother because the cleaner charges itself and, if interrupted mid-cycle, resumes cleaning from where it left off. Your mileage will vary depending on the carpeted floor area.

Should you buy it?

The Dreame DreameBot D9 Max can efficiently deal with everyday household grime and has the basics well covered, especially considering its value price. It is quite effective at brooming the floor and cleaning carpets and can reliably maintain a neat living space. At the same time, its mopping skills are expectedly limited. It proved extremely effective at mapping our home and managed to work its way around challenging obstacles and varying floor elevations. If this is going to be your first tryst with a robotic vacuum cleaner, you need to know that this can’t yet replace your house help permanently but serves more like a sidekick, one that you can rely on and one that sincerely cleans under your furniture. This extra hand proved quite useful for maintaining a clean and tidy home. 

Pros:

• Powerful suction and effective dry cleaning
• Great navigation and mapping
• Can effectively deal with most obstacles
• Great battery life
• Large dustbin

Cons:

• Mopping is not as effective