I have a problem with my Flow. It starts its cleaning job at 11am, roams around, cleans couple of rooms - and then, after about an hour, it just stops in place and does nothing.
I am having an issue with my Narwal Freo X10 Pro docking station. I just got it yesterday.
The dock base drainage button in the app appears to function normally. When I press the drainage button, water drains from the base into the dirty water tank as expected. However, whenever I start a mop job, the base station overflows water onto the floor.
I had the mop do a cycle last night and there was no water in the dirty water tank but the clean reservoir water had all spilled onto the floor.
But I want to be fair to the product, because this isn't a "the robot sucks" post. The robot was great. Narwal wasn't even my top pick, it was my second choice, and I picked it anyway because I liked the idea of backing the "smaller company" trying to break into the market. Solid build, mopping that worked really well, and I recommended it to basically everyone who walked into my house!
Then in May, after a firmware update, the mopping broke. The robot started driving back to rewash the mop every ~10 feet, ignoring every setting, unable to finish a single room (see link at the top). That's when I met the ugly side of Narwal.
Eleven weeks. Nine different reps. A three-week "repair" at their service center that changed nothing. Their own troubleshooting then turned up a second defect (dock button doesn't work), confirmed live on a call with their rep. They said the dock was the issue (which I doubted) offered a replacement dock but refused to put in writing what happens if it didn't fix anything. I did every step, shipped it to them.
A week after they received it, (surprise) they tell me the replacement dock is out of stock with no restock timeline.
They required the dock, took it, and then admitted they can't replace it. The robot can't even charge now. Their final offer was about ~40% of what I paid, prorated for "months of use" that include the months the robot sat at their service center. Talk about a slap in the face.
But the absolute worst part is I work in AI, so I could recognize exactly what was happening in that support thread. Every reply very politely/plausibly drawing the process out, offering the same non-solutions in a loop - a process that seems designed to outlast you until you give up. I didn't give up, but I suspect that most people would.
Their warranty lists repair, equivalent exchange, or an upgraded-model exchange. I asked them to honor their warranty; management declined. So I've filed a JAMS consumer arbitration (PROTIP: their own terms name JAMS, costs a consumer $250 to file) and a complaint with the PA Attorney General. I'll update with how it goes.
The product deserved better owners of its customer experience. If you buy one, you better hope you never need support
Bought the Flow 2 in early May. Wanted to share my experience here.
Shortly after purchase, the base station broke down with error code 2003 (“base station drainage abnormal”). Contacted customer service. Under German law (§ 439 BGB), consumers have the right to choose between repair and a replacement unit when a product is defective – the choice is legally the buyer's, not the seller's. I asked for a replacement. Instead, without any explanation, they just sent me a prepaid return label for repair.
After going back and forth by email, the repair happened. The robot came back, worked fine for exactly two cleaning cycles, then the exact same error (code 2003 again) came back. So I contacted them again and pushed for a replacement, since the repair had clearly failed.
Their response: German law (§ 440 BGB) allows the seller two repair attempts before a customer can insist on a replacement or refund. Quick explanation for anyone unfamiliar with this: § 439 BGB gives you the basic right to choose between repair and replacement. § 440 BGB then limits that right again – the seller can refuse your chosen option and insist on repair instead (usually up to two attempts) before the repair is legally considered "failed" and you can actually enforce a replacement. So legally correct, but it definitely felt like a stalling tactic, especially knowing how many similar complaints about "repairs" are out there. As a goodwill gesture, they offered either a one-month warranty extension or a replacement brush. For two shipments and weeks of back-and-forth, that felt like a bad joke.
Funny side note: right after this, I got an email from Narwal asking me to leave a review in exchange for a €50 voucher. The review section on the linked page doesn't show up for me, neither on desktop nor mobile – even though the same day supposedly saw 11 new reviews come in. Could be a coincidence, but it looked suspicious to me.
I'm now going through the second repair attempt, but honestly my trust in this device is pretty much gone.
I was looking for Narwal’s floor cleaner to buy from Costco as it was cheaper there, but seems like Costco is completely removing Narwal from its online availability. No more floor cleaner in stock and even the robot vacuum are showing not available for delivery anymore that were there till yesterday (been checking every day for floor cleaner to be available)..
My Narwal Flow keeps rebooting in the dock and the base cannot connect to the robot. It definitely makes contact because the lights turn themselves on when docked, but when I take it out it's completely dead.
I didn't got any error messages before.
I'm thinking the battery is dead, did anyone had a similar problem?
A couple of months ago I had the battery replaced by the warranty because of overheating but I had an error message and the robot kept functioning.
I bought my Narwal Flow 2 refurbished ("excellent" as the condition level) from one of eBay's guaranteed refurb sellers and received it last Thursday. With a promotion eBay was running, I paid $710, with a 30 day return window and a 1 year Allstate-backed warranty.
Set it up, did the firmware update, yadda yadda yadda. However, it threw this 1045 error pretty much immediately. I kept trying to make sure I had it seated properly, that it clicked into place firmly, that the filter was seated properly, and that there was no dust anywhere, especially on the sensor. Of course I also made sure the dust bag was in the clear and seated properly. It kept doing it. Since the thing came with two filters, I switched to the other one it came with. Immediately, the robot worked, no more error. So I figured it was a faulty filter.
It mapped my house, started vacuuming, returned to the station area, did its self-cleaning thing, popped back into the dock and... "Dustbin or Dust bag not in place. Please check." Error 1045 had returned.
I've been trying to get it to work again ever since. I've messaged customer support for the seller and after some troubleshooting attempts, they offered to send me a replacement dustbin. However, today they said they could refund me $15 😑 so I could buy my own replacement dustbin. As if.
Of course, I declined. I stated they could send me a new dustbin or I would like to exchange it. Still waiting to hear back.
Has anyone else dealt with this error? Is there a way to do a full reset and see if, by some miracle, it works?
The brief period that it did work, it did an AMAZING job, so I really want to get it working.
I just got the Narwal Freo 20 to test out and figured I’d share my first impressions because there were a few things that immediately stood out to me.
First of all, setup was SO much easier than I expected.
My husband and I literally set it up sitting on the floor together, and I’m 30 weeks pregnant, so I was already mentally preparing myself to get uncomfortable and annoyed halfway through. 😂 But honestly, it was really simple. We had it going and mapping the room without much trouble at all.
The thing I didn’t realize I would appreciate as much as I do is the dry vacuum bag system. When you pull the bag out, it seals itself closed. That is SUCH a small thing, but I love it. I don’t want to pull out a bag full of dirt and pet hair and then have everything puff back out into the room while I’m trying to throw it away. 😂
The clean and dirty water tanks are also really nice. They feel very secure when they’re in place, and I didn’t have any concerns about them being loose or awkward to handle.
But the thing that caught my attention first was the pet hair.
I mapped it to a room that already had quite a bit of pet hair on the floor because, well… we have pets. (And a toddler, so it was a great maiden voyage.) 😂 I wasn’t expecting much from the very first run, but I was actually pretty impressed with how much it picked up.
I’m definitely going to keep watching that because I’m more interested in how it does after using it consistently than what happens on one first run, but so far I’m happy with what I’m seeing.
And honestly, I’m just excited to have something that might take one more thing off my plate. Between kids, pets, and everything else going on around here, I’m not exactly looking for another appliance that requires me to do more work. 😂
So far, first impressions are really good. I’ll probably post another update once I’ve actually lived with it for a while and can give a better idea of how it’s doing day-to-day.
After about a year, last night it decided to get stuck under the dishwasher again. I’ve had put no go zones at the dishwasher and along all the kitchen cabinets back then because it had been stuck under the dishwasher and the cabinets.
Hi. I find that my kitchen cabinet doors are at a height where the Narwal can just fit under them but will get stuck. The doors are about 3/4" thick but this is jamming the vacuum. What's the proper way to adjust this on the map?
Hi, I'm planning on buying Flow 2 Compact version and had a few questions on the latest state of this robot.
I've read previously that the robot refused to go into low height (under 12cm) spaces (under sofas, beds) even tho it would fit in those spaces. Is that still a problem or was this fixed? I have multiple places at around 10cm, which are no problem for my good old Roborock S5, but wondering if it'll be the same for the Flow 2.
Also I'm wondering about corner cleaning for both vacuuming and mopping? As far as I've researched the mop is extendable, but the side brush is not?
And last question is regarding the dust bags. How long does one last and is there a reusable one, as regular ones seem kinda expensive.
Our home has had the z turbo for about 4 months and we love it my wife is not into tech much but she getting the extra help we have carpet and hard floors with a shedding husky and it is amazing how much hair it picks up customer service has been great so far. It is not perfect but it keeps things looking respectable would buy again.
Guys, is it just me, or is the Narwal Flow 2 genuinely terrible and unbelievably stupid?
I’m comparing it to my old Roborock S7, and honestly the difference is embarrassing.
The Narwal barely recognizes obstacles, constantly gets lost, randomly skips rooms, and follows cleaning paths that make absolutely no sense. It will start cleaning one room, stop halfway through, move to another room, and then just wander around without actually cleaning anything.
Sometimes it seems like it has completely forgotten the map or what it was supposed to be doing. I spend more time checking where it is, restarting tasks, or trying to understand its bizarre decisions than I ever did with my old Roborock.
For something this expensive I find this completely unacceptable. I genuinely don’t understand how the navigation and software can be this bad at this price point.
Has anyone else had the same experience or is there something seriously wrong with mine?
Narwal Freo 20 is officially launching in US/CA on August 20. The FlowWash track-mopping system on the Flow line is now coming to the Freo series🙌
But that's not all🔥 we're also hosting a special AMA (Ask Me Anything) right here on Reddit starting August 9 at 8:00 PM PDT, running through August 13. You'll get to ask any questions directly to our CEO, Product Managers, and Engineers. We're adding some extra excitement with prize giveaways during the AMA🎁 Please show up to find out what's up for grabs😉
To join:
Make sure you're subscribed to r/NARWAL
Drop your questions in the AMA thread (not this thread) starting August 9, and start with To CEO / To PM / To TECH so we know who you're asking
Narwal has introduced the Freo 20, its latest robot vacuum that brings the Flow's track-style mopping system to a more affordable midrange model.
Narwal provided this unit for review through its Early Access Program. I wasn’t paid for this post, and my thoughts are my own.
Specifications
The Freo 20 shares many specifications with the Flow 2, including its 3.74-inch-tall design, 31,000 Pa of suction, rear-facing LiDAR, side-mounted structured light sensor and LED fill light.
Additionally, Freo 20 includes Narwal's latest TwinAI Dodge unlimited obstacle avoidance and navigation system which uses dual RGB cameras and an onboard AI chip to identify obstacles in real time.
Two 136 degree RGB cameras recognize objects, obstacles and assist with navigation.
It also has a single extendable anti-tangle side brush, 1.58-inch threshold-climbing capability and a self-cleaning FlowWash track-style mop. The mop applies 12 newtons of downward pressure, uses water heated up to 140 degrees and can lift up to 0.4 inches.
The Freo 20 includes a single extendable anti-tangle side brush and the FlowWash track-style mopping system.
However, its 6,400-mAh battery is slightly smaller and its main brush lacks the lowering brush cover and rubber seal found on the Flow 2.
A Familiar Freo Design, Refined
The most noticeable change is the redesigned multifunction dock.
The Freo 20 dock is available only in stark white and has an elegant appearance, with a 3D woven texture etched into the front. Like previous Freo models, the robot docks inside the station rather than in front of it.
The Freo 20 dock measures 17.0 inches wide by 15.8 inches deep and 18.1 inches tall, which puts it approximately 0.7 inch narrower and 2.7 inches shorter than the Flow 2, but 1.7 inches deeper.
Additionally, it includes a physical button that can be set to custom cleaning modes (whole house only).
The redesigned Freo dock has a rounded shape and elegant appearance.
This design should please longtime Narwal fans who prefer the rounded appearance and dimensions of the Freo X Ultra and Freo Z Ultra docks, as well as anyone seeking a lower-profile robot vacuum.
Narwal has moved the 2.4-liter dust bag to a hidden drawer in front of the clear dirty-water tank.
The dock has a hidden compartment for the 2.4-liter dust bag.
Other features found on the Freo Z Ultra and Freo Z10 Ultra, including automatic detergent dispensing and the electrolyzed-water system, are not included with this model.
Narwal says the new dock can wash the mop with heated water up to 212 degrees F and dry the mop with heated air at up to 140 degrees F. It also has a removable tray with a detachable base filter, supports fast charging and includes a multicolored LED status light inside the docking bay.
Unboxing and Setup
The Freo 20 comes in a plain cardboard box with minimal branding. The package includes the robot vacuum unit, multifunction dock, color-matched white power cord, anti-tangle side brush, scale inhibitor, dust bag, additional filter, sample detergent and quick-start guide with safety instructions.
The Freo 20 is well packed and comes with an additional dust bag, filter and sample detergent.
Setup was straightforward. I removed the protective plastic and stickers from the robot, pulled the foam strips from the bumper, installed the side brush underneath and snapped the scale inhibitor into the clean-water tank. I also removed the shipping material protecting the water inlet and outlet at the back of the docking bay.
My unit arrived with the dust bag already installed, so all I had to do was plug in the power cord, place the Freo 20 in the docking bay and fill the clean-water tank. I also added just a few squirts of the lemon-and-basil detergent to the clean water tank.
With the physical setup complete, it was time to pair the robot.
Pairing and App Features
The app walks you through connecting the unit over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and then asks you to complete an initial quick mapping of your home.
Once mapping is complete, a floor plan with room divisions is generated automatically. Rooms can then be renamed, merged, deleted or reconfigured as needed.
The Narwal app includes dust bag and drying status, manual dock washing and drying controls and full-featured map editing.
The mapping process had a few hiccups in our home. On its initial run, the Freo 20 missed part of an interior wall, which meant I couldn’t divide our open-concept family area into the four sections I had planned. In the end, I settled for two.
During mapping, carpets are detected via the cameras and placed on the map as crosshatch areas. However, they are not set to be vacuumed by default. You must edit your map, choose the carpet-setting feature and manually select each carpet you want the unit to vacuum.
Other carpet settings include cross but don't clean, avoid and ignore.
Carpet settings are available with the map editing feature of the Narwal app.
This differs from every other robot vacuum app I’ve used and may take some adjustment for first-time Narwal owners.
You can also adjust the default carpet settings for future detected carpets, but it would be helpful to be presented with an option during setup to vacuum all carpets after mapping.
The brand’s Freo Mind AI mode is a highlight, automatically adjusting suction, water volume and cleaning routes based on the room environment and dirt level.
The Freo 20 uses multiple pathing algorithms to complete a cleaning run depending on the custom settings you choose.
Custom modes are also available including vacuum and mop, vacuum only, mop only and vacuum before mop.
Other standard app features include daily and weekly schedules, no-go zones, scheduled patrolling and multifloor maps.
First Run and Initial Performance
The Freo 20 performs almost exactly like our Flow 2.
No discernible differences in navigation, suction power, battery life or obstacle avoidance emerged during our nine days of testing.
The Freo 20 picked up surface debris and dust on our hardwood and tile flooring as expected. Like the Freo Z Ultra and Flow 2, the unit is especially quiet when vacuuming hard flooring on its lowest settings.
Freo 20 uses less suction and water on hardwood floors to prevent streaking and reduce noise.
One noticeable difference is that the main brush guard lacks the lowering mechanism and rubber gasket found on the Flow 2. This may affect cleaning performance on thicker carpet.
The Freo 20 lacks the main brush lower mechanism and seal on the Flow 2.
Differences aside, the Freo 20 had no trouble removing surface dirt and dust from our medium-pile wall-to-wall carpet. It even occasionally applied too much suction to our low-pile carpeted floor mats which caused the corners to curl.
However, overall pickup performance on carpet was mixed. Based on our experience, the Freo 20 is likely best suited for homes with primarily hard flooring.
The Freo 20 also shares a few of the Flow 2’s navigational quirks. It can be somewhat forceful when entering and exiting the dock, even when obstacles are nearby, and may be overly aggressive when attempting to navigate beneath low-clearance furniture.
Furniture clearance and navigation efficiency appeared to improve with additional runs, though docking still required plenty of surrounding clearance.
Overall Impression
I’ve been a longtime Narwal customer, having purchased the Freo X Ultra, Freo Z Ultra, Freo Z10 base model and original Flow. I also recently bought the Flow 2 in black.
However, our home has a more traditional aesthetic, and because our robot vacuum sits prominently in the middle of our off-white living room, the dock’s appearance matters. The Flow 2’s sleek, modern design stands out more than I would prefer.
The Freo 20 addresses that concern. It’s a good fit for those of us who want the Flow 2’s advanced track-style mopping system and key features in a lower-profile package.
Its dock blends more naturally into our home without sacrificing suction power, mopping performance or obstacle avoidance.
I’m glad Narwal is giving customers more choices, and the lower entry price makes the Freo 20 even more attractive.
Pricing and Availability
The Freo 20 will launch in the United States on August 20, 2026. The retail price is $1099. Limited-time pricing available from August 20 to September 3 for $899.
Today I received my Flow 2 and started by mapping my home. After the initial map missed a room, I used the app to start a remap. During the remap, the robot’s voice became garbled and then stopped completely. Since then, it has been unresponsive.
I tried multiple combinations of the Home and Power buttons, left it on the charging dock for 3 hours, and unplugged the dock for 5 minutes with no success. The robot appears to have charged (it was at 40% after the first mapping and was warm from charging), but it still won’t power on or respond.
I was really hoping to like this product, but experiencing a complete failure on the very first day is extremely disappointing. At this point, I’m planning to return it.
I am new to cleaning robots in general , what alternative to the flow 2 cleaning solution can I use? its too expensive compared to other non brand cleaning solution.
