Dreame H15 Pro CarpetFlex ZDNET's key takeaways The Dreame H15 Pro CarpetFlex is available now for $699.
As a wet and dry vacuum, the H15 Pro CarpetFlex has 23,000Pa of suction power, a brush that can cut through hair, and RGB detection to identify messes.
Changing the brush rollers can take some getting used to, as I had some initial user errors with it. View now at Amazon View now at Dreametech more buying choices
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While robot vacuums automate everyday cleaning tasks, there are other solutions for the jobs robots can't handle. You can't deploy your robot vacuum to clean up your toddler's spilled cereal and milk, but you can grab a wet/dry mop instead of reaching for the paper towel roll.
Wet/dry mops are engineered to vacuum most types of messes in front of them, whether it's crackers, juice, pet hair, or food. They vacuum up the mess and a roller then mop to leave clean floors behind. Until the Dreame H15 Pro CarpetFlex, wet/dry vacuums only worked on hard floors.
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The new H15 Pro is a wet/dry vacuum with two interchangeable brushes that switch from vacuum and mop to vacuum only. In addition to functioning just like a wet/dry vacuum to pick up spills and then mop floors, the Dreame H15 Pro is also an upright vacuum for carpets and rugs.
'Upright' is used loosely since the Dreame H15 Pro can lie completely flat to fit under furniture. It even has a small wheel on the back of the body to maneuver the vacuum easily when lying flat.
I experienced some user error when initially setting up and using the robot, especially when swapping brushes. The instructions explain how to do it well enough, but clipping on the latch to switch on a brush can take a few tries.
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Dreame says that this vacuum is intelligent enough to detect the type of brush roll to automatically adjust its cleaning setting from vacuuming and mopping to only mopping.
Even though I've used multiple wet/dry mops in the past, I had some mixed experiences when I first started testing the H15 Pro CarpetFlex. Switching the brush rollers took a few tries to get used to the mechanism, but transitioning from the carpet brush to the mop roller.
You don't have to lift the H15 Pro to change its brush roller. Amazon/ZDNET
I did find that the carpet brush got a bit wet when I went from mopping to vacuuming, especially around the edges, which was less than ideal. I made a few passes on the hard floor until no more water was visible, and then I moved to the carpet and rugs.
The vacuum feature performs very well, especially compared to similarly priced stick and traditional vacuums. The Carpet Brush is dense, so it doesn't get tangled in hair, and it can effectively clean low, medium, and high-pile rugs and carpets.
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The vacuumed debris is disposed of in the dirty water tank, so it doesn't become airborne, limiting allergens in the air.
As a wet/dry vacuum alone, the H15 Pro CarpetFlex is one of the best I've tried, topped only by the Mova X4 Pro because the latter also has a hot water spray and a pull-up charging station. However, the Dreame can also replace your traditional and stick vacuum, making it a better two-in-one solution.
If you're wondering which brush you left on the Dreame, the rollers have the name on the end (Hard floor brush and carpet brush). Maria Diaz/ZDNET
When you put the Dreame H15 Pro CarpetFlex back on the dock to recharge, you can run a self-cleaning cycle. This will wash the mop with 212-degree hot water and dry it at 194 degrees. If you self-clean the carpet brush, the unit does a cold water immersive wash and dries it like it does the mop.
Out of all the wet/dry mops I've tested, this Dreame unit has been the only one that hasn't developed an unpleasant smell in between uses. These types of devices tend to do this, which is already achieving something others aren't quite getting right. I recommend emptying and rinsing the dirty water and debris canister after each use to prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
ZDNET's buying advice
Having tested the Dreame H15 Pro CarpetFlex on multiple surfaces and rooms in my home, I've found that it's the best option for those looking for a single-floor cleaning solution for any room. Wet/dry mops are built for hard floors only, but most homes in the US have a combination of hard and soft floors, and the H15 Pro is perfect for this situation.
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The Dreame H15 Pro CarpetFlex is strong enough to tackle tough messes with 23,000Pa of suction power yet light enough to carry from one story to another, at just under 13 lbs. With up to 60 minutes of battery life, it can go from vacuuming and mopping your hallway to mopping up the bathroom floor after a shower to vacuuming a carpeted bedroom with just a quick swap of a brush.