Robot vacuums these days feel like they\u2019re all trying to outdo each other, don\u2019t they? Bigger numbers, bigger docks, and more features that feel more novel than practical (who really wants a robot arm that picks up their socks?). The reality is, the day-to-day experience of most robot vacuums released over the past couple of years hasn\u2019t actually changed that much. <\/p>\n
So when Dreame sent over their newest X60 Ultra, I wasn\u2019t expecting much beyond the usual token upgrade. More suction power? Sure. Smarter navigation? Okay. What I definitely didn\u2019t expect was for the biggest difference to come from something as simple as its size.
<\/p>\n Dreame\u2019s latest robot vacuum features a noticeably smaller docking station.<\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Because Dreame\u2019s new kid on the block is noticeably more compact than its previous Ultra models, with a lower profile that lets it slip under furniture easier than those that came before it. The first time I ran it, it disappeared in the gaps under my cabinets that were unreachable by other robot vacuums. And it\u2019s not just the robot. The dock is smaller too \u2013 which, honestly, might matter just as much.
<\/p>\n Dreame hasn\u2019t gone minimal here; it still does everything you\u2019d expect from a flagship dock \u2013 auto-emptying, mop washing, drying \u2013 but it doesn\u2019t feel like it\u2019s trying to take over your living room. Compared to the Aqua 10 Pro or the Matrix10 Ultra, both of which I\u2019ve previously tested, the difference is pretty obvious. Those docks stand out quite noticeably, thanks in part to their large footprint. The X60 Ultra\u2019s dock, however, is easier to live with. Don\u2019t get me wrong, It\u2019s still sizeable but you can tuck it along a wall or into a corner far easier than Dreame\u2019s previous models.
<\/p>\n Setup is straightforward too. Personally for me, the Dreame app is still one of the better ones out there compared to the competition, and mapping my home the first time around is quick and simple enough.
<\/p>\n The robot projects a blue LED light to highlight dusts and debris, as well as to allow it to better detect obstacles in dimly lit areas. <\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n As usual, I made a \u201cmess\u201d for my tests \u2013 a mix of crumbs, dust, and human hair across my marble floor and rugs gave the X60 Ultra something to work with, and on hard floors, it vacuumed exactly how I\u2019d expected it to do. Dreame says the X60 Ultra has a 36,000Pa rated maximum suction, and I honestly can\u2019t tell if it eats up dirt any better than the Matrix10 Ultra\u2019s 30,000Pa suction. But my self-created mess disappeared in a single pass. No drama here.
<\/p>\n On carpets and rugs, the extra suction does show up more clearly, especially with debris that\u2019s worked deeper into the fibres. Even though I\u2019m not focusing on suction here, it\u2019s still worth pointing out that the X60 Ultra has more than enough power, and it shows in how consistently it picks things up without needing multiple passes. But honestly, what stood out more wasn\u2019t just how well it cleaned \u2013 it was where it could clean. Because of its smaller size, it covered areas that bigger robots tend to avoid. And this, matters to me more than the Matrix 10 Ultra\u2019s auto-swappable mop pads.
<\/p>\n Speaking of mopping. And this is where things get a bit more subjective, especially if you\u2019ve used roller systems before. The X60 Ultra is, oddly enough to me anyway, sticking with dual spinning mop pads, and to be fair, they work. With heated water and enough downward pressure, it actually scrubs rather than just dragging a damp mop across the floor. As far as I can tell, it handles dried stains better than its direct X40 and X50 Ultra predecessors
<\/p>\n But having used the Aqua 10 Pro Track and the Ecovacs Deebot X11 Omnicyclone, I\u2019ve grown to prefer roller mops, honestly. This is because the roller is constantly being rinsed as it moves \u2013 dirty water gets scraped off and fresh water is reapplied \u2013 so the roller mop is perpetually clean, and your floors are not being scrubbed with the same dirt that\u2019s stuck on a spinning mop. This is more pronounced when you\u2019re dealing with dirtier areas.
<\/p>\n Unlike Dreame\u2019s Aqua 10 Pro Track, the X60 uses a spinning mop system like its direct X50 Ultra predecessor.<\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The X60 Ultra\u2019s spinning pads don\u2019t quite have that same effect here. They\u2019re cleaned at the dock, and while they\u2019re effective enough on a single run, they don\u2019t have that continuous rinse mid-clean. So if you\u2019re dealing with heavier grime, you can sometimes feel the difference between the two different mopping approaches.
<\/p>\n That said, the X60 Ultra does make up for it in other ways. Because it\u2019s smaller, it can mop more of the floor in the first place \u2013 especially furniture with lower height gaps where \u201ctaller\u201d roller-equipped robots might not be able to reach. It also helps that it moves around the house with a bit more confidence than the X40 and X50 Ultra in general. Obstacle avoidance is an improvement too. It handles socks, small towels, and most everyday clutter without much issue, and what I like here is that it doesn\u2019t play it too safe. Instead of giving obstacles a wide berth like some older models, the X60 Ultra gets in much closer and cleans right up to the edges before moving on. That might sound like a small thing, but it means you\u2019re actually cleaning more of the floor instead of leaving a \u201cbuffer zone\u201d of dust around everything.
<\/p>\n At $1,699, the X60 Ultra is not exactly \u201ccheap\u201d but is a standout performer in a crowded space.<\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The Dreame X60 Ultra doesn\u2019t feel like it\u2019s trying to reinvent anything. If anything, it feels like Dreame is stepping back and fine-tuning what already worked on the X50 Ultra \u2013 with more focus on the size of both the robot and the dock.<\/p>\n The smaller size of both the robot and the dock changes how it fits into everyday use. The docking station, in particular, feels far less conspicuous than what I remember from the X50 Ultra \u2013 it\u2019s still there, but it doesn\u2019t immediately draw your attention or force you to rethink where everything else goes. The slimmer robot also makes a more noticeable difference than I expected, especially in homes with lower furniture or tighter gaps. It gets into places that most robot vacuums would normally skip entirely, which means you\u2019re not constantly thinking about what it might have missed.
<\/p>\n At the same time, it\u2019s not without trade-offs. If you\u2019ve used roller mop systems like the Aqua 10 Pro or Ecovacs\u2019 newer models, you might still prefer the way those handle continuous cleaning during mopping. The X60\u2019s spinning pads are effective, but they don\u2019t quite give you that same \u201calways-clean mop\u201d confidence. Not to me anyway. Then again, if you\u2019re not too fussed about how the mopping works, or you\u2019re living in a smaller apartment where space is always tight, the X60 Ultra\u2019s smaller footprint might just make more sense.<\/p>\n The Dreame X60 Ultra is available for purchase at Dreame\u2019s webstore for <\/i>$1,699<\/i><\/b>. <\/i>Click here to buy<\/i>.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\nPutting it through its paces
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Final thoughts
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