Dreametech is a relatively new brand, but it has been making waves with its latest robotic vacuum cleaner, the DreameBot D9 Max. India is a price-sensitive market where robotic vacuum cleaners are still considered as a luxury. Moreover, those who purchase one, expect that oversized hockey puck of a vacuum cleaner to do every little thing their domestic help does. So, when most buyers will take a look at DreameBot D9 Max’s repertoire which includes mopping, cleaning, LiDAR-sensing, 180-minute runtime and voice-based controls, they’ll be pleasantly surprised to see a price tag of Rs 29,999.
Dreame DreameBot D9 Max
Rs 29,999What Is Good?
- Great suction power
- Value for money
- Decent battery life
- Large dust container
- Seamless LiDAR mapping
What Is Bad?
- Limited mopping abilities
- Requires cleaning after every cycle
Before I proceed with the review, I’d like to address a few questions that either came to my mind or were asked by my friends about the DreameBot D9 Max.
- What comes bundled within the DreameBot D9 Max’s box?
- Dreame is a new brand in India, do you get any after-sales customer service for DreameBot D9 Max?
- How do you set up the DreameBot D9 Max’s app?
- How strong is DreameBot D9 Max’s suction power?
- Can you vacuum carpets with DreameBot D9 Max?
- How loud is the DreamBot D9 Max?
- What are the alternatives to DreameBot D9 Max?
I have used the DreameBot D9 Max for about a month now, enough to answer these questions. Read on to find out more in my review.
Dreame DreameBot D9 Max Review: Unboxing, first run and app
The DreameBot D9 Max comes with a power cord, water tank, cleaning tool, side brush, charging dock, mop pad and an instruction guide.
While I didn’t find any customer service numbers, QR code or contact details printed on a paper within the DreameBot D9 Max’s box, its product listing on Amazon does mention a toll-free number along with an email address. They also claim to provide free service at your doorstep. I can’t speak much about the after sales experience, however.
Setting up the DreameBot D9 Max took us about 10 minutes. First, you’ll have to snap the side brush and the mop attachment under the robot, plug in the charging base and place the robot on top of it. Next, you’ll have to download the Dreamehome app and just follow the instructions to pair the D9 Max using Wi-Fi. It’s quick, painless and has zero hidden instructions.
After adding it on the app, you’ll be prompted to let the robot scan your home for the first time. I was surprised to see that the D9 Max scanned my entire house within 15 minutes, without bumping into too many obstructions. It was far quicker and silent than the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ that I reviewed a few months ago.
The LiDAR sensing here works like a charm – the D9 Max was able to map out my balcony without even going out – it just sensed it by peeping out of the window, that too at night and gave a somewhat accurate depiction of it on the map. While it doesn’t allot rooms by itself, the maps can be easily edited as per your liking. You can also add no-go zones or the places where you don’t want the robot to go.
The app is also very well-thought out. You get two large buttons for quick controls on the home page – resume/pause cleaning and the other one to go back to the dock. These are usually the two simplest yet the most important things I’d want to do with the vacuum cleaner, so it makes sense.
To get access to the granular controls, you’ll have to tap the ‘Go to the device’ button. Here’s where you get to access the map and choose whether you want the D9 Max to clean the entire house or a dedicated area. You can also choose whether you want it only sweep or sweep and mop both. You can choose the sequence of cleaning your rooms, and the pattern of mopping.
Heck, you can even set the intensity of mopping per room. And if you are in a mood for some vacuum cleaner racing action, you can also control the D9 Max manually. That’s something I haven’t seen before.
Dreame DreameBot D9 Max Review: Vacuuming and mopping
The DreameBot D9 Max offers strong suction power for its class. I don’t just say that from the numbers, but from experience. My vacuuming experience with it went a little above and beyond the regular dust bunny and dander sucking – I made it clean the mess my guests made at my birthday party. This included little shards of glass, food and popped balloons. The main brush underneath it was able to do a pretty good job of cleaning up as I tried to catch a break after the party. Its side brush grabs and pushes debris under its body, but don’t expect it to clean up walls.
| Suction power | 4,000Pa |
| Filter type | HEPA |
| Dust box capacity | 570mL |
| Wet mopping | 270mL liquid capacity with 3 level arrangement and removable antibacterial cloth |
| Navigation type | LiDAR |
| Battery capacity and runtime | 5,200mAh, 180 minutes (claimed) |
It can vacuum carpeted flooring as well, but it can get entangled within shaggy carpets, so make sure you stow them away while the D9 Max is doing its thing.
While the dust box capacity of the D9 Max is larger than most other vacuums in its price, it still needs to be cleaned after nearly every cycle. If you want to take the trash out every week or so, you may consider getting a robotic vacuum cleaner with a self-emptying station, such as the iLife T10s.
The D9 Max comes with a detachable mop that velcros on to its liquid dispenser. Its 270mL capacity is tiny. While I trust it enough to clean up my kitchen when I’m off to the office after cooking myself some breakfast, I am still a little hesitant when it comes to mopping the house when I’m not around because it requires a refill.
When it comes to noise levels, the Dreambot D9 Max has four modes of operation – silent, standard, strong and turbo. You can easily have a conversation with someone or watch TV while it is in its quietest setting. The turbo mode does give you more suction power, but at the expense of battery and the fear of picking a fight with your flatmates due to the loud droning sound.
On a single charge, the D9 Max can vacuum and mop for about 45 minutes on the standard mode and takes about two hours to fully charge.
Dreame DreameBot D9 Max: Verdict
The DreameBot D9 Max offers a lot of features for a reasonable price of Rs 29,999. It has great suction power, a nice LiDAR scanner and is capable of running quietly. The cherry on top is that fantastic, reliable companion app with an elegant combination of simplicity and functionality.
Its mopping abilities aren’t the best in the business and you’ll still have to clean it up after every cycle, but hey, you can trust it to clean up your kitchen even without giving your house keys to anyone.
