Narwal Flow vs Narwal Flow 2
Researched by Riley Hart · prices checked Oct 31, 2026
As of Oct 31, 2026, the Narwal Flow costs $1,500 and the Narwal Flow 2 costs $1,300, so the Narwal Flow 2 is $200 cheaper. The Narwal Flow 2 has a published review score and ranks #31 in our robot vacuums ranking; the Narwal Flow is not scored yet. Pick the Narwal Flow for hard floor homes that mop often and have pets. Pick the Narwal Flow 2 for pet homes with mostly hard floors.
- Suction
- 22,000 Pa
- Navigation
- dToF LiDAR inside
- Mopping
- FlowWash track mop
- Runtime
- Up to 190 min
One of the best mopping robots tested, with strong measured suction, zero hair tangles and a dock that washes and dries the track mop. Testers at TechRadar and Tom's Guide found the software and navigation quirky. Skip it if you want a simple app, and compare it against the Flow 2 since the Narwal store showed the Flow out of stock.
Full Narwal Flow review →- Suction
- 31,000 Pa
- Navigation
- Laser based 3D mapping
- Mopping
- Yes
- Runtime
- 7,000 mAh battery
A well rounded flagship for homes with pets and mostly hard floors. Vacuum Wars measured strong suction, no hair wrap and good obstacle avoidance, and its retest after a firmware update rated the mopping well above average. Tom's Guide was less impressed with edges and corners, and the 3.74 in body will not fit under the lowest furniture.
Full Narwal Flow 2 review →Side by side
| Narwal Flow | Narwal Flow 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,500 | $1,300 |
| 3 year cost | $1,500 | $1,300 |
| Our score | Not scored yet | 6.3/10 |
| Rank in Floors | #83 | #31 |
| Status | on sale | on sale |
| Warranty | n/a | 1 year limited (Narwal warranty policy for purchases outside the EU and Switzerland) |
| Suction | 22,000 Pa (Narwal); Vacuum Wars measured 1.88 kPa against a 0.96 kPa average | 31,000 Pa (brand claim); Vacuum Wars measured 1.92 kPa and 18 CFM, above average |
| Navigation | dToF LiDAR inside the body (Narwal); TechRadar saw it push a chair, skip a room and report cleaning 0.0 square meters | Laser based 3D mapping with dual 1080p RGB cameras and a 10 TOPS AI chip |
| Obstacle avoidance | Dual RGB cameras, AI chip and tri laser structured light, 200+ objects (Narwal); Vacuum Wars scored 18 of 24, and TechRadar saw it avoid a shoe, sock and USB cable | TwinAI Dodge with dual cameras; Vacuum Wars scored 20 of 24 objects avoided |
| Mopping | FlowWash track mop with warm water at 113F, 7 to 12 N pressure and 12 mm lift (Narwal); Vacuum Wars combined mopping score 268 against a 184 average | Yes, self refreshing track roller mop with 12 N pressure and 140°F water, lifts 10 mm on carpet |
| Self empty | Yes, 2.5 L dust bag rated for up to 120 days (Narwal US store) | Yes, into a 2.5 L disposable bag; Narwal says a bag lasts up to 120 days without pets or 90 days with pets |
| Dock features | Auto empty, mop washing at 113 to 176F, warm air drying, self cleaning; optional auto refill and drain version (Narwal US store); no auto detergent dispenser (TechRadar) | Washes the mop at 212°F, dries it at 104°F, doses detergent; Narwal also sells a version with auto refill and drainage |
| Runtime | Up to 190 min (Narwal); Vacuum Wars estimated 2,068 sq ft per charge | 7,000 mAh battery; Vacuum Wars measured 38 min in a studio vacuum and mop run, while 9to5Google cleaned about 1,300 sq ft without a recharge |
| Dustbin | 2.5 L dock bag; Vacuum Wars describes a large robot bin with a removable section | 300 mL onboard bin (Vacuum Wars) |
| Height | 95 mm (3.7 in) per Narwal key features and Vacuum Wars; Narwal's spec table lists 107.7 mm | 3.74 in (95 mm) per Narwal |
| Pet hair | Vacuum Wars measured 89% flattened pet hair pickup and 0% tangles in its 7 inch hair test | Vacuum Wars measured 88% flattened pet hair pickup and 0% hair wrap |
| App | Narwal app with up to 4 saved maps, schedules and voice assistant; works with Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant (Narwal US store); TechRadar found it overwhelming with some mistranslations | Narwal app with Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant; Vacuum Wars lists Matter support, but Narwal's product page does not |
| Threshold | 4 cm (1.57 in) (Narwal US store, TechRadar) | Up to 1.57 in (40 mm) per Narwal; Vacuum Wars cleared 32 mm easily and 38 mm on a second try |
| Noise | TechRadar measured 58 dB in quiet mode to 76 dB at top suction; Tom's Guide measured 49 to 74 dB depending on floor | n/a |
| Best for | hard floor homes that mop often and have pets | pet homes with mostly hard floors |
| Skip if | you want a simple, glitch free app | you need a robot under 3.5 in tall |
Specs are maker claims unless a reviewer is named. Prices from the stores we link, checked daily.
What reviewers found
Narwal Flow
- Vacuum Wars (3.58 Vacuum Wars stars): Measured 1.88 kPa suction, 83% sand removal, 89% flattened pet hair pickup and 0% hair tangle. Combined mopping score was 268 against a 184 average, obstacle avoidance 18 of 24 and estimated coverage 2,068 sq ft per charge. Source
- TechRadar: Called the cleaning superb, especially on carpet, and hot water mopping excellent. Noise was 58 dB in quiet mode and 76 dB at top suction. It pushed a chair, failed to enter a room and once reported 0.0 square meters cleaned. Subscores: Value 4/5, Design 4.5/5, Performance 3.5/5, App 3.5/5. Source
- Tom's Guide: Pickup was 83% overall on tile and 77% on carpet, with 70% to 75% hair pickup. Noise ranged from 49 to 74 dB depending on floor and power. Faults were a tricky app, random cleaning incidents and so so edge vacuuming. Source
Narwal Flow 2
- Vacuum Wars (3.88/5): Lab tests found 84% sand removal from carpet, 88% flattened pet hair pickup, 0% hair wrap and 20 of 24 obstacles avoided; a retest after a firmware update put mopping well above average, but the studio vacuum and mop run lasted only 38 minutes. Source
- Tom's Guide: Picked up 100% of kitty litter on both floors, 100% of pet hair on hardwood and 80% on carpet, but only 30% and 20% of cereal; reviewer said edges and corners need manual cleaning and it does not live up to its price. Source
- 9to5Google: Cleaned about 1,300 sq ft with back to back vacuum and mop passes without stopping to recharge; reviewer rated it roughly equal to the Roborock Saros 20 but noted the taller body. Source
Pros and cons
Narwal Flow
Pros
- Excellent mopping, 268 combined score at Vacuum Wars
- No hair tangles in Vacuum Wars test
- Strong measured suction
- Long runtime, about 2,068 sq ft per charge
- Climbs 4 cm thresholds
Cons
- Navigation bugs reported by TechRadar and Tom's Guide
- Complex app with mistranslations
- No auto detergent dispenser
- High price
- Out of stock at Narwal US store on 2026-10-30
Narwal Flow 2
Pros
- Hot water track mop cleans sticky spills well
- No hair wrap in Vacuum Wars testing
- Above average obstacle avoidance and navigation
- Dust bag lasts up to 120 days
- Quiet robot and dock per several reviewers
Cons
- Expensive at $1,299.99
- 3.74 in tall, taller than Roborock's slim models
- Small 300 mL onboard bin
- Weak edge and corner cleaning in Tom's Guide testing
- False leak warnings from the dock in CGMagazine testing
Questions buyers ask
Which is better, the Narwal Flow or the Narwal Flow 2?
The Narwal Flow 2 has a published review score and ranks #31 in our robot vacuums ranking; the Narwal Flow is not scored yet. Pick the Narwal Flow for hard floor homes that mop often and have pets. Pick the Narwal Flow 2 for pet homes with mostly hard floors.
Which is cheaper?
The Narwal Flow 2 at $1,300, versus $1,500 for the Narwal Flow, checked Oct 31, 2026. Over 3 years with running costs: $1,500 vs $1,300.
What is the difference between the Flow and the Flow 2?
Suction: 22,000 Pa (Narwal); Vacuum Wars measured 1.88 kPa against a 0.96 kPa average on the Flow, 31,000 Pa (brand claim); Vacuum Wars measured 1.92 kPa and 18 CFM, above average on the Flow 2. Navigation: dToF LiDAR inside the body (Narwal); TechRadar saw it push a chair, skip a room and… on the Flow, Laser based 3D mapping with dual 1080p RGB cameras and a 10 TOPS AI chip on the Flow 2. Obstacle avoidance: Dual RGB cameras, AI chip and tri laser structured light, 200+ objects (Narwal); Vacuum… on the Flow, TwinAI Dodge with dual cameras; Vacuum Wars scored 20 of 24 objects avoided on the Flow 2.
Also consider
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