Dreame H14 cordless vacuum review: Easy wet and dry cleaning

At a glance

Expert's Rating

Pros

Cons

Our Verdict

The Dreame H14 is a versatile vacuum that can streamline your cleaning routine with little effort.

Price When Reviewed

$599.99

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Retailer Price

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Dreametech has produced some of our favorite robot vacuums, but it also makes excellent cordless wet and dry vacuums. The Dreame H14 is the new top of that line, and it can handle everything from dust and pet hair to spilled liquids.

The H14’s sleek, upright build and clean, matte finish should fit seamlessly into any contemporary decor. The vacuum’s slim body allows for easy storage in a closet the corner of a room, or in other tight spaces. While sturdy and well-built, it’s still lightweight enough to carry up and down stairs without much effort.

Dual-purpose cleaning

The Dreame H14 seamlessly transitions from wet to dry cleaning, making it versatile for different messes.

The vacuum pairs a powerful 18,000 Pa of suction with a dual-edge roller brush that allows it to reach into corners, along wall edges, and around table legs. A transparent 0.9-liter clean water tank slots into the front, and there’s a 0.7-liter waste-water tank on the back. Both are easy to detach and reattach when they need to be refilled or emptied.

The vacuum offers multiple cleaning modes, including a suction mode for vacuuming dust and debris, an ultra mode for deep cleaning, and an auto mode that adjusts suction power based on the detected mess.

On the handle, there’s a simple control panel with a power button and mode selector, and a self-cleaning button is set on the top. An LED display on the H14’s body provides real-time feedback on battery life and the selected cleaning mode to keep you abreast of the vacuum’s status.

The vacuum is powered by a 4,000mAh battery, which offers a runtime of up to 35 minutes. This is adequate for cleaning most medium-sized homes on a single charge.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Setup and operation

Setting up the H14 is straightforward. Start by attaching the handle to the main body of the vacuum; it clicks into place with a satisfying snap. Next, plug in the charging base and place the vacuum on it. The battery takes about 4 hours to charge fully, and the LED display indicates the charging status. In the meantime, you can fill the clean water tank and add a capful of the provided cleaning fluid.

Operating the Dreame H14 is equally user-friendly. When you power it on, the vacuum defaults to auto mode, which is ideal for everyday dust and debris. You just press the mode selector button to cycle through the other modes.

Performance

The vacuum performed solidly in my testing. It glides smoothly on hard floor surfaces, picking up dirt and liquid without leaving streaks. On carpets and area rugs, it provided a deep clean that rivaled my corded vacuum. I found the suction power to be sufficient for most household tasks, and the vacuum transitions easily between different floor types, with the rotation of the roller brush helping to propel it forward.

I particularly liked the H14’s “lie-flat” design, which allows it to recline at a 180-degree angle while keeping the vacuum head flush with the floor, so you can clean under beds, couches, and other low-clearance furniture without having to move those heavy pieces around. The waste tank holds less water in flat mode, though—about 0.45 liters in total—so it’s best to empty it before going after any dust bunnies.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Self-cleaning

The self-cleaning function addresses any accumulated dirt, hair, and other debris on the brush roller to help maintain the H14’s cleaning efficiency over time. After each cleaning session, you simply place the vacuum on its charging dock and press the self-cleaning button on the handle.

Once activated, the vacuum uses a combination of 140-degree Fahrenheit water and powerful suction to flush out the accumulated debris from the brush roll, then dries and sterilizes it with hot air. The system offers two options for the latter function, which you access by long pressing the self-cleaning button: Quiet, which takes about an hour, or Super Speed, which does the job in five minutes.

In practice, I found the flash cleaning best reserved for quick refreshes of the brush, such as after cleaning a small spill. Most of the time, though, Quiet mode delivered a more thorough washing.

Specifications

Should you buy the Dreame H14 wet and dry vacuum?

At $599.99, the Dreame H14 seems like a modest investment for the convenience of tackling two unpopular chores at once and removing the “ick” factor of vacuum/mop maintenance.

If the opportunity to streamline your cleaning routine sounds appealing, the Dreame H14 is worth considering.