Dreametech H12 Pro review: a more convenient floor cleaner

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If you have hard floors, keeping them clean is a double drag, requiring you to haul out a vacuum and a mop. The Dreametech H12 Pro will not only reduce the number of tools needed, it will shrink the amount of effort needed to get the job done.

This is a cordless wet/dry stick vac that sweeps and mops simultaneously, handling everything from daily dust build-up to liquid spills. It then self-cleans its roller brush to ensure it’s ready for the next job.

Your traditional vacuum and mop are meant to be stored out of sight when not in use. The H12 Pro must be continuously connected to an electrical outlet to recharge its battery and self-clean its roller brush. Knowing this appliance will be out in the open, its designers have given it a discreet footprint.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of smart vacuum cleaners.

Despite carrying two water tanks—one for clean water (900ml, 30.4 ounces), one for dirty (700ml, 23.7 ounces)—the H12 Pro has a very slim profile, making it easy to place in a corner or other small space. The body’s black matte finish and gray accents blend into the background of almost any room décor.

The vacuum body and handle ship as separate pieces that need to be assembled. Simply slide the handle into a port on top of the vacuum body until it clicks into place. The charging base is a single unit, but there are two “storage boxes” that you must attach to either side. One is to hold the spare roller brush and the other is for the replacement filter and cleaning tool. Both snap into place with little effort.

It takes three hours to charge the H12 Pro’s 4,000mAh battery pack, after which you’ll get about 35 minutes of cleaning time.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

When you’re ready to clean your floors, remove the clean-water tank from the back of the vacuum and fill it with tap water. Optionally, you can enrich the water with cleaning fluid that’s provided with the vacuum.

After you reinsert the clean-water tank, gently step on the base of the vacuum to recline its handle and press the power button. The H12 Pro defaults to Auto mode, which automatically adjusts the suction power and water level according to how much dirt it detects. A second button on the handle lets you toggle to Ultra mode for deep cleaning, or Suction mode to suck up liquid without mopping, as when your child spills juice on the floor.

In my testing, Auto mode was sufficient for regular floor maintenance. The H12 Pro made easy work of sucking up household debris, liquid spills, and sticky stains. For mopping, it uses a high-speed brushless motor that enables it to wipe the floor 520 times per minute. This had the effect of not just lifting stubborn grime, but also leaving the floor only slightly damp. While smart vacuums often perform well in open space, they typically struggle to clean along wall edges and corners. The H12 Pro, however, easily hugged my baseboards because the roller brush extends the full length of the vacuum’s base.

The H12 Pro’s LED display provides visual and audio feedback during cleaning. You can view the current battery level, cleaning mode, water levels in both tanks, and the amount of dirt being cleaned as indicated by a colored ring around the display. It glows green when dirt is light, amber when average levels of dirt are detected, and red when dirt is heavy. The H12 Pro will also alert you to malfunctions, such as when the roller brush is stuck or its tubes become blocked.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Once you’re done cleaning, you remove the dirty-water tank from the front of the vacuum, pour out its contents, and reinstall it. Then you dock the vacuum on its charging base and press the self-cleaning button on top of the handle for three seconds. The H12 Pro will rinse its roller while rotating it forward and backward until it’s clean, then hot-air dry it to prevent bacterial growth and bad odors. During self-cleaning, the vacuum uses water from the clean-water tank, so it’s important to refill it if it is empty after you’ve mopped your floors. Once the self-cleaning is complete, you’ll need to empty the dirty-water tank again.

While self-cleaning will keep the H12 Pro functioning between cleanings, you will need to perform some manual maintenance periodically. As with a conventional vacuum, you will need to use the supplied cleaning tool to remove hair tangles and debris from the roller brush now and then, and you’ll want to check the suction inlet regularly to ensure it’s clear. But you’ll also need to regularly clean both water tanks, the filter, and the dirt sensor. None of this is arduous, and all you need is clean water and a cloth. Better yet, none of this comes with the ick factor of wringing out a dirty string or sponge mop.

The $500 Dreametech H12 Pro is a worthwhile investment if you have a lot of hard flooring in your home, particularly if you have small children, careless teens, or pets who make frequent messes. The convenience of having a single lightweight tool to handle these types of daily household disasters can’t be overstated. Even if you just want an easier way to keep your floors gleaming, the H12 Pro is worth considering.