Dreame is one of today's leading manufacturers of robot vacuum cleaners, offering cutting-edge products such as the excellent Dreame L10 Ultra, which we tested. These products feature advanced navigation and obstacle detection technology, which Dreame has used to design its first autonomous robot lawnmower, the Dreame A1. As is increasingly the case with this type of device, installation is entirely wireless and requires no boundary cables. But Dreame goes one step further, even doing away with the need for an antenna. Instead, it uses OmniSense wide-angle 3D LiDAR to position itself, but also to detect obstacles. So it's easy to install, while offering plenty of customization options to map your garden the way you want. We've been testing it for several weeks now, so let's take a closer look.
Unpacking the Dreame A1
The Dreame A1 arrives in a large box displaying the robot's main functions.
When you open the box, a large cardboard sheet shows you the steps to follow to set up the robot. Perfect for those in a hurry who don't want to read the manual right off the bat :)
The entire interior is perfectly protected, so the robot won't suffer in transit:
Once unpacked, we find the robot mower itself, accompanied by its charging station and power supply, fixing pegs, 9 spare blades and a manual.
Although Dreame is new to the robotic lawnmower market, it has not neglected the A1's design. The result is a sleek, futuristic design that makes it look like an aerodynamic spaceship. Or Porsche's next concept car. Whatever you like :)
We've even got an imitation-carbon-fibre plastic front end:
Or a large brake light at the rear. Well, an imitation, since in reality it doesn't light up, and wouldn't be of much interest either.
Even the wheels are semi-square! The designers have really indulged themselves, and the styling is clearly taken from fine cars, a far cry from what usually exists in this field. In fact, it won an IF Design Award 2024. No wonder :)
It's almost too much, though, since unfortunately in real life, robot mowers are treated rather badly and are quickly scratched by low-hanging branches as they pass. But hey, it's beautiful, you can't deny that!
In terms of dimensions, it measures 64.3 x 43.7 x 26.1 cm, for 12kg, which is relatively compact for a robot capable of mowing up to 2000m2.
At the front, the charging pins are integrated into the frame, again making them resemble car headlights.
A LiDAR dome is fitted on top for navigation and obstacle detection. On delivery, it is protected by a plastic cap, which you'll need to remember to remove:
As with all robotic mowers, a large stop button allows you to interrupt mowing in an emergency. More importantly, a flap conceals the control panel. This features a color screen, a rotating wheel and a few buttons, making the mower easy to control without the need for a telephone.
Everything is protected by this cover, which is just as well, not only to protect the screen, but also the rotary knob which, while it looks good, also feels plastic when in use. But it does the job. Concealing everything under this cover also contributes to the robot's sleek appearance.
As for the underside, the Dreame A1 features three blades that are easy to replace thanks to their quick-release mechanism. The rotary table provides a cutting width of 22cm.
Additional blades are also included in the box, which is a welcome addition.
At the front, two small wheels are present to help the robot steer. If you've read my previous reviews, you'll know that this is a negative point for me, unfortunately. This type of front wheel easily blocks the robot at the slightest hole (mole, dog, etc.). Note also the small pictogram prohibiting cleaning under pressure. However, the robot is IPX6-rated, so only the area underneath at the front should be avoided when washing. Keep this in mind.
A final detail: a compartment for the optional 4G communication module (€249). Useful if your Wifi doesn't cover the whole garden, but also for activating the anti-theft function.)
The docking station is very simple. Essentially, it's a plastic plate that attaches using the screws supplied.
The upper part is equipped with an integrated brush to clean the LiDAR every time the robot comes to park. Rather clever, especially as this Lidar is the robot's main means of navigation. It's time to take care of it!
As for the charging cable, it's slim and long (over 5m), making it easy to place the docking station wherever you like in your garden, even if you don't have an external socket nearby.
Installing the Dreame A1
Installing a robotic lawnmower is usually a laborious task. Fortunately, this process is really easy with the Dreame A1. Since it's completely wireless, you don't need to install a boundary wire (a task that can sometimes take up to a day!). Nor does it need a positioning antenna, making it very easy to install. All you need to do is find a flat place to position the docking station. And to make things even easier, the Dreame A1 doesn't require you to place the docking station next to or on the lawn, as it lets you create paths to a given location, without mowing!
The station is secured to the ground by long plastic screws:
Place the robot on it, plug the station into an electrical outlet, and that's it for the physical set-up! It couldn't be simpler!
All that's left to do is add the robot mower to the Dreame application. It's the same app we use for our robot vacuum cleaners. Simply request to add a product, scan its QRcode, then configure the Wifi network to be used.
Adding a product takes just a few seconds. You'll find your robot lawnmower alongside your robot vacuum cleaner, if you already own one. It's always a good thing not to multiply applications.
Connected objects are usually updated right from the start. This is the case with the Dreame A1, which has received several updates since I started using it, proof that developers are fine-tuning its operation.
Once the mower is paired with your phone, it invites you to map your garden by controlling it remotely. A short video briefly explains how to do this, along with a few instructions to follow.
The principle is the same as on other competitor models we've already tested: you drive the robot like a remote-controlled car from your smartphone, and have it do the entire contour of your lawn. It's that easy!
You can create different work zones by defining virtual boundaries. You can also create forbidden zones, which is useful if you have a swimming pool, a flowerbed without borders, or a ground-mounted solar station, for example.
Depending on the size of your garden, the mapping process may take some time. However, the robot's navigation is precise and the connection remains stable throughout the process.
At the end of the process, you get a “classic” 2D map, but also a 3D map that's quite impressive: in my case, you can see a dotted representation of my house, with the top of the roof over 8m high! This is made possible by Lidar technology, as we already know from robot vacuum cleaners.
If the station is not in the mowing zone, you are invited to create a path linking the two. This is done in the same way as for mapping, simply by directing it with your smartphone. This is very practical, as it allows the charging station to be moved to another location.
If the terrain is divided into several zones, it is entirely possible to recreate them in the application.
Here, I've created two distinct zones:
Until very recently, the Dreame A1 was limited to two zones, which was a bit of a problem for me, as I have three zones. But a recent update corrects this by adding support for up to 5 zones!
Once configured, the app also lets you control various parameters. For example, you can set the mowing height directly from the app, from 3 to 7cm, and even define a different height for each work zone if you wish.
Likewise, you can set the mowing direction or let the robot change it automatically after each cycle (5° deviation at each mowing), for better mowing results and a healthier lawn. However, this setting applies to all zones and cannot be differentiated by zone.
You can also set the obstacle detection height and deactivate rain or frost protection. However, it's best to leave these activated, as the robot won't mow if it's raining or freezing, to avoid damaging your lawn.
You can, of course, define a mowing schedule, which can vary between spring/summer and autumn/winter. This schedule can also be drawn up for the whole garden or for specific areas.
The approach is not very intuitive, however, as you need to define specific mowing days, but you can't ask the robot to mow the lawn every other day, for example. You must also specify the start and end times of your program, which means that the robot will mow continuously during this period, even if it has to make several passes. On the contrary, if your time slot is too short, it will stop mowing even if it hasn't finished.
A nice touch: as with all the brand's robot vacuum cleaners, you can select the language used by the robot. No more error codes or beeps, the robot speaks to us in French to inform us of everything it's doing.
Dreame A1 robotic lawnmower: in use
To control the robot, you can use the app, the built-in screen or the Google Assistant and Alexa voice assistants. You can send it to mow a specific area, your whole garden or just the edges. To avoid accidents, it sends a notification before mowing, so you know it's about to start working. It also displays an estimate of the time it expects to take to mow, so there are no unpleasant surprises.
When mowing, the robot works meticulously. It follows a U-shaped trajectory for each area, creating clear, perfectly parallel corridors, for an aesthetically pleasing result. It finishes its task by mowing the edges, ensuring that the entire surface is covered.
You can choose between two mowing speeds: a standard speed, which covers around 120 square meters per hour, or 1000m2 over a day, and an efficient speed for fast mowing, which can cover around 200 square meters per hour, or 2000m2 over a day.
Whatever the mode, results are good and the grass is cut evenly, with no gaps along the path. However, the Dreame A1 has trouble with corners and edges. Indeed, it takes a curved path when there is a right angle, meaning that a relatively large area is left uncut. Similarly, although it follows the trajectory traced when mowing the edges, a small area of around 3-4 cm remains uncut if you have a fence or wall next to your lawn.
Unfortunately this is not specific to this robot, as most models using this type of mapping also have this problem.
The blades are sharp and durable. Grass is cut cleanly and evenly. The cutting height is also adjustable, from 3 to 7 cm. Like all robotic mowers, the A1 mulches: it cuts a few millimeters of grass, which it leaves in the lawn to nourish it. So there's no need to collect grass, and it contributes to a healthier lawn. Ideally, you should let it mow very regularly (almost every day) to ensure a perfect lawn in all circumstances. In my house, for example, it's scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. We prefer to be quiet in the afternoons, especially now that we're in summer, so we can enjoy the garden :)
As we saw in the settings above, the robot mower can automatically detect rain and stop working. But beware: it uses its Lidar to do this, not a dedicated rain sensor. Light rain is therefore not always well detected.
In wet conditions, large wheels can damage the ground, especially in heavy rain such as we experienced in June, leaving tracks and risking damage to the lawn surface. Hence the importance of not mowing when it's raining, and of allowing a certain amount of time before putting it to work.
The Dreame A1 uses LiDAR technology to navigate and detect obstacles. So, unlike other robotic mowers, it doesn't need boundary cables, antennas or RTK/EPOS stations to locate itself. Such an innovative approach to localization can be risky and seem less accurate. In the early days, I was a little skeptical about the results, compared with an excellent Segway i108E, for example. But there have been many updates since then, and to date the A1 can navigate smoothly and even detect and automatically avoid obstacles such as trees, toys and tools.
The robot's obstacle detection is actually quite reliable and efficient. It can identify and avoid obstacles. And you can adjust the system's sensitivity to detect objects smaller than 5, 10, 15 or 20 cm. In most cases, the A1 is cautious, and avoids a relatively wide zone of just a few centimetres around obstacles, which will therefore not be mowed.
It's worth noting, however, that although obstacle detection is excellent, it doesn't always prevent a collision. Here, an unfortunate branch protruding from a bush scratched the plastic on the side :(
While other elements have left their mark on the front. As we said above, while the design is superb, it won't avoid the marks caused by this type of device.
Secondly, while it detects obstacles, it doesn't recognize them, as would a Navimow i105E, for example. For the simple reason that it doesn't have a camera, but “just” a Lidar. A garden hose or a small toy left in the grass may not be detected. Unless you set obstacle detection to 5cm. But then it will also take tall grass as an obstacle, which it will bypass. So you'll have to test what best suits your needs.
In my tests, the A1 meticulously followed the predefined paths and work zones. It stayed within the set limits and covered the whole area without getting lost. It was also able to return to the station after each mowing session without a hitch, despite a passageway barely 1m wide between two areas.
The Dreame A1 is designed to cope with slopes of up to 45% (24°), thanks to its all-terrain wheels, although steep inclines are not ideal as the robot is not equipped with brakes. Sometimes it slips, but then comes back to mow the whole area properly. A word of warning though: the small front wheels can unfortunately sometimes block it in the event of a hole, such as a molehill or a hole made by your dog :/ I'm definitely not a fan of the small front wheels, and much prefer the Segway's large, motorized front wheels.
Another detail: the manufacturer hasn't provided an easy way to take the robot in hand, if you need to get it out of a tricky situation or put it back on its station. The front and rear plastics are a little “soft” and deform if the robot is carried by its body. This is not very practical, even if this need is supposed to be exceptional.
As for noise, when mowing, the Dreame A1 is barely audible (approx. 55 dB at 1m), so you can operate it in the evening and even on Sundays if you wish. You won't disturb the neighbors! It's possible at night too, and it's perfectly capable of detecting the slightest obstacle, such as hedgehogs. But even if the robot won't harm them, it will still disturb this nocturnal life that needs to be left alone.
As for battery life, the Dreame A1 can mow around 180 square meters on a single charge, which takes around 100 minutes. It can then automatically return to the station to recharge (in around nine hours) and pick up where it left off. For large gardens, it is therefore advisable to create several work zones and spread mowing tasks over several days or nights to ensure complete coverage.
Last but not least, the blades are easy to replace, simply by pressing a button on the back of the cutting disc. No need for a screwdriver! And there's easy access to the battery hatch, so it can be easily replaced if necessary. A good point for the robot's durability!
Conclusion
Dreame isn't the first robot vacuum cleaner manufacturer to spill over into the garden. Ecovacs has also done so. It's always a risky bet, because although the navigation technology is very similar, the garden has many other parameters to take into account, such as the much larger surface area, the often limited range of Wifi, slopes, holes, etc.
Although I was sceptical about its navigation quality at the outset, I have to admit that the many updates have since clearly corrected the teething problems, making this Dreame A1 a very efficient robot mower indeed, thanks to its wide-angle OmniSense 3D LiDAR, used for navigation and obstacle detection, thus eliminating the need for cables or antennas.
Overall, this is a reliable stand-alone mower with a good capacity (up to 2000m2), a pleasing design and really easy to install. The easiest to install model I've ever tested, in fact.
The only criticism I'd level at it is the use of small wheels at the front (yes, you'll have gathered by now that this is a major drawback for me :p). It's better to have a really “clean” terrain, with no holes, so that the robot can really navigate without any problems. But rest assured, blockages are very rare, and the most important holes are avoided thanks to the radar. We'd also have liked to see a built-in camera, not only to recognize obstacles, but also to be able to make a security round of your garden, as some of its vacuum cleaner models do.
A final word on the price, which approaches €2,000, which is nothing to sneeze at. Fortunately, it's currently on special offer at 1799€. If your lawn is over 1000m2 (well, an area to be mowed of over 1000m2), this is a choice to be taken into account, even if I'd rather opt for a V2, which will erase these minor teething problems. If you have less, on the other hand, I'd opt for a Navimow i105E or i108E, which cost almost half as much, and whose mowing quality is just as good, if not better.
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