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Dreame T20 : test / review (handheld vacuum cleaner)

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Published on: 06-02-2021 / Modified: 11-12-2022

I'm not used to testing household appliances but when I find an interesting product, I sometimes get tempted. I bought an iLife vacuum cleaner a few years ago and I still use it today, I made a good choice. This time, I let myself be tempted by a portable wireless vacuum cleaner from Dreame. My wife wanted to buy this kind of product for a long time, so I didn't have to negotiate to convince her to take it.

Dreame is a Chinese brand that is part of the Xiaomi ecosystem, so it's not a small manufacturer and it's not a cheap vacuum cleaner manufacturer either, Dreame is positioned in the premium segment as an alternative to Dyson. Dreame has been around since 2015 and their product strategy makes me think a lot about what Xiaomi is doing in the smartphone world. They take their inspiration freely from the best products on the market and market an alternative at a lower price.

I'm not a vacuum cleaner enthusiast but I have to say that the design of the product made me want to try it. This is exactly what Dreame is trying to do, attract geeks or people attracted by the technological aspect and on this point they have succeeded very well in their bet.

I bought the Dreame T20 on Indiegogo through crowdfunding for about 200€ (while the selling price is around 400€), I bought the vacuum cleaner on the 1st of October 2020 and I received it on the 4th of February 2021. Production and shipping was delayed like most crowdfunding campaigns but in the end everything went very well.

Price / purchase Dreame T20

Dreame product range

I had seen the Dreame products on several sites before buying and had never paid attention to them but now that I test the Dreame T20, I took a look at their product range to better understand the positioning of the Dream T20.

The Dreame product range is divided into two categories: handheld vacuum cleaners and robot vacuum cleaners.

Handheld vacuum cleaners

The Dreame range of portable hoovers starts with the Dreame v9 which represents the entry level. The Dreame v9 strongly resembles the T20 in shape and design but it is these technical features that set it apart. Then there is the Dreame v10 which is positioned above the v9, this one is followed by the Dreame v11 which is undoubtedly the closest to the Dreame T20 with a top-of-the-range positioning.

Beyond the price, these hoovers are distinguished by the following characteristics:

Dreame v9
Battery life: 60 min.
Charging time: 3.5 hours
Suction power: 140 AW / 22000A
Weight: 1.5 kg
Tank capacity: 0.5L

Dreame v10
Battery life: 60 min.
Charging time: 3.5 hours
Suction power: 140 AW / 22000A
Weight: 1.5 kg
Tank capacity: 0.5L

Dreame v11
Battery life: 90 min
Charging time: 4 hours
Suction power: 150 AW / 25000A
Weight: 1.6 kg
Tank capacity: 0.5L

Dreame T20
Battery life: 70 min
Charging time: 4 hours
Suction power: 150 AW / 25000A
Engine rotation: 125,000 revolutions per minute
Weight: 1.6 kg
Tank capacity: 0.6l
The Dreame T20 also has a filtration system with 5 filtration levels.

The Dreame T20 and v11 are fairly comparable to the Dyson v11, the Dyson is a little more powerful (185 AW vs 150 at Dreame) but the price is also significantly higher.

Dreame illustrates what to aspirate according to power with the following image:


Vacuum robots

The range of vacuum cleaners is simpler, there are two models: DreameTech D9 and Dreame F9. Here too, it is the technical features that distinguish them.

Unpacking

The Dreame T20 is delivered in a large cardboard box in which all accessories are stored via a cardboard nesting system. If I were to put all the parts back where I found them, I am not sure I would find the exact location. The whole thing is very well packed, the premium positioning is clearly visible.

The box contains the following items:
- vacuum cleaner (with tank)
- extension rod (red)
- all-surface brush
- battery
- wall mounting bracket
- two-in-one brush
- anti-dust mite brush
- precision brush

Vacuum cleaner


The vacuum cleaner reminds me of a coffee machine in design and shape, this type of Dyson-inspired cleaner gives a more technological feel to something as common as a vacuum cleaner. The Dreame T20 is designed to be used with one hand, it's fairly light and handy. The red trigger is ideally placed to trigger the vacuum, you can either hold it down or use the locking mechanism that allows you to turn the vacuum cleaner on without having to leave your finger on the trigger. The vacuum cleaner has a small screen that allows you to choose the language and then switch between the different suction modes available.

The Dreame T20 has a metallic look but most of the materials are plastic but this does not detract from the high quality impression that comes from the vacuum cleaner. The opening mechanisms are quite simple, the battery is also easily detachable.

There is also a fairly clear desire to control the noise produced by the vacuum cleaner, many grilles not only help to manage the suction flow but also reduce the sound emitted by the vacuum cleaner. The nozzle for attaching the extension rod is equipped with two rods to transmit energy to the brushes, this enables the brush rotation system to be activated in addition to the natural suction of the hoover.



Brushes


Both brushes are equipped with a rotating brush system that accompanies the suction to recover a maximum of dust and dirt. This rotating brush is powered by the vacuum cleaner, it does not rotate by the simple mechanical friction of the vacuum cleaner. The top of the brushes is transparent, you can see what is going into the brush, I'm not sure if this is very useful but it is undoubtedly part of this very technological design of the vacuum cleaner.

There is one brush for all surfaces and another for dust mites but I suppose it will also be suitable for small surfaces such as armchairs.



Other accessories


The box also contains two other types of brushes, one of which is perfect for chair vacuuming with its small brush and finer tip. The other is designed to reach more difficult places such as passing between the cushions of an armchair to collect crumbs. An extension nozzle is also available to allow the brush to be directed in a different direction.



Wall bracket

The Dreame T20 is delivered with a wall bracket and the necessary screws to attach it to the wall. This wall bracket allows the vacuum cleaner to be held in an upright position and also allows the battery to be recharged, so it must be installed near a socket as the recharging cable is not very long.



First impression

After the first subjective impression of unpacking, I quickly tested the vacuum cleaner to get a first impression of its capabilities. I never had a portable vacuum cleaner before the Dreame T20, the first benefit I felt was the manoeuvrability and lightness (compared to a traditional vacuum). The small LCD screen allows you to quickly switch from eco mode to auto or turbo mode. In eco mode, the vacuum cleaner is much quieter than my traditional hoover, which is less the case for turbo mode.

I quickly went over several surfaces to see how the vacuum cleaner performed. On the tiles, in eco mode, I don't feel the suction effect as strongly as my traditional vacuum cleaner, the movement is more fluid where my traditional vacuum cleaner sometimes sucks so hard that it remains stuck to the tiles. The Dreame T20 is therefore less powerful but I can see that it sucks up all the little bits of dirt that I've been over. I also quickly tested the vacuum cleaner on a carpet and there I had to do it in eco mode because in turbo mode the vacuum cleaner gets blocked because the suction is too powerful. In eco mode, I could still see the very clear effect of the hoover.

I will now wait until my house gets a little dirty to test the vacuum cleaner in normal conditions but I know I can count on my son to get the house dirty fairly quickly.

Use

Here is a small video showing the Dreame T20 in different situations. It is very easy to use and its small size allows a more regular use than a traditional vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner starts in eco mode by default, this mode is less noisy than a normal vacuum cleaner but if you turn on the turbo mode, the vacuum cleaner will be much noisier.I measured about 60 dB in eco mode and almost 80 dB in turbo mode.



The Dreame T20 does a good job of vacuuming up dust, I have vacuumed artificial leather waste that fell off the chair like pieces of dirt from my hiking boots, this type of dirt is not a problem. On a carpet, the Dreame T20 is a little less comfortable. If I put the Dreame T20 in car or turbo mode, the vacuum cleaner gets stuck because it sucks too hard and gets stuck to the carpet. In eco mode, it sucks up dust properly but the elements stuck in the carpet don't want to come off. To avoid this problem, attach the rotating brush directly to the vacuum cleaner instead of using the extension tube.

The main brush is equipped with a flexible elbow that allows you to pass all the armchairs or beds, you can pass easily enough under the furniture while keeping contact with the floor. The small brush allows you to attack the armchairs or beds with its anti-dust mite brush. This brush is noisier because it clings more to textiles, it is impossible to know if it really sucks up dust mites but the suction force seems good enough to suck up dust on the surface.

The autonomy of the vacuum cleaner will strongly depend on the mode used because in eco mode the autonomy can go up to 1h30 while in turbo mode it will be between 30 and 50 minutes. Unless you have a very large house, the autonomy should allow you to vacuum everywhere before having to charge it again.

Practical aspects

I've never had a vacuum cleaner of this type and the first benefit I got out of it was that I didn't have to pull a power cable everywhere with me. This is obviously not a unique feature of the Dreame but it is clearly an advantage over a traditional vacuum cleaner. The broom size is also an advantage even for someone as tall as me (1m94), the extension tube is big enough to be able to keep the arm along the body and make forward and backward movements without getting tired. The weight is not a problem since the brush is in contact with the ground.

Vacuum cleaners of this type offer less suction than a traditional vacuum cleaner but this should be enough in most cases, I haven't had to use my old vacuum cleaner since I have the Dreame. Dust or small debris such as crumbs or bird seeds are not a problem. However, if you have a lot of carpets, a traditional vacuum cleaner will probably be more suitable.

The Dreame T20 is quite small, if you wait too long before vacuuming you will probably have to empty the tank before the end. The tank can be opened with a simple button and it is better to be above your trash can because it opens very easily at once, there is nothing to unscrew or detach.

Conclusion / Final review

I'm not an expert in the world of vacuum cleaners (I wonder if this kind of expertise exists) but like everyone else, I need a vacuum cleaner at home. So I took advantage of this purchase on Indiegogo to test the Dreame T20 and share my experience. Contrary to the other devices I test, I will probably keep this vacuum cleaner and publish an update if I discover other things about this product.

This vacuum could be your main vacuum cleaner if the surface to be vacuumed is not too large and if you don't have too much carpet. Most household dirt (dust, crumbs, seeds, ...) is not a problem for the Dreame T20. Its manoeuvrability will allow you to use it more often than a traditional vacuum cleaner, so you can quickly clean up crumbs that your children have dropped on the floor or recover dirt deposited by shoes.

What I liked:
- the maneuverability
- ease of use
- the absence of a power cord
- battery life
- tile suction efficiency
- moderate noise in eco mode

What I liked less:
- turbo mode unusable on carpet
- tank size

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