Z1 Pro
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →Dreame's top small cordless pool robot, with a remote that steers it underwater. It suits small or medium pools if you'd rather call it over than fish it out. Without the latest software, though, its cleaning can be patchy.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Dreame’s range
- Z1Same claimed suction, no remote, slightly smaller claimed coverage
- Z1 ProThis model
- Dreame J1A surface skimmer rather than an underwater cleaner
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What reviewers found
Two hands-on tests, and they land in different places. Android Authority ran it over two days in a small pool that already looked clean and was impressed by how much dirt it still picked up. PCWorld tested it for longer, with real storm debris and scattered leaves, and found it slow and patchy until a firmware update lifted it to about 90 per cent pickup. Both liked the magnetic charger and both found the remote hit and miss, while PCWorld rated the app highly.
Android Authority, hands-on · PCWorld, hands-on
Floor, wall and waterline
Mixed resultsAndroid Authority found it cleans very well, lifting plenty of gunk from a small pool that already looked clean. PCWorld's storm-dirtied pool was barely touched at first, and even after a firmware update visible debris stayed on and around the steps.
Debris
Mixed resultsFine dirt was no problem for Android Authority, whose basket filled with gunk. Leaves were: PCWorld saw it leave many of its test leaves behind until a firmware update, after which pickup was good but not great.
Coverage and navigation
Not enough evidenceOnly PCWorld judged its route, finding it one of the slowest robots it has tested, leaving large areas untouched before an update and once spinning on the spot for nearly ten minutes. Its app maps were unreliable after the first.
Battery and charging
Mixed resultsBoth testers liked the magnetic charger, which needs no plugs or seals. Android Authority had battery to spare in a small pool but found a full charge takes four to six hours, the slowest of the mains-charged robots it tried. PCWorld found a cloth supplied for drying the contacts.
Filter and retrieval
Mixed resultsIt parks at the waterline when done, which Android Authority liked, and PCWorld found the hinged basket easy to empty. But PCWorld saw it sink again after five minutes, and both found the light-based remote needed repeated tries. It weighs about 27 pounds.
Pool types it suits
Not enough evidenceNeither of the reviews we use compared it across pool types. Android Authority tested a small pool and suggests it's best suited to smaller pools; PCWorld used an L-shaped pool.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidencePCWorld's first remote was dead on arrival and needed replacing. None of the reviews we use has run it long-term or judged Dreame's support.
Value
Mixed resultsAndroid Authority calls it a steal at its sale price, though expensive at full price. PCWorld says its premium price demands top-tier cleaning, which it didn't deliver until a firmware update, and even then only good rather than great.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Cleaning depends on the firmware
PCWorld dropped it into a pool full of storm debris and, after three hours, found the basket less than half full and the pool barely touched. It picked up only about two-thirds of a batch of test leaves. After a firmware update and six full runs, pickup rose to roughly 90 per cent, though debris was still left on and around the steps. In Android Authority's pool, which already looked clean, the basket still came out with plenty of gunk. Update it before judging it.
The remote works, eventually
The light-based remote is the Pro's big extra. Android Authority could always get the robot to do what it wanted, but sometimes only after several tries, and Dreame's advice is to wave the remote around. PCWorld's first remote was dead on arrival. The replacement often needed up to a minute of pressing and waving, so the tester ended up using it only to call the robot to the waterline for collection. Think of it as a handy recall button, not a steering wheel.
Slow, and collection is time-limited
PCWorld called it one of the slowest pool robots it has tested, crawling across the floor, and once found it spinning in one spot for nearly ten minutes mid-run. When it finishes, it climbs to the waterline and holds on for only five minutes before sinking back down. Android Authority liked the auto-parking at the edge, which saves fishing for it. If you can't be poolside when a run ends, watch for the app notifications or keep the hook handy.
Easy charging, but not quick
Both testers liked the magnetic charger, which snaps on without plugs or rubber seals, and PCWorld found a small cloth on the cable for drying the contacts. The downside, per Android Authority, is time: four to six hours for a full charge, the slowest of the mains-charged robots it tested. Battery life was ample in its small pool, with over 60 per cent left at the end of a run. Charge it overnight rather than between back-to-back cleans.
An app that maps the pool
PCWorld rated the app as perhaps the best it has used, and the first to draw a map of the pool after a run. The first map of its L-shaped pool was reasonable, but later ones were much worse. End-of-run reports were usually accurate, though one claimed a two-hour run had cleaned just three square metres. The single-piece basket lifts out of a top hatch and opens on a hinge, and PCWorld found it easy to empty.
Both reviews date from 2025. PCWorld's results changed after a firmware update during testing.
Our take
Should you buy the Z1 Pro?
Best for: Pools whose owners want a cordless cleaner they can call to the edge. Skip it if: You want simple setup with little time spent adjusting maps or settings.
Buy it for a small or medium pool if you want a cordless robot called up by remote rather than fished out with a hook, and you'll keep the firmware updated. If you'd rather it floated up and waited for you, the Beatbot AquaSense 2 does that.
The Z1 Pro tops Dreame's small pool range, above the plain Z1. It's cordless, cleans the floor, walls and waterline, and drives sideways along the waterline rather than bobbing up and down. What the Pro adds is a hand-held remote that talks to the robot with pulses of light, so you can steer it or call it to the edge while it's underwater. It charges through a magnetic lead with no plugs or seals.
Android Authority found it lifted plenty of gunk from a small pool that already looked clean and had battery to spare. PCWorld's storm-dirtied pool was barely touched after three hours and only about two-thirds of its test leaves were collected, until a firmware update lifted pickup to good but not great, with debris still left around the steps. PCWorld called it one of the slowest pool robots it has tested and once found it spinning on the spot for nearly ten minutes. Both found the remote needed repeated waving, and PCWorld's first one was dead on arrival. Android Authority found a full charge takes four to six hours, the slowest of the mains-charged robots it tried, and PCWorld saw it hold at the waterline for only five minutes before sinking again. It's heavy to lift out.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
Yes. It has floor, wall, waterline and all-in-one modes, per the specifications, and moves sideways along the waterline rather than just up and down. Android Authority used the standard mode, which does the lot. Neither review says much about waterline results, so how well it shifts a scum line is still an open question.
How do I get it out of the water?
It climbs to the waterline and parks when it's done, and you can call it there with the remote. PCWorld found it only holds on for five minutes before sinking, after which you need the included hook or another try with the remote. It's heavy, at about 27 pounds according to PCWorld.
Does it handle leaves as well as fine dirt?
It got better with updates. At first PCWorld found it missed a third of its test leaves, and it reached about 90 per cent pickup after a firmware update, still leaving bits around the steps. Android Authority found it lifted plenty of fine gunk from a pool that looked clean. The filter is a 180-micron basket, per the specifications.
Is it cordless, and how long does a charge last?
It's cordless, with over 180 minutes claimed for floor cleaning in Eco mode, per the specifications. Android Authority had over 60 per cent left after a full run in a small pool. Charging is slow, though: four to six hours on the magnetic lead.
Does it need an app?
No. You can pick a mode with the button on top, per the specifications, and steer it with the remote. The app adds scheduling, cleaning reports and a pool map, which PCWorld rated very highly, though its maps and reports weren't always accurate. It only connects when the robot is out of the water.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
AquaSense 2
Why consider it: It cleans the floor, walls and waterline and floats to the edge when done, so collecting it is easier.
The compromise: Testers found steps and fine silt hit and miss, and it doesn't skim.
Scuba V3
Why consider it: It's lighter, and a camera spots debris and drives to it; three testers found it cleans well.
The compromise: You get only about ten minutes to collect it before it sinks.
C2
Why consider it: A simpler cordless robot that two testers found effective on everyday debris across floor, walls and waterline.
The compromise: A third tester found its suction weak.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the Z1 Pro?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
Sources
Videos
- Search YouTube for Dreame Z1 Pro ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.