DREAME is a true expert in the field of vacuum cleaners. It is therefore not surprising that the relatively young subsidiary brand MOVA also offers smart household helpers with the practical combination function of vacuuming and mopping. In the MOVA M50 Ultra test, we took a look at the latest model and put it through its paces.
Technical data
| Model | MOVA M50 Ultra |
| Suction power | 22,000 Pascal |
| Dimensions | 256 × 275 × 1180 mm |
| weight | 5.8 kg |
| Wiping modes | – Smart mode – Smart-Solution-Mode – Suction mode |
| Water tank volume | Fresh water: 800 ml Dirty water: 700 ml |
| App | Mova home app |
| Features | – Flexible joint in the support bar – Extendable support bar – Robot arm for great edge cleaning – Automatic addition of cleaning solution |
| Self-cleaning | – Intelligent self-cleaning (approx. 34 min) – Intensive self-cleaning (approx. 12 min) – Hot water wash up to 100°C – Hot air drying |
| Price | € 499.00 * |
Scope of delivery
- MOVA M50 Ultra vacuum cleaner
- Spare mop roll
- Cleaning tool
- 500 ml cleaning concentrate
- HEPA replacement filter
- Operating instructions
- Quickstart-Guide
- Cleaning station
MOVA M50 Ultra test: design and workmanship
The MOVA M50 Ultra measures 256 × 275 × 1180 mm and weighs 5.8 kg. This puts it at the average size and weight level of conventional vacuum cleaners. In terms of appearance, the manufacturer has opted for a black housing with light gray, bronze and glittering accents. For the most part, MOVA takes the usual approach to assembly.
The ergonomically shaped handle is located in the upper area, which not only houses the control unit but also a small display. This clearly distinguishes it from the MOVA X4 Pro (Review | € 399.00 *) and other common mop vacuums, which usually have a much larger display on the top of the main unit.
Instead, the M50’s solution reminds me of the Roborock Flexi Pro (Review | € 463.00 *). Despite the smaller form factor, I am completely satisfied with the display. Here you can see the most important parameters such as battery charge, degree of soiling and current cleaning mode. There are a total of six buttons on the handle (on/off, cleaning mode, self-cleaning, bending the rod, extending the rod, WiFi/language setting).
Before we get to the main unit, we need to take a closer look at the handlebar. You can bend the bar using a trigger on the handle and extend it using another button to increase the reach under flat furniture. The main unit has a practical carrying handle, which makes it much easier to transport the vacuum cleaner. In addition to the battery and motor, the main unit also contains the 700 ml dirty water tank.
This can be easily removed by pressing the corresponding switch. Inside there is not only a practical sieve that separates dirty water from solids, making disposal easier. There is also an aroma stick to prevent the formation of unpleasant odors. The 800 ml fresh water tank is located on the cleaning unit, which is intended to provide additional pressure on the floor.
You can extend this by pressing a button on the left and right. This can be a bit annoying, as unlike the dirty water tank, you always need two hands to remove it. The separate detergent tank is a positive feature. This allows the vacuum cleaner to automatically add detergent. Cleaning solution can be poured into the separate tank via a rubber stopper.
MOVA has opted for an almost rimless design for the roller, which promises strong cleaning in the edge area. There is a rubber lip in front of the roller that scrapes the floor in front of the roller. There is one drive wheel in the middle instead of the typical two, which is intended to ensure greater maneuverability. This is motorized and assists with forward and backward movements.
MOVA M50 Ultra test: Setup
Setting up the MOVA M50 Ultra is not rocket science. Even those who have never set up a vacuum cleaner before will be able to use the appliance in just a few minutes. This is not least due to the fact that the appliance is delivered almost completely assembled.
As the user, all you have to do is insert the handle into the main unit, place the cleaning and charging station in a suitable place with a socket and fill the fresh water tank with water. The time while the M50 Ultra is charging its battery in the charging station can be put to good use by taking out your smartphone.
Here you install the MOVA app to get the most out of the smart household helper. In practice, this also works surprisingly quickly. Once the WiFi of the vacuum cleaner has been reset, it can be integrated into the home network. Although this is optional, it opens up a number of setting options for the user.
MOVA M50 Ultra test: child’s play to operate
Whether you want to use the M50 Ultra with the MOVA app or not is up to you. Unlike with robot vacuums, for example, using the app is still not essential for mopping vacuums. Everyone has to decide for themselves whether they want to add another device to their home network. However, if you decide to use the app, you will be offered a lot. For example, you can easily start the self-cleaning function from the start page.
This is particularly convenient if you have forgotten to activate it at the touch of a button after the last cleaning tour. Further settings can also be made here for the cleaning itself. For example, you can specify which cleaning mode the vacuum cleaner should start with, how much assistance the motorized wheels provide when moving and whether the robotic arm, which we already know from the Dreame H15 Pro (Review | € 399.00 *), should be active or not. You can also specify how intensively the vacuum cleaner should work in smart mode.
You can also customize the self-cleaning function according to your wishes. I find the feature that self-cleaning starts automatically when you place the vacuum cleaner in the station particularly practical. Operating the appliance itself is at least as straightforward as using the app. It is controlled using the buttons on the handle.
The user receives acoustic feedback from the vacuum cleaner after every input. The heavy weight of the M50 Ultra is hardly noticeable during use. This is due to the motorized wheel, which supports the user when moving the heavy vacuum cleaner.
This ensures a high level of comfort when the smart household helper is moved forwards or backwards. The folding handle also ensures comfort in practice. Especially in combination with the 180° flat design, this makes cleaning under flat furniture child’s play.
MOVA M50 Ultra test: Cleaning
The MOVA M50 Ultra comes with a suction power of 22,000 Pascal and offers the user a choice of three modes. By default, most people will probably choose the Smart mode. Here, the vacuum cleaner automatically adjusts the suction and mopping power to the level of dirt measured by the dirt sensor. The color on the display shows whether the area is clean (green), slightly dirty (yellow) or dirty (red). There is also a now common suction mode.
Here, the cleaning roller is not soaked with water from the fresh water tank. Instead, it rotates and, in combination with the vacuum switched on, liquids can be sucked up – perfect for when a glass tips over. The third mode in the group is the auto-solution mode. To be honest, this mode puzzled me during the test. According to MOVA, the cleaning concentrate from the corresponding tank is automatically diluted and added to the water.
It sounds great in theory, but in practice I honestly couldn’t see much difference compared to Auto mode. In the end, the most important thing is how well the vacuum cleaner cleans. The M50 had no problems whatsoever with normal soiling such as damp jam, a mixture of milk and cereal and a puddle of coffee. However, it struggled a little with large-format dirt such as cornflakes and stubborn stains such as the Nutella stain we created and dried jam.
Here it took a few strokes for the M50 Ultra to take on the stains. This is not surprising. After all, the vacuum cleaner lacks features such as a hot water function to cope better with such stains. Other models such as the Dreame H15 Pro Heat (Review | € 499.00 *) show how well this works. The M50 Ultra leaves a very good impression in the cleaning test, but not an outstanding one.
MOVA M50 Ultra test: self-cleaning
Of course, there is also a self-cleaning function on board the MOVA M50 Ultra. You can, or rather should, activate this as soon as you have placed the vacuum cleaner in the charging station after cleaning. You can choose between two different self-cleaning modes via the app. Firstly, there is the Smart Self-Cleaning mode. Here, the cleaning roller is extensively cleaned with hot water for 5 minutes.
The degree of cleaning depends on the degree of soiling. The roller is then dried for just under half an hour. Alternatively, there is also a deep-cleaning mode. This works with 100°C hot water and also relies on hot air drying, which takes a total of 12 minutes.
Both modes have their advantages and disadvantages. In deep-cleaning mode, you can be sure that no bacteria will survive thanks to 100°C hot water. Conversely, Smart mode saves energy costs and is much quieter when drying. However, the mop vacuum cleaner is not only cleaned in the station. The 4,000 mAh battery is also charged here.
However, the station cannot charge the battery while self-cleaning is taking place. Therefore, a minimum charge of 25% is required. Once self-cleaning is complete, the battery charging starts. With a full battery, the vacuum cleaner could last just under half an hour in Smart mode. This should be sufficient for most homes, but some competitors now beat this value by a considerable margin.
Conclusion
With the MOVA M50 Ultra, the young Dreame subsidiary MOVA delivers a well-designed and powerful vacuum cleaner that scores highly in everyday use thanks to its ease of use. The flexible design with an articulated and extendable handlebar, the large fresh and dirty water tank and the almost rimless roller with robotic arm ensure that even hard-to-reach areas can be cleaned thoroughly. Operation is straightforward and well thought-out, both on the appliance and via the app, and the motorized drive wheel noticeably takes the weight and effort out of the work.
The cleaning performance is very good on typical everyday stains – liquids, muesli, jam or coffee are quickly dealt with. For very stubborn or dried-on stains, however, the M50 Ultra needs several strokes and cannot quite keep up with models that also work with a hot water function during cleaning. The self-cleaning function is convincing in everyday use and scores points with the freedom to choose between Smart and Deep Cleaning mode. Anyone looking for a vacuum cleaner that combines ease of use, convenience and excellent cleaning performance will find the MOVA M50 Ultra a powerful everyday helper. Only when it comes to extremely stubborn stains do other premium appliances currently offer slightly better performance.
PRO
CONTRA Very good vacuum cleaner with a strong focus on comfort and automation, which only weakens when it comes to stubborn stains.
MOVA M50 Ultra
Design & processing
Ease of use
Cleaning performance
Equipment
Price-performance ratio
92/100
