Narwal Flow 2 Robot Vacuum: AI Object Recognition [2025]

The Robot That Actually Finds Your Stuff: Narwal Flow 2 Explained

Let me be real with you. I've lost enough stuff around my apartment to fill a small museum. Car keys, Air Pods, that one earring that costs more than I want to admit. And I've wasted embarrassing amounts of time crawling around on my hands and knees looking for them.

But what if your robot vacuum could do that for you?

That's basically what Narwal's new Flow 2 does. It's not just another robovac with a fancy marketing angle, either. The Flow 2 combines practical cleaning upgrades with actual AI-powered object detection that scans your floors and logs what it finds. Sounds like science fiction, but the tech is real and it's launching in April 2026.

Here's the thing: robot vacuums have gotten pretty commodity. They all have app control. They all map your home. They all bump into your furniture occasionally. But Narwal's adding a genuinely useful feature that solves a real problem most of us face. That alone makes this worth understanding.

In this guide, I'll break down exactly what the Flow 2 does, how the AI object recognition actually works, what it means for your daily life, and whether it's worth the upgrade if you already own a robovac. Plus, I'll compare it to what else is out there, because competition matters.

TL; DR

• Dual RGB cameras with 136-degree field of view enable unlimited object recognition to find dropped items like jewelry, phones, keys, and wallets
• 30,000 Pa suction power (up from 22,000 Pa) combined with 158°F hot water mopping provides more aggressive cleaning than the original Flow
• Smart home features detect and maintain distance from valuables, find pets while you're away, identify toys, and avoid baby cribs with quiet mode
• April 2026 launch with two docking options: basic water tank or automated refill/drain with reusable dust bag
• No pricing announced yet, but expect premium pricing given the feature set and Narwal's current market position

The Narwal Flow 2 offers a 36% increase in suction power, introduces dual RGB cameras for object detection, and upgrades mopping to 158°F, along with enhanced smart features.

Understanding Robot Vacuum Technology in 2025

Before we dive into what makes the Flow 2 special, let's establish what a modern robovac actually does and why object recognition is such a leap forward.

Robot vacuums have existed for about two decades now. The early models were basically blind bumper cars that sucked. They'd bounce off walls, miss entire rooms, and occasionally get stuck under the couch for three hours (fun fact: my neighbor's Roomba once escaped and was found three houses down the street).

But technology has changed dramatically. Today's premium robovacs use Li DAR (light detection and ranging) to map your home with millimeter-level accuracy. They know the exact location of every wall, doorway, and furniture piece. Many now integrate with smart home systems to avoid certain areas, trigger routines based on proximity, and even call for help if they get stuck.

What they haven't traditionally done is identify individual objects. They've known there's a table, but not whether there's a phone under that table.

That's where Narwal's approach gets interesting. Instead of relying purely on distance sensors and mapping, the Flow 2 uses dual RGB cameras. RGB cameras are the same kind of cameras in your smartphone, not the thermal or depth sensors that most robovacs use. This is crucial because it means the Flow 2 can actually see and identify objects the way humans do.

The difference matters. Li DAR tells you something is 2 feet away. RGB vision tells you that something is specifically a pair of glasses, a key, or a Air Pod.

This shift represents a broader trend in robotics. Instead of purely mechanical and sensor-based solutions, we're seeing more AI-driven context. The robot isn't just executing commands anymore. It's understanding its environment.

When manufacturers say "AI object recognition," they usually mean one of three things:

1. Pre-trained image recognition using neural networks trained on millions of images
2. Rule-based detection using hard-coded rules about what certain objects look like
3. Hybrid approaches that combine both methods

Narwal says the Flow 2 uses "unlimited" object recognition, which suggests they're using a trained neural network rather than a fixed list. That's technically impressive because it means the system can theoretically recognize items it wasn't explicitly programmed to find.

The practical reality? It'll be really good at common items (phones, keys, wallets, jewelry) and probably decent at others. But you might find it misidentifies your cat as a stuffed animal or flags a dark mark on the floor as a lost item.

The magic is that it tries. And when it does work, you get a photo and a location on a map. That's genuinely useful, even if it's 80% accurate instead of 100%.

The Flow 2 shows a 36% increase in suction power compared to the original Flow, placing it competitively among premium models like Dreame and Ecovacs, though still below the maximum offered by some competitors.

How the Dual RGB Camera System Works

The Flow 2's camera system is worth understanding in detail because it's the core innovation that separates this robovac from everything else on the market.

Two RGB cameras mounted on the robot provide a 136-degree combined field of view. That's wider than human vision (which is roughly 114 degrees), which means the cameras can see most of what's in front of the robot without rotating. This is important for responsiveness. The robot doesn't need to pause and rotate to capture images. It can analyze what's in front of it in real-time as it moves.

Dual cameras instead of a single camera serves two purposes:

1. Stereo vision: By comparing slightly offset images from two cameras, the robot calculates depth information. This helps determine if something is actually on the floor or a shadow, reflection, or image on a wall.
2. Redundancy and wider field of view: If one camera gets dirty or blocked, the other still works. And the slight offset increases total coverage.

The cameras work together with Narwal's on-board AI processor. This is critical. Most smart home devices send video to a cloud server for processing. The Flow 2 appears to do at least some processing locally on the robot itself. Why? Because sending video streams to the cloud in real-time would destroy your bandwidth, reduce response time, and raise privacy concerns.

Here's how the system probably works in practice:

1. As the robot moves, the cameras continuously capture images at roughly 30 frames per second
2. The on-board AI processor analyzes each frame against trained models
3. When it identifies something, it flags the object type, confidence level, and location
4. The robot maintains a 5cm distance from the item to avoid vacuuming it
5. A notification with photo and map location is pushed to your phone

That last point is interesting. You're not getting a video feed. You're getting a still photo of the found item with its location on your home's map. This keeps bandwidth manageable and gives you exactly what you need.

The "unlimited" object recognition claim is the slippery part. Unlimited usually doesn't mean the system can recognize every possible object. It means the recognition isn't limited to a pre-defined list. But there are definitely limits. The system was trained on specific objects. It'll be optimized for jewelry, phones, small toys, and keys. Ask it to find something weird, and it'll probably fail.

The Real-World Use Case: Finding Lost Items

Let's talk about why this actually matters in daily life, not just in spec sheets.

I work with a lot of people who have jewelry. A wedding ring, earrings, the occasional expensive watch. The problem is that jewelry gets taken off and set down in weird places. On the nightstand (where it stays for three days). On the bathroom counter (where it gets covered in dust). Under a table (where you forget about it completely).

Tradition says you ask family members if they've seen it. You check obvious locations. You get increasingly frustrated. You call the place you visited yesterday to ask if they found it.

With the Flow 2, you could theoretically just run the robovac and check the app. If it found your ring, it'll tell you the exact room and location on the map.

This is genuinely useful, but with important caveats:

It only works for items the robot encounters. If your earring is under the bed where the robot can't reach, the robot won't find it. If it's inside a drawer or on a shelf, the robot can't see it. The system only scans floors and accessible surfaces.

Accuracy depends on image quality. A dark stone in low lighting might not register. A gold item against a light-colored floor might blend in. The camera quality matters, and phone cameras get dusty.

The robot has to actually run the item detection mode. This is probably a dedicated cleaning mode you activate through the app. It won't passively scan every time the robot runs.

But despite these limitations, it's still more useful than the alternative (which is crawling around your home like you're searching for the lost ark).

One thing worth noting: Narwal is positioning this as finding items you dropped, not items you lost yesterday or last week. The idea is that something fell during the day, and you run the scan while the item is still visible on the floor. That's realistic. You're not searching for something that's been lost for months.

Specialized models, like those for jewelry detection, can achieve higher accuracy (95%) compared to general-purpose models (85%). Estimated data.

Pet Detection and Family-First Features

Beyond lost items, the Flow 2 adds several features specifically designed for homes with pets and children. This is where Narwal is making a bigger bet on AI understanding context, not just finding objects.

Pet location tracking is the marquee feature here. Run the robot, and it'll identify your pet (dog, cat, probably others) and provide its location on the map. You're away from home, you want to know if your dog is napping in the living room or hiding in the bedroom. The Flow 2 tells you.

Again, this works only for pets the robot encounters during its run, and only on accessible floor surfaces. But for people who worry about their pets when they're away, this is borderline essential.

Toy detection and reminders is another addition. The robot identifies misplaced toys and notifies you. Useful for parents trying to keep homes from turning into obstacle courses.

Baby crib detection with quiet mode is honestly clever. The robot can identify a baby's crib and automatically switches to whisper-quiet mode when approaching it. This prevents waking sleeping infants, which is the kind of feature new parents lose sleep (literally) thinking about.

Pet zone detection analyzes where your pet spends the most time and suggests deep-cleaning those areas. This makes sense because pets shed, track in dirt, and create concentrated problem zones. The robot learns these patterns and optimizes cleaning.

Avoid crawling mats is simpler but practical. The robot recognizes mats and play areas where you don't want it vacuuming (or where it might get tangled) and routes around them.

These features represent a shift in how robovacs are marketed. Five years ago, features were about power and coverage. Now they're about understanding your family's specific needs. That's a meaningful evolution.

But here's the honest assessment: these features only work as well as the AI training is extensive. If the training data didn't include many baby cribs from different angles and lighting conditions, crib detection might fail sometimes. Same with pet detection if your pet has unusual coloring or your home has weird lighting.

Cleaning Power and Mopping Capabilities: The Hardware Side

While AI object recognition is the flashy innovation, the Flow 2 also improves where it actually matters: getting your floors clean.

Suction power increased from 22,000 Pa on the original Flow to 30,000 Pa on the Flow 2. That's roughly a 36% improvement. For context, 30,000 Pa puts the Flow 2 in the range of premium flagships from brands like Dreame and Ecovacs. It's not the highest on the market (some competitors push toward 40,000 Pa), but it's solidly competitive.

What does higher suction actually mean? Better pickup on low-pile carpet, more aggressive dirt removal, and stronger performance on hard floors. In practical terms, you'll notice less stuff left behind, especially if you have pets or high-traffic areas.

The mopping side adds 158°F hot water capability. Hot water mopping is becoming table stakes on premium robovacs because warm water dissolves dried-on gunk and sticky residue better than cold water. Think about it like the difference between rinsing dishes under cold water versus hot water. The heat matters.

Narwal is pairing this with what they call "edge-mopping," which means the mopping pad extends to the edges of the robot, not just underneath. This matters because most robovacs leave dirty edges where the pad doesn't reach. Edge-mopping gets closer to baseboards and walls.

The docking system comes in two versions:

1. Standard dock: Water tank only. You manually empty the dirty water, refill the clean water, and manage the dust bin.
2. Auto dock: Automatic water drainage and refill, plus a reusable dust bag. This is more convenient and reduces maintenance.

Both docks include a reusable dust bag (new for the Flow 2) and washable/disposable debris filters. The dust bag is a nice touch because it means you're not constantly dealing with fine dust when emptying the bin.

One thing worth understanding: hot water mopping is harder on seals and components. The heat can degrade plastics and rubber over time. Narwal has presumably engineered the Flow 2 to handle this, but it's something to keep in mind for long-term durability. You might see maintenance costs down the road.

Estimated pricing for Narwal Flow 2 suggests a range from

Comparison: How the Flow 2 Stands Against Competitors

The robot vacuum market is crowded, and Narwal faces serious competition from established players. Let's see how the Flow 2 actually compares.

Against the original Narwal Flow: The Flow 2 is the natural successor, so the comparison is more about whether the upgrades justify the new price. Higher suction (30k vs 22k Pa), hot water mopping, the dual-camera system, and improved pet/object detection are meaningful upgrades. If you don't own a Flow, the Flow 2 is strictly better. If you do own the original, you're paying for incremental improvements.

Against Dreame X40 Ultra: Dreame's flagship offers 12,000 Pa suction and excellent mopping, but it doesn't have the object detection AI. It's more affordable and proven in the market. You get a solid robot without the experimental features.

Against Ecovacs X5 Pro Omni: Ecovacs is the volume player in this space. The X5 Pro has great app integration and ecosystem, but again, no object recognition. It's the safe choice.

Against Samsung Jet Bot AI Ultra: Samsung brings brand recognition and deep smart home integration. But like Dreame and Ecovacs, it lacks the specialized object detection.

The honest truth is that object detection is still somewhat novel for robovacs. It's not mature technology yet. You're adopting something that might work really well or might be disappointing in practice. The competitors are safer bets if you prioritize reliability over innovation.

However, if you specifically care about finding lost items or tracking pets, the Flow 2 is your only real option right now. There's no direct competitor doing the same thing.

The AI Behind Object Recognition: What's Actually Happening

I want to dig deeper into how object recognition actually works because there's a lot of marketing fluff in this space, and you deserve to understand what you're getting.

Modern object detection typically uses neural networks trained on massive datasets. Companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft have released various vision models that can identify objects in images. Narwal probably either licensed a pre-built model or fine-tuned an existing one.

The process typically works like this:

Training phase: A model is shown thousands of images of jewelry, keys, phones, etc., each labeled with what the object is. The model learns to recognize patterns associated with those objects.

Inference phase: When the robot's camera captures a new image, the model compares it to learned patterns and predicts what objects are present.

Confidence scoring: The model returns not just "this is a key" but "this is a key with 87% confidence." The robot can then decide whether to act (if confidence is above a threshold) or ignore uncertain detections.

This is why false positives happen. A dark mark on the floor might match patterns similar to a key or phone at, say, 45% confidence. The robot might flag it, or it might ignore it, depending on the threshold Narwal set.

There's also the challenge of real-world conditions. The training data was probably captured in ideal lighting with clean cameras. Your home has shadows, varied lighting, dusty cameras, and reflections. The model has to generalize from training conditions to your conditions.

Narwal claims "unlimited" object recognition. This likely means they're using a general-purpose vision model rather than a fixed list of recognizable objects. That's technically impressive but also comes with tradeoffs. General models are less accurate at specific tasks than specialized models.

For example, a model specialized in detecting jewelry might achieve 95% accuracy. A general model that can detect jewelry, phones, keys, toys, and other items might achieve 82% accuracy on jewelry but better coverage overall.

The real question is: what accuracy level does Narwal consider acceptable? If the robot gets it right 70% of the time, would you trust it? How about 85%? The marketing won't tell you this, and you probably won't find out until independent reviews test it rigorously.

Privacy implications are worth mentioning. The Flow 2 is using cameras to analyze your home. Narwal claims processing happens on-device, which is better for privacy than cloud processing. But you should verify this in the privacy policy. Are images stored? Are they ever sent to the cloud? Is there any third-party access? These questions matter, especially if you're concerned about surveillance or data collection.

The Narwal Flow 2's features are tailored for families with pets and children, with Pet Location Tracking and Baby Crib Detection rated highest in importance. Estimated data.

The Docking Station Evolution and Maintenance Considerations

Robovac docks have gotten much more sophisticated. The Flow 2's docking options represent where the industry is heading, and it's worth understanding what you're actually getting.

A docking station used to be just a charging dock. Now it's becoming a support system that handles water, dust, and maintenance.

The standard dock approach is simpler but requires manual maintenance:

• You physically empty the vacuum's dust bin
• You refill the clean water tank
• You empty the dirty water tank
• You manage dust filters

This takes about 5 minutes after each use. For some people, this is annoying but acceptable. For others, it's the reason they stick with regular vacuums.

The auto dock (with refill and drain) eliminates some of these tasks:

• Dirty water is automatically drained
• Clean water is automatically refilled
• You still need to manage the dust bag and filters, but less frequently

The new reusable dust bag is worth understanding. Instead of dumping dust into a trash bin (which creates a cloud of particles), the dust is collected into a bag. When you empty the dock, you remove the bag, seal it, and swap it out. This is healthier if you have allergies or asthma.

Washable filters are also an upgrade. Instead of replacing filters regularly (which gets expensive), you rinse them out and reuse them. Over the lifespan of the vacuum, this saves money and reduces waste.

However, here's the catch: maintenance matters. If you don't rinse filters regularly, they clog and suction power drops. If you don't empty the dust bag, the vacuum can smell. If you don't properly drain the dock, mold can grow in the water system.

Automated systems help, but they don't eliminate the need for some user maintenance. Robovacs still aren't truly set-and-forget devices.

For the auto dock specifically, you're paying more upfront (probably $200-300 more than the standard dock), but you're saving time and reducing manual handling of dirty water. Whether that tradeoff is worth it depends on your tolerance for maintenance tasks.

Launch Timeline and Pricing Expectations

The Flow 2 launches in April 2026. That's a few months away from the CES announcement, which gives Narwal time to finalize software, run stress tests, and scale manufacturing.

Pricing hasn't been announced yet. This is where expectations matter.

The original Narwal Flow launched at around

Alternatively, Narwal might want to undercut some competitors and price the Flow 2 at

The standard dock version will definitely be cheaper, probably

Here's my honest take: launching at or below the original Flow's price would be impressive and unusual. Manufacturers typically increase prices with new generations. Narwal could do this if they've drastically improved manufacturing efficiency, but that's rare.

I'd budget for $1,500 minimum if you want the auto dock version, and understand that the actual price might be higher. Start saving now.

One more thing: if you're currently using a robovac, don't rush to upgrade. Let the Flow 2 ship, let real users test it for a month, and let reviews be published. Early adopters on novel tech often encounter bugs or poor software that gets fixed in later versions.

The Flow 2 is expected to have strong integration with Google Home and Amazon Alexa, while Apple HomeKit support is limited. The native app is likely to be functional but may have occasional performance issues. Estimated data.

Smart Home Integration and App Experience

The hardware is only half the story. How the Flow 2 integrates with your smart home matters as much as the physical robot.

Most premium robovacs work with major platforms:

• Google Home: Voice control and automation
• Amazon Alexa: Voice control and automation
• Apple Home Kit: Restricted in the robovac world, but some brands support it
• Native apps: Direct app control without relying on ecosystems

Narwal traditionally has a decent app, and the Flow 2 probably improves on this. The app likely shows:

• Real-time cleaning progress with map visualization
• Photos of detected items with locations
• Pet tracking and location history
• Scheduled runs and customized cleaning zones
• Maintenance reminders (clean filters, empty dock, etc.)

The question is how good the app actually is. A powerful app with an outdated interface is frustrating. An intuitive app with limited features is limiting.

Based on typical robovac app trends, I'd expect the Flow 2's app to be good but not exceptional. It'll probably have everything you need, but it might have occasional bugs or slow performance.

One important feature to look for: can you send the robot to specific spots? Some apps let you tap a location on the map and send the robot there. Others make you define specific rooms or zones. The flexibility here matters if you want to send the robot to a specific spot where you think you might have lost something.

Voice control integration is less critical for robovacs than for other smart home devices, but it's nice to have. "Hey Google, clean the living room" is simpler than opening the app. Whether the Flow 2 supports your chosen voice assistant remains to be seen.

Privacy, Security, and Data Considerations

I want to address something that doesn't get discussed enough: privacy implications of a robot with cameras in your home.

The Flow 2 has two cameras that see your entire home. They're capturing images of your floors, and now with object detection, they're processing and analyzing those images. Where do those images go?

Narwal says processing happens on-device, which is the privacy-friendly approach. But "on-device" might not mean what you think. It could mean:

1. Images never leave the device (truly private)
2. Images are processed locally but metadata is sent to servers (partially private)
3. Images are cached on-device but occasionally uploaded for model improvement (less private)

These are meaningful differences. You need to read the actual privacy policy when it's published.

Some questions to ask:

• Are images stored anywhere? For how long?
• Can Narwal access images if you request support?
• Are images ever used for training or model improvement?
• Can law enforcement request access to stored images?
• Is there end-to-end encryption?

These aren't paranoid questions. Privacy policies for smart home devices are often unclear, and different companies handle this differently.

Security is equally important. If the Flow 2 connects to your Wi-Fi network, it's potentially vulnerable to attacks. Can hackers remotely control it? Can they intercept video streams? Does Narwal regularly release security updates?

Look for:

• Regular security patches
• Encryption for network communication
• Clear data deletion policies
• Transparency about security practices

For some households, these concerns are theoretical. For others (journalists, activists, people in sensitive industries), they're critical.

Future Potential and Where This Technology Is Heading

Object detection on robovacs is the first step in a larger trend. Where does this go from here?

Immediate future (2026-2027): More competitors will copy Narwal's approach. We'll see object detection on robovacs from Ecovacs, Dreame, Samsung, and others within 18 months. Accuracy will improve as companies iterate and expand training data.

Medium term (2027-2029): Robovacs will get smarter about understanding context. Not just "there's a phone on the floor," but "there's a wet phone on the floor next to a glass of water, so it might have been spilled on." Or "there's a child's toy in a dangerous location near the stairs." Multi-modal understanding combining vision, audio, and sensor data.

Long term (2029+): Robovacs become household members in the true sense. They monitor your home's health. They detect spills and hazards. They identify signs of problems (water leak patterns, unusual electrical smells, etc.) and alert you proactively. They become insurance against household emergencies as much as cleaning tools.

The fundamental shift is from "execute this program" to "understand this environment and optimize for household needs." Object detection is the first step, but it's definitely not the last.

For Narwal specifically, the Flow 2 is their bet that pet owners and families with young children will pay for smart understanding. If it works, they've captured a segment. If it doesn't work well, competitors will learn from their mistakes and do it better.

Who Should Actually Buy This (And Who Shouldn't)

Let me be brutally honest about this.

You should consider the Flow 2 if:

• You regularly lose small items like jewelry, keys, or phones in your home
• You have pets and want to know where they are when you're away
• You have young children and want the robot to avoid their play areas
• You're willing to be an early adopter of novel technology and accept some bugs
• You have hardwood or low-pile carpet (object detection works better on hard surfaces)
• You can afford $1,500+ and don't want to stress about money if the object detection doesn't work perfectly

You should probably skip it if:

• You have high-pile carpet (cameras might not see objects on shaggy carpet)
• You have a small apartment (less to lose, less to search)
• You already own a Flow or similar robovac (the upgrades might not feel worth it)
• You're privacy-conscious and won't feel comfortable with cameras in your home
• You want proven, tested technology over novelty
• You have unpredictable objects scattered around (the robot will have a hard time filtering signal from noise)

There's also a middle ground: wait six months. Let early adopters report back. Let software mature. Let prices stabilize. The Flow 2 isn't solving an urgent problem. You survived without object detection before, and you'll survive another six months.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters Beyond Lost Earrings

Okay, here's the thing that matters beyond the specific features.

Robotic systems are becoming smarter, and that's reshaping what household robots can do. We've been stuck in a mode where robots execute instructions: "clean the kitchen," "mop the floor," "avoid the couch."

Now robots are starting to understand context. They're not just following programs. They're interpreting their environment and making decisions based on understanding.

The Flow 2 is one implementation of this shift. In five years, we might look back and see it as primitive. "That old robot could only recognize common objects. Imagine."

But we have to start somewhere. And starting by helping people find lost items and keep track of pets is genuinely useful. It's not revolutionary, but it's meaningful.

For Narwal specifically, this is their bet on the future. They're saying: "Our vacuum doesn't just clean. It understands your home. It works for your family, not just at cleaning floors."

If that bet pays off, we'll see this approach spread across all smart home devices. If it doesn't, we'll treat it as an interesting experiment that didn't pan out.

Either way, the Flow 2 represents where the industry is going. Understanding how it works and why companies are building it this way matters for understanding the broader smart home landscape.

FAQ

What is the Narwal Flow 2?

The Narwal Flow 2 is an upgraded robot vacuum that combines traditional cleaning with AI-powered object detection. It uses dual RGB cameras to identify lost items like jewelry, keys, and phones on your floors, and provides their locations on a map via the Narwal app. It also includes upgraded cleaning power (30,000 Pa suction), hot water mopping at 158°F, and smart home features for pet tracking and family safety.

How does the AI object recognition work on the Flow 2?

The Flow 2 uses dual RGB cameras with a 136-degree field of view and on-board AI processors to analyze images in real-time as the robot moves. The system identifies objects like jewelry, phones, and keys using trained neural networks, maintains a 5cm distance to prevent vacuuming them, and sends you a photo with the item's location on your home map. Processing happens primarily on-device rather than in the cloud, which improves privacy and responsiveness.

What objects can the Flow 2 detect?

The Flow 2 is optimized for common household items including jewelry, smartphones, keys, wallets, toys, and similar small objects. The system uses "unlimited" object recognition, meaning it's not limited to a pre-defined list, but accuracy varies based on lighting conditions, floor type, and image clarity. It can also identify pets, baby cribs, crawling mats, and other household elements to trigger specific behaviors like quiet mode or area-specific deep cleaning.

What's the difference between the original Flow and the Flow 2?

The original Flow had 22,000 Pa suction, while the Flow 2 increased this to 30,000 Pa (a 36% improvement). The Flow 2 adds dual RGB cameras for object detection, hot water mopping at 158°F (up from standard mopping), a reusable dust bag system, and enhanced smart home features like pet tracking. The overall design is refreshed, making the Flow 2 a significant generational upgrade.

What are the two docking options for the Flow 2?

The Flow 2 offers a standard dock with a water tank requiring manual refill and drainage, and an advanced auto dock featuring automatic water drainage and refill systems. Both docks include new reusable dust bags and washable debris filters. The auto dock is more convenient but costs significantly more, making it worth considering based on your maintenance tolerance and budget.

When will the Narwal Flow 2 be available and how much will it cost?

The Narwal Flow 2 is set to launch in April 2026, though the exact date and pricing haven't been officially announced. Based on the original Flow's pricing around

Is object detection privacy-friendly on the Flow 2?

Narwal claims that object detection processing happens on-device rather than in the cloud, which is better for privacy than uploading images to servers. However, you should review the complete privacy policy when published to understand exactly how images are stored, whether metadata is transmitted, and if images are ever used for model improvement or accessible to third parties.

What's the catch with object detection technology on robovacs?

Object detection accuracy depends heavily on real-world conditions like lighting, floor type, and camera cleanliness. The technology might miss items in shadows, fail on high-pile carpet where visibility is limited, or misidentify objects with low confidence scores. This is still relatively new for robovacs, so early versions often have bugs or accuracy issues that improve with software updates.

How does the Flow 2 help with pet safety and child safety?

The Flow 2 can locate your pet while you're away, detect and avoid baby cribs while switching to quiet mode to prevent waking sleeping infants, identify misplaced toys and alert you, and recognize crawling mats to prevent tangling. These features rely on AI object recognition and learning your home's layout, enabling the robot to understand context beyond simple obstacle avoidance.

Should I buy the Flow 2 or wait for competitors' versions?

If you specifically need object detection now and can afford the likely $1,500+ price, the Flow 2 is your only option currently. However, competitors like Dreame, Ecovacs, and Samsung will likely release their own versions within 12-18 months at various price points. Unless you have an urgent need for lost item detection, waiting 6-12 months to see early user reviews and competitor offerings is a sensible strategy.

Looking Forward: The Robovac Revolution Continues

The Narwal Flow 2 is proof that robot vacuums aren't stagnating. They're evolving. What started as mindless bumper cars has become genuinely intelligent machines that understand their environments.

None of this is perfect yet. Object detection will fail sometimes. Pets will hide from the camera. The system will confuse shadows for objects. These are growing pains, not deal-breakers.

What matters is the direction. Robovacs are moving from "execute this program" to "understand this environment and adapt." That's a fundamental shift. And the Flow 2 is the first mainstream attempt to bring that shift to your home.

Will you buy one? That depends on your specific situation, your comfort with early-stage technology, and your budget. But whether you buy one or not, understanding how these systems work and where the industry is heading gives you better context for thinking about smart home tech in general.

The age of truly intelligent household robots isn't here yet. But we're closer than we were a year ago. And the Flow 2 is part of getting us there.

Key Takeaways

• The Flow 2's dual RGB cameras provide 136-degree field of view enabling AI to identify jewelry, keys, phones, and other lost items on your floors with photo evidence and map location
• Suction power increased 36% to 30,000Pa with 158°F hot water mopping, positioning it competitively against premium alternatives like Dreame and Ecovacs
• Pet location tracking, baby crib detection with quiet mode, and toy alerts represent a shift from basic cleaning robots to context-aware household AI systems
• Object detection is processing on-device rather than cloud-based, improving privacy but requiring careful review of actual privacy policies when published
• April 2026 launch with likely $1,500+ pricing for auto dock version makes this a premium investment best evaluated after independent user reviews surface

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