When low-cost starts to scare the flagships
Introduction
After its strong IFA 2024 debut, MOVA did not remain a shooting star: it quickly placed itself among the first in the European market. The point is not only technical innovation (they have plenty of that to sell), but the reliability and know-how they bring along: MOVA accompanies the user from technological growth, to offering the latest technologies at affordable prices, to giving support with an already consolidated service network and a full 3-year warranty. And in today’s world of smart appliances, trust me, all this has a lot of value. But let’s get to the juice: with the E40 Ultra, MOVA has put on the table a number that makes a scene in the budget segment, 19,000 Pa of suction, in a robot with extendable mop, an “all-in-one” base that empties, washes and dries the mops with hot air, with the option to install the container for detergent dosing, and navigation with LDS + camera (3D Adapt) to go around obstacles, compatible with the CleanChop brush that cuts hair and fur. Translated: it wants to be “the under-500 euro” that slams the door in the competition’s face.
Design & base station
The base, besides taking care of automatic emptying, promises washing and hot-air drying of the mops, 4.5/4 L tanks and above all those “75 days hands-free”, thanks to the 3.2L bag that has become the new “up to 10 hours of battery life” of smartphones: you believe it, but it always depends on the environment it has to clean. In any case, the package is super complete for this price range. The choice to make the detergent container installable helps keep the price low without removing the option for those who want to buy it separately.
Navigation and sensors
Here MOVA goes nerd: LDS to map, and a camera to detect objects in the path. It’s not a system with video surveillance and object library like the top-of-the-line ones, but a simplified system that helps to avoid common home obstacles better than simple laser-beam systems; excellent but not infallible, in poorly lit areas, given the lack of LED, it may trip over thin cables, stray LEGO bricks or other small objects. The good side is fast mapping and smooth and precise navigation, perhaps even more efficient than many flagships that end up analysing an enormous amount of data and often turn out slow in decision-making.
Suction
The declared power is billboard-level. In practice the combination of 19,000Pa and anti-tangle side brush works, even better if you decide to purchase the central CleanChop 3.0 brush (it cuts trapped hair), achieving the fateful result of maintenance… less curs, uh, sighs. On low-pile carpets it pushes well; on medium-pile carpets the suction boost can be felt but it does not reinvent physics, many carpets are a hard bone even for robots with 30,000Pa. It is nonetheless a notch above the segment average, both on hard floors and carpets.
Mopping
Another step forward over the previous E30 Ultra model is the introduction of MaxiReach technology: the right mop extends to wash along baseboards and slip under edges up to 4 cm: it is the feature that truly makes the difference in real life, where dust and dirt resist eviction. When it meets a carpet, thanks to the ultrasonic sensor it detects it and lifts the mops just enough not to soak short-pile carpets (about 10.5 mm). For medium/long pile ones it is advisable to first run a suction-only phase by enabling “clean carpets first” so they will be completely avoided during mopping.
Battery life & noise
They declare a 5,200 mAh battery and up to 260 minutes in eco mode: translated, large apartments are covered without anxiety, or at most with one half-recharge, but the promised data is kept in real use and it has fast charging (30% faster). Noise? In line with its class mates despite the extra muscle: it rises with turbo, drops a lot in standard mode, does not bother at all in silent mode.
App & quality of life
The MOVAhome app here is less glamorous than higher-range models, lacks CleanGenius mode leaving settings to the user, but it does what is needed: rooms, zones, sequences, schedules, water levels, carpet/pet profiles, multi-floor maps, voice assistants compatibility. The fast mapping after setup is a convenience and is as fast as the bigger brothers.
How it behaves “in the field”
Putting the robot to the test I can only confirm the excellent quality/price ratio and the “almost premium” onboard equipment, plus the possibility of upgrades with detergent dosing and the anti-tangle CleanChop brush; I confirm good navigation and absolutely convincing mopping, also thanks to the tank on the robot that helps keep the mops at the right humidity. With only the warning that very small and hard-to-handle objects like cables remain a weak spot. In other words: it sees much better than a basic robot, but it does not do object recognition like a 1,000-euro flagship (and at this price it would be stupid to ask it).
Who I would recommend it to
Homes with children/animals and eternally dirty edges: MaxiReach was born for this.
Medium/large apartments: battery life, fast charging and multi-floor maps.
Those who want an “almost flagship” without bleeding out and accept that cables still need to be picked up or no-go zones set before starting cleaning. And if you want to step up in category, by buying the detergent container and the CleanChop brush you truly have almost a flagship.
Conclusions
The MOVA E40 ULTRA is the classic “how can it cost this little?”: it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but puts together the right things, more than generous suction, clever edge mopping, autonomous base, upgrade options, and leaves out only the flagship extras (pushed 3D AI, video surveillance, hot-water washing, etc.). Here you find a best-buy for daily use, and under €500 it is hard to beat today.
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