Dreame M12: a wet upright vacuum cleaner with handheld vacuum function

Hello to all readers of the project! In this review, I'll be looking at the Dreame M12 cordless wet/dry vacuum cleaner. The device hit the market in late 2022 and generated considerable interest among buyers. This is because it's suitable not only for floor cleaning but also for spot dry cleaning. This is thanks to the detachable main unit, which transforms into a compact handheld vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, the Dreame M12 boasts advanced features and a well-designed cleaning module, making it a compelling purchase option. Below, I'll thoroughly test the Dreame M12 and then express my opinion on whether it's worth buying. The price at the time of writing is between $400-420, or around $550 at the current exchange rate. So, let's get started!

Equipment

The vacuum cleaner arrived in a branded box like this:

The package includes:

1. Charging and self-cleaning base with accessory holders.
2. Removable handle.
3. Platform for storing accessories for a handheld vacuum cleaner.
4. Dust collector and crevice tool.
5. Power adapter.
6. Operating instructions.
7. Replacement roller.
8. Vacuum cleaner cleaning brush.
9. Replaceable HEPA filter.
10. Branded cleaning product.

The package is good. It includes all the necessary accessories and even consumables. That's a plus!

Appearance

Let's take a look at the design of the Dreame M12 cordless vacuum cleaner. Let's start with the cleaning module. It features a fluffy roller that extends out to the right edge of the body, similar to the previous model. Dreame H12The cleaning module's cover detaches from the top, making it very practical and easy to rinse with water. Pressing a button opens the roller lock. Behind it, you'll find a comb for removing hair and other debris, a scraper, and a suction port. Everything has been thought through to the last detail.

A 700 ml waste water tank is located above the cleaning module. It contains a HEPA filter with a mesh screen and water level sensors that alert you when the waste water needs to be drained. There is no coarse filter.

The rear features an extended clean water tank, which holds a whopping 920 ml. Above it is a button for setting up voice notifications and a speaker. It's important to note that the Dreame M12 supports voice notifications in Russian.

The top of the body features a large, informative display that shows the selected operating mode, battery percentage, service messages, and a color-coded perimeter indicating the level of dirt on the floor. Note that the Dreame M12 can automatically increase suction power when it detects dirt.

Well, here's what a compact handheld vacuum cleaner looks like:

Its body has two mechanical control buttons: an on/off switch and a power level selector. The dust bin capacity isn't stated, but I'd guess it's at least half a liter. The four-stage filtration system includes a HEPA filter, a foam filter, a cyclone filter, and a mesh filter. That's a plus.

The final component of the main unit is the handle. It houses three mechanical control buttons: power on/off, operating mode selection, and the self-cleaning function on the base. Regarding operating modes, there's an automatic mode and a suction mode, which doesn't spray water onto the floor but only collects it. Unfortunately, there's no option to select maximum power or eco mode.

The docking station charges the vacuum and cleans itself. It also conveniently stores accessories. Unfortunately, the Dreame H12 Pro's automatic roller drying feature is missing.

It is worth noting that the Dreame M12 supports vertical parking outside the station, which is very convenient.

Overall, there were no particular design issues with the vacuum cleaner. The detachable handheld vacuum cleaner is truly convenient and expands its range of applications.

Technical specifications

The main characteristics of the Dreame M12, as stated by the manufacturer:

• Battery: Li-Ion, 4000 mAh.
• Power consumption: 300 W.
• Operating time: up to 35 min (washing vacuum cleaner), up to 60 min (hand-held vacuum cleaner).
• Clean water tank: 920 ml.
• Dirty water tank: 700 ml.
• Noise level: 68.5-71 dB.
• Weight: 5 kg.

The increased capacity of the clean and dirty water tanks is worth noting. Dreame engineers have worked hard to correct these errors. The noise level was measured personally and is between 68.5 and 71 dB. The wet/dry vacuum cleaner is quieter than similar models, which is a plus.

Testing

A detailed video review of the Dreame M12, including all tests, has already been published on the channel. I highly recommend watching the video:

And finally, we move on to the main part of the review – testing the vacuum cleaner's capabilities. There will be several tests, from simple to complex.

The vacuum cleaner does a great job of everyday floor cleaning. No complaints.

Moreover, it effectively picks up dirt from the floor without leaving streaks or marks. Moreover, thanks to the roller extending to the edge of the body, the Dreame M12 can thoroughly clean dirt along the baseboards.

There's literally 1-2 mm left, which isn't critical at all in my opinion. Although, there's room for improvement. For example, Roborock Dyad Pro the roller fits completely against the baseboard.

If necessary, you can also use a vacuum cleaner to pick up liquids and mixtures, like I did with the now-classic egg and flour dough. Very convenient!

As for removing tough, dried-on stains, like coffee and sauce, the Dreame M12 does the job, but not very quickly. It took about 5 minutes to completely remove the stains from the stand. And I used the brand's cleaning product. Again, similar products perform no better, and many even worse.

The Dreame M12 can also be used for dust collection. I scattered various types of debris on the stand: fur, hair, and even fallen needles from a Christmas tree. The vacuum handled the task without any problems. It's also worth noting that it thoroughly collects debris along baseboards and in corners. There are no blind spots, which is a plus.

If necessary, you can also use it to clean carpet, although the Dreame M12 is not designed for this purpose. In this case, it's a good idea to turn on the liquid suction mode, which doesn't spray water onto the roller. This will prevent the carpet from getting wet.

A handheld vacuum cleaner can also be used for spot cleaning, such as cleaning furniture. This solution could even replace a full-fledged dry vacuum cleaner, considering that the main part of the job, namely dry and wet floor cleaning, can be handled by the main unit.

The final test is to check the self-cleaning performance. After dry cleaning, the vacuum cleaner cleaned itself well. All debris and water were collected in the dirty water tank, and the roller was clean, with no debris remaining trapped behind it.

After the challenging stain test, I drained the dirty water from the tank, filled the second tank with clean water, and turned on the self-cleaning feature. So, we see that the roller is clean, but there's a small amount of dirt left behind. It's not critical, but it's there.

In a domestic environment, the self-cleaning system does a good job, and you won't notice any debris on or behind the roller. So overall, this test passes the test.

Personal opinion

The Dreame M12 upright vacuum cleaner was thoroughly reviewed and tested. I'll first highlight the model's pros and cons, then offer my personal opinion. I liked the following:

1. An effective cleaning module without blind spots along baseboards and in corners.
2. Availability of a removable hand-held vacuum cleaner for dry cleaning.
3. High-quality self-cleaning in domestic conditions.
4. Automatic increase of suction power.
5. Voice notifications in Russian.
6. Capable of removing even the most difficult stains.
7. Informative display on the body.
8. High capacity tanks.
9. Suitable for collecting garbage as well.
10. Low noise level.
11. Good equipment.
12. Availability of warranty and service.

As for drawbacks, the main one is the lack of an automatic roller drying function on the station, which was introduced in the flagship Dreame H12 Pro. There are also some minor issues with the vacuum cleaner, namely:

1. The roller only extends to the edge of the baseboard on one side. As a result, when washing along the baseboard, you should always move in the same direction—the direction in which the roller extends to the edge.
2. There's no way to adjust the suction power. While the automatic mode works well, sometimes you'd like to manually activate more intense suction in specific areas, but that's not an option.
3. A small narrow zone along the baseboard still remains, although it is no more than 2 mm.
4. Non-removable battery.

Overall, the Dreame M12 wet/dry vacuum cleaner is definitely worth considering, thanks to its convertible design and demonstrated high performance. However, with the flagship H12 Pro already on the market, it's difficult to decide which is better. The latter has a roller drying function, and the roller extends out to the edge on both sides. The inclusion of a handheld vacuum is definitely the highlight of this model, even compared to the flagship. For those interested in this feature, and the aforementioned concerns are less important, I see no compelling reason not to recommend this device. Definitely one of the best wet/dry vacuum cleaners of 2023.

On that note, I'd like to end this review. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments. Happy shopping, everyone. Bye!