Better and cheaper than the original: Dreame A1 Pro robotic lawnmower review
Improved Dreame A1.
For the 2025 gardening season, Dreame has launched the A1 Pro, an improved robotic mower as a "grown-up" version of last year's Dreame A1 model. Our test reveals how it performs in practice.Marcus Schwarten 👁 (translated by DeepL / Marcus Schwarten) Published 🇩🇪
Dreame A1 Pro test conclusion: selectively improved LiDAR robotic lawnmower
The Dreame A1 Pro has not made huge progress compared to the A1. Obstacle detection has been improved, although the A1 has also been improved by various updates since our test a year ago.
Buyers of the A1 Pro benefit above all from the new wheels, so that the robotic lawnmower has better grip on slippery surfaces. The design is also slightly less sensitive, although no longer quite as stylish. Unfortunately, the handle, which we already missed on the first model, did not make it into the final version.
Overall, the Dreame A1 Pro left a more rounded impression in the test than the A1 at the launch last year. However, it is nowhere near as good as the Dreame A2, which was not to be expected given the features and the price difference.
Overall, the Dreame A1 Pro is an solid robotic lawnmower for larger gardens up to 2,000 square meters, which is quite inexpensive. An alternative for smaller gardens is the very similar Mova 1000, which is even cheaper.
Pros
Cons
Price and availability
The recommended retail price for the Dreame A1 Pro in Europe is EUR 1,599. This is much than the Dreame A1, which had an RRP of EUR 1,999 when it was launched last year. Unfortunately, the Dreame A1 Pro is not available in the US at the moment, but can be purchased in many other countries.
Table of Contents
- Dreame A1 Pro test conclusion: selectively improved LiDAR robotic lawnmower
- Features and scope of delivery: New wheels and other improvements
- Setup and maintenance: As simple as usual, but without AI automation
- App and operation: familiar fare with few points of criticism
- Navigation and obstacle detection: more reliable, but not perfect
- Mowing performance and edge cutting: As with the A1
- Running time and volume: Economical and quiet
Last year dreame launched its first robotic mower on the market: the A1. Among other things, it scored in our test with its systematic navigation using LiDAR instead of boundary wires, but had to accept criticism regarding obstacle detection.
This year dreame has now doubled down. In addition to the excellent Dreame A2, the Dreame A1 Pro is also available for the 2025 gardening season. Although it does not have the camera of the A2, it still offers some improvements. Our Dreame A1 Pro review reveals what these are and how well this wireless robotic lawnmower performs in practice.
Data sheet
| Property/model | Dreame A1 Pro | Dreame A1 | Dreame A2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 2,000 m² | 2,000 m² | 3,000 m² |
| Navigation and obstacle detection | OmniSense 3D-LiDAR | OmniSense 3D-LiDAR | OmniSense 2.0 3D-LiDAR + AI camera |
| Mower | Mowing disc | Mowing disc | Mowing discwith EdgeMaster |
| Number of blades | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Cutting width | 22 cm | 22 cm | 22 cm |
| Cutting height | 3 - 7 cm | 3 - 7 cm | 3 - 7 cm |
| Adjusting the cutting height | electric | electric | electric |
| Slope | 45% / 24° | 45% / 24° | 50% / 26.5° |
| Display | yes | yes | yes |
| Battery capacity | 5 Ah | 5 Ah | 5 Ah |
| Weight | 12.6 kg | 12 kg | 16.3 kg |
| Dimensions | 64.3 x 43.7 x 26.1 cm | 64.3 x 43.7 x 26.1 cm | 66.6 x 44.4 x 27.3 cm |
| Water resistance | IPX6 | IPX6 | IPX6 |
| Garage included | no | no | no |
| Spare blades | 9 | 9 | 81 |
| Color | Gray | Silver | Silver |
| RRP (at launch) | 1,599 euros | 1,999 euros | 2,499 euros |
Features and scope of delivery: New wheels and other improvements
The Dreame A1 Pro offers all the strengths and the same scope of delivery as last year's Dreame A1 model. This includes systematic navigation. The manufacturer is still relying on LiDAR and is completely dispensing with an RTK antenna and necessary GPS reception or even a boundary cable.
The Dreame A1 Pro (like the first generation) is designed for lawns of up to 2,000 square meters. These are mowed by a rotating cutting disc with three blades and a cutting width of 22 cm. The cutting height can still be adjusted electronically in 5 mm steps between 3 and 7 cm. However, there are a few improvements.
The first change is the more scratch-resistant surface. Although the Dreame A1 looks really smart in its shiny silver sports car design, it can clearly suffer over time. The matte gray look of the Dreame A1 Pro is less sensitive in long-term use.
Dreame has also changed the wheels. The A1 had some problems on soapy ground in our test. This should be a thing of the past with the new tire profile of the A1 Pro. However, the maximum slope performance of 45 percent (24") has not changed. At the launch of the Dreame A1 Pro at the beginning of the year a handle in the rear was also announced, which the A1 lacked. This should make the Dreame A1 Pro easier to transport. It is available in the Dreame A2 and the very similar Mova 1000, but not in the final version of the Dreame A1 Pro - what a shame!
The question remains as to how the Dreame A1 Pro performs in practice and whether it can clearly stand out from its predecessor (which has now also been improved by software). We'll take a look at this in the following parts of our review.
Setup and maintenance: As simple as usual, but without AI automation
The setup is the same as for the Dreame A1, which is why we will only briefly cover the topic here and refer to the Dreame A1 test. Here, too, an introductory ride is required after the connection has been established and set up the Dreame app. This involves driving the robotic lawnmower once along the edge of the lawn using the smartphone as a remote control to create a virtual map.
As with its predecessor, this works well, especially as the Dreame A1 Pro doesn't react too hectically or quickly. This allows the lawn to be circled precisely. AI mapping isn't possible because of the lack of a camera.
There are also no differences in terms of maintenance. The blades, 9 are included in the scope of delivery, can be replaced without tools. The robot itself can be cleaned with a garden hose. The LiDAR module on the top is cleaned of coarse dirt by a plug-in brush in the charging station every time it is moved in and out. We already know this from the predecessor.
App and operation: familiar fare with few points of criticism
There are no differences in the app either. It has a clear and stylish design and also offers various setting options, including the sensitivity of the obstacle detection. This can still be adjusted in four steps between 5 and 20 cm, depending on requirements.
For further impressions of the Dreame app, we include some screenshots and also refer you once again to our reviews of the Dreame A1 and Dreame A2.
Another identical feature is that the control unit on the robotic lawnmower is concealed under the cover, which can be opened by pressing the big stop button. In addition to a small color display, there are four buttons and a rotary knob to make many settings and functions directly on the robotic lawnmower. It is still a little annoying that you have to enter the anti-theft PIN code every time you press the stop button, so you can't just access the control unit "in passing".
Navigation and obstacle detection: more reliable, but not perfect
In terms of navigation, there was already little to criticize about the A1. It only had occasional problems with slippery surfaces. In the test, the A1 Pro also systematically made its way across the surface and handled it reliably. The new and more profiled wheels of the A1 Pro left a better impression. Nevertheless, there was no damage to the surface during the review progress, as the robot maneuvers carefully.
Our biggest criticism of the A1 was the obstacle detection, which did not work particularly reliably with LiDAR only. Technically, nothing has changed with the Dreame A1 Pro. Can it still perform better? Yes! To be fair, it has to be said that the Dreame A1 has also been improved by software updates since our test one year ago.
The Dreame A1 Pro did not perform perfectly in our test either. However, it did reliably detect a large and a small soccer ball and our hedgehog dummy in half of the attempts. The A1 ran over the hedgehog every time. However, the A1 Pro still fails to detect small obstacles such as a tennis ball or even a piece of hose lying on the lawn. The vegetation around a garden, i.e. trees, bushes and the like, was reliably avoided by the Dreame A1 - assuming a certain size.
This is also not a perfect result for the Dreame A1 Pro, which was not to be expected due to the technical limitations without a camera. But it is a better result than last year's Dreame A1. If you don't usually have things lying around on the lawn and want to use the mowing robot only during the day, this should be sufficient for you.
Mowing performance and edge cutting: As with the A1
The mowing result of the Dreame A1 was already good, thanks to the reliable navigation. And it's unsurprisingly also good with the improved successor. The Dreame A1 Pro can't really stand out here - but it doesn't have to.
Last year, there were already the usual problems (of many robotic lawnmowers) with edge cutting due to the approx. 11 cm gap between the edge of the device and the mower deck. Nothing has changed in 2025 with the new Pro version, as the movable mower deck is reserved for the more expensive Dreame A2.
This means that even with perfect navigation at the edge, a strip of at least 12 cm wide remains unmown if the robot cannot drive over ground-level edges. A still positive aspect, however, is that obstacle detection can be switched off in the app for the final edge mowing if desired.
Running time and volume: Economical and quiet
The battery of the Dreame A1 Pro is 5 Ah and is therefore identical to the A1. Nevertheless, in the test, it managed to cover slightly less area on one battery charge (100 to 15 percent). To be precise, it covered around 150 square meters in standard mode. However, this may depend on various factors.
After around two hours, it returned to the charging station with 15 percent charge remaining. There it spent just over an hour to charge a good 80 Wh with a maximum of 78 W. We measured the standby consumption, when the robot lawn mower is waiting for its next use, at around 3 W.
In order to better compare tested robotic lawnmowers in terms of their energy consumption and the associated costs, we assume in a fictitious scenario of 500 square meters of lawn are to be mowed three times a week. This would result in a calculated power consumption of less than 6 kWh for the Dreame A1 Pro. This makes the robot mower very economical. At measured 50 to 55 dB (at a distance of 1 m), it is also pleasantly quiet.
Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was given to the author by the manufacturer free of charge for the purposes of review. There was no third-party influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
