I tested the Dreame Aero Pro wet and dry vacuum, and it did a spotless job cleaning up after our new puppy

We just got a new puppy — her name is Nelly, and she’s not yet housebroken. That means we’re cleaning up puppy puddles pretty regularly. In the past, that would mean getting out the swiffer or the mop. But the Dreame Aero Pro Steam does a better job more quickly and with less fuss.

It’s not just for those easy little puddles either. The Aero Pro Steam can tackle sticky messes in the kitchen, like the maple syrup and honey I drizzled all over my vinyl plank flooring during testing.

While it’s a pricey unit, the Aero Pro Steam offers tons of versatility and an efficient, quick clean that makes it worthwhile. Plus, the long runtime means you can mop up the whole house, too — which are all the qualities needed in a best vacuum cleaner. Find out what happened when I put it to the test.

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Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Price and availability

The Aero Pro Steam costs $600 and is available for purchase now on Dreame’s website. You’ll get free shipping within 2-5 business days of purchase, along with a 30-day return policy. Additionally, Dreame offers a 2-year warranty on the Aero Pro Steam, too.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Design

Visually, the Aero Pro Steam closely resembles the standard Aero Pro model. While the latter lacks the steam functionality, this steam-enabled version takes on a slightly more substantial profile, though it remains impressively compact given the added tech.

There are four modes: Smart, Steam, Suction, Turbo, and Eco. If you’re unsure which one to use, simply switch to Smart and let the Aero Pro Steam decide for you. It does not use cleaning fluid, just a clean water tank, and that water gets heated up for cleaning.

I was impressed at how quickly it heated up to 716 degrees Fahrenheit, thanks to the high-power instant boiler. When using the steam mode, that steam is powered through 6 outlets at 300mg/min. The SaunaClean design lends a 392-degree steaming temperature during cleaning.

That’s complemented by 28,000 Pa of suction, which Dreame says is industry-leading. Between those functions, the Aero Pro Steam provides a 100% allergen reduction in the rooms you clean.

To recognize various mess types, the Dreame Aero Pro Steam uses multispectral sensors, which identify gunk and goo through color temperature and brightness. Should hair get wrapped around the roller, the TangleCut 2.0 Resilient Scraper ensures you don’t have to get your hands dirty removing it.

The 3.88-inch Ultra-Slim Body is low-profile enough to get under the furniture or in tough-to-reach spaces. Plus, the Aero Pro Steame also has a 180-degree lay-flat body, so you can lower it all the way to the ground to get well underneath the trickiest chairs in the house. The body also features Triple Edge Coverage, which means the roller cleans all the way to the sides and front of the body.

Once you’re done cleaning, you can put the Aero Pro Steam back on the dock and engage the hands-free self-cleaning function. You can do a 5-minute quick dry of the roller after that, or a 30-minute deep-dry to ensure you get no odors emanating from the unit. The 203-degree hot wash removes all residues, and the steam function gets rid of other messes without hassle and in short order.

You’ll control the unit from the two-button LED display on top of the handle. It’s super easy to use and to navigate between modes. Plus, you can activate or deactivate a voice prompt that lets you know what mode you’re in, too.

Accessory-wise, the Aero Pro Steam comes with a cleaning brush and replacement filter.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Performance

The first time I used the Aero Pro Steam, I stuck with the Smart mode and gave the kitchen and living room a scrubbing. Those two rooms get the most traffic in my house, as well as the most messes.

With the new puppy around, the Aero Pro Steam got a lot of workouts, cleaning up accidents in the kitchen and living room and easily gobbles up wet messes. But unlike the Aero Pro, the Aero Pro Steam does not use any cleaning solvents.

During this use, using the Aero Pro Steam was akin to using the regular Aero Pro, which, in my mind, is a good thing. It’s simple to use, cleans effectively, and makes quick work of polishing up my vinyl plank flooring.

I don’t have to think about anything; I just run the vac and swab away. It’s easy to get underneath the kitchen table, and even the living room chairs, since the Aero Pro Steam folds down completely.

I did find the voice prompts annoying, though, and I ended up turning them off. I did the same thing when I tested the regular Aero Pro. For context, the voice is loud, but sometimes difficult to understand, and it’s just as easy to use this vacuum without it.

This is both a pro and a con. The pro is that you don’t need to use any harsh chemicals to get a deep clean. Just let the steam do the work. The con is that if you’re not using the steam setting, you’re relying only on water to do the cleaning, and that can leave some residues and odors behind.

Such is the case with the dog puddles I found myself cleaning. In the Smart cleaning mode, the Aero Pro Steam cleaned up the puddles easily and quickly, but sometimes there was a smell left behind.

This is, of course, easily solved by using the Steam mode. The high-temperature water does a deeper clean than the other settings, and I didn’t notice any smell after cleaning up dog puddles in this mode.

In fact, the Steam mode really makes this wet dry vac shine. It does a great job cleaning up all sorts of messes; we had used a puppy pad for early potty training, which uses adhesive strips to secure itself to the floor. When I removed the pad, the strips had left adhesive messes on the vinyl flooring that I couldn’t easily mop up by hand. The Steam mode on the Aero Pro Steam vac removed it with just one swipe forward and back.

Next, I dumped several condiments on the floor to see how the Aero Pro Steam stacked up. I used Hoisin Sauce, honey, maple syrup, and vegetable oil. The Aero Pro Steam gobbled it all up pretty quickly, though it did end up spreading around a bit before I got it all cleaned. The steam mode made sure to leave no stickiness behind, too.

Overall, the Aero Pro Steam cleaned up every mess I made with ease. It does leave some streaks behind, but the level of clean you get from it is pretty impressive, and it’s super easy to use.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Ease of cleaning

Perhaps one downside after cleaning is getting a pretty gnarly smell — but it wasn’t from the roller. It was from the dirty water tank. You’ll want to make sure you empty and clean that tank after every use, or every other use. Once you’ve sucked up enough muck and filth, the tank will start stinking even if the roller doesn’t.

Fortunately, if you leave the voice prompts on, you’ll be reminded to empty the tank after you perform a self-clean. That process takes about five minutes, but then the base will dry the roller for up to 30 minutes.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Accessories

There aren’t really any accessories to use with the Dreame Aero Steam beyond what’s included in the box — the base, the cleaning brush, and the extra filter.

However, you can order replacement parts, like rollers, but otherwise, everything you’ll need is already included.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Competition

There are several Wet/Dry Vacuums with steam functions, most of which easily best the Dreame Aero Pro Steam on price. But those competitors also tend to be larger, with more accessories to contend with, and with only middling self-cleaning results.

One such competitor is the Bissell CrossWave HydroSteam. It costs $350 and offers a steam cleaning feature. It also uses various detergents to clean, unlike the Aero Pro Steam.

But online reviews state that despite using the instructed cleaning procedures, the Bissell can still give off a musty odor, whereas the Dreame does not, as long as you use the self-cleaning mode and empty the dirty water tank regularly.

In terms of usability, the Dreame is also smaller and lighter, and will clean underneath furniture more effectively.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Verdict

Dreame has so far impressed me with their wet-dry vacs I have tested so far. The Dreame Aero Pro Steam is compact, easy to use, offers great run time, and picks up just about any mess I could throw at it with ease.

Plus, the self-cleaning function means no musty smells — as long as you’re mindful about emptying the dirty water tank regularly.

While it does leave some streaks after cleaning on my vinyl plank flooring, I was still impressed overall with the results. The steam cleaning function is ideal for tough stains, and the auto function is great for simple set it and forget it cleaning. It doesn’t use any detergents to clean your floors, but if you’re looking for a unit that can do that (or for a clean scent), I’d recommend the Dreame Aero Pro without the steam function.