The Umbra Otto Foaming Soap Dispenser is a stylish touchless foam with a reliability question, best for design-minded households. Rated 3.3 out of 5 across 147 user ratings. The main drawback: units can fail early. We scored it 3.1 out of 5.
Touch-free foam that looks good on a counter, as long as you are willing to mix your own refill and live with a real chance the unit gives out early. Umbra's Otto takes ordinary liquid soap diluted with water, not ready-made foaming soap, and how well it works depends heavily on getting that mix right.
NoFussDeal rates the Umbra Otto Foaming Soap Dispenser 3.1 out of 5 at $69.95. Last updated September 26, 2026.
An infrared sensor in the head releases a dose of foam when a hand passes underneath, so the pump is never touched with soapy or dirty fingers.
The Otto makes foam from ordinary liquid soap diluted with water. Umbra recommends 1 part soap to 5 parts water; ready-made foaming soap is not meant for it.
The Otto runs on AAA batteries, and they sit in the top of the unit rather than in the base.
The reservoir is a clear base holding 280 ml (9.5 oz), with a large opening for refilling.
One of the nine owner reviews we read mentions it, and that owner gave the product four or five stars, so the complaints come from the wider group of buyers. None of the reviews we read say what goes wrong, so this score rests on the buyer ratings. 42% of all ratings are three stars or fewer, which is where complaints like this usually sit. Score 60: we started at 66 and took off 6 because opinion…
One of the nine owner reviews we read mentions it, and that owner gave the product four or five stars, so the complaints come from the wider group of buyers. None of the reviews we read say what goes wrong, so this score rests on the buyer ratings. 42% of all ratings are three stars or fewer, which is where complaints like this usually sit. Score 60: we started at 66 and took off 6 because opinion is split.
Results with the soap dispenser's durability, with some saying it works well while others mention it stopped working after 2 years or barely lasted 4 months are mixed. Three of the nine owner reviews we read mention it, and those owners gave the product four or five stars, so the complaints come from the wider group of buyers. 42% of all ratings are three stars or fewer, which is where complaints …
Results with the soap dispenser's durability, with some saying it works well while others mention it stopped working after 2 years or barely lasted 4 months are mixed. Three of the nine owner reviews we read mention it, and those owners gave the product four or five stars, so the complaints come from the wider group of buyers. 42% of all ratings are three stars or fewer, which is where complaints like this usually sit. Score 54: we started at 66 and took off 12 because it draws mostly complaints.
39% of ratings are five stars and 19% are four. 9% are three stars and 33% are one or two. A sizable share of ratings sit low, so weigh the drawbacks below as heavily as the praise. Score 66: its 3.3 star average on a 100 point scale.
Based on 147 Amazon customer ratings, averaging 3.3 out of 5, recorded 12 September 2026. See the reviews on Amazon
| 5 stars | 39% | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 stars | 19% | |
| 3 stars | 9% | |
| 2 stars | 2% | |
| 1 stars | 31% |
We have 2 of these that we bought in 2020. They work great as long as you follow the instructions regarding the soap mixture. I gave it a 5 star rating bc we ordered a third one that didn't … Read it on AmazonKellyP · March 24, 2024 · Verified
The soap dispenser works pretty well. Uses AAA batteries which is fairly convenient. It's pretty easy to refill. It's kind of tall and the reservoir is a little small for the size of it. The… Read it on AmazonWilliam Furr · July 15, 2022 · Verified
I hope it can last longer than 2 years, because most of the cheap brand only last a little more than a year.This work very well so far, it will be 2 months in another week, and the first set… Read it on AmazonJack Wong · May 29, 2023 · Verified
We moved into a house with a tall bowl for a sink. This dispenser is tall enough to be higher than the edge of the bowl (it’s a littler I’ve 9” tall). It looks nice and has worked well so fa… Read it on AmazonRichardM · May 9, 2023 · Verified
It isn't easy to find automatic-eye dispensers for foaming soap. This one works, and also looks sharp on the bathroom counter. Other reviews mention clogging, but we just clean the nozzle wi… Read it on AmazonDaney · June 1, 2022 · Verified
Bello ed elegante, dosa bene ancheStella · May 1, 2022 · Verified
Open the head of the dispenser and fit the AAA batteries, matching the polarity marks. Keeping the batteries in the head means they stay out of the splash zone around the sink.
In a separate jug, combine 1 part liquid soap with 5 parts water, Umbra's suggested starting point, and stir gently. Do not use ready-made foaming soap.
Pour the mix through the wide opening into the clear base, up to its 280 ml (9.5 oz) capacity, and close it.
Set the Otto on a level, dry spot. On an uneven counter it can slide, so a small non-slip mat underneath helps.
Try a few doses. If nothing comes out, the mix is too thick and needs more water; if the foam is runny, add more soap next time. Every soap behaves differently, so expect a batch or two to find the right ratio.
Only for some buyers: we score it 3.1 out of 5. The Otto does its core job well once the refill mix is right: touch-free foam, a clear base, batteries kept away from the wet, and a look that suits a nice bathroom.
Rated 3.3 out of 5 across 147 user ratings, with 39% giving it five stars and 31% one star.
Units can fail early, and durability feedback is split. Needs trial and error to find the right soap-to-water mix.
Clean the nozzle with a cotton swab about once a month.
Start at Umbra's 1 part soap to 5 parts water and adjust from there. Thicker soaps can need far less water; one owner settled on about two parts soap to one part water.
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The Otto does its core job well once the refill mix is right: touch-free foam, a clear base, batteries kept away from the wet, and a look that suits a nice bathroom. The problem is consistency between units. Some run for years, others stop within months, so the price buys style and convenience rather than peace of mind.
Buy the Otto for how it looks and for touch-free foam from cheap diluted soap, and expect to spend a batch or two finding the right mix. Buy it from somewhere with easy returns, because early failures are common enough that a dud is a real possibility.
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