Functional exploratory testing is often considered a time- and resource-consuming activity, especially within embedded systems testing. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of functional exploratory testing that demonstrates it to be a highly valuable technique and proves that applying the proposed methodical approach can overcome its disadvantages. This paper also provides a step-by-step framework that aids with the implementation of exploratory testing. The case study presents a low-voltage, near-motor variable frequency drive product. The results prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach.