Unlike their corded counterparts, cordless vacuum cleaners let you move from room to room freely and the latest models are lighter, more compact and user-friendly, with longer runtime and better suction power.
They also tend to come with a host of accessories and attachments to make light work of – and even put joy back into – cleaning your home, all without taking up too much space. Here’s what we thought of the seven newest cordless cleaners:
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*COMPACT DESIGN*
Run time: Up to 65 minutes on the lowest speed and 21 minutes on turbo.
Charge time: 5 hours
Power: 25.2 V
Bin capacity: 0.6 L
Weight: 2.73 kg
How powerful is it?
On the lowest setting (or eco mode), it does a good job of picking up both dust and hair on hard floors and is sufficient for a bit of light cleaning, while normal mode is great for day-to-day cleaning with better pick-up. Turbo mode works best for more efficiently whisking away cobwebs and dust high up on the ceiling, sucking up the layer of dust on ceiling fan blades or deep-cleaning carpets and deep-pile rugs.
How versatile is it?
The main nozzle is designed for all floor types and the various accessories like the crevice tool and brush head are sufficient more thorough cleaning from floor to ceiling, including more tricky spaces like window blinds, ceiling corners and the ceiling fan. Without the extension rod, the main unit doubles up as a useful handheld and there’s a mini turbo brush attachment for upholstery.
Is it easy to use?
Its streamlined design means you don’t waste time adding or removing attachments as both the brush head and crevice tool are cleverly integrated into the rod design. A digital display on the handle shows you the percentage of battery life so you know how much juice is left, while LED lights on the main nozzle help illuminate dirt in dim areas. Its flexible nozzle joint makes navigating around furniture and hard floors really easy, only requiring a bit more effort on carpets and high pile rugs. However, the canister is a bit bulky and the lid requires some tugging to remove.
Overall
For quick, efficient cleaning without having to fiddle with many attachments or tools, the Speedpro Max is thoughtfully designed to optimise convenience and time for cleaning your entire home.
*SILENT WARRIOR*
Runtime: Comes with two removable battery packs for “infinite” runtime as you can charge one while vacuuming with the other. Each lasts about 55 minutes on regular mode.
Charge time: Around 45 minutes per battery pack.
Power: 18 V
Bin capacity: 0.4 L
Weight: 3.5 kg
How powerful is it?
The regular speed setting is powerful enough for suctioning most surfaces and could easily pick up both fine dust and bigger hair and dirt particles with just a onceover. We only switched to Turbo mode to vacuum up stubborn dust and cobwebs high up on the walls and ceilings, or deep clean a high-pile rug. What impressed us most was how quiet it is – we could even use it at night!
How versatile is it?
The main unit easily transforms into a handy handheld vacuum for properly cleaning various spots around the home like countertops. We like the long and flexible nozzle that’s ideal for reaching crevices and narrow spaces like in-between the sofa, and for easily cleaning the top of the wall and skirting boards with minimal reaching or bending.
Is it easy to use?
The attachments are easy to snap together and slide off, and to start vacuuming there’s an easy trigger button at the handle that you just press once. It’s really easy to steer around odd corners and under furniture as well. We were especially impressed at how smoothly it glides across carpets and high-pile rugs in one easy stroke, without getting caught in the fibres. The bin container is simple to detach from the main unit, although you have to manually remove the filter before pouring the contents into the bin.
Overall
If you’re willing to splurge, the Bosch Unlimited is a high-powered yet surprisingly quiet vacuum cleaner that charges quickly and is a breeze on most surfaces, with a stylish and sleek all-white finish to boot.
*SUPER SUCTION*
Runtime: About 60 minutes on the lowest mode.
Charge time: 3.5 hours
Power: 25.2 V
Bin capacity: 0.76 L
Weight: 2.68 kg
How powerful is it?
Equipped with a new motor and more streamlined design, the V10’s suction power – which claims to be 20 per cent more powerful than its predecessor – delivers consistently even as the bin fills up, while being gentle and buttery smooth on surfaces from hard floors to fabric upholstery. On medium power, it could suck up embedded hair, fluff and dirt in high-pile carpets without getting them caught in the roller head.
How versatile is it?
The eight different attachments are thoughtfully designed for more targeted cleaning around your home. Besides two floor cleaners (a soft roller cleaner head for hard floors and Direct-Drive head with stiff bristles for carpets), the main unit works as a handheld vacuum too. We found the mini-motorised brush for fabric upholstery and the crevice tool for difficult, narrow spaces especially handy.
Is it easy to use?
Yes, it’s very nimble and slim enough to maneuver around tight corners and below furniture. However, you need to keep your finger on the trigger to operate the vacuum which can cause some wrist strain. Emptying the large bin canister is a breeze with its nifty “point and shoot” mechanism; simply aim the opening over your bin and eject the contents right inside so there’s no dust cloud or messiness.
Overall
The Cyclone V10 is undoubtedly very powerful and great for deep-cleaning your carpets and other soft-furnishings, with lots of user-friendly attachments and a futuristic design that looks great in your home.
*VALUE FOR MONEY*
Runtime: Up to 20 minutes on normal mode and 12 minutes on Boost mode.
Charge time: 3 hours
Power: 21.9 V
Bin capacity: 0.4 L
Weight: 2.8 kg
How powerful is it?
Designed with advanced cyclonic technology, it does a decent job on hard floors and low-pile carpets, managing to suck up a lot of hair, dirt and unseen dust from the latter, but tends to get trapped on deeper-pile rugs. Boost mode worked well on larger particles and debris like cereal, we like that it is able to run quite a long and continuous time on Boost mode.
How versatile is it?
The main roller head is able to clean all floor surfaces from tile to parquet. There are four other nozzles for spot cleaning – a crevice tool for nooks and crannies, a sofa brush for getting hair and dust off fabric upholstery and two brush heads that can be integrated into the rod (so you don’t have to keep taking them off) for tabletops or ceilings.
Is it easy to use?
Just press the trigger once to start or stop. The main roller head’s built-in LED light strip helps boost visibility in darker areas and the roller brush core has a deep groove which lets you cut through hair that’s wound around the brush. The main motor unit is quite hefty, especially when lifting it to clean high areas, otherwise it’s wheels make it easy to roll from room to room. Emptying the bin is easy, simply lift a lever on the main unit and the canister’s base pops open. Just give it a little shake to let the dirt and debris fall straight into the bin.
Overall
For its price, the Tefal Air Force 360 is very handy for daily cleaning of hard floors and tabletop or upholstery messes, and easy to maintain with many removable features.
*GREAT FOR PET OWNERS*
Runtime: 20 minutes
Charge time: 4 hours, or 60 minutes for quick burst of cleaning (battery is removable)
Power: 22 V
Bin capacity: 0.4 L
Weight: 2.3 kg
How powerful is it?
Designed to tackle coarse, stubborn pet hair besides the usual dust and debris, we were impressed by how it managed to suck up both furballs and loose hair quickly and effortlessly even with just one power setting, although it is quite loud. The deep cleaning attachment works like a charm to remove embedded pet hair on soft furnishings like the sofa and table runner, although suction power diminishes slightly if a lot of hair gets caught in the roller head.
How versatile is it?
Suitable for all floor surfaces, it also switches easily from a stick vacuum to a handheld one. The short crevice tool is conveniently stored in the handle unit which saves a bit of time when you’re going from room to room and is great for reaching nooks and crannies, while the dusting brush and deep cleaning tool make it easy to clean the high areas, curtains and other surfaces.
Was it easy to use?
It’s basically foolproof to operate with only one start/stop button, glides smoothly on floors and rugs, and its slender design easily slides under low furniture and around corners. Both the main unit and floor cleaner head are fitted with LED lights so you can work just as well in dimmer spots. The K9 also comes with refillable scented cartridges you pop into the filter that actually produce a pleasant scent as you clean!
Overall
The Power Floor K9 is a very versatile and user-friendly unit that’s not just excellent for cleaning up after your furry friends, but great for your whole house as well.
*VERY LIGHTWEIGHT*
Runtime: 48 minutes on normal, 16 minutes on Boost
Charge time: 4 hours
Power: 18 V
Bin capacity: 0.5 L
Weight: 2.5 kg
How powerful is it?
On normal mode, this upright vacuum cleaner does a pretty good job getting rid of dust, pet hair and dirt, requiring Boost mode for more effectively getting rid of embedded debris on soft furnishings like rugs and carpets. Switching to the motorised pet nozzle works well for really stubborn pet fuzz, although you then compromise on battery life.
How versatile is it?
While there’s only one floor cleaning head, the handheld is easy to detach from the main body and can be used with six different attachments for cleaning above-the-floor surfaces. This includes the motorised pet nozzle and unique nozzle with UV light specially for bed linens. The latter works to pick up both dust and allergens on bedsheets, pillows and blankets, which is great for those with more sensitive noses.
Was it easy to use?
As an upright vacuum cleaner, the weight is concentrated at the base so it feels lighter than the others and easier to move about the floors and underneath furniture, except very low or deep ones because of its slightly bulkier body. It is easy to operate with just two buttons for power and strength selection, and the row of headlights on the roller head is perfect for shining into dim areas. We especially like you can just just step on a pedal on the main cleaning head to cut through hair and fibres tangled around the brush for easy cleaning.
Overall
While it’s a bit bulkier than the handstick vacuums, the Ergorapido is very lightweight and great for cleaning a variety of surfaces from the bed to the carpet, with added value for pet owners or those with allergies.
*INNOVATIVE MOPPING*
Runtime: Up to 80 minutes on the lower setting
Charge time: 4 hours
Wattage: 44 W
Bin Capacity: Around 0.2 L (dry waste) and 0.6 L (liquid waste)
Weight: 3.9 kg
How powerful is it?
Its polymer cleaning roller head is gentle on floors and, thanks to its wet mop feature, effortlessly picked up a lot of fine dust, trapping them in the waste water container which left our floors feeling squeaky clean even on the lower strength setting. It manages to accumulate a satisfying amount of larger dirt particles, hair and pet fur in the waste tray with just one or two passes, although it was less effective on dried stains.
How versatile is it?
While it’s only suited for cleaning hard floors, its versatility stems from four integrated cleaning functions – sweeping, mopping, drying and self-cleaning. This means its one cleaning head cleans up both dry and wet messes such as spilled cereal and chunky soup at once, while simultaneously drying the floor and cleaning itself internally as you go. The roller head sweeps up solids and absorbs liquids, cleverly separating them into a dry waste tray and waste water tank.
Was it easy to use?
It’s easy to operate with an elegant digital display interface. Although it’s quite heavy, the handle is very ergonomic so it’s not tiring to hold and maneuver around while cleaning, and it has wheels that make it easy to roll around. The handle locks when put in an upright position, so the machine can stand by itself. It automatically stops and beeps to alert you when it’s time to clear the waste tank or replenish the clean water tank (LED light turns red as well).
Overall
While it’s more a floor mop than vacuum cleaner, the elegant Hizero is a nifty all-in-one device that makes cleaning complex messes more effortless, so it’s great for homes with young children or pets.
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