| The latest and best Cordless Vacuum Cleaners Tested and Reviewed by Fred-in-the-shed Updated 6th July 2018
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Over the last 20 years I have owned and used dozens of cordless vacuums
and have seen them evolve from disappointing gadgets into powerful and effective cleaning tools.
I have had most of the ubiquitous BLACK+DECKER
DUSTBUSTERS and
all have gone prematurely to landfill.
The Dustbuster is the most popular entry level cordless vacuum but due
to a non-replaceable battery it has a limited lifespan. In my opinion
products like this should be banned since they are uneconomic to repair
and become landfill prematurely.
I much prefer the The Dyson
handhelds and Gtech Multi that have REPLACEABLE 22v batteries.
The oldest vac in my collection is my18v Makita BCL180.This uses
huge 3 amp hour, REPLACEABLE 18v
batteries found in builders tools like drills
and saws.
Results from my long term, extensive testing of cordless vacuums show
that the quality of the battery and the filter type are the most
important factors to consider when choosing a cordless vacuum.
Gtech Air Ram Mk2
The Gtech Air Ram Mk2 hits the Fredshed bedroom carpet
I love the LED headlights and was amazed how well it collects debris of
all sizes. This updated model is so light and easy to use, even from my
wheelchair. It is a bit noisy on hard floors but has many good
features such as easy emptying of the collection box and big on/off
button and battery charging indicator light.
The long handle pivots and
lowers to get right under furniture and locks into place to stand
upright for storage and recharging.
I have the basic model but there is a more expensive K9 model for pet
hair issues. I like my Air Ram 2 as it is quick and easy to use and is
lighter than my Dyson V7.
Click for more info on Gtech Cordless Vacuum Cleaners Bosch Athlet
The Bosch athlet feels like a solid well made
product and is very adaptable with all its accessories like hoses and
wands. However using these tools can be a bit of a mission. The Bosch
Athlet and the Gtech Air ram both weigh
about 3kg, have similar size batteries and cost around £200.
Contrary to
any marketing hype you may see both the Gtech and Bosch vacuums are made in China.
There have been reports of handles breaking. The elephant in the room
with the Bosch Athlete is that the battery is built in and cannot be
easily replaced thus causing many otherwise working machines to become
landfill.
Some early models had faulty chargers and this has now been
corrected but I would urge caution buying any product with a built in
battery if you are environmentally conscious.
Bosch Athlet verses the Gtech Air Ram Mk2
The Athlet is great on my parquet floor
Bosch Athlet Upright Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, 0.9 L - White DYSON HANDHELD CORDLESS VACUUMS TESTED AND REVIEWED
Is the Dyson as good as the adverts make out?
My Original Dyson DC16
My current Dyson DC35 - (purchased March 2011) and V7 (purchased Sept
2017)
I have owned and tested 3 Dyson cordless vacuums and currently use my
V7 nearly
every day. I have also tried several others belonging to friends.
The unique
selling feature of a Dyson is the dual cyclone technology. Other brands
have single cyclone but it is the dual cyclone invented and patented by
James Dyson that really does give his product better performance - at a
price!
Over the last 10 years I have owned and used the original DC16 and a
number of the upgraded models that followed. The first models had
very short battery life. My DC35 has been
fantastic and is used at least 3 times a week.
It is powerful and particularly good at cleaning my
car and visitors often ask to borrow it to clean theirs.
Overall I love the design and the fact that the filters do not need
cleaning as often as other makes and the suction stays strong. The Dyson DC35 is easy to empty and has a neat
wall mounted charger. A small thing I don't like is that the trigger has
to he held in and cannot be locked on. This makes your hand ache after a
short while, which is okay as the battery only lasts a short while on full
power. My DC35 is still available but the higher
number models now have improved
digital motors and Hepa filtration to trap pollen and smaller
particles.
The Dyson V8 is now the most powerful Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner,
It still uses a 21.6 volt battery but it costs nearly £500!
Despite contacting Dyson and studying their literature I struggle to see
much difference between the DC59, V6, against the V7 and V8 .
All have the latest digital motor with a 15 cyclone arrangement.
From what I can tell the difference is that the V7 and V8 have
easier opening debris container and that the battery is now a
21.6v Nickel Cobalt Aluminium model and no longer Li-ion. Dyson
could not explain or confirm the difference to me. I must say
that my V7 is a big improvement on my DC35, everything has got
bigger and more powerful and it has incredible cleaning
performance.
I will attempt to find out more!
USE LINKS BELOW FOR THE LATEST DYSON MODELS
Dyson V6 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum
A commendable feature of Dyson is the easy availability of spare parts.
click here for the
spares for all Dyson handheld cordless vacuums Gtech Multi - Test and Review
The Gtech Multi undergoing its first Fredshed trial It is well balanced and easy to operate
I am very impressed
With the small motorised brush head it is perfect for stairs
This handheld cordless vac has a 22v Li-ion battery similar in
size and power to the Dyson handheld models.
It is at least £100 cheaper and looks similar. When using the
tool it is clear that it has less suction than a Dyson with its patented
dual cyclone feature.
The Gtech Multi has enough suction to do the job and the powered head
attachment is great at brushing up particles into the air
flow.
So far I am impressed with the Multi, it is comfortable to use
and collects more dust and debris than I expected.
One improvement over the Dyson is the ability to leave it
switched on, with the Dyson you have to hold the trigger, which
I find a bit tiresome.
The main issue is that the foam filter needs to be washed
regularly to maintain its suction and it takes ages to dry.
I will be buying another spare filter and would like to see
products like this supplied with 2 from the start.
Click for more info on Gtech Cordless Vacuum Cleaners
Mk2 Foam Filter for Gtech Multi Handheld Vacuum Cleaners (2016 onwards)
Makita BCL108Z 18v Cordless Vacuum
The blue
Makita 18V LXT Cordless Vacuum shown above is now 8 years
old and I use it at least 3 times a week.
This superb 18v vacuum from Makita of Japan has been around for
years and is powered by the same range of Li-ion batteries that
builders use in their drills and saws.
It uses conventional dual layer cloth and plastic washable filters
and the basic design is simple and effective.
It is also available in a 14.4v version and replaces my old 12v
version that I loved and used for years.
I am testing
and comparing it against the 22.2v Dyson DC35 - Digital Slim.
Both vacs have plenty of suction and come
with similar accessories. The main difference is that the Makita has a
bigger battery that runs for longer than even the most expensive Dyson. The Makita battery can be used in
around 50 other powertools!
The Dyson is easier to empty and has a neat
wall mounted charger. If had to choose between them it would have to be the
Makita , mainly because I already have the battery and charger
from my Makita drill. I also use the battery in a lamp, chainsaw, hedge
trimmer, leaf
blower and jigsaw.
If you don't have any Makita tools or
batteries already you will have to buy the vacuum separate to a battery
and charger but the total is still less than the entry level Dyson (£160 vs
£220 approx). Dyson handhelds and the Makita BCL108Z
both come
with extension tubes and floor attachments. The Dyson crevice nozzle is longer so better under
car seats. The Dyson battery has 4v more current but way less
power (in amps). Both batteries are around £50 to replace but the Makita battery can be
used in 50 other tools. My Makita batteries are 8 years old and are still
working well.
Conventional 2 filter setup.
One is plastic, one is cloth, and both can be washed and re-used.
My cloth filter lasted 5 years before I felt the need to replace it.
Makita 443060-3 Cloth Filter for BCL180ZW, BCL180 and LC01Z Vacuums
I empty my vac straight into a plastic bag.
Makita BCL180Z 18V LXT Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Makita 18 V Li-ion Battery and Charger
Black & Decker Dustbusters
BLACK+DECKER
18v Lithium Compact Pivot Vacuum ( special
edition shown )
Pivot Nose Dustbusters
The Dustbuster is one of Black & Decker's longest running products and
has seen many incarnations.
The pivot nose version takes up less space and is ideally located on a
shelf whilst the conventional longer Dustbusters are best wall mounted.
These compact little vacs have great suction and the double filter system works well.
The folding design makes it easy to store on
charger, and ideal on a kitchen worktop or shelf.
Expelled air and dust is not blown into your face like the old dustbusters.
I tested the 12, 14.4v and 18v versions which have the same design and
filters.
From my experience the batteries last 3-5 years if regularly recharged
but sadly they are not replaceable.
Even worse,
B&D make the batteries and motor as one module so it is uneconomic to
replace. Handy for them as you have to buy a new vacuum.
BLACK+DECKER Lithium Compact Pivot Vacuum, 18 V, Dark Titanium
Black + Decker Dustbuster Filter to Fit PV9625N/ PV1225NPM/ PV1225NB/ PV1425N/ PV1825N
The 18v model is best value and is the the most powerful.
The neat folding brush on a slide-out nozzle.
This solves the problem with losing small accessories.
Dustbuster Filters
The Dustbusters use the typical twin cone, 1 plastic, 1 paper
(or foam) affair that is found in the Gtech, Makita and other vacs.
It works well if kept clear but is a messy horrible job to clean
properly. The Dyson filter stays much cleaner and needs cleaning or
changing less often. Well done James!
New model is much improved with a see thru dust bin and improved Li-ion batteries
BLACK+DECKER Lithium Compact Pivot Vacuum, 18 V, Dark Titanium
Black + Decker Dustbuster Filter to Fit PV9625N/ PV1225NPM/ PV1225NB/ PV1425N/ PV1825N Bosch 10.8v
and 12v Cordless Vacuums Blue Bosch tools are tier professional range
so when I tried this 10.8v GAS cordless vacuum I was underwhelmed by the poor suction and
lack if tools. Recently Bosch have bought out the Easyvac 12 in thier
green range and this is a much better product with a full range of
accessories and plenty of suck.
Bosch GAS 10.8v cordless vacuum uses battery from
the Bosch Blue range of professional power tools Bosch GAS108VLIN 10.8 V-LI 10.8v Li-ion Vacuum Bare Unit GAS108
Bosch Easy Vac 12
This model is new for 2017 and part of the power For All 12v
range. It used to be known as the 10.8v range but all companies are now
reclassifying 10.8v as 12v.
This little vac comes with a range of accessories and is only sold
naked, so you need to buy the battery and charger separately if you
don't already have other powertools in the range.
So far only used it for a week but am very impressed as it has plenty of
power and includes a full range of accessories. It is very similar to my
beloved Makita 18v vac but even lighter and easier to use. I really like
this product and hope that Bosch start selling it in a kit together with
the battery and charger.
Bosch EasyVac 12 Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner (Without Battery and Charger)
BOSCH AL1115CV Li-ion Standard Battery Charger KARCHER WV50 ELECTRIC WINDOW VACUUM A Totally New Way To Clean Windows
Its a squeegee that vacuums the soap and dirt clean away!
Great on car windows too! This excellent new invention from Karcher of Germany is a sort of cross between a wet -n-dry dustbuster and a
window squeegee. Firstly you soap up the window using a sponge or the
sheepskin clad spray gun accessory, then swipe down the window
with the vac and in seconds you will have a perfectly clean window
with no smears or mess. All the dirty water is sucked into the integral tank and kept away from the window. The Karcher WV50 window vacuum is great on tiles
and cars too. I often use the Karcher when I wash my car to dry
it off quickly after rinsing. This stops those annoying water spots
appearing. I find that the new smaller 170mm head is best on my cars as it copes with the curved glass better. I am a pretty hard person to please when it comes to
new gadgets but this one beat my expectations. It also impressed my
window cleaning friend Chris and Polish cleaning lady, who calls me
MacGyver, due to the enormous amounts of gadgets in my house. The Karcher WV50 did come with a spray bottle with a
built in cleaning head and can be used with just a drop of washing
up liquid or you can buy special Karcher window cleaning fluid,
designed for this gadget. The spray bottle/soaping head is now an accessory
and one you don't really need as a sponge or cloth with do. LATEST NEWS - NEW MODELS OUT KARCHER WV1 and WV2 These new models are shorter and have a better tank emptying method. The WV2 has a better battery than the WV1. For best results use the yellow coloured Karcher
concentrated fluid below Kärcher CWindow Cleaner Concentrate NEW PRODUCT! - TELESCOPIC HANDLE FOR YOUR WINDOW VAC!
Kärcher Window Vac Extension Pole for All Kärcher Window Vac Models
Also available - narrower 170mm head for small
Georgian type windows!
Kärcher Window Vac Small Suction Blade for WV2, WV2 Premium and WV5 Premium
The smaller head is better on curvy car windscreens too.
If you found my advice helpful and would like to support my work,
please return to this page and use my links when purchasing your tools. Also any other products bought from Amazon at the same time will
produce a small commission that helps cover my hosting costs. Or if you prefer, you can make a
small donation using the PayPal button below. Thanks - Fred
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