Journalist Glenn Kelly put three vacuum cleaners - at a range of price points - to the test in his busy home. Read on for the results.
With winter approaching fast, and the kids spending more time inside the house, you may have noticed that your floors are picking up dirt faster than a bin lorry. It may seem like your new best friend is the vacuum, but is it up to the job?
Lucky for all you RTÉ Lifestyle readers, I am here to let you know what new machines are on the market that can deal with all your dirt-collecting needs in a breeze and leave you with more time to do some Christmas shopping.
So, what is it we look for in a vacuum cleaner? Value for money, certainly, even if it isn't cheap to buy, is it likely to give you years of use? Is it easy to use? Does the battery life last? Does it clean every last speck?
Now is the time to grab a coffee, read on and see which one you are going to put on your Santa list.
Best Overall
Dyson V16 Piston Animal
Currys.ie - €849.00
Pros:
- Class-leading suction
- Build quality
- New bin compressor
- Excellent battery life
- Informative display screen
- Accessories and spare parts readily available
Cons:
- High price
- Head design has the potential to miss dirt
- Heavy
If you want a name you can rely on in the cleaning world, look no further than Dyson. Since the 1990's the British firm has been setting the standard in bagless and cordless vacuum cleaners. Now they have released this, the new V16 Piston model, promising the best experience yet.
Opening up the box, it is clear this is an evolution of the V15 – which I currently own – but for the manufacturers it understandably is a case of "if it ain’t broken don’t fix it".
The build quality is second to none, with the handle, shaft and motorised head all snapping into each other effortlessly. You feel that the Dyson is an investment in how it is built, and there is a good chance it will stand the test of time for many years to come.
Once assembled, it was time to take a test drive. Our two kids and a Labradoodle do their best to ensure there is always a steady stream of crumbs strewn across the floor, so ideal for this test!
The V16 Piston uses a box-fresh Hyperdymium 900W motor and an innovative new dual conical cleaner head that tackles hair with ease. It is Dyson’s most powerful motor yet, creating a maximum of 315 Air Watts (AW), and this statistic is easily believable.
The motorised head makes light work of cleaning all before it on its first trip across the floor, most of which are of the wooden or tile variety. However, if you have more carpets in your home, fear not, as the V16 recognises the changes in floor type and adjusts the head accordingly to make it an effortless trip.
A light emanating from the head shows up pieces of dirt that may not be visible to the naked eye and can create a scene similar to CSI, something that may cause panic amongst clean freaks who thought their house was spotless.
The battery has been improved to provide up to 70 minutes of run time. This will, of course, depend on what setting it is on and the number of times you have used the boost setting. But after using the vacuum for two weeks, I can say that we have managed just over two full laps of a four-bedroom house on one charge, so the figures are far from fictional and for me, I think it is a great performance. Particularly when charging is as easy as hanging it up on a wall on the charging plate.
The large bin now also comes with a compressor tool that squeezes the dirt and hair to the bottom to allow more fresh dirt to arrive. I think this is a great idea, as the more cleaning between empties, the better.
At 3.4kg this does not feel the lightest, and so if you were elderly or struggling with mobility, there may be better options as I will come to later. The head design, whilst awesome for dealing with hair, is oddly shaped and leaves a gap of cleaning area in the middle, which has the potential to miss some dirt head-on. I have read this to be an issue with some, but I have to say I haven’t encountered anything major in this regard, though it may be worth watching out for.
We also can’t avoid talking about the price. This is an expensive unit at almost €850, no doubt about it. It will be simply too steep for many to stomach. What I would say is that with individual parts available as replacements and a good network of repair engineers, the Dyson should still be collecting dirt in another decade, and not many hoovers can say that, particularly cordless items.
Overall, the Dyson V16 Piston is not only a fine hoover but a stellar piece of engineering that comes highly recommended.
Verdict: 9/10
Best Mid-Range
Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Cordless Pet Vacuum Cleaner
Sharkclean.ie - €409.99
Pros:
- Effective cleaning ability
- Can charge and self-empty on base after use
- Strong battery life
- 5-year guarantee
- Easy to manoeuvre
- Reductions quite common
Cons:
- Feels quite plasticky
- Screen doesn’t tell you much
Shark is well known for its mammoth range of home appliances and cutting-edge technology, and here again, with their Powerdetect clean and empty unit, they are aiming to push the boundaries of upright cordless hoovers with an emptying system that should do away with regular trips to the bin.
Assembling the Shark is easy-peasy, although going from the Dyson, you don’t quite have as much faith in the durability of the moving parts. The clips that connect the different sections are very plasticky and not of as high a quality as the Dyson, but of course, savings have to be made somewhere when there is a €400 price difference.
The cleaning is impressive, though. The machine took care of a variety of dirt on the floor, and it also has the unique selling point of lifting while on the backwards route rather than just moving forward, which helps save time.
The battery life is on par with the Dyson and is easily good enough for two complete runs around our home.
Whilst still quite heavy, there appears to be an assistance when moving the hoover forward, which makes it seem lighter and more manoeuvrable than the Dyson. The handle also drops to allow cleaning under sofas and tables, which I found to be very effective.
The self-cleaning stand works well and can save up to a month's worth of dirt. Especially handy in these dark evenings when you want to limit late-night runs outside to empty. I would be careful to make sure you don’t accidentally pick up any perishable food, as I’m not sure how well the base could mask the smell after 30 days.
I would like the screen to give you more information than just the mode choices, too, especially as the hardware allows.
Overall, the Shark is an excellent cleaner that is well-priced. Promotions and savings coming up to Black Friday are almost guaranteed, so you may be able to get this closer to €300, which would be a steal in my book. Backed by a five-year guarantee, you can certainly forgive its minor failings and enjoy its undoubted abilities.
Verdict: 8.5/10
Best Value
Dreame R20 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Harveynorman.ie - €279
Pros:
- Excellent value
- Light to operate
- Good battery life
- Easy to assemble
- Good cleaning ability on hard floors
Cons:
- Small bin
- Connecting pins between parts look fragile at best
- Can struggle on carpets
For those looking to try something a bit different from the usual brands, how about the Chinese company, Dreame?
Relatively new to the vacuum game, they have made an impact with some premium robot vacuums and some more budget-friendly vacuums like the R20 we have here.
The R20 offers some impressive cleaning on hard floors, taking care of all dirt and grime uncovered by its headlight. There is also an impressive battery life that I failed to drain after three laps around the house.
The machine is lighter than the two reviewed above, which lends itself to superb turning ability and is easier on your forearms, too. You can see the inspirations Dreame has taken from Dyson, such as the overall shape and even the wall charging plate, however, it is a sound package overall delivered at an affordable price point.
The R20 was easy to assemble, however, each part is connected by two metal pins. I’m not sure if it is just because I am used to the usual "click in" plastic systems, but I was already worrying about bending these thin pins at the first attempt, and I still am pretty sure I would do so before a year was out, so be careful.
The Dreame did struggle a little on carpeted floors and was not the best at picking up hair, so if you have a dog that sheds, perhaps this might not be the best for you. The bin is also quite small and that marks it down when compared with the larger Dyson and the Shark that can be emptied automatically.
The vacuum comes with all the basic accessories you would need and will do a sterling job in many homes. At this price, too, I think you would be hard pushed to find any more bang for your buck.
Verdict: 8.5/10
