Stiftung Warentest
Vacuum cleaners at Warentest: devices with rechargeable batteries suck better, but are much more expensive
Vacuum cleaners are the cheap choice (symbol photo)
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Vacuum cleaners without a cumbersome cable do well in the test if they cost over 600 euros. With Strippe, on the other hand, there are good vacuum cleaners starting at 200 euros.
Stiftung Warentest has struck a double blow. Vacuum cleaners with rechargeable batteries and floor devices with cables were tested. You can almost imagine the result in the summary: The devices with rechargeable batteries are of course much more handy, but good cordless vacuum cleaners cost over 600 euros. Cable sucker less than half. In the test, the cordless vacuum cleaners also performed better when vacuuming, despite the lower performance. But that is also due to the test conditions.
Batteries are expensive if they are supposed to be good
First to the cordless vacuum cleaners. Only new models in the price range of 350 to 800 euros are tested. The budget conclusion: “Good cordless vacuum cleaners cost a lot of money.” The Dyson V15 only lands in the middle with a satisfactory grade, it weakens in the handling discipline. Therefore, there is now room on the winner’s podium for other competitors. The only problem is that they aren’t noticeably cheaper either. The winner in the test is Miele Triflex HX2. The verdict: “Except for corners and edges, it sucks well or very well everywhere.” The battery life of only 12 minutes at the highest level is criticized. The device is supplied with a replaceable battery as standard. So you get at least 24 minutes.
It should be remembered that 20 minutes of pure sucking time last longer than you first think. In the time you get one or two rooms vacuumed. However, if you want to vacuum an entire house at once, you need a stack of exchangeable batteries.
The standard exchangeable battery of the test winner should not be overestimated, but should be taken into account when considering the price. You can also buy an additional battery for other devices. The price for the additional power dispenser is then added to that of the device. You should pay attention to the capacity of the battery.
Always pay attention to consumption
The product testers write happily on the subject of capacity: “Don’t squint too much at the battery runtimes. The maximum performance is often only needed on carpets. Reduced or even the minimum performance is sufficient for hard floors, upholstery or a few cobwebs under the ceiling.”
That is absolutely correct and yet fundamentally wrong. Anyone who is willing to subject themselves to strict consumption and charging discipline when doing housework can thus optimize the runtime. If you don’t want to worry about the battery when vacuuming and just happily vacuum, you will quickly exhaust its capacity.
The test winner, Miele Triflex HX2, costs 675 euros with a second battery, closely followed by the Bosch BSS825CARP. Its price is 615 euros, but without a removable battery. The Miele Triflex HX2 vacuums particularly well, including animal hair.
When it comes to hair problems, the top four suckers work well. This is because the cordless vacuum cleaners do not rely solely on the vacuum. They all use a rotary brush powered by their own motor to comb the hair out of the carpet. The brush doesn’t do that much on hard floors, where many cordless tools weaken.
The lightweight devices can be easily moved without a power cable. In order to keep the weight and dimensions small, savings are made on the insulation. The small cordless vacuum cleaners make a lot of noise, especially in power mode. On the other hand, their low power consumption is an advantage. Cable vacuum cleaners require almost 50 percent more electricity in the test setup. No cordless vacuum cleaner works with a bag, emptying and cleaning tends to be a dusty affair.
Corded vacuum cleaners are much cheaper
At prices of over 600 euros for a cordless device, you have to swallow. It is also to be expected that the filigree devices and especially their batteries will not have the service life of a good cable vacuum cleaner.
But although there have been electric vacuum cleaners for a hundred years, there are still really bad devices on offer. Real cheap goods were not tested at all. The product testers find it pointless because the devices are too bad. Good devices are available from 200 euros. That’s less than a third of the price of a good handheld vacuum.
The best cable vacuum was the Miele Complete C3 Starlight EcoLine for 340 euros – it works with a bag. The verdict: “The Miele Complete C3 vacuums well, economically and quietly. Effective on hard floors and cracks: the long years of development are noticeable in a few points across the test field. The vacuum cleaners usually thoroughly remove dust from hard floors such as click parquet or tiles.”
Equal but without a bag is the Bosch BGC41XSIL. It only costs 261 euros, plus there are savings due to the bags that are not required. Price-performance winner is the Rowenta Silence Force Allergy+ RO7755this good vacuum cleaner only costs 199 euros.
As in every test, the vacuums have problems getting dust out of the carpet. The testers complain that more and more suction power eventually leads to the vacuum cleaner sticking to the floor and hardly being able to move
According to Warentest, no cable vacuum sucks animal hair away well.
Conclusion
Cordless vacuum cleaners are ideal if you can bear the costs, you value the flexibility and you don’t want to vacuum for hours at a time. Vacuum cleaners are unwieldy and therefore significantly cheaper. If you have it cleaned, the apartment is vacuumed in one go – then you can hardly avoid a cable device.
The cable vacuum cleaner’s poor performance in the “hair and carpet” combination must be put into perspective. There are inexpensive floor attachments with a rotary brush for every vacuum cleaner. As with the battery models, it then combs the carpet. And thanks to its construction, it doesn’t get stuck either. These aftermarket models are passively powered by airflow. If you want to do it really thoroughly, you can get a corded device with an electric brush – something like that outclasses any cordless vacuum cleaner, but is only suitable for carpets.
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