GH Institute

All Household cleaning

• 
  Review of Electrolux Workzone Z61A handheld vacuum

  Features

  Corded. 700W. 600ml capacity. Brush or suction only options. Crevice tool.Weight: 2.6kg. Hose for stairs and car.

  Comments

  Good points: Excellent results on all surfaces and as mains operated will not lose power. Front visor can be lifted for vertical surfaces. Crevice tool tucks neatly into the back. Beater bar works well on carpet. Versatile.

  Drawbacks: A little heavy.

  Rating: 94/100

  Price: £49.99

  Stockist: 08445 614614 - http://www.electrolux.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Dyson DC31 handheld vacuum

  Features

  Cordless. 350ml capacity. Two power levels. Combination and crevice tool. Running time: 6 mins on full powerWeight: 1.3kg

  Comments

  Good points: Battery stops dead when power has run out instead of keeping going with no suction. Thin nozzle is good for narrow areas in the car.

  Drawbacks: Instructions could be better. Keeping control pressed down makes finger ache.

  Rating: 82/100

  Price: £139.99

  Stockist: 0800 298 01298 - http://www.dyson.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Black and Decker Flexi Vac handheld

  Features

  Cordless. 25W. 500ml capacity. One power level. Dusting brush and crevice tool. Integrated hose and turbo brush attachment. Running time: 12 minutesWeight: 2.2kg

  Comments

  Good points: Good suction head for hard flooring.

  Drawbacks: Lost suction at around 11 minutes. Carpet results disappointing, head gets clogged up quickly with dust.

  Rating: 81/100

  Price: £79.99

  Stockist: 01753 567055 - http://www.blackanddecker.eu

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Vax Gator handheld vacuum

  Features

  Cordless. 200ml capacity. Crevice tool. Running time: 12 minutes. Weight: 1.24kg

  Comments

  Good points: Suction lasted about 13 minutes.

  Drawbacks: Poor pet hair pickup. Crevice tool works its way back in when pressed onto a surface.

  Rating: 74/100

  Price: £49.99

  Stockist: 0844 412 8455 - http://www.vax.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Dirt Devil Dash handheld vacuum

  Features

  Cordless. 300ml capacity. Running time: 21 minutes. Weight 832g

  Comments

  Good points:  Good pickup on hard floor.

  Drawbacks: Lost suction after about 4 minutes. Very poor pet hair pickup. Nozzle too short for crevices and gets scratched easily.

  Rating: 66/100

  Price: £39.99

  Stockist: 0800 525 089 - http://www.dirtdevil.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Hoover Jovis handheld vacuum

  Features

  Cordless. Wet and dry. One power level. Dusting brush and crevice tool. Wall mountable base. Squeegee tool. Running time: 20 minutesWeight: 1.4kg

  Comments

  Good points: Suction remained for about 15 minutes. Good results on hard floor

  Drawbacks: Small nozzle doesn't glide well on carpet. Poor results on pet hair. Poor suction overall.

  Rating: 64/100

  Stockist: 08444 995 599 - http://www.hoover.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Dyson DC24 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. Set power level. 6m flex. 1.6m hose. Washable HEPA filter. Beater bar can be switched off. Tools on board: crevice, upholstery and dusting brush. Weight with flex and tools: 5.4kg. Noise: 83.4dB

  Comments

  Good points: Quick start instructions are useful. Ball makes it easy to manoeuvre. The handle slides into the body for compact storage. Dust canister is easy to remove, empty and replace. Hidden filter is less messy than other designs. Beater bar can be pushed out for cleaning. Good dust pickup on carpet and laminate. Good reach under low furniture.

  Drawbacks: Pictorial instructions are annoying. Handle doesn't lock into position when retracted.

  Rating: 86/100

  Price: £279.99

  Stockist: 0800 298 01298 - http://www.dyson.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

  
  

• 
  Review of Vax Mach Air vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. Set power level. 6m flex. 1.5m hose. HEPA filter. Tools on board: crevice tool, upholstery and dusting brush. Weight with flex and tools: 4.9kgNoise: 78.1dB

  Comments

  Good Points: Very good dust pick up on carpet, floor boards and laminate surface. Good results when removing pet hair from carpet. Satisfactory edge cleaning. Very lightweight and easy to manoeuvre and carry. Dust canister is easy to remove for emptying.

  Drawbacks: None

  Rating: 80/100

  Price: £179.99

  Stockist: 0844 412 8455 - http://www.vax.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Oreck XL3 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagged. Set power level. 8m flex. No hose. Washable outer bag acts as filter. Headlights. No beater bar. Extra portable vacuum supplied with tools. Weight with flex: 4.8kg. Noise: 89.1dB

  Comments

  Good points: Extremely lightweight and portable. Extra handheld vacuum is useful for stairs and edges. Drops very flat and has headlights which make it ideal for reaching under low furniture. Can be wall hung as quite flat in design. Good dust pickup on carpet and laminate and very good pet hair pickup.

  Drawbacks: Dated looking and basic. Noisy. Spreads dust on carpet before vacuuming up as no beater bar. Poor edge cleaning results.

  Rating: 79/100

  Price: £305

  Stockist: 0800 684 684 - http://www.oreck.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Dirt Devil DDMSTK1 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. Set power level. 5m flex. 1.2m hose. Washable HEPA filter. Tools on board: crevice and upholstery. Weight with flex and tools: 4.3kg. Noise: 81.0dB

  Comments

  Good points: Extremely lightweight. Auto cord rewind keeps the cord tidy and is unusual to find on an upright. The handle can be removed easily for compact storage. Canister locks in place securely. Good dust pick-up on laminate and floorboards.

  Drawbacks: Flexible hose is not very stretchy and not long enough to clean many stairs. Falls over easily. Visibly poor pickup on carpet, poor pet hair pick-up and very poor edge cleaning. Small capacity dust canister.

  Rating: 51/100

  Price: £59.99

  Stockist: 0800 525 089 - http://www.dirtdevil.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Miele Hybrid S4812 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagged. Variable power. 5.5m flex. 5.5m hose. Washable HEPA filter. Tools include: crevice, upholstery, dusting brush. Weight with flex and tools: 8.5kgNoise: 80.2dB

  Comments

  Good points: Lithium ion battery allows it to be used cordlessly for 10 minutes. Charges whilst being used plugged in. Strong suction, most dust removed from carpet on first sweep. Good pet hair pickup and good for difficult to reach areas in the car.

  Drawbacks: Heavy. Power drops off towards the end of the battery life.

  Rating: 86/100

  Price: £499

  Stockist: 0845 365 0555 - http://www.miele.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

  
  

• 
  Review of Dirt Devil DCC005 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. Variable power.  4.9m flex. 1.6m hose. Washable HEPA filter. Tools on board: crevice, upholstery and dusting brush. Turbo brush. Microban dust canister. Weight with flex and tools: 6.2kgNoise: 84.2dB

  Comments

  Good points: Canister is easy to remove. Choice of carry handles, the large one is balanced to use. Good dust pick-up on carpet, laminate and floorboards.

  Drawbacks: Ridged handle is uncomfortable and too short for tall users. High pitched when using turbo brush. Poor pet hair removal.

  Rating: 79/100

  Price: £79.99

  Stockist: 0800 525 089 - http://www.dirtdevil.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Electrolux ZSH730 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. Variable power level. 4.7m flex. 1.7m hose. HEPA filter. Tools: crevice, upholstery, dusting, turbo brush, parquet head. Weight with flex and tools: 6.5kgNoise: 82.3dB

  Comments

  Good points: Large wheels make it very stable. Dust canister is easy to remove, empty and fit. Good dust pickup on carpet, laminate and floorboards.

  Drawbacks: Turbo brush makes the noise high pitched. Tools are not stored on board. Poor pet hair removal. Average edge cleaning.

  Rating: 78/100

  Price: £79.99

  Stockist: 08445 614614 - http://www.electrolux.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Dyson DC26 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. Set power level. 5m flex. 1.7m hose. Lifetime washable filter. Tools on board: crevice, upholstery and dusting brush. Weight with flex and tools: 5.3kg. Noise: 83.7dB

  Comments

  Good points: Very compact, can fit on a piece of A4 paper. Ideal for stairs, small enough to fit on one sideways. Good selection of tools. Hose wraps neatly round body for storage. Ideal for a small flat. Good dust pick-up on carpet, laminate and floorboards.

  Drawbacks: Heavy for its size.  Poor pet hair removal and edge cleaning.

  Rating: 77/100

  Price: £249.99

  Stockist: 0800 298 01298 - http://www.dyson.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Hoover Freespace TFS7210 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. Set power level. 5.5m flex. 1.5m hose. Washable HEPA filter. Tools on board: crevice, upholstery and dusting brush. Parquet head. Turbo brush. Weight with flex and tools: 5.7kgNoise: 84.6dB

  Comments

  Good points: Good carrying handle. Good dust pick-up on carpet, laminate and floorboards.

  Drawbacks: Unstable when on its end and the hose parked. Hose has to be removed to empty canister which is messy. Pet head is quite small and doesn't pick up effectively.

  Rating: 76/100

  Price: £80

  Stockist: 08444 995 599 - http://www.hoover.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Dyson DC22 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless.  Set power level. 5m flex. 5m hose. Washable HEPA filter. Tools on board: crevice, upholstery, dusting brush. Weight with flex and tools: 7.1kgNoise: 83.7dB

  Comments

  Good points: Sturdy and compact. Quite lightweight. Useful quick start instructions. Good dust pick-up on carpet, laminate and floorboards.

  Drawbacks: Minimal instructions. Poor pet hair removal. Poor edge cleaning.

  Rating: 75/100

  Price: £239.99

  Stockist: 0800 298 01298 - http://www.dyson.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - September 2010

• 
  Review of Sebo Airbelt D vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagged. Variable power level. Turbo brush. Tools on board: crevice, dusting and upholstery tools. Weight with flex and tools 9.2kg. Noise: 78.5dB.

  Comments

  Good points: Powerful and effective dust and pet hair pickup on carpet and very good pick up on laminate and floorboards. Very good filter efficiency. Neat storage for accessories on the back of the machine. Simple single power control and easy to manoeuvre head. Good reach on stairs.

  Drawbacks: Dust gathers on the front of the turbo head during use. Heavy to carry. Would benefit from separate English and German sections. More detail and clearer diagrams are needed on the two heads provided and guidance on the power to select for different floor types.

  Rating: 86/100

  Price: £220

  Stockist: 01494 465533 - http://ww.sebo.com

  GHI Test Report - July 2010

• 
  Review of Dyson DC23 Motorhead vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. 251 airwatts. 6781g. Flex length 6.58m.Flexible hose length 2.71m. HEPA filter. Tools: dusting brush, crevice nozzle, upholstery tool, parquet floor brush.

  Comments

  Carpet cleaning score: 94/100. Floor boards cleaning score: 95/100. Laminate floor cleaning score: 98/100.

  Good points: Longest flexible hose of all the cylinders tested. Good manoeuvrability. Best pet hair removal of all the cylinders tested: 1 sweep. Excellent filter efficiency. Can reach 10 stairs. The British Allergy Foundation Seal of Approval.

  Drawbacks: One of the loudest and heaviest cylinders tested. Big and bulky to store. The telescopic tube is quite chunky and heavy.

  Rating: 86/100

  Price Range: £299 - 342

  Stockist: 0800 298 0298 - http://www.dyson.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - August 2009

  
  

• 
  Review of Sebo K1 Komfort vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagged. 2100W. Variable power. 5703g. Flex length 5.87m. Flexible hose length 2.23m. 2 filters (S class filtration system). Tools: extra long crevice nozzle, upholstery tool, parquet floor brush.

  Comments

  Carpet cleaning score: 75/100. Floor boards cleaning score: 97/100. Laminate floor cleaning score: 98/100.

  Good points: Bumper guard with shock absorber - saves walls and furniture from knocks. Second longest flexible hose of all the cylinders tested. Average pet hair removal: 3 sweeps. Good manoeuvrability. Can reach 10 stairs. Good Housekeeping Institute accreditation.

  Drawbacks: Dust bags a bit fiddly to remove.

  Rating: 80/100

  Price Range: £157 - 179

  Stockist: 01494 465 533 - http://www.sebo.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - August 2009

• 
  Review of John Lewis VS07 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagged. 2000W. Variable power. 5481g. Flex length 7.28m. Flexible hose length 1.54m. 2 filters (1 HEPA). Tools: dusting brush, crevice nozzle, upholstery tool.

  Comments

  Carpet cleaning score: 86/100. Floor boards cleaning score: 100/100. Laminate floor cleaning score: 99/100.

  Good points: Second longest flex of all the cylinders tested. Excellent filter efficiency. Can reach 9 stairs.

  Drawbacks: Very poor pet hair removal: at least 8 sweeps. Pet hair gets caught in wheels of floorhead. Floorhead sometimes gets stuck in one position, so manoeuvrability is poor.

  Rating: 80/100

  Price: £140

  Stockist: 08456 049 049 - http://www.johnlewis.com

  GHI Test Report - August 2009

• 
  Review of Bosch BSG71266 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagged. 1200W. Variable power. 5274g. Flex length 7.26m. Flexible hose length 1.66m. 2 filters (1 HEPA). Tools: dusting brush, crevice nozzle, upholstery tool

  Comments

  Carpet cleaning score: 96/100. Floor boards cleaning score: 99/100. Laminate floor cleaning score: 98/100.

  Good points: Long flex. Good filter efficiency. Can reach 9 stairs.

  Drawbacks: Poor pet hair removal: 4 - 5 sweeps. On/ off switch can be a bit unresponsive, it needs a firm push. 

  Rating: 76/100

  Price Range: £119 - 150

  Stockist: 0844 892 8925 - http://www.boschappliances.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - August 2009

• 
  Review of Dirt Devil DDCYL5 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. 2000W. 4818g. Flex length 5.05m. Flexible hose length 1.66m. 3 filters (1 HEPA). Tools: dusting brush, crevice nozzle, turbo brush.

  Comments

  Carpet cleaning score: 73/100. Floor boards cleaning score: 93/100. Laminate floor cleaning score: 99/100.

  Good points: Small and compact. One of the lightest cylinders tested. Can reach 9 stairs. Excellent filter efficiency

  Drawbacks: Very poor pet hair removal: at least 8 sweeps. Loudest cylinder tested, it has a very unpleasant high pitch squeal.

  Rating: 74/100

  Price: £78

  Stockist: 0870 873 0081 - http://www.dirtdevil.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - August 2009

• 
  Review of Panasonic MC-CG695 vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagged. 1300W. Variable power. 4693g. Flex length 6.01m. Flexible hose length 1.54m. 2 filters (1 HEPA). Tools: dusting brush, crevice nozzle, upholstery tool.

  Comments

  Carpet cleaning score: 95/100. Floor boards cleaning score: 98/100. Laminate floor cleaning score: 96/100.

  Good points: Lightest and quietest cylinder tested. Average pet hair removal: 3 - 4 sweeps. Can reach 9 stairs.

  Drawbacks: Flexible hose is one of the shortest of all the cylinders tested.

  Rating: 74/100

  Price: £120

  Stockist: 0844 844 3852 - http://www.panasonic.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - August 2009

• 
  Review of Hoover Xarion vacuum cleaner

  Features

  Bagless. 1500W. Variable power. 6283g. Flex length 6.07m. Flexible hose length 1.93m. HEPA filter. Tools: dusting brush, crevice nozzle, upholstery tool, 2 x turbo brushes.

  Comments

  Carpet cleaning score: 66/100. Floor boards cleaning score: 97/100. Laminate floor cleaning score: 98/100.

  Good points: One of the quietest cylinders tested. Good filter efficiency. Can reach 10 stairs.

  Drawbacks: Poor pet hair removal: 6 - 8 sweeps.

  Rating: 73/100

  Price Range: £147 - 149

  Stockist: 01685 721 222 - http://www.hoover.co.uk/airvolution

  GHI Test Report - August 2009