Best Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

(This article is one of 16 parts in our Tech Awards 2024: Editor's Choice content series.)

Best Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

A first for the Tech Awards, we're progressively opening up the Editor's Choice segment to more lifestyle and home electronics categories, starting with Best Cordless Vacuum Cleaner. When we started researching this category, we quickly realised that there were too many brands and contenders, with a wide range of features and prices, making it difficult to qualify everyone on equal grounds.

We eventually settled on qualifying only flagship models that must have both vacuum and powered mopping functionality (as opposed to those with just a static mop pad). If a brand has a model that's sold with and without a docking station, the model with the docking station will be considered. We also wanted to limit the main vacuum unit to under 3.5kg for usability and manoeuvrability purposes. As this is the first year this award is introduced, we have made some concessions to highlight technological variety as well. Lastly, we're only qualifying models launched between Q2 2023 and Q2 2024 for the local market.

Here are the nominees for Best Cordless Vacuum Cleaner:

Nominees:

• Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine
• LG A9T-Steam CordZero A9 Kompressor
• Samsung Bespoke Jet AI
• Xiaomi Truclean W10 Ultra

Note: While the list of brands competing in the cordless vacuum space is rather exhaustive, many of them didn't make the cut after considering our above qualification criteria. Meanwhile, a few other brands, like Phillips and Roborock, do have qualifying options; however, they were unable to send us a test unit. 

And the winner is… 

They say that the devil's in the details, and we found this to be true with the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI. Outside of our official testing, this was the vacuum we always reached for first when the need to clean arose. Maybe it was the ergonomics of its motor and bin placement; maybe it was because its brush heads were just the right size to fit between furniture; maybe it was how its mopping pads glided through our floor like a performance of Disney on Ice; maybe it was its long battery life that managed to vacuum and then mop our home within a single charge. Or maybe, it was all of the above. The Samsung Bespoke Jet AI was a joy to use, felt light on the hand, and could reach all the nooks and crannies better than any of the other vacuums on this list. And for that, it certainly deserves the win.

Check out our full review for more details.

Note:  You can get the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI series of vacuums from the Samsung Store.

For more details on how we rated our nominees and to learn about our experience with each device, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References section below. Prices are listed based on the original suggested retail price to maintain consistency of scoring. Price changes through ongoing sales and promotions are not reflected.

In the meantime, here's how the other nominees fared in a snapshot.

Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine - The hybrid wet mop

Dyson vacuum cleaners need no introduction, and many see them as the "end game" machine to own. Don't even try to deny it. We know you want one. Fortunately, the criteria for winning an Editor's Choice Tech Award isn't based on branding. The V12s Detect Slim Submarine is unique because it is Dyson's very first wet mop vacuum. But unlike the recently announced WashG1, the V12s achieves its wet mop function via the Submarine head attachment. The rest of the vacuum is actually based on an older V12 model. And that's the main reason it lost to the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI.

The Submarine head, its star feature, feels incomplete. The mopping experience could be improved, as it is prone to leaving water streaks and requires gentle handling while in use due to an unsealed waste tray. Furthermore, the accessory is incompatible with all Dyson vacuums except the V12s, leaving even existing V12 owners in a lurch with no upgrade path other than buying a whole new vacuum. Check out our full review for more details.

Note: You can find the  Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine on Dyson's online store, Lazada, and Shopee.

LG A9T-Steam CordZero A9 Kompressor - If looks could kill clean

The LG A9T-Steam is perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing vacuum that we've tested to date. LG's All-in-One Tower design is a masterpiece of hidden compartments and storage, while also boasting advanced docking features such as secondary battery charging, auto bin emptying, and UVC sterilisation. However, the docking station doesn't clean your home. The main cordless vacuum does a good enough job but comes with a few caveats that prevent it from being great. As a flagship model, the A9T-Steam features new, advanced, and unique brush heads like the slim roller brush, steam-powered mop, and an upholstery puncher. On paper, these are all upgrades over conventional brush heads. In practice, they're very situational and may not always be the best brush for the job.  Check out our full review for more details.

Note: You can get the LG A9T-Steam CordZero A9 Kompressor from the LG store, Lazada, Shopee, and Amazon.

Xiaomi Truclean W10 Ultra - King of the kitchen

Never have I entertained the idea that I would want a dedicated kitchen cleaner before testing the Xiaomi Truclean W10 Ultra. This wet mop vacuum cleans in a similar fashion to the Dyson V12s with the Submarine head, except it's not just a brush head, but an entire vacuum cleaner committed to the task. If you're looking for a multi-purpose vacuum for your whole house, you would do better with any of our other nominees. Comparatively, the W10 Ultra is bulky, not very manoeuvrable, has pretty low battery life, and doesn't really do small spaces at all. However, when it comes to those saucy kitchen mishaps, I wouldn't mind letting the W10 Ultra do all the dirty work. Check out our full review for more details.

Note: You can find the Xiaomi W10 Ultra on Shopee and Lazada.

References

• Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine review
• LG A9T-Steam CordZero A9 Kompressor review
• Samsung Bespoke Jet AI review
• Xiaomi Truclean W10 Ultra review

(This article is one of 16 parts in our Tech Awards 2024: Editor's Choice content series.)

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