Vax H85-GA-P18 Gator Pet Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, 0.3 Litre, Silver/Black

The item was already partly charged when it arrived and I was a little surprised at how low the suction power seemed to be, so I charged it up for the recommended time but when the battery was fully charged it still only had about the same low suction power that I had already witnessed a good few hours earlier.I was thinking about how much hassle it would be cleaning it out and returning it as "not fit for purpose" but after trying it on a few household cleaning jobs I realised that it's not actually that bad.The problem was that I was comparing it to our mains operated vacuum cleaner which operates with a much higher voltage (about 15 times as much voltage) just like my cordless drill is not as powerful as my mains operated drill just more convenient to use.So we decided to keep it for a week or so and see how it got on. Just as well that we did as we use it at least a couple of times a day (we have dogs) and it does a good enough job. Sure it will not replace our main corded machine (which is also a Vax) but we kind of know it's limitations and can live with them.This machine won't pick up a brick, (I'm not suggesting that you should try, just explaining that it's not got a powerful suction head like some cleaners) but it will clean up crumbs of food, debris from boots and shoes etc at close range and remove pet hairs where necessary as well as cobwebs, dust and hair accumulation around skirting boards and under and behind furniture, stairs and window sills.The rotating cleaning head which came with our "Pet" version has a built-in independent motor so that it doesn't need to rely on the suction of the unit to spin the brushes which in my mind is a great innovation and seems to work very well.The cleaner is a good bit heavier than I expected but when in use it isn't noticeably heavy and you kind of get the feeling that it is well constructed and its quite satisfying to use a tool that is heavy.It seems well designed and is easy to empty and remover filter for cleaning.I would certainly recommend this Vax cleaner to others but I would also have to tell them what to expect from it (and what not to).

An excellent product which does the job - from picking up crumbs on the kitchen floor to cleaning the stairs. It doesn't come with a charging bracket so you need somewhere convenient to plug it in for recharging.Update - 16 months later. Still very pleased with Gator cordless vacuum. It is powerful and picks up a lot of crumbs small bits when vacuuming in the kitchen. A word of caution though, if you have people with long hair in the household the turbo unit needs regular cleaning as hair gets wound round the roller brush. Fortunately, there are 2 screws on the bottom of the turbo which allow the unit to be taken apart for easy cleaning. Be careful but it can be done quite easily. Cosmetically the silver paint finish has suffered a little with use where the turbo head has been in contact with the floor.

I have long hair that tends to clog up my regular vacuum – I have a robot vacuum that I broke twice in one month because my hair got so wrapped around the rollers that it warped the plastic! This means that I’m always very keen to get a vacuum that does well at picking up hair without breaking! I’m also a lazy cleaner, so I don’t vacuum very often (though I’m trying to change!), which doesn’t help with not breaking my vacuum.I got this handheld because I wanted something to do my stairs and my car. I’m actually pretty impressed with how well this vacuum has managed and survived. I vacuumed my stairs with it when I first got it, for the first time in about 8 months, and it didn’t die! It did require emptying three times, but that’s just due to how dirty I let my carpet get. The brush attachment got reasonably clogged with hair, but nothing horrific. The only downside is that I can’t seem to find a way to get the attachment apart for easier cleaning of the roller. A pair of scissors does do the job though. Another problem I did have was that the “eject filter” button presses very easily and is about level with my thumb, so naturally I accidentally pressed it when I’d finished – emptying it all down the just-vacuumed stairs! This is avoidable just by being aware of it though.I vacuumed all of my stairs and a few other little jobs on one charge – impressive given that the stairs weren’t a particularly quick job. It made life so much easier that vacuuming them with a regular vacuum as well: it was quicker, didn’t leave my arms aching, and didn’t threaten to fall down the stairs or knock me down them. It even got pretty well into all the nooks and crannies – my stairs go round a bend, so there are plenty of little corners.I would highly recommend this product – I think it will truly change my cleaning habits for the better!

Declaration: I have used a Dyson handheld for years and would do so in a flash if I had the money to replace it. I don't and so have gone for this. Reasonably priced for a decent product but it's not a Dyson. Obviously! Suction is fine if you are just using it for a general cleanup around the kitchen etc. Bit heavy for prolonged use. Battery life seems to be very good. Easy to use. There is a permanent attachment which slots in and out of the main body, like a snout, but it does not taper down to a narrower point making it less effective in the corners. It pulls out into place easily enough but does not stay in place firmly enough. Any rigorous use and it pushes back in on itself. I have not used the carpet attachment much yet, but it is easy to attach and remove. This does stay in place.