Cordless Vacuum Handheld or Anker HomeVac Duo 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Rechargeable Bagless Stick and Handheld Vacuum with Upright Charging Base – Red Reviews

1. 29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

   
   The perfect second vacuum, June 22, 2016

   By 

   M. Howells (Harrisburg, PA) –
   
     

   Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Anker HomeVac Duo 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Rechargeable Bagless Stick and Handheld Vacuum with Upright Charging Base – Red (Misc.)

   I picked this guy up at a discount to supplement our Neato Botvac and several old canister vacuum cleaners. The Neato, which we rate very highly, doesn’t do stairs, and the canisters are a pain to manage for small jobs. This fits the bill as a great “extra” vacuum with enough runtime and power to do the carpeted stairs and edges that our Neato misses, with less hassle that running out the old corded vacs.

   Taking it out of the box I was impressed with the light weight and ergonomics of the HomeVac. The handle fits in my hand well and it’s easy to maneuver the head when in “upright” mode. Not having to worry about cords dragging behind is a great plus, and the pivoting action is also a step up from more traditional uprights I have used, though obviously that is not a feature unique to this brand and model.

   At its core this is a dustbuster-type vacuum with a fancy handle that makes it an upright. I suspect I will use it far more in upright mode, but it’s just an added bonus to be able to pop out the dustbuster when needed to get into small nooks and crannies. It comes with several attachments to add utility when in dustbuster mode.

   Power has come a long way from the original dustbusters I enjoyed playing with as a kid in the 80s. This unit probably does not stand up to the best modern corded vacuums but it is as good as anything we have in our house. It has been good enough to pull kitty litter out of carpet, and it’s been effective with pet fur too. The initial charge took longer than I was expecting but that’s a fine compromise if it means more runtime. It’ll be sitting in its charging base whenever not in use so that’s a non-issue. I don’t know how much juice the LEDs require but they are a great feature and worth the presumably modest draw.

   There are no huge flaws that I have come across so far but if there is one niggle it is the base itself. It’s just two pieces of plastic snapped together and without mounting it using the included screws, it’s so light that it tends to come away with the vac when you go to pull it out. When I find some time I would like to come up with some solution that doesn’t involve screwing the base into a wall or floor.

   On a purely aesthetic level I am a big fan of the red version of this vacuum. It’s modern and makes the HomeVac Duo stand out as just a bit more than your typical home appliance. For us it has been an ideal “second” vacuum, and I would rate it as ideal for an apartment setting as well, where space and footprint are a concern. Very happy overall.

   

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2. 31 of 32 people found the following review helpful

   
   Better features than advertised!, August 25, 2016

   By 

   Ladybug’s Mommy –

   Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Anker HomeVac Duo 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Rechargeable Bagless Stick and Handheld Vacuum with Upright Charging Base – Red (Misc.)

   I did a lot of research and looked at 9 cordless stick vacs ($100 – 150) before choosing this one. My top criteria were: battery life, being able to turn brush on and off (to be able to use on tile and refinished hardwood floors), freestanding, portable enough to fit in my pantry and hand vac included. Many of the products I looked at met my criteria, but the hardest one to find was the confirmed ability to turn the brush on and off, which narrowed my options down to 3. When looking at the other criteria, this is the one I chose to try out. It is not clearly stated that the brush can be turned off and the answers to someone’s question were inconsistent. So, here it is after personal experience: There are 2 power buttons-a high one and a low one. If you use the one that is highest (closest to handle), the brush will go on and the button adjacent to it will control the speed (high/low). If you use the power button that is on the hand vac (lower), then the brush will not turn on. I was thrilled to see this capability, as I was not interested in self adjusting brush height (I don’t trust for my hardwood). This is really a feature that sets this product apart from its peers! I am happy with all of the functions of this vac. The only thing I wish Anker did is clearly advertise this brush feature. I would have bought it weeks earlier, since this was my problem criteria. My decision would have been easier and quicker, instead of wasting weeks on research to make a decision.

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3. 230 of 245 people found the following review helpful

   
   Shark Navigator Freestyle > Anker HomeVac Duo 2-in-1, March 4, 2016

   By 

   ttngu234 –

   This review is from: Anker HomeVac Duo 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Rechargeable Bagless Stick and Handheld Vacuum with Upright Charging Base – Black (Kitchen)

   I am a die hard Anker fan and was given an opportunity to purchase this HomeVac at an exceptional price! I was using the Shark Navigator Freestyle cordless vacuum, purchased with 20% off from Bed Bath & Beyond, for about 3 weeks before giving this one a try. I primarily use this on tile and hardwood flooring, especially picking up after my 1 year old infant at her high chair. On paper and in person, this vacuum is a beauty. The 2-in-1 feature drew me to purchase this so that I can suction around the crevices of my infant’s high chair.

   The GOOD:
   – Battery life (as expected with Anker products)
   – Good lighting from the end of the base
   – Sleek design, very appealing to the eye
   – Aesthetics with the power button on both the stick and the handheld vacuum
   – 2-in-1 feature
   – Smaller vacuum base than the Shark Navigator Freestyle

   The BAD:
   – Ergonomics of the stick handle – Shark Navigator Freestyle has a looped handle that makes it VERY easy to use and is easy on your gripping (this is VERY important if you are vacuuming a large area
   – Easily tips over (stick does not lock into the base of the vacuum)
   – Maneuverability is worse than the Shark Navigator Freestyle, despite smaller base head
   – Plastic does not feel sturdy when bumping against walls as compared to my Shark Navigator Freestyle – doesn’t seem as durable
   – Handheld vacuum design was not functional – the attachment pieces are not long enough in my opinion and the suction power did not seem as strong as my Black and Decker cordless hand vacuum.
   – (2) hand vacuum attachments stay with the charging base, which makes it inconvenient when you are vacuuming and want to use the hand vac
   – Requires you to lift the vacuum and hook the back middle portion into the charging dock/base – my Shark Navigator Freestyle is MUCH simpler and does not require any extra effort as you simply put the whole bottom on the base (also stops charging when it is fully charged to preserve battery life)
   – When lifting vacuum to hook on to charging base, again, the base tips down as if vacuum is in use (something about this mechanism really bothers me)
   – Suction power doesn’t feel as strong as my Shark Navigator Freestyle – tested on both speeds and I found the slow speed on the HomeVac was not functional. I am able to vacuum everything up on the low speed of my Shark.
   – Noisier than the Shark Navigator Freestyle

   I ended up returning this unit and keeping my Shark Navigator Freestyle. There are too many flaws with this unit compared to my Shark, and I cannot justify the retail price of $140 when I can get a superior unit for $80 + tax.

   I still love you, Anker, and stand by all your other products. This one was a bit of a let down.

   ________________________________________________

   Update: 03/25/2016

   I want to inform you guys that Anker contacted me shortly after my review to discuss my concerns. There is a possibility that I may have received a defective item (hinge from the base of the vacuum to the stick doesn’t function), which may have adversely affected my review of the HomeVac.

   Anker was kind enough to offer me to try it again, to which I declined. The looped handle is so important to me, and understand its importance as I have it on both my vacuum and steam mop. I am certain some of the negative comments I posted about the product would have been alleviated with testing of the new product, which again, I declined to accept.

   Their customer service is top-notch, and I still hold the Anker brand exceptionally high. I started with replacement batteries for Samsung phones, powerport chargers, car chargers, cables, etc.

   If I had to give Anker a rating for their customer service/support, they would easily get full marks.

   As always, I continue to look for new products Anker releases.

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