Best vacuum cleaners in Australia: from cordless Dyson to robot Roomba
You know what sucks? A good vacuum. And we're here to find the perfect one for your everyday needs. We know that finding the best vacuum cleaner can, well, suck – there are just so many models to choose from, and who really wants to spend their time finding an appliance that means more work around the house?
The thing is, vacuum cleaners have come a long way since the days where you had to haul out that massive corded behemoth from your hall closet and plug it into a new socket every few minutes. Compared to some of the slick vacuums on the market today, that's practically medieval.
Today's vacuums are much slimmer, and while most are still controlled by hand there's a growing number that have robotic brains and can clean up all on their own. Many of today's vacuums also run on battery power, so you won't have to worry about dragging cords all around your house.
While it's still a 'chore' in the traditional sense, vacuum cleaning can now be done in far less time and with far greater ease thanks to cordless vacuums. But if even that sounds too hard, you'll likely be chuffed to learn that most robot vacuums can be set on a schedule, so they'll even clean your house while you're out living it up (or working).
It's true that high-end vacuums can be quite costly, but they can also be the sort of investment where the benefits become almost immediately clear. As soon as you've experienced the added ease and efficiency firsthand, it's hard to go back to anything else.
Whether you're after a lightweight cordless, a super-powerful upright or the kind of brainy robot cleaner that'd give Will Smith night terrors, below are the best vacuum cleaners currently available in Australia. They all suck, but in the best possible way.
Best vacuum cleaners in Australia at a glance
1. Miele Blizzard CX1 Excellence
2. Dyson V11 Outsize
3. Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI
4. Dyson V8 Animal
5. iRobot Roomba i7
6. Dyson Cinetic Big Ball
7. Vax Blade 2 Max 40V
8. iRobot Roomba 980
Miele Blizzard CX1 Excellence bagless vacuum cleaner
Overall excellence
Power supply: Corded | Weight: 4kg | Cord length: 6.5m | Suction power: 1,100W
There are plenty of corded vacuum cleaners available on the market that a lot cheaper than the Blizzard CX1 Excellence but you'll be hard pressed to find one as powerful. It employs what Miele calls Vortex Technlogy wherein air moving at speeds of over 100kph ensure it sucks up fine dust or hair that's embedded deep within carpet fibres.
That kind of power is plenty for old, dirty carpets and for a household with pets. And with three tools shipping with the vacuum – and stored on the body of the CX1 Excellence for easy reach – you can clean different surfaces and get into every nook and cranny. You can even reach for the cobwebs on the ceiling with the telescope tube.
With a cord of 6.5m in length, which retracts with a single push of a button (no, you don't need to keep it pressed down), you get a full reach of up to 10m. The wheels move 360 degrees and it can even be stood upright if necessary.
Emptying the large bin is also easy, and you won't need to touch the lid to clean it out either. There's a discreet little button which will release the lid – you will have to push it close though.
And where most vacuum cleaners require you to change the HEPA filter after a certain duration to ensure maximum efficiency, the CX1 Excellence has an AirClean filter that lasts a lifetime. There's also a CleanStream fine dust filter that cleans itself automatically, or you can do it yourself with just a press of a button.
The design is also quite sleek. It looks like a futuristic machine, with sharp angles on the sides. And, for the most part, it's possible to snag one for less than its AU$649 RRP from major retailers.
Dyson V11 Outsize
The Absolute best vacuum you can buy
Power supply: Cordless | Weight: 3.56kg | Bin size: 1.9L | Run-time: Up to 60 minutes
Adding another integer and two years of R&D to its V-series cordless range, Dyson’s V11 Outsize takes another giant leap forward for vacuum cleaner kind. it's more potent than its best-in-class predecessor, cleans even better on all types of floors, is quieter, and has an impressive runtime of up to 60 minutes.
That kind of battery life is great for larger spaces, which also need a larger bin. And, as the name suggests, the V11 Outsize has a massive 1.9L bin. So, depending on the size of the job, chances are you won't need to empty it after each clean.
Like the other V11 vacuums, the Outsize has an Auto mode which, we have to admit, is pretty powerful. But if you think you need a boost, that's available too.
The powered tools ooze design class and hard-earned experience in the field, with the mini motorised tool easily outperforming air-powered equivalents, and the adaptability of the vacuum when you pair the torque head with the Auto mode makes the V11 Outsize easy to use as well as powerful.
It also has an LCD screen which tells you the exact run-time remaining, where blockages are located and how to clear them. Pretty handy if you ask us!
Admittedly, the V11 Outsize doesn't come cheap, but we think it’s worth the money if you're after the best cordless vacuum cleaner available today.
Read our full Dyson V11 Outsize review
Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI
The future of autonomous cleaning
Power supply: : Cordless, battery | Weight: : 4.3kg | Bin size: : 420ml | Run time: : Up to 3 hours
The main reason to get yourself a robot vacuum cleaner is so you can either put your feet up and get something else to do all the hard work for you, or so you get more time to do more important things – or perhaps both. And that's exactly what the T8 will do, and do way better than most other robot vacuum cleaners.
There’s not much we can fault with this little droid: it vacuums, it mops – although mopping isn't as good as it you may want it – can be controlled via voice assistants, and can also double up a basic security device.
There's a camera onboard the T8 which allows the bot to 'see' the obstacles in its path. When it's not cleaning, that camera will provide a live feed of where the T8 is going in what Ecovacs has labelled its 'patrol mode'. There's also a little speaker onboard that allows you to send messages to people in other rooms, or look in on your pets at home while you're away.
It's truly something different, but all this innovation doesn't come cheap. Yet, with three suction modes, the T8 is powerful enough to keep carpets clean as well, and it automatically knows not to go on rugs if the mopping plate is installed.
It maps really quick and its obstacle avoidance is best-in-class, as is its battery life. You'll get up to three hours of runtime per charge, and that's enough to clean a large home once over, or a smaller space a couple of times in a row.
With so much going for it, the Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI is definitely worth the investment, particularly when you realise you get so much more time for yourself.
Read our full Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI review
Dyson V8 Animal Extra
An affordable yet powerful Dyson
Power supply: : Cordless, battery | Weight: : 5.9 lbs / 2.6 kg | Bin size: : 0.54L | Run time: : Up to 40 minutes
The new Dyson handstick vacuums like the V10 and V11 range are pretty expensive. So, if you're after a more affordable one, the V8 Animal Extra is a great alternative. Admittedly it still costs a pretty penny but you do get a very capable sucker (pardon the pun).
The V8 motor, although aging, spins at up to 110,000rpm to create a powerful suction that's better than the Absolute model. The other difference is the additional tools you get – the Animal Extra ships with a total of five tools, while the Absolute model has only two. And yet this version is AU$100 cheaper than the Absolute.
It does have a Max and Powerful suction modes, but the higher you go, the more it will eat it into the vacuum's battery life. Which, we have to say, is a decent 40 minutes if you run it on its default standard setting. While that won't quite be enough for a large family home, it should take care of smaller spaces.
It's also easy to handle while cleaning ceilings, and quickly converts into a smaller handheld option for cleaning cars or furniture upholstery.
iRobot Roomba i7
An innovative Roomba if you have the money to spare
Power supply: Cordless / battery | Weight: 7.28 lbs / 3.3 kg | Bin: 500ml | Run time: 75 minutes
iRobot is arguably the most popular robot vacuum brand in the world. Most people would have heard about a Roomba at some time, and they're getting smarter by the iteration. The i7 range has two models – both are identical in every way, with the sole exception of a self-emptying base available with the i7+ model.
The Roomba i7, even when bought on its own, is frightfully expensive, yet we can't leave it out of this round-up. It's got one of the smartest navigation systems on a robot vacuum and it cleans a lot quicker than most advanced models. It's perhaps the only robovac that uploads maps of individual rooms in a house to iRobot's servers. This smart map can take a few tries to complete but once done, you can tell the Roomba to clean any specific room via the app.
If you've got smart speakers with with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, then you'll be able to control the i7 with a simple voice command. And, if you can spare the coin for purchasing the Clean Base (which is essentially the i7+ model), then you won't even need to worry about emptying the i7's bin. Only when the Clean Base is full – perhaps once a month – you'll need to empty it. However, the Clean Base uses bags which become an additional ongoing cost.
Read our full iRobot Roomba i7+ review
Dyson Cinetic Big Ball
Because sometimes cordless isn't enough
Power supply: Corded | Weight: 8kg | Cord length: 6.4m | Suction power: 250AW
There's no question that Dyson's manoeuvrable and endlessly convenient stick vacuums are incredible, sporting powerful suction and a modular design that allows for a number of area-specific attachments – all without having to worry about pesky cables getting in the way. However, cordless vacuums do have their caveats.
Getting a limited amount of vacuum time from a battery that takes hours to charge can be extremely frustrating, and there are times when you may require a more powerful and heavy-duty vacuum solution. Cordless models are often pretty darn expensive, too.
If you share these concerns, Dyson's Cinetic Big Ball vacuum may be a terrific alternative, offering the same quality cleaning experience that the company's vacuums are known for, while avoiding all the usual annoyances that make inspire people to choose a cord-free option.
Most vacuums will tip over as they're dragged along the floor — not the Cinetic Big Ball, with its ball-shaped design that has been perfectly weighted to roll back into place whenever it falls down — it's a neat example of Dyson's knack for finding solutions to problems that have plagued these kinds of products for decades.
Another advantage over cordless vacuums: its suction power leaves them in the dust — literally. At 250 air watts, the Cinetic Big Ball is even more powerful than the new Dyson Cyclone V10, which offers around 150 air watts of suction.
Taking into consideration that you can now pick up a Dyson Cinetic Big Ball for under $500, and what you have is a highly-recommended alternative to Dyson's pricier cord-free options.
Read our full Dyson Cinetic Big Ball review
Vax Blade 2 Max 40V
A powerful cleaner with great stamina
Power supply: Cordless | Weight: 3.1kg | Bin size: 0.6L | Run time: Up to 45 minutes
Once the leading name in vacuums, Vax is still going strong today and its Blade 2 Max 40V vacuum more than proves it. Easy to use, and delivering excellent results on different floor types, the cordless Vax Blade 2 Max 40V offers powerful suction and long run-time for a great price.
It has bright lights on the floor head, so you won’t miss any dirt, and a good-sized bin for a cordless machine too, meaning fewer bin-emptying interruptions when cleaning. The Blade 2 Max is easy to use, but it's let down by how heavy it feels in the hand – your arm may not be able to hold out for as long as the battery.
The Blade 2 Max delivers great cleaning results on different floor types, and it's no slouch when it comes to tackling pet hair; however, it's far from the lightest-feeling or quietest cordless cleaner out there.
iRobot Roomba 980
A more affordable all-round robovac
Power supply: Battery | Weight: 3.94kg | Bin size: 0.6Lm | Suction power: 33AW
Dyson might be dominating the handheld vacuum arena at the moment, but when it comes to the robot vacuum space, many people rate iRobot and its Roomba 980 vacuum cleaner at a similar level of esteem.
With its low-clearance design and smartphone app control functionality, this dirt-sucking disc is intelligent enough to go about its business in your home without much prompting on your part. The Roomba 980 will intelligently map your home for problem spots, kicking into a high-power mode whenever it rolls over carpets, and weaving around chair legs and other potential obstacles.
Making things even easier, you can manage the Roomba 980's daily schedule from the device's accompanying iOS and Android apps, allowing you to set the time and duration of its cleaning routine however you see fit. You will have to empty it out after each use, though.
With an impressive two hour battery life, it'll also manage a longer cleaning cycle than any cordless or robot vacuum from Dyson, and when it's running low it'll automatically head back to its dock to charge itself.
Other smart features of the Roomba 980 include its battery-powered Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers which you can place around your crib so that your 'bot will know which areas to avoid, such as rooms you don't want it to enter or floor-level pet food bowls you don't want it to crash into.
However, the Roomba 980 does still have some room for improvement, with its app being a little sluggish at times. The robot also has a tendency to get trapped in cables and stuck under furniture.
Sure, it's pretty pricey for what is admittedly a cleaning luxury, but it really is like having a robot maid that will keep your place clean. If you hate vacuuming and can afford it, the Roomba 980 offers exceptional cleaning convenience.
Read our full iRobot Roomba 980 review
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