Everyone has had the experience of sweeping the dirt and grime from the floor into the dustpan over and over again. It sometimes seems like no matter how well you sweep, you can’t seem to get all the debris over the lip — which just results in an unsightly line on the floor. And so you sweep it under the couch or into a corner and hope no one notices. Guilty, right?
A new Kickstarter device called the VaBroom hopes to fix that problem once and for all. The appropriately named VaBroom is a vacuum cleaner and broom all in one, but don’t let its name deceive you: It’s more broom than vacuum.
The idea is simple: Sweep your floors like normal, but rather than reach for the dustpan, flip the broom nozzle-side down and apply pressure. This will activate the nozzle and turn on the power in the vacuum. In theory, you can suck up all the debris you swept up and never reach for a dustpan again.
The VaBroom can hold up to one cup of dirt and debris in its clear container before it needs to be emptied out. A rear-oriented quick-release button makes it easy to pop out the container, and the 30-ounce weight of the entire device makes it easy for anyone to use. The vacuum is powered by a 14,000 RPM motor that takes four AA batteries. According to Vabroom’s creator, Enhance Product Development, the batteries should give it around 500 uses per charge.
If you’re interested in investing, there are multiple pricing tiers. The early bird model is $39, while the Kickstarter special is $49. There is also the package that gives you two VaBrooms for $75, a four pack that gives you four Vabrooms for $139, and the distributor dozen which gives 12 VaBrooms for $389.
It might not be the best option for carpets, but if you have tile or hardwood floors, the VaBroom is may be a great alternative to having a full-sized vacuum on hand. The VaBroom is planned to retail at $59 and Kickstarter pre-orders will begin shipping in October if it reaches its goal, but as of publication, the VaBroom still short of its funding goal. As always, we offer words of caution before backing any crowdfunding project.
