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Here’s why you need a cordless vacuum in 2020

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Robot vacuums are efficient floor-cleaning timesavers. Robotic vacs fall short on a sufficient number of routine cleaning chores, however, to the point that they can’t be the sole cleaning device in your household. Cordless stick vacuums like the new Roborock H6 are the only type that can handle cleaning tasks from floor to ceiling and nearly everywhere in between — that’s why you need a cordless vacuum in 2020.

We’re not suggesting you avoid robotic vacuum cleaners. Premium robot vacs such as Roborock’s S6 MaxV, combine intelligent automatic vacuuming and floor mopping with advanced navigation and obstacle avoidance capabilities. However, robot vacuums can’t clean any area but floors. Forget about using a robot vacuum in your car or to remove spider webs in the corners of your walls. The best of both worlds is owning a robot vacuum to keep your floors clean on a regular basis and a powerful cordless stick vacuum with the versatility of the Roborock H6 to handle cleaning emergencies. If you have to choose just one type of vacuum, a cordless stick model is the better first choice.

Convenience and ease of use

Cordless stick vacuums are super convenient household appliances. If you need to deal with a quick mess, it’s a lot easier to carry a cordless stick vacuum directly to the spot and start cleaning than it is to drag a heavy conventional upright vacuum to the area and find an outlet to plug in the power cord. The Roborock H6, for example, runs on battery power and stores on a wall-mounted charging dock, so it’s always charged and ready to go. You can also mount the charging dock on an optional valet-style free-standing base.

Because the Roborock H6 weighs just three pounds, it’s easy to hold up to take care of wall and ceiling spider emergencies. You can forget about tugging and moving power cables when you want to move a cordless vacuum from room to room or take it outside to clean the inside of a car or boat. When you’re cleaning, a simple trigger lock keeps the suction power running, so you don’t have to hold the trigger constantly.

While you’re using the Roborock H6, a bright OLED display on the vacuum’s handle shows the current cleaning mode, remaining battery power running time, rigger lock or unlock status, and maintenance alerts.

Versatility

Versatility ranks second only to convenience when you consider how we use cordless vacuums. Especially when equipped with the proper accessories with simple attachment mechanisms, cordless stick vacuums transform quickly to suit the task. The Roborock H6 stick vacuum comes standard with a carpet brush, dusting brush, motorized mini-brush, crevice tool, and a flex tube for exceptionally hard-to-reach areas. With one click, you can Remove the H6’s stick to convert it to a handheld vacuum to clean furniture, stairs, car seats, and other areas where the longer form would be unwieldy. All accessories store on an accessory rack that integrates with the charging dock.

If you’re watching TV with your family and someone spills a bowl of popcorn on the couch, imagine what the scene would be like with a robot vacuum or corded upright or canister vacuum. There’s just no way you can use a robot vacuum to help clean a couch. If you have to drag an upright vacuum into the room, chances are you’ll have to pause whatever you’re watching and have everyone get up while you hassle with power cords, extension tubes, and bulky attachments. With a cordless vacuum, especially a stick vac transformed into handheld vacuum mode, you could quickly retrieve the vacuum and suck up the loose popcorn kernels in a flash. Stairs and shelving are also impossible for robotic vacuums to clean and awkward with conventional uprights. Whether used in stick mode or handheld mode, however, a cordless vacuum is by far the easiest way to clean shelving corners and stairway crevices.

Cleaning power

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Cordless vacuums have plenty of cleaning power. The Roborock H6 has a 420-watt brushless motor and a multi-layer impeller that makes up to 150 air-watts (AW) of suction power. That’s enough power, for example, to pull mites and particles of debris from deep in carpeting, mattresses, and upholstery. The carpet brush attachment adds a 50-watt motor that spins carbon fiber anti-static bristles at nearly 4,000 RPM to loosen and suck up dust, dirt, and debris.

You can choose from Standard, Eco, and Max cleaning modes with the H6, depending on your cleaning need. To preserve battery power, use Eco mode for up to 90 minutes of running time. In Max mode, the battery lasts for approximately 10 minutes.

Air filtration and noise dampening

Vacuums move air to clean, and better quality cordless stick vacs filter the air as it moves through the machines. Roborock’s H6, for example, has a five-layer filtration process that removes up to 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles and allergens, including mites, pollen, dander, and airborne pollutants. The Roborock H6 also minimizes noise pollution with a noise-dampening chamber, advanced airflow control, and a rear filter.

Running time

Most cordless stick vacuums use lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The Roborock H6 employs a unique lithium polymer (Li-Po) battery that has a polymer electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyte, which creates the long run times up to 90 minutes in Eco mode. Rorobock’s Li-Po battery lasts a long time, able to maintain 85% of its power after 400 charging cycles. Battery run time varies depending on cleaning mode, the surface being cleaned, and how the vacuum is used.

Emptying and cleaning

You don’t have to handle dust, debris, or even disposable vacuum bags with many newer cordless vacuums. You can empty the Roborock H6’s 500 ml dust bin directly into a wastebasket or a garbage can. The H6 dust bin and filter are removable so you can wash them to clean out caked-on dirt and other debris.

If you can’t buy both, spend your money on a cordless stick vacuum

A combination of a powerful robot vacuum and a cordless stick vacuum is the ideal arsenal for cleaning household messes. If you have to choose just one or prefer to buy the best of each vacuum type that you can, one at a time, we suggest your wisest move is to select a cordless stick vacuum first.

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Bruce Brown
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
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