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Top 3
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Cleaning windows is one of those jobs that we all hate, right? You’ve come looking for the best window vacuum cleaners because you’re looking to make your life a little easier, right?
Window vacs have been designed to allow a simple and effective solution to things like smears, condensation, dust and fingers prints that are part and parcel of having glass in your home.
The days of having windows cleaned on a bi-weekly basis seem to be long gone, at least it is around our parts, so we’ve been left to fend for ourselves with this one.
These window vacuum cleaners have left a plausible option away from the old newspaper and water trick, and whilst some are better than others, the results have been pretty impressive. Plus, I get to play with new gadgets, which is always a plus.
There are a few things that you will need to consider before buying though, such as battery life, shape, budget, ergonomics and more, all of which I talk about after recommending my top window vacuum cleaners below.
Kärcher is a name that is synonymous with cleaning, hygiene and durability and for good reason. As the number one supplier of cleaning machinery to the US military and NATO, Kärcher takes cleaning seriously.
The WV2 window vac can be used on any smooth surface including windows, mirrors and tiles. It consistently gives you a sparkling clean, streak-free finish as the vacuum sucks away waste water and stores it hygienically for easy disposal later.
Kärcher has a number of window vac models. For general cleaning requirements, the WV2 Premium which is priced at the higher end of the market and will do just everything you need.
It comes with some handy extras such as a narrow 6-inch suction head as well as the standard wide blade of 11 inches. The unit also comes with a microfibre cloth, spray bottle and 20 ml sample pack of Kärcher’s own-brand window cleaning concentrate.
Weighing in at 1lb 5 oz (600g), the WV2 is slightly on the heavy side but as it works quickly, so you won’t need to hold it for any long periods of time. It’s also nice and quiet in comparison to some other cleaning devices.
To use the window vac, all you need to do is spray down the surface you want to clean and use the wide blade to vacuum away the water along with dirt, dust and grime. This works really well on tiles and countertops and can be used just about everywhere in the house.
The narrow nozzle is something that not everybody might need but if you have lattice windows or small panes in your home, this can make your life that little bit easier. It’s ideal for bathrooms, kitchen worktops and even the car.
I liked the water container which stores away the dirty water and can be easily emptied and rinsed out, but at just 100 ml capacity, I found I had to do this more often than I’d have like to.
In my opinion, the WV2 Premium offers the best value of the three Kärcher window vacs and will perform all of the cleaning functions that most people need in their home. This model is easier to hold and less clunky than the original WV1 unit and at an average of just one minute per window, its 25-minute run time is long enough to do pretty much the whole house.
When you’re finished, you can expect to wait a little over 2 hours for it to fully charge. I was very pleased with the results of the WV2 on windows, tiles, mirrors and kitchen surfaces and there were no issues doing the edges as you can safely turn the Kärcher in any direction without worrying about leakage or dripping.
The machine is a pleasure to use and delivers beautiful results, especially when used with Kärcher’s own window cleaning solution.
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Bestek’s window vac is a getting excellent reviews online and I’m pleased to say that I agree with most of the good stuff I’m reading.
These guys get major brownie points from me for including a Telescopic handle. Unless you’re a giant, chances are you are going to need a pole to reach the top of windows and at a mid-range price on Amazon, this vac is a bit of a bargain.
Bestek’s telescope attachment extends from 11 to a generous 40 inches giving you good reach (although it still won’t get to your upstairs windows). Even with the pole attached, the Bestek vac is lighter than any of the Kärcher models and at 180ml, you don’t need to empty the water container multiple times mid-clean.
I do have one complaint about it though; the dark colour of the water container makes it a bit difficult to see when it is full, so I found myself emptying it when it wasn’t really necessary.
Overall, I was impressed with the Bestek’s performance. To clean windows you simply hold down the trigger to spray soapy water onto the surface and then use the attached squeegee pad to remove any dirt and debris. The final step is to vacuum off the dirty water leaving a sparkling clean finish.
If like me, you have condensation issues in your home, it can dry off wet windows or mirrors in just seconds. Nevertheless, although the Bestek is a great machine and the results are good, I feel that the Kärcher WV2 does a better job.
I noticed some wetness on the window panes and needed to go over them a second time to get them to really sparkle. Furthermore, it was a bit tricky to get the vacuum blade into the bottom edges of the windows and I found myself having to turn my arm at odd angles to really get into the corners, something that isn’t an issue with the Kärcher.
Annoyingly, you cannot use the Bestek upside down or sideways as doing so can cause water to leak out. This was a big drawback for me.
Now for the technical details. The Bestek window cleaner will run continuously for half an hour and it will take you three hours to charge. It took me approximately 2 minutes per window to get a really good finish.
Included with the vac is the telescopic extension pole as described above and also a spray attachment, a squeegee with a sponge and a crevice tool for cleaning difficult to reach places. This window cleaner is a decent budget option for everyday use.
Although it’s not the highest performer on this list, when you weigh up price against performance as long as you buy it on sale it’s not a bad deal. On top of this, the manufacturer offers a 2-year warranty on the product.
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New to the market, The VonHaus 3-in-1 window cleaner is a budget window vac which is available on Amazon and in several other outlets.
It is an upgrade to the VonHaus 15/050 window vacuum which had numerous faults. As such, my expectations were quite low for this product. However, I was pleasantly surprised!
Firstly, I was impressed by the look and feel of the window cleaner. At the lower end of the price bracket, I was expecting a flimsier unit but in fact, the window vac seems sturdy and looks great.
Like the Bestek, the VonHaus cones with a telescopic handle as standard and it also includes a squeegee and a microfibre pad. The water spray is included in the unit so you can easily operate the window vac with use one hand.
It is slightly heavier than the Bestek and the Kärcher though so unless you’ve been working out, you may find that you need to take the occasional break to give your arm a rest. When used continuously, you’ll get an excellent 40 minutes run time from the battery and it takes 2 hours to recharge the unit.
You can use the vac with or without detergent, but the manufacturer recommends adding 2 to 3 drops of concentrated window cleaner and diluting heavily.
All you need to do is squeeze the trigger on the handle of the vac to cover the surface you are cleaning with water and use the micro-fibre pad to clean away any dirt and grime. Finally, you use the nozzle to vacuum away the wastewater leaving a dry and clean finish.
Like the other models on this list, the VonHaus has a removable dirty water container which is easy to empty and is a big improvement on the brand’s previous model. The telescopic extension pole gives you 44 inches of extra reach, so you easily can get to the top of your downstairs windows or into tricky corners in the bathroom. Like Bestek, VonHaus also covers the product with a 2-year warranty.
Performance wise, I was really pleased with the results this window vac gave me on both windows, mirrors and tiles. Although not as fast as the Kärcher, it did give a high shine finish with no need to go over any surfaces.
Once again, I did notice that the sparkle wasn’t quite up to Kärcher’s standards but at less than half the price, this is to be expected and may be forgiven.
One negative is that the VonHaus can’t be used upside down or on its side which can make cleaning edges difficult. I found myself forgetting and then water leaked out and made a mess. It’s a pity that they haven’t addressed this issue in the new model as it really would make a big positive improvement to the product.
Although I do have some criticisms, and this wasn’t my favourite product to use, the VonHaus 3-in-1 is such good value that you can forgive its faults.
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Window Vacuums have really gained popularity in recent years. These compact devices can really take the hard work out of cleaning chores. However, there are certain things to take into consideration when you are choosing the make and model for your home:
The amount you are willing to spend is going to have the greatest influence on what you should buy. If your budget is small then chances are you will have to make sacrifices. Decide what is important to you and what you are willing to forego.
If you have a large number of windows, mirrors and other surfaces to clean then it’s possible that a 20-minute run time just won’t cut it. Remember that you are looking at hours to recharge these units, so it could be very frustrating for your battery to die halfway through your housework.
Don’t be fooled into thinking you are getting a great deal by extras. Some manufacturers will include all kinds of bells and whistles to persuade you to buy but in many cases, we already have more than enough spray bottles, polishing cloths and sponges at home.
Look carefully at what’s included and decide if it’s really worthwhile. The capabilities of the main unit are what should really influence your decision.
Cleaning always involves some kind of movement and the fewer restrictions on how you can move the better. The best window vacs will let you use them upside down, sideways and at an angle. However, these vacs are generally at the higher end of the price scale.
Think about the areas where you’ll be using your vacuum. Are there tight corners and places that are difficult to reach? If so, you may need to spend more and invest in a more expensive window vac.
In case you hadn’t guessed, the hands-down winner for me was the Kärcher WV5. Thiswas the most versatile and high performing of the three window vacs in this review. Granted, the unit is significantly more expensive than the Bestek, and you are paying more than twice the price of the VonHaus 3-in-1, but the fact that there are no restrictions on your movement is a huge positive in my books.
If the WV5 is out of reach for you then I would go for the VonHaus 3-in-1. Although this unit has its limitations, the price is exceptionally good, and I felt that this combined with the extra-long battery life gave the VonHaus the edge over Bestek.