(Left to right: LG and TEFAL vacuum cleaners. Image: Vee Chin and Ann Neo)

LG CORDZERO CANISTER [Editor's Rave]
$1,119, from major electrical stores

THE MACHINE 
The cordless, bagless canister vacuum cleaner has motion-tracking Robosense technology so it moves along as you move. It does a full charge in four hours; each charge lasts about 40 minutes.

PERFORMANCE 
It sucked up dust and flour well but merely pushed larger crumbs forward. I had to place the floor nozzle in front of the crumbs and pull it towards me instead. But it glided more smoothly over carpets than the Tefal vacuum cleaner.

ERGONOMICS
I liked that the power switch and suction adjustment buttons are within easy reach at the top of the handle. And it felt weightless, although I had to tug a bit to extend the handle. A dust bin with a larger mouth would make emptying it easier, with less dust balls left behind.

NOISE 
It’s relatively quiet, with a low hum that’s easy on the ears.

VERDICT 
8/10. A good dust-guzzler that’s quiet and conveniently cordless.

TEFAL SILENCE FORCE MULTI-CYCLONIC BAGLESS VACUUM CLEANER
$699, from major electrical stores

THE MACHINE
An eco-efficient bagless machine that uses less energy (1,100 watts) to deliver the cleaning prowess of a 2,100-watt machine.

PERFORMANCE 
It picked up dust and powder as well as the LG Cordzero Canister and was also effective with bigger crumbs. But I got a workout using it on carpets, even though I switched to the carpet mode and used the carpet-suction nozzle. The suction was so strong that I had to forcibly push it across the carpet, and strain to grasp the handle at a lower angle.

ERGONOMICS
The power switch isn’t on the handle, making it a hassle to turn off. All the attachments can be fitted on the main body as one long chain, so you’ll never lose them. Emptying the dust bin was a breeze – detach it from the vacuum cleaner, then push to flip up the lid and empty it.

NOISE 
The motor was louder than that of the LG machine. And it didn’t help that a stream of warm air came out of the canister, making vacuuming even hotter.

VERDICT 
7.5/10. It’s not so ideal for carpeted homes, but good for heavy-duty cleaning.

 

This story was first published in Simply Her October 2015.