The purple and red flash of a Dyson probably comes to mind when someone thinks of the dream cordless stick vacuum. Those aren't the only stick vacuums on the market, of course, but it'd take some really unique features for a brand to get their own "Girls don't want a boyfriend, they want a Dyson stick vacuum" tweets.
LG's All-in-One cordless vacuum (as well as Samsung's Jet Stick) is gunning for the high-end vacuum market with two convenient tricks up its sleeve that not even the most expensive Dyson vacuum offers yet. So when I, a Dyson V10 owner who craves the rush of manual vacuuming, heard about a stick vacuum that could empty itself and mop, I had to see if it was really a game changer.
Setup: There's a lot to unpack here, which is good
Sorry to anyone residing in a fourth floor walkup unit — this box weighs more than 46 pounds upon delivery. LG's All-in-One is technically a bundle of the CordZero A939KBGS stick vacuum, an auto-emptying charging tower, a power mop nozzle, a multitude of other accessories, and two rechargeable batteries that can be swapped mid-cleaning if the one dies. For $1,000, you do get a lot of extras.
The physical act of unpacking the included goodies is the hardest part of setup. The tower is already assembled and just needs to be plugged in.
I don't know why the WiFi button on the vacuum exists, honestly. It's easy to set up, but there's much less to do with an app-connected manual vacuum than an app-connected robot vacuum. I guess it's helpful to know how many times you've had to vacuum that month or receive a head's up about when to change the filter.
Noticeable suction at a not-too-noticeable noise level
The CordZero A9 is a delight to whip around, and it doesn't even require your finger holding down a trigger. I felt super in control, even in hard-to-reach spots where bulkier or corded vacuums feel like a bull in a china shop.
My main suction test attempted to clean the carpeted floors at my parents' house, which is currently home to four cats (two long-haired, two short-haired, all heavy shedders).
Fuzzies, threads, and tumbleweeds of pet fur — stuff that's likely to stick on low- and medium-pile carpets or rugs — almost always disappeared on the first pass. I sometimes find that low-pile rugs (like doormat material) are the most stubborn because they act like velcro. The ones in my house are dark and make every piece of fur visible without squinting. Not every vacuum is able to grab the pieces that have been stepped on and pressed in, but I could trust the LG to leave those looking relatively spotless.
The "turbo" button can boost suction for a few minutes, but I didn't find myself going turbo too often. The default suction setting was more than enough for dry debris on hard floors. Neither mode is unbearably loud. The loudest part was actually the crackle of kitty litter being sucked up.
The LG was also a lifesaver over the holidays, when the floor was regularly littered with pine needles or random specks of glitter.
The auto empty station is so much less gross than manual emptying
Emptying a vacuum's bin is arguably worse than the act of vacuuming itself. It's one of those detested chores that you slyly pass off to another person you live with, like leaving a single drop of water in the Brita so that you don't have to fill it up.
That's partly because most bagless vacuum require the owner to dig around in the dust bin to pull out dust bunnies or tangled hair, despite the supposed "dump and go" design. I was thrilled that LG's auto empty station kept me from coming in contact with that filth or inhaling a puff of dirt hovering above the trash can. Instead, the dust bin automatically empties into the All-in-One station every time you dock it. Then for next time, you're starting fresh with presumably better suction.
This fully enclosed HEPA system is much more hygienic than the manual alternative, and may provide some relief for people looking to keep airborne household allergens at bay.
Though it requires more floor space than stashing a vacuum in a closet, the All-in-One station is a practical storage alternative that looks more refined than a vacuum just leaning on the wall. Its extra attachments can also be stored inconspicuously on the side of the tower.
A little jingle plays to let you know that the vac is docked correctly, and then... it begins. I wouldn't recommend being in ear shot, but the auto-empty whoosh only lasts for about 15 seconds.
For quick full dust bin relief, the debris already in the canister can also be compacted to create more space. LG says that its Kompressor technology can double the bin's capacity to keep you from having to stop to empty halfway through. At this point, I don't believe that a vacuum that doesn't hoard hair around its brush roll exists. But I do feel like I've had to cut my spooled hair out of the LG's brush roll less than I've had to with other vacuums. That means that hair may add up in the dust bin faster, pointing to the handiness of the Kompressor lever.
As of this writing, I had been using the LG vacuum exclusively for almost two months and still hadn't had to empty the docking station's bin.
A mop and a ferocious pet-specific head are its best attachments
I'll vacuum religiously on the daily but draw the line at digging extra attachments out of a bag. LG's All-in-One station providing such easy access to the included extra tools showed me that they really deserve to be used.
The motorized brush roll for pet hair was a miracle worker on matted down pet hair on upholstery. I put it to work at my parents' house, where the cats sit on the furniture as much as the humans do. One of my mom's biggest cleaning gripes (a literal *pet* peeve) is coming across yet another chair that has been dubbed the hangout spot of the week and is subsequently doused in fur. Though it required a few passes, even the thick layers of fur were uprooted by the powerful suction and rubberized brush.
Plus, being able to quickly grab the CordZero A9 (as opposed to a corded vac) made regular upkeep more likely than putting off the cleaning job until the fur got too thick to handle.
The power mop attachment could transform a cleaning routine that wouldn't incorporate frequent mopping otherwise. It's a hefty full-sized cleaning head with a fillable tank, two spinning fiber cloth pads, and an LED light to better spot grime. The pads almost propel the vacuum forward, leaving behind a wet trail. The amount of water released is controlled by a toggle on the mop.
I typically question the effectiveness of mops that don't use a cleaning solution or hot steam, but there's still satisfaction in giving a freshly-vacuumed tile a nice gloss to pick up any lingering dust. (More on its effectiveness below.) I think the mop attachment would be a nice addition to a home with hardwood floors that need to be kept shiny without worry of a cleaning solution damaging the top coat.
Other tools in the box include a 2-in-1 brushed combination tool that's handy for anything from spiderwebs on the ceiling to crumbs in a keyboard and a crevice tool that's great for debris shoved into car seats. The telescopic wand can be adjusted depending on height needs, or removed for transformation into a handheld.
Downsides
The fact that this LG vacuum costs as much as a 65-inch LG NanoCell TV can't exactly be pinned as a downside. I mean, it's incontestably premium. But it's probably overboard for small spaces and homes without pets. Some floors just don't have enough gunk to justify paying for automatic emptying of the bin each time.
The term "power mop" kind of insinuates that the attachment provides enough elbow grease to wipe up something like dried mud. While the spinning pads do a fine job of polishing sweaty footprints or dust around the litter box, anything caked on was more stubborn. The fact that the mop is just using the temperature of your tap water doesn't help. A steam mop attachment would be the real groundbreaker.
Should you spend $1,000 on a vacuum that's still manual?
The $1,000 price point isn't THAT uncommon in the vacuum world anymore — with robot vacuums at least. Usually, much of what you're paying for is that hands-free automation that all but erases the chore from your to-do list.
SEE ALSO: Samsung's Jet Bot AI+ robot vacuum is a must-have for pet owners
A stick vacuum clearly isn't saving you the effort of vacuuming, and this premium version certainly isn't saving you money. But the LG All-in-One CordZero is one hell of an investment that'll save you some serious time and energy. If you have the budget for the LG All-in-One CordZero, you should buy it.
Not only is its approach to emptying less gross than what you're dealing with now, but it makes the task of vacuuming as a whole feel less tedious — both with scheduled upkeep or sudden messes. The attachments also aid in its clutchness in a variety of situations: Such an easily-accessed mop attachment could also make mopping second nature in a home with lots of hot floors or foot traffic. A robot vacuum can't clean the car or stairs, but the CordZero's ability to turn into a powerful handheld is perfect for such jobs.
Topics Reviews Mashable Choice Home Vacuums
