Savvy Shoppers UK

Category: Home & Living

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  • Vax Platinum Smartwash vs SpinScrub Power Plus: The Best Carpet Cleaner for Your Home

    Vax Platinum Smartwash vs SpinScrub Power Plus: The Best Carpet Cleaner for Your Home

    When it comes to keeping your carpets and upholstery spotless, a good carpet cleaner is worth its weight in gold. Two of the most popular options from Vax are the Vax Platinum Smartwash Carpet Cleaner and the Vax SpinScrub Power Plus Carpet Cleaner. Both promise a deep clean, but how do they compare? After personally trying both, here’s my opinion to help you decide which one is right for you.

    Vax Platinum Smartwash Carpet Cleaner (CDCW-SWXS)

    The Vax Platinum Smartwash Carpet Cleaner initially caught my attention for its Motion Sense Technology, which automatically switches between washing and drying modes. It also boasts impressive claims, such as killing over 99% of bacteria and having a 3.5-litre capacity, making it ideal for households with kids and pets. With 1200W of power, it seemed like the perfect choice for tackling tough stains and maintaining hygiene.

    Unfortunately, my experience didn’t live up to expectations. Straight out of the box, the machine wouldn’t dispense water, which made it impossible to use. After troubleshooting with customer support, I was advised to return it to Amazon for a refund. Beyond the functional issue, the build quality felt disappointingly flimsy, especially considering its price point. I’d originally hoped to upgrade from my older, more affordable carpet cleaner (from Lidl), but the Vax Platinum Smartwash didn’t feel like the robust, long-lasting machine I was looking for.

    • Pros: Large capacity, bacteria-killing technology, automatic motion sensing.
    • Cons: Faulty out of the box, flimsy build quality.
    • See details here: Vax Platinum Smartwash Carpet Cleaner

    Vax SpinScrub Power Plus Carpet Cleaner (CDCW-SSXA)

    After returning the Platinum Smartwash, I opted for the Vax SpinScrub Power Plus Carpet Cleaner, and I’m so glad I did. This machine feels far more robust and reliable, with its SpinScrub technology ensuring a deep and even clean across both carpets and upholstery. The XL capacity makes it ideal for larger spaces, and I love that it delivers quick drying times, so I don’t have to tiptoe around damp carpets for hours.

    The cleaning performance is genuinely impressive. It leaves carpets and upholstery looking refreshed, and I’ve found it far more effective than hiring a rental cleaner. The 6-year guarantee is another major plus, giving me peace of mind that this machine is built to last. While it doesn’t have the automatic washing and drying modes of the Platinum Smartwash, the consistent performance, sturdy build, and thorough cleaning make it a clear winner in my books.

    Side-by-Side Comparison

    FeatureVax Platinum SmartwashVax SpinScrub Power Plus
    Power1200W1200W
    Capacity3.5 litresXL (larger than 3.5L)
    Build QualityFlimsySturdy
    Motion Sense TechnologyYesNo
    Bacteria-Killing ClaimsYes, over 99%Not specified
    Quick Drying TimeYesYes
    Warranty2 years6 years
    Price RangeHigherSimilar, but better value

    My Verdict

    If you’re looking for a carpet cleaner that’s reliable, sturdy, and gives professional-grade results, the Vax SpinScrub Power Plus Carpet Cleaner is the clear choice. While the Vax Platinum Smartwash offers innovative features like motion sensing, my experience highlighted issues with reliability and build quality, which ultimately made it a disappointing option.

    The SpinScrub Power Plus has more straightforward functionality but excels where it matters most: deep cleaning and durability. If you’re investing in a carpet cleaner to tackle everyday messes and keep your home looking fresh, this model is worth every penny.

    Where to Buy

  • Lefant M320 Robot Vacuum Cleaner Review: Features, Pros, and Why It Missed the Mark For Me

    Lefant M320 Robot Vacuum Cleaner Review: Features, Pros, and Why It Missed the Mark For Me

    Robot vacuums are fast becoming a household staple, offering the convenience of hands-free cleaning. When I decided to purchase the Lefant M320 Robot Vacuum Cleaner With Mop, I was excited about its features and the glowing reviews I found online. The last robot vacuum that I have had (well actually, my parents had!) was around 15-20 years ago when iRobot Roomba was launched, that was before the days of having an app to plan things out on your phone, and you’d have little block sensors to stop it from going to places you didn’t want it to go and they were always bumping into things and not working right.

    Here’s my personal experience with the newly released M320 and why I’ve decided to send it back after four days of use.

    Lefant M320 Robot Vacuum Cleaner With Mop
    £299.99 RRP: which seems a ridiculous amount for what others are on for sale.
    I bought it on sale for £135.99 through Amazon
    View the Lefant M320 Here

    First Impressions

    The arrival of the Lefant M320 was eagerly anticipated – I tracked the delivery man to my door. It arrived just as my kids returned from school, and together we unpacked the box, set up the app, docking station, and popped it on charge.

    Setup and App Features

    The setup process was simple, and the app, while basic, offered some useful features:

    1. Alexa Integration:
      • The Lefant M320 works well with Alexa. I have seen a few reviews/comments of people who say “It doesn’t work with my Alexa!!”. However, the key is to ask Alexa to start or stop with the name you have given your vacuum cleaner on the main Lefant app. I named my vacuum “the vacuum” and used commands like:
        • “Alexa, start the vacuum”
        • “Alexa, stop the vacuum”
      • Both worked flawlessly, making it a breeze to control the vacuum hands-free.
    2. Cleaning Modes:
      • The vacuum offers three modes:
        • Quiet Mode
        • Standard Mode
        • Powerful Mode
      • You can easily switch between these modes depending on your cleaning needs.
    3. Scheduling:
      • You can schedule cleaning at specific times and choose the desired mode. I set mine for:
        • 5:00 am to clean before we woke up.
        • 1:00 pm to clean while we were out at work and school.

    Operating Modes

    The Lefant M320 provides the following cleaning modes:

    1. Whole Area (Arranged): Supposedly follows a linear pattern, but in practice, it felt as random as the “Random” mode.
    2. Whole Area (Random): Moves unpredictably around the room.
    3. Along-Edge: Focuses on cleaning along walls and edges.
    4. Spot Focus: Cleans a small, circular area about 1m x 1m.

    Why I’m Returning the Lefant M320

    While the Lefant M320 had some positives, it ultimately didn’t meet my expectations. Here’s why:

    1. Cleaning Performance:
      • The vacuum’s suction port is only 6cm x 1cm, and it lacks a roller brush to lift dirt effectively. Despite 89 minutes of cleaning (claiming to cover 45m²), the results were disappointing. Dirt and debris were often left behind.
    2. Battery Life:
      • The battery life was not as advertised, which they claimed is 200 minutes paired with ineffective cleaning, the runtime felt irrelevant.
    3. Lack of Mapping System:
      • The absence of a mapping feature means the vacuum only cleans the room you place it in, with no ability to plan efficient routes. This led to areas being missed or repeatedly covered.
    4. Questionable Reviews:
      • Despite its high ratings online, my experience left me wondering if all those reviews were genuine. It simply didn’t perform as promised.
    5. Questionable Price:
      • The Lefant is on sale at the recommend retail price of £299.99, which given the competition in the robot vacuum world, seems a lot for what it provides, without mapping, a roller bar or emptying base.
      • I did get it on sale for £135.99 which seems better, so maybe the RRP is just a marketing tactic. However, there are ones on the market with a solid mapping system for this price.

    What’s Next? My Replacement Choice

    After returning the Lefant M320, I’ve decided to try the BPMIO Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop 5000Pa. Here’s why it caught my eye:

    1. Self-Emptying Station:
      • The dock automatically empties the vacuum, reducing maintenance time.
    2. Room Mapping:
      • The app includes room planning, ensuring more efficient and thorough cleaning.
    3. Roller Brush:
      • While it has 1000Pa less suction than the Lefant (4000Pa vs. 5000Pa), the roller brush should compensate by lifting dirt more effectively.
    BPMIO Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop 5000Pa,Robotic Vacuum with 2.0L Self Empty Station
    £199.99 RRP (£100 less than the Lefant)
    I am buying it on sale for £179.99 through Amazon
    (£44 more than the Lefant but so many more benefits)
    View the BPMIO Vacuum Here

    Conclusion: Is the Lefant M320 Right for You?

    While the Lefant M320 Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop has some useful features, it fell short in cleaning performance and efficiency for my home. If you’re looking for a basic, budget-friendly robot vacuum and don’t mind its limitations, it might work for you. However, if you value thorough cleaning and advanced features like mapping and self-emptying, investing in a more capable model like the BPMIO could be a better choice.