Your hand-me-down upright classic vacuum cleaner is for the carpets and floors, but when reaching for the narrow crevices under the beds/sofas, the almost-invisible closet corners, children's toy-houses, and other hard-to-reach corners becomes almost impossible to get a hold of. Every household faces the "reach problem" when it comes to home cleaning, décor, and even relocation. The dust, pet hair, fur, and debris hiding in these absurdly difficult vantage points lead to health hazards like coughs and grow molds and can even be a home for pest infestation. Furthermore, it leads to embarrassing situations when guests come over during the holidays, like Christmas.
The Solution? Portable and Handheld Vacuum Cleaners
This is when handheld, portable, battery-powered vacuum cleaners step into the rescue. In situations like the ones above, a handheld vac with proper engineering and intelligent accessories can go where the sun doesn't shine and make the seemingly unreachable corners spotless. For everyday use, I recommend such a portable vacuum cleaner for the sake of healthy living, elegance, and peace of mind.
Features to Look for (what to seek out before buying)
Not all portable vacuum cleaners are created equal. Before you spend, it is imperative to make sure you pick one that meets the following checklist because– not only do you want it clean, but you also want the difficult spaces to be immaculate!
· Extra-long Crevice tool: This is priority number one for the "reach factor." However portable the gadget is, the crevice tool dictates how much further under a bed/sofa or a difficult corner you can cover.
· Lightweight and compact: Since it is likely you will be bending down, kneeling over, or reaching towards the ceiling, the vacuum cleaner must be lightweight and compact.
· Powerful suction: The perfect handheld vacuum cleaner must do its primary job which is to clean. So, the gadget must have potent suction power.
· LED light on the vacuum cleaner: Likely the hard-to-reach spaces are also dark and dingy. A well-engineered portable vacuum cleaner must have an LED flashlight to go with it for a clear line of sight.
· Handy Accessories: Accessories are what make or break a perfect handy vacuum cleaner.
My Picks and What they are Suitable for (and why)?
The parameters dictate my picks I checklisted above. The ones I have found to have checked all the boxes without breaking the bank are the Ofuzzi H9 Pro and the H8 Apex.
The Ofuzzi H9 Pro – My Pick with No Compromises
Here is a brief rundown on an objective evaluation of why I am so feature-wise enamored by them and bought one for myself and multiple family members.
The H9 Pro is the brand's flagship portable handheld vacuum cleaner with all the bells and whistles of $500+ vacuum cleaners at 1/5th the price. I will elaborate on the feature set below, but it really blew me away. This USB-C charged supremely versatile gadget was a Godsend for my carpets (both in the car and at home) thanks to the dogs and my kids' crumbs. More technically, it is a handheld vacuum cleaner with 40AW (13 kPa) surging power which implies outstandingly powerful suction that picks up visible crumbs and dirt alongside fine dust and pet hair. Its 80,000RPM motor and 600mL dust tank rival the ones in the kilobuck range. It is quite a marvel that its stellar performance makes no compromise while keeping it extremely quiet.
Just as noted from my checklist, it comes with the most extended crevice tool I have ever encountered on such a tiny device, alongside a myriad of handy accessories. As mentioned, it Includes a crevice nozzle for narrow spaces, two for surfaces like sofas or beds, which is a blessing for removing pet hair from difficult-to-reach areas, and one for general use alongside the car. Besides, the crevice nozzle can be used with other accessories. It's a do-it-all solution for cleaning. Secondly, it is ultra-lightweight! At only 2.24 lbs., I can put one hand under the sofa with the H9 Pro and drink a soda with my other hand. The slick design of it is easy to grip and comfortable to hold, causing zero fatigue. Another unique feature of the H9 Pro is the innovative cyclonic system swirls debris and dust away from the filter for consistent and powerful suction.
Moreover, it has an LED light fulfilling my needs for a clear line of sight while showing battery life and other metrics on a screen.
Given it checks all the boxes and goes even further in innovative cleaning, the H9 Pro is a no-brainer for me. Though the H9 Pro gets my full recommendation, if you want something even more economical and extreme value proposition, then a competent alternative is the Ofuzzi H8 Apex.
The H8 Apex – Versatility with Extreme Value Proposition
I used the H8 Apex before I upgraded to the H9 Pro. At only 1.2 lbs (540g), it's a single-handed gadget. The lock on the dust canister prevents accidental opening so that I can empty it in seconds. Moreover, dust and fur removal is a breeze. Next, it has potent suction: for its size. It delivers 30Wa/12kPa of suction to effortlessly pick up stubborn fur, dust, and fluff.
To top it off, the maintenance is a breeze as well. Thanks to its Dual-Layer Filtration System, its stainless-steel filter and HEPA filter are washable and reusable, and the combination can filter out 99.95% of particles according to the literature. Moreover, it charges USB-C so that I can use any phone charger. It checks off my requirement for an LED flashlight too.
If you want something even smaller than the H9 Pro like carrying it in your backpack or storing it in a car’s glove compartment, or prefer to use singlehandedly, then the H8 Apex is simply perfect.
User reviews and impressions
There are hundreds of verified customer reviews on Amazon for both. I recommend you check them out though I am sharing a few excerpts here. Still, reading the complete ones make sense to be sure I am not cherry-picking here.
About the H9 Pro: Amazon user sauci1 wrote. “This vacuum is perfect for me! My kitty tracks litter which this vac picks up very well. Now I don’t have to drag my larger vac out just for light cleaning. It’s great for cat hair even on furniture. This has made my life so much easier. I can’t believe how light it is and nice the power is. I’m thrilled! Highly recommend.” Harry S. noted in their review, “This Ofuzzi vacuum is excellent, and very high quality. Very good suction for debris on floors, etc. between my housekeeper's visits as I can no longer use my corded upright.”
About the H8 Apex: Signer Sean. wrote in their review, “Just got this today to get all the lil crevices in my semi truck that have filled up with dirt. Surprising power for this product, I must say. Nice attachments and extremely well made. My dog’s hairs also are a breeze nowadays.” “It is so nice to clean everywhere. I would like to buy one more.”, wrote Nasuo on Amazon briefly.
There is a myriad of other verified reviews and Youtube praises for both.
Where to Buy and Deals
As of writing, the most wonderful time of the year is knocking on the door. This Christmas, if you are considering keeping the household spotless, these are worth a look. You can grab the H9 Pro or the H8 Apex on the special Christmas pricing during the month of December at a huge discount on Amazon.
Both H9 Pro and H8 Apex are available on our website!
Concluding Thoughts
With the ubiquitous development in thoughtful engineering, value for money has skyrocketed. The Ofuzzi H9 Pro and H8 Apex are prime examples of immaculate design and engineering at an extremely high-value proposition by keeping the price within reach of the American middle class this Christmas.