Kärcher WV6 Plus N window vac review: the best window vac for clearing condensation

Price on writing: £82 | Buy now from Amazon

How I tested

I used the Kärcher WV6 Plus N daily over a wet February on a mix of double and single glazed windows that regularly collect heavy morning condensation. It was also used on a bathroom mirror and shower screen straight after showers, as well as for cleaning the inside of windows using the included spray and cloth.

Related: Best window vacs

My verdict

The WV6 Plus N has a very clear strength. For clearing condensation on any smooth surface, it’s excellent. Fast, tidy and far more effective than using cloths or kitchen roll, especially during colder months when windows are constantly wet. It's also by far the best window vac of the three I've tested.

Set-up is straightforward - it arrives fully charged, clicks together easily, and the single button means there's no working out how to get it going. It also feels light in the hand, which makes a difference if you’re doing multiple windows in one go.

It’s also easy to live with. It’s light, simple to operate and doesn’t require much effort to keep on top of daily moisture. The LED battery display is a useful touch, and with 100 minutes of run time, you won't need to charge it with the included charger cable that often.

Where it falls short is on cleaning windows, as it doesn’t quite deliver a streak-free result, which limits its usefulness as an all-in-one solution. I used it with the spray bottle, microfibre pad and cleaning solution, but the rubber blades which catch condensation so well drag against the glass, leaving streaks.

That said, I’ve kept reaching for it every morning, which says a lot. If condensation is your main problem, this does the job better than anything else I’ve tested.

If you’re hoping for spotless, polished glass without any follow-up, you may still need a cloth in hand.

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How well does the Kärcher WV6 Plus N deal with condensation?

On condensation, it’s genuinely excellent. One slow swipe across a window and the water is gone, no drips, no mess, no soggy cloth in sight. It comes with two nozzles - one smaller for extra nimbleness and the other wide for covering as much ground as possible in a single swipe.

Compared with other window vacs I’ve used, this is noticeably quicker and more effective. It clears large panes in seconds and doesn’t leave any streaks or drips. The result is properly dry glass, which is exactly what you want when you’re trying to avoid damp creeping onto frames and walls.

It’s also reassuring seeing the collected water in the tank rather than pooling on the windowsill. For bathrooms, it works just as well. A quick once-over on the mirror and shower screen after use keeps everything clear without much effort.

Is the Kärcher WV6 Plus N good for cleaning windows?

For cleaning windows, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Using the spray bottle and then going in with the vac, I found the finish quite streaky. The ridges on the nozzle seem to drag slightly across the glass, which leaves visible lines rather than that polished, just-cleaned look you’re after.

It does pick up the dirty water effectively, and the tank gives you that satisfying sense that everything’s being contained properly. But more often than not, I still had to go back over with a cloth to get rid of streaks. If your main goal is sparkling windows, this won’t quite replace a proper wipe-down.

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Is the Kärcher WV6 Plus N good value for money?

At £82, the Kärcher WV6 Plus N sits towards the top end of the mid-range. Cheaper window vacs like the original Kärcher WV1 perform well but have a much shorter battery run time and no extra accessories.

Spend more and you’ll usually be looking at bundles rather than better performance. Pricier kits from Kärcher or Bosch tend to include extra attachments, spare batteries or extension poles, but the core cleaning ability is often very similar.

It’s worth noting that the standard Kärcher WV6 Plus is essentially the same machine without the additional narrow suction nozzle and typically comes in a bit cheaper (£70 at the time of writing). In practice, the extra nozzle is handy for smaller panes, bathroom windows and tighter corners, but it’s not essential if you’re mainly tackling large windows or condensation on bigger surfaces. If your main use is clearing morning condensation, the base WV6 Plus will do the job just as well. The Plus N earns its extra cost if you want that added flexibility, but it’s a nice-to-have rather than a must-have.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She researches and reviews the products Mumsnetters swear by, with a particular focus on home essentials like steam irons, vacuum cleaners and heated throws.

From a highly recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.