Miele Duoflex HX1 Total Care Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review: "it has a very strong pick up"

Price on writing: £379 | Buy now from Miele

How we tested

Our tester, Alison, has been using the Miele Duoflex for approx three months. She lives in a three bedroom house and usually vacuums at least twice a week. Taking detailed notes on suction power, ease of use and extra attachments, she put the vacuum cleaner to the test against rugs, carpet and hard floors.

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Our verdict

Alison says she has “found the vacuum to be very light to use and has made vacuuming effortless.” Initially, she had some doubts: “When first using the vacuum I found it very light to use up to a point of thinking it is too light (compared to previous vacuums), but no worries there as it has a very strong pick up.”

She particularly likes that “it automatically changes to [hard] floor or carpet settings and is brilliant on our thick pile rug.”

The Miele Duoflex HX1 operates at up to 79dB, which is in line with most cordless stick vacuums and quieter than many traditional corded models.

Alison has a dog and says, “it is very effective on picking up pet hair.” She explains: “Our dog likes to lay at the top of the stairs and this is where I tend to use the boost function.”

She describes boost mode as powerful but more demanding on the battery: “The boost function is very good but it does use more charge when using it.”

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On battery performance, Alison says: “On a full charge I can usually vacuum the whole house including the stairs but if using the boost function it wouldn’t last as long.”

The vacuum offers up to 55 minutes of run time, depending on the power mode used, and takes approximately 3.5 hours to recharge fully.

The vacuum “comes with a few attachments which have all been good apart from the attachment that I have been using for the stairs that has recently broken.” On the plus side, Alison says, “The attachments connect/change very smoothly.”

She also highlights its flexibility for other jobs around the home: “It is also great for vacuuming the car as when you take the long hose off and using the appropriate attachments you can get into all the nooks and crannies.”

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How easy is it to empty the Miele Duoflex HX1 Total Care Cordless Vacuum Cleaner?

Alison says: “It is very easy to empty.” The dust container uses a bottom-opening release system, where pressing a button opens the flap so dirt drops directly into the bin.

This is a quick and hygienic process, without needing to touch the dust at all. The vacuum also includes a hygiene filter designed to capture fine dust and can be cleaned to help maintain performance over time.

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Does the Miele Duoflex HX1 Total Care Cordless Vacuum Cleaner offer good value for money?

With an RRP of £499, the Miele DuoFlex HX1 Total Care Cordless Vacuum Cleaner sits in the premium cordless bracket. Its value lies less in headline suction figures and more in the overall package: an auto-adjusting electrobrush, strong filtration and a generous set of attachments for stairs, cars and pet hair.

However, rivals such as the Dyson V15 Detect are often available for less while offering similarly high suction power, and Shark Stratos Cordless models are frequently discounted well below this price. It represents fair value if you’ll use the accessories and features, but it’s not the cheapest route to maximum suction.

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.

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.