I tried out the VAX HomePro Pet-Design Cordless Vacuum for several months, here's what I thought

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Our verdict

There's a lot to like about the VAX HomePro Pet-Design Cordless vacuum and, on the whole, the benefits all outweigh the drawbacks. Its capacity is pretty vast for a cordless vac (certainly bigger than other cordless models I've used) and it's very easy to empty. The height of the main floorhead is great for getting under the lower shelf of our coffee table, which even robot vacuums have struggled to do in the past. And thanks to the flexihead feature, cleaning under furniture is easy. I also really like the fact that it stands upright on its own - this is brilliant for when I inevitably have to pause mid-vacuuming (three kids = lots of tiny toys discovered on a regular basis where they shouldn't be) and can avoid the usual trying-to-prop-vacuum-up-only-for-it-to-immediately-collapse-and-take-half-a-laundry-pile-with-it palaver. Another favourite aspect is the slide-to-empty feature which means you don't have to dig out anything stuck in the upper part of the bin.

The suction on the regular setting is fine for light vacuuming, though I do need to up the power to tackle pet hair on upholstery and blankets, etc, which drains the battery (as expected). We have quite a large floor-plan downstairs thanks to a garage extension, so unless it really is just a once-over, I wouldn't get a full clean out of one charge on the VAX.

The vacuum comes with a variety of different floor tools and these are great for areas such as the stairs and furniture surfaces, etc, and they come in a handy little bag.

I wouldn't recommend having this as a larger household's sole vacuum cleaner, but as a quick grab-and-go vacuum or for a designated area, it does the trick. We plan to use it for the upstairs area of our extension to save having to lug the corded vacuum up and down the stairs and for that I think it'll be perfect.

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What's included with the VAX HomePro Pet-Design?

• 1 x main vacuum

• 1x VAX ONEPWR 4.0Ah MAX Removable Battery

• 1x VAX ONEPWR 1.5A Charger

• 1x Crevice Tool Attachment

• 1x Wall Mount

• 1x Stair Tool Attachment

• 1x Pet Hair Remover

How easy is the VAX HomePro Pet-Design to set up?

I found it very easy to set up the VAX and use for the first time - it's all fairly straightforward and intuitive even without the instructions. The only thing I used the instruction booklet for was to double check what all the different tools were for.

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How is it to use day to day?

The ease of use makes vacuuming day to day nice and easy, but I do find that the suction level on the lower settings isn't always quite enough to pick up everything, particularly on the kitchen tiles. I do tend to have to use the higher suction levels for the best results and as mentioned, this tends to drain the battery to the point where I can't vacuum the entire ground floor on one setting.

However, for a smaller house or for a designated area of a larger house, this vacuum could be a great cordless option.

I like the lights on the floorhead, they're particularly good for showing up dust and dirt on the darker hardwood floor and our blue carpets. The stair tools are useful as well, though it can be a bit of a faff to change the heads everytime (I like a cordless vacuum that you can simply remove from the top to make it handheld and suck up directly through the nozzle rather than attach another head).

How does the VAX HomePro Pet-Design perform on pet hair?

Using both the main floorhead and the pet tool, I think the VAX performs pretty well on pet hair. Our ginger boy cat sheds noticeably on our navy sofas and our (his) navy blue blanket and I've been able to remove it easily using the pet tool and a high level of suction.

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How does the VAX HomePro Pet-Design perform on carpet?

How does it perform on hard floors?

Again, the lights on the main floorhead help make vacuuming wooden floors easier, and for a once over I find it adequate on the lower suction settings (I have to save power if I'm planning to also use the vacuum on the kitchen tiles or under the dining room table in addition to the living room).

I'd say its probably a little less effective on our kitchen tiles because the floorhead seems more designed for carpet and soft furnishings. Our tiles are pale and show dirt and stains easily - if I'm using the VAX on this area I need to use the high suction setting to get a decent clean.

While the VAX works well on laminate flooring, I prefer using a different vacuum in this area as it's the playroom/dining room and I find that larger bits of food or errant toys can easily become stuck in the main roller brush.

How easy is it to empty?

It's very easy to empty at the press of a button. Sometimes hair/fluff can get lodged around the filtration system but thanks to the slide-to-empty feature (think cocking of a gun action) this is easily cleared out without you having to get your hands dirty. (Confession: I spent the first six weeks of owning this vacuum not realising this was a thing and using my finger to dig out the hair/fluff... DH discovered it the first time he used the vac, BUT this was shortly after he pressed the bin release button and emptied the entire contents over the floor he'd just cleaned, so I think we're even).

I've found the main hose has become clogged from time to time - but it's obvious when this happens as when I switch the vacuum off and lift it up, dirt falls out. Luckily it's very easy to detach the main head and dig out the offending clog.

Does the VAX HomePro Pet-Design offer good value for money?

At over £300, the VAX doesn't really feel like a budget vacuum, but is certainly more affordable than the likes of Dyson and Miele. If you're a smaller household or looking for a cordless vac to go over small areas, I think it's a good option I wouldn't use it as a main vacuum for my particular home because it doesn't hold a charge long enough to do the whole of our downstairs; but the beauty of its easy storage and small size is that it slots nicely into a corner of our extension and saves us the trouble of having to lug the heavier cylinder vacuum upstairs.

How we tested the VAX HomePro Pet-Design

I used the VAX HomePro Pet-Design over a testing period of several months on a frequent basis - often twice a week, sometimes more. I assessed it carefully during this time for ease of use, suction power, battery longevity and value for money overall. I also used it on areas where the cats had shed fur to test its pet hair removal capabilities as well as assessing its on a variety of floor surfaces - carpet, hardwood, tiles and laminate.

About the author

Jenny Wonnacott is a Content Editor for Mumsnet, specialising in writing, editing and optimising parenting-related content. As a parent of three primary school-aged children, Jenny is passionate about making Mumsnetters' lives easier through rigorous research of all items recommended in reviews, features, and buyers' guides.

Jenny is also a best-selling sci-fi author (writing as J M Briscoe) and parenting blogger.

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real people after extensive research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.

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