Lightweight and powerful is a reasonable pitch for a vacuum that you can pick up for $400 in Australia. As with all leading home appliance and consumer technology categories, the biggest refinement is always in value as brands constantly chase the perfect balance between performance, design and price to address all ends of the market.
Electrolux has been doing that exceptionally well for years. The UltimateHome 700 was my go-to when it was released a few years ago, replacing my Dyson V8 when it started to show its age. The 700 still holds up remarkably well two years later, quiet in operation, powerful in suction, and as quiet as a low hum.
And so I was very keen to go hands-on with the Electrolux 800 Series Stick Vacuum, which comes with its own automatic emptying station – a great knock-on effect from the surge in popularity that robot vacuums have been experiencing since the pandemic.
Design
Refined and aesthetically pleasing, the Electrolux 800 features a slim form factor and provides a pleasant tactile experience. The stick vacuum glides smoothly across both carpets and hard floors with no issue due to its lightweight construction.
Electrolux aren’t pulling any tricks here. It’s a straightforward, premium experience that makes vacuuming quick and efficient, as opposed to being stubborn and bulky. The petite design has its downsides, though. As with many other stick vacuums, the standard motorised nozzle is small. Here, it’s around 25cm wide.
You receive a few attachments to handle multiple cleaning scenarios. The PowerPro Multi-surface motor nozzle should take care of most situations, plus it leaves hard floors looking nice and polished afterwards due to its softness. My apartment has a mix of hard floors and carpets, and can be done and dusted on a single charge. I’ve found the PowerPro takes care of pretty much everything I need in this regard, constantly adjusting suction power depending on the surface.
Three other nozzles are included in the box for sensitive surfaces. One has a hose that you can attach to the self-emptying station to help clean parts of the stick vacuum cleaner. Designers have been generous enough to include an extra s-bag for the emptying station as well; you won’t have any issues with maintenance.
And that, I feel, is the most important part of this design language. Stick vacuums often need more maintenance because they don’t have a bag to separate all the debris. Your debris is lodged against the filter, which can erode its function much quicker than a conventional vacuum cleaner. The fact that you can easily get your self-emptying station to actually clean your vacuum cleaner for you (parts of it, anyway), means this has a much longer life than, say, my Dyson V8 did.
The white and bronze station itself is slim and fits in well with a neutral palette. The all-in-one approach means that it charges the cleaner and automatically empties the 0.4 litre dust container into a 3.5 litre anti-allergy s-bag. I’ve been testing this stick vacuum for six weeks now and haven’t had to empty the bag yet (it’s getting there, though – I’d say it has 7-8 weeks of capacity).
Performance
Four different suction settings can be toggled with a button, switching between Auto, Low, High and Boost. I’ve found boost mode drains the battery insanely fast, but the average user might not even need to think about this. Auto is the sweet spot.
The nozzle’s brushroll is great at really massaging dirt out of carpets and leaving things looking noticeably cleaner. There’s even a small pedal on the motor nozzle that you can use to cut off any hair that tangles around the brush, keeping it clean and quiet even if your carpet is absolutely drowning in pet hair.
It’s really not that hard to remove hair manually, but the BrushRollClean function keeps things moving so you don’t have to constantly stop-start your cleaning routine. That said, when tangled hair is too dense, it’s probably easier to just manually remove it rather than keep trying with the pedal.
I’d say the hard floor performance is the selling point for the 800, moving gently over tiles and leaving them looking spotless. That’s why I’ve been using this in the kitchen, mainly, giving the space a quick once-over after I’m done cooking.
In terms of battery, I’ve gotten around 45 minutes of cleaning out of a full battery. That’s more than enough for a small apartment, but it’s not sufficient for anyone with a larger home who wants to get the cleaning out of the way in one go.
Verdict & Value
$400 is a steal for a vacuum this dependable. Electrolux is already a leader in the market, so I wouldn’t expect them to bring in any innovations aside from refining what already works. The combination of a stick vacuum and a self-emptying station (that can also clean your vacuum for you) has been working beautifully for the past few years as manufacturers try to compete with the ridiculously popular market for robot vacuum cleaners.
I’m always split on which one I prefer. I like the meditative practice of just pushing a stick vacuum around and watching it do its job, but robot vacuums offer an unbeatable layer of convenience. I’ve never tested a robot vacuum priced around $400 that’s actually any good, however.
This is a great price for a premium stick vacuum. You can find cheaper on the market, but it’s doubtful they’ll perform as consistently as the 800. Chalk this up as another strong entry from Electrolux and a good Christmas gift for anyone looking to replace their old stick.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Pros: A self-emptying station that also helps keep the vacuum clean; very easy to move around; very well priced; Auto Mode takes care of most situations.
Cons: Battery can drain quite fast
Price: $400
