The awesome new Eufy Mach V1 Ultra cordless vacuum has a built-in steam mop (handy)

Dyson tends to be the brand you associate with cutting-edge vacuum cleaner designs and concepts, but with the arrival of the new Mach range of “premium cleaning products”, Eufy – the household brand of the empire of Anker Accessories – does its best to inject some innovation into this competitive market. The Eufy Mach V1 Ultra is both a high-power cordless stick vacuum and a steam mop, all integrated into a single unit. Available now in the US through Anker’s Try Now, Buy Later program at eufy.com, Anker says it will be available for retail purchase March 15 on its website, Amazon and Best Buy. for $700.

I had the chance to test the V1 Ultra, and it is certainly an interesting experience to use it. Although it looks like a sleek and sturdy cordless stick vacuum, there’s a built-in roller in the base of the vacuum and a removable tank that you fill with water in the midsection of the vacuum. A second, smaller compartment stores cleaning fluid.

Learn more: Best cordless vacuum cleaners for 2023

You can use the V1 Ultra as a vacuum or put it in steam mop mode. Anker says its SteamWave technology works by “first dissolving the stain, then vacuuming and cleaning the surface,” with steam continuously released at a higher temperature of 230 degrees Fahrenheit (110C) “to remove the dirt. and bacteria”.

The V1 Ultra uses something called Eco-Clean Ozone Disinfection to sanitize not only your floor, but the vacuum itself, which has a self-cleaning mode. I could tell the mop was working because a separate reservoir near the base fills up with the moisture that was sucked up when you mop the floor. Once you’re done cleaning, you empty the water out of that reservoir and – in my case – it came out pretty dirty after soaking up some grime from my floors.

With three chambers and a filter, the V1 Ultra demands more attention than your typical vacuum after you’ve used it. But it takes a little less time than having to rinse a mop after you’ve used it, and you don’t have to worry about how wet your mop is and how much cleaning fluid you need to mix (it all comes together). done automatically).

Battery life is good for a cordless stick vacuum – it can last up to 82 minutes on a single charge, after which you drop it into its base charging station. The V1 Ultra weighs around 12.5 pounds (5.7 kg) and has a relatively high suction power of 16,800 Pa (Pascal Pressure Units). I found it to be quite quiet; Anker says it comes with “three-layer noise cancellation technology that ensures noise levels stay below 65dB, about the same as a dishwasher.” My dog ​​barely took interest as I vacuumed near him.

One of the questions I had was if you could use it to clean carpets. The short answer I got from Anker is that it’s not really made for that but you can use it on thin carpet, but nothing too fluffy. I tried it on a low pile carpet and it seemed to clean it quite well, but when I drained the moisture that was sucked up, assorted detritus was added to the mix and things looked a little unpleasant. Ah, the joys of high-tech cleaning.

Note that Anker will also release a step-down model, the V1, which does not include steam mop functionality. This model will also be available on March 15 for $600.