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Wyze Cordless Vacuum Review

If you've been eyeing Dyson's cordless stick vacuums but can't afford one, you might be interested in the $149.99 Wyze Cordless Vacuum. It's lightweight, easy to use, and versatile, with attachments for vacuuming, dusting, and edge cleaning. In testing, it reliably removed dust, debris, hair, and dog fur from both hard flooring and carpet, as well as couches and throw pillows. When you press the power button, it stays on continuously, so you don't have to pull the trigger the whole time, one of the most common (and valid) complaints about Dyson's models. It doesn't feel as sturdy or durable as the $699.99 Dyson V15 Detect, but it delivers impressive suction power and decent battery life for a fraction of the price, making it an excellent alternative for budget-conscious buyers.

Lightweight and Versatile

The Wyze Cordless Vacuum comes with the main vacuum unit, a 2-foot aluminum tube, a motorized floor brush, a two-in-one tool for dusting and stubborn dirt, and a crevice tool for tight corners. Also included in the box is a wall-mounting base and charger.

You Can Trust Our ReviewsSince 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. (Read our editorial mission.)The main unit and accessories(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)

The main unit measures 12.4 by 4.5 by 8.7 inches (HWD) and weighs just 2.8 pounds, which feels feather-light compared with the 6.8-pound Dyson V15 Detect. With the aluminum tube and floor brush attached, the Cordless Vacuum weighs just 4.9 pounds.

Inside the main unit is a brushless digital motor and a three-stage filtration system that starts with a vacuum cyclone that separates debris by size, followed by a metal screen that filters large particles like dirt and hair, then a HEPA filter that captures 99.99% of microscopic particles as small as 0.3 microns in size.

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On the main unit is a small LCD that shows remaining battery level and suction mode when you're cleaning. If the air duct or motorized brush becomes blocked, a corresponding icon on the LCD will flash. Finally, a Mode Shift button on the LCD lets you switch between the vacuum's suction levels while cleaning.

Wyze Cordless Vacuum Review

(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)

It offers three suction levels: Eco, Medium, and Turbo. Turbo mode has the most suction power (24,000 Pa, or 150 air watts) for intensive spot cleaning, but drains the battery quickest. Medium mode balances suction power (15,000 Pa or 55 air watts) and battery life. Eco mode offers the longest battery life for big jobs, but the lowest suction power (7,000 Pa, or 18 air watts).

In comparison, the V15 Detect delivers up to 230 air watts of suction. Its most recent predecessors, the Dyson V11 and V10, top out at 185 and 151 air watts, respectively. The older Dyson V8 offers up to 115 air watts.

(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)

The Wyze Cordless Vacuum's floor brush attachment has its own motor with 9,500 RPM of power plus six small white lights on the front to help you see under furniture and in dark corners. The two-in-one tool has a brush you can slide up and down to quickly switch between vacuuming and dusting. All the accessories are interchangeable, so you can attach the cleaning heads directly to the main unit to turn it into a portable handheld vacuum, or to the aluminum tube so you don't have to bend down.

Easy to Use

The Wyze Cordless Vacuum is easy to set up and use. You just unbox the unit and its accessories, then plug it in and wait for it to charge. My test unit arrived partially charged, and didn't take long to get to 100%.

While charging, the LCD shows the current battery percentage level. It takes around four to five hours to fully charge the vacuum from dead to 100%.

When you're ready, just snap on the accessories you want to use, press the power button, and start cleaning. The accessories make a clicking sound when successfully locked into place. They're fairly easy to attach and remove, but it occasionally took several tries to lock them into place, a problem I have never experienced with the V15 Detect and other Dyson models I've used.

(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)

When you power it on, the vacuum's suction level defaults to Medium, but you can tap the Mode Shift button to change it to Turbo or Eco. At the risk of stating the obvious, the Wyze Cordless Vacuum should only be used on dry surfaces.

The vaccum addresses one of the most common critiques about Dyson's models: the lack of a continuous on feature. Just press the power button once and the Wyze Cordless Vacuum will stay on until the battery runs out or you press the power button again. Most of Dyson's stick vacuums, including the V15 Detect, V11, V10, and V8, require you to hold the power trigger the entire time you're vacuuming, which can get uncomfortable if you're cleaning a large space.

That said, if you've used a Dyson stick vacuum in the past, you'll notice the lower build quality of the Wyze model. It's like comparing a Ford to a Ferrari: The Wyze model gets the job done, but doesn't offer the same premium feel. Considering its price, however, it's hard to complain. To put it in perspective, you could buy almost five Wyze Cordless Vacuums for the same price as one Dyson V15 Detect.

Putting the Wyze Cordless Vacuum to the Test

The Wyze vacuum's lightweight, compact design makes it easy to maneuver, and the various attachments let you clean every nook and cranny, including ceiling fan blades, chair rails, windowsills, and even inside your car. The lights on the motorized floor brush come in handy when you're cleaning dark areas (though they don't reveal dust on hard floors like the V15 Detect's green laser).

In terms of battery life, Wyze says the Cordless Vacuum will last up to 50 minutes on a charge in Eco mode. In testing, it lasted 21 minutes in Medium mode, and 10 minutes in Turbo mode. Its 50-minute maximum battery life might sound unimpressive to those who are new to the world of cordless stick vacuums, but it's actually fairly standard. The Dyson V15 Detect, V11, and V10 all have a maximum 60-minute running time (when used on the lowest suction setting), while the V8 lasts for up to 40 minutes on a charge.

The amount of debris collected in 10 minutes on Turbo mode(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)

After vacuuming my floors for just 10 minutes in Turbo mode, the Wyze vacuum's 23-ounce dust cup was almost completely full. In Turbo mode, it easily picked up dust, debris, hair, and dog fur from hard floors, carpet, area rugs, couches, and throw pillows. When vacuuming furniture and throw pillows in Medium mode, however, I had to go over the same area several times to get stubborn dog fur.

One minor gripe is that the vacuum emits a plastic smell when in use. I noticed this the first time I turned it on, and in testing found the odor was most pronounced when using it in Turbo mode. The vacuum also gets a bit warm to the touch when it's charging and powered on in Turbo mode.

Given its low price and battery life limitations, the Wyze Cordless Vacuum would make an excellent companion to a good robot vacuum. Personally, I run a robot vacuum daily, and primarily rely on stick vacuums for dusting and quick touch-ups, as well as cleaning my couch, car, and areas where robot vacuums have a hard time reaching, like under my dining room table. The $267.98 Wyze Robot Vacuum, released earlier this year, earned high marks in our review for its strong suction power, top-notch laser mapping technology, and efficient route planning abilities.

Emptying and Maintaining Your Vacuum

Emptying the Cordless Vacuum's dust cup couldn't be easier. You simply hold the main unit over a trash can, then pull the one-touch release lever (located near the power button), and the dust cup cover will open so the contents fall into the trash. If you're allergic to dust, you can empty it outside or into a sealable plastic bag to reduce your exposure.

Emptying the dust cup(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)

On the bottom of the main unit is a knob you can turn to release dust from the HEPA filter into the dust cup. This is a nice feature that can help preserve the life of the HEPA filter, which will eventually need to be replaced.

Wyze recommends emptying the dust cup after each use, and washing the filter housing when needed. For easy maintenance, you can completely detach the dust cup from the main unit. Just slide the release key (the green button with an arrow on it) to the left, and pull on the dust cup to remove it.

The Cordless Vacuum is easy to take apart, clean, and put back together(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)

From there, you can pull out the HEPA filter, rotate the filter housing to detach it from the dust cup, and tap out the debris from both components. When needed, you can run the filter housing under water to clean it. Just make sure it's completely dry before reinstalling it into the dust cup. In testing, I found the vacuum very easy to take apart, clean, and put back together.

You'll also want to regularly check the motorized floor brush and remove any hair and debris wrapped around the roll. You can easily remove the roll from the cleaning head, then cut away hair and debris.

Wyze says it will soon offer a two-pack of replacement HEPA filters for $11.99, along with a range of other accessories, including a $59 battery pack for additional runtime, a $25 foldable tube for cleaning under furniture, and a $25 mini motorized brush tool for stairs and car interiors.

Go Cordless for Less

Cordless stick vacuums are convenient and versatile, but they can cost quite a bit of money. If you're in search of a more affordable model that works just as well, the $149.99 Wyze Cordless Vacuum might be the perfect fit. It offers up to 150 air watts of suction power, putting it on par with the $499.99 Dyson V10, to help you quickly remove dust, debris, pet fur, and hair from hard flooring, carpets, and other surfaces. It transitions in seconds from a cordless floor vacuum to a portable handheld, allowing you to banish dust bunnies behind the TV and collect the crumbs from the inside of your car.

It almost feels like a toy compared with the $699.99 Dyson V15 Detect, but it actually offers two advantages in the form of a more lightweight design and a continuous on button. If you can afford it, the V15 Detect is still superior for its more durable build quality, stronger suction power, anti-tangle accessories, and laser-equipped cleaning head. But the Wyze Cordless Vacuum is an excellent alternative if you're on a budget. If neither strikes your fancy, there are scores of other models out there, including the $499 Samsung Jet 90 and the $499 Roborock H7, both of which we plan to test for future reviews. But when it comes to price, it's hard to beat the Wyze Cordless Vacuum.