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Kärcher K2000 electric pressure washer review

REVIEW – When I review a gadget, audio gear or household item, I seldom write about a product’s long-term durability. The reason for this is that we at The Gadgeteer strive to write reviews quickly so you can make an informed buying decision sooner. I wish we did, but we don’t have a year to test a product before writing. This review of the Kärcher K2000 electric pressure washer is a bit different. While I don’t have any foreknowledge regarding the K2000’s long-term future, I do have history with Kärcher—and based on that, I have an idea how long the K2000 will last.

What is it?

The Kärcher K2000 is an electric pressure washer that has a pressure rating of 2,000 PSI (per square inch) and 1.3 GPM (gallons of water per minute). It has dual detergent tanks, 25 ft. of hose, 35 ft. electric cord with a GFCI plug, a handy, wind-up hose reel and wrap around cord storage. It’s made for home (not professional) use.

Specs

  • 120-Volt 
  • 13 Amps
  • 35 ft. GFCI cord
  • Wobble Pump
  • Dual 1 quart detergent tanks 
  • Cold temperature 
  • 2000 PSI pressure
  • 1.3 GPM water flow
  • 25 ft. Hose
  • Hose reel 
  • M22 industry standard hose connection
  • 2 wheel cart 
  • Spray gun
  • Three pressure nozzles
  • Weight: 46.4 lbs.
  • Length: 22 in.
  • Width: 18.25 in.
  • Height: 35.5 in.
  • 3 Year warranty

Design and features

Living in a humid climate means dirt, mildew and other stuff showing up on outdoor surfaces, such as backyard decks, siding and concrete driveways and sidewalks. Only a pressure washer can easily and safely remove this. 

For those who’ve never used a pressure washer, think of it as a super-powerful spray nozzle, except that it can actually clean surfaces by blasting away dirt and mildew. I find it kind of therapeutic and fun to pressure wash around my property.

There are two types of pressure washers; gas and electric. I’ve borrowed gas versions from family and friends before and while they are powerful, they drink gas, are loud, stinky and incredibly heavy. Electric models are lighter, quieter and not as powerful as gas, but the gap has narrowed. 2000 PSI on an electric pressure washer is not uncommon and is plenty powerful for home use.

I became familiar with Kärcher when I bought a less powerful pressure washer about ten years ago. That washer was not treated kindly and I lost (and never replaced) the removable water filter long ago, so all kinds of water contaminants were passing through the pump for years. Despite this mistreatment, the Kärcher only became unreliable a few months ago and finally needed replacing. It’s because of the Kärcher’s toughness that I decided to stay with the brand and go with the more powerful K2000.

The K2000 pressure washer is extremely simple to set up out of the box—about 10 minutes. Once assembled, just plug it in, connect the hoses and you’re cleaning. The handle quickly folds down so it takes up less space in the garage. 

Even though the Kärcher K2000 is much lighter than a gas model, it’s still almost 50 lbs. Two oversized wheels make moving the unit around easier. My older Kärcher had small wheels and a too short handle. You had to bend over to move it. It was—literally—a pain in the back to move.

One major change from my previous Karcher washer is a step-controlled on/off switch. This is much more convenient and also easy on the back. There are two large, removable storage bins on the unit for holding detergent bottles for the dual tanks as well as the pressure wand. The dual detergent tanks can be used independently by turning a 1 or 2 dial.    

Using the Kärcher 2000 is easy with one notable exception. It takes some effort to squeeze and hold the trigger on the wand handle. All pressure washers I’ve used are like this and I don’t get it. After using a while, fingers and hand muscles can get tired from continually squeezing the trigger. However, there is a way to make this less stressful on your hands. When using the washer, mentally designate a small area to clean. When that’s done, choose the next small area. This breaks up any large job into smaller jobs which helps make things less overwhelming. Plus, it gives your muscles a rest between sections. It’s also best to use a sweeping motion when spraying. Doing it in these smaller areas gives better results.

One thing I like about the K2000 is that as soon as you stop spraying, the motor shuts off until you start spraying again. You don’t have to listen to a loud motor the whole time, as with a gas model. The downside to this is that when you resume spraying, the motor takes a second to rev up to speed. It’s mildly annoying, but you get used to it.

All hoses and nozzles on the K2000 use M22 quick connections. This is an industry standard that allows you to easily swap parts and provides a secure, water-tight fit. It also allows other branded nozzles and hoses to be used with the Kärcher. However, once I wasn’t careful when connecting a nozzle. When I pressed the trigger, the nozzle flew across the yard and I had trouble finding where it landed. I learned my lesson—double check that the connection is secure before using! 

The K2000 comes with three nozzles. The 15° nozzle concentrates more power on a smaller area. This helps with more stubborn dirt or mildew. The 40° nozzle covers a wider area but with a bit less power. It’s a good nozzle for general cleaning and it’s the one I use 90% of the time. Then there’s the turbo nozzle. This nozzle sprays in a cylindrical, cone-shaped pattern that becomes more powerful as the nozzle is moved closer to the surface being cleaned. I’m not a fan of this nozzle because power severely drops off when the nozzle is raised farther away from the surface. It requires too much thinking to use and I like to switch off the brain while pressure cleaning. 

The nozzles snap into a built-in holder on the K2000, making it easy to quickly grab the one you need while keeping the others safe when not in use. 

There’s a soap nozzle for applying detergent when washing a car or pre-cleaning a driveway or deck before pressure washing. Speaking of using detergent—I don’t. Never have. I also do not use a pressure washer to wash my car because if you’re not careful, the pressurized water can strip paint if it’s already loose on a bumper or it can force water into areas it shouldn’t. A garden hose spray nozzle can’t do that kind of damage. I realize that some people love using a pressure washer for their cars—I’m just wary of it. 

Detergent can help with a dirty deck, but again, I just stick to the 40° nozzle because it works fine as is. Care must be taken with cleaning wooden decks with a pressure washer. The water can damage deck wood if placed too close to the surface for too long. 

Kärcher does not supply a sample-sized detergent bottle with the K2000, so it’s an additional purchase if you want to try it. Trust me though, you don’t need detergent to clean concrete—just time, water and pressure. 

What I like 

  • Powerful
  • Auto shut-off motor
  • Nozzle selection 
  • Standard M22 connections
  • Wheels!
  • Relatively quiet for a pressure washer
  • Foot operated on/off
  • Affordable

What I’d change

  • Trigger could be easier to press

Final Thoughts

I’m a fan of Kärcher pressure washers. Kärcher makes many electric models as well as more powerful gas models if that’s what you need. If you’re a homeowner who only needs a pressure washer occasionally, the K2000 is more than powerful enough to get the job done with minimal fuss. It’s affordable and should last a long time—based on personal experience. Plus, it doesn’t take up much room when stored. 

Price: $279 US
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this product was provided by Kärcher.

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Kärcher K2000 electric pressure washer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 2, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Osprey Tropos Everyday Backpack review

REVIEW – My daughter is heading off to college this fall, and she needs a backpack.  All the buildings that she will use (dorms, classrooms, cafeteria, gym) are on one main campus, which means that she will be doing a lot of walking. She needs a backpack that is strong enough and large enough to hold everything that she needs for a day’s worth of classes, including textbooks.  It needs to have a protected compartment for her laptop, a cubbyhole for her phone, and spots for her water bottle and a small umbrella.  Last but not least, it needs to be comfortable. Is the Tropos everyday backpack by Osprey the right tool for the job?  Read on to find out!

What is it?

The Osprey Tropos is a large, everyday backpack that’s good everywhere from town to the trail.

What’s in the box?

  • The backpack
  • A tag that lists some of the features
  • An Osprey sticker

Hardware specs

  • Dimensions: 21 in high, 13.4 in wide, and 10.5 in deep
  • Weight: 2.69 pounds
  • Volume: 2075 cubic inches
  • Fabric: Nylon

Design and features

Osprey makes a lot of backpacks, so many that it can be a bit intimidating to find the one that’s right for you.  To help with this, Osprey has created a Packfinder tool on their website.  You answer some questions, and it recommends a set of backpacks and rates how well they will suit your needs.  For example, if you were to select the following options:

  • Male
  • Everyday backpack
  • Short trips (1 to 5 hours)
  • Normal weight gear
  • Side pockets for water bottles (required)
  • Laptop sleeve (required)
  • Secondary purpose:  Travel
  • Less than $200

Then the Tropos would show up as one of the choices, and Osprey rates it as an A- for suitability. This is a very cool tool, and I encourage you to check it out.  (And just to be clear, my daughter is not a male, but the backpacks for guys are a bit larger than the equivalent ones for gals, and my daughter wanted that extra space.)

Installation and setup

When we took the backpack out of the box, we had three initial impressions.  One, this is a big bag.  I’m sure there are bigger packs for hiking and camping or for backpacking across Europe, but for an everyday bag, I don’t think you’re going to be lacking for space with the Tropos.  Two, this is a very attractive bag.  My daughter chose Kraken Blue for her color; it’s a nice slate blue kind of color, and I really like it.  They also have grey, black, red, and green, if you’d prefer something different.  Three, this is a well-constructed bag.  It’s made from Nylon, and everything from the outside to the zippers to the straps feels tough and rugged.  I think this backpack is going to last through 4 years of college and well beyond.

Other than removing the tags, there’s not really much set up to do, except for deciding what goes into each part of the back.  My daughter loaded the backpack up with all the things she’ll normally carry around with her and then added a few pins and other decorations to personalize it. Here’s how it turned out.

The front of the bag has a stretch pocket, which she will probably use for small items of clothing, such as gloves, a hat, or a scarf.

The next one is an organization pocket that she loaded with pens and pencils and dropped in a calculator as well—guess who has Statistics her first semester!  This pocket is a lot deeper than this picture shows, so she could certainly put a lot more in there.

This pocket also has a key clip.  Though her dorm lock uses a key card instead of keys, she’ll be able to put car keys here eventually.

Up top is a small, easy to access compartment where she put her phone with ID and debit card.

The next pocket is the main storage compartment of the backpack.  When the compression straps are fully extended, it can really hold a lot of stuff.  My daughter plans to put her textbooks in here as well as her laptop and Beats headphone case.

This brings me to my only complaint about this backpack:  There’s not much padding for her laptop.  To be fair, the sleeve where she put the laptop is actually intended for magazines, and the final pocket is where the laptop is supposed to go.  But there’s not much padding there either, and she was afraid that her laptop could be damaged as there was not much on either side to protect it.  Additionally, there’s no padding at the bottom of either of these areas, although the kickstand (see below) will help some with that.  As a comparison, I brought out my SwissGear backpack and checked its laptop compartment.  I estimate that the padding on both sides is nearly twice as thick, and there’s padding at the bottom where the laptop rests.  I don’t think this is a deal-breaker by any means, as there is some padding, and her laptop will have books and other things around it.  I think her laptop will be fine, but this is an area where Osprey could make an improvement.  On the bright side, the laptop compartment is large and can easily hold a 17-inch laptop along with cables, a mouse, a power brick, and so on.

The final pocket, the one where the laptop is intended to go, is deep but fairly narrow.  This is where my daughter plans to put her notepads and an organizer.  It also has a separate, zippered area, perhaps intended for cables.

Performance

When my daughter first put on her fully-loaded backpack, she was less than happy.  It road high up on her back, and she felt like it was pinching her shoulder muscles.  For a moment we were worried that this would not be a pack that she could use while walking for long periods, but then we began to adjust the straps.  First, we loosened these straps at the base of the shoulder straps; this lowered the backpack so that it sat further down on her back and spread out the shoulder straps to distribute the weight more evenly.

Second, we tightened these straps at the top of the bag, which tilted it into an upright position and made it feel lighter.  Suddenly her backpack was comfortable, and a smile appeared on her face.  At that point, we knew this is a backpack that she could carry all day without discomfort.

The Tropos has upper and lower compression straps, which are designed to horizontally loosen or tighten the bag and keep the contents snug.  The upper straps, however, get in the way of using the zippers.  For a student who is transferring things into and out of her bag all day, this could really become an annoyance.

Fortunately, Osprey had already anticipated this issue.  They added a “tuckaway garage” where the upper straps can be unbuckled and tucked out of the way.  Perfect!

Did I mention previously that this bag is big?  It’s easily big enough to hold our Yorkie, who looks ready for class.

Extra features

The Tropos has a number of extra features that we appreciate.  On each side is a stretch mesh pocket that is perfect for a water bottle and a small umbrella.

Integrated into the Tropos are 3 curved, metal bars:  one is at the back of the top, and the other two are at the front and back of the bottom. They serve two purposes.  The bottom bars function like a kickstand to keep the bag standing upright when placed on the ground.  To make this steady, it’s helpful to have a few heavy items in the bag, such as books, and to the have bottom compression strap opened up, which we’ve done to fit everything.  This kickstand is a nice feature, as the laptop is less likely to get stepped on if the backpack remains upright; plus it should keep things from spilling out if she leaves a compartment open.

The back two bars are part of Osprey’s Airspeed ventilated backpanel system.  The basic idea is to slightly keep the backpack off of the wearer’s back, thus allowing it to breathe.  The bars are curved and conform to the shape of the back, and there’s a taut mesh panel along the back that keeps the separation.  I think that my daughter is going to find this wonderful when she’s trekking from one end of campus to the other on a hot day.

The Tropos includes a handful of other features, including a clip on the shoulder straps for holding glasses, straps across the waist and chest for added stability on hikes, a spot on the back to add a blinker when hiking near traffic, and little circle grips on the zippers to make them easier to use.

One final test

I can’t find anything on Osprey’s site about whether this backpack is waterproof.  It rains a lot where she’s going, so I think this is important to know.  To find out, I put the backpack under the sprinkler in our yard for 10 minutes. Yes, I really did this.

What was the result?  There was a lot of water beaded on top, which looked promising, but when I opened up the bag, only 1 pocket remained completely dry, the one where her phone goes.  None the others were soaking wet, but they weren’t dry either.  As Osprey doesn’t claim that this is a waterproof backpack, this isn’t a surprising result.  My daughter will have to rely on an umbrella to keep to keep her school supplies dry.

What I like

  • Durable construction
  • Lots of room
  • Adjustable straps to maximize comfort
  • Ventilation system
  • Plenty of extra features

What I’d change

  • More padding for the laptop pocket

Final thoughts

My daughter is looking forward to college—she’s counting the days—and as a parent, I now have one less thing to worry about.  Her books and her laptop will be in good hands while carried around in Osprey’s Tropos backback.  I think she’s going to love it, and I think it will serve her well for years to come.  If you’re looking for a large everyday backpack, I commend the Tropos to you.  If you’re not sure what backpack to get, check out Osprey’s Packfinder Tool.

Price: $150
Where to buy:  Osprey’s online store.  Their website also lists local stores that carry their bags, so you can handle them first and get them fitted properly. It’s also available from Amazon.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Osprey.

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Osprey Tropos Everyday Backpack review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 1, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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JBL Xtreme 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker review


REVIEW – Over the past 2 years, I have tested and reviewed a few Bluetooth speakers. I love the portability and convenience they provide. The previous Bluetooth speaker that I reviewed was made by JBL, and I really like it. However, I wanted a speaker from JBL that is lighter to be portable and waterproof so that I could take it to the beach and not worry about it getting wet and therefore damaged by the water. I was very thrilled when JBL sent me their Xtreme 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker to test and review.

What is it?

The JBL Xtreme 2 is a portable IPX7 rated waterproof Bluetooth speaker that uses four drivers and two JBL Bass Radiators to produce a dynamic sound. It also has a built-in rechargeable 10,000mAh Li-ion battery that provides up to 15 hours of playtime. It features a USB charge out port, integrated hooks and a detachable strap with a bottle opener. There is an accompanying JBL Connect+ app and feature that allows you to connect more than 100 JBL Connect+ enabled speakers for additional volume.

What’s in the box


1 x JBL Xtreme 2 Speaker
1 x AC Power Adapter
1 x Carrying Strap
1 x User Guide

Design and features

Specifications
Output power: 2 x 20 Watts
Music playing time: 15 Hours
Bluetooth version: 4.2
Battery capacity: 10,000 mAh
Charging time: 3.5 Hours
Waterproof: Yes
Power Bank: Yes
Voice Assistant Integration: Yes
JBL Connect+: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Audio Input: 3.5 mm
Auto Power Off: Yes
Dimensions: 5.35” x 11.33” x 5.19”
Weight: 5.27 lbs., 2.39 kg

This JBL speaker is sort of oval-shaped and wrapped in a waterproof speaker grille. There is a prominent JBL branding plate in red on one side.

On another side of the speaker, there are 2 built-in metal bars on each side that allow you to attach the carrying strap. In between the metal bars, are the touch controls. As shown in the following picture from the top down there is the play/pause/forward/answer/hangup control, the volume up control, the JBL Connect + control, the on/off power control, the volume down control and the Bluetooth control.

On the side of the speaker opposite to the controls, there is a waterproof rubber door/cover that protects the ports. The ports as shown below from left to right are the 1/8″ auxiliary jack, a non-user service port, a USB output port for charging accessories and the power port.


On each of the two ends of the speaker body, there is a speaker covered by a flexible waterproof membrane. These areas should not be handled and should be protected from sharp objects and/or impact.

Performance

This JBL Bluetooth speaker is attractive right out of the box. It is wrapped in a black hard waterproof grille with speakers on each end. Once I took it out of the box, I plugged in the included AC adapter to charge it. One of the first things I noticed is that there is no charging indicator light to let you know that the speaker is charging and when the charging is completed. I let it charge for a few hours and then I was ready to start testing. Once you power it on and press the Bluetooth button, it is the usual simple process tho connect to your mobile device, and it does so easily. After that, playing music is straightforward. Indoors it sounds like the volume is adequate, but outdoors like on the beach, it is only loud enough for people within approximately 10 feet of the speaker to easily hear the music. The regular ambient sounds on the beach drown it out after that distance. The speakers on the side are covered in a waterproof material, but not a hard grille. This is a major concern for me since they are vulnerable to being accidentally punctured/damaged.

JBL also includes the JBL Connect+ feature on this speaker. This feature allows you to connect to 100 plus additional JBL speakers that have a similar built-in feature. You have the option of adding them in stereo or party mode. In stereo mode, one speaker is added as the left channel and the other as the right. See more about the JBL Connect+ functions in the following app screenshots:










Here is a short video all about this speaker:

What I like

  • Build quality
  • Waterproof feature
  • Overall sound produced
  • Connectivity
  • Carry strap option

What I’d change

  • Needs a charging indicator LED
  • Needs more volume
  • Hard grill protection over the speakers
  • Better user guide

Final thoughts

I am a fan of JBL Bluetooth speakers and the sound they produce as well as the build quality. In terms of build quality, this speaker is well built with the exception of the vulnerable speakers on each end that are covered by a soft membrane.

I have used it on multiple occasions at the beach, and the battery was still going strong after over 7 hours of non-stop playing. I have also had water splash on it with no problem.

In terms of sound, it produces quality sound but lacks the expected power, especially based on its size and weight. Indoors the sound is adequate, and on a quiet day outdoors, it would likely be loud enough. However, any place where there is relatively normal ambient noise, it lacks the power to be the “life of the party”. Don’t get me wrong, I like the speaker, and if I had 2 of them and used them together with the JBL Connect +, they would likely be adequate. But as a stand-alone speaker, its versatility is limited.

Price: $299
Where to buy: Amazon, JBL Website
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by JBL

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JBL Xtreme 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 31, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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PurePort promises clean and clear Lightning plugs and ports

CROWDFUNDING NEWS – For iPhone users, especially the ones who put their iPhones in a pocket (isn’t that everyone?), the curse of pocket lint and random moisture tends to fill the ports of those devices with a substance that refuses to be extricated, especially once you’ve jammed the plug into it a few times when it wasn’t connecting. I can’t tell you how many times I saw this when I was working at an Apple Store. It was always such a surprise to the customer – I’d usually take the lint out to show how much had accumulated because they’d not believe it otherwise. (Photo from @DrDrang’s blog “And Now It’s All This” – highly recommended!)

We used soft bristle brushes and non-conductive tools, which prevented damage, but short of a toothpick and an old toothbrush, most folks don’t have access to this. Enter a new KickStarter campaign called PurePort. It’s a set of 7 tools that are designed to safely maintain your ports and the cable plugs as well. Even with less than 50 supporters, they are already past six times their funding goal, so there must be a LOT of folks who put in more than the $20 EarlyBird special!

Apple’s Lightning port was introduced in the fall of 2012 and caused gnashing of teeth as well as rejoicing. The gnashing of teeth was due to the huge investment customers and manufacturers had made in 30-pin connector cables and accessories. (Fast-forward seven years and the specter of change is visible with the advent of USB-C, but Apple seems relatively certain to stay on this train for the iPhones and lower-end non-Pro iPads.) The rejoicing was due to being able to plug in the cable either way, which is also part of the joy of USB-C. The small deep port is much more difficult to see into, so getting little bits of stuff in there is much more of a problem than it was with the 30-pin connector, which was wider and more open. If you’re not worried that Apple will abandon their proprietary port soon, you may want to get a set like this to protect yourself. Just be aware that you can void your warranty with aggressive poking into the ports!

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PurePort promises clean and clear Lightning plugs and ports originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 31, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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DEENKEE Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Stick review

REVIEW – As an industry leader and design innovator, Dyson, maker of vacuums, fans, and all things air-related, has always inspired other companies to emulate (read: rip off) their style and features. This is of great benefit to consumers who’d love to own a Dyson product but can’t quite afford the often ridiculous price tags. The DEENKEE Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Stick is one such Dyson “inspired” device. The design, feel, and even the coloring of the DEENKEE vacuum all ape Dyson’s well-known brand but at a somewhat affordable $169.99. For the price, the DEENKEE performs well, but it might not work as the sole vacuum for larger households.

What is it?

The DEENKEE Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Stick is a rechargeable handheld vacuum cleaner. The unit is lightweight, modular and has removable, washable filters. Even though it’s a handheld, the DEENKEE is powerful enough to work much like a traditional standup vacuum, albeit for a shorter time because it’s battery powered.

The DEENKEE arrives in a white box with only a picture of the unit and its name featured on the front.

What’s in the box?

  • Portable cordless vacuum unit
  • Removable Li-ion battery
  • AC adapter
  • Aluminum extension tube
  • Wall mount
  • Connecting joint
  • Electric floor brush attachment
  • 2-in-1 dusting brush attachment
  • Replacement roller brush
  • User manual

Hardware specs

  • Rated power: 180-200W
  • Battery: Li-ion 2200mAh, 22.2V
  • Charging period: 5-6 hours
  • Handheld vacuum degree: 17KPA (max)

Design and features

The DEENKEE is well designed, which is understandable since it’s following Dyson’s award winning design playbook. The powerhouse of the unit is the handheld section which contains the rechargeable battery and motor. Latches attach the motor and battery section to the container which houses the DEENKEE’s filtration system.

Almost every part of the DEENKEE breaks apart via these plastic latches for cleaning and easy access.

I definitely appreciate the modular nature of the DEENKEE but I often found myself latching and unlatching parts of the unit in a frustrating attempt to disconnect the one section I was hoping to remove.

Once the container unit is removed, you can see that the main section of the DEENKEE is little more than a small electric motor attached to a battery.

The Li-ion battery disengages from the motor via a small latch on the underside of the unit.

The battery doesn’t really need to be removed except for cleaning the unit or replacing the battery itself.

The filters are easily removed from the container unit by yet more latches.

The outer foil filter separates out larger pieces of debris. As with all filters on the DEENKEE, this filter is washable.

The top of the filter section unlocks to provide access to the inner filters.

One internal filter sits on top of the container section just inside the cap.

Once that filter is removed you can flip it over to remove a third smaller foam filter.

Again, all of these filters are washable which I really appreciate since nobody misses the days of forever having to purchase new vacuum bags and filters.

The DEENKEE comes with several attachments that connect in a number or ways.

Each attachment connects via a plug and latch on its end.

The attachments can only connect one way, which makes it easy to do correctly.

I found that the most useful attachment is the floor brush attachment.

The bottom plug on the attachment connections conducts power, which means that the brush in the floor brush attachment spins just like in a traditional standup vacuum.

A roller with long bristles comes attached to the unit and an extra roller with shorter bristles is included as well.

The DEENKEE also comes with a 2-in-1 dusting brush attachment.

By pushing down on a small button at the end of the brush attachment the brush head can be moved into or out of position.

This is great because it cuts down on the number of attachments you have to manage for the vacuum without sacrificing functionality.

Both the 2-in-1 dusting brush attachment and the floor brush attachment connect either directly to the unit or to the extension tube via an included connecting joint.

The extension tube is convenient for using the DEENKEE like a traditional vacuum.

But, you can create various configurations based on the cleaning task.

This versatility is something I really appreciated as I tackled tasks such as vacuuming underneath my couch cushions and cleaning out my car.

The DEENKEE also comes with a mounting bracket that allows you to charge the unit while in storage.

The unit snaps easily into the bracket and there are two slots for storing the connecting joint and 2-in-1 dusting brush attachment as well.

Setup

Before first use, the DEENKEE has to be fully charged which takes around five to six hours.

There’s a small power port on the back of the handheld unit where the AC adapter plugs in.

There are four LED bars on the top of the unit that blink while the unit is charging.

These LEDS also display the current power level of the DEENKEE during use and because you’re on a tight power budget, it’s really important to monitor them.

Performance

Once the battery is charged and you’ve snapped on your desired attachments, the DEENKEE is ready to work.

The DEENKEE motor is rated at 17 kpa which is a unit of pressure equal to about 2.5 psi. It may not sound like much, but I was thoroughly impressed by the suction of this little handheld.

I also really liked the three LEDS mounted on the head of the floor brush attachment. I found them super useful in the dark corners of my small apartment.

The DEENKEE worked great on both the hard floors and few carpets I have in my 500 square foot apartment. The battery lasted about 25 minutes for me, mainly because I was switching back and forth between the DEENKEE’s two power modes. I found the usefulness of two power modes confusing though, since I kept switching to high mode after vacuuming a section in low mode.

While not exactly silent, the DEENKEE operates at lower frequencies, so the sound it emits during use isn’t quite as high pitched and annoying as regular vacuums.

After about 25 minutes, the DEENKEE picked up an impressive amount of dust and pet hair in my supposedly clean apartment.

You can pop the top off the container unit to remove debris that may have gotten wedge into the container. Or you can just pop the lower latch on the container to dump the contents out.

The DEENKEE was really easy to use and maneuver around my furniture and since the battery lasted just under a half an hour, its weight never really became an issue. The suction was strong and consistent and my rugs and floors looked noticeably cleaner after passing the DEENKEE over them.

What I like

  • Washable filters
  • Easy to maneuver
  • Powerful suction for the size

What I’d change

  • Battery life could be better
  • Two power modes seems unnecessary
  • Main unit made of plastic and seems like it would break easily if dropped

Final thoughts

The DEENKEE Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Stick is an affordable alternative to the very expensive Dyson vacuums that it so obviously is trying to emulate. The DEENKEE won’t work as a main vacuum for large or midsize homes or apartments, but as a backup it works great. For small apartments, this might be all the vacuum you need though, granted you can clean your entire apartment in the under 30 minutes of battery time the DEENKEE provides you. Still, $169.99 for a vacuum on par with Dyson’s similar models is a pretty good deal.

Price: $169.99
Where to buy: Amazon and DEENKEE.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by DEENKEE.

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DEENKEE Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Stick review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 31, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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