Vacmaster Respira Pet Upright Vacuum UC0413EUK review

One-minute review

Cleva is the brand behind the Vacmaster range, but you might not instantly recognize either of these names as it’s a relative newbie in the vacuum cleaner market. Not only does Cleva manufacture a range of Vacmaster vacuum cleaners but also the Lawnmaster range of garden tools too, all with the aim of producing performance appliances at affordable prices.

The Vacmaster Respira Pet Upright Vacuum UC0413EUK is a corded bagless upright vacuum that’s part of the latest launch in the Vacmaster range. It offers bagless cleaning at less than half the price of premium corded uprights like the Dyson Ball Animal 2 or the Shark NZ850UK.

While it lacks the look and feel of a more expensive vacuum, this Vacmaster still has useful features including settings for both hard floor and carpet. It boasts a dual motor so that the brush roll is powered independently, which means suction power isn’t impacted when the brush roll is on. And the WrapFree brush roll is designed so that it doesn’t allow hair to get wrapped around it.

It’s designed with allergies in mind, Vacmaster claims that the AllergenPro dust management system utilizes HEPA filters to trap and contain 99.9% of dirt, pollen, mold, and bacteria. Plus, the large dust canister means there’s no need to empty it regularly.

The detachable hose can be used in combination with the pet tool or the 3-in-1 tool for overhead cleaning or easier cleaning of stairs and upholstery. We had very few complaints about the pickup on both carpet and hard floor and it maneuvers well. It’s ideal if you’re looking for a budget vacuum that still incorporates a good filtration system and you don’t mind being tethered to a cord.

Vacmaster Respira Pet Upright Vacuum UC0413EUK price and availability

• RRP: £149.99

 This well priced vacuum is priced at £149.99 and available in the UK only through the Cleva website. For those without pets the Vacmaster Respira Upright Vacuum is the same model but comes without the handheld Pet Mate tool and costs an even more budget friendly £129.99. 

Design

• Nine meter power cord
• 2-litre dust canister
•  HEPA filter 

The Vacmaster Respira Pet Upright Vacuum UC0413EUK feels a similar size to most other corded upright vacuums we’ve tried. There’s nothing striking about the white and blue plastic appearance which is certainly forgivable given the wallet-friendly price tag. It measures 115 x 28 x 26 cm (h x w x d). The handle height isn’t adjustable, but once it’s tilted in use, this becomes a non-issue. However, you’ll need to consider the fact it doesn’t disassemble when thinking about where to store it.

The handle on top of the dust canister can be used to lift the vacuum when moving it around and it weighs 6.58kg so it’s easy enough for most people to lift. The bagless dust canister can be removed  at the press of a button and dirt is released easily out of the bottom by pressing a second button.

It comes with two tools, the Pet Mate tool is a mini motorized brush for targeting pet hair on stairs and upholstery. The 3-in-1 tool combines a crevice tool with a small upholstery tool and dusting brush, this can be stored on the back of the vacuum but the Pet Mate tool can’t be stored on the vacuum. Both tools are used in combination with the three-meter hose and extension wand, which detach from the vacuum for overhead cleaning or to clean stairs and upholstery.

The on/off switch has two positions, the first is the hard floor setting, in this mode the brush roll is switched off to protect delicate floor surfaces. The second position is the carpet setting and this engages the brush roll for a deeper clean. The button is on the top left of the canister rather than on the handle like you’ll see on other vacuums. The position makes it better suited to right-handed people who can reach down to flick the switch with their left hand while holding the vacuum handle with their right.

It doesn’t have different power levels to choose from, but on the end of the hose a suction control section can be twisted to open an air inlet which reduces the suction should you need to.

There’s  a pre-filter in the dust bin as well as a pre-motor filter and a HEPA exhaust filter and we were pleased to note that the manufacturers have put an emphasis on the filtration system despite it being a budget vacuum. There are some parts of the vacuum, like the extension tube that feel a bit plasticky and budget, but all things considered, these are probably fair compromises.

Performance

• Transitions well from carpet to hard floor
• LED headlights switch off on hard floor setting
• Maneuverable with comfortable handle

Assembling the Vacmaster Respira Pet Upright Vacuum UC0413EUK requires a flat headed screwdriver, but it’s just for one screw and isn’t too fiddly. The rest of the assembly was straightforward.

The on/off switch isn’t on the handle, but actually we didn’t find the position annoying during use. The vacuum feels light to push on both carpet as well as hard floors and took a long pile area rug in its stride. We did notice that when switching from the carpet to the hard floor setting, the headlights switch off, which is a shame, it would be useful if the lights remained on for hard floor cleaning.

We found it easy to maneuver around corners and when we deliberately spilt oats alongside the skirting board it collected them all with just two passes. Though on hard floors it occasionally pushed around larger debris such as butternut squash seeds. But in general we couldn’t fault the pick-up, it appears to collect the majority of dust and debris in its path. The canister quickly filled with dust and fluff despite our carpets having been vacuumed earlier in the same week. The WrapFree brush roll was, for the most part effective, a few hairs did wrap around it, but not many. Our noise meter registered 72dB on carpet and 73dB on hard floors, which is equivalent to the level of noise created by a dishwasher mid-cycle, which is more than acceptable.

The dust canister is easy to remove and empty and the filters are also easily accessible. The pre-motor filters are revealed when the dust canister is removed and these have to be rinsed every three months. The HEPA filter which is accessed through a door at the front of the vacuum only needs to be rinsed once a year, so there’s not too much maintenance required.

Removing the hose is simple and we used the Pet Mate tool when vacuuming stairs, the hose was long enough for us to vacuum ten stairs before we had to move the vacuum up the stairs to reach the rest.

For overhead cleaning, the dusting brush with the extension tube allowed us to reach some high spots but not all the way to the ceiling. The upholstery tool is a bit small and although there is the option to twist the suction control to reduce suction, it would be easier to vacuum upholstery if it had a range of power options to choose from. We also noticed the vacuum wobbling around as we used the hose and it’s easy to pull the vacuum over unless you hold it or lean it against something.

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First reviewed: December 2021

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