LG CordZero - The Lowdown

I'm not sure which came first; self-emptying robot vacuums, or stick vacuums with self emptying charging stations.

Either way, the less I have to be involved with the stuff I've vacuumed up, the better.

Now LG has a new addition that pretty much nails every feature.

The LG CordZero range of handstick vacuums comes in a variety of packages, some including an All-in-One auto emptying tower, others with the option of an additional Power Drive Mop head. The A9L Titan is the CordZero that has it all.

To start with, the vacuum itself is extremely well thought out, from the moulded, pistol-grip handle to the DUAL Floor Max nozzle. The controls are simple and easily within reach of your thumb so you don't have to hold a trigger down to keep the thing running.

LG's Smart Inverter Motor provides up to 220W of suction power, which might not mean much written down, but I've been shocked by the huge amount of dust, debris and hair the CordZero sucks up in a short space of time. In fact, the sheer efficacy of this vacuum means the 0.4 litre dust bin can fill up quicker than you might expect.

To help, as seems to be the trend with vacuums like these lately, LG has introduced what it calls KOMPRESSOR technology; its own take on a physical slide control that pushes the contents of the dust bin down with a sort of plunger. The three-step filter system is also very easy to remove and features washable filters.

As we move down the device, we come to the stick itself. This has one of the longest telescopic extensions I've used, which is great news for taller users as it will save you having to bend over so much while you clean.

The other advantage of such a long extension is it helps you reach further under couches, cabinets and other furniture. This low-down-and-dirty cleaning ability is perhaps my favourite feature of the CordZero - and it's enhanced even further by the low-profile DUAL Floor Max Nozzle. Not only is this motorised brush head low enough to fit under many items of furniture but it can swivel at right angles meaning you really can clean all the way under long sofas without having to move them. That's a big tick for me.

The DUAL Floor Max nozzle is effective on both hard and soft floors and has LED headlights to show you every speck of dust and every strand of hair. Speaking of which, LG hasn't even made a big deal about how tangle-free this head is and believe me, in my house, which is full of long-haired dog and even longer-haired women, a tangle-free brush head is definitely a big deal.

The A9L Titan CordZero also includes the Power Drive Mop head. This uses two spinning mop pads which are machine washable and simply velcro on and off. The easy-to-fill tank feeds a precisely controlled flow of water onto the pads while you mop and you can even vacuum debris through the front of the head, which also has LED headlights - it's a very effective design.

When you're finished vacuuming, the All-in-One Tower awaits to Auto Empty and recharge the CordZero. The tower is an example of the sort of unobtrusive, minimalist design that really appeals to me. Each side opens up to reveal storage cavities for other accessories like the crevice tool, 2-in-1 combination tool and the Power Drive Mini head, which is like a smaller version of the main brush head specifically for dealing with pet hair and the like on upholstery, beds and in cars. There are also small brackets that flip out on either side of the tower to hang the mop and brush heads on.

The top of the All-in-One Tower flips up to reveal a second 2300mAh lithium-ion battery charging up should you need to swap out during your clean. LG has been very conservative with its battery life claims on the spec sheet - just 20 minutes in normal mode with the DUAL Floor Max nozzle attached. That seems to be a modest understatement given I've been able to clean my large four-bedroom home without having to swap batteries at all.

Then we come to the Auto Empty process itself. Which also means we come to my only real criticism of an otherwise exemplary gadget. In theory, you just slot the CordZero into its corresponding receptacle and the All-in-One Tower takes over, autonomously opening the bottom lid of the dust bin, sucking out the contents and closing the lid again, before charging up for your next big clean.

However, with either the Power Drive Mop or DUAL Floor Max nozzle still attached, the Cord Zero is actually too long to easily slot into place. It's the weirdest thing. It's not impossible, but it does involve a fair amount of jiggling around, if not actually bending over to lift up the brush head so it doesn't hang down as you try to get the vacuum in the right position. If you don't line things up correctly, this is what happens when the Auto Empty process kicks in...

Far from ideal. Needless to say, I only made that mistake once. Now I either do the little jiggle or simply disconnect the head before I hang the CordZero up.

It's just such a glaring oversight on what is otherwise one of the best-designed floor cleaners I've ever used. The suction power and performance of the powered heads is outstanding. The bagless bin and washable mopping pads and filters mean the only consumable you'll regularly have to replace is the dust bag within the All-in-One Tower itself - and you get a spare one of those in the box. And the way you can tidily hide away all the accessories and charge the second battery within the attractive, charcoal-coloured tower is genius.

This is my first real interaction with an LG home cleaning device and I have to say, I'm more than impressed. For less than NZ$1,200.00, the CordZero really is the ultimate floor care solution.

    

Click here for more information on the LG CordZero A9L Titan auto emptying handstick.