Daewoo RC-350BKN – Cleaning continued

For longer-pile carpets, such as the red test carpet, the suck-down effect is less pronounced but certainly still present. It took a very firm hand to complete our regulation three sweeps over the test powder – and the results were passable. The carpet was left pretty clean thanks to the high suction power, but there was noticeable powder remaining in the dip at the skirting board.

The pulling-down issue on carpets can be relieved by opening the vent, but this then introduces another problem. The extremely light weight of the floor-head meant that it would often kick up away from the floor and, with resistance in the pivoting neck, stay there cocked up in the air.

When cleaning suddenly became easy, we knew the floor-head simply wasn’t on the floor and wasn’t cleaning at all.

Before

Continuing downhill with gusto, the small upholstery tool, microscopic crevice tool and the toothbrush all proved to be as useless as they looked.

The upholstery tool sticks down with even more tenacity than the main floor-head, and you’re more likely to lift the cushion off your sofa than actually clean the upholstery.

The crevice tool is far too short and far too chunky with the flip-over brush to be of any use in crevices, and the brush itself is just about the right size to clean a keyboard – although probably only a small one without the extra keypad.

As a post-test addendum, the Daewoo continued to frustrate even at the end. As we tried to pack it way, the push-fit tubes refused to pull apart. The force required to push the sticky floor-head forward over short-pile carpets had jammed the tubes together, so tight in fact that it took two burley blokes and a coordinated effort to prise them apart.

After

Daewoo RC-350BKN – Stairs

The woefully short 4.8m cable almost made it impossible to test the RC-350BKN on our stairs without the use of an extension cable. We just about met in the middle approaching from the top and the bottom, but neither was easy.

In some good news, the cleaner is light enough to carry, sits upright on steps with reasonable stability, and the main floor-head – attached directly to the handle – is small enough for steps. That’s where the good news ends.

The same pulling-down problem pervaded. On our short-pile carpeted steps, the head simply wouldn’t move unless the vent was fully open. Even then, it remained stiff to shunt back and forth, and impossible to steer.

We tried the upholstery tool. This was even worse and, with the vent open, far too small for a decent-sized flight of stairs – unless you had a spare week to clean them.

The cleaner’s light weight and top-mounted hose attachment once again resulted in a stability issues. The lightest movement of the hose would see the Daewoo keel over and career down the stairs. It was testament to build quality, if not industrial design, that the RC-350BKN survived out test procedure at all.

The only way to effectively address stairs was to hold the machine in one hand and clean with the other. This leaves you trying to move a really sticky floor-head while simultaneously trying to maintain balance, holding the cleaner and negotiate a mains cable that’s so short it turns into a trip wire just a few steps from the top or bottom of the stair.

Stairs? This cleaner should come with a health warning that it’s suitable for single-story dwellings only.
 

Daewoo RC-350BKN – Pet Hair

Just when you think that things can’t really get any worse, and then they do.

The sticky floor-head and bristles seem purpose-made to tangle with pet hairs rather than suck them in. This meant it took a quite a while to clean our test patch of mixed Collie and Labrador hair – half a minute at least – and then we had to detangle the bristles on the head.

It was no surprise, either, that we completely failed to clean the dog’s bed. As soon as we got close to the base cushion, the upholstery tool clamped tenaciously to fabric – and that was pretty much that.

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Should I buy the Daewoo RC-350BKN?

Th Daewoo RC-350BKN is cheap, powerful and fundamentally well-made. It delivers superb suction – but is a practical nightmare to use.

The floor-head either sticks down so you can’t move it, or flips up and becomes useless. The cleaner is so unstable that it rolls over on flat floors or throws itself down stairs. Plus, the cable is so short it becomes an ongoing trip hazard and point of frustration.

For the smallest homes on the tightest budget, then, the RC-350BKN packs a punch and does the job – but not without a lot of hard work and aggro along the way.

Verdict

Impressively sturdy, compact and powerful – but poor overall performance and usability let this vac down.

Trusted Score