Miele Dynamic U1 Allergy – Stairs

Clearly, the U1 Allergy’s sheer mass means this isn’t a cleaner you’ll want to haul up and down stairs too often – unless you’re on a fitness kick, that is.

It counters this with very good reach thanks to the wand and tools. The combination of the flexible hose and telescopic tubes make it easy to reach more than half way up the average flight of stairs – although you’re still going to have to carry the beast up there to tackle the rest from the top of the stairs.

The U1 Allergy’s excellent suction power and well-designed tools make short work of cleaning carpeted stairs, with the upholstery brush being our tool of choice. This is a fixed-head tool, so not quite so easy to get onto steps with turns, but it did a great job on carpets – even without the benefit of a turbo brush.

We were a little more stumped on wooden steps, where this model rather lacked a suitable tool that was large enough to cover the area quickly but which had stiff bristles or similar to protect the surface. The dusting brush will do, but it’s not ideal.

Related: 6 Best Cordless Cleaners

Miele Dynamic U1 Allergy – Pet Hair

When it comes to cleaning up after furry friends, the U1 Allergy is a mixed bag. The main floor-head is outstanding at pulling hairs from carpet. With the rotating brush engaged, and the cleaner on full power, even hairs entwined in the pile were dragged free and into the cleaner.

Our test patch of mixed Collie and Labrador hair was cleared in only 6 seconds – on par with the best pet-specific cleaners. The A-rated filtration did an excellent job of stifling doggy odours when we cleaned the dogs’ beds too.

However, pet hair cleaning results aren’t so strong with the wand and tools, since this model lacks a small turbo-brush tool. Using the upholstery tool, it took a fair while to clean the carpeted step where our Collie watches the world go by.
The U1 Allergy did get there in the end, where less-powerful cleaners would have failed altogether.

The second caveat is that the main brush can’t be removed for easy cleaning. When long hairs become wrapped around the brush, they have to be cut off through the base and pulled out manually. Given the excellent design features elsewhere, this seems like a rather glaring omission.

Should I buy the Miele Dynamic U1 Allergy?

Miele has created a very strong cleaner in the Dynamic U1 Allergy, mixing superb suction power with exceptional features and robust design. If you’re after a serious cleaner for serious cleaning duties then it certainly fits the bill.

However, the trade-off is a very big and heavy product that takes effort to move and use. If you have what it takes to tame it, the U1 Allergy is a vacuum cleaning beast.

Verdict

Large and powerful, the Miele Dynamic U1 Allergy packs a punch – but its weight and power may be overkill for some households.

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