Review: Ultenic Flex 16 is the next Dyson duster

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If you’re looking for a new, high quality vacuum cleaner, but baulk at the thought of Dyson prices, then the Ultenic Flex 16 should be at the top of your list of considerations.

The $149.99 wireless wonder is available to buy now. Here’s why you should…

In the box…

So, what do you get in the box? Well, quite the list of accouterments if you ask me…

• Ultenic Flex 16 vacuum cleaner
• Main vacuum head
• Crevice tool
• Two HEPA filters
• 180-degree flexible wand
• Charger and cradle
• Cleaning tool
• Device literature

You’ll notice there is no mite brush included in the box. However, you can buy this separately if you need one. For transparency, Ultenic sent one of these too, so I could test the device as a pet owner.

Anyway, on to the device itself.

What you lookin’ at, sucker?

So, what does the device look like? It looks like a cordless handheld vacuum cleaner, to be honest.

It has red, purple, and grey accents which make it look a little like other competitor brands, but we’re not here to discuss them, are we?

When you take it out of the box, all the accessories are separate ready for you to assemble your device.

This gives you the perfect opportunity to to wield the main vacuum unit as though it is a legendary weapon from Fallout. Guaranteed you will do this. Or at least I did anyway.

Anyway, taking a look around the main handheld unit, at the rear is a display and control panel.

This tells you the current suction power (Eco, Normal, and Power), the battery charge level as a percentage, and a low-action button at the bottom of the panel toggles suction powers. The display is color which is neat.

Moving further towards the front of the unit is the handle and trigger for your weapon vacuum. I like this trigger as you don’t need to hold it down to operate the vacuum. More on that later though.

Then up front is the nozzle for connecting all the accessories like the crevice tool and so on.

These lock in place with a release button, and there is an adjustable dust brush which is physically attached to the main unit as well.

I personally think this would’ve been better as a separate attachment. Again, more on that soon.

The detachable battery slides onto the bottom of the main unit under the handle. On top is the detachable dustbin, which contains a HEPA filter to catch all those nasty airborne allergens that we can react to.

The unit weighs 2.7-3.0 kg depending on which attachments you’re using at the time. With the flex wand and main brush attached, it is 121.5 x 14.2 x 21.5 cm.

So, we now know the cordless handheld vacuum looks like a cordless handheld vacuum. Does it operate like a cordless handheld vacuum, though?

Fool-proof operation

I mentioned earlier that I like the U16 Flex in terms of operation, although I do have some very minor quibbles as well.

I’ll start with the positive points. When using the vacuum, the switch operation is a real boon. I said you don’t need to hold the trigger down, and this is excellent. 

Holding a trigger while operating can strain your index finger and your wrist. Not having to hold the trigger down therefore lessens strain and makes the device more pleasant to use.

The device controls are responsive, meaning you can toggle suction power easily mid-clean. If you don’t need full power, why use it? Just switch to a more economical power mode and save battery juice in the process, extending the life of the battery.

I REALLY like the Green Eye technology that the vacuum incorporates. This is Ultenic’s way of describing the bright green light that shines from the front of the main head unit.

It allows you to see significantly more dust than a device without this sort of tech, which is great for ensuring a thorough clean on hard surfaces like lino and laminate flooring.

I find the 45KPa suction to be more than suitably powerful, as it made picking up pet hair a breeze, both with the main brush head for the floor and the mite brush for the sofa.

In terms of battery life, the U16 performs very well; it never once ran out of battery during a full house vacuum, so the 60 minute run time rings true.

Charging via the cradle is convenient and keeps the vacuum out of the way.

Finally, I find the flexible wand attachment to be ideal for that more thorough clean. My bed and mattress are both heavy and, frankly, a total pain to clean under.

Not, however, with the U16 Flex, which was able to pick up all the dust that had accumulated under the bed since it was last vacuumed.

So, on to quibbles. As I say, only minor, but significant enough to be worth mentioning.

First is the removal of the wand from the main unit in order to use the crevice tool or mite brush instead, for example. 

The model I tested had a pretty tight fit with the wand in position. I found removing it required quite a lot of force, and I think someone who struggles to exert their wrists for any reason might not be able to change it at all.

I acknowledge that this might not be the case across all devices, though, and I haven’t tested every U16 Flex so I will never know for certain if it was just a minor issue with my device.

Secondly, the filter unit is also difficult to remove from the top of the dustbin. It is fixed in place tightly with a rubber seal, and so it is difficult to pull out of the top of the dustbin.

On a couple of occasions—as a result of this—I found my face engulfed in a cloud of dust as the filter unit came free all of a sudden.

In the end I started emptying the dustbin and then pushing the filter out from the inside instead to avoid a face full of particles that the HEPA filter had done such a great job of capturing.

Other than those two points, I have no complaints at all about the U16 Flex. Its RRP is almost a third of that of the Dyson V11.

It is also less than half the price of the Dyson V8, which has a run time of only 40 minutes. A fantastic handheld vacuum cleaner, particularly at its price point.

Hello U16 Flex, Goodbye Dust Bunnies

Would I recommend the U16 Flex? Yes I would, based on the above and the fact it outperforms even Dyson equivalents in some respects, despite being significantly less expensive.

If you want a high-performance, handheld vacuum, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the U16 Flex.

What’s your go-to vacuum for keeping your home clean? Share your experience with cordless vacuums and whether an affordable yet powerful option like the Ultenic Flex 16 could upgrade your cleaning routine. Drop your thoughts in the comments below or via our Twitter or Facebook.