Introduction

Front

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Side

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Handle

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Hose

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Cleaning Tools

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

{{product.manufacturer_specs['Cleaning Tools Image']}}

Controls

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Dirt Container

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Underside

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Overall Cleaning

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

We were impressed with the overall performance of the {{product.name}} in our tests: it performed well on all of our test carpets and on wood floors. It also did a good job of picking up debris and cat hair.

Long Carpet

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Our long carpet test looks at how well a cleaner can pick up dirt from a carpet with a deep pile. We found that the {{product.name}} managed to pick up just under 60 per cent of the dirt, which is a good score for this test.

Short Carpet

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

When cleaning a carpet with a shorter pile, this cleaner managed to get around 80 per cent of the dirt. That's a reasonable amount, although there are cleaners that could pick up more.

Wood Floor

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Picking up dirt from a dirt floor was easy for this cleaner, which managed to pick up over 95 per cent of our test dirt.

Pet Hair

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Pet hair is a challenge for vacuum cleaners, but the {{product.name}} was up to it: we found that this cleaner managed to pick up a lot of the hair in our tests, leaving only relatively small amounts.

Debris Pickup

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

We also test the effectiveness of the cleaner at picking up larger debris from both carpets and wood floors, and we found that the {{product.name}} was effective on both. It took in nearly all of the rice and noodles that we use in our tests, and a lot of the coins, too.

Dirt Holder Capacity

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

We measured the capacity of the {{product.name}} at 0.44 gallons. That's a decent capacity, but it is a little lower than other cleaners, such as the Dyson DC28. One interesting trick that the {{product.name}} has is a moving arm which compresses the dirt, which could increase the amount it can hold.

Handling

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The {{product.name}} is a large, bulky cleaner, but it handles fairly well for the size. Two oversize wheels on the back of the base make for easy pushing, and the cleaner can turn corners and relatively easily when in use. However, that doesn't make it any smaller, so it is still awkward to maneuver into tight spots.

Cleaner Controls

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

There are two control buttons on the front of the handle of this cleaner: one for power and another to switch between carpet and floor modes. On the rear of the body of the cleaner is a large red button that rewinds the power cable.

Cleaning Tools Use

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

There are only 2 cleaning tools to accompany the {{product.name}}, both of which latch onto the body of the cleaner itself.

Crevice Tool - This narrow nozzle tool is stored on the back of the cleaner body when not in use. It also includes a brush option, which snaps down and into place to help lift dirt and dust.

Turbine - The turbine mounts on the front of the cleaner body when not in use, and clips onto the end of the hose when needed. This is an air-driven turbine designed for loosening pet hair and stubborn stains.

Not included is an additional hose extension or a wider nozzle.

Power Cord

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The power cord of the {{product.name}} is just over 30 feet long, which should be long enough to reach the power sockets of all but the largest houses, as well as allowing the cleaner to be used in the garage when cleaning the car. It is also one of the few cleaners we've seen that includes both a long power cord and an auto retracting cable. To retrieve the power cord, you press the large red button on the back of the cleaner and it winds back into the body.

Hose Use

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The hose itself is somewhat awkward to remove and use: you have to pull it out from the retaining clip, then extend the rigid section with an motion somewhat reminiscent of a pump-action shotgun. In use, we found that we could clean up to 13 feet away from the cleaner, which is a very good distance. Reaching upwards to clean fans and light fittings, we found that it could reach up to 2 feet and 8 inches above out outstretched hands, which is a somewhat smaller distance than we like to see.

Dirt Holder

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The captured dust and dirt ends up in a plastic container on the front of the cleaner body. To empty this, you press the release button and lift off the removable section, which also includes the cyclone assembly where the dirt and air are separated and the filter. To dump the dirt, you press another button and the bottom of the dirt container drops out. This arrangement means that it is easy to dump the dirt and dust straight into a plastic bag, but the entire assembly is quite heavy and bulky to lug around if your trashbin is distant from where the cleaning is happening.

Filter

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

There is a single filter located in the top of the removable section of this cleaner. This is a sealed HEPA filter that is washable and reusable. LG recommends that it should be cleaned at least every 3 months.

Weight

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The {{product.name}} is a rather heavy cleaner, weighing in at a hefty 22.6 lbs when in use. This means that it is going to be a strain to lift up and down stairs.

Noise

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

We measured the noise level of the {{product.name}} at around 75 decibels, which is a little quieter than the average. However, this is still a pretty noisy cleaner, and the large rotating carpet brush makes a lot of noise when it is in use.

Energy Use

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The {{product.name}} also sucks down a lot of electricity: we measured it as using 1220 watts when cleaning a carpet.

Bissell 18Z6 Lift-Off Comparison

Both cleaners are complex, sophisticated products for the serious vacuuming enthusiast. The Dyson is the better unit, though, and feels more polished.

Both models scored highly in our tests across the board, picking up dust and dirt from carpets and wood floors and doing a good job of getting pet hair out of a carpet.

Both cleaners are fairly complex products that offer a range of cleaning features, including turbine cleaning heads and modes for different floor types. The Dyson is a little better designed, though, making the process of switching from carpet to wood floor mode somewhat easier.

Both the LG and Dyson have a bit of a learning curve, but the Dyson wins here with a cleaning wand that's one of the most versatile we've seen on an upright.

Both cleaners are somewhat noisy products, but the LG is very slightly quieter.

Hoover Platinum S3865 Comparison

These two cleaners are quite similar in offering a lot of features in a sometimes confusing package. They are also both expensive cleaners.

We found that in our tests, the LG was the stronger performer, picking up more dirt from deep and short carpets, and doing a better job of picking up other debris. The two cleaners were equally matched in our test with pet hair, though, and the Bissell offers an additional pet hair cleaning tool that does a better job of removing pet hair from fabric.

Both of these cleaners suffer the same problem: over complication. Both have a number of latches, switches, dials and buttons that are used to control the cleaner, which can get somewhat confusing when you just want to vacuum up a spill. Both offer large dust containers, though, which is useful for big cleaning jobs, and a good selection of cleaning tools. The LG includes a wiper inside the dust canister that compresses the dirt to try and fit more in (hence the Kompressor name).

Both cleaners are somewhat noisy, so they wouldn’t work for stealth cleaning.

Comp 3

The LG is the better overall performer, but the Hoover is simpler and better designed

The LG was the stronger performer overall in our tests of cleaning effectiveness, doing a better job at picking up dust, dirt and debris.

These two cleaners take quite different approaches, with the Hoover favoring simplicity while the LG offers more controls and more knobs and dials. Which is the best approach is a matter of personal preference, but we generally find the simpler approach to be better for the job of cleaning. The LG does include a wider range of cleaning tools and offers a longer reach, though.

Both cleaners are rather noisy, but the LG is the noisier by a fair amount.

Overall Verdict

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The {{product.name}} is a powerful, fully featured cleaner that offers a lot of performance. But it is also a little over complicated, and bears a resemblance to a certain transforming child's toy that some may find off-putting. Those who can live with the Autobot-esque design will find a powerful cleaner with a good selection of features.

Performance

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

This cleaner struggled a bit with our deep pile carpet test, but it performed well with short carpets and bare wood floors. Although this is not sold as a pet friendly cleaner, it did do a decent job of picking up cat hair as well as dirt and dust.

Usability

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The controls of this cleaner are a little confusing, with some being rather misleading. There is, for instance, a button to control the carpet brush bar on the handle, but this can be overridden by the cleaning mode control on the base. If you put the cleaner into bare floor mode, the handle switch does nothing, but it is then enabled when you switch to one of the carpet modes.

Noise

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The {{product.name}} is a rather noisy cleaner, producing a hefty 76 dB of noise.