I’m not sure what it’s like at your house, but living in my GameSpace can be messy. I happen to share my GameSpace with a Senegal Parrot named Pip, and he is one messy dude. Thanks to his food-flinging habit, I have to vacuum the floor nearly every day. That means lugging a heavy vacuum up the stairs, plugging it in, and then trying to maneuver around our small room. So when I had the chance to test out the Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless Vacuum, I knew my GameSpace was the perfect challenge.
Ultenic U16 Flex – Specifications
- Price: $149.99 (Amazon, Ultenic)
- Dimensions: 47.8 x 5.6 x 8.5 inches
- Weight: 3.75 lbs
- Filter Type: HEPA
- Battery: 29.6V, 2200 mAh
Ultenic U16 Flex – Design And Features
The Ultenic U16 Flex is comprised of four pieces: the main body, a removable battery, a long connecting tube, and the brush head. The main body looks like a blaster pistol right out of your favorite sci-fi movie. Along with a pistol grip and trigger (squeeze to turn on, release to turn off), the main body consists of a cylindrical dustbin, electric motor, HEPA filter, and LED display, with the rechargeable battery slotting into the bottom of the apparatus.
Connecting the vacuum tube and floor brush completes the assembly. One end of the aluminum vacuum tube slots into the main body, with the other end attaches to the fully articulated neck of the floor brush apparatus. There is a release button midway down the tube that allows the tube to ‘flex.’ This bend point seemed unnecessary initially, but I quickly realized I could easily reach far under beds and couches without getting down on my knees. Now, I will be disappointed by any vacuum without the feature.
The brush head has three rows of brushes. The bristles are fairly soft, which is probably necessary since there isn’t any height adjustment on the head. Even so, the ‘V’ shaped brushes did a commendable job of picking up all sorts of debris on carpet and wood floors. The design also helps collect hair in a central location on the roller, making removal a simple process compared to untangling the entire brush head.
The brush head is slightly smaller than a full-sized unit. Between the articulated neck and small size, maneuvering in tight spaces is a breeze. The articulated neck makes pushing the head in a straight line difficult on a thick carpet. This is compounded when the tube is ‘flexed,’ so I would like to have the option to lock the head in place.
The floor brush also has what Ultenic calls GreenEye Technology. It sounds fancy, but it just means there is a set of green LEDs to light up the area in front of the head. I actually found that using green LEDs made it more difficult to see the floor, and I would prefer white LEDs instead.
The U16 Flex can also be used as a handvac by removing the extension tube and snapping the floor brush directly into the main body. This is great for vacuuming stairs, chairs, and other small surfaces. Instead of attaching the floor brush, there’s a small brush integrated into the main body that can be used for small cleanups, and the included crevice nozzle can be inserted into the main body to reach tight areas. Being able to use the U16 Flex without the tube or floor brush adds an extra level of utility to the device and eliminates the need for multiple cleaning devices.
The 2200mAh battery pack provides 29.6 Volts and has a runtime of up to 60 minutes in Eco Mode. According to Ultenic, that is enough time to vacuum a little over 2000 square feet. Standard and Turbo Modes increase the suction and substantially reduce the runtime. In Standard Mode, which created enough suction to pick up bird food, pet hair, kitty litter, a few small leaves, and everything else I threw at it, the charge lasted for approximately 35 minutes. That was enough time to vacuum four carpeted rooms – my game room, two bedrooms, and a decent-sized living room. At that point, the charge was down below 20%, but I was able to make a pass across the wood flooring in my kitchen before the battery was completely exhausted. I wouldn’t want to fully deplete the battery during normal use, so there would be a need to recharge the battery mid-vacuum in a larger house.
Final Thoughts
Weighing in at just 3.75 pounds, the U16 Flex is lightweight and maneuverable, and the lack of a cord means you can go from room to room unhindered. There is always going to be a tradeoff when using a cordless device, and with the U16 Flex, that means you are racing against the clock to finish the job in a single charge.
Weight and maneuverability aren’t the only benefits of the U16 Flex. The option to connect the powered brush head directly to the main body makes the U16 Flex very versatile as well. I also appreciate the ‘flex’ tube since it makes getting under beds and other furniture very easy.
There are a couple of things I’d like to change about the U16 Flex. I could do without the GreenEye technology; regular lights have been just fine on vacuums for decades, and green LEDs seem like an unnecessary flex. I would also like the option to lock the floor brush in place. Maneuverability is good, but I also want the option for more precise control. Finally, I’d like a slightly larger dustbin, but that would negate some of the U16’s other benefits.
So, is the U16 Flex going to replace my current vacuum? Probably not. I just can’t get the entire house vacuumed on a single charge. But it is perfect for what I originally wanted – a more convenient way to keep my GameSpace clean. In fact, the compact size and maneuverability of the U16 Flex are perfect for bedrooms and other cluttered spaces, so I’ll never have to worry about lugging my other vacuum up the stairs ever again.
