Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless: two-minute evaluation
Ultenic has definitely upped the ante with the U16 Flex Cordless vacuum, launched in August 2024. As you could have already guessed from the title, essentially the most notable function is the U16 Flex’s flexibility. Due to a intelligent bendable elbow function in its wand, this cool cordless does all of the bending for you – making mild work of pushing the floorhead deep beneath the furnishings.
That is not the one function borrowed from at this time’s best cordless vacuums. The floorhead has ‘GreenEye expertise’; basically vivid inexperienced LED lights that assist you to observe down much less apparent dust, mud and dander… in addition to including a little bit of space-ship coolness. There’s a tangle-free curler brush that truly works, three energy modes, six-layer HEPA filtration and a cool illuminated show panel that provides extra spaceship vibes.
Operation is one-touch, by which I imply you don’t have to carry the facility button in to maintain it going, which is at all times a reduction to my poor RSI-ridden hand. Ultenic guarantees the battery will last as long as a full 60 minutes. I managed 54 in my checks, however that is nonetheless very respectable.
For all these options, you might be anticipating a price ticket alongside Dyson strains, however maybe essentially the most astonishing facet of the U16 Flex cordless is its worth – when you store sensible, you possibly can decide one among these little beauties up for beneath $200 / £200. It is completely one of many best budget vacuums I’ve examined.
I take a look at it in out my four-bed dwelling over the very busy Christmas and New 12 months holidays, and it did a sterling job on arduous flooring (of which we’ve loads). I liked how light-weight it was, and the facility lasted loads lengthy sufficient to whip spherical downstairs earlier than the subsequent gaggle of visitors descended.
Nonetheless, there’s one concession you will must make for that mind-blowingly cut price worth. To get carpets clear, Regular mode will not minimize it; you will must name on the utmost ‘Turbo’ mode. Sadly, the U16 can solely handle 12 minutes of cleansing on this mode; not lengthy sufficient to make it round my mostly-carpeted upstairs. So this one is barely actually appropriate for folks with largely arduous flooring of their dwelling.
Now you’ve learn the short-and-sweet model, hold going to find the complete highs and lows of utilizing this budget-friendly cordless in my full Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless evaluation.
Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless evaluation: worth & availability
- Record worth: $219.99 / £219.99 (however discounted in all places)
- Launched: August 2024
- Availability: US / UK
The Ultenic U16 Flex cordless vacuum is a straight-up cut price. Should you’re on the hunt for a light-weight participant with out dropping a small fortune, this modern little quantity is value a glance.
Formally, buying direct from Ultenic the listing worth is $219.99 / £219.99, which is in TechRadar’s lower-mid worth bracket for vacuums. Nonetheless, at time of writing, it is discounted there and on Amazon, so you possibly can anticipate to pay extra like $150-$180 within the US, or £160-£170 within the UK. That is firmly within the finances bracket.
Sadly, Australians are out of luck as a result of it’s not out there there but. However for everybody else, this vacuum delivers mid-range efficiency for a low-end price-tag. It’s acquired energy, it’s light-weight, and it’s sensible for stepping into all these low-level nooks and crannies.
Should you’re after a cordless vac that’s trendy, efficient, and doesn’t depart you consuming immediate noodles for a month, the Ultenic U16 Flex has acquired your again.
- Worth for cash rating: 5 out of 5
Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless specs
|
Weight: |
6 lbs / 2.7 kg |
|
Dimensions (H x W x D): |
45.7 x 9.8 x 13.8 inches / 116 x 25 x 35cm |
|
Floorhead width: |
9.8″ / 25cm |
|
Filter: |
Six-layer HEPA filtration system, can seize 99.9% particles as small as 0.3 microns |
|
Bin capability: |
1L |
|
Max suction: |
45,000Pa |
|
Runtime: |
12 minutes on max mode, 37 minutes on medium and 54 minutes on min mode (official declare is 60 minutes) |
|
Cost time: |
4 hours |
Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless evaluation: design
- Light-weight, with versatile wand for getting beneath furnishings
- Intuitive LED show and good bin capability
- Barely plasticky construct high quality
Touchdown on my doorstep in a compact field, with a good variety of plastic luggage and foam padding, it wasn’t particularly eco-friendly wanting on the packaging entrance, however the Ultenic U16 Flex was very effectively protected. After pulling out and unwrapping all the weather, I discovered it was tremendous simple to place collectively with none want to have a look at the short setup directions.
In pink, black and a touch of purple, the Ultenic U16 Flex cordless vacuum offers me ’80s throwback concern. The design has hints of early Dyson, too – that purple cyclone-like filter chamber seems to be very acquainted. Total, it is light-weight and simple to make use of; you received’t be breaking a sweat lugging it round.
The construct high quality feels a bit on the finances facet – form of plasticky and a bit clunky to attach the wand to the floorhead, however given the worth that is not a dealbreaker. It is sturdy sufficient to get the job achieved with out worrying it’ll collapse mid-clean.
The principle design spotlight for me was the versatile wand, which will be launched to bend forwards. It is an concept borrowed from at this time’s finest Shark vacuums (just like the PowerDetect Cordless), and a game-changer for reaching awkward spots – like beneath the sofa the place crumbs and mud bunnies like to get together. It bends and twists like a professional, making these hard-to-reach areas not so hard-to-reach. Mixed with the light-weight construct and searing inexperienced LED lighting within the floorhead (this one impressed by the far-pricier Dyson V15 Detect and Gen5detect), it was good for fast zips round the home.
Oddly, the management panel isn’t almost as attractive because the earlier mannequin, the marginally cheaper U12 Vesla (which I’ve additionally put via its paces) however it’s nonetheless properly styled and techy-looking. There’s one button for switching between energy modes, so that you don’t should overthink something whilst you’re cleansing. Plus, the battery indicator is tremendous clear – no guessing video games about how a lot energy you could have left within the tank.
The principle floorhead is stable sufficient, with respectable swivel motion that allows you to glide round furnishings. It is also shallow sufficient that it doesn’t get caught beneath my sideboards, like opponents’ fashions have. It solely comes with one removable crevice device, however let’s face it, that’s the one all of us use – I’ve acquired a cleansing cabinet filled with bizarre (and by no means used) nozzles from numerous ghosts of vacuums previous. Should you do want the gentler method of a bristled nozzle, for furnishings or upholstery and many others, one slides out in handheld mode, which is helpful as a result of it’s at all times there, shut at hand.
The Ultenic U16 Flex contains a beneficiant dustbin for the cordless sector, with a 95ml capability. I may vacuum spherical our 4-bed dwelling a minimum of twice earlier than needing to empty it, and on condition that we’ve two very bushy spaniels and two messy children in order that’s fairly spectacular. When it’s time to dump the contents, the method is straightforward – simply press the discharge button, and the lid flaps open. You’ll be able to then empty it instantly into the trash with minimal mess – and I by no means needed to get my palms soiled digging out any caught muck.
The Ultenic U16 Flex’s charging wall mount is space-saving and handy. I didn’t repair it to my wall as a result of it wasn’t staying, however I may examine how effectively the vacuum slots out and in and at all times respect a mount the place the charging is automated as soon as docked – no must fiddle about manually inserting the charger port. Should you desire, it’s also possible to slide the battery out and cost it away from the vacuum, which might be helpful when you don’t have a socket the place you wish to retailer your cleaner.
Total, the U16 Flex is designed to supply all the pieces you want, with just a few cool extras on high. It won’t really feel as premium as some high-end manufacturers, however nor do it’s important to promote a kidney to purchase it.
- Design rating: 3.5 out of 5
Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless evaluation: efficiency
- Glorious maneuvering, and nice on arduous flooring
- Straightforward to empty and clear
- Battery-sapping Turbo mode wanted for carpets
Let me begin by saying that the Ultenic U16 Flex cordless vacuum isn’t nice on carpets. It’s not the worst I’ve examined, however in case you have wall-to-wall carpets all through and prefer to really feel the facility of dust lifting via from the floorboards beneath, this isn’t the vacuum for you.
These with largely stable flooring, like me, ought to hold studying, particularly anybody who is basically feeling the cost-of-living disaster proper now (additionally me!). The Ultenic U16 Flex has three energy ranges: Eco, Regular (which is the default startup setting) and Turbo.
In Eco mode, which supplies you the utmost battery life, it did a wonderfully good job of sucking up canine hair, crumbs and small particles of mud/dust from my stable flooring (within the busiest rooms of our dwelling: the open-plan kitchen, hallway and utility). Nonetheless, it wasn’t nice at coping with larger particles like hay and shavings (we’ve horses, and half the yard appears to return dwelling through the children’ socks). Regular was a lot better and so it was the mode I used more often than not on my arduous flooring.
On carpet I felt like I used to be losing my time in Eco mode. Regular was okay, however I additionally needed to name upon the battery-depleting Turbo mode for carpets. The vacuum solely lasted round 12 minutes in Turbo mode. This was okay if I used to be solely cleansing the downstairs, the place there’s only one room that is carpeted, and it is small. Nonetheless, it wasn’t lengthy sufficient to wash the 4 carpeted bedrooms upstairs.
The Ultenic U16 Flex took a bit longer than I’d anticipate to finish a full battery recharge – round 4 hours. I may have achieved with a spare battery to sort out upstairs although.
The actual star of this vacuum, although, needs to be the pliability. The floorhead swivels and strikes actually easily and I can glide round my furnishings with out getting the floorhead caught. I by no means felt like I used to be doing battle with the vacuum, and my hand/arm by no means ached, even when testing the battery to its most use in Eco mode (I clocked 52 minutes).
The flex wand can also be a complete game-changer. It bends low so I don’t should, stretching beneath areas that I can usually solely attain by getting down on my palms and knees. That nearly by no means occurs so it was fairly satisfying/disturbing to see how full the bin acquired after I tackled beneath the island and kitchen couch.
Plus, the attachments are very easy, if barely clunky, to pop on and off. I’ve been utilizing the crevice device on the top of the lengthy wand for the perimeters of my baseboards and getting cobwebs up excessive, and it labored completely – once more with out making my arm ache.
In handheld mode, the Ultenic U16 Flex actually shines for fast and focused cleansing jobs. It’s light-weight and simple to deal with, making it good for tackling stairs, upholstery, and even mild spills in your automobile (simply don’t anticipate thorough detailing – for that you just may must spend money on one of many best car vacuums).
With the crevice attachment, you possibly can attain tight spots effortlessly, like between sofa cushions or the corners of stair treads, with out contorting into awkward angles or straining your wrists. In handheld mode, the suction is the most effective you’ll get from this cordless, simply selecting up crumbs, and mud. I’d have like a mini upholstery head attachment, ideally with energy brush, for actually getting these deep-grained pet hairs out of my sofa cushions although. TechRadar’s best vacuum for pet hair listing has some different solutions right here.
On the subject of noise, the Ultenic U16 is fairly common for cordless vacuums – not too loud however not tremendous quiet both. Within the lowest energy it recorded 71 dB on my decibel meter app, in Regular it was 74 dB and in Turbo it went to 82 dB, which is similar to a meals processor or blender. It’s not silent, however it’s undoubtedly quieter than I anticipated for the worth. The excellent news was I may vacuum in Eco with out making my spaniel bark his head off, which is a large win and a uncommon feat. He nonetheless misplaced his cool after I dialed as much as Turbo, although.
Suction checks
After I ran our normal vacuuming checks – one with flour to imitate positive particles, and one other with oats for bigger particles – the outcomes have been precisely as I’d anticipated. The Ultenic U16 did effectively on the arduous flooring and failed on carpets.
The flour take a look at was accomplished on our engineered wooden flooring, and I discovered I needed to change to Turbo mode to get the most effective outcomes, however it solely took two passes to attain a clear strip of flooring.
Subsequent got here the oats take a look at, once more on engineered wooden, and I used to be shocked to find that I may get all of the oats up as simply in Eco mode as I did in Turbo. In actual fact, the Ultenic U16 Flex made actually mild work of clearing away all the spill, with a bit assist from the spaniels!
Transferring into the comfortable to take a look at efficiency on carpet (a short-pile wool quantity), and the flour take a look at was an absolute fail. Eco mode barely touched the flour and even in Turbo I needed to do a bazillion passes after which name within the huge weapons (my Miele Duoflex cordless) to get the job achieved.
The oats take a look at was a bit higher on carpet, however I nonetheless had to spend so much of time going backwards and forwards over the identical spots. Then I needed to get the crevice nozzle out to suction up the strays that had snuck into the edge joint. I almost ran out of energy earlier than my carpet was clear once more.
Upkeep
I discovered the Ultenic U16 simple to wash and preserve. The bin pops open actually simply and empties straight out – no fishing about with sticks to unblock clogs. The HEPA filter can also be easy to entry, which is a bonus for individuals who hate vacuum upkeep.
You simply detach the dustbin by urgent the discharge button and the filter is simple to identify and pull out. Wash it beneath a working faucet and depart to dry – there’s a spare so that you’ll at all times have a dry one at hand. One other bonus of this cordless is the hair-evading brush within the floorhead, which didn’t get wrapped in any hair, string or random threads throughout all the take a look at interval.
- Efficiency rating: 3.5 out of 5
Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless evaluation: battery
- Battery lasts 12 minutes in Turbo, 52 minutes in Eco
- 4 hours to totally recharge the battery
- Detachable and swappable battery
The Ultenic U16 Flex offers a sensible stability between efficiency and battery life, particularly in a house with largely stable flooring like ours. In Eco mode, the vacuum lasted a beneficiant 52 minutes. That is not fairly so long as the hour promised by Ultenic, however it’s nonetheless loads of time to sort out on a regular basis messes in busy areas like my open-plan kitchen and hallway.
Most of at this time’s finest cordless stick vacuums will supply a most of fifty or 60 minutes’ of cleansing (and a pair supply as much as 70 minutes), though in fact the suction in that mode will range from mannequin to mannequin.
In Turbo mode the battery lasted simply 12 minutes. It is common for a stick vacuum’s most suction mode to empty energy that rapidly, however the reality I had to make use of Turbo mode rather a lot when tackling carpets wasn’t very best.
Recharging takes round 4 hours. The U16’s battery is detachable and spares will be bought if you wish to prolong the cleansing instances additional.
- Battery life rating: 3.5 out of 5
Do you have to purchase the Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless?
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Ranking |
|---|---|---|
|
Worth for cash |
Decrease-mid vary at full worth however typically discounted to the finances bracket. With a price ticket this low, one factor you possibly can’t grumble about is worth. |
5/5 |
|
Design |
Purposeful design with some cool additional options just like the versatile wand, however the building feels a bit low cost. |
4/5 |
|
Efficiency |
Straightforward to maneuver and spectacular pickup on arduous flooring, however not likely highly effective sufficient for carpet. |
3.5/5 |
|
Battery |
Respectable most battery lifetime of 52 minutes in Eco mode, however Turbo mode (which I needed to name on commonly) solely lasted 12 minutes. |
3.5/5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
How I examined the Ultenic U16 Flex Cordless
I examined the Ultenic U16 Flex cordless vacuum for 4 weeks throughout the festive season, throughout which we hosted far too many household gatherings than was good for our livers, and a toddler’s birthday, too. Our house is a Victorian, four-bed indifferent property that’s largely open-plan downstairs. We don’t have any thick-pile carpet, however we do have just about each different kind of flooring – porcelain, terracotta, luxurious vinyl, engineered oaks, wool carpets and plenty of flatweave rugs. I used this cordless as the one vacuum throughout the testing interval, in each room and up the steps, testing the varied attachments as I went. I additionally performed managed checks utilizing flour and oats on arduous flooring and carpet, monitored the sound ranges utilizing an App on my iPhone and timed battery use and charging.
Learn extra about how we test vacuum cleaners.
First reviewed January 2025