Review of vacuum cleaner Arnica Mika ET14420

Despite the increasing share of vertical and robotic vacuum cleaners, traditional models are not losing ground. Manufacturers continue to make them lightweight, ergonomic and easy to use so that they compete successfully with other household cleaning appliances.

We are testing Arnica Mika ET14420, with which we will show this as an example.

^* Contrary to popular belief, this is not the time limit after which the device will necessarily break down. However, after this period, the manufacturer ceases to bear any responsibility for its performance and has the right to refuse to repair it, even for a fee.

The vacuum cleaner comes in durable cardboard packaging with high-quality full-color printing. An image of the device is presented on the top and sides of the box, supplemented by the manufacturer listing key characteristics. These include electronic power control, easy-to-clean container (volume 2.5 liters), washable HEPA filter class H13, large effective radius (up to 9 meters) and ultra-durable hose.

Having opened the box, we found in it:

• motor unit with installed waste bin
• corrugated hose
• telescopic tube
• floor nozzle
• brush attachment for furniture and clothes
• nozzle for upholstered furniture
• slot nozzle
• nozzle holder attached to the telescopic tube
• user guide

The Arnica Mika ET14420 kit includes, as we can see, a floor nozzle and three nozzles for manual cleaning.

The blue-black body of the vacuum cleaner is made of glossy plastic.

We've seen this three-wheeled design many times before: this model rolls on two large wheels on the sides and a small guide on the bottom.

The controls are located on the top panel, towards the rear of the engine block.

The hose connector at the front of the case is of a non-standard design and has slots for locking latches.

The front half of the body is a removable trash bin made of dark translucent plastic. Inside there is a sticker with pictures that explain the process of emptying the container and caring for it.

The trash container has a hinged lid that allows you to empty trash without touching it. The container can be carried conveniently by the special handle.

At the heart of the container is a simple cyclonic element. Centrifugal force forces large pieces of debris towards the walls of the tank through the upper opening of the shaft, while the air flow with dust passes through the conical grille and is directed down to the fine filter.

The latter is a ribbed HEPA element mounted on a plastic grid.

At the back of the vacuum cleaner there is an additional filter — an outlet filter. It is enclosed under a removable plastic grille and consists of two components: a layer of non-woven material to retain fine dust and a foam element located behind it.

The layer of soft, large-porous material behind the “non-fabric” is designed to reduce engine noise: no improvement in filtration can be expected from it

The outlet grille has a mount for a floor nozzle: you can leave a brush with an extension tube in it.

Another fastening is on the bottom of the vacuum cleaner: it can be stored both horizontally and vertically.

The metal telescopic tube can be extended from 52 to 82 cm. The selected size is fixed with a plastic latch button.

The silver plastic corrugated hose, about 2 meters long, is equipped with a plastic curtain: this model has both electronic and mechanical adjustment of the suction power.

The design of the floor nozzle did not surprise us — we have seen this in many models. And with a pedal to control the retractable brush — including.

When cleaning carpets, it is recommended to lower this brush, and when working on smooth floors, raise it so that the lower surface is firmly in contact with the floor. Two red velor strips facilitate easy gliding on parquet, laminate and tile.

The Arnica Mika also includes three attachments for manual cleaning: a crevice nozzle, a clothes brush and an upholstery nozzle.

All three can be mounted on a telescopic tube using a special holder: this way they won’t get lost and will always be at hand.

The user manual is a 20-page A5 brochure printed on thick white paper. The document is compiled in English and Russian.

The Russian section of the brochure is only four pages long. It briefly outlines basic safety precautions when using a vacuum cleaner, describes the functions of the attachments and provides recommendations for proper care of the device. The last page of the brochure is a warranty card with space for seller notes and service center information.

On the top panel there are two traditional large keys, one of which controls turning the device on and off, and the second is responsible for winding the cord.

The round handle between them regulates the suction power. The regulator rotates smoothly, its travel from minimum to maximum position is approximately 270 degrees.

Before turning on the vacuum cleaner, it is important to make sure that the device is correctly assembled and that there are installed filters, since without them the device cannot be turned on.

This compact and lightweight vacuum cleaner is easy to maneuver when pulled behind you, avoiding getting stuck and turning precisely in the right direction. It is predictable and easy to operate.

The power button is convenient in location and shape; it is easy to press with both your hand and foot. To adjust the suction power, a special regulator is provided: when working with delicate materials (for example, curtains), you can reduce the suction power. Adjustment is also available mechanically using a valve on the hose connection.

The vacuum cleaner is designed to work in both “lying” and “standing” positions. When you need to pause cleaning, the brush with extension tube can be conveniently parked in a special groove on the bottom panel or in a recess on the back of the body.

The set includes a floor brush and three hand attachments, which is sufficient for most cleaning tasks. It is possible to expand the set of accessories, as the manufacturer offers additional attachments on its official website.

The volume of the dust collector is so large that during three weeks of testing in a three-room apartment it was not possible to fill it.

The dark walls of the container make it difficult to clearly see its contents, and fine dust, settling on the internal elements, increases the difficulty of control.

The filtration in the vacuum cleaner is thought out very effectively: at the first stage of cleaning, almost all the debris is retained in the cyclone. The central pipe leading to the fine filter is almost never clogged with dirt.

Only fine dust penetrates to the second filter, which then settles. A significant part of it is retained in the compartment in front of the filter, especially on the foam rubber pre-filter, which, although it does not retain all contaminants, nevertheless protects the subsequent element.

There are obvious traces of dirt on the outer surface of the latter, but the inside is spotlessly clean even after several cleanings.

We did not find any traces of dust on the surface of the exhaust filters and consider the overall quality of filtration to be excellent.

Before cleaning and maintaining the vacuum cleaner, you must turn it off and disconnect it from the power supply.

The process of emptying the container is convenient even when using one hand: just open the top lid latch with your thumb and pour the garbage into the bin. While it may take some effort, overall, avoiding a mess is doable (why make it complicated?).

After each cleaning session, it is recommended to check all filters, including the exit filter, and clean them if necessary. All filtration elements can be washed and allowed to dry completely before reinstallation. However, it is worth noting that the use of dishwashing detergents, powders and similar chemicals during cleaning is prohibited.

We present the mass measurements of the main components of the vacuum cleaner in the table:

Our main focus is on the weight of the hose + pipe + floor brush design, since this is usually what we hold in our hands while cleaning. This design weighs 1520 g.

As for the suction power, we measured it while operating the vacuum cleaner without a pipe and nozzles, in three different modes. The graph of the dependence of suction power on the created vacuum is presented below:

The measured suction power varies depending on the operating mode: in the maximum mode it is 280.4 W, in the average mode it is 229.9 W, and in the minimum mode it is 59 W.

When the stand valve is completely closed at medium and maximum power, overheating protection is triggered, which leads to the device turning off, as can be seen in the yellow and blue graphs.

The maximum power consumption during test operation reached 1112 W.

The efficiency of the device, defined as the ratio of suction power to power consumed from the mains, is approximately 25%.

The noise level at maximum power with a connected floor electric brush is 84 dBA, while at minimum power it is 74 dBA.

The measurement results are presented in the following table:

The Arnica Mika turns out to be a very impressive vacuum cleaner thanks to its high power, low energy consumption and excellent efficiency. Its noise level is relatively low, there is a smooth power adjustment, and the design of the vacuum cleaner turned out to be convenient.

We consider the only drawback of the device to be a relatively small set of attachments included, but this is a solvable problem: the manufacturer’s website has a very wide selection of additional accessories.

Pros:

• relatively low price
• good suction power combined with low energy consumption
• excellent filtration system efficiency
• low noise level
• convenient design
• electronic power control

Minuses:

• No