Periodically, while cleaning, the thought comes to mind: couldn't the vacuum cleaner itself determine whether there is a lot of dust under the brush or not, and depending on this, change the power itself? Come on, what nonsense...
In fact, some models already have this feature. For example, the Red Solution V3080 cordless upright vacuum cleaner. During the tests, we will check whether manual power control is really necessary, where the button is located, and how things are with balance and filtration.
Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Red Solution |
|---|---|
| Model | V3080 |
| Type | cordless upright vacuum cleaner |
| Country of origin | China |
| Guarantee | 1 year |
| Service life * | 3 years |
| Power | 450 W |
| Suction power | minimum: 10 kPa maximum: 36 kPa |
| Battery | Li-ion, 29.6 V, 2200 mAh |
| Continuous operation time | at minimum power: up to 42 minutes at maximum power: up to 10 minutes |
| Full charge time | 4.5 h |
| Control type | electromechanical |
| Body material | plastic, metal |
| Filters | HEPA, cyclone, foam rubber |
| Dust collector capacity | 0.9 l |
| Useful volume of dust collector | 0.45 l |
| Illumination of the working area | There is |
| Indication | LED: operating modes, charge level |
| Weight | 2.4 kg |
| Dimensions (W×H×D) | 243×1090×215 mm |
| Length of network cable | 1.8 m |
* Contrary to popular belief, this is not a period after which the device will necessarily break down. However, after this period, the manufacturer ceases to bear any responsibility for its functionality and has the right to refuse to repair it, even for a fee.
Equipment
The vacuum cleaner comes in a black cardboard box with color printing and a plastic handle. On the front side of the package, the manufacturer has placed a color image of the device in floor cleaning mode.
Key features of the model, which Red highlighted for future owners, include a removable 2200 mAh lithium-ion battery, a brushless BLDC motor, a pollution sensor, a turbo brush with backlight, and a HEPA filter (without specifying its class).
After opening the box, we found inside:
- a vacuum cleaner motor unit with a dust container and a cyclone filter,
- a removable battery,
- an electric floor brush,
- an extension tube,
- two non-electric nozzles: a 2-in-1 combination brush and a crevice tool,
- a wall mount,
- a charging adapter,
- a user manual.
The Red Solution V3080 comes with everything you need: an electric floor brush, two standard attachments, and an extension tube. There are no additional attachments, brushes, or replacement parts.
At first glance
The vacuum cleaner body is made of gray-steel plastic with a pleasant texture, complemented by decorative elements made of metallized plastic and a black ribbed overlay on the handle. The entire design looks strict and impressive.
The pistol-type handle does not have the usual «trigger». For ease of use, there is a protrusion between the index and middle fingers, which distributes part of the weight of the device.
The Red Solution V3080 is designed using a transverse layout: the cyclone filter unit with the waste collector is located perpendicular to the air duct.
On the back of the body are two buttons for controlling the vacuum cleaner, and on the top panel is an LED display made of smooth black plastic. While the device is turned off, the indicators are not visible, so we will look at them later when the device is turned on.
The top cover, under which the fine filter is located, is made of the same smooth black plastic and is decorated with a silver logo of the manufacturer. Along its perimeter, between the cover and the body, there is a ring-shaped outlet.
The bottom end of the waste container folds down, allowing you to empty the container without getting your hands dirty.
In this model, the air flow with debris and dust moves according to the classic scheme: first it enters a cylindrical container, where it swirls around a cyclone element. Large and heavy particles are thrown off by the «skirt» and settle in the lower part of the container, and a metal mesh with microperforation retains medium fractions. A disc HEPA filter is used for fine cleaning.
Under the removable top cover there is another filter — an exhaust filter made of black foam rubber. Its task is not to clean the air (after the HEPA filter, this does not improve the filtration quality), but to reduce the noise level.
At the bottom of the body, under the pistol grip, there is a removable parallelepiped-shaped battery.
To connect the DC adapter, there is a standard round connector on the end of the battery, closed with a rubber plug. The vacuum cleaner can be charged both with the battery installed and with the adapter directly connected to the removed battery pack.
The hinge of the electric floor cleaning brush allows it to be rotated approximately 40° left and right, 90° forward and backward, and also locked in the parking position. The rotation of the rotor can be observed through the transparent cover.
The work area is illuminated by four LEDs, producing bright white light.
In the floor cleaning configuration, the main weight of the vacuum cleaner is distributed over two large rubberized rollers at the rear of the nozzle. Two small wheels are located at the front. Brush elements are provided at the rear and sides of the rotor to improve adhesion to the surface and facilitate sliding.
The rotating brush with two spiral rows of short, medium-hard bristles can be removed for cleaning using the latch on the right side of the bottom panel.
The vacuum cleaner is equipped with a telescopic extension tube, inside which wires are laid that supply power to the electric nozzle.
The design of the tube allows it to be extended in the range from 430 to 680 mm, so people of any height can use the vacuum cleaner with equal convenience.
The two non-motorized accessories have a simple design, similar to many other models. The vacuum cleaner comes with a wide nozzle with a sliding brush and a crevice nozzle.
The included wall mount also has a very simple design. It is attached to the wall with two screws and allows you to store the vacuum cleaner and both non-motorized attachments.
Instructions
The 20-page A5 brochure is written in two languages (Russian and Kazakh) and printed on thick glossy paper with excellent printing quality.
The first five pages of the manual contain illustrations explaining the vacuum cleaner's structure. The Russian-language part of the manual takes up six pages and briefly but thoroughly describes the operation of the device, its maintenance and possible malfunctions with recommendations for their independent elimination.
At the end of the brochure, there are places for the seller's and service center's notes, so the manual also serves as a service book.
Control
The vacuum cleaner is controlled by two buttons on the end of the motor unit: one of them turns it on and off, the second is responsible for changing operating modes.
The Red Solution V3080 starts in automatic power selection mode, where a built-in sensor determines the speed depending on the level of air pollution. The user can switch to one of three manual modes — minimum, medium or maximum — using a button.
The display shows the current battery charge level in large digits. Below them is the indicator of the selected operating mode: green for minimum power, yellow for medium, red for maximum. In automatic mode, the «Auto» indicator lights up.
The middle part of the display contains indicators of air duct blockage, electric brush blockage and other malfunctions.
Operation
Before using the device, the manufacturer recommends wiping the device body with a damp cloth and letting it dry to eliminate the unpleasant smell of factory dirt. Although we did not notice any foreign odors during the test run, we followed this advice.
Like any battery-powered device, the Red V3080 should be fully charged before first use. Since new lithium-ion batteries may take longer to charge, we left the vacuum cleaner on charge overnight and started working in the morning.
The vacuum cleaner is well balanced and fits comfortably in the hand. The center of gravity is optimally located, and the device does not feel heavy either when cleaning the floor or when using it manually. The pistol grip helps to make the device easy to grip.
Turning the device on and off turned out to be a bit unusual: instead of the traditional “trigger”, a button is used on the end of the motor unit, which you press with your thumb. However, after several cleanings, we got used to this feature.
The air flow from the motor unit comes out through the openings along the perimeter of the upper end of the cylindrical dust collector. This design prevents dust from raising from uncleaned areas, which makes cleaning more efficient and faster.
The telescopic extension tube allows people of any height, even children, to use the device. The convenient design and flexible hinge help to easily remove debris from hard-to-reach places, such as under sofas and cabinets.
The floor nozzle has a parking position, but when the vacuum cleaner is installed vertically, it can tilt to the left or right, which increases the risk of damage.
The illumination of the working area significantly improves the quality of cleaning, allowing you to do this without having to turn on the light in the entire apartment. The low location of the light source makes it easier to detect small debris.
The vacuum cleaner starts in automatic mode, adjusting the suction power depending on the readings of the built-in dust sensor. During practical testing, we did not have to manually adjust the power: the device adapts itself, increasing and decreasing the speed as needed. The automatic mode not only makes operation more convenient, but also allows you to optimally use the battery charge.
The 2200 mAh battery provides the Red Solution V3080 with a fairly long operating time: the charge is enough for daily cleaning of a small three-room apartment, even with continuous operation at maximum speed.
The Red V3080 is just as easy to use in handheld mode as it is in floor mode. However, cleaning performance may suffer due to the limited set of attachments. The kit includes only two non-electric attachments: a 2-in-1 brush and a traditional crevice nozzle. Pet owners may want to add an electric furniture brush to the kit, while car owners may want to purchase a flexible corrugated tube for hard-to-reach places in the car.
The filling of the waste container is easy to control thanks to the transparent walls of the container. Most of the dirt settles in the lower part of the container, which indicates the competent and effective operation of the cyclone filter.
The hinged lid allows you to easily empty the device without getting your hands dirty.
After several intensive cleanings, very slight traces of dust are visible on the inner surface of the HEPA filter.
The outer part of the fine filter remains snow-white even after prolonged impact work. We rate the overall filtration quality of this model as excellent.
Care
It is recommended to use a damp soft cloth to clean the outside of the device. Do not immerse the body, battery, or power adapter in water.
The turbo brush can be washed after removing it from the nozzle. It must be completely dry before the next use. The same applies to non-motorized nozzles.
Fine filters should be cleaned as they become dirty. The documentation does not indicate whether they can be wet cleaned or washed, so it is better to avoid contact with moisture so as not to reduce the efficiency of HEPA filters and shorten their service life.
The filter service life is not specified by the manufacturer.
Our measurements
We provide the mass measurements of the main components of the vacuum cleaner in the table:
| Weight, g | |
|---|---|
| Main unit with dust collector and filter | 1065 |
| Extension tube | 365 |
| Battery | 490 |
| Floor nozzle with electric brush | 755 |
| 2 in 1 brush attachment | 50 |
| Crevice nozzle | 45 |
In the maximum configuration (main unit, battery, extension tube and floor nozzle), the vacuum cleaner weighs 2675 g, and in the minimum — 1600 g.
The suction power, which is described in a separate article, was measured when the vacuum cleaner was operating without a tube and nozzles in both modes. The dependence of the suction power on the created vacuum is shown in the graph below.
The suction power we measured was 18.4 watts at speed 1, 42.4 watts at speed 2, and 60.7 watts at speed 3.
The noise level depends on the selected speed and the operating mode of the nozzle. We present the measurement data in the form of a table.
| Noise level, dBA | Large electric nozzle | Without attachments |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum power | 76 | 74 |
| Maximum power | 86 | 85 |
The battery life of the vacuum cleaner also depends on the nozzle used and the selected power mode.
| Large electric nozzle | Without attachments | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed I | 48:50 | 53:55 |
| Speed II | 24:25 | 27:30 |
| Speed III | 14:30 | 15:25 |
A fully discharged device charges in about 4 hours and 20 minutes. The charger consumes up to 19.5 W, and a full cycle requires about 0.078 kWh.
Let's summarize our measurements in one table.
| Maximum suction power | 60.7 aW |
|---|---|
| Duration of operation at maximum power | up to 15 minutes 25 seconds |
| Duration of operation in manual mode | up to 54 minutes |
| Noise level | from 76 to 85 dBA |
| Weight in floor cleaning configuration | 2675 g |
| Weight in manual configuration | 1600 g |
Conclusions
In laboratory and practical tests, the Red V3080 cordless upright vacuum cleaner demonstrated good suction power in maximum mode and excellent operating time in minimum mode. A well-tuned automatic mode allows the vacuum cleaner to independently adjust the speed, providing an optimal balance between autonomy and power.
A simple but effective floor cleaning attachment ensures quick and easy removal of dirt from various types of surfaces. LED lighting increases the efficiency of the process. The filtration system copes well with fine dust, and cleaning the dust collector is simple and convenient.
In manual mode, the vacuum cleaner demonstrates the same high performance as in the vertical configuration. However, the limited set of attachments does not allow the device to reveal its full potential. Another disadvantage is the instability of the structure when parking vertically.
Pros:
- high power at maximum speed
- long battery life
- automatic power control
- work area illumination
Cons:
- poor set of attachments for manual cleaning
- unstable when parked in vertical configuration