Storage

One of the features we tested is the roll-in, roll-out stand, which we initially thought was a bit gimmicky – it enables the user to remove the unit from the charging stand without lifting it, so you don’t waste any time getting on with the job.

We haven’t really struggled to release many handhelds from their mounts or stands, however, we can see this feature could be a bonus if you’re looking to take the sting out of one of the more physical domestic chores.

A wall mount seems to be reserved for the cheaper machine, but given this is many people’s preferred method of storage (because it saves space) it seems to be a drawback with this model. However, the entry-level machine can only be charged once the wall mount has been fixed, so if you’re particularly screwdriver-averse (or you simply don’t want to wall mount) you’re only choice is to pay more.

On all the models, there is a nifty quick-release button that will release the handheld unit from whichever storage solution is particular to your model, which is very handy if you don’t want to get the full cleaner out and just need the handheld for a quick clean-up of kitchen countertops or stairs.

Operation and battery life

The weight and balance of the full machine are very good and the 8000 never feels top heavy, even though the battery compartment is located just underneath the handle.

It was easy to manoeuvre around the house – going under sofas and low tables and really getting into the corners and awkward spaces behind doors. There is a powerful brush headlight too, which will have no problem illuminating even the darkest recesses of the home, so you don’t miss spots.

It may not have quite the flexibility of some other handhelds, but its suction power more than made up for this, as it drew in dirt from around the vacuum head as well as anything it was directly over.

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It coped superbly with matted sections of animal hair and dealt with longer human hair too, sending the majority directly to the bin, so there was less to get wrapped around the brush head, increasing the maintenance workload over time. After a couple of weeks, the brush roll was still tangle free.

When the brush head does become a little clogged with hair (which is inevitable) AEG has engineered a pedal on the multi-surface nozzle, which, if you hold it for up to 15 seconds, immediately cuts and catches tangled hair from the nozzle itself.

The engineering of the entire unit is an absolute pleasure, with lots of smooth extending parts and satisfying clicks for attaching and releasing the many accessories that modify the machine, according to the job at hand.

The suction also means it clears floors right up to the edges, whether that’s skirting boards or furniture, which brings us on to the machine’s different suction modes.

There are three power settings and an auto mode that tweaks suction power according to the surface it’s travelling over, and this is where the 8000 really excelled. A lot of cordless machines have this feature, but we find they end up depositing what we vacuumed up on the carpet on harder surfaces and vice versa.

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This wasn’t the case with the 8000, which intelligently adjusted the suction, even when there were very rapid changes from hard floor to carpet to rug and back again.

It effortlessly dealt with dried muddy paw prints on hard flooring and also excelled at picking up fine dust from carpets as it moved from one type of floor to the next without any discernible dip in performance.

Bin emptying and filter cleaning

The nature of cordless vacuum designs is that they’re never going to have voluminous bins to rival upright corded machines, so that’s going to increase the frequency of having to empty the contents when cleaning an entire family home.

One of the major features of some of the best cordless machines is the ease with which you’re able to empty the bin, so the contents are efficiently deposited without leaving you spluttering in a dust cloud with your bin’s exterior caked in the stuff.

The magnetic dust bin on the 8000 is easy to remove from the main unit but actually depositing the contents into a smaller bin is a little tricky without some of the contents escaping onto the rim of the bin itself. However, we found if you empty in handheld mode, you can always use the handheld to tidy up after itself.

All the filters (fine dust, two pre-filters and the mesh filter) are easily removed so you can rinse with water and keep them in optimum condition.

Battery

Now, here’s the sticking point that was reported by our testing household. Even though the 8000 charges fully in two and a half hours, that charge just won’t last over the cleaning cycle for a four-bedroom house.

AEG claims its internal testing supports up to 35 minutes of use on the minimum suction mode, which equals a calculated surface area of up to 75m².

That was actually verified over the testing period, however, if you toggle between the three power settings as you clean, that battery time is drastically reduced.

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We found because of the machine’s efficient suction, which never seems to dip, it doesn’t need to be set to the most powerful mode in order to clean well, even on a carpet with matted pet hair.

The best results came on auto mode in terms of battery efficiency and also optimum cleaning.

AEG does say, for larger homes, an extra battery is an option. We wonder if they would consider half price on the second battery for consumers who had shown faith and had bought the top-of-the-range product in the first place.

The verdict: AEG 8000 series cordless vacuum cleaner

You have a decision to make with the 8000, it’s an expensive machine but it does have a lot going for it, in particular its superior suction and probably the best auto (multi-surface) mode we’ve tested on any cordless to date.

If you have a larger home, its battery may not power the entire clean, but if you utilise auto mode and are willing to let the machine have a half charge midway through cleaning, you will be rewarded with a deep clean that’s worthy of machines twice the price.