It takes a lot to impress me as an expert vacuum tester — but Gtech’s one-and-only stick vacuum won me over

When you think of Gtech, you probably think of the famous upright vacuum cleaners - and I don’t blame you. The brand is known for producing high-quality, effective uprights that get the job done with minimal fuss, and they do it extremely well. But when I got the chance to test out the one-and-only Gtech stick vacuum currently in circulation, I knew I had to take it for a spin.

And after testing the Gtech AirFOX Platinum Cordless Stick Vacuum for three weeks at home, I can honestly say that it’s up there as one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners out there. In fact, I may even go as far as to say that it’s one of the best vacuum cleaners overall. This is everything you need to know about it.

In a nutshell

Although the Gtech AirFOX Platinum Cordless Stick Vacuum isn’t the brand’s first foray into cordless stick vacuums, it is the only one currently in circulation, as the older models have since been discontinued. And while you’d think that only having one stick model on offer was risky, I get why Gtech has done it. After all, they’ve almost created a perfect vacuum.

Sleek, stylish and incredibly lightweight, I found the AirFOX to be a welcome addition to my cleaning routine. The suction power was impressive enough to pick up even the smallest bits of dirt around my house, and the combi-floorhead means that you can switch from carpet and hard flooring to rugs with ease.

The long run time and the wide array of tools are what really sold it for me, though. It quickly transforms into a handheld to ensure every nook and cranny is covered, and the tools allow for versatile cleaning in every room of the house.

My only niggles were with the trigger on/off button (which can be locked, but was still a bit fiddly) and the fact that the dust capacity might not suit those with larger homes. But for my small three-bed terrace, it was more than enough for whole-home cleaning.

Specifications

• Weight: 2.9kg
• Max. run time: up to 80 mins (eco), 45 mins (auto), 15 mins (max)
• Bin volume: 0.4L
• Charge time: 5 hours
• Modes: Eco, Auto, Max
• Noise level (tested by us): 75dB (eco), 85dB (auto), 97dB (max)
• In the box: AirFOX chassis, power floor head, battery, small power head, crevice tool, brush tool, upholstery tool, extension tube, hair removal tool, flexible tube, charger, wall mount

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

One thing I always love about receiving Gtech vacuum cleaners is that everything is so neatly and compactly packaged. So, the box that arrived on my doorstep wasn’t too big or heavy, and everything inside was packed so efficiently that you couldn’t fit anything more in there if you tried.

Everything in the box was then encased in cardboard scaffolding, with a few of the smaller components wrapped in plastic. The plastic used is sometimes recyclable, depending on your local authority, but sadly, my local council requires us to put this plastic in our normal waste bin, which is a shame.

However, I will say that the majority of the smaller tools, attachments, and the wall docking station were loose within the cardboard shell and not encased in plastic. This was refreshing to see, as it’s clear to see that Gtech has made an effort to reduce the amount of plastic used, which is what all companies should be doing in today’s day and age.

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As it happens, Gtech includes so many tools and accessories with this particular model that I decided to keep one of the plastic bags anyway to keep everything safe. So, the amount of plastic that eventually went into my waste bin was minimal.

Then, when I had everything out of the box and unwrapped, all I had to do was click the floor head onto the extension tube, and then pop the handheld section onto the other end of the tube. This took all of 10 seconds to do.

And as I like to start testing on a fully charged vacuum, I then popped the Gtech AirFOX Platinum Cordless Stick Vacuum onto charge. To do this, I chose to remove it from the unit and put it on the floor so I could take some time to appreciate the rest of the vacuum fully. You can charge it on the unit or on the wall mount, though.

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With the battery charging, I had a closer look at the design and the overall construction of the vacuum, and I admit that I was impressed. It’s lightweight, stands upright on its own, and doesn’t look too complicated.

I often find white a risky colourway for a vacuum cleaner as I sometimes find that it cheapens the look of it - especially if the components also feel flimsy. However, the Gtech AirFOX Platinum Cordless Stick Vacuum feels fairly high-quality and sturdy (although perhaps a little plasticky if you want to be a bit picky), and I actually loved the white colourway. It’s sleek and clean, without being too flashy. So, I was keen to start testing it.

Using the Gtech AirFOX Platinum Cordless Stick Vacuum

The first time I turned the Gtech AirFOX Platinum Cordless Stick Vacuum on and went to use it, I thought the appliance had a trigger-on/off power button. So, I was a little irritated. After all, this is a problem many people have had with older Dyson models in the past (which has since been rectified by the brand). But it turns out that I was just getting ahead of myself.

When I consulted the instruction manual, I realised that while there is a trigger on/off button for short bursts of cleaning, you can also press the lock button underneath for continuous cleaning, to prevent any aching fingers. And while it can sometimes be nice to have the option of both, I must admit that I found it a bit annoying. I feel like either a trigger OR a simple on/off button would have sufficed, as it feels quite clunky when you want to lock the trigger.

However, a major positive is that the integrated floor head means that you don’t have to faff around changing from one head to the other when moving from hard flooring to carpet, so I was able to get started quite quickly. And I have to say that I really enjoyed using this vacuum for everyday cleaning.

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Overall, I found the soft bristles on the floorhead gentle on my brand-new laminate flooring, but not-so-gentle that it couldn’t pick up all kinds of dust and debris (and even pet hair) from my carpets and rugs. It was also easy to manoeuvre thanks to being so lightweight, and the suction power was impressive enough that no crumb was left behind during everyday spruce-ups.

Nevertheless, a key step in how we test vacuum cleaners at Ideal Home focuses on vacuuming different types of debris, so I wanted to put it through some tougher cleaning conundrums. To do this, I sprinkled coffee grounds, crushed cereal, flour, and rice onto my hard flooring and my carpet.

On hard flooring, the Gtech AirFOX only really struggled with the rice, which it pushed around for a little bit before it eventually sucked it up. Everything else was picked up in one pass, and it took seconds to vacuum up all of the mess.

I then repeated the same process on the carpet and found that the opposite was true. The rice and the harder debris (the cereal) were sucked up immediately, while the coffee grounds and the flour took a few passes to be cleared. However, this is what I’d expect from such tests, and similar to the results I’d see from other cordless stick vacuums.

I will say that it wasn’t as impressive on carpet as my Dyson vacuum cleaner (I typically use the Dyson Gen5detect as my everyday vacuum cleaner), but it wasn’t far off, which is impressive for a vacuum that’s around £300 cheaper.

Using the attachments

I love a vacuum that comes with tools and accessories, as it opens up a whole world of cleaning opportunities, especially when you can turn a full-size vacuum cleaner into a handheld one and use it around the house. And the Gtech AirFOX Platinum comes with five cleaning tools - the small power head, crevice tool, brush tool, upholstery tool, and flexible tube.

First off, I used the AirFOX Small Power Head, which was perfect for my dog’s bed and my carpeted stairs. In fact, over my three weeks of testing, this was my most-used tool that I also used for my sofa, deep-cleaning my rugs, and getting into the corners of my carpets.

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I also used the crevice tool frequently, and they were incredibly handy when vacuuming the crumbs from the crevices down my sofa and my dining chairs.

I used the brush and upholstery tools less, and I don’t really find a flexible hose to work in my house, but it’s still a nice touch to have if this cleaning tool suits your home.

Cleaning and maintenance

Emptying the Gtech AirFOX Platinum was incredibly easy, and all you have to do is slide the silver lever on the side of the bin. 90% of the time, it emptied without any issues.

However, as the dust capacity is a little on the small side at 0.4L, I did occasionally (and accidentally) overfill the dust canister and had to get my hands in there to remove the hair and dust that had compacted within the chamber, but that was all my fault as I didn’t keep a close eye on how full it was getting. It’s worth noting that the LCD screen also tells you when the bin needs emptying, but it was just a little too small for me to spot.

Considering I live in a house with a long-haired cocker spaniel, I moult like a dog myself, and the Gtech doesn’t advertise this as a specific vacuum cleaner for pet hair, I also found the anti-tangle technology to be effective. Only once during the two-week testing period did I feel like I needed to get the hair removal tool (provided in the box) and cut the small amount of hair that had collected around the cleaning fins.

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Gtech also recommends that you clean the filter around once a month (or when the warning light comes up on the screen) to ensure optimal performance. I haven’t used it long enough to do this yet, but the instructions suggest it’s easy to do - simply remove the filter from its metal shroud, tape away loose debris, and wash the filter and the shroud in cold water. Then, you just need to remember to let it dry fully before reassembling.

In terms of run time, I found it to be true to Gtech’s claims. I tend to keep my vacuums in ‘auto’ mode when I’m cleaning myself, and the 45-minute run time was more than enough to clean the entire downstairs and upstairs of my three-bedroom home. But if you have a larger house, you could opt for eco mode and get up to 80 minutes of run time instead.

The wall mount is also a nice touch for storage and charging purposes. I particularly appreciate that you can store some of the tools on the wall mount to prevent you from losing them.

How does it rate online?

At the time of writing, the Gtech AirFOX Platinum has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 on the Gtech website, based on almost 400 reviews. 282 of those reviews were five stars, and the lowest rating it's received so far is three stars out of five. So, it’s safe to say that it’s been well-received by customers.

They’ve praised the Gtech stick vacuum for offering impressive suction and so many tools and accessories to clean every area of the house. Most people also find that the battery life is more than enough to tackle their whole home in one cleaning session.

However, others have criticised the battery life and found that it’s not quite long enough to clean their larger homes. Reviewers who have previously owned Gtech upright vacuums have also stated that they find the suction to be better with their uprights than with the stick model.

How does it compare to similar models?

I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t first compare the Gtech stick vacuum to its upright siblings. After all, that’s what Gtech is known for. And as someone who tested the Gtech AirRAM 3 Dual Edge-Clean Cordless Vacuum, I’d say that the AirFOX Platinum is better than that upright option.

It’s easier to store, easier to manoeuvre, has a longer run time, and comes with a whole host of cleaning tools to ensure you can clean every nook and cranny in your home (for context, I struggled to vacuum my stairs at all with AirRAM 3). However, I will say that the AirRAM 3 does trump the AirFOX with its edge-cleaning capabilities and how well it empties.

But the Gtech AirRAM Platinum, on the other hand, also scored 4.5 out of 5 during our review - and I’d suggest anyone who wants to make the most of deep, intense carpet cleaning and doesn’t mind the upright style should opt for this model instead, as the cleaning power is seriously impressive.

In terms of look and general features, the Gtech AirFOX Platinum also reminds me of the new Shark PowerPro Cordless Stick Vacuum that I recently tested. Although I’d argue that Shark is a bigger name (particularly with its online presence) in the floorcare world, I can honestly say that the Gtech model was far superior in terms of suction power and overall cleaning power. The Shark is cheaper, though, so if price is a determining factor in your decision, the Shark might suit your budget better.

Verdict: Should you buy the AirFOX Platinum Cordless Stick Vacuum?

Although I’ve tested dozens of vacuum cleaners at this point, the Gtech AirFOX Platinum surprised me (and in a good way). For a brand that focuses primarily on upright vacuums, I didn’t expect the Gtech stick vacuum to be so impressive. But I genuinely enjoyed using it and found it to be highly effective at cleaning my home.

In fact, the only real niggles I had with this vacuum during testing were around the design of the vacuum rather than its cleaning power. I think the on/off trigger could use some work, and the dust bin could be bigger for those with larger homes.

Overall, though, I really rate this vacuum and would recommend the Gtech AirFOX Platinum to anyone looking for a hardworking, everyday stick vacuum with a wide range of tools. I think it's fairly affordable for what it offers, too.