This new VAX vacuum proves that corded is cool again – I haven’t had to pick up my cordless in weeks

Like the rest of the floorcare world, Vax has focused much of its attention on cordless vacuum cleaners over the past few years. But corded vacuum cleaners are having a huge resurgence right now, and Vax has just released a string of new corded models to offer a deeper, more effective clean - including the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner.

So, I’ve spent the past three weeks testing this new corded model in my home to see if it can compete with the best vacuum cleaners out there - and whether it has what it takes to stake its claim as one of the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair. My verdict? It impressed me more than I thought.

In a nutshell

Recently, I predicted that corded vacuum cleaners would make a huge comeback in 2026, and it’s hard to ignore the evidence when big brands like Shark and Vax are bringing new corded models out in abundance. And the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner is one of six new additions to the brand’s LiftOut Corded Vacuum range.

With a cleaning reach of up to 14.5m, it squashes the concerns that many people have about corded vacuums being impractical or annoying. Sure, it’s heavier than the best cordless vacuum cleaners, but at 6.4kg, it’s lighter than other corded models on the market and offers unlimited suction power and run-time to boot. The super-light LiftOut canister also lets you ditch over half the vacuum’s weight to clean stairs and smaller nooks and crannies.

During testing, the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design tackled everyday dirt and debris with ease, and the anti-tangle brush bar, coupled with the wide array of tools and accessories, makes it ideal for pet owners and long-haired humans alike. And while I did miss a ‘Boost’ mode for an extra bit of power for bigger messes, the optional brush bar mode does still add an extra zhuzh when you need it.

All in all, I think it’s a very affordable option for those looking for an everyday vacuum cleaner or those who want to dip their toes into the waters of corded vacuums. You’ll need to find somewhere to store it, and it might take you a little while to get used to a cord, but it ticks all of the boxes you’d want for an effective and capable vacuum - especially if you’re a pet owner.

Specifications

• Weight: 6.4kg
• Bin volume: 2L
• Cord length: 10m
• Noise level (tested by us): 80dB
• In the box: Main Unit, Pet Hair Remover Tool, Crevice Tool, Stair Tool, Turbine Pet Tool
• RRP: £249.99

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

At 6.4kg, I knew that the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner wouldn’t be delivered in a small, lightweight box. And while I was able to lift it into my home by myself, it’s worth noting that you may need an extra helping hand if you struggle with heavy parcels.

Upon opening the big, brown box, I was greeted by a slightly smaller branded box containing the main vacuum, and a separate, much smaller box containing the ‘Accessory Kit.’

This is included as part of a freebie VAX is offering at the time of writing, which means you get an extra LiftOut Home & Car Kit worth £40 with your purchase if you buy through them directly. This includes a Fine Dusting Brush, Deep Debris Tool, Flexi Crevice Tool and additional filter - a nice touch as my car (which we call the ‘dog wagon’) is in desperate need of some TLC. So, I was eager to test everything out.

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In the main vacuum box, I was happy to see that there wasn’t a hint of plastic anywhere. All of the components were encased in a cardboard scaffold, and then a recyclable paper that went straight into my recycling bin.

I was also greeted by even more tools - another crevice tool, stair tool, turbine pet tool and pet hair remover tool. As the paw-rent of a very fluffy cocker spaniel, I rely on tools and accessories to maintain a hair-free home. And with so many included with the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner, I could tell that pet owners were at the forefront of the design process.

As with all vacuums, this corded model also came with an instruction manual, which included an assembly guide. If I’m completely honest, though, it’s not needed. It’s incredibly simple to put together, and it took me all of two minutes before it was fully assembled and ready to go.

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Before I started testing the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner, I wanted to take a step back and assess everything from the design to the weight. After all, one of my biggest gripes with corded upright vacuum cleaners is that they are heavy and very big, which means they can be difficult to store in smaller homes.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to feel that the VAX corded didn’t feel as heavy or as big as other models I’ve tested in the past - most recently the Shark PowerDetect Powered Lift-Away Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner AZ3900UKT, which felt significantly weightier and seemed much bigger.

But while the VAX LiftOut seemed more compact and convenient, I was eager to see if that would also affect its power. So, I got started.

Using the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner

As part of how we test vacuum cleaners at Ideal Home, I wanted to first test the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design on various types of debris. So, I threw rice, coffee grounds, porridge oats and flour on my hard flooring to see how it tackled debris of different sizes.

For a £249.99 vacuum, I had assumed that it wouldn’t be too powerful - but I was quickly proven wrong. This corded model picked up every single coffee ground and grain of rice on a single forward pass, and it didn’t even push any of it around, which is something many other models do.

As this model prides itself on being suitable for pet owners, I then sprinkled some of my dog's hair on the floor, as per how we test pet vacuums. The hair proved to be no problem, and there wasn’t any lingering hair caught in the brush bar, either.

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I then repeated the process on a carpet sample, and the results were very similar, although I will admit that it took a few more passes to pick up every speck of the smaller debris. One thing I would have liked during this stage was a ‘Boost’ or ‘Max’ mode to ensure nothing remained, but sadly, this model only has the one mode for all-around cleaning.

It does have the option to turn the all-surface brush roll on or off, though, and I found that the brush roll added an extra level of cleaning that was particularly handy on carpets and rugs. Weirdly, it also gives you the option to reduce suction by toggling the vent on the handle, which should help you vacuum high-pile carpets or if the machine feels hard to push - but I never felt the need to use this.

Of course, I know better than most that controlled tests aren’t enough of an indicator of a vacuum’s performance, so I continued to use it as my regular vacuum for three weeks in my home, using it for everyday cleaning and more targeted cleaning when needed.

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And while I’ve always leaned more towards cordless stick vacuums in my home due to its small size and the very steep stairs in my Victorian terrace, I was surprised by how seamlessly it fit into my routine.

In its full-size, the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner tackles larger floor areas with ease, but its LiftOut canister makes cleaning nooks, crannies and stairs so much easier. It’s lightweight, manoeuvrable, and small enough to fit on my very narrow stairs. Because of this, I didn’t have to grab my cordless vacuum once during the testing process.

As a pet owner, I was also impressed to see the visible buildup of pet hair in the canister after cleaning. It’s often hard to see embedded hair in my loop-pile wool carpet, but I felt confident that this corded model was picking it up and keeping my home fresh thanks to the charcoal filter that eliminates bad odours.

Not only that, but the cleaning reach is second-to-none. Although it has a 10m cord, its extendable hose means it technically has a cleaning reach of 14.5m, which meant that I could clean the entire length of my long Victorian terrace without having to unplug and re-plug elsewhere. That was a serious bonus for me.

Using the attachments

One of the major selling points of the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner is the selection of tools it comes with, even if you don’t manage to get your hands on the extra LiftOut Home & Car Kit.

Included as standard are the Pet Hair Remover Tool, Crevice Tool, Stair Tool and Turbine Pet Tool. This selection covers all of the bases you’d need for a tidy home, and I was particularly impressed with the Stair Tool and the Turbine Pet Tool.

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I used all of the tools to clean everything from cobwebs in the corner of my living room to the nooks and crannies in my dining room chairs and my sofa, but the Turbine Pet Tool went the extra mile by tackling the dirt and hair build-up on my dog’s bed and the sofa bed in my office that he’s claimed as his second bed.

And while I have multiple vacuums and handheld vacuums at home, I didn’t need to use any supplementary vacuum over my three-week testing period. So, this just proves that the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design has everything you need for a whole-home clean - even for pet owners.

Cleaning and maintenance

With its HairWrap Resist technology and its 2L dust bin, there’s very little cleaning and maintenance required for the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner. In fact, I haven’t noticed any hair getting caught on the brush bar, and I’ve found that I was able to clean my three-bedroom home multiple times before I needed to empty the dust canister.

When that time did come, this is easy enough to do, and you simply need to press the button on the bottom of the canister to release the dust and debris inside. As with emptying any vacuum, it’s a little messy - but I’ve yet to find a non-bagged vacuum cleaner that isn’t.

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One thing I did notice during my three weeks of testing was that the foam pre-filter got very dirty. The instruction manual says to ‘tap off loose dirt regularly, rinse the filter monthly and replace the filter every 9-12 months (depending on level of use).’ I’ve already had to rinse it once due to the dirt and dust build-up - however, I don’t see that as a bad thing.

Although it’s a bit of extra work for me, it just proves that the filter is doing its job, capturing dust and dirt and preventing them from being released back into my home. So, I’m willing to put in a bit of extra legwork to maintain that.

In terms of storage, I can’t deny that this upright corded vacuum isn’t that easy to store - especially if you’re used to cordless stick vacuums. However, there is onboard cord storage to ensure it doesn’t get tangled or in the way, and it comes with onboard tool storage so they’re readily available at all times. And for the tools you don’t use regularly, Vax also provided a bag.

How does it rate online?

On the brand’s website, the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner is very highly rated. At the time of rating, it has over 280 reviews with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5. In fact, almost 80% of customers rated it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

Customers praise the impressive suction power, the length of the cord and the fact that it’s very manoeuvrable despite being corded. It’s also a popular choice for pet owners, with one writing, ‘I've had this new addition to my Vax collection for two weeks now. With two dogs, rising to 4 with visiting pets, I couldn't be happier. So easy to use and empty, it's light, manoeuvrable and makes housework a breeze!’

There are very few negative reviews, but some customers have complained about the machine's weight. However, it’s important to note that in these reviews, they are comparing it to cordless vacuums they currently own, or have owned in the past.

How does it compare to similar models?

The Ideal Home testing team and I have reviewed many corded upright vacuums over the years, and I recently tested the Shark PowerDetect Powered Lift-Away Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner AZ3900UKT, which is very similar to this new Vax model.

In terms of suction power, I can’t deny that the Shark model is definitely more effective. During controlled tests and deep cleaning, the Shark made light work of everything it came across. However, this extra suction power does come with a price - both in terms of actual price and the weight and manoeuvrability of the machine.

The Shark is heavier at 7.6kg, and the 8m cord isn’t as long as the Vax model, making it a little more cumbersome to use. So, I’d say that the Vax is ideal for those who want an easy-to-use corded vacuum that still has enough power to tackle everyday cleaning.

Alternatively, you have the Hoover HL4 Upright Vacuum Cleaner, which is slightly cheaper than the Vax model. Our reviewer also gave it 4.5 stars out of 5, praising it for its three suction power settings and the large bin capacity.

However, it only offers one tool - a crevice tool - which means it might not be suitable for those who want to clean into smaller nooks and crannies or those who have to tackle pet hair regularly.

Verdict: Should you buy the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner?

All in all, I do think the Vax LiftOut Reach Pet Design Vacuum Cleaner is a worthy investment. The suction power is more than enough for everyday cleaning, and while corded upright vacuums aren’t the lightest or the easiest to manoeuvre, this model is one of the easiest I’ve come across so far.

The LiftOut canister, coupled with the lengthy reach, makes targeted cleaning extremely easy, and the wide selection of tools really is a selling point if you have pets - or even if you have kids who leave a lot of hair and mess in their wake.

Plus, at just £249.99, it’s significantly cheaper than many cordless and other corded models on the market. Because of this, I think it would make a great budget-friendly addition to any home - or serve as an impressive entry-level corded model for those who typically err towards the cordless market.