The claim: The AirRam is a cordless and tubeless vacuum cleaner with just as much power as a Dyson or Bissel. It's lithium-ion battery makes it more energy efficient than the average vacuum. The AirRam has direct dirt-to-tray technology and does not use a bag. Dirt and dust are sucked up and compressed into tidy bales that can be emptied right into the trash. The average four-bedroom home can be cleaned on a single battery charge. It is lightweight — 7.7 pounds — with a 3-inch profile and has great maneuverability.
Cost: $349.95
Where:www.brookstone.com
The bells and whistles of the AirRam (find out how many calories you burned while vacuuming?!?) didn't interest me. The potential of a safer way to clean my carpeted steps did. The unit is, well, perhaps it's best to call it petite. And lightweight. And once you get the hang of the swivel steering, maneuvers like a treat. It wasn't hard at all to clean the tread part of my steps. Unfortunately, that's just half the carpet. The rise was hard to reach, and the crease between got only a half-decent cleaning. I guess it's back to hauling the larger model with attachments when I want to deep clean. But on the bulk of the carpet, the slender design slid right up next to the wall and under and around furniture, and judging from cleaning out the dust compartment, it did a rather thorough job. This may not be the vacuum for you if you have shedding pets (or if you shed much yourself) because hair, as with most vacs, wraps the brush and takes work to free, but it's certainly worth consideration if hauling a heavy vac makes you dread cleaning — and you aren't bothered by the price tag.
The makers of the Gtech AirRam vacuum cleaner — cordless, mind you — claim that it is the “only vacuum cleaner you'll ever need.” We'll see about that.
The unit looks like something out of a “Tron” film. It's relatively lightweight, when you compare it to a standard vacuum cleaner. Charging took about four hours for a full charge. And, like your cellphone, you shouldn't leave it plugged in beyond those four hours.
The unit collects dirt into two chambers. The force compacts the debris into what the company calls “bales” — but don't think solid, think loosely compacted dirt. They were easy enough to empty.
First, the good news. It has excellent suction, picking up almost everything in a first pass. It has surprisingly good side and front suction, as well.
The AirRam's cordless aspect cannot be overstated — the ability to move from room to room, up and down stairs without unplugging, or even reaching that “cord snap point,” is amazing. That freedom cuts down on cleaning time immeasurably. Stairs were rather easy because of the unit's light weight and convenient mid-handle.
That the AirRam swivels (like a Dyson) helps with going around objects, making it easier and quicker with cleanup.
The power charge delivers as advertised — a single charge easily lasted throughout our whole house. Actually, we purposely didn't charge the unit after the first whole-house use to see if it could take a second round — and it managed to work through a second downstairs run before starting to feel like it needed more juice. Not bad at all.
Now, for the bad. As good as the AirRam is, the lack of attachments means the user will never be able to get into crevices. Steps are particularly tough because of this. Suction was good, but the unit seemed to have some trouble with the vast amount of pet hair on our carpets; several passes were necessary.
While easy to empty, the collection chambers filled up quickly. The filters (there are two) seemed to also fill up with dust fast. And even after a weekend's use, the filters needed a good cleaning (they wash out in the sink). What's worse, the rotating bristles seemed to clog up with hair and string, and cleaning it out was more than a chore.
The AirRam is amazing, but limited. I can't see how this could be a home's only vacuum. Without attachments, your crevices will be forever dirty. As a secondary cleaning unit, it's phenomenal — a must-have for those quick cleanups when company's coming.
