### Philips SpeedPro Aqua Review: The Game-Changer for Cordless Cleaning with Dual Vacuum and Mopping Functionality

Wireless vacuum cleaners have revolutionized dry cleaning, with top-tier models from manufacturers like Dyson and Samsung providing both user-friendliness and efficient cleaning capabilities. Conversely, wet mopping remains largely a manual task for many, typically done with a mop and a bucket. While robotic vacuum-mops can clean and mop simultaneously, a handheld unit generally allows for greater precision in wet mopping tasks. The product that I am exploring here claims to excel in this area.

With a price tag of Rs. 35,999, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is a cordless, handheld vacuum designed to vacuum and mop floors at the same time. It features a dedicated water reservoir and mop attachment that facilitate this function, while also boasting solid battery life and performance for standard vacuuming tasks. Does this make it the most adaptable and user-friendly handheld cleaning option available? This review aims to provide the answer.

The Philips SpeedPro Aqua competes against premium cordless vacuum cleaners from well-known brands like Dyson and Samsung.

 

Design and Practical Use of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua

Leading premium cordless vacuum cleaners showcase intriguing aesthetics, with offerings from Dyson and Samsung often appearing to draw inspiration from futuristic designs. In contrast, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua resembles more of a watering jug than a high-tech device.

This design choice is not necessarily negative, and the blue hue is quite appealing. The Philips SpeedPro Aqua is primarily constructed from plastic, features a detachable transparent dustbin, and contains a built-in 21.6V battery pack. Weighing 2.1kg, the device is equipped with a PowerBlade motor and PowerCyclone technology that achieves airflow rated at up to 800 litres per minute.

The handle is situated at the rear, providing a comfortable, balanced grip during operation, even with the attachments in place. The nozzle at the front is conveniently shaped for standalone use, allowing you to swiftly collect dirt or dust from surfaces like tables and countertops.

Operating the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is straightforward, requiring just a simple slider switch for power control. It offers two modes—low and high—while the closest position to the user when holding the device switches it off. There is a battery level indicator situated above the switch, alongside a dustbin release mechanism. At the bottom, magnetic contact points facilitate charging.

To empty the Philips SpeedPro Aqua’s dustbin, it must be completely removed and opened.

 

The dustbin of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua features a dual-chamber design, offering about 0.4L of capacity. This can be quite limited, and I found myself needing to empty it more frequently compared to a Samsung Jet 90 Complete. The cleaning process requires some effort; to empty it, the dustbin must be detached and the lid opened. Often, I had to reach in to free messy things like hair or small plastic pieces.

An air filter located at the bottom of the dustbin ensures that only clean air is expelled from the vents of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua. Both the filter and the dustbin can be washed when necessary, but you’ll need to ensure they are fully dry before reattaching them to the vacuum.

Accessories and Attachments of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua

While many competing cordless vacuum cleaners come with a variety of attachments, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua has a more limited selection. It includes a motorized roller head with LED lights for general vacuum cleaning and an additional head designed for dual functionality: vacuum suction and wet mopping.

You also receive a metal extension pipe compatible with both main attachments, featuring an integrated flip-out brush fitting. The pipe has a fixed length but provides power to the motorized roller head when connected.

The Philips SpeedPro Aqua’s charger is quite basic, consisting of a wall socket adapter at one end and a small magnetic contact on the other that attaches to the vacuum cleaner’s base. A wall-mounted charging bracket is included if needed. The charging mechanism felt somewhat cheap and rudimentary considering the device’s price, but I did not experience any functional issues.

The mop fitting’s water tank on the Philips SpeedPro Aqua has a 0.28L capacity.

 

The main vacuum head of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua features an innovative design that captures dirt and dust at a 180-degree angle, effectively drawing in debris from the sides. Notably, LED lights illuminate the area directly in front of the fitting, helping to reveal any unseen dirt. This functionality proved useful both in the dark and in dimly lit spaces.

The wet-mopping feature utilizes a simple, non-mechanical fitting that pairs with the regular vacuum head to provide combined wet and dry cleaning. The mop fitting consists of a water tank with small release openings at the bottom, designed to wet the included mop cloth, and it can be easily attached and removed via hook-and-loop fasteners. You get two mop cloths with the Philips SpeedPro Aqua, which are washable.

When attached to the vacuum head, vibrations cause water to be released gradually, spread by hand movements. This method effectively mops without requiring excessive bending. The water tank has a 0.28L capacity and includes a foot pump for faster water dispensing. Philips indicates that you can use a clear, non-foaming detergent mixed with water in the tank if desired.

Performance and Battery Life of the Philips SpeedPro Aqua

In comparison to competitors like Samsung and Dyson, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua seems somewhat underwhelming and basic, particularly regarding vacuuming performance. However, its wet-mopping ability distinguishes the SpeedPro Aqua, as most cordless vacuum models available today only provide dry cleaning options. This also places the device in indirect competition with robotic cleaning solutions, which often provide both vacuuming and wet mopping simultaneously.

Regarding the fundamentals of vacuum cleaning, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua generally performed acceptably. The low power setting was typically suitable for light cleaning, leading me to rely on the high power setting for most tasks, which functioned adequately for primary duties.

Basic cleaning on hard floors for daily dust and debris was manageable, but the vacuum struggled with more persistent challenges, such as food crumbs and bits of paper or plastic. Cleaning rugs and carpets usually required multiple passes to achieve satisfactory results with the Philips SpeedPro Aqua.

The absence of a specialized cleaning head for fabric surfaces meant I had to use the regular nozzle for sofas, which was less effective at removing dust and dirt embedded in crevices. The brush fitting is found only on the extension pipe, which made it more complicated to use for cleaning flat surfaces like tables and counters. While it worked well for higher surfaces, this was not something I frequently needed to do.

The standalone nozzle on the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is designed for quickly cleaning small messes and surfaces like tables and countertops.

 

The two included floor-cleaning heads offer a fair amount of maneuverability, making it easy to steer the head; twisting the Philips SpeedPro Aqua in either direction allows for quick turns. Nevertheless, it felt slightly cumbersome and heavy, especially when compared to the far more agile Dyson Omni-glide. Noise levels were tolerable, even at the higher power setting, producing a low, unobtrusive hum during operation.

Robot vacuums excel at wet-mopping due to their automation; they evenly distribute water across floors while charting their paths efficiently. In contrast, while the Philips SpeedPro Aqua requires manual operation, the benefit is the ability to target specific areas for cleaning and apply increased pressure during mopping without straining your back or wrist too much.

Even without mechanical assistance, the mopping function performs satisfactorily. It was indeed faster and more efficient than my 360 S7, assuming I was ready to put in the effort. While I didn’t typically use it to mop my entire house at once, I frequently utilized it for targeted wet cleaning in particular spaces or rooms.

Battery performance on the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is generally comparable to rival products, though it is a bit disheartening considering competitors can deliver more robust performance within the same runtime as this vacuum. I managed to use it for approximately 40-45 minutes in low power mode with the primary vacuum head, and about 50 minutes when employing a non-mechanical fitting.

When utilizing high power mode, the cleaner operated for around 20 minutes per charge. This was quite standard and adequate for realistically cleaning only two or three rooms at a time, rather than tackling my entire 900-square-foot space in one session.

Conclusion

At Rs. 35,999, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua is positioned in the higher-end market and stands against premium offerings from brands like Dyson and Samsung. However, in terms of vacuuming performance alone, it falls short of my expectations for this price range. It lacks power and seems somewhat basic, with fewer attachments compared to competing models.

Nevertheless, the wet-mopping feature significantly differentiates the Philips SpeedPro Aqua and makes it a worthwhile consideration among the competition to some degree. While it’s still a manual task and the device only provides limited assistance, it indeed simplifies the process of wet mopping considerably.

Ultimately, the Philips SpeedPro Aqua may be appealing to those specifically seeking wet mopping functionality, but if your focus is strictly on vacuuming, competing premium models deliver superior performance. Additionally, you might want to explore robotic cleaners that offer both vacuuming and mopping features, such as the similarly-priced 360 S7.

Price: Rs. 35,999

Rating: 6/10

Advantages:

• Lightweight and easy to maneuver
• Effective at wet mopping
• Performs well on hard floor surfaces
• Quiet operation

Disadvantages:

• Average build quality
• Less powerful compared to rivals
• Limited attachments
• Battery life is moderate

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