Miele Blizzard CX1 Turbo Team Review
- Details
Avg. consumer rating = 85/100
Miele makes a great bagged canister vacuum but can they build a good bagless machine? The short answer is YES. The Blizzard is Miele’s first foray into the bagless vacuum market and they got most of it right. The Miele Blizzard vacuums are getting solid reviews and have many of the same great features seen on their bagged units, such as an auto rewind power cord, variable suction, and very quiet operation. The Blizzard CX1 Turbo Team includes 2 cleaner heads and is designed for bare floors and low pile carpet. It’s capable on pet hair and has an ingenious way of reducing dust exposure when emptying the dust canister.
| Quick Specs | |
| Type | Canister |
| Bagged/Bagless | Bagless |
| Best for... | Hard Floors & Low Pile Carpet |
| Pet Hair Features | No |
| Approx. Weight | 19 lbs |
| HEPA Level Filtration | Yes |
| Power Cord Length | 21.5 feet |
| Motor Driven Brushroll | No |
| Warranty | 1 Year P&L, 7 Years motor/housing |
Consumer Ratings
We've just updated the ratings for this vacuum (September 2019). We found a total of 111 ratings and when averaged they resulted in an overall score of 85 out of 100. This is a good score but typically not as high as many of the Miele bagged canisters.
You can see the ratings of all other Miele vacuums in our Miele vacuum ratings table. You may also wish to view our full list of canister vacuum ratings or even our list all ALL vacuum cleaner ratings.
| Source | Consumer Ratings | # Ratings |
| Amazon | 4.1 stars out of 5 | 81 |
| Wayfair | 4.9 stars out of 5 | 14 |
| Bed Bath & Beyond | 4.2 stars out of 5 | 13 |
| Overstock | 5.0 stars out of 5 | 3 |
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Pros & Cons
A thorough review of owner comments has provided the following Turbo Team pros and cons:
PROS
- Quiet
- Powerful
- Easy-to-empty dust canister
- Great on bare floors
- Adjustable suction
- Effective on pet hair
- Canister moves well
- Nice build quality
- Attachments are simple but effective
PROS
- Quiet
- Powerful
- Easy-to-empty dust canister
- Great on bare floors
- Adjustable suction
- Effective on pet hair
- Canister moves well
- Nice build quality
- Attachments are simple but effective
CONS
- Not good on deeper pile carpet
- Exhaust vent on side may kick-up dust
- Expensive
- Not good on deeper pile carpet
- Exhaust vent on side may kick-up dust
- Expensive
What Else Are Owners Saying?
Probably the most talked about attribute of the CX1 Turbo Team is the suction. People seem taken aback at the high level of suction this vacuum can put out, and they are unanimous in their praise of the Turbo Team's power.
There are also favorable comments regarding the ability to vary the suction via the controls on top of the canister. Folks seem very appreciative that this machine can provide a light touch for delicate vacuuming as well as powerful suction for dealing with particularly dirty areas.
In addition, owners are somewhat surprised at the low sound output of the vacuum. In short, the Turbo Team is very quiet. It depends to some extent on the noise level one is used to, but folks switching over from something like a Dyson (for example) really seem to notice the low noise output of the Turbo Team.
People like that the vacuum is manufactured in Germany. This is indeed a rarity these days and owners report that the Turbo Team feels solid and well put together. Owners also report that the vacuum body tracks very well behind you as you vacuum, moving smoothly and turning easily. In addition, the wheels are soft and do not mark smooth flooring.
Other popular aspects of the vacuum include its ease of use (it’s just simple to use), the large buttons on the canister body that can be activated with a tap of your toe (vacuum power button and auto power cord retract button), the basic but effective attachments, the adjustable wand, and the automatically retractable power cord. Folks are also pleased with the performance of the parquet floorhead which is great on smooth flooring (hardwood, linoleum, tile, etc).
The turbo cleaner head handles bare floors and even low pile carpet, but it struggles on deeper pile carpet. The turbo cleaner head has an air-driven brushroll and these are not good at dealing with medium or deep pile carpet. The brushrolls often slow or stall. Also, while many owners praise the cleaner head for its ability to pick up pet hair, some folks have indicated that much of the hair gets bound up in the cleaner head brushroll. This is not uncommon, however the brushroll in this cleaner head does not release easily for cleaning. You will likely have to remove or cut away the hair with the brushroll in place. Not too big a deal but not as convenient as it could be.
Some owners complain that they hit the power cord auto retract button on the canister body by mistake – they mean to hit the power on/off button. This understandably can be a little annoying. This is not the first time we have seen this complaint and it has surfaced on several Miele bagged canister units as well (they have a similar button setup). This isn’t a show stopper and it is clearly not an issue with many other owners.
Finally, the CX1 Turbo Team is not an inexpensive vacuum cleaner and some people were initially reluctant to lay down the large sum for the vacuum. We often see this vacuum for about $599 USD. It is interesting to note that the Turbo Team’s bagged cousin (the Compact C1 Turbo Team) is only $399 USD – although this is a more compact machine. You can see our Compact C1 Turbo Team review if you like.
If you want to read more about what owners are saying about the Blizzard then check out Blizzard CX1 Turbo Team reviews on Amazon.
What's in the Box?
- Miele Blizzard CX1 Turbo Team vacuum
- Stainless steel extension wand
- Vacuum hose
- Dusting brush (integrated into handle)
- Upholstery nozzle
- Crevice tool
- Parquet Twister cleaner head (SBB 300-3)
- TurboTeQ cleaner head (STB 305-3)
- Filters
- Owner's manual
- Stainless steel extension wand
- Vacuum hose
- Dusting brush (integrated into handle)
- Upholstery nozzle
- Crevice tool
- Parquet Twister cleaner head (SBB 300-3)
- TurboTeQ cleaner head (STB 305-3)
- Filters
- Owner's manual
Cleaner Heads
The Turbo Team comes with two cleaner heads (or what Miele calls “floorheads”). These are:
- Miele STB 305-3 TurboTeQ Head
- Miele SBB 300-3 Parquet Floor Brush
- Miele STB 305-3 TurboTeQ Head
- Miele SBB 300-3 Parquet Floor Brush
The Miele STB 305-3 TurboTeQ Head has a fairly stiff bristled brushroll and it is best on low to medium pile carpets and is also good at picking up thread and pet hair. It is important to understand that the brushroll in this unit is NOT motorized. It is air driven. Air driven heads are generally lighter but they are not as powerful as motorized units. As such, they do not deep clean carpet as well and they get much more easily bogged down in deeper carpet. If you have deeper pile carpet you may want to consider something like the Blizzard CX1 Electro Bagless Vacuum (see pricing on Amazon).
The TurboTeQ has several rubberized wheels on the bottom which help it move across the floor and ensure that it does not scratch delicate flooring (like some hardwoods). In addition, the top of the unit has a large dial which acts as a suction release valve (you can see it in the image above). This dial can be set to maximize suction under the tool (valve is closed) or minimize suction under the tool (valve is open) - you can also set it anywhere in-between.
By all accounts the TurboTeQ cleaner heads works well on its intended surfaces, although, as mentioned previously, copious amounts of pet hair will result in frequently cleaning the brushroll.
The Miele SBB 300-3 Parquet Floor Brush is designed for smooth surfaces and is gentle on flooring and does an excellent cleaning job. It glides easily across the floor and the head turns effortlessly with a twist of the wrist, allowing you to follow the contours of your flooring or furniture. The neck of the tool has a double swivel which enables it to lay virtually flat so it is capable of reaching under low furniture. The bristles on the cleaner head are both polyamide and natural hair.
Both cleaner heads are attached to the vacuum hose via the telescopic stainless steel wand. The wand can be extended and locked into place which is helpful when trying to achieve a comfortable vacuuming position.
Filtration
The Miele CX1 has no less than three different filters:
1) GORE CleanStream Fine Dust Filter
2) Hygiene Lifetime Filter (pre-filter)
3) HEPA AirClean Exhaust Filter
1) GORE CleanStream Fine Dust Filter
2) Hygiene Lifetime Filter (pre-filter)
3) HEPA AirClean Exhaust Filter
The GORE CleanStream Fine Dust Filter is part of the system that makes this vacuum cleaner so interesting. This filter traps fine dust in a different container from the main dust canister. This allows you to empty the main dust canister without the big “puff” of dust that you get with most bagless vacuums. Even better is the ComfortClean system which cleans this filter for you. It measures the airflow through the filter and automatically starts a 20-second filter cleaning process when the airflow drops below a certain level. After the cleaning process you are good to go again. You can also start the filter cleaning process at any time using the ComfortClean button on the canister body (the button lights up yellow when operating).
While the filter cleaning is automatic you may still have to clean the CleanStream Fine Dust Filter manually once or twice per year, but it is designed to be rinsed in water so it does not have to be replaced. As a matter of fact, all three filters on the Blizzard CX1 Turbo Team are rinsable in water and designed to last the lifetime of the vacuum (just make sure you do not use soap!).
There is also a Hygiene Lifetime Filter (pre-filter) inside the fine dust container. This captures ultra-fine dust, and like the other filters it too can be rinsed with water and reused.
The HEPA AirClean exhaust filter removes extremely small particles and allergens and is a HEPA 13 level filter. HEPA filters range from 10 to 14 with the higher number meaning a higher level of filtration. This filter will remove the likes of mold, pollen, bacteria, pet dander, asbestos, cigarette smoke, dust mites, etc. from the air. The Turbo Team has been awarded the “Seal of Approval” from the British Allergy Foundation.
Cleaning Reach
Most manufacturers report the length of the power cord, but Miele always provides something called “cleaning reach”. Our understanding of “cleaning reach” is that it is the length of the power cord, the hose, and the telescopic wand combined. The cleaning reach for the CX1 Turbo Team is 33 feet. If that doesn’t mean much then we’ve also determined that the power cord is 21.5 feet in length, which, in our opinion, is a little on the short side. However many canister vacuums do not have particularly long power cords.
The power cord on the Turbo Team has the automatic retraction feature. A foot button (meaning it is designed to be “tapped” with your foot/toe) on the canister body engages the automatic power cord retraction. The button does not have to be held down and a simple “tap” will do.
Variable Suction
A rotary dial on top of the vacuum body provides four suction settings:
1) Curtains & lightweight fabric
2) Deep pile carpet, rugs & runners
3) Low pile carpet and rugs
4) Hard floors / heavily soiled carpet &rugs / upholstery / mattresses
1) Curtains & lightweight fabric
2) Deep pile carpet, rugs & runners
3) Low pile carpet and rugs
4) Hard floors / heavily soiled carpet &rugs / upholstery / mattresses
This is “true” variable suction and it doesn’t just open a valve and bleed off suction. The suction on the Miele is changed by varying the speed of the motor. We do note that setting 2 states “deep pile carpet” but this likely means anything “deeper” than low pile (remember this vacuum is not really designed for deep pile carpet).
Tools
Three tools are provided with the Turbo Team and all three store on-board the vacuum so you don’t have to fetch them from a cupboard or closet when they are needed. The tools are:
- Crevice tool
- Upholstery tool
- Dusting brush
- Crevice tool
- Upholstery tool
- Dusting brush
The dusting brush is integrated into the vacuum handle while the crevice tool and upholstery tool attach to special inserts in the vacuum body.
Bagless Technology
Just a quick word on this. Miele states that the Blizzard CX1 uses something called “vortex technology” to create extremely high velocity airflow (over 100 kilometers per hour). Then centrifugal force is used to separate the dust and debris from the airflow. The centrifugal force also separates the fine dust from the larger particles. Despite the term “vortex”, this sounds a lot like the “cyclonic technology” we see in most other brand’s bagless vacuums. Not sure there is anything revolutionary here but it does appear to work well.
Dust Canister
The dust canister is a simple bottom empty unit and it has a capacity of 2.1 quarts. It is easily removed from the back of the canister and opens at the touch of a single yellow button. The debris just falls out of the bottom and into the waste bin. You can even clean this canister with water and dish soap if it gets too dirty.
Unlike most other bagless vacuums there is no cloud of fine dust when emptying the dust canister on the Blizzard. The dust canister holds only the larger particles while the fine dust has been trapped by the fine dust filter. This is a very nice feature as we have emptied all manner of bagless vacuums in the past and it is often a very messy affair. With other machines we often find ourselves emptying carefully into a plastic bag to avoid the big puff of fine dust, or even emptying the canister outdoors.
Other Key Features
There are many comments about how smoothly the canister body moves when you vacuum. Miele has accomplished this via what they are calling DynamicDrive wheels. There are 4 wheels on the underside of the canister that swivel a full 360 degrees. The wheels are mounted on steel axles and even have shock absorbers. In addition, the wheels are rubberized ensuring no scraping or scuffing of floors.
The Turbo Team weighs in at 19 lbs. This is a little heavier than most Miele bagged vacuums and is also heavier than most (but not all) canister vacuums we have reviewed. It does have a built-in carry handle which helps when carrying the unit from room to room or up and down stairs.
The vacuum also has overheating protection. A temperature limiter will automatically shut down the motor should it breach a critical temperature. This helps extend the life of the motor.
Warranty
The CX1 Turbo Team carries a 7-Year Limited Warranty on the vacuum motors and the structural integrity of the vacuum body. The rest of the vacuum carries a 1-Year Limited Warranty.
Vacuum Cleaner Manual
The manual for this vacuum is average. It covers the basics but doesn’t go into a great amount of detail. We also find the graphics to be adequate but not great. It is available in English, French and Spanish (all in the one document). You can view a copy of it here: Miele Blizzard CX1 Manual
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