Miele Maverick Upright Vacuum

Avg. consumer rating = 85/100 

The blue Miele Twist upright vacuum has been replaced by the obsidian black Miele Dynamic U1 Maverick.  The Maverick is pretty much an entry level Miele upright and it does not have some of the bells and whistles you will find on the more expensive uprights – such as LED headlights, a HEPA filter, turbo brush tool, etc.  Even so, owners are pleased with the vacuum’s variable suction feature (great when cleaning delicate materials), lengthy cleaning reach, and sealed body.  They also feel the unit has strong suction.  However this is a heavy upright and some people find it difficult to lift and move around.  In addition, the hose, while a decent length, is hard to stretch out.

Quick Specs
Type	Upright
Bagged/Bagless	Bagged
Best for...	Hard Floors & Carpet
Pet Hair Features	No
Approx. Weight	Approx 21.4 lbs (with accessories)
HEPA Level Filtration	No
Power Cord Length	39 feet
Motor Driven Brushroll	Yes
Warranty	1 Year P&L, 7 Years motor/housing

 

Consumer Ratings
Ratings for the Maverick are overall quite good – as can be seen in the table below.  When averaged they result in an overall score of 85 out of 100.  This is higher than our site average for an upright (which is in the low 80’s).  You can compare this score to others in our upright vacuum ratings table, our Miele vacuum ratings table, or our Vacuum Cleaner Finder application.

Source	Consumer Rating	# Ratings
Amazon	4.2 stars out of 5	54
Bed Bath & Beyond	4.2 stars out of 5	22
Wayfair	5 stars out of 5	3
Sylvane	5 stars out of 5	2

 

What Are Owners Saying?
A thorough review of Maverick owner comments has provided the following vacuum likes and dislikes.

PROS
- Fairly quiet
- Variable suction is very handy
- Capable on low, medium and high pile carpet
- Strong suction
- Good on pet hair
- Can buy and attach odor eliminating filter
- Very long cleaning reach
- Sealed system
- Feels sturdy

CONS
- Heavy vacuum
- Can be hard to push on deep carpet
- Better on carpet than hard floors
- No LED headlight
- Doesn’t come with HEPA grade filter (have to upgrade)
- Hose can be difficult to stretch out

The most common negative comment about the Maverick is its weight.  Some people find it hard to push and pull and some find it hard to lift and carry from one place to another.  The vacuum does weigh more than your average upright.

There are also comments alluding to the vacuum’s average performance on bare surfaces.  Many people are very pleased with how well the unit works on carpet but feel that it is not quite the same on bare surfaces.  In our experience this is often the case with uprights – owners find them better on carpet than bare floors.

We also note that some folks have difficulty getting the hose to stretch out to the length expected.  This can happen with stretch hoses and it is indeed annoying.  The manufacturer’s specs on hose lengths often seem to be measured at an extreme stretch that cannot practically be exercised.

On the more positive side, many people like the fit and finish of the vacuum and say it feels sturdy and well built.  They also report that it does a great job on carpet and in pulling up pet hair.  The variable suction is a popular feature and at low suction settings the vacuum is very quiet.

Folks find the attachments easy to use and like that they all store on-board the machine for easy access.  Also, the extremely long power cord limits the need to plug and unplug the machine as you go about your house cleaning.  Finally, despite not having a HEPA filter, most people report that the unit is still good at handling dust.  And others are happy they can upgrade to a more “robust” filter if they want.

You can see more Maverick owner comments on Amazon.

Bagged Vacuum
The Miele Maverick is a jet black upright vacuum with very sleek lines.  Miele uprights have looked pretty much the same for some time but we think that’s a good thing.  These vacuums have a unique design and they look almost retro while still maintaining a modern appeal. 

Miele uprights are all bagged vacuum cleaners.  Some people like bagged technology while others prefer bagless.  There are pros and cons to each (see our article on bagged vs bagless vacuums) but a bagged vacuum with a sealed system and good filtration is hard to beat if you or someone in your household has allergies or asthma.

Filtration
The Maverick has what is known as a sealed system. This means that the vacuum doesn’t leak unfiltered air back into the environment through poor seals or cracks.  It ensures that all of the air entering the vacuum gets passed through the filtration system (in this case – bag, pre-motor filter, post-motor filter) before being exhausted from the machine.  This is a critical feature if one wants truly clean air expelled from their vacuum.

The filtration on this upright is “multi-stage”.  This means that filtration is taking place at different stages along the air-path.  First, the air passes through the vacuum bag, then through the pre-motor filter, and finally through the post-motor filter or what is sometimes referred to as the exhaust filter. 

The exhaust filter on the maverick is what Miele calls an “AirClean Filter”.  This is an electrostatically charged 3 ply filter and is capable of capturing fine allergens but it is not HEPA level.  A Miele HEPA AirClean Filter can be purchased however and it will fit the Maverick (see image to left).  HEPA filters remove the likes of tobacco smoke, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mold spores, etc. from the air. They are especially beneficial in homes with allergy or asthma sufferers.  Miele also offers something called an “Active AirClean Filter”.  This filter has layers of activated carbon and helps to reduce odors from pets and smoking.  All 3 filters fit the Maverick but none of these are rinsable and when they are dirty they have to be replaced (although this is usually about once per year or so).

The Maverick vacuum bags are large, 5.45 qt AirClean 3D Efficiency U dustbags and are several layers thick – air can pass through them but most dust cannot.  Miele claims that 99.9% of dust particles are filtered at the bag.  We also note that these bags have a great feature – when you open the vacuum to remove the bag, the bag opening automatically snaps shut (auto-locking seal) so no dust can escape when you swap it out. 

Brushroll
The brushroll (or what Miele sometimes calls the “electrobrush”) on the Maverick is motorized and it can be turned on and off via a switch near the vacuum handle.  This is an important feature and not one that is available on all uprights (although we see it on most).  This allows one to turn the brushroll OFF for vacuuming smooth surfaces – like hardwood, tile, linoleum, etc.  If you have the brushroll ON on a smooth surface you often get scattering of debris and it is even possible to scratch a particularly delicate surface.  The brushroll is generally ON when vacuuming carpet.  There is also an automatic shutoff should the brushroll experience an obstruction.

 
The machine has automatic height adjustment as well.  We’ve seen different manufacturers accomplish this in different ways but Miele do it by having a spring loaded brushroll that moves up and down depending on the floor surface.  This appears to work fairly well.  It certainly is convenient compared to those units that require the nozzle height to be manually set.  The vacuum has been designed for low, medium and high pile carpet.

Cleaning Reach
The cleaning reach on the Maverick is quite exceptional.  The vacuum includes a 39 foot power cord and a 12 foot flexible, crushproof hose.  There is also an aluminum telescopic wand that adds another 3 feet to the cleaning reach making it a full 39 + 12 + 3 = 54 feet.  Nothing to sneeze at.  One does not have to search for electrical outlets often which is very convenient.  However, it is possible you won’t get the full 12 foot reach out of your hose.  We frequently see stretch hose figures from the manufacturer that do not mimic real-world situations.  If you attempt to stretch the hose a full 12 feet your vacuum will likely have been pulled over long before you get there.  Even so, the overall reach of the Maverick is still very good.

Tools
Three accessories/tools come with the machine.  These include:
- Dusting brush
- Crevice tool
- Upholstery tool
These can all be conveniently stored on-board the vacuum in a storage area.  This is very handy as you don’t have to fetch the tools when you need them.  It also helps to ensure they do not get lost or misplaced (we have that problem frequently with tools not attached to the vacuum). Some vacuums provide on-board storage for 1 or 2 tools but usually not more than that.
 
Variable Suction
The vacuum has variable suction.  This is controlled by a rotary dial which is located on the front panel of the vacuum body within easy reach.   There are 4 suction settings:
- Curtains
- Deep pile carpet
- Low pile carpet
- Smooth surfaces

Variable suction can be a real asset when vacuuming.  In some instances you do not want the machine to produce full suction power.  Consider deep carpet where strong suction can make the vacuum difficult to move, or delicate items like an expensive area rug, lamp shades, or curtains, etc.  Some vacuums accomplish something similar via a suction release valve – but in these cases the vacuum is always running at full output.

Weight
This upright vacuum weighs in at a rather hefty 21.4 lbs.  That is not light.  You can see the weight of some of the more lightweight vacuums we have reviewed over the years here: Lightweight vacuum cleaners.  We’d say the average upright is 15-17 lbs or so (very ballpark).  So the Maverick is indeed on the weightier side.  Some of this is offset by the good maneuverability provided by its SwivelNeck Technology which allows the vacuum to turn very easily, but you still have to move the vacuum backward and forward and this can be a chore for some folks. 

Other Features
The vacuum has a 12 inch cleaning path.  This is about average width – you sometimes see more and sometimes less but this is wide enough to clean a reasonable area on each pass.  The unit also has a full bag indicator light which is helpful, given that it is otherwise difficult to determine when the bag needs changing. 

In addition, the Miele Dynamic U1 Maverick will lay flat to the floor which is useful when trying to get under furniture.  This ability is often part of the promotional materials for the vacuum.  But one look at the cleaner head and you can see that it is not particularly low-profile which will limit the ability of the machine to get far under low furniture.

Warranty
The Miele Maverick carries a 1-year parts and labor warranty and a 7-year warranty on the motor and casing.

Vacuum Cleaner Manual
The Miele Dynamic U1 manual is fairly detailed and it covers vacuum features, basic vacuum use, maintenance and care, frequently asked questions, warranty and a few other things.  However we do find it a bit odd that the images, which can be quite helpful for understanding instructions, lie in the back of the manual and are simply referenced from the text.  In other words you always have to flip to the back of the manual to view what is being discussed. 

You can find a copy of the manual here: Miele Dynamic U1 Manual