Miele TriFlex Cordless Vacuum Review

Avg. consumer rating = 84/100 

Miele is famous for its quality bagged, corded canister vacuums, but they recently pulled a 180 with the new Miele TriFlex.  The TriFlex is a stick vacuum that is both bagless and cordless.  So, is this is a good vacuum cleaner? In our opinion - yes and no.  The TriFlex is a sleek looking machine with a swappable battery.  It’s quiet, it moves well, and the power will automatically adjust depending on the floor type.  On the other hand it’s a bit on the heavy side (for a stick vac), the dust canister is small, and the brushroll gets easily tangled with hair.

Quick Specs
Type	Stick Vac
Bagged/Bagless	Bagless
Best for...	Hard Floors & Carpet
Pet Hair Features	Model Dependent
Approx. Weight	7.9 lbs
HEPA Level Filtration	Model Dependent
Power Cord Length	Cordless
Motor Driven Brushroll	Yes
Warranty	2 Years

CONSUMER RATINGS
We scoured online retailers for Miele TriFlex owner ratings and found over 800 – see table below.  When we applied a weighted average to these figures we got an overall vacuum score of 83.8 out of 100.  This is a fairly average score.  The TriFlex does not score as high as many of Miele’s canister vacuums. You can also compare the score to that of other stick vacuums in our stick vacuum ratings table or view all our vacuum scores in the vacuum cleaner finder application.

Source	Consumer Rating	# Ratings
Amazon	4.2 stars out of 5	759
John Lewis	3.8 stars out of 5	25
Best Buy	4.3 stars out of 5	19
Bed Bath & Beyond	4.3 stars out of 5	8

 

PROS & CONS
A thorough review of owner comments has provided the following insights.

PROS
- Very quiet
- Can stand on its own
- Swappable battery
- Moves well
- Removable brushroll
- Power adjusts according to floor type
- Manufactured in Germany

CONS
- Brushroll gets easily tangled with hair
- Dust canister is small
- Dust canister can be tricky to empty
- A little heavy for a stick vac

WHAT ARE OWNERS SAYING?
Some owners wish the TriFlex came with two specialized cleaner heads – one for carpet and one for hard floors – instead of the multipurpose Electric brush Multi Floor XXL cleaner head.  Although most owners feel the Electric brush cleaner head along with the respectable suction still provides good pickup on both carpet and hard floors.

Owners like that the TriFlex can stand on its own in “Comfort Mode” (see image to right).  It is also feels very light in the hand and easy to use in comfort mode.  But there is a drawback – with the motor near the bottom of the machine it can be hard to get under low furniture.   

TriFlex owners are pleased that they do not have to hold a power trigger down to vacuum.  This is the case with some other manufacturer’s stick vacuums (such as Dyson) and it can result in tired fingers.  With the TriFlex you simply turn the machine ON to vacuum.  Folks also report that their TriFlex is very quiet, with some stating that it is much quieter than a Dyson.

The battery is swappable which means it can be detached from the vacuum.  Owners like the feature as it provides the option to use one battery after another, thereby increasing your run time. However the TriFlex HX1 and the TriFlex HX1 Cat & Dog only come with one battery.  If you want a second one you will have to buy it separately and they don’t come cheap. You will get two batteries if you buy the TriFlex HX1 Pro (see Models section below for more information).

Most owners report that TriFlex movement and maneuverability are very good but there are some folks who feel the unit is a little on the heavy side.  Indeed it is heavier than most Dyson cordless units but lighter than some Shark stick vacuums we’ve looked at.  Also, if you are using the TriFlex for overhead work you will likely need both hands due to the unit’s weight.  

There are several comments about the brushroll gathering a lot of hair/string/thread.  Fortunately the brushroll is easy to remove for maintenance and cleaning but if you have a lot of hair in your home (especially if you have pets) this could be an issue.

Another potential issue that many owners highlight is how tricky it can be to remove and empty the dust bin.  This can also lead to annoying situations when you wish to reconfigure the vacuum (in order to reconfigure the machine you need to remove the dust bin).  In addition, some feel the dust canister is too small which results in frequent emptying.

There are comments that the filter gets dirty quickly and that it is a bit messy to clean.  We’ve also see seen complaints that the run time is too short.  Some people expect to get a full 60 minutes of run time as this number appears in marketing materials. Manufacturers generally post run times associated to the most favorable vacuum configuration (such as handheld unit with non-motorized tool and lowest power mode).  Owners are disappointed when other vacuum configurations (such as stick vacuum with motorized cleaner head in max power mode) fall short. This is common to most cordless machines we look it.

Finally, we’ve run into several comments regarding battery/power issues and limited suction.  These comments are in the minority but we’ve seen enough to make us take notice.

MODELS
There are currently three Triflex models:

1) TriFlex HX1
2) TriFlex HX1 Cat & Dog (same as HX1 but has lights on cleaner head and handheld electrobrush)
3) TriFlex HX1 Pro (same as HX1 but has lights on cleaner head, 2 batteries, and 2 battery chargers)

The Cat & Dog includes a compact handheld electrobrush which is handy for removing hair from upholstery or even vehicle interiors.  Should you have the HX1 or the HX1 Pro you can still buy this electrobrush separately and it will work with both machines.  

All three models include a dusting brush, crevice tool, and an upholstery brush, as well as a wall mount.

Both the Cat & Dog and the Pro models have lifetime HEPA filtration, while the HX1 uses the Hygiene filter that still captures fine dust (just not as fine as a HEPA filter).

3-IN-1 VACUUM
At first glance it seems odd that this is considered a 3-in-1 vacuum.  Usually these kinds of stick vacs are 2-in-1 at best (stick vacuum and handheld).  But the TriFlex is a little different from any other stick vacuum we’ve seen.  It does indeed have three different configurations or modes:

- Compact mode (handheld only)
- Comfort mode (handheld in middle)
- Reach mode (handheld at top)

The key to creating these different modes is the movable handheld component (or what Miele refers to as the “power unit”).

- Compact mode: This is essentially using the unit as a handheld. Good for small cleanups and also vehicles.
- Comfort mode: The handheld is set near the bottom of the vacuum resulting in the unit feeling very light in your hand.  Good if you have large areas to clean as you feel less fatigue.
- Reach mode: The handheld is set near the top of the unit which allows for vacuuming under low furniture, and (without the cleaner head) reaching overhead.
 
It should also be noted that the vacuum will stand on its own in comfort mode.  This is no small thing as many folks are unhappy that most stick vacuums cannot do this.  They typically have to be laid down on the floor or leaned against a wall if you want a short pause in vacuuming.

CLEANER HEAD
TriFlex HX1 comes with Electric brush Multi Floor XXL SEB 430
TriFlex HX1 Cat & Dog comes with Electric brush Multi Floor XXL SEB 435 with BrilliantLight
TriFlex HX1 Pro comes with Electric brush Multi Floor XXL SEB 435 with BrilliantLight

The Electric brush Multi Floor XXL cleaner head is 11 inches wide and can be attached to the end of the wand or the handheld unit (some owners report using the cleaner head on the end of the handheld when doing stairs).

The Electric brush Multi Floor XXL has a feature that detects floor type when the vacuum is in both Medium and High power levels.  It then automatically adjusts the vacuum power for maximum effectiveness.

It’s also worth noting that there are no brushroll ON/OFF controls.  So for those who do not want a spinning brushroll on their hard floor you’re out of luck.  It’s fairly common for stick vacs not to have brushroll ON/OFF controls.

BATTERY
The battery is swappable which means it can be quickly and easily removed.  Probably the greatest asset of a swappable battery is the ability to double your run time should you have a second battery.  When one runs out you simply pop it off and swap in another fully charged one.   In addition, this feature allows for batteries to be charged both on and off the machine.  It should also be noted that the TriFlex will charge when in the wall mount.

The TriFlex uses a 25.2 volt, 2500mAh, lithium-ion, 7-cell, rechargeable battery.  It will fully recharge in about 4 hours.  It is manufactured by VARTA which is a German manufacturer.  

POWER
A 3-level slider on the vacuum handle controls the vacuum power.  Power levels are:
- Low
- Medium
- High

RUN TIMES
Marketing materials state that the TriFlex has a run time of about 60 minutes.  Careful analysis indicates that this appears to mean you will get 60 minutes when using the handheld component in the Low power level with a non-powered accessory.  
 
When you consider the full stick vacuum with a powered accessory (such as the Electric brush Multi Floor XXL cleaner head) we have found the following:

Run time in Low power level with power accessory = 34 min
Run time in Max power level with power accessory = 17 min

DUST CANISTER
The TriFlex dust canister has a capacity of 0.5 liters which is a little on the small side.  The Dyson V10/V11/V15 cordless stick vacuums have canister capacities of 0.76 liters.

Also, removing and emptying the dust canister is a little awkward on the TriFlex but once you’ve figured it out it gets easier.

WEIGHT & MOVEMENT
The vacuum weighs in at 7.9 lbs.  This is considered lightweight by some and heavy by others.  It all depends on your point of reference.  If you are coming from a full size upright then this unit will feel remarkably lightweight.  But if you are coming from a Dyson cordless vacuum (for example) then the TriFlex may feel a bit hefty.  We’ve compiled the weights of some of the cordless stick vacs we’ve recently reviewed for comparison purposes:

Stick Vac Model	Weight (lbs)
Dyson V7 (motorhead)	5.5
Dyson V8	5.8
Dyson V10	5.9
LG CordZero A9	6.0
Tineco Pure One S12	6.6
Dyson V11	6.7
Dyson V15	6.8
Shark Rocket Pro	7.3
Miele TriFlex	7.9
Shark IONFlex / ION F80	8.7
Shark Vertex Cordless	9.0

STORAGE
The vacuum comes with a docking station (wall mount).  The vacuum will charge when it is in the wall mount, and all three tools - crevice tool, upholstery nozzle, dusting brush - can be stored on the wall mount.

 

The TriFlex can be stored on the wall mount in both comfort mode and reach mode.

In addition, should you have the vacuum in comfort mode you can opt to just leave it standing up.

WARRANTY
The Miele TriFlex carries a 2-year manufacturer’s parts and labor warranty

VACUUM CLEANER MANUAL
The manual is provided in English, Spanish and French.  It is not particularly detailed and images are pretty basic.  But it covers most of what you need to know.  You can view the manual here: Miele TriFlex Manual