When you think of Bosch, you think of power tools. And those don’t disappoint. What we have for review is Bosch’s Unlimited 7 cordless vacuum cleaner (model BCS711AIN). Made in Germany, it competes with the likes of Dyson V15 Detect.

The advantages of having Bosch Unlimited 7 is manoeuvrability and manageable weight, which is particularly helpful when it comes to cleaning the staircase.

Plug-and-play design

There are enough accessories to tackle tricky corners. Picture: Mathures Paul

The vacuum cleaner’s name points to the versatility factor. It can be used as a cordless stick vacuum or as a handheld vacuum with a crevice nozzle, flexible crevice nozzle, or two-in-one mattress and upholstery nozzle.

If not anything, there are a couple of features that set this machine apart. First, the 90-degree flexible tube and a swappable battery system. In the box is one battery but you can always buy a second one to clean larger spaces without having to wait for the other battery to juice up.

With a light touch, the vacuum can nip around table legs, pets and obstacles. All of the accessories fit in with a simple click.

The main unit is quite light, even with the battery attached. The machine is about plug-and-play… and there is a bit of sliding involved when the battery is attached. In the box is one 3.0 Ah rechargeable battery. On the main unit is a battery indicator.

Let’s get down to dirt

The dust container has a unique mechanism. After taking it off from the main unit, there is a red section that needs to be rotated thrice. This helps the black tabs inside the container to hit against the filter, cleaning it out. And then the container can be cleared out.

The bin is easy to clean out but it could have been larger

The container itself appears small. Yet, after cleaning three rooms, I found there was just about enough space to hold all the dirt that gathers in a day, including pet hair.

The main cleaning attachment also has a unique design. It can bend or stay as straight as an arrow. There is a button in the middle of the attachment that allows the user to bend the hose; it helps when you want to vacuum underneath furniture.

There are lights — more like headlights — in front of the main brush head, which are bright enough to ensure you don’t miss dirty spots. It is particularly helpful when you are cleaning underneath cupboards.

There are three modes the machine can handle — Eco, Turbo and Auto. During the review period, I kept the machine in Auto mode. It is meant to detect the floor type and adjust the brush head accordingly.

The underside of the brush head has four wheels on it — two small wheels at the front and two larger ones at the back. There is one stiff black brush and a softer one. The head on the main cleaning unit is flexible enough to twist and turn to clean all kinds of nooks and crannies.

The motorised brush nozzle has a flexible head that responds well to small motions

For the test, we dropped some sesame seeds, flour and peppercorn. Keeping the machine in Auto mode, it required two passes to pick up dirt. In Turbo mode, the collection was easier while Eco mode required three passes.

Though you save a bit of battery in Eco mode, the cleaning process takes longer. Most of the time, I went with Auto mode, which allowed around 22 minutes of cleaning time or enough to handle two rooms.

When it comes to corners, there is a crevice tool in the box. It’s probably the most useful accessory. It is also flexible and long enough to reach difficult-to-reach places.

Being lightweight, the machine is useful for hoisting up into awkward corners to reach cobwebs and accumulated dust. Even when held vertically upwards, the motion is intuitive.

What I like about the machine is the anti-hair tangle technology. It allows faster hair removal thanks to the larger diameter of the brush roll. But Dyson has a slight advantage in this department.

Also, the premium mesh filter comes with a long-lasting cartridge, meaning you don’t have to wash it. There is also 99.99 per cent dust pick-up and the filter captures dust pretty easily.

The suction on the machine is excellent, be it for vacuuming carpet or corners. There doesn’t appear to be any loss of suction when the flexible tube is bent at 90 degrees.

Where cleaning gets tricky is with thicker carpets. You will have to get into turbo mode and that consumes power.

Make the call

Battery life depends on the setting you’re using the machine on and that depends on the surface you are vacuuming. I have five rooms to clean, so the battery requires juicing up.

You can clean sofas and tackle pet hair easily

Do I prefer this over a corded machine? Yes, it is easy to move around the house. You can count on German engineering… the machine weighs 2.9 kg, which is just about enough to take it around.

What could have been better? The dust container could have been larger. Second, if you have a large place, keep an extra battery handy because it takes time to charge it.

As for storage, the machine has a space-saving design. You can keep it hooked to the wall. In case you are looking for alternatives, Dyson V12 Detect Slim is a good choice. It’s also light and nimble around furniture and on stairs, and it even works on shelves, walls, and ceilings.

Cordless stick vacuums are versatile and come with a bunch of attachments. Since cordless vacuums are compact and often packaged with either a wall-mountable charging dock or a floor stand, they are often stored within arm’s reach. But if you have thick carpets, then you need something more powerful. For most people, a cordless stick vac works.

The Bosch Unlimited 7 is perfect for hard floors, with plenty of under-furniture areas that collect crumbs and dust. If you have a few thick-pile rugs and carpets, Turbo setting helps. The “headlamps” on the main accessory are fun and useful. The winning feature is clearly manoeuvrability. Overall, Bosch’s Unlimited 7 is flexible and portable.

At a glance

Device: Bosch’s Unlimited 7 (model BCS711AIN)

Price: ₹41,900

High notes

l Lightweight and portable

l Good build quality

l Plug-and-play system

l Great manoeuvrability

l Almost 40-minute battery life on Eco mode

l It’s possible to have interchangeable batteries

Muffled notes

l The bin could have been larger

l Offers only 13-odd minutes with Turbo mode