The Ultenic U11 cordless vacuum certainly looks the part of a Dyson rival. It's got a sleek metallic teal exterior and comes with handheld attachments as well as an easily removed wand.
I put the Ultenic U11 to the test in my dusty top-floor flat for a few months to see if it can stay on top of daily dust and particles. While this vacuum cleaner was capable of keeping my two-person, pet-free home clear from dust, it did struggle with my parents' home, which has a lot of pet hair to contend with. Here is my full Ultenic U11 review, but you can check out the best vacuum cleaner guide for more top floor cleaning options.
Ultenic U11 at a glance
Type: cordless upright and handheld
Bag or bagless: bagless
Suction: limited, but with three modes
Battery: not the best
Recharge time: upwards of three hours
Noise: it's not the noisiest vacuum I've tested
Storage: easy thanks to the included stand
Ultenic U11 cordless vacuum cleaner specifications:
- Maximum power: 260W
- Dimensions: H49.4 x D10 x W8.72 inches
- Weight: 2.2kg
- Noise: low
- Dustbin capacity: 0.14-gallon / 0.65-litre
- Attachments: brush roller, crevice tool, mini motorized tool
Who will the Ultenic U11 cordless vacuum cleaner suit?
Small homes, without pets or major vacuuming needs. I got on just fine with it in my two-bed flat, but the battery life and power will leave those with larger homes disappointed.
What is the Ultenic U11 cordless vacuum cleaner like to use?
Easy! It arrives in a cardboard box and assembly is very intuitive. I did have some trouble assembling the stand and hand to get some help in pushing the attachment holder into place fully. When it was in securely though, it held the vacuum up into place and was easy to plug in and charge.
Hard flooring
My flat has mostly hardwood floors, which can pick up visible levels of dust if not vacuumed every few days. The Ultenic U11 picked this up well enough and prevented any major buildups.
My kitchen floor is often scattered with everything from crumbs to coffee grounds. It needs a lot of attention, and I found the Ultenic U11 did a less satisfactory job in picking up debris than other vacuums I've tested recently. In particular, the new Beko PowerClean did a much better job. I felt like I had to direct the Ultenic U11 to areas with debris and give it a few passes for it to pick up everything, so while it is effective at picking up the odd crumb, it's less capable with serious mess.
The Ultenic U11 has an in-built light to illuminate as you clean
Rugs
I don't have carpets, but I do have numerous rugs. The Ultenic U11 did a pretty good job on these, picking up trodden-in dust and fibres. The bin filled up after just a few passes on my largest rug, so in homes with large areas of carpet you should expect to empty regularly.
The Ultenic U11 dustbin after a few passes of my carpet.
Pet hair
I don't have a pet, which is something I lament every day. My parents do though, and I put the Ultenic U11 to the test in their home to see how it held up. While it did pick up some pet hair from around my dog's bed it by no means picked up all (or even most) of it. It's not a contender for the best vacuums for pet hair.
It picked up some pet hair, but there was lots left behind.
Attachments
There is a mini motorized brush and a crevice tool included with the Ultenic U11. You can attach these and transform the Ultenic U11 into a handheld vacuum, which makes stairs and car interiors easier to clean.
Attachments slot into place easily and it's just a case of pressing down a button and pulling to remove. The crevice tool does a good job of reaching into corners and even ceilings, and it came in handy when cleaning my car's footwell.
The mini motorized tool is best used on upholstery, and I found that it was good at picking up pet hair on stairs, too.
The Ultenic U11 can be converted into a handheld vacuum
Battery life
The Ultenic U11 has one of the weaker battery lives of the vacuum cleaners I've tested. On turbo mode you can expect it to last just shy of 15 minutes, and on the low power mode I found that it lasted just over half an hour, but for the regular mode you can expect 25 minutes of cleaning.
This is enough to handle small homes like mine, but given that it's far from a powerhouse, you may need to use turbo if you have messy areas.
It's worth noting that this vacuum is seriously quiet when compared to other cordless vacuums I've tested. Is this down to the smaller motor? Perhaps, but it's a nice bonus for those in flats like myself.
The Ultenic U11 has a touch display that you can simply tap to change mode
How does it rate online?
Our friends at TechRadar gave it 2.5 out of 5, while IndyBest didn't give it an overall ranking, but really enjoyed its value for money. We're somewhere in between. It's definitely cheaper than many of the best cordless vacuum cleaners, but you do get what you pay for, which is a less capable vacuum overall.
How does it rate against similar vacuum cleaners?
While Amazon puts the Ultenic U11's regular price at £269, it's usually on sale. At time of writing it's available for £179, which is a pretty cheap cordless vacuum.
In the States it's a similar story. The RRP is listed as $219, but at time of writing it's listed at under $200.
For the price, it's a good choice for some homes. However, I had just finished testing the mighty when I wrote this Ultenic U11 review, which puts a stark contrast in terms of value for money. With an RRP of £279, I would spend the extra £100 in a heartbeat for how much better the Beko is. If that's out of your budget though, there's also the , which retails for £219. We gave this a glowing 4.5 star rating which you can read in our full Vax ONEPWR Blade 4 cordless vacuum cleaner review, so it may be worth spending a little more on.
Should you buy the Ultenic U11?
If you're on a tight budget and live in a relatively mess-free home that just needs the odd run-around, there's no reason the Ultenic U11 won't work for you. It's great for quickly cleaning small flats and the odd room, and it's attractive to look at. There's also the option of handheld use, which is definitely a perk for those who have stairs or cars to contend with.
Pet owners and large households should look elsewhere though, as the Ultenic U11 lacks the battery life and capacity you'll need.
About our review – and our reviewer:
Millie Fender is small appliances editor at Real Homes. She reviews vacuum cleaners, coffee machines and even BBQs from her own home to see if they deserve a spot in yours.
Millie lives in South London in a two-bed flat that she shares with her partner. It's a bit tight on space, and the constant kitchen testing means there's no shortage of crumbs to be vacuumed!