Once you have all your cleaning products together you might want to think about what type of vac cleaner you could use. Small, handheld vacuum cleaners are an excellent idea but are often rife with compromise. The main issue is power. Little, cordless vacuum cleaners usually offer weedy suction power and are only good for hoovering up dust.
That wouldn’t be such an issue in itself but so many models specifically advertise their suitability for car cleaning and other similar jobs. These tasks demand more suction power than is needed to lift Weetabix crumbs.
Bosch claims more of the same with its UniversalVac 18. The crucial difference, we discovered, is that the UniversalVac 18 delivers on its promises. What makes the UniversalVac 18 better still, is that it’s more affordable than rivals such as the Gtech Multi MkII.
Build and design
• Top-quality batteries powering a genuinely punchy little vacuum
An introduction to the UniversalVac 18 is also an introduction to the Bosch 18V Home & Garden family of tools. It’s like meeting your partner’s relatives for the first time. Bosch’s 18V POWER FOR ALL batteries sit at the heart of the entire range. They’re compatible with dozens of Bosch Home & Garden tools, from drills to lawn mowers.
The UniversalVac 18 is, like so many rivals, intended to be as versatile as it is lightweight. From floors, to cars, to garages...strong suction power...we’ve heard it all before. Unpacking the UniversalVac 18, reveals a 1.3-kilogram green machine with a 0.5-litre catchment container. It feels heavier than it is but in a reassuring way, rather than a cumbersome one.
The UniversalVac 18 doesn’t come with a battery or charger and these need to be bought separately, unless you’ve got one already. But sliding on the 2.5Ah battery and firing it up, blimey this is the first cordless vacuum cleaner we’ve used that can be classed as such. It's more than a dust buster.
Using the supplied brush or crevice tool, suction power is excellent. The UniversalVac 18 easily lifts grit, dried clods, and other similar stuff that ends up in the car. The real test comes with using the extension tubes and floor tool, but to our surprise, the UniversalVac 18 works very well with these too.
It’s also important to look at battery technology. Bosch’s 18V POWER FOR ALL batteries have cell protection from overloading and overheating. They also don’t suffer from memory effect and maintain charge when stored for long periods of time.
Ergonomics and usability
• Great to use and easy to clean the filter
With the battery sitting at the base, it pulls the weight to just behind your wrist. Obviously, it’s not a lot of weight, but it certainly helps with how well the UnviersalVac 18 handles. It's much better than the more tube-shaped models, such as the Shark Cordless Handheld. We also really liked the rubberised grip around the handle.
The crevice tool just long enough to reach down beside seats, but not really under because the tool body is a bit fat. The bin capacity is 0.5 litres, which doesn’t sound like much but it’s more than what the Gtech Multi MkII offers, and certainly enough for a car clean.
Filters should never be forgotten about and the UnversalVac 18 has a clever design. In addition to the main filter, there is a pre-filter. The latter stops the bigger debris from clogging the main filter, and both are easy to remove and clean – the filter has a flexible rubber frame to aid this.
Any downsides?
In terms of performance, the UniversalVac 18 is excellent and stands out among other lightweight cordless vacuums. It also comes with a brush and crevice too, which are the two important attachments for car cleaning. You also vacuum boot carpets by using the floor tool without the extension tubes.
What we don’t like is that there is no option to buy the UniversalVac 18 as a kit with a battery and charger. Often you can and gives you better value. But in this instance, you must buy a battery-charger set separately, if you don’t have them already.
Price and competition
For parity’s sake, it’s fair to add the price of a battery and charger set onto the cost of the vacuum itself when comparing with competition. Most of the UniversalVac 18’s competition comes from brands that focus on vacuums, such as Shark and Gtech.
This competition provides batteries and chargers with their models. Yet even then, the Bosch stacks up well.
Beyond price, another obvious difference between the Bosch and the aforementioned brands is that the Bosch batteries are compatible with an enormous range of other, desirable tools. There are other tool brands that have big 18V ranges for the DIY market, such as Worx. But the UnversalVac 18 is better than the Worx Cube Vac.
Verdict
For the first time, we’ve tested a lightweight cordless vacuum and are able to recommend it without a big caveat. Normally, we conclude with ‘it’s light and easy to use, but it’s really not very powerful’. Then we'd go on to suggest that corded options are better. But here, the UniversalVac 18 is powerful enough for properly vacuuming your car, plus also being very useful around a flat. Or spot cleaning a house.
Score: 4.5/5
Pros:
• Decent suction power
• Very well made
• Part of Bosch POWER FOR ALL range
• Brush and crevice tool supplied
Cons:
• No kit option
Specs:
Run time: 20 mins from 2.5Ah
Weight (incl battery): 1.3kg
Bin capacity: 0.5 litres
Dimensions: 38.4 x 21.1 x 14.9cm
Attachments included: Brush, floor tool, crevice tool
How we tested it
We vacuumed stuff. Not wanting to sound like an obnoxious schoolkid but really, that’s what we did. Over a few weeks we used this vacuum around the house and for car cleaning.
Chris Williams is an Automotive Content Writer for Parkers and CAR Magazine, but he also contributes to Live For The Outdoors and What's The Best. He trained as an automotive journalist in New Zealand, prior to which he studied International Relations and History.