BCH6ZOOO ProAnimal: Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner in the test: How well does the device work in practice?

The vacuum cleaner is an indispensable cleaning device that can (with high probability) be found in every household in this country.

BCH6ZOOO ProAnimal: Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner in the test: How well does the device work in practice?

The vacuum cleaner is an indispensable cleaning device that can (with high probability) be found in every household in this country. Whether carpet or parquet, laminate or tiles: most models are suitable for all floor types. This applies to ordinary vacuum cleaners as well as to those that are equipped with a rechargeable battery and therefore no longer need a cable - such as the bagless BCH6ZOOO ProAnimal from Bosch: In contrast to other devices, the manufacturer advertises with this model that it is for animal-friendly households to facilitate the cleaning of floors and upholstery. This is made possible by a special brush roller built into the cordless vacuum cleaner and an interchangeable accessory set. The star tested whether and how well the device actually works in practice.

Product description

According to the manufacturer, the BCH6ZOOO ProAnimal stick vacuum cleaner has particularly durable and powerful lithium batteries with short charging times. With the integrated SmartSensor, the device uses an LED display to indicate when the suction power is falling and the bagless hygiene filter needs to be emptied or cleaned. There is a battery indicator under the control sensor, which uses three bars to show the charging status of the batteries. The on/off switch and three power levels are located on the wand itself: the first is for simple cleaning (maximum runtime), the second is for normal cleaning (medium runtime) and the third is for intensive cleaning (shortened runtime). The brush roller, a so-called EasyClean Brush, is located in the head of the cordless vacuum cleaner. It is interchangeable, should be suitable for all floor types and can even remove pet hair with ease.

BCH6ZOOO ProAnimal

product details

Weight:

3,3 kg

Tension:

25.2 Volts

Energy class:

A

Loading time:

6 hours

Capacity:

0,9 Liter

Perfomance:

400 Watt

Volume:

79 dB

Duration:

60 minutes

scope of delivery

As you can see from the series of images, the Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner BCH6ZOOO ProAnimal is not delivered in one piece, but in various individual parts. However, the pieces of the puzzle can be put together very easily without having to use a lot of force: The head part (including ProAnimal floor nozzle) and the rod are simply plugged into the middle part using the click system, which also contains the bagless filter. The delivery also includes a special ProAnimal Accessory Kit, consisting of an adapter with hose and shoulder strap for hanging around, a shorter handle - which is inserted into the middle part instead of the long rod - as well as an upholstery/crevice, mattress and car seat nozzle. The accessory set is therefore primarily used to remove animal hair from the furniture or dirt from the vehicle. You can find out how well the device works on textiles, in cracks and corners in the star test.

particularities

In addition to the ProAnimal Accessory Kit including an adjustable carrying strap, the vacuum cleaner's movable nozzle joint is also one of the special features of the device, according to Bosch. It should be able to significantly simplify the cleaning of hard floors and carpets (even under the furniture). In addition, the low weight of the BCH6ZOOO is emphasized, which makes it particularly easy to carry by hand. The integrated EasyClean Brush can be easily removed and cleaned, for example if hair or other things are caught in it that could make vacuuming difficult. And last but not least, the manufacturer advertises the so-called "free-standing function": It means nothing other than that the cordless vacuum cleaner can stand alone in the room without leaning against a wall or having to be stowed away in another way.

In order to test the device in practice, it first had to be connected to a socket after it was plugged in. According to the manufacturer, the battery is 80 percent charged after four hours and 100 percent after six hours - which is quite a long waiting time considering the fact that Bosch speaks of short charging times. After the vacuum cleaner was finally ready for use, clearly recognizable by the three full battery bars on the device's display, the test phase could begin: to find out whether the BCH6ZOOO kept what it promised, the device was tested in an animal-friendly household. The ProAnimal Accessory Kit was then used - on various upholstered furniture that was covered in cat hair.

1st test: hard floors and carpets

In the first attempt, the Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner was supposed to clean real wooden floorboards and tiles. To do this, the device was switched on and moved across the floor - and lo and behold, it did what you would expect: vacuumed up all traces of dirt and dust as well as cat hair from every nook and cranny. You could not only follow this with your eyes, but also hear it: Thanks to the bagless plastic filter, every crumb crackled. The BCH6ZOOO was then tested on ordinary carpeting. The device was also able to convince the tester here, as it was not only able to remove dirt particles from the coarse subsoil very quickly and effectively, but also without great effort and without - like so many other devices - sucking itself onto the carpet. The lack of a cord also had a positive effect when it came to vacuuming freestanding furniture around it.

2nd test: balcony furniture

In the second attempt, the upholstery of an outdoor piece of lounge furniture that the cat likes to relax on should be cleaned with the ProAnimal Accessory Kit. To do this, the stick of the cordless vacuum cleaner first had to be replaced with the shorter handle and the head section with the adapter including hose and carrying strap. Last but not least, the upholstery nozzle was attached to the end of the hose – and the now significantly lighter and more manageable device was strapped to the tester's back like a rucksack. The hand-held vacuum cleaner was then switched on and passed over the coarse-pored fabric. Unfortunately, the BCH6ZOOO failed here across the board, because the upholstery could only be freed minimally from the animal hair even at the highest power level. You can see the result in the photo gallery above.

3rd test: armchair

In the third attempt, the animal hair nozzle supplied with the BCH6ZOOO was used, which only had to be attached to the end of the hose. Here, too, it quickly became clear that the Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner was reaching its limits: only a few hairs could be removed from the upholstered furniture, so that the armchair looked almost unchanged even after repeated vacuuming. The cat hair had gotten so caught up in the rough fabric that it was very difficult to remove it. The suction power of the device did not seem to be up to the task, although it is reasonable to assume that the structure of the upholstered furniture influences how well cat hair can be removed from it. You can see how the pet hair nozzle performed in the practical test in the following video of the test series:

4th test: seat cushion

In the fourth attempt, a seat cushion with a fine cotton cover was vacuumed, which – much to the tester's surprise – worked surprisingly well. The pet hair nozzle was able to suck in almost all hair, so that the fabric looked almost new after the treatment. This clean result once again strengthened the assumption that the Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner worked much more effectively on smooth surfaces than on rough surfaces in the test. You can see what the seat cushion actually looked like before and after using the BCH6ZOOO in the series of images (above).

5th test: office chair

In the fifth and penultimate attempt, it was an office chair's turn: Here, both the animal hair nozzle and the upholstery nozzle with the ProAnimal Accessory Kit were tested. In both cases, it turned out again that the Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner was not up to the task. The cat hair was difficult or impossible to remove from the coarse material, so another insight was gained: Since synthetic fibers such as polyester, with which the office chair was also covered, can quickly become electrostatically charged, they have an almost magnetic attraction to animal hair. You can also view the before and after result in

6th test: bed sheets

In the sixth and final attempt in the series of tests, the mattress nozzle was attached to the hose and tested on a bed sheet, which is one of the cat's favorite places to sleep. Here the theory was confirmed once again that smooth and natural surfaces are much easier to clean: With the BCH6ZOOO ProAnimal, all animal hair could be sucked in and removed. The tester was clearly surprised by what was by far the best result that could be achieved with the ProAnimal Accessory Kit. In this video, the successful attempt with the mattress nozzle of the Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner was documented again for you:

In summary, it can be said that the BCH6ZOOO is a solid cordless vacuum cleaner that can be used to clean hard floors and carpets quickly and easily. The device sits comfortably in the hand, reaches all corners and has a pleasant volume - which even the cat, which immediately runs away from ordinary vacuum cleaners, did not let go of. Another positive aspect was how easy it was to assemble and rebuild the model. Emptying the filter wasn't a big hurdle either, the same goes for replacing the brush roll. It must be particularly emphasized that the Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner is cordless and can be strapped to the back. This means, for example, that a car without a power connection can be vacuumed without any problems: there is even a special nozzle for the spaces between upholstery, which was not used in the test, however.

The main negative thing to mention is that the BCH6ZOOO is actually "only" suitable for normal floor vacuum operation and not for upholstered furniture. Because although Bosch advertises with the addition "ProAnimal" on this device, the model was only able to convince when removing animal hair on smooth surfaces. However, since coarse materials in particular are difficult to clean when a dog or cat has made itself comfortable on them, the cordless vacuum cleaner fails in its original purpose. In addition, the low power level entails little suction power, so that the BCH6ZOOO ran almost exclusively at the medium or highest level - which had a negative effect on the runtime. The device ran out of breath after just 40 to 50 minutes, so it had to be recharged to get full performance again. So if you are in a hurry and want to vacuum your apartment quickly, the battery should always be charged. Otherwise the vacuum cleaner will not work, even if it is connected to the power supply.

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGE

Assembling/converting the cordless vacuum cleaner is quick and easy

The first power level has a very weak suction power

The lack of a cord simplifies vacuuming in hard-to-reach places

The third power level ensures a shorter battery life

The low volume of the BCH6ZOOO is very pleasant for humans and animals

The volume increases significantly if, for example, you have sucked in a stone, which is constantly rotating in the plastic filter until it is removed

The suction power on hard floors and carpets was convincing across the board

The stick vacuum cleaner cannot be used under dressers if the gap is smaller than the diameter of the appliance

Cleaning and emptying the hygiene filter is easy and understandable

The long charging time (six hours for 100 percent performance) is extremely annoying when the battery is empty and you want to suck something up for a moment

The ProAnimal Accessory Kit including animal hair and mattress nozzle is well suited for smooth surfaces

The battery only lasts a maximum of 60 minutes (at level 1). If the second or third stage is used more, the runtime is significantly shorter

The cordless vacuum cleaner can also be used outdoors (terrace, balcony, garage) thanks to the carrying strap and the low weight (after the conversion).

The pet hair nozzle does not work very well on rough materials (upholstered furniture, office chair).

The device stands on its own, so you can "park" it anytime, anywhere

The weight has a negative impact if you want to lift the Bosch cordless vacuum cleaner by hand

Source: Bosch

Note: The article was first published in August 2020.

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