Well, technically not Thermomix but the company that make Thermomix, Vorwerk, also make a vacuum cleaner called Kobold. And as you’d expect from German engineering, it’s a solid piece of kit, and I’ve really enjoyed road (or should I say floor?) testing it for myself the last week or two. Regular readers will know I love a good vacuum or cleaning product review and this product has it all. It may even lessen my love affair with my robot vacuum and mop and that’s saying something.
The Mix Australia and New Zealand, local distributors of Thermomix and Kobold, have just launched the new Kobold VK7 cordless 2 in-1 vacuum mop here, a cleaning system that gives you the gift of time back in your busy schedule by allowing you to vacuum and mop at the same time. With two heads – one for vacuuming and one for vacuum-mopping – you simply select the best one for the job at hand. And let me tell you, as someone who’d often vacuum one day and mop the next (and whose cleaner is currently off sick) this is a game changer. It speeds things up no end. And as I mentioned, I already have a 2-in-1 vacuum and mop robot, but this just gets the job done so much quicker.
If I told you everything it does I’d be here all day, so this handy video below does a great job of showcasing its main features in under five minutes.
A recent study* revealed despite the vast majority of Australians agreeing that mopping is important to keep their household clean (89%), more than a third (35%) of Australians agree that they usually neglect mopping from their cleaning schedule, favouring vacuuming once a week or more often (81%) over mopping (65%). This was only exacerbated amongst parents – with three in five parents of young kids (under five years old) stating that they don’t have time to mop their home, and 69% declaring that they would mop more frequently if it took less time.
Just like the Thermomix – the Kobold VK7 vacuum mop incorporates avant-garde German engineering and smart, connected technology to achieve industry-leading quality and performance. Its intelligent cleaning system automatically detects the change of surface and adjusts settings to optimally clean any surface in seconds. What’s more, the digital display and smartphone app (MyKobold) connection enable users to personalise their clean with personalised settings and customer service.
My personal view on using this machine is that it’s well made and powerful. You know sometimes when you’re removing or changing attachments you feel like a flimsy bit might snap off if you pull too hard? There’s none of that here! And particularly when it’s in vacuum-mopping mode you can feel its power, but not so much it’s hard or heavy to use.
I was a little suspicious of the whole vacuum and mopping at the same time business but it really does work! For real! And the finish after the floor dries is great. No streaks and no tacky feeling underfoot as can sometimes be the case. I’ve used it on both laminate and tiled floor. The vacuum-only head is super powerful too and definitely comparable to my corded vacuum.
It was a refreshing change using an upright (while still cordless) vacuum for the first time in years (rather than a stick or pull along). My back will thank me for it I reckon! And its sleek white design and the fact you can easily just click it up to turn it off and park it, means it’s easy to leave out, tucked away in a small space, without looking messy or causing a trip hazard. And no more cases of propping up my stick vac against a wall, then giving myself a heart attack when it crashes to the floor hours later!
But even without the new SP7 mopping attachment, the vacuum-only Kobold machine already had a lot to shout about. I love how easy it is to ‘convert’ it from an upright to a handheld, for cleaning things like the car (it even has a strap so you can carry it on your shoulder if you like) and mattresses (it has an attachment for that too). When you consider the many uses and functions of this high quality and good looking machine, it really is a great workhorse for your home and one I know I’lll be using on the daily. It’s easy and quick to charge too, with a run time of around an hour.
The Kobold VK7 is a game-changer for allergy sufferers and pet owners, accredited by Sensitive Choice and TÜV Certified. It features a patented four-layer microfibre filter bag technology with three filtration systems. The bags are made with 80% recycled materials and capture 99.99% of particles including dust mites and fine dust (up to 0.3 microns) – for a far more efficient clean than ‘bagless’ vacuums in market. I personally found when removing a bag it didn’t result in any clouds of dust and mess and everything felt very contained and clean.
The new Kobold VK7 cleaning system is a complete, modular and innovative solution for cleaning home environments. I thoroughly recommend watching the above video for all the finer details if you’re interested in buying one.
Vorwerk invented the original Kobold upright vacuum cleaner in 1929. The vacuums are designed and made in Germany. Renowned for their excellence in design and engineering, Vorwerk have a 140-year history of pioneering market leading products in both the kitchen and home categories.
So what does it cost?
The Kobold Cordless Vacuum (VK7) and 2 in 1 Vacuum Mop Attachment (SP7) bundle is $2,399 and available now to buy online.
*The study was commissioned by The Mix Australia and New Zealand and conducted by YouGov online between 14 August – 18 August 2023.
Disclosure: The Mix Australia, distributors of Kobold in Australia, gifted me the Kobold in exchange for an honest review on this website. As ever, these are my honest opinions.
