I recently had the opportunity to test the Kenmore CVS Go Cordless Stick Vacuum. I was excited to test the vacuum because it has a flexible EasyReach Wand, which curves at the joint, eliminating the need to bend over to vacuum under furniture. It also has other features, including an LED battery indicator, combination tool, and two speed settings. The best bit? It retails for under $130.
Kenmore is an American company that’s over 100 years old. In 1913, Kenmore introduced a sewing machine, followed by a washing machine in 1927, and a line of vacuum cleaners in 1932. Today, Kenmore also sells a variety of small and large kitchen appliances, grills, and also air and water treatment products.
I tried out the Kenmore CVS Go in my home for over a month to see how it compares to those listed in our best vacuum cleaner guide, and how it stacks up against other vacuums for under $200. Keep reading to hear how I got on.
Kenmore CVS Go: Price & availability
The Kenmore CVS Go retails for $129 at Amazon, and is currently on sale for $119. Kenmore’s brands are not available in the Kenmore website.
In addition to the burnt orange and white model that I test, Kenmore has an identical gold and grey model that retails for $149, and a blue and white model for $129 that does not have the Easy Reach wand.
Kenmore CVS Go: First impressions
The Kenmore CVS Go arrived in good shape in a Kenmore branded box. Inside, the molded cardboard provided custom slots to hold the various vacuum parts and accessories.
The contents of the box include the main body/hand vacuum, EasyReach wand, motorized nozzle, combination tool, charging adapter, wall mountable bracket and screws, and manual.
Kenmore CVS Go: Design
First of all, I was pleasantly surprised that the orange-colored vacuum that I received was really closer to a burnt orange color. On the website, it definitely looks orangey, but you can tell from my testing photos that the color is deeper. The vacuum cleaner weighs 6lbs, which makes it quite easy to operate and maneuver.
It was easy to put the vacuum together, and I was able to do so without looking at the manual, the then start the charging process. Kenmore recommends charging the vacuum for four hours before the first use.
The Kenmore CVS Go is not self-standing, so I let it lay on the floor to charge. My preference is self-standing vacuums because I find them easier to store. I don’t like the idea of having to drill holes into a wall to attach a bracket to hold a vacuum. However, if you’re limited on space, you may prefer that it’s a wall-mounted vacuum.
I do like the colorful LED battery status meter. The ring is blue when the battery capacity is at 75% to 100%, green at 50% to 74%, yellow at 25% to 49%, red at 10% to 24%, and flashing red at 0% to 9%. Kenmore recommends recharging when the ring is yellow. However, you’ll have to recharge it when the light is flashing red.
The noise level is 73.5 dB, which is comparable to a gas lawn mower.
Kenmore CVS Go: Key specs
Eureka RapidWash: Performance
The Kenmore CVS Go has a trigger button on the inside of the handle. This turns the vacuum cleaner on and off. There are two cleaning modes, ECO and HIGH, and I can change the speed by pressing the desired button on the LED display.
The vacuum cleans both hard floors and carpets. Normally, I used the ECO speed selection, but I occasionally used the HIGH mode. (Note: Kenmore recommends using ECO on plush carpet). The company doesn’t provide information on the suction; I thought the suction was pretty good on both hard floors and carpets (I don’t have thick carpeting), but it doesn’t compare to the suction on more expensive cordless stick vacuums that I’ve tested, like the Samsung Bespoke Jet, and the LG Cord Zero with Kompressor (which are, admittedly, more expensive).
On my shag rugs, the Kenmore CVS Go appeared to get caught on the strands, and since I didn’t want to ruin the rugs, I did not use it on them again.
With the vacuum in its regular position, I was able to slide the EasyReach wand on the motorized nozzle far underneath my sofas, chaise, bed, and sideboard – sometimes touching the wall. However, for people who may struggle bending over, the Kenmore CVS Go’s EasyReach Wand has a wand button at the halfway point on the wand. After pressing this button, the wand transforms into a L-shape, making it easy to reach further underneath furniture. (Keep in mind that in the L-shape, the wand doesn’t reach as far. I demonstrated the L-shape in photos for users, but did not use it in my regular vacuuming since my preference is to reach as far underneath as possible.)
Aside from my unwillingness to use the vacuum cleaner on shag rugs, I was quite pleased with the vacuum’s performance. It did a good job of removing dust and debris from both carpeted and hard floor surfaces.
By detaching the wand and then attaching the combination tool, I was able to transform the stick vacuum to a handheld vacuum cleaner and clean ceiling and wall vents, increasing the vacuum’s functionality.
Kenmore CVS Go: Maintenance
The Kenmore CVS Go has a generous dust cup, so I never had to stop and empty it before I finished vacuuming. It’s also easy to empty the dust cup. I just placed it over the trash can and pressed the release latch on the dust cup lid.
The dust cup also includes a pre-filter basket, and inside of that, a HEPA media filter. After brushing debris out of these two items, they were rinsed with warm water and set aside for a day to air dry.
When debris get trapped around the brush roll (which didn’t happen during my testing), the nozzle should be turned over and then the brush can be removed and cleaned. Although I didn’t have a problem, if you have long hair or a pet, keep in mind that the Kenmore CVS Go doesn’t have a tangle-free brush roller. So, you may need to use scissors to cut debris that may get wrapped around the brush.
Kenmore CVS Go: User reviews
On Amazon, the Kenmore CVS Go has 1,794 ratings and an average score of 3.9 out of 4 (at the time of publication). Buyers like that it is lightweight, and makes cleaning easy. Some people complained that the suction wasn’t as strong as they’d liked. Also, while some buyers like the 40-minute battery life, others complained that it wasn’t enough time. However, keep in mind that all of the comments were only left by a few people. For example, out of over 1,700 ratings, only 125 people mentioned battery life: 36 positive, and 89 negative.
Should you buy the Kenmore CVS Go?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How does the Eureka RapidWash compare?
The Samsung Bespoke Jet is one of my favorite cordless stick vacuums because it makes quick work of vacuuming dust and debris. It also weighs only 6 pounds, includes a 5-step filtration system, and has a 60-minute run time. The battery can be swapped out so you can keep cleaning while one of the batteries is charging. The telescopic pipe can be adjusted in length for comfort, and the vacuum sits on a self-emptying cleaning station. The Samsung Bespoke Jet is $699.
The LG CordZero, which retails for $599, and is on sale for $379, is another one of my favorite vacuums because the bin has a lever that can be pressed to compress the dirt and dust - which increases the dust bin’s capacity. This is an important feature because the vacuum comes with 2 swappable batteries (for a total of 120 minutes of cleaning). The LG Cord Zero also has a 5-step filtration system, telescopic wand, and detachable handheld vacuum.
How I tested the Eureka RapidWash
I tested the Eureka RapidWash in my home for for over a month, using it on both hard floors and carpet, and also using it in handheld mode.several weeks. Using it on a regular basis gave me the opportunity to assess the quality of the build, ease of use, performance, and ease of cleaning.
Read more about how we test.
