Without a doubt, Ultenic have massively stepped up their game in the last few months. After producing some of the best vacuum cleaners around and bringing a few of their best-sellers to the UK market, including the FS1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner and T10 Elite Robot Vacuum, their name is starting to make the rounds more and more. Ultenic are here to compete against the high-end vacuum brands such as Dyson and Samsung, aiming to give exactly the same results at an affordable price. Well, let me tell you that their latest model is no exception. Enter the Ultenic U12 Vesla...
Known as the Tesla of vacuum cleaners, the U12 Vesla is Ultenic's most futuristic cordless vacuum cleaner so far. Its range of impressive features caught my eye immediately and I knew I had to try it out.
However, before you make any purchases, check out our guide on how to save money on vacuum cleaners so you can become the expert.
Ultenic U12 Vesla Review: price and availability
If you're in the UK, the Ultenic U12 Vesla is available on Amazon for an RRP of £177.99. However, it is currently reduced to an impressive £149.99. Have a look:
If you're elsewhere in the world, you can purchase the U12 Vesla directly from Ultenic's website. Its RRP is $399.99 but again, it is currently reduced to $149.99!
Ultenic U12 Vesla Review: unboxing and set-up
As usual, unboxing the Ultenic U12 Vesla was a pleasurable experience. They seem to have re-assessed their unnecessary packaging (one of the cons from my FS1 review) as all of the components came in just the singular box, protected within one piece of cardboard. Whilst I was a little saddened that there was no quick start guide (we all know how much I love them), the user manual seemed easy to understand and concise.
In the first layer, you come across the main body of the vacuum cleaner, the floor brush and telescopic tube. These are easily slotted together to form the vacuum cleaner, with a clicking sound marking that you've done it correctly. The telescopic tube can be extended to any length by pushing the expansion button.
The next layer revealed the 2-in-1 dusting brush, long crevice nozzle, battery and spare HEPA filter. I then slotted the battery easily onto the main vacuum cleaner. The additional brushes can be switched out for the floor brush at any point, perfect for quick clean jobs in the car or on stairs. The HEPA filter is made from a sturdy rubber material, making it feel a little more robust than filters in other models.
The last layer contained the wall mount components, including the vacuum cleaner storage rack, as well as the power adaptor. All of the pieces are self-explanatory which is great to see, making the overall unboxing experience easy and accessible for anyone.
Ultenic U12 Vesla Review: design and features
I was extremely impressed by the design of the U12 Vesla, especially as many of the features are appearing for the first time in any of Ultenic's vacuum cleaners. The display screen is one of these features, proving to be particularly revolutionary. After starting the vacuum cleaner up, you're able to see the remaining working time in minutes, the battery level and the operating speed level: 30 (eco), 60 (low), 90 (medium), 120 (high) or 150 (AUTO). For example, you can see below that I had the speed setting on 30 (eco) which gave me 19 minutes and 3 seconds left of vacuuming. Once I changed this to 90 (medium), the time automatically went down to 14 minutes and 39 seconds. It's a really wonderful feature that indicates how much time you have left, something I've always wished other vacuum cleaners would have.
On the display screen, you can also see the LED lighting indicator which lets you know that the LED lighting lamp of the vacuum cleaner is on. Similarly, the fancy lamp indicator (the elongated C shape to the right of the screen) indicates that the fancy lamp is also working. There are also a couple of warning lights that will pop up if something is wrong. There's a floor brush stalling warning lamp which lights up when the floor brush needs to be cleared of a blockage, as well as an air duct blockage warning lamp which again indicates that the air duct of the vacuum cleaner should be checked and cleaned. Can you see where the Tesla title comes into play now?
The buttons are also pretty self-explanatory, particularly as there's only 3 in total. Alongside the ON/OFF button and speed adjustment button, the lamp control button enables you to actually switch between the fancy lamp and the LED lighting lamp.
Whilst the green LED lighting isn't a new feature when it comes to vacuum cleaners, especially in some of the high-end Dyson models, it's completely new when it comes to Ultenic's products. The FS1 and U11 Pro have LED lights which light up darker corners for cleaning, but the U12 Vesla's green LED's highlight the dust and debris on a completely different level.
The dust bucket (attached to the main body) holds up to 1 litre of dust and can be fully removed by pressing the dust bucket release button and pulling it away. The self-emptying function on the FS1 does make cleaning extremely easy, but the fact you can take the whole dust bucket off the U12 Vesla is equally as great - no awkward positioning trying to empty it over the bin whilst still attached to the actual vacuum cleaner.
The U12 Vesla also has anti-tangle features within the floor brush that can easily pick up long hair and pet hair without getting tangled. This alongside the 2-in-1 dusting brush and long crevice nozzle opens up a whole new world of cleaning, making it an easy and quick job whatever you may be doing.
Ultenic U12 Vesla Review: performance
The more I vacuumed with the Ultenic U12 Vesla, the more and more impressed I became. Even on the lowest level, the suction is simply incredible. Despite being alarmed at the amount of dust underneath my sofa (thank you very much green LED lighting), this was quickly and easily rectified as soon as I began vacuuming it up. There was no need to go over spots more than once and its suction speed was profound.
The battery was also really good. On a full charge and eco speed level, it can give up to 45 minutes of vacuuming. This was more than enough to do a full clean and I was still able to put it up to the higher speeds without losing too much charge. It was even better that the battery charged quickly, so if you do need more than 45 minutes, you won't be waiting long for it to re-charge.
I did find myself wanting to place the vacuum cleaner down at some points, particularly when shifting furniture or moving to another spot. This was when I realised it didn't stand up by itself, only when it was placed back into the wall mount. However, this wasn't problematic at all and is pretty much the same for most cordless vacuum cleaners anyways.
Ultenic U12 Vesla Review: verdict
If you're looking for an effective cordless vacuum cleaner with a great range of features, then the Ultenic U12 Vesla is for you. If you're also wanting a cordless vacuum cleaner that doesn't break the bank, then the Ultenic U12 Vesla is 100% the one for you. Despite its inability to stand up alone and its battery level not being the most revolutionary, it is a pretty perfect vacuum cleaner. The powerful suction, green LED lighting and futuristic display screen make it an all-round wonderful model, and it really is worthy of a 5-star review.
Ultenic U12 Vesla Review: alternatives to consider
Keeping on trend with the Ultenic theme, the Ultenic FS1 is another great cordless vacuum cleaner to purchase. Unlilke the U12 Vesla, it has a self-emptying feature that dodges any mess or spillages and provides a great place to store the vacuum itself. I would say that the suction level of the U12 Vesla is slightly better but read our full review of the FS1 for more information.
Another alternative to consider would be the Dyson V15 Detect. Whilst it's in a completely different price bracket, the design and features of the V15 Detect are incredibly similar to the Ultenic U12 Vesla. The LED laser, multiple cleaning tools and anti-tangle feature makes the U12 a great *but cheaper* alternative, but the battery on the V15 is better, so it depends on your preferences. Read our full review of the Dyson V15 Detect to find out more.
Why don't you have a look at our guide on how to clean a vacuum cleaner? You may need it if we've managed to convince you!
